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Science Friday is your trusted source for news and entertaining stories about science.
Science Diction: Dinosaur
The origin of the word ‘dinosaur,’ and the story of its self-sabotaging inventor.
Science Diction: Vaccine
The origin of the word ‘vaccine’ stretches back to a disease, a test subject, and… a cow.
Science Diction: Meme
The word ‘meme’ has more to do with evolutionary biology than the internet.
Subscribe To Our New Podcast ‘Science Diction!’
Calling all word nerds! Science Friday has a new podcast called ‘Science Diction.’ Subscribe and listen to the trailer now!
How Facebook’s News Feed Became A Political Propaganda Machine
In his new book, journalist Steven Levy unpacks how Facebook’s news feed influenced a presidential election in the Philippines—and how it was a symptom of the rise of fake news.
How The First Non-Natural Diamond Was Grown In A GE Lab
Since ancient times, people have tried to make their own diamonds. In upstate New York in 1954, it finally happened.
From Superior To Ontario, Your Love Of The Great Lakes
The Science Friday Book Club rejoiced in memories, thought about water access, and identified invasive species. So, we mapped it.
What Happens When Tech Giants Assist In Natural Disasters?
When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, the U.S. government didn’t step in to restore power. What happens when countries turn to private companies for infrastructure?
SciFri Extra: The Marshall Islands Stare Down Rising Seas
Former Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine speaks on a vulnerable country’s plan to stay put in the face of climate change, and why other countries should pay attention.
How Empathy Has Changed In The Face Of Tech
As tech takes over our lives, a journalist reckons with what has happened to our ability to empathize.
Your Cervical Mucus Is Beautiful
The protective substance is an important barrier between the body and the environment. Here’s how researchers are using it to understand health.
Wandering The Woods For A Breast Cancer Treatment
The quest to find a treatment for breast cancer in the 1960s resulted in a botanist searching for a solution in the woods of the Pacific Northwest.
What You Said: Your Favorite Memories Of The Great Lakes
From loons to canoes to migrating wildlife, the Great Lakes have it all.
The Messy Math Of Mammograms
Math biologist Kit Yates breaks down the numbers behind breast cancer screenings—and the serious implications of false positive and negative results.
Opinion: Michael Mann, Australia, And Climate Change
In an editorial for ‘The Guardian,’ Michael Mann recounts his recent visit to one of Australia’s biggest burn sites—and contemplates how climate change will affect its future.
The Microbial Soup Plaguing The Great Lakes
Millions of residents rely on the waters from the Great Lakes—but communities face soupy bacterial blooms, toxic algal mats, and farm runoff that lurk beneath.
Out Of The Box Thinking, Out Of The Lab Research
How community labs are bringing biotechnology out of academic settings and into people’s hands.
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It’s Time To Clean The Junk Up There
Earth’s low orbit is crowded—too crowded. Read how this happened, and why it’s important to clean it up.
The Science News That Defined The Decade
As we head into 2020, we asked you to help us roundup the biggest science news over the past 10 years.