As part of Science Friday’s 33rd anniversary show, we’re revisiting our listeners’ favorite stories, including this one from 2009. In the album “ Here Comes Science,” the band They Might Be Giants tackled the scientific process, plasma physics, the role of blood in the body, and the importance of DNA, all in song. Band members John Linnell and John Flansburgh discuss the album and play some science tunes. The transcript for this segment is available at sciencefriday.com . Subscribe to this podca...
Dec 04, 2024•27 min•Ep. 917
As part of Science Friday’s 33rd anniversary show, we’re revisiting our listeners’ favorite stories, including this one from 2022. 66 million years ago, a massive asteroid hit what we know today as the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico. Many people have a general idea of what happened next: The age of the dinosaurs was brought to a close , making room for mammals like us to thrive. But fewer people know what happened in the days, weeks, and years after impact. Increased research on fossils and geologi...
Dec 03, 2024•19 min•Ep. 916
In 2022, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry went to Dr. Carolyn Bertozzi of Stanford University, Dr. Morten Meldal of the University of Copenhagen, and Dr. K. Barry Sharpless of the Scripps Research Institute “for the development of click chemistry and bioorthogonal chemistry .” In “click chemistry,” molecular building blocks snap together quickly and efficiently to let chemists build more complicated molecules. But bioorthogonal chemistry takes that work one step further, allowing the technique to be...
Dec 02, 2024•19 min•Ep. 915
In 2018, actor, author and science communicator Alan Alda spoke publicly about his diagnosis for Parkinson’s Disease. Alda, who is best known for his role in “M*A*S*H,” “The Aviator,” and “The West Wing,” shifted his interests to science communication in his later years. He’s written several books on the topic, and has an ongoing podcast, “Clear + Vivid.” As part of Science Friday’s 33rd anniversary show, we’re revisiting our listeners’ favorite stories, including this one. Alda came on Science ...
Nov 29, 2024•12 min•Ep. 914
Just in time for Thanksgiving, a potato researcher explains potato varieties, potato nutrition, and some tubular tuber facts. And, irregular, fatty marbling gives meat a unique texture. Recreating that in plant-based products isn’t easy. A Horn Of Potato Plenty The potato is a versatile vegetable—baked, roasted, fried, mashed—it can bring something to just about any menu. But, how exactly do these tasty tubers end up on our tables? We’ll give you a crash course in potato science , including how ...
Nov 28, 2024•19 min•Ep. 913
We recently asked our listeners which dubious health claims they’ve been seeing in their social media feeds or being circulated by friends and family. Unsurprisingly, we received a ton of questions about nutrition , including: Is seed oil bad for you? Does apple cider vinegar really lower blood sugar? What is the difference between processed and ultraprocessed foods? To answer those questions and more, SciFri producer Kathleen Davis talks with RDN Jessica Clifford, a nutrition specialist at Depa...
Nov 27, 2024•18 min•Ep. 912
Fifty-three days after Hurricane Helene, residents of Asheville can safely drink their tap water without boiling it. Why did it take so long? And, tribes’ historic lands on the Gulf Coast are being lost to the sea. To slow it down, one tribe has turned to oyster shells. The Struggle To Restore Drinking Water After Hurricane Helene When Hurricane Helene barrelled through the southeastern US in September, it dumped an estimated 40 trillion gallons of water on the region. That resulted in immense f...
Nov 26, 2024•20 min•Ep. 911
On November 24, 1974—50 years ago this November—a pair of paleoanthropologists made the discovery of a lifetime: a set of 47 bones, hidden in the dusty, rocky hills of a fossil site in Hadar, Ethiopia. The skeleton belonged to a 3.2 million year old hominin, which came to be nicknamed Lucy. She marked the very first specimen of Australopithecus afarensis —a species of early hominins that were very likely our own ancestors. Lucy might be the most famous fossil in the world, and she’s transformed ...
Nov 25, 2024•19 min•Ep. 910
This was the sixth test launch of the Starship vehicle, which could eventually carry humans and cargo to the moon. It was extremely loud. Also, divers have recovered seeds of a long-lost rye variety from a 146-year-old shipwreck in Lake Huron. Scientists hope to bring it back to life. SpaceX’s Starship Completes In-Orbit Engine Test On Tuesday, the rocket company SpaceX conducted another test flight of its Starship spacecraft. In the uncrewed mission, the sixth test of the system, the company wa...
Nov 22, 2024•25 min•Ep. 909
What’s the secret to making a fluffy omelet or the perfect pie dough? In this interview from 2012, Jack Bishop, now senior content advisor at America’s Test Kitchen, debunks cooking myths and highlights some of the surprising finds from the show’s cookbook, The Science of Good Cooking . Bishop tells us that water is one of the key parts of the perfect pie crust. You need it to roll out the dough, but it also forms gluten which makes the dough chewy. So, how can your pie dough be both soft and ea...
Nov 21, 2024•18 min•Ep. 908
It sounds like something from an advertisement for bathroom cleaner: Researchers found over 600 different viruses, most of which are new to science, in samples taken from showerheads and toothbrushes. The viruses, however, are unlikely to affect humans. They are bacteriophages, a type of virus that preys on bacteria. The expedition into bathroom biodiversity was recently published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiomes. Around a hundred years ago in the former Soviet Union, there were major eff...
Nov 20, 2024•18 min•Ep. 907
Researchers are connecting two ecological problems in the Northeast in hopes of reducing the risk of tick-borne illnesses. Also, a “one-of-a-kind” fossil of Navaornis hestiae helps fill a giant gap in scientists’ understanding of how bird brains evolved. Managing Some Invasive Plants Might Reduce Blacklegged Ticks In much of the eastern US, October and November usher in an autumn peak of the blacklegged tick season. For years, researchers have noticed that these ticks, also called deer ticks, ar...
Nov 19, 2024•18 min•Ep. 906
Despite advances in scientific research, the stomach remains a subject of mystery and intrigue. After all, it’s nearly impossible to ignore its gurgles and growls. Some cultural understanding of the gut has changed too—from an unruly being that must be fed and placated, to a garden ecosystem that is to be nourished in order to flourish. And if you’re a frequent listener of Science Friday, you’re familiar with the gut’s microbiome—the constellation of trillions of microbes thriving in our bodies....
Nov 18, 2024•19 min•Ep. 905
Leaders from the top-polluting countries, like the US and China, aren’t showing up to the UN’s big climate conference in Azerbaijan. And, walking pneumonia typically affects school-age kids, but the CDC reports a rise in cases in children aged 2-4. At COP29, The World’s Top Polluters Are No-Shows The United Nations’ annual international climate conference, COP29, got underway this week in Baku, Azerbaijan. Leaders from around the world come together at this conference to hammer out deals between...
Nov 15, 2024•25 min•Ep. 904
Today, November 8, 2024, marks Science Friday’s 33rd broadcast anniversary. One of the most beloved interviewees on Science Friday over the years was the late neurologist and author Dr. Oliver Sacks, who shared his insights into neuroscience, art, and what it means to be human . Recently, Sacks’ long-time collaborator Kate Edgar published a book of Dr. Sacks' letters. And earlier this fall, the New York Public Library announced its acquisition of Sacks’ entire archive. In this segment, Ira revis...
Nov 14, 2024•18 min•Ep. 903
In a Chinese study, donor CAR-T cells sent autoimmune diseases into remission. There’s hope that the therapy is scalable. And, scientists used decades of yellow-bellied marmot research to find a way to measure how adverse events affect wild animals’ survival. CAR-T Cell Therapies Show Promise For Autoimmune Diseases For decades, immunologists have explored CAR-T cell therapy as an effective tool to fight blood cancer. Increasingly, CAR-T cells are being explored as a potential silver bullet for ...
Nov 13, 2024•21 min•Ep. 902
Think back to the last time you went to the doctor’s office. Chances are, at the start of the visit, they took your temperature, pulse, and blood pressure—your “vitals.” But how did they take your blood pressure? The medical literature that describes safe blood pressure ranges is all based on readings taken with the patient sitting with feet flat on the floor, legs uncrossed, back supported, and the testing arm supported by a desk at mid-heart level. But if the blood pressure is measured with th...
Nov 12, 2024•18 min•Ep. 901
Have you ever been stuck in traffic and thought, if only this highway was a little wider so it could fit more car s? You aren’t alone. Many states have been expanding their highways . New York Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced a $1.3 billion project to expand one of the state’s highways for an estimated maximum six-minute travel savings. Other highway-widening projects are underway in Texas, California, and Maryland. In 2022, federal, state, and local governments in the US spent $127 bill...
Nov 11, 2024•18 min•Ep. 900
Abortion was on the ballot in 10 states, and seven of them passed constitutional amendments defending abortion rights. Also, this ginormous number has a whopping 41,024,320 digits, which isn’t very helpful for mathematicians but is certainly exciting for math nerds. Seven States Passed Ballot Measures To Protect Abortion Rights This week, science was on the ballot in many states. Voters across the country weighed in on issues like drug legalization, money to fund climate programs, and, of course...
Nov 08, 2024•23 min•Ep. 899
Author and naturalist Sy Montgomery discusses chicken intelligence and her experience raising a flock in New Hampshire. And, snapshots from over the years could provide researchers with valuable data about how penguin colonies have shifted. Chickens Have Friendships, Memories, And Reputations Chickens don’t exactly have a reputation of being the sharpest creatures in the animal kingdom. Yet, talk to anyone who raises chickens and they’ll tell you that they are far more intelligent and social tha...
Nov 07, 2024•24 min•Ep. 898
In the 1960s, the urban air pollution crisis in America had reached a fever pitch: Cities were shrouded in smog, union steelworkers were demanding protections for their health, and the Department of Justice was mounting an antitrust lawsuit against the Detroit automakers for conspiracy to pollute. But all that changed when Richard Nixon signed the Clean Air Act of 1970 . The law set national limits for six major pollutants, established stringent emissions standards for vehicles, and required the...
Nov 06, 2024•25 min•Ep. 897
On Sunday, more than 50,000 athletes are expected to compete in the New York City Marathon, one of the largest, and most elite marathons in the world. Running a continuous 26.2 miles is a major physical challenge. But what exactly is happening in the body when running such a long distance? Joining guest host Rachel Feltman to answer questions from long-distance runners is Dr. Brandee Waite, Director of UC Davis Health Sports Medicine. Over the past 20 years, Dr. Waite has directed the medical ca...
Nov 05, 2024•18 min•Ep. 895
Gender-affirming care is on the ballot in this presidential election. These treatments, which can include hormone therapy and surgeries, can be lifesaving for trans people. But they could be impacted by the results of this election. This year alone, states have considered 182 bills aimed at prohibiting gender-affirming care. It’s become a central part of Donald Trump’s campaign, which has stated that, if he is elected, he’ll ask Congress to ban Medicare and Medicaid from covering gender-affirmin...
Nov 04, 2024•18 min•Ep. 896
Two years ago, energy companies scrambled for offshore wind contracts. At a recent auction, the demand was significantly lower. Plus, artist Sarah Rosalena uses Indigenous weaving, ceramics, and sculpture practices to create art that challenges tech’s future, in a segment from earlier this year. Maine Offshore Wind Auction Draws Few Bids Offshore wind is coming to the Gulf of Maine. Earlier this week, the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management held an auction for eight leases to develop wind proje...
Nov 01, 2024•20 min•Ep. 894
Great news for the nearly-extinct monarch butterflies, which will pass through the area as they migrate back to Mexico. Also, to find out how blood affects aging, scientists can surgically connect two animals and let blood circulate between them. After California’s Park Fire, A Second Bloom of Milkweed Don Hankins examines a bright yellow-green patch in the meadow. The land all around is charred by fire. But here, there’s a sort of miracle at work. Native milkweed has sprung up and bloomed for t...
Oct 31, 2024•19 min•Ep. 893
Did you know that there are ten quintillion—or 10,000,000,000,000,000,000—individual insects on the planet? That means that for each and every one of us humans, there are 1.25 billion insects hopping, buzzing, and flying about. A new book called The Insect Epiphany: How Our Six-Legged Allies Shape Human Culture celebrates the diversity of the insect world , as well as the many ways it has changed ours—from fashion to food to engineering. Guest host Sophie Bushwick talks with entomologist and aut...
Oct 30, 2024•18 min•Ep. 892
Leading up to the November election, Science Friday is covering top science issues on the ballot. For voters, those top issues include abortion. Since the Dobbs ruling overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, many states have curtailed access to abortion, and 13 states have a total abortion ban. The election season in particular, there’s been a focus on abortions in the third trimester of pregnancy. Some of the political rhetoric is inflammatory and false. But even among politicians who support abor...
Oct 29, 2024•18 min•Ep. 891
Walter Byrd remembers the first time sewage came bubbling out of his toilet like it was yesterday. “It was just pumping up through there,” Byrd says. “One of the bathrooms was so full of waste, at least 4 inches high in there. It smelled just like a hog pen.” He sopped up the murky, foul-smelling water and doused the floor with bleach. But the sewage kept coming. On rainy days, it overflowed from drainage ditches into his yard, carrying wads of toilet paper and human waste. The eight-bedroom hom...
Oct 28, 2024•18 min•Ep. 890
Some paleontologists argue the ancient footprints found in South Korea show flight may have evolved in multiple dinosaur lineages. And, COP16 will tackle questions like who should profit from non-human DNA, and who is responsible for financing critical conservation projects. Do Fossil Prints Show Dinosaur Flight Evolved More Than Once? Researchers studying tracks fossilized in Cretaceous-era lakeshore mud in what is now South Korea argue this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Scienc...
Oct 25, 2024•25 min•Ep. 889
Throughout history, humans have given a lot of thought to death. We’ve grappled with our mortality, created elaborate burial rituals, and contemplated how best to mourn the loss of a loved one. But what about other animals? How do they understand death? Scientists have begun looking at this question more closely in the last two decades. For example, chimpanzees have a wide variety of responses to death based in part on their relationship with the deceased. Possums put on elaborate displays to fa...
Oct 24, 2024•18 min•Ep. 888
