Science Friday

By Science Friday and WNYC Studios

Natural Sciences

What's Science Friday about?

Brain fun for curious people.

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Placebo Effect, Technoablei...

09.29.2023

Researchers are learning that placebos might be more effective when patients are told they’re receiving them. Plus, a new book argues that cutting-edge technology is not always a needed solution. And a food scientist explains how an invasive insect is ...

Science Friday episodes:

09.29.2023 Placebo Effect, Technoableism, Florida Citrus, Neuroscience Music. Sept 29, 2023, Part 2 Researchers are learning that placebos might be more effective when patients are told they’re receiving them. Plus, a new book argues that cutting-edge technology is not always a needed solution. And a food scientist explains how an invasive insect is ...
09.29.2023 Vision and the Brain, Jellypalooza. Sept 29, 2023, Part 1 A neuroscientist discusses how your brain filters visual inputs. Plus, two stories about jellyfish -- tracking a freshwater jelly that’s spreading across the US, and the surprising finding that one species of jelly may be able to learn.
09.22.2023 Ocean Climate Solutions, Florida Corals, Climate Video Games. Sept 22, 2023, Part 2 The ocean is the world’s largest carbon sink. We need to take better care of it. Plus, after this summer’s heat, marine biologists are scrambling to help protect the rapidly dying reef in the Florida Keys.
09.22.2023 Our Fragile Moment, Climate Comedy. Sept 22, 2023, Part 1 Climate scientist Michael Mann talks about how important it is to take action now—before we see climate change’s worst consequences. Plus, research suggests that comedy is a powerful way to mobilize people.
09.15.2023 New Covid Vaccine, Moroccan Earthquake, Native Bees. Sept 15, 2023, Part 2 The recent 6.8 magnitude earthquake in Morocco left thousands of people dead, injured, or lost. Why was it so dangerous? Plus, three new vaccines will be available this fall to address COVID, the flu, and RSV. And the buzz on ...
09.15.2023 Radioactive Wildlife, Bus Stop Heat, Football Jersey Numbers. Sept 15, 2023, Part 1 Measuring cesium in wild boar and uranium in turtles sheds light on how radioactive materials travel through the environment. Plus, a new study explains why wide receivers on professional football teams feel slimmer and faster when they wear smaller numbers.
09.08.2023 Tree Soil, Rodent Biologist, Soundscape Artist. Sept 8, 2023, Part 2 Treetops can hold complex ecosystems that include soil and other plants. Plus, a rodent biologist reflects on her career.
09.08.2023 Embryo Model, Sweat, Whale Vocal Fry. September 8, 2023, Part 1 Scientists successfully created a 14-day old human embryo model without sperm or eggs. And, whale “vocal fry” helps them echolocate.
09.01.2023 An AI for Smell, Heat and Agricultural Workers, Golden Lion Tamarin, Y Chromosome. Sept 1, 2023, Part 2 Having a complete sequence of the human Y chromosome might help research and medicine. Plus, a new computer model can map the structure of a chemical to predict what it probably smells like.
09.01.2023 US Surgeon General On Mental Health, Tracking Tick Bites. Sept 1, 2023, Part 1 Dr. Vivek Murthy on the intersection of youth mental health, social media, and loneliness. Plus, how an app is helping scientists learn more about the spread of tick-borne diseases.
08.25.2023 Old Things Considered: La Brea, Megalodon, Dino Footprints, Surviving History. Aug 25, 2023, Part 2 A new book uses science and hindsight to figure out how to survive history’s greatest disasters. Plus, megalodon was the largest shark that ever lived. How accurate is the science in the movie Meg 2: The Trench?
08.25.2023 Sea Otters, Alaskan Minerals, Salmon Restoration. Aug 25, 2023, Part 1 As Alaska begins looking beyond fossil fuels, mining companies are quietly preparing to take over its highways. Plus, an expert from the Monterey Bay Aquarium talks all things sea otter.
08.18.2023 Women Athletes, Stem Cell Cornea Repair, Sand. August 18, 2023, Part 2 A conversation about the gap in womens’ sports science, and why it's so important to better understand female athletic performance. Plus, how researchers looked at taking stem cells from a patient’s healthy eye and using them to help regrow tissue ...
08.18.2023 Covid Update, Brain Fog Research, Toilet to Tap. Aug 18, 2023, Part 1 As COVID-related hospitalizations once again surge, virologist Dr. Angela Rasmussen answers listener queries about the latest variant. Plus, research into the ‘brain fog’ symptom. And a trip to Reno, NV to check in on a wastewater recycling program.
08.11.2023 Hawai’i Wildfires, Blue-Fin Tuna Science, Maine’s New Lithium Deposit. August 11, 2023, Part 1 We have a new podcast! It’s called Universe Of Art, and it’s all about artists who use science to bring their creations to the next level. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Devastating Fires Might ...
08.11.2023 Pod Pregnancy Movie, Increase In Deep-Sea Mining, Upcoming Astronomical Delights. August 11, 2023, Part 2 We have a new podcast! It’s called Universe Of Art, and it’s all about artists who use science to bring their creations to the next level. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. In ‘The Pod ...
08.04.2023 Answering Evolution Questions, Planetary Protection. Aug 4, 2023, Part 2 We have a new podcast! It’s called Universe Of Art, and it’s all about artists who use science to bring their creations to the next level. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Protecting Other Planets ...
08.04.2023 Artificial Sweetener Safety, Nuclear Weapons Tech. Aug 4, 2023, Part 1 We have a new podcast! It’s called Universe Of Art, and it’s all about artists who use science to bring their creations to the next level. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. A Possible Breakthrough ...
07.28.2023 The Cat’s Meow, Chumash Marine Sanctuary, EV Tires. July 28, 2023, Part 2 We have a new podcast! It’s called Universe Of Art, and it’s all about artists who use science to bring their creations to the next level. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. What Is Your ...
07.28.2023 Kākāpō Conservation, NYC Parrots, One Year After the Dobbs Decision. July 28, 2023, Part 1 We have a new podcast! It’s called Universe Of Art, and it’s all about artists who use science to bring their creations to the next level. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. No, The Gulf ...
07.21.2023 How Does The Brain Control Your Every Move? July 21, 2023, Part 1 We have a new podcast! It’s called Universe Of Art, and it’s all about artists who use science to bring their creations to the next level. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Astronomers Spy A ...
07.21.2023 What To Know Before You Go See ‘Oppenheimer’. July 21, 2023, Part 2 We have a new podcast! It’s called Universe Of Art, and it’s all about artists who use science to bring their creations to the next level. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Revisiting The Nuclear ...
07.14.2023 Lab-Grown Meat Approval, Underground Climate Change, Utahraptor. July 14, 2023, Part 2 We have a new podcast! It’s called Universe Of Art, and it’s all about artists who use science to bring their creations to the next level. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Where’s The Beef? ...
07.14.2023 Youth Mental Health Crisis, Repairing Sharks’ Bad Reputation. July 14, 2023, Part 1 We have a new podcast! It’s called Universe Of Art, and it’s all about artists who use science to bring their creations to the next level. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. The Oceans Are ...
07.07.2023 Accessible Birding, Space Sounds, Wasps. July 7, 2023. Part 2 Meet The Blind Birder Reimagining Accessibility In The Outdoors For many blind and low vision people, accessing outdoor spaces like parks can be challenging. Trails are often unsafe or difficult to navigate, signs don’t usually have Braille, guides generally aren’t ...
07.07.2023 Beavers, Pando Tree, $7 Violin. July 7, 2023. Part 1 How The Humble Beaver Shaped A Continent The American beaver, Castor canadensis, nearly didn’t survive European colonialism in the United States. Prized for its dense, lustrous fur, and also sought after for the oil from its tail glands, the species ...
06.30.2023 Cloning for Conservation, Cubesats, Queer Ecology, Henry Petroski. June 30, 2023, Part 2 How Fungi Are Breaking The Binary: A Queer Approach To Ecology As Pride month comes to a close, many people are reflecting on the past, present, and future of the LGBTQIA+ community. An interdisciplinary group of scientists, researchers, and artists ...
06.30.2023 Hum Of The Universe, Cephalopod Event In Miami. June 30, 2023, Part 1 Scientists Can Now Hear The Background Hum Of The Universe For the first time ever, scientists have heard the “low pitch hum” of gravitational waves rippling through the cosmos. It’s this ever-present background noise set off by the movement of ...
06.23.2023 Social Media Chaos, Remembering Whale Song Scientist Roger Payne. June 23, 2023, Part 2 We have a new podcast! It's called Universe Of Art, and it features conversations with artists who use science to bring their creations to the next level. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. When The ...
06.23.2023 Cephalopod Week Salutes See-Thru Squid, Hyperbole In Science Publishing, Art and the Brain, Rover Competition. June 23, 2023, Part 1 We have a new podcast! It's called Universe Of Art, and it features conversations with artists who use science to bring their creations to the next level. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. A See-Through ...
06.16.2023 Avian Flu, Curly Hair. June 16, 2023, Part 2 Curly Hair Keeps Your Scalp Cooler According to a fascinating new study, curly locks are better than straight hair at keeping your scalp cool. Researchers shone bright lights on three different manikins—one with no hair, one with loosely curled hair ...
06.16.2023 Science Books For Summer Reading. June 16, 2023, Part 1 Why Have Ocean Temperatures Spiked? Sea surface temperatures in the North Atlantic have risen dramatically in recent weeks, to as much as 0.5 degrees Celsius warmer than the previous record—and over 1 degree C warmer than average temperatures from 1982 ...
06.09.2023 Living Underwater For 100 Days, Refineries’ Excess Emissions, Owl Facts. June 9, 2023, Part 2 Exposing Texas’ Excess Emissions Problems In the early hours of August 22, 2020, Hurricane Laura was still just a tropical storm off the coast of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean. But effects from the monstrous storm, which would ultimately ...
06.09.2023 Wildfire Smoke, Jurassic Park Reflection, Mosquito DNA Editing. June 9, 2023, Part 1 Canadian Wildfire Smoke Drifts Across The United States This week, smoke from Canadian wildfires drifted south, enveloping the Northeastern United States, casting an ominous orange glow. The smoke continued spreading outwards to the Southeast and to the Midwest. While climate ...
06.02.2023 Dwarf Tomatoes, Saguaro Cactus, Sonoran Desert. June 2, 2023, Part 2 Tomato Breeding Project Fueled By Over 1,000 Backyard Gardeners In 2005, gardeners Craig LeHouiller and Patrina Nuske-Small created the Dwarf Tomato Project. They wanted to preserve the flavor and beauty of heirloom tomatoes, without taking up too much space. They ...
06.02.2023 Rewilding, Allergy Season, Sharing Science Rejections. June 2, 2023, Part 1 Could Restoring Animal Populations Store More Carbon? Did you know that land and ocean ecosystems absorb about half of the carbon dioxide we emit each year? But what if the earth had the capacity to absorb even more? With the ...
05.26.2023 Zoonomia Genetics Project, Telomeres, Mutter Museum. May 26, 2023, Part 1 Orcas Are Attacking Boats Near Spain. Scientists Don’t Know Why This Thursday, the Supreme Court restricted the scope of the Clean Water Act pertaining to wetlands, in a 5-4 vote. This could affect the Environmental Protection Agency’s power to protect ...
05.26.2023 Experiencing Pain, Grief and the Cosmos, Ivory-Billed Controversy. May 26, 2023, Part 2 The Ivory-Billed Woodpecker Debate Keeps Pecking Away Every so often, there’s a claim that the ivory-billed woodpecker is back from the dead. Pixelated videos go viral, blurry photos make the front page, and birders flock to the woods to get ...
05.19.2023 Weight and Health Myths, A Corvid Invasion. May 19, 2023, Part 1 Can Science Find An Antidote to Americium? With some poisons, there’s an antidote — something you can take to block the effects of the poison, or to help remove it from your body. But when the harmful chemical is a ...
05.19.2023 The B Broadcast: Bees, Beans, Bears, and Butterflies. May 19, 2023, Part 2 Science Says Eat More Beans Beans are delicious, high in protein, inexpensive, efficient to grow, and an absolute staple in so many cuisines. So why don’t Americans eat more of them? The average American eats 7.5 pounds of beans annually, ...
05.12.2023 Star Trek Science, Listening to Pando. May 12, 2023, Part 2 Star Trek’s Science Advisor Reveals The Real Astrophysics On Screen Few pop culture properties have lasted quite as long as Star Trek. A dozen Star Trek television shows have aired over the last sixty years—not to mention countless movies, novels, ...
05.12.2023 US COVID Health Emergency Ends. May 12, 2023, Part 1 FDA Advisory Board Approves First Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill This week an FDA advisory board paved the way for the first over the counter birth control pill, with an unanimous decision 17-0. The FDA must accept the recommendation before the ...
05.05.2023 Antibiotic Resistance, Space Launches and the Environment, Phage Therapy. May 5, 2023, Part 2 SpaceX Explosion Damages Environment Around Launch Site Last Thursday, SpaceX’s South Texas facility was awash in noise and fire, as crowds gathered in South Padre Island and Port Isabel to watch Starship’s first orbital launch. It was the largest and ...
05.05.2023 Why Rats Love Cities, Science Of Saliva And Taste. May 5, 2023, Part 1 A Dying Planet Offers A Peek Into The Future This week, astronomers reported in the journal Nature that they had spotted a planet approximately the size of Jupiter being swallowed by a star over the course of ten days. The ...
04.28.2023 Personifying AI, The Reading Brain, Environmental Sampling Via Bees. April 28, 2023, Part 2 Why Do Humans Anthropomorphize AI? Artificial intelligence has become more sophisticated in a short period of time. Even though we may understand that when ChatGPT spits out a response, there’s no human behind the screen, we can’t help but anthropomorphize—imagining ...
04.28.2023 History And Science Of Chickens, Climate Activism, Pipeline Movie. April 28, 2023, Part 1 Dirty Diapers Reveal How Germy Babies’ Microbiomes Are In a new study, researchers picked through the dirty diapers of more than 600 infants. Those stinky diapers were a gold mine of info—they contained more than 10,000 virus species. And though ...
04.22.2023 Introducing Our New Podcast: Universe Of Art How do we use art to process the world around us in ways that science can’t? How are illustrators using their skills to help us understand nature’s most unusual creatures? On Universe of Art, a new podcast from Science Friday, ...
04.21.2023 Anesthesia 101, Carbon-Sequestering Poplars, Period Book. April 21, 2023, Part 1 An Explosive End For A Massive Rocket This week, SpaceX attempted the first uncrewed orbital test flight of its massive Super Heavy rocket topped with an experimental crew capsule known as Starship. After one aborted launch earlier in the week, ...
04.21.2023 The Myth of the Alpha Wolf, Cherokee Nation Seed Banks, History of Gender Affirming Care. April 21, 2023, Part 2 How We Arrived At Current Standards Of Care For Trans Medicine So far this year, 16 states have moved to restrict or completely ban transgender kids access to gender affirming care. And 17 other states are considering similar laws, a ...
04.14.2023 ‘Possibility Of Life’ Book, PFAS Sewage, ‘Smart’ Play. April 14, 2023, Part 2 Is Anybody Out There? The Quest For Life In Space It’s one of humanity’s biggest fundamental questions: “Is there life elsewhere in the universe?” But despite years of searching, it’s a query that still has no answer. That conundrum also ...

Older episodes

Science Friday

What's Science Friday about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Science Friday episodes:

Placebo Effect, Technoableism, Florida Citrus, Neuroscience Music. Sept 29, 2023, Part 2

Vision and the Brain, Jellypalooza. Sept 29, 2023, Part 1

Ocean Climate Solutions, Florida Corals, Climate Video Games. Sept 22, 2023, Part 2

Our Fragile Moment, Climate Comedy. Sept 22, 2023, Part 1

New Covid Vaccine, Moroccan Earthquake, Native Bees. Sept 15, 2023, Part 2

Radioactive Wildlife, Bus Stop Heat, Football Jersey Numbers. Sept 15, 2023, Part 1

Tree Soil, Rodent Biologist, Soundscape Artist. Sept 8, 2023, Part 2

Embryo Model, Sweat, Whale Vocal Fry. September 8, 2023, Part 1

An AI for Smell, Heat and Agricultural Workers, Golden Lion Tamarin, Y Chromosome. Sept 1, 2023, Part 2

US Surgeon General On Mental Health, Tracking Tick Bites. Sept 1, 2023, Part 1

Old Things Considered: La Brea, Megalodon, Dino Footprints, Surviving History. Aug 25, 2023, Part 2

Sea Otters, Alaskan Minerals, Salmon Restoration. Aug 25, 2023, Part 1

Women Athletes, Stem Cell Cornea Repair, Sand. August 18, 2023, Part 2

Covid Update, Brain Fog Research, Toilet to Tap. Aug 18, 2023, Part 1

Hawai’i Wildfires, Blue-Fin Tuna Science, Maine’s New Lithium Deposit. August 11, 2023, Part 1

Pod Pregnancy Movie, Increase In Deep-Sea Mining, Upcoming Astronomical Delights. August 11, 2023, Part 2

Answering Evolution Questions, Planetary Protection. Aug 4, 2023, Part 2

Artificial Sweetener Safety, Nuclear Weapons Tech. Aug 4, 2023, Part 1

The Cat’s Meow, Chumash Marine Sanctuary, EV Tires. July 28, 2023, Part 2

Kākāpō Conservation, NYC Parrots, One Year After the Dobbs Decision. July 28, 2023, Part 1

How Does The Brain Control Your Every Move? July 21, 2023, Part 1

What To Know Before You Go See ‘Oppenheimer’. July 21, 2023, Part 2

Lab-Grown Meat Approval, Underground Climate Change, Utahraptor. July 14, 2023, Part 2

Youth Mental Health Crisis, Repairing Sharks’ Bad Reputation. July 14, 2023, Part 1

Accessible Birding, Space Sounds, Wasps. July 7, 2023. Part 2

Beavers, Pando Tree, $7 Violin. July 7, 2023. Part 1

Cloning for Conservation, Cubesats, Queer Ecology, Henry Petroski. June 30, 2023, Part 2

Hum Of The Universe, Cephalopod Event In Miami. June 30, 2023, Part 1

Social Media Chaos, Remembering Whale Song Scientist Roger Payne. June 23, 2023, Part 2

Cephalopod Week Salutes See-Thru Squid, Hyperbole In Science Publishing, Art and the Brain, Rover Competition. June 23, 2023, Part 1

Avian Flu, Curly Hair. June 16, 2023, Part 2

Science Books For Summer Reading. June 16, 2023, Part 1

Living Underwater For 100 Days, Refineries’ Excess Emissions, Owl Facts. June 9, 2023, Part 2

Wildfire Smoke, Jurassic Park Reflection, Mosquito DNA Editing. June 9, 2023, Part 1

Dwarf Tomatoes, Saguaro Cactus, Sonoran Desert. June 2, 2023, Part 2

Rewilding, Allergy Season, Sharing Science Rejections. June 2, 2023, Part 1

Zoonomia Genetics Project, Telomeres, Mutter Museum. May 26, 2023, Part 1

Experiencing Pain, Grief and the Cosmos, Ivory-Billed Controversy. May 26, 2023, Part 2

Weight and Health Myths, A Corvid Invasion. May 19, 2023, Part 1

The B Broadcast: Bees, Beans, Bears, and Butterflies. May 19, 2023, Part 2

Star Trek Science, Listening to Pando. May 12, 2023, Part 2

US COVID Health Emergency Ends. May 12, 2023, Part 1

Antibiotic Resistance, Space Launches and the Environment, Phage Therapy. May 5, 2023, Part 2

Why Rats Love Cities, Science Of Saliva And Taste. May 5, 2023, Part 1

Personifying AI, The Reading Brain, Environmental Sampling Via Bees. April 28, 2023, Part 2

History And Science Of Chickens, Climate Activism, Pipeline Movie. April 28, 2023, Part 1

Introducing Our New Podcast: Universe Of Art

Anesthesia 101, Carbon-Sequestering Poplars, Period Book. April 21, 2023, Part 1

The Myth of the Alpha Wolf, Cherokee Nation Seed Banks, History of Gender Affirming Care. April 21, 2023, Part 2

‘Possibility Of Life’ Book, PFAS Sewage, ‘Smart’ Play. April 14, 2023, Part 2

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