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.
The Glittery Jewels Of The Bee World
These dazzling tiny bees are major pollinators.
47:37
From Cat Rheology To Operatic Incompetence
The 2017 Ig Nobel Prizes saluted the strange and silly in scientific studies.
12:23
Mining Coal For Clues About Ancient Environments
Geologist Jen O’Keefe uses pollen and spores fossilized in coal to study the environment millions of years ago.
16:57
After Cassini, A Mission To Icy Planets Full Of Diamond Rain?
Researchers want to see what a closer look at Uranus and Neptune could tell us about our pale blue dot.
17:42
How Do Bats Communicate?
Bioacoustician Laura Kloepper uses ziplines, drones, and hawks to decode the mysterious communication of bats.
The Hidden Science Beneath Kentucky
The Science Friday team follows researchers deep underground to discover Kentucky’s geologic past.
In A Lunar City, A Mission Gone Awry
The moon is an unforgiving landscape, making life there no walk in the park.
6:58
Women More Likely To Be Injured When Heading Soccer Ball
Plus, a dire environmental warning and some dietary caution ahead of Thanksgiving.
4:50
Coal Ash Pollution In Kentucky Lake Is Worse Than Expected
Will Kentucky loosen regulations for toxic power plant byproduct?
8:01
Visualizing Anatomy Unseen
This veterinary surgeon was confounded by how little we know about animal anatomy. So, he created a method to see all the way down to the smallest capillary.
29:38
How Andy Weir Engineered A Lunar City In ‘Artemis’
In his new novel, author Andy Weir creates a sprawling moon metropolis—just to see if he could break it apart with lunar felony.
6:22
Who Killed The Passenger Pigeon?
Possibly the most abundant bird ever to live, the passenger pigeon was surprisingly low on genetic diversity.
10:48
Crows, A Bird That’s Not Bird-Brained
An ode to the brainy antics of the corvid family, from funerals to tool use to human facial recognition.
26:36
Could Tweaking The Atmosphere Help Us Fight Climate Change?
A controversial technique for combating climate change has caught the Congress’ eye.
The Women Taking Math To The Next Dimension
Rebecca Goldin, Emily Riehl, and Eugenia Cheng share their favorite puzzles, explain why math is like a dragon, and give tips for young women entering the field.
Beauty Beyond Skin Deep
We used to know very little about animal anatomy. Now, a new imaging technology allows us to see things that were in front of us the whole time.
Just ‘Topia:’ Moving Beyond The Tropes Of Dystopia
Three science fiction and fantasy writers share their thoughts on the risks and rewards of building “other worlds.”
7:39
Along The Kelp Highway
Archeologists agree on an early coastal route for ancient humans crossing from Siberia…and it’s not the land bridge. Plus, dog sacrifices in the Bronze Age.
4:48
Keeping An Eye On Florida’s Panther Population
A program to capture-and-collar panthers in Florida has been in place for over three decades. Now, it may be ending.