September 27, 2024
Climate activists Bill McKibben and Akaya Windwood say it isn’t fair to leave the climate crisis for younger generations to solve. Plus, a cultural anthropologist discusses the Mariana Islands’ long history of colonization and why demilitarization matters for climate progress. And, new research into a fish known as the sea robin finds that leg-like appendages can “taste” prey buried in the sand.
4:13
A Phone Call From A Penguin Colony
Science Friday education director Ariel Zych calls in live from Antarctica.
7:51
Meet The Vampire-Like Beetles That Prey On Ants
One group of ground beetles has evolved to live in ant nests and feed on hapless workers.
3:52
The Complex Problem Of The Invasive Common Reed
Common reeds are invading New England marshlands—but could this “stubborn bully of a plant” help marshes weather climate change?
15:25
The Silent Tremors Of Volcanoes, Caught On Mic
Researchers are using the inaudible vibration of air in volcanic craters to learn more about what’s going on deeper down.
11:51
Saturn Put A Ring On It Only Relatively Recently
Saturn’s rings are estimated to have only formed millions of years ago, which is much younger than the planet itself.
23:26
Doctors Failed To Disclose When Drug Companies Were Paying Them
A ProPublica and New York Times investigation found that dozens of doctors failed to disclose their industry ties in scientific journals.
6:19
The Cold Case That Began A DNA Forensics Revolution
The investigative podcast “Bear Brook” explores the first case to use consumer genetic testing to find a killer.
17:07
100 Years Of Your Daily Weather Forecast
How has the field of weather prediction improved over the past 100 years, and what challenges do forecasters still face?
SciFri Extra: Charly Evon Simpson On ‘Behind The Sheet’
In this extended interview, playwright Charly Evon Simpson discusses the enslaved women whose bodies paved the way for modern gynecology.
Book Club: ‘The Fifth Season’
Living on a broken earth in a broken society isn’t easy. Delve into the first installment of N.K. Jemisin’s award-winning “Broken Earth” trilogy.
7:42
The Battle Of The Hard Drives
Two companies are exploring very different methods to expand the storage capacity of hard disk drives.
4:40
Shrimpers Turn To Social Media To Sell Their Wares
Environmental and economic factors have weakened the prices shrimpers can get at the dock—so some are advertising direct to consumers on Facebook instead.
24:47
How Would A Green New Deal Work?
The idea of a Green New Deal has existed for more than a decade. But what would it actually look like in practice?
11:38
Antarctic Ice Is Melting—And It’s Melting Faster
The rate of ice mass loss from the Antarctic ice sheet has accelerated sixfold over the past 40 years.
17:34
Peering ‘Behind The Sheet’ Of Gynecology’s Darker History
A new play introduces us to the enslaved women whose bodies paved the way for modern gynecology.
16:38
Learning Earth’s Impact History With Lunar Craters
The moon may have gotten its distinct pockmarked appearance more recently than you think.
9:00
Read ‘The Fifth Season’ With The SciFri Book Club!
We’ll tackle earthquakes and human disaster response with N.K. Jemisin’s apocalyptic work of science fiction.
The Season The Earth Shattered
In N.K. Jemisin’s novel “The Fifth Season,” the earth lashes back when humans begin to harm the planet—leaving behind a barren, broken world.