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.
16:54
Science Friday Science Club: Observe Everything
The Science Club embarks on its next project and explores observation.
Picking Up Where We Left Off
An excerpt from Neal Stephenson’s story in “Hieroglyph: Stories and Visions For a Better Future.”
Art Bots and Talking Blenders: A Stroll Through Ars Electronica
Every September, the Ars Electronica Festival draws artists, scientists, and technologists to Linz, Austria, to swap ideas and show off cutting-edge artworks.
A Resilient Hybrid: Fused Staghorn Coral
This hybrid coral could withstand climate change better than its relatives.
Solve the Science Friday Crossword Puzzle!
Test your Science Friday knowledge with this crossword puzzle challenge by constructor Fred Piscop.
Inside the Box: Crossword Puzzle Constructing in the Computer Age
Computer software and word databases are changing the crossword puzzle game.
The Business of Surgery: Has Love Been Lost?
An excerpt from “The Cost of Cutting.”
Jumping Spider Shake Down
Can you match each jumping spider dance to its vibratory song?
12:07
The People’s March Against Climate Change
Ahead of the United Nations Climate Summit, the People’s Climate March in New York City will bring a public voice to the climate change discussion.
17:40
‘Dr.Fill’ Vies for Crossword Solving Supremacy
A computer program named “Dr.Fill” competes against human solvers for crossword puzzle glory.
7:24
Functional Features: The Evolution of the Human Face
Human social interaction may have been the reason faces evolved to be varied and unique.
8:57
Shake Your Silk-Maker: The Dance of the Peacock Spider
With their ornately colored bodies, rhythmic pulsations, and booty-shaking dance moves, male peacock spiders attract mates and researchers alike.
12:08
Artificial Sweeteners Might Sour Your Microbiome
Researchers say artificial sweeteners may alter the microbiome and the body’s ability to control glucose levels.
17:16
Dissecting the Politics and Money Behind Health Care
In “The Cost of Cutting,” private practice surgeon Paul Ruggieri delves into the shadowy ways money influences health care.
16:42
Food Failures: How to Collect Mushrooms (and Eat Them, Too)
Eugenia Bone, president of the New York Mycological Society, talks about the dos and don’ts of wild mushroom foraging.
Shake Your Silk-Maker: The Dance of the Peacock Spider
With their ornately-colored fur, rhythmic pulsations, and booty-shaking dance moves, male peacock spiders attract the attention of spectating females as well as researchers.
American Avocets’ Range Imperiled By Climate Change
As the climate changes, this species could lose ground in its breeding range but gain wintering ground.
Are Generics the Same As Brand Name Drugs?
An excerpt from “Generic: The Unbranding of Modern Medicine,” by Jeremy A. Greene.
One For All: A Natural Resources Game
In this game from Population Education, students must use cooperative decision making strategies to manage a renewable resource.