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Oct. 16, 2015
Science Friday Goes to St. Paul
by Christian Skotte
On November 3rd, Science Friday will join Minnesotans to talk the science of superheroes.
Oct. 14, 2015
Did Dark Matter Kill the Dinosaurs?
by Marcus Woo
The invisible stuff that comprises a quarter of the universe could be more complex that previously thought.
dark matter, wimp, wimps, pions, simp, simps, self-interacting dark matter
Oct. 07, 2015
Picture of the Week: LUX's Photomultipler Tubes
by Chau Tu
This honeycomb-like array is helping scientists on their search for dark matter.
dark matter
Oct. 01, 2015
Princess Leia and the Conundrum of Language Translation
by David J. Peterson
An excerpt from David J. Peterson's The Art of Language Invention.
david j. peterson, art of the language invention, linguistics
Sep. 30, 2015
10 Questions for…Dava Newman
by Chau Tu
The new NASA deputy administrator chats about her influences and the space agency’s big plans for Mars.
Sep. 24, 2015
Agatha Christie: From Pharmacist's Apprentice to Poison Expert
by Kathryn Harkup
An excerpt from A is for Arsenic, by Kathryn Harkup.
agatha christie, kathryn harkup, a is for arsenic
Sep. 17, 2015
From Shaking Palsy to Parkinson's: Defining a Neurodegenerative Disease
by Jon Palfreman
An excerpt from "Brain Storms," by Jon Palfreman.
parkinson's disease, brain storms, jon palfreman
Sep. 17, 2015
From Atop an Ecuadorian Peak, an Epiphany About Nature
by Andrea Wulf
An excerpt from Andrea Wulf's "The Invention of Nature."
andrea wulf, alexander von humboldt
Sep. 03, 2015
Aziz Ansari on How to Date Better
by Aziz Ansari
An excerpt from Aziz Ansari's book "Modern Romance."
aziz ansari, online dating
Sep. 03, 2015
The Ritual of Straws
by Steve Silberman
An excerpt from "Neurotribes," by Steve Silberman.
steve silberman, neurotribes
Sep. 01, 2015
A Vaginal Ecologist's Crusade Against HIV in Women
by Dinsa Sachan
Sharon Hillier is using her expertise in women's nether regions to bring an HIV-prevention drug—targeting females—to market.
hiv, vagina, vaginal ecologist
Aug. 26, 2015
Picture of the Week: DNA Bunny
by Julie Leibach
Researchers have developed a method to build tiny structures out of DNA based on 3-D polygonal shapes created with a computer.
DNA origami, DNA nanotechnology
Aug. 19, 2015
Picture of the Week: Corpse Flower
by Julie Leibach
The putrid odor of a large tropical plant has begun wafting through the Denver Botanic Gardens—and visitors are lining up to inhale deeply.
corpse flower, denver, titan arum
Aug. 17, 2015
Does Sound Affect the Way We Taste?
by Chau Tu
Research suggests that sound is the “forgotten sense” when it comes to how we perceive flavors.
Aug. 12, 2015
SciFri Book Club Meet-Up
by Christian Skotte
Meet the author of The Soul of a New Machine at Google's New York City headquarters.
Aug. 11, 2015
Picture of the Week: Blue-Green Algae Bloom
by Michele Berger
This picture, shot by a drone, reveals the verdant fingers of a blue-green algae bloom.
harmful algal bloom, hab, algae, lake erie
Aug. 11, 2015
Quiz: Is This Panda Pregnant?
by Becky Fogel
Take our Panda Pregnancy Test to see how much you know about panda reproduction.
panda
Aug. 10, 2015
Science Diction: Thermometer
by Howard Markel
The man who coined the term also created an early “puzzle book” full of scientific brainteasers.
Aug. 07, 2015
Join the SciFri Book Club This Summer
by Annie Minoff
This August, the SciFri Book Club reads Tracy Kidder’s love letter to computer engineers, "The Soul of a New Machine." Here’s how to participate.
book club, soul of a new machine
Aug. 06, 2015
March of the Computers
by Tracy Kidder
An excerpt from The Soul of a New Machine, by Tracy Kidder.
Aug. 05, 2015
Picture of the Week: Blue Morpho Butterflies
by Emma Bryce
Biologists are using the medley of blues and browns in these wings to help them understand butterfly wing development.
butterflies, gynandromorphs
Jul. 29, 2015
Picture of the Week: Kelvin-Helmholtz Clouds
by Chau Tu
These picturesque clouds reveal a particular kind of turbulence in the atmosphere.
kelvin-helmholtz
Jul. 23, 2015
Picture of the Week: Saharan Silver Ant
by Julie Leibach
Ant-Man's cool. But this ant is cooler, thanks to metallic-looking hairs that help it beat the African desert heat.
ants, sahara silver ant, scorching, desert, sand, silver hairs, antman
Jul. 22, 2015
Looks Fishy, Tastes Fishy. But Where's the Fish?
by Susan Cosier
For vegetarians, allergy sufferers, and the epicurious among us, chefs are getting creative with seafood substitutes.
faux fish, sushi, seafood, fake fish, shrimp, tuna, ahi tuna, vegetarian, vegan
Jul. 21, 2015
What Do You Know About Science?
by Brandon Echter
Unleash the geek, and let us know how familiar you are with a variety of scientific concepts.
Jul. 16, 2015
A Sleepless Night Aboard the Spaceship
by Kim Stanley Robinson
An excerpt from Aurora, by Kim Stanley Robinson.
kim stanley robinson
Jul. 15, 2015
Picture of the Week: Pluto
by Julie Leibach
Our most up-close-and-personal shot of the (dwarf) planet yet.
pluto, new horizons, pluto flyby
Jul. 09, 2015
The Antenna That Detected the Big Bang
by John Graham-Cumming
An excerpt from John Graham-Cumming's Geek Atlas.
Jul. 08, 2015
Picture of the Week: Axolotl
by Chau Tu
This critically endangered salamander reaches sexual maturity without undergoing metamorphosis.
axolotl
Jul. 06, 2015
Science Diction: Dinosaur
by Howard Markel
One of the best dinosaur stories of them all centers on the man who gave these remarkably extinct beasts their name.
dinosaur, richard owen, charles darwin
Jul. 06, 2015
Take the Science Friday Lollipop Challenge!
by Luke Groskin
Test out how many licks it takes to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop, and report back.
lollipop, tootsie pop
Jul. 03, 2015
Beyond the Pie Chart
by Annie Minoff
Information designer David McCandless uses beautiful, complex graphics to illuminate science, leaving the lowly pie chart in the dust.
Jun. 30, 2015
Picture of the Week: Sunshine Recorder
by Elizabeth Preston
This antique technology, called a Campbell-Stokes sunshine recorder, helps researchers maintain North America’s longest-running weather record.
sunshine recorder, blue hill observatory
Jun. 25, 2015
A Peek Inside the Mind of Elon Musk
by Ashlee Vance
An excerpt from the new biography Elon Musk, by Ashlee Vance.
elon musk, ashlee vance
Jun. 25, 2015
Science Friday at the Aspen Ideas Festival
by Christian Skotte
Ira Flatow and the SciFri crew will put on a live show in Colorado on June 30th.
aspen, apsen, colorado, science friday live
Jun. 25, 2015
The Octopus Whisperer
by Alisa Opar
To keep the brainy creatures healthy in captivity, caretakers employ a variety of tricks—including dog toys.
octopuses, cephalopod, cephalopod week
Jun. 23, 2015
Picture of the Week: Cock-Eyed Squid
by Chau Tu
This midwater cephalopod sports different-size eyes for different functions.
squid, cephalopod week, cock-eyed squid
Jun. 22, 2015
Take a Selfielopod for #CephalopodWeek!
by Brandon Echter
Print one of our cutouts and take your own selfielopod for Cephalopod Week.
cephalopod week
Jun. 17, 2015
Picture of the Week: Ferrofluid
by Marcus Woo
Liquid magnets lend themselves to art, as well as medical research.
ferrofluid, cancer, tumor
Jun. 12, 2015
What Lemurs Can Teach Us About Human Evolution
by Ian Tattersall
An excerpt from Ian Tattersall's The Strange Case of the Rickety Cossack.
ian tattersall, lemur, paleontology
Jun. 11, 2015
The Silk Road’s Turn Toward Biotechnology
by Julie Leibach
Using a protein found in silkworm moth cocoons, researchers at Tufts University in Boston are developing a range of biodegradable materials and therapeutic devices.
silk, silk fibroin, polymer, biopolymer, electronic, fiorenzo omenetto, david kaplan
Jun. 09, 2015
Picture of the Week: The Green Rose
by Chau Tu
This mutated rose has sepals instead of petals.
rose, green rose, botany
Jun. 05, 2015
What Role Does the Sun Play in Vitamin D Synthesis?
by Michele Berger
The sun kickstarts a process that converts a vitamin D precursor into the active form your body needs.
Jun. 03, 2015
Picture of the Week: Milk Drop
by Emma Bryce
An engineer creates a perfect liquid crown using innovative flash photography.
doc edgerton, photography, flash
Jun. 01, 2015
Science Diction: Sun
by Howard Markel
The ancient Greeks personified the sun as a handsome god named Helios.
May. 27, 2015
Picture of the Week: Limpet Teeth
by Laura Dattaro
The title-holder for strongest biological material goes to a small mollusk.
limpet, sea snail
May. 22, 2015
The Day the Moon Blew Up
by Neal Stephenson
An excerpt from Neal Stephenson's new book, Seveneves.
neal stephenson, excerpt, seveneves
May. 22, 2015
A Date Palm Named Methuselah
by Thor Hanson
An excerpt from The Triumph of Seeds, by Thor Hanson.
thor hanson, seeds
May. 21, 2015
The Fine Art of Toxic Waste
by Jennifer Balmer
An engineer and an artist are transforming pollution from coal mines into pigments used to tint paint.
toxic paint, pollution, polluted streams, ohio, guy riefler, john sabraw
May. 20, 2015
Picture of the Week: Bombardier Beetle
by Adam Hoffman
Researchers have figured how a toxin-spraying beetle packs its pulsing punch.
bombardier beetle, beetles, toxic spray, mit, eric arndt
To access older blog posts, navigate via the archive links in the sidebar at left.
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Science Friday® is produced by the Science Friday Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Science Friday® and SciFri® are registered service marks of Science Friday, Inc. Site design by Pentagram; engineering by Mediapolis.
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