On Today's Podcast
Should Pluto be a planet again?
NASA's administrator wants to reclassify Pluto as a planet, reigniting a 20-year controversy over its status in our solar system.
Listen NowMarch 27, 2026
A young macaque at a zoo in Japan has a fan base that can’t get enough of him. Why are we so invested in the social life of one cute monkey? Plus, a few years ago, ChatGPT couldn’t do simple arithmetic. Now, some experts say that AI could make mathematicians obsolete. And, as local reports of dead birds rise, the greatest human risk of avian flu continues to fall on farmworkers.
24:40
The Small But Mighty Seed
Biologist Thor Hanson describes the dizzying diversity of seeds. A new documentary, “Seeds of Time,” portrays the fight to save them.
9:19
In Your Skin, a Catalog of Sun-Induced Mutations
“Normal” human skin cells can contain a surprisingly large number of sun-induced mutations in their DNA, a new study has found.
12:17
Plankton Goes Viral
A multi-year scientific expedition gives scientists new insights into the oceana’s viral communities.
17:44
Neal Stephenson Versus the Moon
Neal Stephenson’s new novel “Seveneves” blasts humanity into orbit, only to bring them down to earth…five thousand years later.
16:37
App Chat: Apps to ‘Smarten Up’ Your Car
Damon Lavrinc, an editor at Jalopnik, talks about driving apps and gadgets.
Map Sun Trails
Use photosensitive paper to make a map of the path of sunlight on the earth in this activity from the Lawrence Hall of Science.
The Fine Art of Toxic Waste
An engineer and an artist are transforming pollution from coal mines into pigments used to tint paint.
How the Bombardier Beetle Packs Its Punch
Researchers have figured how a toxin-spraying beetle packs its pulsing punch.
Sun Halo, With Sundog Companions
When the sun interacts with six-sided ice crystals, ethereal optical effects can occur.
12:10
‘Thrifty’ Metabolisms, Bad News Bees, and a Pricey Jar of Peanut Butter
Virginia Hughes of BuzzFeed News joins us for a roundup of her top science stories of the week.
17:41
How To Clone A Mammoth
An expert in the field of ancient DNA explains the why’s and how to’s of woolly mammoth de-extinction.
17:26
Tracking Your Local (Space) Weather
How—and why—scientists keep a close eye on the activity of our nearest star.
12:14
NASA Budget Cuts Impact Earth-Based Science
The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology passed a bill that would cut NASA’s earth science budget by roughly 20 percent.
17:23
Emoting With Emoji
A look at what the rise of emoji says about online communication.
10:52
A Tiny, Living Identification Badge: Your Microbiome
The specific combinations of strains of bacteria that live on and in a person can be used to identify an individual—even up to a year later.
5:50
Chicken Beaks and Dinosaur Snouts
Scientists traced the evolution of dinosaurs to birds through the beak of a chicken.
77:37
Science Friday, Live From Huntsville
Hear the full show as Ira and Science Friday take the stage at Huntsville, Alabama’s own U.S. Space & Rocket Center.
Spot the Sunspots
Use binoculars or a telescope to identify and track sunspots. You’ll need a bright sunny day for this DIY Sun Science Activity from Lawrence Hall of Science.
Make a UV Detector
On a bright, sunny day, use tonic water to detect ultraviolet (UV) light from the Sun in this DIY Sun Science Activity from Lawrence Hall of Science.
12:15
The Oldest Bird, a Distant Galaxy, and the Beard Microbiome
Rachel Feltman of The Washington Post joins us for a roundup of her top science stories this week.