Science Friday

Science Friday and WNYC Studios•www.wnycstudios.org

Covering the outer reaches of space to the tiniest microbes in our bodies, Science Friday is the source for entertaining and educational stories about science, technology, and other cool stuff.

Last refreshed: June 18th, 2026 at 11:08 AM

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Episodes

The Physics Of Figure Skating, Aerosols, Volatile Organic Compounds. Feb 16, 2018, Part 2

While oohing and ahhing at the powerful leaps and nimble spins on the ice at the Olympics, you may not realize you’re watching physics in action . Each jump requires a careful balance of matching the time in air to the speed and number of rotations. From spray can to ocean spray, it's time to talk about aerosols. They do play a role in climate change , but not the one you might think. There's a new urban air polluter on the block. Volatile organic compounds like wall paints and cleaning agents a...

Feb 16, 2018•46 min•Ep. 5

Distorting Reality With AI, Cryptocurrency Mining, Science Standards In Idaho Schools. Feb 16, 2018, Part 1

One woman’s dubious dance with a cow parasite left her rubbing her eyes—and medical experts scratching their heads . The Idaho legislature is debating how to address human-induced climate change in revised science education standards. A collection of AI-assisted tools could allow the average person to create videos of anyone saying or doing anything. The latest hacking could be used to steal your computer’s CPU power without you knowing it. Subscribe to this podcast. Follow our show on Instagram...

Feb 16, 2018•47 min•Ep. 4

Venomous Or Poisonous, Crayfish Clones, Immune System Cancer Injection. Feb 9, 2018, Part 2

Do you know the difference between a poisonous creature and a venomous one? One distinction is that poisons are often ingested or absorbed by the skin, while venoms have to be injected through a wound. Mandë Holford tells us more about her research studying these dangerous creatures. 25 years ago, all-female crayfish species originated from a hobbyist tank in Germany. In the wild, the crustacean developed a mutation that allowed it to pick up a third set of chromosomes and reproduce clonally. Si...

Feb 09, 2018•47 min•Ep. 3

Frankenstein Goodbye, Chocolate And Bugs, Ozone Problems. Feb 9, 2018, Part 1

The Science Friday Book Club nerds out about ‘Frankenstein’ one last time. A menagerie of insects thrive among cacao trees—and that biodiversity might help boost yields . While the ozone layer above the poles is on the mend, the health of the layer in middle latitudes is less clear . SpaceX successfully launched the Heavy Falcon rocket with two of the three boosters safely landing back onto the launch pad. Subscribe to this podcast. Follow our show on Instagram , TikTok , Facebook , and Bluesky ...

Feb 09, 2018•47 min•Ep. 2

Egyptian Dinosaurs, Leaking Data, Huntington’s Research, Mole Rats. Feb 2, 2018, Part 2

Dinosaurs existed all over the world—fossils have been found on every continent. Africa is no exception, but far fewer fossils have been found there from the late Cretaceous era—the period before the dinosaurs went extinct. But a new discovery in Egypt could provide clues about the evolution of dinosaurs in Africa. Click here to learn more. Last weekend, an Australian researcher pointed out on Twitter that a “heat map” of popular running locations released by the fitness app Strava could be used...

Feb 02, 2018•47 min•Ep. 1

Agricultural Bees, China’s Energy Future, Frankenstein In Class. Feb 2, 2018, Part 1

China's thirst for energy is rising. But to save its cities from suffocating pollution, leaders are looking to carbon-free energy sources and electric vehicles. Click here for more information about China's energy future. We need domestic bees. But what happens to wild bees when they share a space? We discuss the good and the bad in the latest installment of Good Thing, Bad Thing . Plus, Ira checks in with the SciFri Book Club . This week, the club receives a call for help and discuss how Franke...

Feb 02, 2018•48 min0

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