On Today's Podcast
Tangling With Entanglement And Other Big Ideas In Physics
Physicist Sean Carroll takes on black holes, Schrödinger’s cat, and other big physics concepts that had our audience wondering.
Listen NowDecember 26, 2025
Physicist Sean Carroll takes on black holes, Schrödinger’s cat, and other big physics concepts. Plus, we revisit some of our top stories of 2025, covering research into how death metal singers safely produce extreme vocalizations, how algorithms and social media are changing language, and what we can learn from people thriving in the coldest parts of the world.
27:53
Trump Versus the EPA
How the president and Congress have been quietly and successfully tearing down U.S environmental and climate change policy.
4:37
Making Social Interaction More Like a Game
Apps like Snapchat encourage interaction with features such as “streaks.” But is there a downside to gamifying communication?
12:08
The Microbiome of the Clouds
Certain types of bacteria in the atmosphere can play a role in rain and snow.
6:38
The Science of Tuvan Throat Singing
Tuvan throat singers have developed a technique that allows them to produce two notes at one time.
17:01
Scrap Your Dinner Plans
In their book Scraps, Wilt & Weeds, Mads Refslund and Tama Matsuoka Wong describe creative ways to use the parts of produce that we usually toss away.
17:21
The Invisible Humans Who Sanitize the Internet
Content moderators work behind the scenes to keep graphic content off your feed. But they still have to view it.
Three Recipes for Leftover Produce
Here’s what you can do with kale scraps, carrot tops, and grapefruit peels.
The Highs And Lows Of Tuvan Throat Singing
The Tuvan throat-singing band Alash Ensemble can sing low and high notes simultaneously, inspiring wonder and a deep appreciation for their craft.
A Farmer and His Super Soil
Author Miriam Horn describes how a Kansas farmer works for his soil to keep it working for him.
7:20
The Oldest Fossil, Colon Cancer Rates, and Foodie Fads
Researchers discovered what seem to be fossilized bacteria that are 3.77 and 4.28 billion years-old.
4:47
A Sweet Way to Test for Pee in the Pool
Testing pools for an artificial sweetener can reveal if swimmers peed in the water.
16:17
A Thumb Drive Made of Genes?
We keep talking about storing our data in DNA. How soon will it happen?
12:06
Back When the Planet Had Just One Plate
Geologists are trying to construct a picture of an ancient Earth, before the continental plates split apart.
17:38
Modern Farmers on the Frontline of Conservation
Some farmers are using techniques that conserve natural resources, like no-till and dry irrigation, as a way to cultivate crops according to the biology of the soil and land.
17:19
Has California’s Five-Year Drought Washed Away?
Predicting rain, snow, and water supply in the warming West.
17:24
The Secret (Smart) Life of Bees
Bees can distinguish between human faces, count to four, and even play “soccer.”
Science Friday Spoonfuls
Classroom-ready doses of current science, technology, and engineering stories.
Fighting A.I. With A.I.
As we increasingly rely on artificial intelligence, we must prepare for new types of hacks.