On Today's Podcast
AI Was Supposed To Discover New Drugs. Where Are They?
While some AI-designed drugs have made it to clinical trials, none of them have been approved. Why has it been harder than experts thought?
Listen NowOctober 17, 2025
While some AI-designed drugs have made it to clinical trials, none of them have been approved. Why has it been harder than experts thought? Plus, in “Mapmatics,” a mathematician tells the stories of how math helps us track epidemics, map the seafloor, and plot a complex delivery route. And, the authors of “Food Intelligence” answer listener questions and discuss how our food systems make staying healthy an uphill battle.
7:13
A Cool Star Yields The Most Earth-Like Exoplanet Yet
A survey of exoplanets is finding Earth-like planets around cold, tiny stars, plus more stories from this week’s News Roundup.
5:02
Renewable Energy Makes Waves In Oregon
Plans for a wave testing facility in the state are advancing.
17:12
Puppy Eyes: Dogs’ Secret People Manipulation Weapon
Dogs have been perfecting their puppy eyes for thousands of years.
7:03
Why We Need To Talk About Microbes And Climate
Microbes are everywhere and have close ties to the climate. So, why are they often absent from discussion about climate change?
17:42
Through The Mountains And Smoke
To discover what’s happening in smoke plumes generated from wildfires, a team flies directly through the source.
12:27
How Climate Change Threatens Pikas
Pikas used to roam the American West. Now, they’re in danger of disappearing.
17:37
Uncovering A Colorado Apple Mystery
Colorado was once full of apple orchards—what happened? Plus the secrets of making cider.
9:48
Sucker For Cephalopods? Cephalopod Week Has You Covered
We’re submerging again for eight days of celebrating the mighty mollusks of the ocean.
How You Can Dive Into Cephalopod Week 2019
Like a cuttlefish emerging from its sandy hideaway, Cephalopod Week is back for its sixth year.
The Distributed Mind: Octopus Neurology
In a highly-anticipated experiment, researchers are attempting to decode how the octopus controls its multi-armed mind.
Science Comics: A Creative Gateway Into Literacy and STEM
Use student-created comics to summarize learning, report experimental outcomes, and assess prior knowledge.
Capture The Iridescence Of Camouflaging Cephalopod Skin
Explore the deep, color-changing iridophore and leucophore layers of cephalopod skin to see they use light to camouflage themselves.
11:56
What Are The Presidential Candidates’ Climate Plans?
The differing presidential candidates climate agendas include the Green New Deal, increased spending, and executive action.
11:51
A Tiny Twisted Protein, A Big Problem For Wildlife
Chronic wasting disease is a fatal illness affecting the brains of deer, moose, and elk.
34:14
The Best Science Books To Read For Summer 2019
From historical nonfiction to graphic novels to poetry, we’ve got plenty of recommendations for science books.
33:54
Hot Enough For You? Cooling The Worsening Urban Heat Island
Cities have always been hotter than their surroundings. Meet the people trying to cool off the urban jungle even as the globe warms.
7:36
A Ban On Fetal Tissue Research
Trump administration officials announced that a ban on the use of fetal tissue for government scientists working under the National Institutes of Health.
4:03
Data From Destruction
Researchers in Missouri are examining the after-effects of recent tornadoes to engineer stronger homes.
17:30
A Trip To The Coldest And Most Remote River Of Antarctica
The Onyx River is the site of the longest ongoing climate record in Antarctica. Science Friday followed the researchers monitoring the flow.
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.