November 22, 2024
On the 50th anniversary of Lucy’s discovery, paleoanthropologists reflect on what she taught us about ourselves. Plus, divers have recovered seeds of a long-lost rye variety from a 146-year-old shipwreck in Lake Huron. And, a potato researcher explains potato varieties, potato nutrition, and some tubular tuber facts.
4:19
Big Corporations Bet On Wind Power in Kansas
Fortune 500 companies are purchasing energy directly from wind projects to resell in hopes of turning a profit.
10:08
The Earth’s Core Might Be Younger Than Scientists Thought
The Earth’s inner core was once molten liquid and then solidified. New research suggests that may have happened much more recently than we thought.
6:31
The SciFri Book Club Gets Personal
Highlights from your discussion of N.K. Jemisin’s ‘The Fifth Season.’ Plus, how to add your voice to the conversation.
11:57
Putting Mosquito-Borne Illnesses On A Diet
New research finds that the same pathways in the brain that control human hunger can shut down a mosquito’s interest in biting you.
17:32
Exploring The Grand Canyon, Through Maps
A project aims to collect and organize maps of the iconic park to help tell its geologic and cultural stories.
17:07
Why Are We Obsessed With Pushing Buttons?
Rachel Plotnick discusses the development of buttons and what they reveal about our interactions with technology.
17:14
What Would You Pay For Faster, Smarter Government Data?
Calculating the financial and ethical cost of storing government data in the cloud.
Unfolding Stories In Maps Of The Grand Canyon
View historic maps of the Grand Canyon that tell tales of exploration of the national park.
‘You Press The Button.’ The Rest Is History.
You thought the hand-wringing around cell phone cameras was bad? Learn how controversial even adding a button to cameras was in this excerpt from Rachel Plotnick’s “Power Button.”
Trekking Around The World With Ira
Wish you were here! Ira gives us a little taste of local science as he travels the world.
The Geologists Who Control Lava
The molten material can be a menace of destruction in nature, but a geologist and an artist are investigating how it maneuvers.
7:44
Yes, It’s Cold. But Also, It’s Warmer
While the polar vortex has the Midwest in a deep freeze, Australia is having a heatwave—and globally, the planet’s warmer than average.
4:15
More Desalination, More Problems?
Desalination converts salt water into drinkable water, but there are pros and cons to the process.
6:18
Inside The Lava Lab, Burning Questions
A Syracuse University team studies the viscosity and flow of searing-hot lava…from a parking lot.
11:47
Feel Sleepy When You’re Sick? That Could Be Your Immune System Kicking In
Researchers identified a protein linked to the immune system that may make you feel sleepy when you’re sick.
17:08
How Much Carbon Do Our Forests Capture?
Forests are some of the biggest natural weapons we have to fight rising global temperatures. But how well are they working?
17:02
Peter A. Browne’s Hairy Obsession
Meet the 19th-century citizen scientist who collected hair from elephant chins, mummies, and presidents.
28:01
How Artists Made Code Their Paintbrush
Reflecting on the history and future of coding and technology in art.
How Do Scientists Know What Dinosaurs Looked Like?
Put yourselves in the shoes of a paleontologist and paleoartist as you try to recreate what dinosaurs looked like using the same methods as the experts.
