On Today's Podcast
How Is Screen Time Affecting My Kid?
Researchers have correlated brain and behavioral changes in kids to increased time on phones and other screen devices.
Listen NowFebruary 13, 2026
An evolutionary biologist weighs in on mating and dating in the age of apps. Is pair bonding passé? Is single the new married? Plus, the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, or RHIC, has ceased operation. What’s next for particle physics? Add, researchers are homing in on how kids reap long-term health benefits from getting dirty, whether cuddling furry pets or playing with friends.
5:31
A Chronicle of a Whale’s Life, Captured in Earwax
Researchers say earwax can provide data about pesticide exposures, hormone levels, and even stress levels of the endangered blue whale.
Small Talk with Scientists: The Ig Nobel Prize Winners Unwind
Here’s what it’s like to party with researchers whose work might first make you laugh, then make you think.
Here’s What a Fire Whirl Looks Like
Firefighter Greg Sanders encountered a flaming, cobra-like swirl while doing reconnaissance work in Virginia.
A New Beginning: Science Friday Partners with PRI
We’re excited to work with PRI to expand their science and technology coverage.
Voyager: The Story JPL Tried to Kill
When trouble with Voyager turned into trouble for me.
5:35
World’s Largest Volcano Discovered on Pacific Seafloor
A 145-million-year-old volcano covers an area the size of New Mexico.
38:12
Chemistry Research Roundup
A look at highlights from this week’s American Chemical Society conference.
2:41
Stephen Hawking Looks Back
Stephen Hawking says that, were he to start from scratch, he wouldn’t focus on physics.
11:49
Are We There Yet? Voyager 1 Finally Answers ‘Yes’
Scientists announced this week that Voyager has finally reached interstellar space.
17:07
U.S. Cities Quench Growing Thirst with Saltwater
Desalination is growing in popularity, but is it sustainable enough to solve our water problems?
17:08
Food Failures: When Home Canning Goes Wrong
Jars broke? Lids buckled? Home canning expert Jessica Piper explains common preserving pitfalls.
Afloat in a French Flying Machine
The Tissandier brothers contributed to France’s reputation as the balloon capital of the world.
How Stephen Hawking Got Sucked Into Black Holes
An excerpt from “My Brief History.”
What’s the Best Way to Dispose of Pet Poop?
Prevent disease by tossing feces in the trash.
12:02
Do Your Gut Bacteria Influence Your Metabolism?
The microbes in your gut may help determine if you are thin or obese.
17:32
Life From Mars
Could Mars have been a better starting point for the origins of life on Earth?
12:48
Alzheimer’s Potential Missing Link
An existing drug has been shown to block a key protein implicated in Alzheimer’s disease and restore memory in mice.
3:49
SciFri Snapshot: Monty Hall
The Monty Hall Problem: using probability to win a car…or a goat.
9:24
Worldwide Researchers Flock to Penguin Meeting
The Eighth International Penguin Conference is being held this week.
20:19
Wildfires Consume Funds Flagged for Prevention
Fire historian Steve Pyne says our fire system resembles our health care system—it’s focused on emergencies and not prevention.