x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

Science Friday

Science Friday, as heard on PRI, is a weekly discussion of the latest news in science, technology, health, and the environment hosted by Ira Flatow. Ira interviews scientists, authors, and policymakers, and listeners can call in and ask questions as well.

society & culture

All Episodes

27:25

917: 'They Might Be Giants' Sings About Science

Science Friday ·

2024/12/04

As part of Science Friday’s 33rd anniversary show, we’re revisiting our listeners’ favorite stories, including this one from 2009.In the album “Here Comes Science,” the band They Might Be Giants tackled the scientific process, plasma physics, the role of blood in the body, and the importance of DNA, all in song. Band members John Linnell and John Flansburgh discuss the album and play some science tunes. The transcript for this segment is available at sciencefriday.com. Subscribe to this

en-gb

19:37

916: What Was It Like To Witness The End Of The...

Science Friday ·

2024/12/03

As part of Science Friday’s 33rd anniversary show, we’re revisiting our listeners’ favorite stories, including this one from 2022.66 million years ago, a massive asteroid hit what we know today as the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico. Many people have a general idea of what happened next: The age of the dinosaurs was brought to a close, making room for mammals like us to thrive. But fewer people know what happened in the days, weeks, and years after impact. Increased research on fossils and geological

en-gb

20:14

915: A Nobel Prize For Chemistry Work ‘Totally...

Science Friday ·

2024/12/02

In 2022, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry went to Dr. Carolyn Bertozzi of Stanford University, Dr. Morten Meldal of the University of Copenhagen, and Dr. K. Barry Sharpless of the Scripps Research Institute “for the development of click chemistry and bioorthogonal chemistry.” In “click chemistry,” molecular building blocks snap together quickly and efficiently to let chemists build more complicated molecules. But bioorthogonal chemistry takes that work one step further, allowing the technique to be used

en-gb

12:36

914: Alan Alda Reflects On Life With Parkinson’s

Science Friday ·

2024/11/29

In 2018, actor, author and science communicator Alan Alda spoke publicly about his diagnosis for Parkinson’s Disease. Alda, who is best known for his role in “M*A*S*H,” “The Aviator,” and “The West Wing,” shifted his interests to science communication in his later years. He’s written several books on the topic, and has an ongoing podcast, “Clear + Vivid.”As part of Science Friday’s 33rd anniversary show, we’re revisiting our listeners’ favorite stories, including this one. Alda came on Science

en-gb

20:08

913: A Horn Of Potato Plenty | Adding Marbling To...

Science Friday ·

2024/11/28

Just in time for Thanksgiving, a potato researcher explains potato varieties, potato nutrition, and some tubular tuber facts. And, irregular, fatty marbling gives meat a unique texture. Recreating that in plant-based products isn’t easy.A Horn Of Potato Plenty The potato is a versatile vegetable—baked, roasted, fried, mashed—it can bring something to just about any menu. But, how exactly do these tasty tubers end up on our tables? We’ll give you a crash course in potato science, including how

en-gb

18:50

907: Bacteriophages Lurk In Your Bathroom, But Don’t...

Science Friday ·

2024/11/20

It sounds like something from an advertisement for bathroom cleaner: Researchers found over 600 different viruses, most of which are new to science, in samples taken from showerheads and toothbrushes. The viruses, however, are unlikely to affect humans. They are bacteriophages, a type of virus that preys on bacteria. The expedition into bathroom biodiversity was recently published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiomes.Around a hundred years ago in the former Soviet Union, there were major efforts

en-gb

18:53

906: Managing Invasive Plants And Ticks Together |...

Science Friday ·

2024/11/19

Researchers are connecting two ecological problems in the Northeast in hopes of reducing the risk of tick-borne illnesses. Also, a “one-of-a-kind” fossil of Navaornis hestiae helps fill a giant gap in scientists’ understanding of how bird brains evolved.Managing Some Invasive Plants Might Reduce Blacklegged Ticks In much of the eastern US, October and November usher in an autumn peak of the blacklegged tick season. For years, researchers have noticed that these ticks, also called deer ticks, are

en-gb

20:21

905: The Gurgling, Growling History Of The Gut

Science Friday ·

2024/11/18

Despite advances in scientific research, the stomach remains a subject of mystery and intrigue. After all, it’s nearly impossible to ignore its gurgles and growls. Some cultural understanding of the gut has changed too—from an unruly being that must be fed and placated, to a garden ecosystem that is to be nourished in order to flourish. And if you’re a frequent listener of Science Friday, you’re familiar with the gut’s microbiome—the constellation of trillions of microbes thriving in our bodies. And

en-gb

25:35

904: At COP29, The World’s Top Polluters Are No-Shows...

Science Friday ·

2024/11/15

Leaders from the top-polluting countries, like the US and China, aren’t showing up to the UN’s big climate conference in Azerbaijan. And, walking pneumonia typically affects school-age kids, but the CDC reports a rise in cases in children aged 2-4. At COP29, The World’s Top Polluters Are No-Shows The United Nations’ annual international climate conference, COP29, got underway this week in Baku, Azerbaijan. Leaders from around the world come together at this conference to hammer out deals between

en-gb

18:43

903: Oliver Sacks Searched The Brain For The Origins...

Science Friday ·

2024/11/14

Today, November 8, 2024, marks Science Friday’s 33rd broadcast anniversary. One of the most beloved interviewees on Science Friday over the years was the late neurologist and author Dr. Oliver Sacks, who shared his insights into neuroscience, art, and what it means to be human. Recently, Sacks’ long-time collaborator Kate Edgar published a book of Dr. Sacks' letters. And earlier this fall, the New York Public Library announced its acquisition of Sacks’ entire archive.In this segment, Ira revisits a

en-gb

20:49

902: CAR-T Cell Therapy For Autoimmune Diseases |...

Science Friday ·

2024/11/13

In a Chinese study, donor CAR-T cells sent autoimmune diseases into remission. There’s hope that the therapy is scalable. And, scientists used decades of yellow-bellied marmot research to find a way to measure how adverse events affect wild animals’ survival.CAR-T Cell Therapies Show Promise For Autoimmune Diseases For decades, immunologists have explored CAR-T cell therapy as an effective tool to fight blood cancer. Increasingly, CAR-T cells are being explored as a potential silver bullet for

en-gb

25:36

897: The Clean Air Act Has Saved Millions Of...

Science Friday ·

2024/11/06

In the 1960s, the urban air pollution crisis in America had reached a fever pitch: Cities were shrouded in smog, union steelworkers were demanding protections for their health, and the Department of Justice was mounting an antitrust lawsuit against the Detroit automakers for conspiracy to pollute.But all that changed when Richard Nixon signed the Clean Air Act of 1970. The law set national limits for six major pollutants, established stringent emissions standards for vehicles, and required the

en-gb

18:33

895: How Does Long-Distance Running Affect Your Body?

Science Friday ·

2024/11/05

On Sunday, more than 50,000 athletes are expected to compete in the New York City Marathon, one of the largest, and most elite marathons in the world. Running a continuous 26.2 miles is a major physical challenge. But what exactly is happening in the body when running such a long distance?Joining guest host Rachel Feltman to answer questions from long-distance runners is Dr. Brandee Waite, Director of UC Davis Health Sports Medicine. Over the past 20 years, Dr. Waite has directed the medical care

en-gb

18:34

896: Gender-Affirming Care Is On The Line In This...

Science Friday ·

2024/11/04

Gender-affirming care is on the ballot in this presidential election. These treatments, which can include hormone therapy and surgeries, can be lifesaving for trans people. But they could be impacted by the results of this election. This year alone, states have considered 182 bills aimed at prohibiting gender-affirming care. It’s become a central part of Donald Trump’s campaign, which has stated that, if he is elected, he’ll ask Congress to ban Medicare and Medicaid from covering gender-affirming

en-gb

19:05

893: After A Park Fire, Milkweed Bloomed | The...

Science Friday ·

2024/10/31

Great news for the nearly-extinct monarch butterflies, which will pass through the area as they migrate back to Mexico. Also, to find out how blood affects aging, scientists can surgically connect two animals and let blood circulate between them.After California’s Park Fire, A Second Bloom of Milkweed Don Hankins examines a bright yellow-green patch in the meadow. The land all around is charred by fire. But here, there’s a sort of miracle at work. Native milkweed has sprung up and bloomed for the

en-gb

18:21

891: The Science Behind Third-Trimester Abortions

Science Friday ·

2024/10/29

Leading up to the November election, Science Friday is covering top science issues on the ballot. For voters, those top issues include abortion.Since the Dobbs ruling overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, many states have curtailed access to abortion, and 13 states have a total abortion ban. The election season in particular, there’s been a focus on abortions in the third trimester of pregnancy. Some of the political rhetoric is inflammatory and false. But even among politicians who support abortion

en-gb

18:08

890: How Aging Water Systems Are Pushing Sewage Into...

Science Friday ·

2024/10/28

Walter Byrd remembers the first time sewage came bubbling out of his toilet like it was yesterday. “It was just pumping up through there,” Byrd says. “One of the bathrooms was so full of waste, at least 4 inches high in there. It smelled just like a hog pen.” He sopped up the murky, foul-smelling water and doused the floor with bleach. But the sewage kept coming. On rainy days, it overflowed from drainage ditches into his yard, carrying wads of toilet paper and human waste. The eight-bedroom home in

en-gb

25:46

889: Did Dinosaur Flight Evolve More Than Once? |...

Science Friday ·

2024/10/25

Some paleontologists argue the ancient footprints found in South Korea show flight may have evolved in multiple dinosaur lineages. And, COP16 will tackle questions like who should profit from non-human DNA, and who is responsible for financing critical conservation projects. Do Fossil Prints Show Dinosaur Flight Evolved More Than Once? Researchers studying tracks fossilized in Cretaceous-era lakeshore mud in what is now South Korea argue this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

en-gb

18:03

887: MRIs Show How The Brain Changes During Pregnancy

Science Friday ·

2024/10/23

Pregnancy is a hugely transformative experience, both in how it can change someone’s day-to-day life, and how it affects the body. There’s a key part of the body that’s been under-researched in relation to pregnancy: the brain.Those who have been pregnant often talk about “pregnancy brain,” the experience of brain fog or forgetfulness during and after pregnancy. There’s also the specter of postpartum depression, a condition that affects about 1 in 7 women post-birthing. There’s still a dearth of

en-gb

26:40

886: How Metaphor Shapes Science | Intertwining The...

Science Friday ·

2024/10/22

Metaphors can help us understand complicated scientific concepts. But they can also have a downside. And, a pair of musicians wrote a concept album inspired by moths—and found that humans have more in common with the insects than they expected.How Metaphor Has Shaped Science, For Better Or Worse Here at Science Friday, we’re big fans of metaphors. They can make complicated scientific concepts easier to understand, for both non-experts and scientists themselves. For example, “the big bang” helps us

en-gb

798 results

Similar Podcasts

Voices of Life

APG Mannheim

Promo Estereo Podcast

Promo Estereo

Talking Timelines Podcast

Talkingtimelines

גיקונומי

ראם שרמן ודורון ניר

Drømmefanger

Drømmefanger