Pregnancy is a hugely transformative experience, both in how it can change someone’s day-to-day life, and how it affects the body . There’s a key part of the body that’s been under-researched in relation to pregnancy: the brain. Those who have been pregnant often talk about “pregnancy brain,” the experience of brain fog or forgetfulness during and after pregnancy. There’s also the specter of postpartum depression, a condition that affects about 1 in 7 women post-birthing. There’s still a dearth ...
Oct 23, 2024•18 min•Ep. 887
Metaphors can help us understand complicated scientific concepts. But they can also have a downside. And, a pair of musicians wrote a concept album inspired by moths—and found that humans have more in common with the insects than they expected. How Metaphor Has Shaped Science, For Better Or Worse Here at Science Friday, we’re big fans of metaphors . They can make complicated scientific concepts easier to understand, for both non-experts and scientists themselves. For example, “the big bang” help...
Oct 22, 2024•26 min•Ep. 886
On October 14, NASA launched Europa Clipper , its largest planetary mission spacecraft yet. It’s headed to Jupiter’s icy moon Europa, which could have a giant ocean of liquid water hidden under its icy crust. And where there’s water, scientists think there may be evidence of life. The spacecraft is equipped with nine different instruments and will complete nearly 50 flybys of Europa, scanning almost the entire moon. SciFri producer Kathleen Davis talks with Dr. Padi Boyd, NASA astrophysicist and...
Oct 21, 2024•18 min•Ep. 885
Two giant pandas on loan from China have arrived at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. Also, originally from Central Asia, Kernza doesn’t need to be replanted every year, unlike crops such as corn and soybeans. Pandas Return To Washington, D.C., Zoo On Tuesday, two VIPs (Very Important Pandas) arrived at Washington’s Dulles International Airport, en route to new quarters at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. The arrival marks a new chapter of “panda diplomacy,” which...
Oct 18, 2024•17 min•Ep. 884
The Basics Of How Health Misinformation Spreads Health misinformation can circulate quickly on social media: false claims about vaccines, ads pushing suspicious-looking supplements, politicians making claims about contraception or abortion that don’t match the science. As November nears, Science Friday is spotlighting the science that’s shaping the election with a short series about health misinformation. Ira is joined by Irving Washington, senior vice president and executive director of the Hea...
Oct 17, 2024•24 min•Ep. 883
What exactly is … everything? What is space-time? At one extreme, you’ve got the weird rules of quantum physics that deal with subatomic particles. At the other extreme, you’ve got the vast expanses of space, such as spinning galaxies and black holes. By mapping the cosmic microwave background, surveying the distribution of galaxies around the sky, and listening for gravitational waves, researchers are studying the cosmos for clues to the quantum . They hope that by finding patterns in some of t...
Oct 16, 2024•17 min•Ep. 882
A common worry among older adults is how their brains and bodies might decline as they age. A small but fortunate group will live past their 95th birthdays, while staying cognitively sharp and free of major health complications. They’re called “SuperAgers.” Researchers are working to figure out some of the genetic factors behind SuperAgers’ longevity—and how that knowledge might help the rest of the population live longer and healthier lives. Ira talks with Dr. Sofiya Milman, director of Human L...
Oct 15, 2024•18 min•Ep. 881
For years, Asheville, North Carolina, has been billed as a “climate haven,” a place safe from the touch of climate change-exacerbated disasters. But last month, Hurricane Helene called that label into question. Some of the worst damage of the storm occurred inland, in Western North Carolina. Data visualization designer David McConville lived in Asheville for about 20 years, before moving to California. “Watching people idealize Asheville was a little bit crazy-making,” McConville says. “ There w...
Oct 14, 2024•18 min•Ep. 880
Hurricane Milton caused a major storm surge, but also a reverse one. And, Lake Michigan's surface temperature has been above average nearly every day this year so far. All five Great Lakes are heating up. The Science Behind Hurricane Milton On October 9, Hurricane Milton made landfall in Siesta Key, Florida, then barrelled across the state. This comes just a couple of weeks after Hurricane Helene devastated parts of the southeastern US. Hurricane Milton dumped up to 18 inches of rain in some pla...
Oct 11, 2024•19 min•Ep. 879
We’re one month away from the presidential election. The campaigns are in high gear, trying to get their messages out, and hoping that those messages will be enough to motivate voters to both go to the polls—and to vote in their favor. But just how solid are people’s political opinions at this point? Can anyone be swayed at this point by another debate, campaign ad, or stump speech talking point? And how do campaigns judge the mood of the electorate to better position their messages? Dr. Jon Kro...
Oct 10, 2024•18 min•Ep. 878
The phrase “go with your gut” is often used to say one should follow their intuition in the face of a big decision. Recent research in the journal Nature Mental Health shows the gut really could have a big impact on mental health and decision-making. This study shows a clear link between people who handle stressful situations well and certain biological signatures in their microbiomes. Certain metabolites and gene activity in study participants were associated with high emotional regulation and ...
Oct 09, 2024•18 min•Ep. 877
As the surgeon general has stated, we are in a mental health crisis. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide. And a major challenge is that depression can be difficult to treat, especially for people who don’t respond well to talk therapy or antidepressants. But there’s a relatively new technique that seems to have a significant positive impact on people with treatment-resistant depression, even sending many of them into remission. It’s called transcranial magnetic stimulation (T...
Oct 08, 2024•17 min•Ep. 876
The origin of life on Earth has been mulled over by scientists for centuries. We now know that life’s building blocks are RNA, amino acids, and cells. But if life originated from the primordial ooze of early Earth, could that process be unfolding elsewhere in the universe? The search for life elsewhere in the universe is at the center of the book Is Earth Exceptional?: The Quest for Cosmic Life , by Mario Livio and Jack Szostak. Dr. Livio, an astrophysicist previously with the Space Telescope Sc...
Oct 07, 2024•23 min•Ep. 875
The storm flooded mines in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, which supply the tech industry with some of the purest quartz in the world. Also, researchers developed a 3D-printable material, inspired by worms, that can act as a Band-Aid for damaged heart and cartilage tissue. Hurricane Helene’s Damage Could Affect The Global Tech Industry After making landfall on September 26, Hurricane Helene devastated regions in the southeastern US. Over 200 people are confirmed dead so far. About a million people ...
Oct 04, 2024•25 min•Ep. 874
This summer, the Bureau of Land Management approved seven herbicides to fight invasive plants in the West. Also, when scientists analyzed the swirls in the famous painting, they found Van Gogh depicted forces of nature with startling accuracy. What Newly Approved Herbicides Could Mean For Federal Land Invasive plants are a big problem across the western US. Cunning interlopers like cheatgrass, leafy spurge and red brome can outcompete native vegetation, crowd habitats and steal water and other v...
Oct 03, 2024•18 min•Ep. 873
This conversation discusses suicide and suicidal ideation in young people. Please take care while listening. If you or a loved one is thinking about suicide or self-harm, text TALK to 741-741 or call 9-8-8 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. In the United States, suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people aged 10 to 24. One in five high school students seriously considered attempting suicide in 2023, according to the latest data from the CDC. Doctors, researchers, and ...
Oct 02, 2024•18 min•Ep. 872
Emissions from anesthesia are one of the largest sources of greenhouse gases from hospitals. This anesthesiologist wants to change that. And, a cultural anthropologist discusses the Mariana Islands’ long history of colonization and why demilitarization matters for climate progress. A Major Source Of Greenhouse Gases In Hospitals? Anesthesia Did you know that some of the gases used in anesthesia are strong greenhouse gases? A few years ago, Seattle Children’s Hospital analyzed its carbon footprin...
Oct 01, 2024•18 min•Ep. 871
If you’re a baby boomer, you may remember the first Earth Day, the Civil Rights Movement, anti-war protests, and the first Pride parade. The list goes on, because the 1960s and 70s were packed with social revolutions. But the organization Third Act has a message for boomers: Your work isn’t done yet. Third Act empowers folks over the age of 60 to get involved in the climate movement. It aims to leverage older generations’ access to power, money, and life experiences to create change. Ira Flatow ...
Sep 30, 2024•17 min•Ep. 870
The company is betting big on nuclear energy to meet increasing power needs of data centers and new technologies like AI. Also, new research into a strange fish known as the sea robin finds that leg-like appendages can “taste” prey buried in the sand. Microsoft Makes Deal To Restart Three Mile Island Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania has quite a reputation in the world of nuclear energy: One of its reactors suffered a catastrophic partial meltdown in 1979 , earning the title of the largest nucle...
Sep 27, 2024•25 min•Ep. 869
In 2021, Dr. Francis Collins stepped down after a dozen years leading the National Institutes of Health. He had just overseen the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic,in the early days of changing public health guidance as scientists learned more about this new virus. He was also involved in the quickest development of a vaccine in history. Now, he’s had some time to reflect on how the US arrived at such a divisive place about COVID-19 and vaccines, how trust in science has dwindled, a...
Sep 26, 2024•24 min•Ep. 868
Since ChatGPT was released to the public almost three years ago, generative AI chatbots have had many impacts on our society: They played a large role in the recent Hollywood strikes, energy usage is spiking because of them, and they’re having a chilling effect on various writing-related industries. But they’re also affecting the world of research papers and scientific publishing. They do offer some benefits, like making technical research papers easier to read, which could make research more ac...
Sep 25, 2024•18 min•Ep. 867
Would you be interested in a cookie infused with smog from your favorite city? Maybe a loaf of sourdough made from wheat tainted by wildfires? Those are just a few of the projects from the Center for Genomic Gastronomy , based in Amsterdam and Portugal, where artists use innovative ingredients to represent environmental crises and imagine what the future of food could look like. Ira talks with Zack Denfeld, co-founder of the Center for Genomic Gastronomy, about how art and food can help us envis...
Sep 24, 2024•13 min•Ep. 866
Parenting is a tough job. Some days are absolutely overwhelming, balancing a job, a home, and a child’s needs. One thing goes wrong and it’s like a house of cards falling apart. Not to mention, being keenly aware of how the parents around you are doing. Are you keeping up? Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy is paying close attention. His most recent advisory is about parental stress and mental health. It’s been a busy summer for Dr. Murthy. He’s called for a warning label on social media because o...
Sep 23, 2024•26 min•Ep. 865
The ring would have gradually fallen to Earth as meteorites, correlating to a spike of impacts seen in the geological record. Also, a new AI tool can judge whether sand came from a beach, a river, a glacial deposit, or a wind-blown dune. Earth May Once Have Had A Ring Like Saturn Hundreds of millions of years ago, Earth may have looked quite different when viewed from space: Scientists propose it may have had a Saturn-like ring , made up of lots of smaller asteroids. The new paper, published in ...
Sep 20, 2024•23 min•Ep. 864
The heaviest antimatter nucleus to date was spotted in a particle accelerator. It could provide new insights into the nature of matter. And, research indicates different songbird species might intentionally travel together during migration, giving each other a possible boost in survival. Physicists Create Heaviest Antimatter Nucleus Yet Antimatter is one of science’s great mysteries. It is produced all around us for fractions of a second, until it collides with matter, and the particles annihila...
Sep 19, 2024•19 min•Ep. 863
SciFri producer Kathleen Davis talks with Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett-Helaire, assistant professor of immunology and infectious diseases at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health to help answer our listeners’ top questions about the updated COVID-19 vaccines . This Q&A, which includes questions from our audience members, has been adapted from our interview with Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett-Helaire. It has been edited for clarity and brevity. If I’ve already had COVID and it wasn’t so bad, why should I e...
Sep 18, 2024•18 min•Ep. 862
Part of the reason it’s difficult to talk about climate change is that it can be hard to see a long-term positive outcome for people and the planet. But Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, a marine biologist and co-founder of the Urban Ocean Lab, argues that to prevent the worst effects of climate change, we have to start by asking ourselves, what if we get it right? She’s the author of a new book with that same title, What If We Get It Right? Visions of Climate Futures . In the book, she poses that qu...
Sep 17, 2024•18 min•Ep. 861
Kids and teens are back in school, and the battle over the smartphones in their pockets is becoming more prominent. For years, teachers and parents have lamented about the distractions these devices cause in and out of the classroom. Last year, the US surgeon general declared a youth mental health crisis , citing social media as a significant factor, and more than 40 US states are suing Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, arguing that the company intentionally manipulated their apps to addict...
Sep 16, 2024•18 min•Ep. 860
SpaceX Crew Completes First Citizen Spacewalk Big news in the world of commercial space flight: On Thursday morning, Jared Iasaacman and Sarah Gillis, members of SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission, became the first civilians to complete a spacewalk. The mission is a collaboration between Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Isaacman, a billionaire tech entrepreneur. While outside the spacecraft, the two crew members conducted mobility tests on their spacesuits. SciFri Producer Kathleen Davis talks with Jason Dinh,...
Sep 13, 2024•24 min•Ep. 859
Samples of 2.5 billion-year-old mantle rocks found at spreading ocean ridges could put bounds on models of how the planet formed. And, researchers decreased the amount of lignin in poplar tree wood, making it stronger and slower to deteriorate. ‘Time Capsule’ Rocks Provide Clues About Earth’s Mantle If you’re looking to really learn about the history of our planet, look to geology. Ancient rocks can provide a time capsule of the conditions in which they formed. But even the geologic record has i...
Sep 12, 2024•18 min•Ep. 858
