16:54
Revisiting The Debunked Theory Of Spontaneous Generation
The controversial idea of spontaneous generation—that life could arise from non-living matter—was debunked by Louis Pasteur in an experimental showdown.
Keeping The Nuclear Bomb Out Of Hitler’s Hands
During World War II, two French physicist’s assistants escape German occupation with a crucial nuclear weapon ingredient before the Nazis get to it first.
12:14
Turning Proteins Into Music
Researchers are using music to unravel the mysteries of life’s complicated building blocks.
The Mysterious Swimming Habits Of The Ancient Ammonite
These extinct shelled cephalopods ruled the ocean for 300 million years. But how they swam and shaped the seas remains a mystery.
SciFri Extra: About Time
Ira talks with the head of the NIST’s Time and Frequency Division about time, and how to measure it better.
Science Comics: A Creative Gateway Into Literacy and STEM
Use student-created comics to summarize learning, report experimental outcomes, and assess prior knowledge.
11:44
A New View On Quantum Weirdness
New research says it may be possible to anticipate when a ‘quantum leap’ is about to take place—and even prevent it from happening.
SciFri Extra: Remembering Murray Gell-Mann
A 1994 conversation with Nobel physicist Murray Gell-Mann, who died recently at the age of 89.
16:15
Revisiting A Once-Great Scientific Idea
Mainstream physicists once believed light was simply a disturbance of the “luminiferous ether”—before the idea fell from grace.