On Today's Podcast
Inside the Nebraska quarantine facility responding to hantavirus
The National Quarantine Unit in Nebraska is housing 18 people exposed to hantavirus, and preparing for possible cases of Ebola exposure.
Listen NowMay 29, 2026
On the release of Pope Leo’s encyclical about AI, we peek inside the Vatican academy that helps inform his scientific views. Plus, cell and GPS data show how animals react to human presence—and weather radar data reveal 100 trillion insects in U.S. skies. And, the National Quarantine Unit in Nebraska is housing 18 people exposed to hantavirus, and preparing for possible cases of Ebola exposure.
Why We Should Think Big
An MIT physics professor discusses how mathematics is integrated into every part of our universe.
29:57
Science Goes To The Movies: ‘Her’
Our scientist-film critics weigh in on “Her.”
16:50
Is the Universe Built on Math?
In “The Mathematical Universe,” physicist Max Tegmark argues that the universe is completely mathematical.
20:58
Scott Stossel: My Age of Anxiety
An estimated one out of seven Americans suffers from anxiety.
8:10
How Fins Gave Way to Feet
Tiktaalik roseae was a fish that had scales, gills, and limb-like front fins.
17:04
Medicine’s Gender Gap
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for American women. Yet women make up only a third of subjects in cardiovascular clinical trials.
Star-Crossed Galaxies
Collisions between two spiral galaxies can be spectacular affairs, filled with romance.
What Is Kraut-chi?
A fermentation experimentalist describes his hybrid sauerkraut-kimchi dish, and offers a few fermentation tips.
11:48
Cold Snap Knocks Out Some Invasive Insects
Asian long-horned beetle, emerald ash borer: Will they survive the colder weather?
17:26
An Antarctic Expedition, Frozen in Time
Century-old Antarctic photos offer a peek into Shackleton’s ill-fated Ross Sea Party Expedition.
9:21
Migraine Study Reveals the Power of Placebo
Patients’ expectations can play a role in the effectiveness of medications and placebos.
6:57
2014 Consumer Electronics Show Round-Up
Chris Ziegler of The Verge discusses technology trends from this year’s Consumer Electronics Show.
22:42
Food Failures: How to Spoil Your Food (And Eat It, Too)
Fermentation guru Sandor Katz solves your pickling problems.
18:01
Wine Science: Deconstructing ‘Terroir’ in the Lab
Chemist Gavin Sacks says talk of terroir may often be simply a clever marketing ploy.
6:10
Out of the Bottle: Tricks of the Trade
Popular wine jargon such as “breathing,” “corked,” and “wine tears” gets translated into chemistry you can understand.
An Ancient Flower, Preserved in Amber
A recently described 100 million-year-old fossil is the most complete flowering plant from the Cretaceous discovered.
Ice Spikes: Your Photos
We asked you to submit your own photos of the ice spike phenomenon.
A Grasshopper Storm, a Mental Shift
Humans’ perception of insects is deeply rooted in our evolutionary past.
Iowa Going Green: What Does It Mean for 2016?
Could new wind energy projects influence votes?