Kathleen Davis is a producer and fill-in host at Science Friday, which means she spends her weeks researching, writing, editing, and sometimes talking into a microphone. She heads the show’s State of Science project, bringing local science stories to a national audience.
Before joining the Science Friday team in 2020, Kathleen reported on tech and breaking news at WESA, Pittsburgh’s NPR station. One time, her coworkers made her a dinosaur themed birthday cake, complete with a Rice Krispy meteor.
Kathleen is originally from the great state of Michigan, and is always eager to talk about freshwater lakes and Coney Island diners. She can often be found taking long walks to run errands that would be done much faster by other modes of transportation.
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11:32
How Scientists Predict Where Earthquakes Will Strike Next
Plus, asthma ER visits go down when electric vehicles are on the road.
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8:41
Midwest Aims To Add Large Indoor Animal Farms, Despite Concerns
States like Missouri and Nebraska are paving the way to welcome large livestock operations, but rural residents worry about the environmental risk of manure runoff.
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12:10
What’s Behind The Strange Slowing Of The Earth’s Core?
The Earth’s inner core may be slowing its rate of rotation—possibly reversing direction relative to the rest of the planet.
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17:10
Meet The Art Sleuths Using Science To Find Frauds
Determining what art is real requires scientific tools like carbon dating, and some expert sleuthing.
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7:45
Road Salt Is Washing Into The Mississippi River… And It’s Not Washing Out
Road salt washes into the Mississippi River, harming ecosystems, seeping into groundwater, and corroding water pipes.
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9:12
How Many Glasses Of Water A Day Do You Actually Need?
Forget six to eight glasses. A recent study finds global water habits vary widely.
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8:06
Why Are Children’s Antibiotics So Hard To Find Right Now?
Common antibiotics like penicillin, needed for kids with sickle cell, are becoming scarce, even as the FDA says there isn’t a shortage.
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16:38
Can Science Answer Life’s Biggest Questions?
Theoretical physicist and author Alan Lightman launches a new public television series about searching for meaning in the age of science.
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32:38
Lab-Grown Meats Are Finally Inching Closer To Commercial
The FDA recently approved the first commercial meat made from animal cell cultures. Can it happen at a large scale?
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10:12
The Nose Knows When It’s Cold—And It May Get You Sick
Researchers finally discover why upper respiratory infections are so common in winter.