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.
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.
17:23
Personalized Immunotherapy Shows Promise Beyond Cancer
CAR T Cell therapy, currently approved to treat several forms of blood cancer, is now in early clinical trials to treat autoimmune disorders like lupus and multiple sclerosis.
11:55
Feeling Hopeless About Climate Change? Try Playing These Video Games
How do you make a video game about climate change that’s fun to play? The annual Climate Jam competition aims to do just that.
5:13
Analogue Animation: Turning The Pages Of A Flipbook Machine
J.C. Fontanive brings birds and bees to life through automated ‘flipbooks,’ with some help from discarded clock and bicycle components.
17:22
What You Need To Know About Monkeypox
Following the declaration of a new public health emergency, experts answer SciFri listener questions—and clear up misinformation.
A New Tell-All Memoir Written By The Milky Way
Astronomer and folklorist Moiya McTier’s new book is a saucy memoir that shows why our galaxy needed to tell its own story.
Expert Q&A: How To Manage COVID Risk As New Variants Emerge
You asked updated questions about staying safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. We compiled answers from expert epidemiologists.
The Never-Ending Flipbook Machines
This Queens-based artist created a way to turn flipbooks of fluttering hummingbirds and butterflies into moving sculptures.
12:15
White House Declares Monkeypox Outbreak A Public Health Emergency
A public health emergency designation can open up additional resources to combat the growing number of monkeypox cases in the United States.
17:16
Engineering and Infrastructure In A Collapsing Climate
Our infrastructure isn’t ready for extreme heat or rising floodwaters. An engineer on what needs to change.
17:23
New Steps Toward A Vaccine For Cancer
Progress in understanding the immune system is offering hope for promising new cancer treatments in the form of vaccines.
5:47
Restoring A Sensitive Ecosystem, One Wildflower At A Time
Protecting important habitats, like the sandplain grasslands of the Atlantic Coast, is critical in a changing climate.
10:38
A Fish By Any Other Name: Inside The Effort To Bring ‘Copi’ To Dinner
This invasive fish has a new moniker, one that experts hope will encourage more restaurants to place it on their menus.
10:28
A Teen Inventor Builds A Fingerprint Scanner for Gender Equity
16-year-old Elizabeth Nyamwange’s fingerprint scanner uses blockchain technology to make proof of identity more accessible worldwide.
6:07
Remembering Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek’s Pioneering Lieutenant Uhura
The actress broke new ground on television, and inspired many viewers to enter science and technology careers.
12:14
What’s Inside A Sudden, Second Chance At A Climate Bill
A political scientist who advised for the Inflation Reduction Act explains the bill’s goals, and the politics that led to its creation.