Rasha Aridi is a producer for Science Friday. She loves stories about weird critters, science adventures, and the intersection of science and history.
While studying wildlife conservation at Virginia Tech, Rasha realized that she had way more fun talking about science than actually doing it. She then pivoted into journalism and has since written for outlets like Science, Smithsonian, and The Guardian. Before coming to SciFri, she worked for NPR’s Short Wave and Science Vs from Gimlet Media.
When Rasha isn’t nerding out about science, you can find her on an outdoorsy adventure, reading, or trying (and failing) to leash train her cat.
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9:31
Ancient Bird Fossil Offers Clues Into How Bird Brains Evolved
The “one-of-a-kind” fossil of Navaornis hestiae helps fill a giant gap in scientists’ understanding of how bird brains evolved.
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How Insects Shaped Human Culture Over Millennia
In “The Insect Epiphany,” an entomologist explores the history of insects in art, food, engineering, and more.
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12:21
Seven States Passed Ballot Measures To Protect Abortion Rights
Abortion was on the ballot in 10 states, and seven of them passed constitutional amendments defending abortion rights.
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8:47
Math Enthusiast Finds The Largest Known Prime Number
This ginormous number has a whopping 41,024,320 digits, which isn’t very helpful for mathematicians but is certainly exciting for math nerds.
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16:48
Gender-Affirming Care Is On The Line In This Election
Gender-affirming care is lifesaving treatment for many transgender people. Its availability could drastically change after the election.
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16:58
How Insects Changed The World—And Human Cultures
In “The Insect Epiphany,” an entomologist explores the history of insects in art, food, engineering, and more.
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4:16
Scientists Push For A Lesser-Known Grain Called Kernza
Originally from Central Asia, Kernza doesn’t need to be replanted every year, unlike crops such as corn and soybeans.
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12:13
The Science Behind Hurricane Milton
Hurricane Milton caused a major storm surge, but also a reverse one.
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11:25
Hurricane Helene’s Damage Could Affect The Global Tech Industry
The storm flooded mines in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, which supply the tech industry with some of the purest quartz in the world.
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Pollution Cookies And The Hidden Physics In Van Gogh’s ‘The Starry Night’
The Center for Genomic Gastronomy is making foods that capture environmental crises. Plus, what scientists found when they took a closer look at one of Van Gogh’s iconic paintings.