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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1,369 episodes
Updated Friday

Episodes1369

Newest first

May 12 · 12 min
How El Niño shapes the world’s weather trends
The cycle of El Niño and La Niña is a powerful shaper of weather trends worldwide. What could a "super" El Niño bring?
May 11 · 18 min
Planning your photo ops for a trip around the moon
The Artemis II crew took photos of the far side of the moon with handheld cameras. A science team on Earth had plenty of requests.
May 8 · 17 min
Understanding the gynecological health crisis facing Black women
Black women face systemic issues accessing gynecological care. A physician-scientist outlines her vision to improve healthcare disparities.
May 7 · 11 min
Data about your body is up for sale. Who's buying it?
Your personal biometric data—from your face, to your gait, to your weight—is constantly being collected and sold. Who’s buying it, and why?
May 6 · 17 min
Sci-fi thriller combines aliens, robots, and Cherokee culture
The sci-fi thriller “Hole in the Sky” imagines an alien first-contact scenario set in the heart of Cherokee Nation.
May 5 · 20 min
Beavers could be humans' biggest ally, if we let them
Beavers and humans tend to clash over landscape management. Pixar's “Hoppers” captures the struggle, and Oregon proves coexistence is possible.
May 4 · 14 min
Searching for dark matter, deep in the Earth
The SuperCDMS-SNOLAB experiment, located deep in a nickel mine, aims to detect signs of dark matter particles passing through the Earth.
May 2 · 12 min
The decades-long movement to kill FEMA
A new series from “On the Media” traces the mistrust and conspiracy theories that have plagued FEMA since its founding in 1979.
May 1 · 17 min
What cats and dogs hear + A 'smell map' of the nose
What do cats and dogs hear that we don't? Plus, what a “smell map” of the receptors in a mouse nose tells us about this sense.
April 30 · 10 min
How do you study microplastics in a plastic-filled lab?
Measuring microplastics can be hard, partly because they're everywhere—including the lab. One researcher is working on solutions.
April 29 · 19 min
What is ibogaine, and why is it in the news?
A recent executive order issued by President Trump aims to fast-track research for psychedelics, including ibogaine. What is it?
April 28 · 21 min
The long history of birds, from velociraptors to pigeons
Birds are living dinosaurs whose ancestors include T. rex and giant penguins. Understanding their past can help us imagine their future.
April 27 · 17 min
Your DNA is constantly mutating, and that’s a good thing
Everyday DNA mutations can help us understand immune function and aging—and even mitigate harm caused by some inherited diseases.
April 25 · 12 min
Maine nearly became the first state to ban data centers
Maine shows how public mobilization is making a difference in determining where data centers go, and how they impact local communities.
April 24 · 17 min
What urban design tells us about democracy
Archaeologists can use the design of ancient temples, plazas, and cities to piece together the story of how a place was governed.
April 23 · 12 min
Listening for the cosmic ‘dark ages,’ from the lunar far side
The LuSEE-Night mission would place a small radio telescope on the far side of the moon to listen for signals of the cosmic "dark ages."
April 22 · 23 min
How do you describe nature? Two poets help us
For Earth Day, we wanted to know how to best put our feelings about nature into words. Two poets help us out.
April 21 · 17 min
The lucky breaks that make our Earth home
An astrophysicist explores all that it took for life to exist on Earth, from the formation of stars to self-organizing molecules.
April 20 · 12 min
How New Jersey tamped down PFAS in drinking water
In 2018, New Jersey began limiting PFAS “forever chemicals” in drinking water. Levels of the regulated chemicals have dropped as much as 55%.
April 17 · 17 min
How a particle accelerator illuminated 56 human organs
The Human Organ Atlas gives an extremely detailed look at 56 human organs, scanned with the help of a particle accelerator.

Science Friday

How El Niño shapes the world’s weather trends

Planning your photo ops for a trip around the moon

Understanding the gynecological health crisis facing Black women

Data about your body is up for sale. Who's buying it?

Sci-fi thriller combines aliens, robots, and Cherokee culture

Beavers could be humans' biggest ally, if we let them

Searching for dark matter, deep in the Earth

The decades-long movement to kill FEMA

What cats and dogs hear + A 'smell map' of the nose

How do you study microplastics in a plastic-filled lab?

What is ibogaine, and why is it in the news?

The long history of birds, from velociraptors to pigeons

Your DNA is constantly mutating, and that’s a good thing

Maine nearly became the first state to ban data centers

What urban design tells us about democracy

Listening for the cosmic ‘dark ages,’ from the lunar far side

How do you describe nature? Two poets help us

The lucky breaks that make our Earth home

How New Jersey tamped down PFAS in drinking water

How a particle accelerator illuminated 56 human organs