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.
‘The Ministry for the Future’ Imagines A Dark But Hopeful Future
In a novel described as optimistic and alarming, Kim Stanley Robinson writes for our endangered—but not ultimately doomed—world.
11:40
Early Migration To North America Likely Wasn’t A One-Way Road
New genomic research reveals ancient peoples didn’t just travel from Asia to North America; they likely journeyed back too.
32:38
Lab-Grown Meats Are Finally Inching Closer To Commercial
The FDA recently approved the first commercial meat made from animal cell cultures. Can it happen at a large scale?
33:15
Are Animal ‘Pests’ Really The Villains We Make Them Out To Be?
Science writer Bethany Brookshire’s new book tries to untangle why we call some animals “pests.”
11:39
Technology Trends to Watch in 2023
Experts at the MIT Technology Review highlight ten key tech breakthroughs that might change the world.
Animal Pests Are All About Perception
Bethany Brookshire’s new book explores what separates a pest from the rest.
12:12
FDA Expands Pharmacy Options For Abortion Pills
More pharmacies can seek permission to carry the medication, but local rules may vary.
12:15
How Redlining Shaped Baltimore’s Tree Canopy
Historical discriminatory housing practices are still evident in the urban ecosystem. The city of Baltimore is working to change that.
10:00
What’s Going On Underground With Gophers?
How do these burrowing rodents get enough food while staying underground? Plus the case for appreciation, not extermination.
7:18
How This Chemist Is Turning Agricultural Waste Into Water Filters
This chemist has been turning corn husks and orange peels into activated carbon filters to remove pollutants from water.
10:12
The Nose Knows When It’s Cold—And It May Get You Sick
Researchers finally discover why upper respiratory infections are so common in winter.
6:52
By Hiding Their Blood, These Frogs Pull Off The Ultimate Disappearing Act
Stashing their red blood cells away allows these frogs to stay nearly invisible while they snooze.
34:40
Knock Knock. Who’s There? Science!
How do you integrate science into standup comedy? Comedians Chuck Nice, Kasha Patel, and Kyle Marian Viterbo tell us how.
17:05
What Was It Like To Witness The End Of The Dinosaurs?
How fossil records are helping scientists paint a picture of what happened shortly after a massive asteroid hit Earth.
16:31
‘I Will Not Be Vole Girl’—A Biologist Warms Up To Rodents
From land-mine sniffing rats to to the mice in your backyard, biologist Danielle Lee is asking big questions about how ecology shapes behavior.
12:14
How To Feed The International Space Station
NASA’s team of food scientists must make food delicious, nutritious, and fit for spaceflight.
17:13
This Soundscape Artist Has Been Archiving The Sounds Of Science
Jim Metzner, a pioneer of science radio, looks back on his lifetime of recordings, now heading for the Library of Congress.
16:57
When ‘Nope’ Needed Aliens, Director Jordan Peele Looked To The Ocean
(Spoilers abound!) Jordan Peele’s film ‘Nope” used inspiration from the oceans to make its new creature.
11:50
Keeping The Bubbly In Your Holidays, With Fizzical Science
We pour over the science of the effervescent bubbles of champagne.
5:07
In A New Hampshire Town, It’s Snowmobilers Vs. Beavers
Some residents want to leave a pond to beavers; others want it drained for snowmobile trails.