February 21, 2025
The CEO of one of America’s oldest scientific societies discusses the recent cuts to scientific institutions, and how scientists can respond. Plus, flu infections are the highest they’ve been in nearly 30 years, and flu deaths this winter have surpassed COVID deaths. And, a video of a gloriously creepy anglerfish inspired tears and poetry online.
12:14
NASA Budget Cuts Impact Earth-Based Science
The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology passed a bill that would cut NASA’s earth science budget by roughly 20 percent.
17:23
Emoting With Emoji
A look at what the rise of emoji says about online communication.
10:52
A Tiny, Living Identification Badge: Your Microbiome
The specific combinations of strains of bacteria that live on and in a person can be used to identify an individual—even up to a year later.
5:50
Chicken Beaks and Dinosaur Snouts
Scientists traced the evolution of dinosaurs to birds through the beak of a chicken.
77:37
Science Friday, Live From Huntsville
Hear the full show as Ira and Science Friday take the stage at Huntsville, Alabama’s own U.S. Space & Rocket Center.
Spot the Sunspots
Use binoculars or a telescope to identify and track sunspots. You’ll need a bright sunny day for this DIY Sun Science Activity from Lawrence Hall of Science.
Make a UV Detector
On a bright, sunny day, use tonic water to detect ultraviolet (UV) light from the Sun in this DIY Sun Science Activity from Lawrence Hall of Science.
12:15
The Oldest Bird, a Distant Galaxy, and the Beard Microbiome
Rachel Feltman of The Washington Post joins us for a roundup of her top science stories this week.
17:10
Tales From ‘Big Pig’
Barry Estabrook’s latest book, “Pig Tales,” is a journey through the good, the bad and the ugly of hog farming.
9:46
The Science Club Looks Into the Heart of the Sun
This season’s Science Club challenge: Tell us what the sun does.
6:26
Flash of the Disco Clam
Reminiscent of the flashy dance halls and shag carpets of the ’70s, the disco clam flaunts frilly tentacles and its very own light show.
12:17
MicroRNA and Cancer Therapeutics
Could ingested plants be used as a delivery system of therapeutic microRNAs?
17:18
Eugenia Cheng: How To Bake Pi
In her new book How to Bake Pi, mathematician Eugenia Cheng cooks up digestible math lessons on number theory to topology.
14:13
Charting Music’s Big Revolutions
An evolutionary biologist brings big data to bear on 50 years of pop music history.
2:41
Animal Moms: From Lion to Mouse
Several scientists share stories of their favorite Animal Kingdom matriarchs with Science Friday, just in time for Mother’s Day.
From Feed Lot to Pasture: The State of U.S. Pork
An excerpt from “Pig Tales: An Omnivore’s Quest for Sustainable Meat.”
How Math is Like Baking: You Just Need a Recipe
An excerpt from “How to Bake Pi” by Eugenia Cheng.
#ExplainTheSun
What does the Sun do? Tell us, using the hashtag
#ExplainTheSun
What Does The Sun Do? Solar Experts Respond
Experts with a vested solar interest weigh in on the sun’s various starring roles.
Kitty’s Tongue, Under The Microscope
A magnified look at a cat tongue reveals the serrated edges that Fluffy uses to clean herself, and rasp meat from bone.