Articles
Science Friday is your trusted source for news and entertaining stories about science.
How Do Eclipse Glasses Actually Work?
A combination of materials that reflect and absorb light make it safe to look right at the sun.
A Short History Of Umbraphile Marvels And Mishaps
For some people, seeing an eclipse is a chance encounter. For umbraphiles, it’s a lifestyle. It doesn’t always work out.
Meet The Sago Pondweed, World Citizen
In “Dispersals,” the story of the sago pondweed helped the author imagine what it could mean to have roots that span continents.
Why Total Solar Eclipses Won’t Be Around Forever
It’s something of a cosmic accident that total solar eclipses happen at all. Over time, the moon’s widening orbit will make them impossible.
The Launch Of A 7-Year Asteroid Mission
In his book, the principal investigator of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission describes the frantic morning of final checks before the launch.
What Did Seeing An Eclipse Do For America?
Research from the 2017 total eclipse looked at how the awe of a natural phenomenon brought people closer together.
Neuroscience Can Explain Why We Get Hangry
In ‘The Balanced Brain,’ the overlap between the chemical signals for hunger and anger shows how emotions and bodily states are closely linked.
The Herbs And Molecules That Make Up Bitter Flavors
In ‘Flavorama,’ plants, scents, and science come together in a recipe for deliciously bitter walnut-amaro cake.
How Pi Can Help Sew A Costume
In “Math in Drag,” drag queen Kyne describes how understanding pi helps her sew together the perfect circle skirt.
Prepare For The April 2024 Eclipse With ‘Moon Mail’
Prepare for this year’s eclipse with solar science, umbraphile quests, and a plan to make a lasting memory.
Was The Nostalgic Music In ‘Argylle’ Crucial To The Plot?
In the energetic spy adventure, music helps a shy novelist remember who she actually is. There’s some science to how music triggers memories.
Hack Your Brain: Free Online Science Escape Room For Kids
Unlock kids’ brain power with a free online neuroscience escape room, exciting puzzles, hands-on experiments, and live expert Q&As.
Los Alamos And The Beginning Of Our Nuclear Age
In her new book, Sarah Scoles writes about how scientists grappled with the implications of nuclear weapons.
Sign Up For ‘Science Goes To The Movies’
In this newsletter, we explore all the science there is to find onscreen—in the theater or streaming at home!
In The Beginning, There Was Smack Talk
An excerpt from Rafi Kohan’s “Trash Talk” explains how talking smack can knock your opponent off their game.
A Harrowing Misdiagnosis And A Doctor’s Quest For Health Equity
Dr. Uché Blackstock recounts a formative medical experience that exemplifies how the healthcare establishment can fail Black patients.
Why A Robotics Professor Writes Black STEM Romance Novels
Dr. Carlotta Berry writes romance novels about Black women in the sciences to encourage more people to go into the field.
A World Apart: The Human Relationship With The Moon
In the book ‘Our Moon,’ Rebecca Boyle describes the intertwined existence of humanity and the moon in sharp detail.
The Absurdity—And Difficulty—Of Writing About The Dead
“There is nothing amusing about being dead,” Mary Roach writes. But how can one inject humor and levity while writing about cadaver science?
Are We Alone? Science Searches For Aliens
From biosignatures in exoplanet atmospheres to radio telescope arrays, science is searching for extraterrestrial life.