On Today's Podcast
Tracking The Toxic Fallout Of The LA Fires
Urban fires can release all kinds of chemicals. One year after fires hit Los Angeles, scientists are trying to understand the toxic fallout.
Listen NowJanuary 23, 2026
An epidemiology study finds that variations in one gene play a major role in determining the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Plus, X’s Grok AI is undressing users, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg with fake imagery online. What can we do about deepfakes? And, Louisiana communities continue collecting data on industrial pollution, despite a law restricting its use.
17:42
How Do Bats Communicate?
Bioacoustician Laura Kloepper uses ziplines, drones, and hawks to decode the mysterious communication of bats.
The Hidden Science Beneath Kentucky
The Science Friday team follows researchers deep underground to discover Kentucky’s geologic past.
In A Lunar City, A Mission Gone Awry
The moon is an unforgiving landscape, making life there no walk in the park.
6:58
Women More Likely To Be Injured When Heading Soccer Ball
Plus, a dire environmental warning and some dietary caution ahead of Thanksgiving.
4:50
Coal Ash Pollution In Kentucky Lake Is Worse Than Expected
Will Kentucky loosen regulations for toxic power plant byproduct?
8:01
Visualizing Anatomy Unseen
This veterinary surgeon was confounded by how little we know about animal anatomy. So, he created a method to see all the way down to the smallest capillary.
29:38
How Andy Weir Engineered A Lunar City In ‘Artemis’
In his new novel, author Andy Weir creates a sprawling moon metropolis—just to see if he could break it apart with lunar felony.
6:22
Who Killed The Passenger Pigeon?
Possibly the most abundant bird ever to live, the passenger pigeon was surprisingly low on genetic diversity.
10:48
Crows, A Bird That’s Not Bird-Brained
An ode to the brainy antics of the corvid family, from funerals to tool use to human facial recognition.
26:36
Could Tweaking The Atmosphere Help Us Fight Climate Change?
A controversial technique for combating climate change has caught the Congress’ eye.
The Women Taking Math To The Next Dimension
Rebecca Goldin, Emily Riehl, and Eugenia Cheng share their favorite puzzles, explain why math is like a dragon, and give tips for young women entering the field.
Beauty Beyond Skin Deep
We used to know very little about animal anatomy. Now, a new imaging technology allows us to see things that were in front of us the whole time.
Just ‘Topia:’ Moving Beyond The Tropes Of Dystopia
Three science fiction and fantasy writers share their thoughts on the risks and rewards of building “other worlds.”
7:39
Along The Kelp Highway
Archeologists agree on an early coastal route for ancient humans crossing from Siberia…and it’s not the land bridge. Plus, dog sacrifices in the Bronze Age.
4:48
Keeping An Eye On Florida’s Panther Population
A program to capture-and-collar panthers in Florida has been in place for over three decades. Now, it may be ending.
24:14
The US Will Be The Only Country Not In The Paris Agreement. Now What?
As the world works together to lower carbon emissions, what role will the United States play in fighting climate change? Plus, how aging satellites threaten polar ice data.
10:49
The Secret Life Of Tiny Bees
Some small bees—the size of a grain of rice—drink the sweat and tears of animals.
17:26
Should Facebook Have A Seat At The Geopolitical Table?
Large tech companies wield the power of a large country—but without the same regulations.
29:57
The Infinitely Surprising Career Of A Mathematician
Three mathematicians talk about the latest topics and their start in math.
How Do Fossils Form? Fossilize Me! Card Game
Explore the diversity of fossil types and test your knowledge with the Fossilize Me! Card Game. Can you successfully put together an organism, type of preservation, and fossil before that organism decays?