In this segment, we'll get the latest on climate news around the world -- from new rifts in the Wilkins Ice Shelf, to the new round of international climate talks now underway in Poland.

Ira talks with Michael Oppenheimer about the history of climate research, and about key misconceptions relating to climate change.

How large is your 'carbon footprint' -- the amount you contribute to greenhouse gas emissions? We'll talk to a researcher looking at energy usage around the country, from homeless people to the rich and famous.

We'll get an update on the prospects for US policy dealing with climate change. Will the government be able to make progress on climate change while the economy dominates the policy stage?

Botanists expect a very rare, very large, and very stinky flower to bloom this week in California.

Geese head south for the winter, and the swallows return to Capistrano - but how? In this hour, we'll talk about how birds make their migratory journeys, and how scientists are trying to study their travels.

What can we learn from 'soundscape ecology,' a new field of biology?

From dramatic new stem cell techniques to new ideas about cosmic rays, 2007 had plenty of scientific surprises. Join Ira and guests for a look back at the top science stories of the year.

How your body sees itself -- and the world around it -- may have a big influence on how it behaves.

Sure, there's always the first robin of spring, and the swallows returning to Capistrano -- but what other birding sights should you be on the lookout for as the weather warms?

This week astronomers reported finding gaseous methane in the Martian atmosphere.

In this segment, we'll get the big picture on science on the planet Mars. From orbiting observatories to roving rovers to the ditch-digging Phoenix -- what have planetary scientists learned about Mars, and what remains to be discovered?

You know smoking can be hazardous to your health. Then came 'second-hand smoke.' Now, health researchers are cautioning about 'third-hand smoke' -- residues from smoking that linger on surfaces.

Long carbon nanotubes may behave similar to asbestos fibers in the body, a preliminary study finds. We'll talk about what still needs to be learned abotu the potential health and environmental effects of nanoscale materials.

As researchers draw nearer to the ability to design and grow new organisms from scratch, what planning and protections need to be in place to cope with the consequences?

Researchers have built an artificial copy of a bacterium's genome from scratch in the lab.

Chemist Richard Zare and food writer Harold McGee discuss the best way to store leftover Champagne.

Ira talks with Lester Brown of the Earth Policy Institute about the environmental problems facing the globe, and what can be done to take action to fix them.

New technology in genetics has allowed researchers to sift through the human genome looking for possible genetic connections to all types of diseases.

In this segment, we'll get the latest on efforts to control Type 2 diabetes.

In this segment, we'll get the latest on efforts to control Type 2 diabetes.

Ira talks with eminent biologist Edward O. Wilson and Bert Holldobler about ants, bees, and other social insects.

A specific blend of fatty acids signal death or injury to a variety of animals, providing a warning to others of the species.

We are fascinated by them, frightened by them, and can't live without them -- sometimes all at the same time. Ira talks with author Hugh Raffles about people, insects, and his new book 'Insectopedia.