February 7, 2025
Some research shows that e-cigarettes can be a useful tool for quitting cigarettes, but that strategy is hotly contested by scientists. Plus, an investigative journalist outlines how fraud and misconduct have stalled the search for effective Alzheimer’s treatments in a new book. And, why snow has that crisp, clean smell.
4:08
Hoping For A Sunny Future, The Navajo Tribe Turns To Solar
As the last coal-fired power plant plans to shut down at the end of the year, the Navajo Tribe is embracing renewables.
16:57
Battling An Ebola Outbreak In A War Zone
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, distrust of the government and healthcare workers are hampering efforts to contain the current outbreak.
16:10
In New Climate Change Play, The Story’s The Thing
A playwright explores what kinds of narratives we need to stir action on climate.
45:34
Beekeeping Tips—From Bees!
How wild honey bees can teach us better ways to cultivate them. Plus, could probiotics help beef up bees’ immune systems?
Househunting For Honey Bees
How do bees figure out where to put their next hive? As we learn in this excerpt from “The Lives of Bees” by Thomas D. Seeley, it requires a bit of househunting.
The Unisexuals: A Story of Salamanders and Sex
What does a world look like without males or sexual reproduction?
11:29
Coal Remains Popular Worldwide, But Is In Decline
A new report says that for the first time, we’ve closed more new coal plants than the world has opened.
12:15
New Horizons Spots A Spinning ‘Snowman’ Out In Space
MU69 is one of the reddest objects we’ve explored in the solar system, built from two skipping-stone-shaped bodies, each the size of small cities.
17:29
World-Class Student Scientists Take On Big Problems
A virtual spine surgery tool and a new source of agricultural nutrients are two finalists in this year’s Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.
17:12
I Scream. You Scream. Why Do We All Scream?
A scream sounds distinctive, but scientists are working to measure the acoustic properties of this type of nonverbal communication.
33:58
Embracing The Salt And Adapting To Sea Level Rise
Saltwater intrusion and sea level rise is the new normal for two communities along the east coast.
The Seeds Of Ghost Forests
As sea levels rise and drainage systems become defunct, dead forests are spreading across the coasts of North Carolina.
7:08
International Shake-Up Over Warming Arctic
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo rattles a climate change conversation with the Arctic Council—meanwhile, an early spring is snarling life in Alaska.
4:35
A ‘Shared Ride’ May Be A Public Burden
A new study found that the presence of services like Uber and Lyft increased road congestion in San Francisco.
24:45
Turning Hydrogen Into A Metal Could Lead To New Superconductors
Turning hydrogen into a metal at room temperature could lead to new superconductors. But how far off is this super-material?
8:53
When Lions And Porcupines Battle, Humans Lose
A porcupine’s pointy quills might lead to people becoming prey.
33:05
‘Cribsheet’ Explores The Science Of Parenting
Health economist Emily Oster’s new book Cribsheet dives into the data on common parenting questions about sleep, breastfeeding, and childcare.
11:45
One Million Animal And Plant Species Are At Risk For Extinction
A new UN report says human interventions are the cause of a global biodiversity crisis.
Does Breastfeeding Affect Intelligence?
Economist Emily Oster examines the questionable studies that have led to the myth that breastfeeding increases IQ.
Interview Highlights: Looking To Spongier Cities To Combat A Wetter Future
From “Sponge Cities” in China to small “pocket prairies” in Houston, cities are fortifying communities to better prepare for wetter environments.