November 29, 2024
For our 33rd anniversary, we’re broadcasting some of our listeners’ favorite SciFri stories. And, this year’s Ig Nobel Prizes include awards for studying coin flipping, the movements of a dead trout, and more.
17:01
House Stalls On Bill To Compensate Victims Of Nuclear Testing
The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act expired on June 10, but supporters are still fighting to expand it.
11:05
Why It Took Decades For This Octopus To Be Recognized
The larger Pacific striped octopus is unusually social. But it wasn’t recognized by scientists until 2015, despite one man’s efforts.
6:16
Squid With ‘Giant’ Eggs Could Be A New Species
A deep-sea squid in the family Gonatidae was filmed cradling large eggs for its body size, which suggests it’s an entirely new species.
17:15
20 Years Later, How Are City Climate Plans Actually Going?
When the federal government wavered in its commitment to climate action, cities stepped up. But goals, and success, are hard to define.
He Found A Bizarre Octopus, But No One Believed Him
In 1990, diver Arcadio Rodaniche’s findings about a highly social octopus were dismissed. Decades later, his work was validated.
Latina Space Scientists Want To Stop Being The Exception
Three leaders in space science from Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Argentina on battling sexism and innovating in their fields.
What Cephalopod Are You? Take The Quiz!
Are you an old soul? A giant genius? Answer these 8 questions to find out which cephalopod is most like you.
11:44
Elephants Seem To Use Names For Each Other
A new study used machine learning to analyze elephant vocalizations and identified “contact rumbles” that appear to function as names.
17:18
Meet The Emotions Behind Teenage Angst In ‘Inside Out 2’
Psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour helped make the film more scientifically accurate to how a teenager’s mind works.
12:07
Kids Discover Extremely Rare T. Rex Fossil
On a hike in the Badlands, a family found a dinosaur bone sticking out of a rock. It joined the few teenage T. rex fossils ever discovered.
17:04
‘The Singularity Is Nearer,’ Says Futurist Ray Kurzweil
Two decades after his book “The Singularity is Near,” Kurzweil is back with more predictions about the future of AI.
5:44
In Wisconsin, Mannequins Help Teach People How To Spot Ticks
Two mannequins walk into a science lab, and one’s got a big tick problem. She can teach humans how to check for ticks.
11:29
Protecting A Flickering Symbol Of Summer Nights
Researchers used citizen science observations and machine learning to understand where fireflies are and what they need to thrive.
16:59
Why Do Cephalopods Make Ink?
Squid, octopuses, and cuttlefish use ink to confuse predators and to communicate. But there’s still a lot we don’t understand about inking.
How AI Supercharges Drug Research
Machine learning can quickly analyze millions of compounds, helping researchers bring drugs to clinical trials sooner.
12:43
México eligió a una presidenta científica. ¿Qué significa esto?
La comunidad científica del país Latinoamericano está dividida sobre la elección de Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.
What Will Emerge From The Wreckage Of The Arecibo Telescope?
In 2020, Puerto Rico’s massive Arecibo radio telescope collapsed. The research facility may now be on the cusp of a new chapter.
The Bird Call That Music Producers Love To Use In Pop Songs
The eerie calls of the common loons have been heard in songs by Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Lana Del Rey, and more.
11:37
A Week Of Milestones For Spaceflight
Boeing’s Starliner successfully launched and docked at the ISS, SpaceX’s Starship rocket launched and returned, and Hubble had a hiccup.
8:01
A Tiny Fern Has The Largest Genome Ever Discovered
The little fern from New Caledonia is just a few inches tall, and its genome has 160.45 billion base pairs—50 times more DNA than a human.