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1179: Can A Microbe Conservation Movement Take Off?
Episode 1179
A team of scientists is trying to jumpstart a global conservation movement, on par with efforts to save the rainforests or protect the oceans. But it…
10 months, 2 weeks ago
1178: How To Tap Into The Hidden Histories Of Rocks
Episode 1178
When we try to commune with nature, many of us turn toward the living: a walk in the woods among swaying trees, chirping birds, blooming flowers. But…
10 months, 2 weeks ago
1174: Fingernails And Indigestion At The 2025 Ig Nobel Prizes
Episode 1174
Each year, the Ig Nobel Prizes recognize scientific research that first makes you laugh, then makes you think. For instance, researchers who investig…
10 months, 2 weeks ago
1177: Why Is Working Out Good For Your Mental Health?
Episode 1177
A good workout can make you feel triumphant. And even if that isn’t your relationship with exercise, you’ve probably heard that working out can lift …
10 months, 2 weeks ago
1176: Everything You Never Knew About Squash And Pumpkins
Episode 1176
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 diff…
10 months, 2 weeks ago
1173: ‘A Multi-Headed Beast’: Telling The Story Of Cancer
Episode 1173
Twenty years ago, a young oncologist started journaling to process his experience treating cancer patients. That cathartic act became the Pulitzer Pr…
10 months, 3 weeks ago
1172: African Grey Parrots Are Popular—And It’s Fueling Illegal Trade
Episode 1172
African grey parrots are internet stars. It’s easy to see why—the charismatic birds sing, tell jokes, and sling profanities. But how do the endangere…
10 months, 3 weeks ago
1171: Attention, Trivia Nerds! It’s A Food Science Fact Feast
Episode 1171
After years of getting your emails and phone calls, we know that SciFri listeners are in the 99th percentile when it comes to nerdy knowledge. We’re …
10 months, 3 weeks ago
1170: Can Animal Super-Agers Teach Us Their Secrets?
Episode 1170
Some animals have a very different relationship to aging than we do: They don’t get cancer, they never go through menopause, and they live absurdly l…
10 months, 3 weeks ago
1169: How Alphafold Has Changed Biology Research, 5 Years On
Episode 1169
Proteins are crucial for life. They're made of amino acids that “fold” into millions of different shapes. And depending on their structure, they do r…
10 months, 4 weeks ago