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Science Friday is your trusted source for news and entertaining stories about science.
The Logic Of Blame
When it comes to blame and logic, it may be more useful to understand the system rather than the individual.
The Pursuit Of ‘Pure’ Food
Nineteenth century milk sellers used formaldehyde to preserve their product. Just how far have food regulations come?
The Origin Of The Word ‘Alcohol’
“The cause of (and solution to) all life’s problems” is derived from Arabic. But the word ‘alcohol’ originally referred to a method of manufacturing makeup, among other things.
Pakistan Faces A Water War On The Horizon
In his new book, Jeff Nesbit unpacks the rising political tensions between India and Pakistan as a critical water source begins to shrivel up. Will it trigger a nuclear war?
The Origin Of The Word ‘Meme’
What does LOLcats have to do with evolutionary biology?
A Day With Fossil Hunters
Science Friday treks with paleontologists on the fossil hunt in Utah’s dusty canyons.
How Did A Computer Beat A Chess Grandmaster?
Some say Garry Kasparov was more than capable of defeating Deep Blue—but he underestimated the ability of the algorithm.
The Origin Of The Word ‘Quarantine’
‘Trentino’ just doesn’t have the same ring to it.
The Biology Behind Our Emotions
In his new book “The Disordered Mind,” neuroscientist Eric Kandel explores how we control our emotions.
The Origin Of The Word ‘Cocaine’
It’s a tale of a leaf, a graduate student, and alkaloid science.
Presenting The ‘Brief History Of Time’ Artist Challenge Winners
We challenged artists to interpret Hawking’s classic book. They did not disappoint.
The Roots Of The Tangled Genetic Tree
In this excerpt from David Quammen’s “The Tangled Tree,” meet the people who saw that evolution is more complex than you’d think.
The Invisible Forest Under The Sea
Half of the planet’s oxygen comes from tiny plant-like organisms under the ocean’s surface.
The Man Who Builds Beaches
In this excerpt from “The World in a Grain,” beach sand is gold. Illegal sand mining and rising seas are shrinking beaches, but this man is working to replenish them.
The Alluring Beauty Of Supersymmetry
In this excerpt from “Lost in Math,” Sabine Hossenfelder explains how the idea of supersymmetry is just too beautiful for scientists to ignore.
What You Said: Your Physics Questions, Explained
You told us which physics concept has always stumped you. Two physicists weighed in.
