Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: Gene Mutations Offer Clues on the Autistic Brain
A discussion of scientific research into the cause of autism, and a possible connection between genetic mutations and brain development in the autistic individual. Aired June 10, 2011 [30:24]
Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: Big Questions in Cosmology
Find out how particle physics and cosmology fit together in this scientific discussion.
Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: Hunting for Traces of America's First Inhabitants
Archaeologists discuss their discoveries of evidence of inhabitants in America going back up to 15,000 years or more. Aired Mar. 25, 2011 [17:28]
Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: Growing a Revolution: America's Founding Gardeners
The first four presidents were keen gardeners. Washington, Adams, Jefferson and Madison all enjoyed gardening, and these were interwoven into their political personas. Learn about some of the features of their gardens and what made them...
Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: Attack of the Black Hole
Astronomers have captured an image of a jet of radiation leaving a black hole at the center of one galaxy to strike the edge of neighboring galaxy.
Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: Hurricanes, Climate and Weather
An interview with scientists meeting to discuss the connection between climate change and hurricanes such as Hurricane Katrina. Aired Jan. 25, 2008 [9:55]
Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: Google Ocean?
An interview with Sylvia Earle from National Geographic and John Hanke from Google. They discuss the latest release of Google Earth which lets one explore the oceans. Aired Feb. 6, 2009 [17:47 min]
Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: A Census of the Oceans
A worldwide effort is underway to perform a census of the world's oceans, pulling into one location information about species from around the world. We'll check in on the progress of the project.
Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: Bali Climate Conference Wrap Up
Join delegates at a UN climate conference as they discuss a roadmap that guides the international community approach the issue of global warming.
Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: Gullibility
Why do some people fall victim to scams and deception? A psychology professor, who himself fell for a scam, discusses the role of gullibility in scams. Aired Jan. 9, 2009 [17:47 min]
Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: Better Agriculture Through Charcoal?
Researchers presenting work at the American Chemical Society say that adding charcoal to soil may provide a big boost to agriculture.
Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: Chile Peppers
In this segment, live from Tucson, Arizona, we'll take a scientific look at the chile pepper, from the chemistry and biology of a pepper's burn, to the psychology of why some people like it hot. Grab some salsa and listen in!
Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: Biofuels Research Roundup
Ira talks with several researchers looking at innovative ways to harvest energy from plant materials, including gasoline-like chemicals, ethanol, and hydrogen production.
Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: Harvesting Energy From Walking
An interview with Max Donelan, a researcher in bionics. He discusses a knee brace that is able to harvest energy from the motion of walking. Potential applications include generating power for portable medical devices, soldiers' devices,...
Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: A New Species, or Just Small Humans?
The discovery of unusual skeletal remains on the islands of Palau suggests that the so-called 'hobbits' found several years ago in Indonesia may have been dwarf humans, not a separate species.
Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: Growing a Bioartificial Heart
Scientists describe how they rebuilt a dead rat's heart by cleaning it and then injecting cells from a newborn rat into the heart structure that remained. The result was a functioning heart. Aired Jan. 18, 2008. [12:29] Links to a...
Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: Health Care and Values
An interview with a specialist in bioethics about how to balance important American values against the costs of health care in the Congressional debate over health care reform. Aired Nov. 6, 2009 [35:21]
Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: If Science Takes a Wrong Turn, Who Rights It?
What happens when scientists make mistakes, as in bad science, scientific fraud, misrepresentation, and outright lying? Sometimes the results, despite being debunked or retracted, continue to circulate and be cited by others. Aired Aug....
Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: How to Keep Data in the Cloud From Evaporating
A discussion of online data storage and how to keep information stored in the Cloud safe. Aired Mar. 4, 2011 [17:40 min]
Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: How Music Works
How do we perceive sounds as music or as noise? It all depends on the physics of sound. Aired Nov. 19, 2010 [19:21]
Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: How We Hear
Explains how the brain is able to understand sounds and speech. Aired May 29, 2009 [12:27]
Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: Bat Crisis Update
A report from researchers hunting for the cause of a mysterious bat die-off indicates that a fungus may hold the key to solving the mystery.
Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: Bat Die Off Mystery
Bat experts struggle to explain what's causing a massive die-off in hibernating bats across parts of the Northeast.
Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: How Cooking Made Us Human
An interview with primatologist Richard Wrangham, the author of Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human. He believes that cooking food led to humans' evolutionary success. Aired Aug. 28, 2009 [28:02]