Science Friday

Why Is Solving The Plastic Problem So Hard?

24 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

One of the biggest environmental issues in our modern world is plastic, which has become integral in the manufacturing of everything from electronics ...

What Worsening Floods Mean For Superfund Sites

23 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Superfund sites are some of the most polluted areas in the country, containing highly toxic waste such as asbestos, lead, and dioxin. Cleaning them up...

The Global Mental Health Toll Of Climate Change | Capturing DNA From 800 Lakes In One Day

22 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

An explosion of research is painting a clearer picture of how climate change is affecting mental health across the globe. Also, a citizen science proj...

Clean Energy Transition Progress | Avian Flu In Cattle And Humans Has Scientists Concerned

19 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Global temperature increases are slowing, electric vehicle sales are growing, and renewable energy is now cheaper than some fossil fuels. Also, in a r...

A Cheer For The Physics Of Baseball

18 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

College basketball’s March Madness concluded this week, meaning that now the national sports attention can turn fully to baseball.The next time you’...

Carbon Cost Of Urban Gardens And Commercial Farms | Why There's No Superbloom This Year

17 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Some food has a larger carbon footprint when grown in urban settings than on commercial farms, while for other foods the reverse is true. Also, what’...

Inside The Race To Save Honeybees From Parasitic Mites

16 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Last year, almost half of the honeybee colonies in the U.S. died, making it the second deadliest year for honeybees on record. The main culprit wasn’...

The Brain’s Glial Cells Might Be As Important As Neurons

15 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Half of the cells in the brain are neurons, the other half are glial cells.When scientists first discovered glia over a century ago, they thought that...

Limits On ‘Forever Chemicals’ In Drinking Water | An Important Winter Home For Bugs | Eclipse Drumroll

12 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A long-awaited rule from the EPA limits the amounts of six PFAS chemicals allowed in public drinking water supplies. Also, some spiders, beetles, and ...

Investigating Animal Deaths At The National Zoo

11 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When a critter meets its end at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, it ends up on a necropsy table—where one of the zoo’s veterinary pathologists wi...

Eating More Oysters Helps Us—And The Chesapeake Bay

10 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Chesapeake Bay produces around 500 million pounds of seafood every year, providing delicious blue crabs, striped bass, oysters, and more to folks ...

How Trees Keep D.C. And Baltimore Cool

09 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Springtime is a great reminder of just how beautiful trees can be. Cherry blossoms and magnolias put on a gorgeous show, but trees aren’t just there...

Predicting Heart Disease From Chest X-Rays With AI | Storing New Memories During Sleep

08 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Eric Topol discusses the promise of “opportunistic” AI, using medical scans for unintended diagnostic purposes. Also, a study in mice found th...

Recipient Of Pig Kidney Transplant Recovering | Answering Your Questions About April 8 Eclipse

05 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A Massachusetts man who received a kidney from a genetically modified pig is recovering well. Also, on April 8, a total solar eclipse will plunge part...

Our Inevitable Cosmic Apocalypse

04 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to the eventual end of our universe, cosmologists have a few classic theories: the Big Crunch, where the universe reverses its expansion...

The Complicated Truths About Offshore Wind And Right Whales

03 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

By the time researchers found the dead whale on a Martha’s Vineyard beach, her jet-black skin was pockmarked by hungry seagulls, her baleen had been...

The Bumpy Road To Approving New Alzheimer’s Drugs

02 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the past few years pharmaceutical companies have developed a string of new Alzheimer’s drugs called anti-amyloids, which target amyloid plaques i...

‘3 Body Problem’ And The Laws Of Physics | In Defense Of ‘Out Of Place’ Plants

01 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Particle accelerators, nanofibers, and solar physics: The science advisor for the Netflix adaptation breaks down the physics in the show. Also, in her...

Baltimore Bridge Collapse | Mapping How Viruses Jump Between Species

29 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We look into the engineering reasons why the Francis Scott Key bridge collapsed after a ship crashed into it. Also, a new analysis finds that more vir...

The Legacy Of Primatologist Frans de Waal

28 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It wasn’t that long ago that scientists didn’t think animals could rival humans in terms of intelligence, emotions, or empathy. But the groundbrea...

The ‘Asteroid Hunter’ Leading The OSIRIS-REx Mission

27 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ever since we learned that an asteroid slammed into Earth, wiped out the dinosaurs, and changed the course of life on this planet, scientists have won...

Swimming Sea Lions Teach Engineers About Fluid Dynamics

26 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The next time you go to the zoo, take a few minutes by the sea lion habitat to watch the way they swim. While most high-performance swimmers use power...

Botanical Rescue Centers Take In Illegally Trafficked Plants

25 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There’s a thriving black market to buy and sell endangered plants, and the Department of Agriculture and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service monitor enda...

2023 Was Hottest Year On Record | The NASA Satellite Studying Plankton

22 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The World Meteorological Organization’s report confirms last year had the highest temperatures on record and predicts an even hotter 2024. Also, NAS...

A Strange-Looking Fish, Frozen In Time

21 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The term “living fossil” has been applied to any number of animals, from sharks to turtles to the coelacanth. It’s the idea that those animals l...

What We Know After 4 Years Of COVID-19

20 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Four years ago this week, the world as we know it changed. Schools shut down, offices shuttered, and we hunkered down at home with our Purell and cann...

Science Unlocks The Power Of Flavor In ‘Flavorama’

19 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Think about the best meal you’ve ever eaten: Maybe it was in a restaurant in a far-off city, or perhaps it was a home-cooked meal made by someone yo...

Abortion-Restrictive States Leave Ob-Gyns With Tough Choices

18 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Roe v. Wade was overturned almost two years ago, and a lot has changed in terms of abortion choices in the United States. Some states have effectively...

Nasal Rinsing Safely | How Your Brain Constructs Your Mental Health

15 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A recent study looked into life-threatening Acanthamoeba infections, and a few deaths, linked to the use of tap water with devices like neti pots. And...

A New Book Puts ‘Math in Drag’

14 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a common refrain from elementary school to adulthood: “I’m bad at math.” It’s a hard subject for a lot of people, and it has a reputati...

With This Rare Disorder, No Amount Of Sleep Is Enough

13 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Humans need sufficient sleep to function. The conventional wisdom is that we need around 8 hours each night to be at peak performance.But for people w...

How Election Science Can Support Democracy | The Genetic Roots Of Antibiotic Resistance

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How Election Science Can Support DemocracyThis week, the election season shifted into full gear with the Super Tuesday slate of primaries. But as the ...

Triple Feature: Dune, Mars, And An Alien On Earth

11 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Could A Planet Like Arrakis From ‘Dune’ Exist?“Dune: Part II” is one of the year’s most highly anticipated films, and it picks up where the ...

Could This Be The End Of Voyager 1?

08 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In 1977, NASA launched Voyager 1 and 2. Their mission? To explore the farthest reaches of our galaxy. Their missions were only supposed to last about ...

What It Takes To Care For The US Nuclear Arsenal

07 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For many people in the US, the threat of nuclear weapons is out of sight and out of mind. But the nuclear complex is alive and well. In fact, the stat...

A Young Scientist Uplifts The Needs Of Parkinson’s Patients

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

"I heard elders talk about 'the shakes,' but I now know that language reflects deep historical inequities that have denied us access to healthcare, kn...

Snakes Are Evolutionary Superstars | Whale Song Is All In The Larynx

05 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the trees, through the water, and under the dirt: Snakes evolve faster than their lizard relatives, allowing them to occupy diverse niches. Also, r...

What’s Behind The Measles Outbreak In Florida?

04 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The United States eliminated measles back in 2000, but it still pops up every now and then. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventio...

Pythagoras Was Wrong About Music | Biochar's Potential For Carbon Capture

01 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Greek philosopher Pythagoras had specific ideas about the mathematical ratios behind music. It turns out that he was wrong. Also, the charcoal-lik...

As Space Exploration Expands, So Will Space Law

29 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Almost 70 years ago—in the middle of the Cold War—the United States and the Soviet Union kicked off the race to space, and that high-stakes sprint...

Blood In The Water: Shark Smell Put To The Test

28 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sharks are somewhat notorious for their sense of smell and ability to sniff out prey deep in the ocean. There’s that persistent myth that sharks can...

How Trivia Experts Recall Facts | One Ant Species Sent Ripples Through A Food Web

27 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How can some people recall random facts so easily? It may have to do with what else they remember about the moment they learned the information. Also,...

OpenAI’s New Product Makes Incredibly Realistic Fake Videos

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

OpenAI, the company behind the chatbot ChatGPT and the image generator DALL-E, unveiled its newest generative AI product last week, called Sora, which...

Private Spacecraft Makes Historic Moon Landing | New Cloud Seeding Technique

23 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Private Spacecraft Makes Historic Moon LandingThursday evening, the Odysseus moon lander successfully soft-landed on the moon, becoming the first U.S ...

Making Chemistry More Accessible To Blind And Low-Vision People

22 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The field of chemistry is filled with visual experiences, from molecular diagrams to color-changing reactions to data displayed as peaks and waves on ...

Understanding And Curbing Generative AI’s Energy Consumption

21 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The explosion of AI-powered chatbots and image generators, like ChatGPT and DALL-E, over the past two years is changing the way we interact with techn...

Which Feathered Dinosaurs Could Fly? | Some French Cheeses At Risk Of Extinction

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How Do You Know If A Feathered Dinosaur Could Fly?Not all birds can fly. Penguins, ostriches, and kiwis are some famous examples.It’s pretty easy to...

Climate Scientist Michael Mann Wins Defamation Case

19 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Climate scientist Dr. Michael Mann won a defamation lawsuit against two conservative writers last week.The verdict was 12 years in the making. In 2012...

Odysseus Lander Heads To The Moon | Ohio Chemical Spill, One Year Later

16 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If successful, Odysseus will be the first U.S. spacecraft to land on the moon since the Apollo mission. And, in East Palestine, Ohio, the stream that ...

One Crisis After Another: Designing Cities For Resiliency

15 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Over the past few years, many cities around the world have changed dramatically as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with shifts in office use and co...

Using Sound To Unpack The History Of Astronomy

14 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Looking into space can be pretty daunting. How do we make sense of the vast expanse above our heads, the millions of stars we might be able to see, an...

Colorectal Cancer Rates Rising In Young People | What An AI Learns From A Baby

13 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Colorectal Cancer Rates Are Rising In Young PeopleGastrointestinal medicine practitioners have noticed something strange in recent years: More and mor...

A Black Physician’s Analysis Of The Legacy Of Racism In Medicine

12 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Uché Blackstock always knew she wanted to be a doctor. Her mother was a physician at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. Uché and her twin ...

Faraway Planets With Oceans Of Magma | The Art And Science Of Trash Talk

09 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Hycean planets were thought to be covered by oceans of water, but a new study suggests it could be magma instead. And, author Rafi Kohan explains the ...

Is Each Fingerprint On Your Hand Unique? | In This Computer Component, Data Slides Through Honey

08 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A new study uses artificial intelligence to show that each of our ten fingerprints are remarkably similar to one another. Plus, honey could be the sec...

The FDA Approved The First CRISPR-Based Therapy. What’s Next?

07 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Last month the FDA approved a new treatment for sickle cell disease, the first medical therapy to use CRISPR gene editing technology. It works by iden...

Protecting The ‘Satan’ Tarantula | If Termites Wore Stripes, Would Spiders Still Eat Them?

06 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A team of scientists in Ecuador is on a mission to describe new-to-science tarantula species to help secure conservation protections. And, undergradua...

Scientists Are Uncovering A World Of ‘Dark Matter’ Carcinogens

05 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Cancer, at its core, is a genetic disease: the result of DNA mutations that cause cells to grow out of control and develop tumors. And over the years,...

Syphilis Cases Up 80% Since 2018 | The Largest Deep-Sea Coral Reef In The World

02 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There has been a boom of syphilis cases, including a 180% increase in congenital syphilis cases, despite other STI levels staying stable. Also, the wo...

Expanding Our Umwelt: Understanding Animal Experiences

01 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Take a quick moment to think about your surroundings. Tune into your senses, and contemplate what’s happening around you. What do you see, hear, and...

How Signing Characters Help Deaf Children Learn Language

31 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This radio interview is an abbreviated version of the full video interview, available with ASL interpretation on Youtube.Think back to your favorite c...

‘Mysterious’ Canine Illness: What Dog Owners Should Know

30 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Over the past few months, there have been reports about a mysterious canine respiratory illness. It’s easy to get a little scared: Some dogs are dev...

An App For People Of Color To Rate Their Birthing Experiences | How Different Animals See

29 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Irth is a “Yelp-like” app to help expectant parents make informed decisions by exposing bias and racism in healthcare systems. Also, a new video c...

NASA Opens Canister With Asteroid Sample | ADHD Prescription Rates Spiked During The Pandemic

26 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Engineers had to design bespoke tools to open the OSIRIS-REx capsule nearly four months after it arrived back on Earth. Also, prescription rates for A...

AI Helps Find Ancient Artifacts In The Great Lakes | An Artist Combines Indigenous Textiles With Modern Tech

25 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers in Michigan modeled a prehistoric land bridge and used AI to predict where caribou–and humans–might have traveled along it. Also, arti...

When The ‘Personal’ Computer Turned 30

24 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When Steve Jobs unveiled the Apple Macintosh in January of 1984, the visual user interface, all-in-one design, and mouse-controlled navigation were re...

How The Moon Transformed Life On Earth, From Climate to Timekeeping

23 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For almost their entire 4.5 billion-year existence, Earth and its moon have been galactic neighbors. And the moon isn’t just Earth’s tiny sidekick...

From Scans To Office Visits: How Will AI Shape Medicine?

22 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers continue to test out new ways to use artificial intelligence in medicine.Some research shows that AI is better at reading mammograms than ...

Rhesus Monkey Cloned With Modified Approach Has Survived Into Adulthood

19 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, a research team in China reported that it had successfully cloned a rhesus monkey, which has lived normally for over two years and reached ...

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...

Top Science News Stories of 2023 | Solar Panels In Historic Cape Cod

22 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Top Science News Stories of 2023As the year comes to a close, we wanted to reflect on some of the top science stories of 2023: Scientific breakthr...

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...