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Science Friday is your trusted source for news and entertaining stories about science.
The Map That Changed How We View The West
John Wesley Powell’s map of the American West sectioned off by watersheds offered a bold new vision of the region.
What Did Ancient Whales Look Like?
Author and curator Nick Pyenson describes the similarities and differences between humans and our distant mammalian relatives.
These Science Books Were Made For Summer. Take Our Word For It.
The SciFri staff recommends our favorite summertime science beach reads.
Mapping The Journey Of Marine Animal Migrations
Locked within each map is a story.
Haikus By Cephalo-Poets
The mighty cephalopod never fails to inspire. This year, cephalo-lovers around the world set their tributes to verse.
The Seamstress And The Secrets Of The Argonaut Shell
Known since Aristotle, no one understood the argonaut octopus—until a 19th-century seamstress turned naturalist took it upon herself to solve its mysteries.
The Making Of The Octopus In ‘20,000 Leagues Under The Sea’
In the first major underwater film production, three key inventions helped create an iconic scene featuring an impossibly large cephalopod.
‘The Dinosaur Looked Just Like A Bird.’
On average, a new species of dinosaur is discovered every week. Meet the paleontologists who are uncovering them.
Lost And Found In A Museum’s Archive
Specimens from a voyage in 1906 sat in a jar for more than a century, until one scientist named them.
SciFri Extra: Marking 40 Years Since Apollo 11
In this archival interview, Alan Bean, Harrison Schmidt, and more remember the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11 landing on the moon.
Meet A ‘Blue Planet’ Sub Pilot
From the first filming of a live giant squid to underwater lakes, Buck Taylor has seen it all.
Welcome To Oceans Month
Throughout the month of June, we’ll dive into the stories of the deep.
Your Guide To The Summer Sky 2018
Time to dust off those binoculars! Dean Regas tells us what to look out for this summer.
No Assembly (Or Hardware) Required
Researcher Lining Yao programs biological materials to act like robots and brings them to life on stage.
I Was Awake All Night. So How Did This Drool Get On My Shirt?
A sleep doctor explains our misperceptions about our own sleep.
Michael Pollan On The “Psychedelic Renaissance”
The story of how psychedelics are being used to treat depression, addiction, and even fear of death.
Get To Know These Meteorites
Learn about stories of the early solar system with these handy meteorite trading cards.
The Mystery Of The Flow Of Time
Time and time again, we wrestle with what time actually is. Theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli takes us a step closer.
How To Draw Dinos For A Living
According to dinosaur drawer Gabriel Ugueto, it’s a great time to be a paleoartist.