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.
7:51
Collars, Cameras, And Carcasses: Studying Urban Wildlife
Urban wildlife is much cooler and more diverse than they get credit for.
16:17
A New Lyme Disease Test In Development May Help Improve Treatment
Current diagnostic tests only determine if patients had the disease, not current infections. Microbiologist Pete Gwynne wants to change that.
16:51
‘I Will Not Be Vole Girl’—A Biologist Warms 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.
17:20
Meet Two Autistic Researchers Changing How Autism Research Is Done
A growing body of openly autistic scientists are using their expertise and their own experiences to help shape the future of autism research.
Wildlife Selfies Beneath The Bird Feeder
When the COVID-19 pandemic confines a wildlife conservation photographer to her backyard, she masters the art of bird feeder photography.
Read ‘Vagina Obscura’ With The SciFri Book Club
‘Vagina Obscura’ tells readers the history of neglected research into the vagina and its companion organs. Read it with us this September.
12:09
Will A Colorado River Drought Dry Up Energy Supplies?
Mandatory cuts to water use along the Colorado River could lead to cuts in power generation.
27:36
How Viruses Have Shaped Our World
Microbiologist Joseph Osmundson’s new book examines the many ways we interact with the tiny pathogens that shape our world.
7:00
Seagrass Oasis In Gulf Of Mexico Signals Good News For Manatees
Seagrass is the bedrock of the marine food chain. That makes it an important habitat to protect.
7:16
Teen Innovator’s New AI Tool Helps Create Affordable Drugs
Rishab Jain combines his passions for artificial intelligence and biotech to build a more efficient model for producing prescription drugs.
4:54
When Trapping Invasive Bugs Is Science Homework
STEM educators are helping students tackle a real-world challenge—trapping the invasive spotted lanternfly.
17:12
The Countdown Begins For Humanity’s Return To The Moon
NASA’s lunar rocket will see its first launch opportunity on August 29th, officially starting the Artemis program’s era of space exploration.
16:58
Should Kids Get Vaccinated If They’ve Already Had COVID-19?
A new school year brings new challenges for parents and pediatricians, as viruses continue to complicate back-to-school planning.
What It Means To Examine Illness As A Quantum State
Microbiologist Joseph Osmundson takes a deeper look at what it means to be ill—and what it means to live with illness.
Expert Q&A: What You Need To Know About Monkeypox
How does monkeypox spread, what are the signs and symptoms, and how can one protect themselves from the virus? Experts weigh in.
Aquascaping: Building Underwater Worlds
Filmmaker and aquascaper Alex Wenchel guides us through their creative process while building and caring for elaborate living aquariums.
12:14
A Plan To Cap Insulin Prices May Not Be Helpful
Plus, why the world was so convinced by space chorizo.
16:22
Frenemies, Lovers, And The Fate Of The Cosmos: Our Galaxy Tells All
Astronomer and folklorist Moiya McTier’s new book is a saucy memoir from our very own Milky Way.
5:05
Some Grasses Can Stop Lead From Spreading In Soil
As the consequences of decades-old lead mining and smelting linger, scientists look for solutions to clean up lead pollution in the Midwest.
06:57
A High School Student Invented An Affordable Brain-Reading Prosthetic
Inspired by technology in Star Wars, seventeen-year-old Benjamin Choi has developed an affordable robotic limb.