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Science Friday

Science Friday and WNYC Studios

Covering the outer reaches of space to the tiniest microbes in our bodies, Science Friday is the source for entertaining and educational stories about science, technology, and other cool stuff.

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39 episodes
daily
Avg 16 min
English

Episodes 39

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#1385
Yesterday · 11 min
What an mRNA melanoma vaccine may mean for cancer treatment
Moderna and Merck say an mRNA vaccine reduced melanoma recurrence in a clinical trial. Could this usher in a new era of cancer treatment?
#1384
Wednesday · 9 min
Why it's so hard to tell the age of a fungus
One of the world’s largest organisms is an Oregon fungus thought to be over 8,000 years old. But what does age mean to a fungus, anyway?
#1383
Tuesday · 18 min
The power of the stories we tell about the ocean
The ocean is in trouble. But the sea has a hold on us, and the stories we tell about it are helping turn the tide.
#1382
Monday · 18 min
What should astronauts do first when they reach Mars?
Our January 2026 conversation about the goals for a crewed mission to Mars. Plus, updates on NASA's mission to survey the asteroid Psyche.
#1381
August 28 · 18 min
AI is everywhere in healthcare now. Doctors are conflicted
Medical AI tools are transcribing patient visits, responding to doctors' questions, and analyzing scans. What are the benefits—and the risks?
#1380
August 27 · 12 min
How much worse was that storm because of climate change?
We know that climate change causes weather to be more extreme, more often. Attribution science tries to nail down exactly by how much.
#1379
August 26 · 18 min
How GPS shaped our world
How GPS transformed from a niche military technology to one we rely on every day.
#1378
August 25 · 14 min
The ancient Roman doctrine guiding modern environmental fights
In an effort to protect natural resources, environmentalists and tribes are using state-level public trust doctrines to fight development.
#1374
August 24 · 13 min
What are the mysterious ‘little red dots’ in images of space?
Little red dots appear all over images from the James Webb Space Telescope. They may belong to a new cosmic category called black hole stars.
August 22 · 5 min
Could we live in a dinosaur world?
If you got sucked back to dino times, you might get snacked on by a giant meat-eater. But what other dangers would you face?
#1373
August 21 · 12 min
Do microplastics in the body affect pregnancy?
Microplastics have been found throughout the body, including in placentas and reproductive organs. What does that mean for pregnancy?
#1372
August 20 · 12 min
Making a case for physicists to join climate research
Physics and climate science use the same basic principles, but institutions often keep them separate. Morgan O’Neill is trying to change that.
#1371
August 19 · 17 min
Creating 'world models' for robots + An AI math shakeup
How do you create a model to help AI understand the physical world? Plus, the latest AI-driven advancements in math.
#1370
August 18 · 17 min
What can moments of lucidity teach us about Alzheimer’s?
Researchers are looking into what triggers lucid episodes in Alzheimer's patients, and what they tell us about caring for people with dementia.
#1369
August 17 · 11 min
Colorado’s snow drought deals a major blow to recreation
A record-breaking snow drought in Colorado jeopardizes skiing, fishing, and rafting. Can economies that rely on outdoor recreation adjust?
#1368
August 14 · 18 min
How do you find a ‘lost’ species?
A new journal documents species “lost to science.” Plus, a project to locate lost firefly species in the U.S. and Canada.
#1367
August 13 · 12 min
What we get wrong about vaccine hesitancy
An immunologist who's been on both sides of vaccine hesitancy talks about what drives it, what gets missed, and how to build trust.
#1366
August 12 · 18 min
Why this lab studies the speed of bug pee and other curiosities
What do the hydrodynamics of insect pee, $1 hearing aids, and squid robots have in common? A lab organized around curiosity, not disciplines.
#1365
August 11 · 11 min
Some primates undergo even more extreme childbirth than humans
Scientists have long thought extreme childbirth was unique to humans. But some other primates appear to face similar anatomical challenges.
#1364
August 10 · 17 min
Deb Haaland is a politician, and proud of it
Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland recounts her unconventional path into politics in a new book. And she tells us why lawsuits can be good.

Showing 1–20 of 39 episodes