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April 18, 2025
Are traffic engineering decisions based on evidence-based research? Not as much as you might think. Plus, researchers captured the first confirmed video of a colossal squid swimming in its natural habitat. And, with brain-implanted devices, people with paralysis have been able to command computers to “move” virtual objects and speak for them.
17:44
Neal Stephenson Versus the Moon
Neal Stephenson’s new novel “Seveneves” blasts humanity into orbit, only to bring them down to earth…five thousand years later.
12:17
Plankton Goes Viral
A multi-year scientific expedition gives scientists new insights into the oceana’s viral communities.
9:19
In Your Skin, a Catalog of Sun-Induced Mutations
“Normal” human skin cells can contain a surprisingly large number of sun-induced mutations in their DNA, a new study has found.
24:40
The Small But Mighty Seed
Biologist Thor Hanson describes the dizzying diversity of seeds. A new documentary, “Seeds of Time,” portrays the fight to save them.
12:04
Retracted Research, 3.3 Million-Year-Old Stone Tool, and Panda Guts
In this week’s news roundup, Rachel Feltman of The Washington Post joins us for a roundup of her top science stories of the week.
5:50
Chicken Beaks and Dinosaur Snouts
Scientists traced the evolution of dinosaurs to birds through the beak of a chicken.
10:52
A Tiny, Living Identification Badge: Your Microbiome
The specific combinations of strains of bacteria that live on and in a person can be used to identify an individual—even up to a year later.
17:23
Emoting With Emoji
A look at what the rise of emoji says about online communication.
12:14
NASA Budget Cuts Impact Earth-Based Science
The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology passed a bill that would cut NASA’s earth science budget by roughly 20 percent.
17:26
Tracking Your Local (Space) Weather
How—and why—scientists keep a close eye on the activity of our nearest star.