November 22, 2024
On the 50th anniversary of Lucy’s discovery, paleoanthropologists reflect on what she taught us about ourselves. Plus, divers have recovered seeds of a long-lost rye variety from a 146-year-old shipwreck in Lake Huron. And, a potato researcher explains potato varieties, potato nutrition, and some tubular tuber facts.
Fukang Pallasite: One of the Rarest Types of Meteorite
This rare type of meteorite offers insight into asteroid formation, as well as earth’s geologic processes.
#ObserveEverything: Staff Picks, Week #1
We observe: you’re amazing! Staff picks from the first week of Science Club’s #ObserveEverything
12:08
Do Chimps Have Culture?
Researchers say a real-world case of ‘monkey see, monkey do’ might model the origins of human culture.
16:59
Mining the Internet for Clues to Chinese Censorship
Protests continue in Hong Kong, but only glimpses of the activity make it into mainland China due to censorship.
16:38
Dance and Physics Collide in “Quantum”
Choreographer Gilles Jobin took inspiration from the movements of physics for his piece “Quantum.”
7:00
A Whiff of What’s to Come: What Sense of Smell Says About Health
Older adults’ sense of smell might be a strong indicator of their risk of mortality within a five-year span.
22:34
Community Labs Practice Do-It-Yourself Biology
In DIY biology labs across the country, citizen scientists take the tools of synthetic biology into their own hands.
16:58
Catching a Glimpse of an Eclipse
This month, North America will be under the skies of a full lunar eclipse on October 8 and a partial solar eclipse on October 23.
Is MSG Bad For Your Health?
Monosodium glutamate has gotten a bad rap for causing allergies, but is it justified?
Here’s What A Slice Of Mouse Eye Looks Like
A special imaging technology peers inside a mouse eye, revealing the distinct roles that cells play in maintaining retinal health.
The Science Friday Crossword Puzzle, Solved
Find out the answers—and backstories—to the SciFri-themed crossword puzzle.
Who’s Got the Biscotti? Mingling at the Ig Nobel Awards After-Party
The man of the hour is an octogenarian who claims more than 3,500 patents.
Science Club #ObserveEverything
Go out and observe something interesting! Submit your in-depth observations with the hashtag #ObserveEverything.
12:08
MAVEN Maneuvers Into Mars’s Orbit
MAVEN makes into Mars’s orbit in time to meet a comet and begin unraveling mysteries of the Martian atmosphere.
17:22
‘Internal Medicine’ Gives a Resident’s Eye View of the Hospital
A writer-doctor’s stories reveal the hospital through the eyes of a resident.
5:43
Sprouting a Forest in the City
Foresters are piecing together the complicated ecosystem of the urban forest.
11:04
Plant Emissions: How Do Trees Interact With Pollution?
Certain tree species can add to pollution if they’re planted in certain locations.
11:34
Water on Earth Is a Million Years Older Than the Sun
The cloud of gas and dust that eventually condensed to form the Sun contained “thousands of oceans of water,” says astronomer Ted Bergin.
17:26
Stories to Make You Think BIG
With his new story about a 20-kilometer-high skyscraper, sci-fi author Neal Stephenson hopes to get engineers thinking big.