Science Friday

3,000 Types Of Brain Cells Categorized In Massive Brain Cell Atlas

18 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In October 2023, an international group of scientists released an impressively detailed cell atlas of the human brain, published in 21 papers in the j...

Brain ‘Organoids’: Lab-Grown Cell Clusters Model Brain Functions

17 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Brain organoids are grown in a lab using stem cells, and can mimic the functions of different regions of the brain like the cortex, retina, and cerebe...

The Lasting Allure Of Shackleton’s ‘Endurance’

16 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In a conversation from March 2023, the maritime archeologist who found the storied wreck discusses the mission and his new book.There are few stories ...

How Close Are We To Answers About Aliens?

15 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The idea of creatures from another planet is part of our culture, from the warnings of the alien in “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” to the plaint...

NASA Delays Crewed Moon Missions | Top Technologies To Watch In 2024

12 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With this week’s delays to Artemis II and III, astronauts likely won’t walk on the moon until 2026 at the earliest. Also, weight-loss drugs, AI, c...

To Get Ready For Mars, NASA Studies How The Body Changes In Space

11 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s no longer just the realm of science fiction: It’s possible that in our lifetimes, astronauts will go to Mars. NASA is doing a lot of technolo...

Science Journalism Is Shrinking–Along With Public Trust In Science

10 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In 2023, a flood of science journalists lost their jobs. At the same time, public trust in science continues to decline.Last year was a tough one for ...

(Part 2) Endangered Species Act At 50: Orchids And Red Wolves

09 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Continuing our exploration of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) at its 50th anniversary, we'll look at how it has helped protect a group of at-risk pla...

(Part 1) Endangered Species Act at 50: Hawaiian Land Snails

08 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On December 28, 2023, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) turned 50 years old. It was enacted in 1973 with almost unanimous support in Congress, with a g...

Solar Activity Flares Up In 2024 | Underground Hydrogen Reserves And Clean Energy

05 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Look out for a total solar eclipse, more solar flares, and the Parker Solar Probe’s closest approach to the sun. Also, underground hydrogen stores h...

SciFri Reads ‘The Alchemy Of Us’

04 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You may have an idea of how our inventions have changed human history and transformed our relationship with the world. But the reverse can also be tru...

SciFri Reads ‘The Kaiju Preservation Society’

03 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What does it take to write a believable kaiju—as well as a charming group of scientists and explorers—onto the page? The SciFri Book Club invited ...

Star Trek’s Science Advisor Reveals The Real Astrophysics On Screen

02 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 me...

A Mathematician Asks ‘Is Math Real?’

01 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The concept of math has been around for a long time, developing independently in many different cultures. In 1650 BC, the Egyptians were creating math...

Unmasking Owls’ Mysteries | Why It Feels So Good To Eat Chocolate

29 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Unmasking Owls’ MysteriesDon’t let owls’ cute faces fool you—they’re deadly predators. This duality is part of what makes them so mysterious...

SciFri Reads ‘The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2023’

28 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The editors of this year’s The Best American Science and Nature Writing anthology—and special guest journalists and writers—took to the virtual ...

The Unseen World Of Seaweeds | Should 'Dark Fungi' Species Get Names?

27 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Unseen World Of SeaweedsChances are you don’t give much thought to seaweed unless you’re at the beach, or perhaps when you’re considering a ...

How 'Panda Diplomacy' Led To Conservation Success

26 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In 1972, pandas arrived at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, DC, to huge fanfare. Since then, pandas have been some of the city’s most...

Music’s Emotional Power Can Shape Memories—And Your Perception Of Time

25 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It can be hard to avoid the chime of classic Christmas songs at this time of year. Certain songs may even bring up potent memories, transporting a per...

Pennsylvania Drug Laws May Limit Syringe Services | These Romance Novels Represent Black Women In Science

21 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Pennsylvania Drug Laws May Limit Syringe ServicesPennsylvania is one of 12 states that do not implicitly or explicitly authorize syringe services prog...

Flame Retardant From Cocoa Pod Husks | The Oozy Physics Of Oobleck

20 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Flame Retardant Could Be Made From Discarded Cocoa HusksOn cocoa farms around the world, cocoa beans are pulled from their pods, and the hard husks ar...

The Military’s Carbon Footprint Is A Hidden Cost Of Defense

19 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Between supplying fuel to military bases, planes, and ships, making and using weapons, and clearing land, militaries around the world account for almo...

High Energy Cosmic Ray Detected | These Penguins Are The Masters Of Microsleeping

18 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Scientists Report Second Highest-Energy Cosmic Ray Ever DetectedAround 30 years ago, scientists in Utah were monitoring the skies for cosmic rays when...

COP28 Climate Conference Ends | Why Are Some People Affected By Seasonal Affective Disorder?

15 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Climate Conference Ends, With Few Immediate ResultsThe United Nations climate conference, COP28, ended this week in Dubai. After a lot of arguing over...

A Celebration Of The 2023 Christmas Bird Count

14 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Every year birders across the world trek out into the rain, sun, sleet, or wind to participate in the Christmas Bird Count, organized by the National ...

Surfing Particles Can Supercharge Northern Lights

13 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For thousands of years, humans have been observing and studying the Northern lights, aurora borealis, and their southern hemisphere counterpart, auror...

The (Not So) Easy Guide To Getting To Space

12 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you ask children what they want to be when they grow up, chances are good that among the answers, you’ll hear “astronaut.” But becoming an as...

The Women Astronomers Who Captured the Stars

11 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the late 19th century, astronomy was a growing field. At the time, Edward Pickering, the director of the Harvard College Observatory, was working t...

Quercetin May Cause Red Wine Headaches | Worsening Wildfires Are Undoing Air Quality Progress

08 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What Causes Red Wine Headaches? It May Be QuercetinIt’s a common experience: After a glass or two of red wine, relaxation can turn into a pounding h...

Speaking Multiple Languages Changes The Way You Think

07 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wondered how the language you speak shapes your understanding of the world around you? And if you speak two or more languages, how might...

Social Connections Keep Us Physically and Mentally Healthy As We Age

06 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As people age, health often becomes a larger focus in their lives—their joints become a little more achy, or their vision less sharp. Some might eve...

Women Were Also Skilled Hunters In Ancient Times

05 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There’s a long-standing narrative about hunter-gatherers in ancient times: Men ventured out for meat, while women largely stayed closer to home, for...

An AI Leader’s Human-Centered Approach To Artificial Intelligence

04 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Just about every day there’s a new headline about artificial intelligence. OpenAI Founder and CEO Sam Altman was forced out, and then dramatically r...

COP28 Host Had Plans to Promote Oil and Gas | Researchers Detected Cicada Emergence With Fiber-Optics

01 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

COP28 Host Had Plans to Promote Oil and Gas, Documents ShowThe United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP28, began this week in Dubai. This is an a...

Ralph Nader Reflects On His Auto Safety Campaign, 55 Years Later

30 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s hard to imagine a world without seatbelts or airbags. But five decades ago, it was the norm for car manufacturers to put glamour over safety.“...

What’s That Smell? An AI Nose Knows

29 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you want to predict the color of something, you can talk about wavelengths of light. Light with a wavelength of around 460 nanometers is going to l...

Jane Goodall On Life Among Chimpanzees

28 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Few living scientists are as iconic as Dr. Jane Goodall. The legendary primatologist spent decades working with chimpanzees in Tanzania’s Gombe Nati...

The ‘Wet-Dog Shake’ And Other Physics Mysteries

27 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wondered why your dog’s back-and-forth shaking is so effective at getting you soaked? Or how bugs, birds, and lizards can run across water—bu...

Ig Nobel Prizes | Stop Flushing Your Health Data Down The Toilet

24 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Saluting Science's Silly Side, VirtuallyIn science, there are some traditions: Every October, the Nobel Prize committee announces the winners of that ...

The West’s Wild Horses | Artist Explores History Of Humans Genetically Modifying Pigs

23 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Reporter Ashley Ahearn bought a wild horse from the federal government for $125. Also, with opera and visual art, an exhibit looks at modern genetic e...

Moon Rock Research | Science of Unraveling Sweaters

22 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Moon Rocks Collected In 1972 Reveal New SecretsIt’s hard to imagine, but the moon we all know and love hasn’t always been in the sky. Like all of ...

2023’s Best Science Books For Kids

21 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Gift-giving season is upon us once again! And if you’re not sure what to get the kids in your life, we’re here to help. Many new STEM books for ki...

How AI Chatbots Can Reinforce Racial Bias In Medicine

20 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Over the last year, we’ve heard more and more about AI’s potential to transform medicine—how it can help doctors read scans, analyze health data...

An Exoplanet Where It Rains Sand

17 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Scientists observing the exoplanet WASP-107b with the James Webb Space Telescope say that the planet has clouds of sand high in its atmosphere. The sc...

Ask A Chef: How Can I Use Science To Make Thanksgiving Tastier?

16 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Do you ever wonder about the science behind making that perfect holiday meal? A lot of factors determine if a turkey gets golden, mashed potatoes turn...

Monumental And Invisible: How Infrastructure Works

15 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Perhaps you’ve marveled at the engineering feats of the Golden Gate Bridge or the Hoover Dam. Maybe you’ve thought about how many train tracks run...

Everything You Never Knew About Squash And Pumpkins

14 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a wonderful time of the year: squash, pumpkin, and gourd season. But how do those giant, award-winning pumpkins grow so big? And what’s the d...

How A University Is Adjusting One Year After ChatGPT

13 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

One year ago, OpenAI released ChatGPT, a generative AI chatbot that can generate shockingly convincing text. Since then, it has become a center of gra...

Euclid Telescope’s First Images | A Black Hole That Came From Gas

10 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A new ESA telescope could help us understand how dark matter and dark energy influence the structure of the universe. Also, using both JWST and the Ch...

How Five Elements Define Life On Earth

09 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Over 99% of a human cell is made up of just five elements: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus. That same elemental mix exists, with mi...

Climate Future Exhibit | Oregon's Proposed Fish Vacuum

08 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A Climate Change Exhibit Asks ‘What If We Get It Right?’Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, a marine biologist and co-founder of the nonprofit Urban Ocea...

How A Deaf Advisory Group Is Changing Healthcare

07 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When Tamiko Rafeek admitted herself to the hospital a few years ago, she asked for an interpreter. “I was feeling very, very sick that day,” she r...

40 Years Of Sounding The Alarm On Nuclear Winter

06 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week holds anniversaries for two important milestones in nuclear warfare. On November 1, 1952, the United States detonated a massive hydrogen bom...

CRISPR-Based Sickle Cell Treatment | Pain Tolerance From Neanderthals

03 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If given final approval by the FDA, this sickle-cell treatment would be the first to use gene-editing CRISPR technology on humans. Also, gene variants...

How Poisons Have Shaped Life On Earth

02 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When you think of poisons, you might think of chemicals like cyanide, arsenic, or the deadly concoction left out for rats. But have you thought of aco...

Placenta Research May Help Explain Pregnancy Loss

01 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Content warning: This interview includes discussion of miscarriage and pregnancy loss, and may be triggering for some listeners.The placenta is an inc...

A Common Cold Medicine Ingredient Doesn’t Work. What Now?

31 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Twenty years ago, scientists found that phenylephrine, listed as a decongestant in many cold medicines, didn’t work. What can you use instead? In S...

Diving Into Elon Musk’s Mind

30 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There’s a name that’s hard to escape these days, particularly if you’re in the technology world—Elon Musk. He’s involved with Tesla electric...

RSV Drug Shortage & Beech Leaf Disease

27 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

RSV has reached epidemic levels in the southern US. Also, beech leaf disease is spreading rapidly in Massachusetts.RSV Drug For Infants In Short Suppl...

When Studying Ecology Means Celebrating Its Gifts

26 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In a conversation from 2019, bestselling author Robin Wall Kimmerer discusses the role of ceremony in our lives, and how to celebrate reciprocal relat...

Unlocking The Mysteries Of A Metal-Rich Asteroid

25 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, NASA’s Psyche spacecraft launched successfully from the Kennedy Space Center. It’s now on a six-year trip to an asteroid, also called P...

Rapidly Evolving Trout & Ancient Hyper-Apex Predators

24 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Research shows some rapidly evolving trout are altering Wyoming's aquatic ecosystems. Plus, paleontologists pieced together a level of apex predators ...

Finding Meaning In The Cosmos

23 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In her new memoir, astrobiologist Dr. Aomawa Shields describes how a quest for life in the cosmos helped her find meaning on Earth.One of the biggest,...

‘Clean Hydrogen Hub’ Awardees & Formula One Car Paint

20 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Seven “clean energy hubs” will receive a total of $7B to develop forms of hydrogen production with minimal carbon emissions. And, ahead of the US ...

What Is Your Cat Doing When You're Not Watching?

19 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In a conversation from 2019, Ira and the researchers behind a “catcam” study discuss the secret lives of your feline friends.If you want the real ...

The Stories Of The First Six Women Astronauts

18 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you were asked to name the early astronauts, you probably wouldn’t have much trouble; Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, John Glenn come to mind easily...

A Mathematician Asks ‘Is Math Real?’

17 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When math is based on abstract concepts, how do we know it’s correct? Dr. Eugenia Cheng takes on that question in a new book. The concept of math h...

The mRNA Vaccine Revolution

16 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve probably heard that there’s an updated COVID-19 vaccine on the market, and maybe you’ve already gotten your updated booster. But there ar...

Ancient Human Footprints & 'Ring Of Fire' Eclipse

13 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A new analysis of ancient footprints in New Mexico adds to the debate about when humans arrived in North America. Plus, astronomer Dean Regas offers t...

Saltwater Wedge In The Mississippi & Kenya's Geothermal Boom

12 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A Saltwater Wedge Is Moving Up The Mississippi RiverAs the Mississippi River drops to one of its lowest levels in recent history, the U.S. Army Corps ...

How Artists And Scientists Collaborated To Make Art About HIV

11 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How Artists And Scientists Collaborated To Make Art About HIVThis past July, the 12th International Conference on HIV Science was held in Brisbane, Au...

Full-Body MRIs Promise To Detect Disease Early. Do They Work?

10 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The latest trend in celebrity health care is full-body MRI scans, with influencers like Kim Kardashian endorsing them. These scans aren’t covered by...

Meet The Doctor Who Solves Medical Mysteries

09 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A news story was circulating a few months ago—a woman in Australia came into the hospital with abdominal pain. She was increasingly forgetful and st...

mRNA Research Wins Nobel Prize & Lightning On Venus

06 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

An mRNA Advance Wins A Nobel PrizeThis week, a handful of scientists scattered around the world got surprise telephone calls announcing that they will...

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

29 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Science Behind The Placebo EffectEarlier this month, a Food and Drug Administration panel concluded that a common decongestant ingredient used in ...

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

29 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After 7 Years, NASA Gets Its Asteroid SampleAbout a week ago, space nerds got the delivery of a lifetime: a sample from Bennu, an asteroid soaring thr...

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

22 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Florida’s Reefs Are Vanishing. Can Scientists Save Them?This was a bad year for Florida’s coral reefs. Since the 1970s, reef cover in the Florida ...

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

22 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A Week Of Climate Protests, Meetings, Pledges, And ActionClimate Week NYC is wrapping up, where hundreds of events took place across the city (includi...

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

15 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

New COVID Boosters Arrive Amid Rise In InfectionsThis past week, the FDA and CDC recommended new COVID vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna for anyone ove...

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

15 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Astronomers Find Exoplanet That May Be Covered In WaterScientists using the James Webb Space Telescope made an exciting discovery this week: Exoplanet...

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

08 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Where Soil Grows Above The TreesYou might be used to the feeling of Earth under your feet, but did you know that there’s soil high above your head? ...

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

08 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Scientists Develop Human Embryo Model Without Sperm Or EggsThis week, research published in the journal Nature detailed a model of a 14-day old human ...

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

01 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What’s That Smell? An AI Nose KnowsIf you want to predict the color of something, you can talk about wavelengths of light. Light with a wavelength o...

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

01 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What To Expect From Hurricane SeasonWe’re approaching the peak of hurricane season, which is usually around mid-September. It’s that time of year ...

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

25 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How Early Humans May Have Transformed L.A.’s Landscape ForeverJoin us on a time traveling adventure, as we go back 15,000 years to visit what’s no...

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

25 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Countries Seek To Return To The MoonOn Wednesday, the Indian space agency ISRO celebrated as its Chandrayaan-3 craft successfully made a soft landing ...

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

18 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Challenging The Gender Gap In Sports ScienceThis weekend, Spain and England face off in the Women’s World Cup Finals in Sydney, Australia.The first ...

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

18 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Youth Climate Activists Score A Win In MontanaThis week, a state court in Montana ruled in favor of a group of 16 youth climate activists, who argued ...