On Today's Podcast
A space telescope launch + Alvin submersible check-up
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is slated for launch in August. Plus, routine maintenance for the Alvin deep-sea submersible is no joke.
Listen NowJuly 17, 2026
Sci-fi stories often imagine how humans would react to intelligent alien life. But what does the science say? Plus, botflies are gross, but they also know just how to hitch a ride on a camel sneeze. An entomologist celebrates the wonder of parasites. And, in a recent analysis, scientists argued that New Orleans should relocate. But planning for a city's future is about much more than geography.
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.
11:39
The Genetics Of Becoming An Ant Queen
Scientists found that an insulin-like gene plays a role in determining what ant becomes a queen in a colony.
9:13
Tracking Tweets To Forecast Smoky Skies
Researchers with the U.S. Forest Service say social media can help them predict smoke dangers in areas not routinely monitored for air quality.
7:52
This Dust Cloud Has A Silver Lining—Fewer Hurricanes
Why an African dust storm can mean fewer severe storms in the Atlantic.
17:02
Liquid Water Under The Martian Surface
Researchers announce a large underground lake on Mars just as the planet gets a close-up.
30:18
Adapt Or Die In The Urban Jungle
Just how and why do city mice and country mice diverge? It’s urban evolution in action.
Shakespeare’s Starlings And The City
Introduced to North America by a Shakespeare enthusiast, starlings become a test case of urban evolution in this excerpt of “Darwin Comes To Town.”
The Origin Of The Word ‘Quark’
It’s a tale of particle physics, Aristotle, and James Joyce.
6:48
Blissed Out On Earth’s Blingy Core
Plus, the search for virtual particles and a distant planet gets swallowed by its sun.