On Today's Podcast
Maine nearly became the first state to ban data centers
Maine shows how public mobilization is making a difference in determining where data centers go, and how they impact local communities.
Listen NowApril 24, 2026
The LuSEE-Night mission would place a radio telescope on the far side of the moon to listen for signals of the cosmic “dark ages.” Plus, the design and layout of ancient temples, plazas, and cities provide clues about how societies were governed. And, everyday DNA mutations can help us understand immune function and aging—and even mitigate harm caused by some inherited diseases.
How to Make an Artificial Muscle Out of Fishing Line
You’ll need fiber, some weights, a motor, and a heat gun to get you started.
Pick the Winner of SciFri’s Winter Nature Photo Contest
Time to choose your favorite winter snapshot out of our 10 finalists.
A Beer Bottle Prank Is A Lesson In Fluid Mechanics
Scientists used a high speed camera to study how tiny carbon dioxide bubbles in beer rapidly expand and rise.
Make a Model of a Home Made From Shipping Containers
Watch an interview with a couple who built a home from shipping containers. Then, design and construct a scale model of a unique shipping container home using printed templates, and estimate the cost of flooring and paint based on model dimensions.
29:13
On Social Media, the Kids Are All Right
In “It’s Complicated”, Internet scholar Danah Boyd debunks myths about teens’ online lives.
9:09
Your Brain on Jazz
Researcher and musician Charles Limb created an fMRI-safe keyboard to study the effects of jazz on the brain.
6:47
This Fish Sucks
Adam Summers of the University of Washington’s Friday Harbor Labs details how the northern clingfish takes the art of suction to new heights.
16:13
A Diverse Energy Diet, to Face a Changing Climate
U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz talks about progress on President Obama’s “all-of-the-above” energy strategy.
5:45
Pulsar Pulverizes Incoming Asteroids
A pulsar 37,000 light-years from Earth collided with a billion-ton asteroid.
7:32
A 10,000-Year Stopover En Route to the New World
The ancestors of Native Americans may have lived for millennia on the Bering land bridge before fanning out across the Americas.
16:45
Making Sense Out Of Bitcoin
Bitcoin is a digital currency that was created by an anonymous developer in 2009.
For Privacy, Teens Use Encoded Messages Online
This excerpt from “It’s Complicated” explores how advances in technology afford teens new ways of communicating secretively.
This Fish Sucks
Adam Summers of the University of Washington’s Friday Harbor Labs, details how the Northern Clingfish takes the art of suction to new heights.
How Dogs Are Helping Us Understand Ourselves
Dogs are helping improve our understanding of various human maladies and how we might treat them.
How a London Sewer Inspired a Search for Unusual Sounds
What might be considered a sound “defect” can be fascinating to listen to.
Letting the Inner Athlete Shine, With a Techno-Boost
For Olympians, there’s interplay between natural athletic ability and suits that provide that extra edge.
Use Clues to Solve an Ice Mystery
Use the physical characteristics of ice to determine where and how several mystery samples could have been frozen.
9:15
Artificial Muscles Flex Using Fishing Line and Thread
Researchers create superhuman strength from sewing thread and fishing line.
20:13
Building an Open ‘Internet of Things’
Will the ‘Internet of Things’ be open to developers—or hindered by proprietary smart boxes?
16:48
App Chat: Social Media Gets Newsy
Ellis Hamburger, a reporter at The Verge, talks about why social media giants are betting on news.