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.
17:17
Climate Scientist Michael Mann Wins Defamation Case
Michael Mann discusses what the victory means for the public understanding of climate science—and for bad-faith attacks on scientists.
12:16
Faraway Planets Could Have Oceans Of Magma
Hycean planets were thought to be covered by oceans of water, but a new study suggests it could be magma instead.
17:07
The World According To Sound: A Sonic History Of Astronomy
A new podcast series examines sonified space data to explore pivotal moments throughout the history of astronomy.
12:07
Colorectal Cancer Rates Are Rising In Young People
It used to be rare for people under 50 to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer. It’s increasingly common among adults in their 20s, 30s, and 40s.
17:09
One Crisis After Another: Designing Cities For Resiliency
The leaders of a global architecture and design firm discuss how design can help communities adapt to global crises.
10:12
What An AI Learns From A Baby’s-Eye View Of The World
Associating images from a child’s daily life with the sounds they were hearing helped teach a computer model a set of basic nouns.
7:07
The Art And Science Of Trash Talk
Author Rafi Kohan explains the psychological and physiological responses to trash talk, ahead of Super Bowl Sunday.
17:16
A Black Physician’s Analysis Of The Legacy Of Racism In Medicine
In a new book, Dr. Uché Blackstock reflects on her experiences as a Black physician and the structural racism embedded in medicine.
In The Beginning, There Was Smack Talk
An excerpt from Rafi Kohan’s “Trash Talk” explains how talking smack can knock your opponent off their game.
A Harrowing Misdiagnosis And A Doctor’s Quest For Health Equity
Dr. Uché Blackstock recounts a formative medical experience that exemplifies how the healthcare establishment can fail Black patients.
Talk Like A Spider Using Sound And Secret Codes
Discover how spiders communicate through vibrations and dance. Then, create a cipher to “talk” like a spider using your own tap code language.
Why A Robotics Professor Writes Black STEM Romance Novels
Dr. Carlotta Berry writes romance novels about Black women in the sciences to encourage more people to go into the field.
12:09
Syphilis Cases Are Up 80% Since 2018
There has been a boom of syphilis cases, including a 180% increase in congenital syphilis cases, despite other STI levels staying stable.
9:01
Protecting The ‘Satan’ Tarantula and Other Lovable Giant Spiders
A team of scientists in Ecuador is on a mission to describe new-to-science tarantula species to help secure conservation protections.
7:41
If Termites Wore Stripes, Would Spiders Still Eat Them?
Undergraduate researchers pasted striped capes onto termites’ backs to see if a well-known warning sign would fend off predators.
12:14
Revealing The Largest Deep-Sea Coral Reef In The World
The gigantic reef stretches for hundreds of miles in near-freezing waters and total darkness, but it’s bustling with life.
17:26
The FDA Approved The First CRISPR-Based Therapy. What’s Next?
The first CRISPR gene-editing treatment is a cure for sickle cell disease. Are we on the cusp of a gene therapy revolution?
10:00
Is Each Fingerprint On Your Hand Unique?
A new study uses artificial intelligence to show that each of our ten fingerprints are remarkably similar to one another.
7:20
In This Computer Component, Data Slides Through Honey
Honey could be the secret ingredient in building a more eco-friendly “memristor,” which transmits data through malleable pathways.
17:03
Scientists Are Uncovering A World Of ‘Dark Matter’ Carcinogens
New findings about how substances like air pollutants can trigger cancer may help reveal carcinogens we were unaware of.