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.
Preserving the World’s Monuments, One Digital Scan at a Time
CyArk is traversing the globe in a race to digitally preserve the earth’s greatest heritage sites.
Finding a Sanctuary in Science
Geobiologist Hope Jahren’s memoir, “Lab Girl,” is meant not only to describe her connection to science, but to make science relatable to the public.
11:50
Fecal Matter Transplants, a Moon for Pluto ‘Sibling,’ and Tweeting Sharks
What’s going on in the body during and after a fecal matter transplant? Plus, a look at the good and the bad of sharks that tweet.
34:16
In the Quantum World, Physics Gets Philosophical
Could the space we live in—our everyday reality—just be a projection of some underlying quantum structure?
11:52
The Blossoming Internet of Things — For Your Garden
A growing group of apps, sensors, and other technologies can tell you when to water and fertilize, or even what to plant.
26:50
Mapping Out the Future of Genomics
Genomics pioneer Craig Venter revisits his predictions for the field made during a SciFri conversation in 2003.
6:34
Plugging Into DNA for Digital Data Storage
Engineers were able to store and retrieve digitized photos from sequences of DNA.
Weighing the Importance of Locality
Author George Musser breaks down the concept of place.
Seeing Inside The Eye
Improvements in laser scanning technology reveal the intricacies hidden inside our eyeballs.
Discussing the Impacts of Social Media Algorithms
Students use an excerpt of Science Friday as a springboard to discuss and write about algorithms used in social media and their impact on the user experience. Common Core aligned discussion and writing for grades 9-12.
‘Space Archaeologists’ and Activists Use Satellites to Unearth History
Satellite imagery can help researchers track destruction of culturally significant sites and uncover archaeological ruins.
Selfies From The Animal Kingdom
Zoologist Roland Kays’ book “Candid Creatures” features wildlife photos taken with motion-sensing cameras.
11:58
A Volcano Mystery, HIV and Alzheimer’s, and Cold Lab Mice
A mysterious North Korean volcano, and the implications of cold lab mice for research.
17:26
How Do You Measure the I.Q. of an Octopus?
The trick, says primatologist Frans de Waal, is to measure animal intelligence not by human standards, but by the standards of an octopus or elephant or chimpanzee.
12:20
When Laser Science Was ‘Far Out’
In the 1970s, millions of people experienced a groovier side of science: the planetarium laser show.
17:36
Learning to Walk Like a Gecko, See Like a Lobster
Biomimicry is the practice of using nature to inspire new technology and innovations.
7:03
For Your Protection, a New Kind of Metal
Metal foam can disintegrate bullets on impact, reduce the impact of car crashes, and more.
10:19
Could ‘Brainprints’ Unlock Your Future Phone?
Researchers created a system that could match EEG readings to an individual with 100 percent accuracy.