On Today's Podcast
Why are we changing the way we keep time?
Timekeeping scientists around the world voted to stop using leap seconds, but what does this mean for us?
Listen NowOctober 23, 2026
CRISPR pioneer Jennifer Doudna discusses the evolution of gene-editing technology and what it takes to be a good scientist. Timekeepers around the world voted to stop using leap seconds, but what does that mean for us? Plus, how "problem bears" help test engineers evaluate consumer products, author Kazuo Ishiguro on emotional truth in our age of AI, and the science of apple varieties.
16:33
Tales of Broken Hearts
In “The Man Who Touched His Own Heart,” Rob Dunn writes of the creative—and sometimes tragic—ways that scientists and surgeons have sought to mend the maladies of the heart.
How a Bar Fight Paved the Way for Heart Surgery
An excerpt from “The Man Who Touched His Own Heart.”
This Valentine’s Day, Say ‘I Love You’ With Science
SciFri asked real scientists to write love notes. Now you can share them with that special someone.
Is Pedigree What It’s Cracked Up To Be?
Data distilled 80,000 individual dog profiles revealed that outside of the show ring, there’s a lot of behavioral variation within any given breed.
An Unusual Rose Blooms in Northern California
This bubblegum-pink sea slug is cropping up in areas where it’s rarely seen in large numbers.
Use Magnetic Fields To Navigate Like A Sea Turtle
Create small turtle navigators and use them to detect magnetic fields in this activity and companion game.
11:55
Honey, I Shrunk the Lab: Testing for STDs on a Smartphone
A new, inexpensive smartphone dongle tests for HIV and syphilis in 15 minutes.
22:15
The SciFri Book Club Talks ‘The Lost City of Z’
The SciFri Book Club convenes to talk about David Grann’s non-fiction tale of Amazonian exploration, “The Lost City of Z.”
10:10
Uncovering the Amazon’s Real ‘Lost Cities’
Archaeologist Michael Heckenberger’s discovery of “garden cities” in the Amazon suggests ancient civilizations once thrived there.
2:19
How Budget Plans on Earth Might Stop Opportunity Rover on Mars
A preliminary NASA budget contains no funding for the Mars rover Opportunity in 2016.
12:01
Can the FCC Proposal Protect the Open Internet?
This week, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler announced a plan for “the strongest open Internet protections ever proposed by the FCC.”
22:44
Fess Up: We’re Taking Your ‘Climate Confessions’
Do you have a predilection for beef? Forget to flick off the lights? Or maybe you’re a much-too-frequent flier? Call in to confess your climate sins.
9:14
Catching Up on Sea Slug Science
The Hopkins’ rose sea slug has invaded Northern California, due to warming waters.
1:36
Remembering ‘The Father of the Pill’
The chemist Carl Djerassi passed away on January 30, 2015, at the age of 91.
SciFri Book Club: David Grann Answers Your Questions
“The Lost City of Z” author David Grann answers questions from SciFri Book Club readers.
What’s Causing the Color Change in Yellowstone’s Morning Glory Spring?
The interplay of light, bacteria, and water depth influence the dramatic colors at Yellowstone’s famous pool.
How Dense Is Snow?
How much water is there in snow? Use a kitchen measuring cup—and your math skills—to calculate the density of snow!
29:31
Scientists and the Public Disagree on Key Issues
Is it possible to shift public opinion on controversial scientific issues?
17:14
The True Story Behind ‘Spare Parts’
In “Spare Parts,” four teenage MacGyvers beat MIT with a smelly robot built with PVC pipe.
12:09
Small Drones Raise Big Legal Questions
Law professor Ryan Calo discusses how to regulate personal drones and other potentially invasive technologies.