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Science Friday is your trusted source for news and entertaining stories about science.
First Elephants, Then Rhinos—Now Donkeys Are Under Threat
Chinese demand has created a huge underground market for African donkey hides.
Antarctica Is Getting Greener
Climate change is slowly making parts of Antarctica turn green. New species of plants and insects are taking hold, threatening to transform the continent’s delicate ecosystem.
Can You Taste The Color?
How does hue alter flavor? Experimental psychologist Charles Spence gives us a tour of our tastebuds.
Bats Are Special—But Not In A Good Way
A new study indicates that bats host a significantly higher proportion of zoonoses, diseases that originate in animals and can be transmitted to humans.
John Steinbeck And The Mystery Of The Humboldt Squid
In 1940, John Steinbeck helped catalog wildlife in the Sea of Cortez. Now, a new creature lurks beneath the ultramarine waters.
Meet Our Cephalopod Masters
Why do we love cephalopods? They’re smart, cute, and…well…really weird.
How Lake Fish Are Coping With Pollution
Author Dan Egan tells the story of one of the last Great Lakes fisherman who witnesses the adaptation of a fish to Lake Michigan’s polluted ecosystem.
Unravelling CRISPR In The Café
A sketch at a café meeting sets Jennifer Doudna on the path to developing one of the most consequential gene editing tools.
Are You A Young Inventor? File A Patent
Tips and advice on how young inventors can protect their intellectual property.
Rising Seas Are Washing Away Graves In The Marshall Islands
For the residents of this island nation, climate change is already here.
What Happens If The US Leaves The Paris Climate Deal?
One way is fast and dramatic. The other is slower and leaves wiggle room.
The Flaws In Forensic Science
Forensic scientists re-evaluate how to improve the state of the field.
How To Have A Dinner Party In Space
Astronaut Leland Melvin recounts daily life aboard the International Space Station, including a communal dinner, celebrating a birthday, and the challenges of trying to sleep in microgravity.
Will Driverless Cars Work Outside The United States?
Driverless car technology is built with the West in mind—but will the same rules work in other countries?
Use Your Senses To Make Sense Of Your Soil
You can see, feel, and even smell the difference between good and lousy soil.
Can Opioid Addiction Be Cured?
Tom Price’s claims about opioid addiction are disputed by experts.
How To Study Muskox Behavior? Become The Master Of Disguise
This researcher disguises himself as the predators of muskoxen to study their reaction.
A Physicist Explains The Shimmering Science Behind Auroras
Liz MacDonald tells SciFri what causes these beautiful polar “glitter bombs.”
In A Decimated World, Biotech Life Is Borne
In his new novel, Jeff VanderMeer imagines how humans must survive in a city ruined by biotechnology… and a gigantic, genetically engineered bear.