February 7, 2025
Some research shows that e-cigarettes can be a useful tool for quitting cigarettes, but that strategy is hotly contested by scientists. Plus, an investigative journalist outlines how fraud and misconduct have stalled the search for effective Alzheimer’s treatments in a new book. And, why snow has that crisp, clean smell.
17:41
Andy Weir: ‘The Martian’
Andy Weir’s novel of Mars survival mixes science fact and fiction.
9:43
In Wind Tunnels, Ski Jumpers Become Flying Machines
Wind tunnels help Olympic ski jumpers balance between lift and drag.
6:42
For Some Olympians, Winning Medals Is All About Flow
Understanding fluid dynamics helps Olympians shave minutes off race times.
Olympic Ski Jump Training in the Wind Tunnel
Physics Professor Adam Johnston, explains how, with the help of a wind tunnel, U.S. ski jumpers can fine tune the physics of their jumps along with the flow of air around their bodies in order to attain Olympic gold.
Seeing (and Feeling) the Future of Virtual Reality With the Oculus Rift
SciFri tests out the cutting-edge virtual reality device at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
Vote in SciFri’s Winter Nature Photo Contest
Vote for your favorite winter snapshot in the contest.
11:36
Greenland’s Fast-Moving Glacier Speeds Up
The Jakobshavn glacier reached speeds of more than 150 feet per day during the summer of 2012.
24:53
Meet Vermeer, the Engineer
A new documentary, “Tim’s Vermeer,” shows that the Dutch master painter was a tinkerer, too.
9:12
What Pulled the Plug on the Bioluminescent Bay?
The glowing bioluminescent bay near Fajardo, Puerto Rico went dark for more than a week in November.
9:59
When Do Childhood Memories Start to Fade?
On average, adults’ earliest memories go back to the age of three.
19:12
Can Gaming Make Us More Social?
NYU’s Katherine Isbister imagines a future where technology connects us to other people, not avatars.
6:32
Crafting the ‘Fastest Ice on Earth’
Marc Norman obsessively monitors the ice at the Utah Olympic Oval to create the perfect skating surface.
9:53
Ice Science a Slippery Quandary for Physicists
Friction researcher and avid curler Robert Carpick discusses the tricky physics of ice.
Out Of The Bottle: Wine Psychology
How do expectations, environment, and social cues fool us into believing that our wine tastes better or worse than it is?
The New Frontiers of Filmmaking, at Sundance
This year, the Sundance Film Festival’s New Frontier exhibition explored humanity’s evolving relationship with technology.
See the World Through Color-Filtering Lenses
Explore color by creating color-filtering glasses using paper and tinted cellophane.
12:12
Hotter Weather, Heavier Rains Threaten Penguins
Move over polar bears—could penguins be the new poster children for climate change?
34:21
Could There Be a Crisis in Physics?
Physicist Lawrence Krauss and Nobel Laureates Frank Wilczek and Brian Schmidt discuss current cosmic challenges.
29:15
At Sundance, Scientists and Screenwriters Are Judges
What makes science work on-screen? This year’s Sundance judges weigh in.