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.
Let’s Talk Black Holes, With New Nobel Prize Winner Roger Penrose
Last year, a winner of the 2020 Nobel Prize in physics sat down with Pioneer Works to chat black holes, the universe, Penrose tilings, and consciousness.
Breakthrough: The Trauma Tracer
Follow Bianca Jones Marlin as she uses cutting-edge neuroscience to uncover how the effects of trauma can be passed down from generation to generation.
11:50
President Trump Tests Positive For COVID-19
What we might expect from the next few weeks of White House COVID news.
Book Club: ‘New Suns’
Dive into the metaphorical and metaphysical worlds in Nisi Shawl’s collection of speculative fiction.
17:06
Fact Check My Feed: Could A COVID-19 Vaccine Come Out Before Election Day?
During this week’s debate, President Trump made misleading claims about a timeline for a COVID-19 vaccine. Here’s what the experts have to say.
12:15
New Study Shows No Second Chance For Antarctic Ice Shelves
A new study predicting major sea level rise magnifies the need for fundamental changes to forestall catastrophe.
17:22
Ask An Expert: Why Do We Itch?
A professor of molecular and cellular biology explains the neuroscience behind itching and scratching.
17:08
Digging For Answers To Avians’ Ancestors
Paleontologist Jingmai O’Connor studies prehistoric bird fossils found in China to answer questions about the evolution of dinosaurs and flight.
17:25
Read A Collection Of Science Fiction With The Science Friday Book Club
Join us in exploring the far-out and the familiar with a new speculative fiction collection, edited by Nisi Shawl.
When The Dead Stay With Us
Read an excerpt of speculative fiction about literally carrying your dead loved ones with you from the SciFri Book Club pick ‘New Suns.’
Gather ‘Round For A Brainy Watch Party
We’re partnering with Black In Neuro to host a watch party! Watch the film featuring Bianca Jones Marlin and ask questions during the Q&A.
A Mile In The Shoes Of A Volcanologist
Meet Kayla Iacovino, a NASA petrologist (and Star Trek superfan) who looks for tiny clues atop volcanoes to understand eruptions on Earth and beyond.
Breakthrough: The Avian Authority
Follow Jingmai O’Connor as she catalogues ancient avian dinosaurs and learn how her Chinese-American roots helped lead her to incredible paleontological discoveries.
11:38
The Race For A COVID-19 Vaccine Heats Up
Four U.S. vaccines are in the final stage of clinical trials, plus other news from the week.
16:16
Oliver Sacks, In His Own Words
A new film explores the extraordinary life and legacy of neurologist and writer Oliver Sacks.
12:05
Thermal Imaging Technology Helps Firefighters See Through Smoke
Infrared waves help firefighters know where to focus their efforts—and help keep them safe.
17:21
Birds Of A Feather Flutter Together
Some birds use the shape of their feathers as a communication tool, using the sound their feathers make to relay messages.
15:56
To Milk A Tick
Compounds in tick saliva can reveal to how these parasites can create anesthetics and anticoagulants to breakdown human and animal defenses.
17:26
How Indigenous Burning Practices Could Prevent Massive Wildfires
Indigenous peoples burned their land for thousands of years to prevent much larger fires. Why it might be an important part of future wildfire prevention.
Thermal Imaging The Intense Heat Of Wildfires From Above
Flying through thick smoke in a small aircraft, researchers use thermal imaging to understand how hot the wildfires are burning in Oregon.