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.
22:29
One Force Driving Deadlier Wildfires? People
A population boom in forests and other wild areas is leading to deadlier, more destructive blazes. How do we cope with worsening wildfires?
11:54
Who Wrote That Beatles Song? This Algorithm Will Tell You
A statistician developed an algorithm to figure out who wrote disputed Beatles songs.
26:17
Science In Motion
Where science and art intersect, dance can help bring new understanding and metaphors for researchers and the public.
20:55
From Skyscrapers to Sand Thieves—Digging Into The World Of Sand
Each year, we use nearly 50 billion tons of sand and gravel worldwide. Is that sustainable?
The Man Who Builds Beaches
In this excerpt from “The World in a Grain,” beach sand is gold. Illegal sand mining and rising seas are shrinking beaches, but this man is working to replenish them.
7:34
After A Radical Brain Surgery, A Normal Life
After surgery that removed one-sixth of his brain, a 10-year old boy is living a remarkably normal life—a tribute to the plasticity of the human brain.
3:55
After New Jersey Floods, Rebuild Or Retreat?
Instead of rebuilding after repeated flooding, New Jersey is offering some homeowners a buyout.
10:51
Alan Alda Opens Up About His Parkinson’s Disease
Alan Alda discusses how science informs his perspective on the diagnosis and view of the future.
11:50
Not Even The Smallest Are Spared Extinction
Bacteria have been on Earth longer than any of us. And new research suggests that even they suffer from extinction.
17:00
Is Facial Recognition Ready For The Real World?
Some police departments are using facial recognition software to help identify suspects. But accuracy remains an issue.
16:35
Why Is The Sun’s Corona Hotter Than Its Surface?
Scientists hope the Parker Solar Probe will help them find the answer—and not burn up in the process.
22:08
In Physics, Beauty May Be Overrated
Physicists are still trying to prove decades-old theories. One theorist argues for why the best answers may not come until scientists embrace messier math.
The Alluring Beauty Of Supersymmetry
In this excerpt from “Lost in Math,” Sabine Hossenfelder explains how the idea of supersymmetry is just too beautiful for scientists to ignore.
What You Said: Your Physics Questions, Explained
You told us which physics concept has always stumped you. Two physicists weighed in.
How Do ‘Killer Snails’ Kill Their Victims?
Model the hunting adaptations and a rich peptide venom cocktail of predatory cone snails in this exploration of the organism’s structure and function.
6:58
Was Our Moon Once Habitable?
There may have been times in our moon’s history in which it could have sustained liquid water and microbial life.
4:56
Onetime Miracle Ingredient, Now An Environmental Problem
States across the country are holding public hearings on what to do about contamination with a class of persistent chemicals known as PFAS.