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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 
