On Today's Podcast
Why Astronomers Are Excited About Comet 3I/ATLAS’ Close Approach
Comet 3I/Atlas is just the third known object to visit us from outside our solar system. So yes... we'll be talking about aliens.
Listen NowDecember 19, 2025
A newly identified amoeba can survive at the temperature of a medium-well steak. Plus, a distant lava planet shows signs of an atmosphere. And, this Christmas Bird Count, we salute the fabulous, underappreciated, common species. Here’s to you, house sparrow.
23:10
How Do Galaxies Get Into Formation?
Researchers found a 9,000 light year-long wave of star forming regions running through the Milky Way.
16:26
Science Friday Book Club’s Winter Read Plunges Into The Great Lakes
Meet the heroes, villains, and sheer blunders that changed the world’s largest lakes forever in Dan Egan’s ‘The Death and Life of the Great Lakes.’
The Microbial Soup Plaguing The Great Lakes
Millions of residents rely on the waters from the Great Lakes—but communities face soupy bacterial blooms, toxic algal mats, and farm runoff that lurk beneath.
Dive Into The Great Lakes With Science Friday Book Club
On February 20th in NYC, the Science Friday Book Club dives deep into lakes, invasive species, and more with Dan Egan’s ‘The Death and Life of the Great Lakes.’
Out Of The Box Thinking, Out Of The Lab Research
How community labs are bringing biotechnology out of academic settings and into people’s hands.
6:28
Trump Administration May Dismantle Scientific Paywalls
Scientific publishing companies, which charge as much as $40 an article, are upset about the President’s push for open access.
5:30
Rumbles On The Colorado-Utah Border Spark New Water Plan
With a water treatment facility causing earthquakes, officials are seeking new solutions for the overly-salty Dolores River.
16:03
The Charismatic Kangaroo Relative That Might Remind You Of Your Dog
The Tasmanian tiger looks like a dog, has a pouch like a kangaroo, and has stirred rumors about its death that may be exaggerated.
45:44
Following The Flock Into The New Year
Birders check in on the nuthatches, ducks, and far-flung feathered friends that are on the move this season.
17:00
Buying Time In The Climate Crisis
Why large-scale geoengineering should be part of the conversation about stopping climate change—and why changing the planet might also mean changing us.
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45:56
Looking Back At The Pale Blue Dot
An archival conversation with the late astronomer Carl Sagan about our place in the universe and humanity’s need to explore.
47:37
The 2019 Science News That Made The Headlines
We discuss the biggest moments in science from the year, and recap a decade of discoveries as we head into 2020.
7:43
Congress Approves Public Health Research Funds For Gun Violence Studies
Plus, quakes on Mars, the secrets trapped in ancient chewing gum, and more in this week’s News Roundup.
4:08
Flu Versus Cold: Battle Of The Respiratory Viruses
When the flu season ramps up, researchers see a decline in colds. Are the two related?
6:29
Exploring Your Brain’s Pokémon Region
How ‘catching them all’ led one scientist to discover a Pokémon region in our brains.
22:29
Cleaning Up Earth’s Space Junkyard
Satellites and other launches have left over 100 million small particles floating in low Earth orbit.
6:35
The Secret Life Of Mistletoe (When It’s Not Christmas)
This parasitic plant grows in deserts and forests around the world and steals trees’ nutrients.
16:25
The Clock Inside
A biologist on why circadian timing matters for more than just your sleep schedule—and could represent a new frontier in medical science.
25:15
Forecasting The Technology Of Tomorrow
We take a look at emerging technologies that are just about to bubble up and transform the world.