George Harper

2025 has been challenging for science & scientists in the US, as well as for nonprofits (thanks, Captain Obvious!). If you care about science & sharing it with the public and want to support Science Friday (an independent nonprofit), you can do so by going to secure.everyaction.com/axMTwZk4WUSF....

Happy Science Friday! Here’s what we’re covering today on the show. Listen on your local public radio station, 2-4 p.m. ET. ❄️ ⚛️ 🎸

Learn more here: buff.ly/8Em9q7x

Can A Microbe Conservation Movement Take Off? Microbes make up about 99% of all species, but they’re not part of any global conservation plans. One group is trying to change that.

Deeply care about #conservation?

Then listen to @gilbertjacka.bsky.social from @scrippsocean.bsky.social discuss the importance of microbial conservation as the foundation for all other conservation (including us macrobes).

www.sciencefriday.com/segments/mic...

How To Tap Into The Hidden Histories Of Rocks Geologist Anjana Khatwa explains how embracing wonder and awe adds to our scientific understanding of the rocks that form our planet.

As a kid, I picked up every rock I came across and took loads of #Geology along w/my Bio major courses. Absolutely love the passion @anjanakhatwa.bsky.social has for rocks and their stories. This was a great way to start my week back! Thanks Flora & Anjana!

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African Grey Parrots Are Popular—And It’s Fueling Illegal Trade Talkative African grey parrots are charismatic internet stars. A global scramble to source and sell the birds threatens their survival.

Can we love something to death? Are we loving African grey parrots to extinction in the wild?

Flora talks with Rene Ebersole, co-founder of @wire-wildlife.bsky.social.

Podcast version below or listen to the full show today from 2-4pm ET at sciencefriday.com

www.sciencefriday.com/segments/afr...

Attention, Trivia Nerds! It’s A Food Science Fact Feast Flora and “Part-Time Genius” co-host Mangesh Hattikudur put one lucky listener to the test with food science trivia.

Trivia games are a fun way to learn/teach science.

Take 12 minutes for some food science fun and try the Super Food Science Excellence Trivia Blowout (SFSETBO) w/Flora & @parttimegenius.bsky.social co-host Mangesh Hattikudur (Mango). Fun food facts!

www.sciencefriday.com/segments/foo...

Can Animal Super-Agers Teach Us Their Secrets? Some animals seem to defy the rules of aging. Understanding how they do it could help us live longer, healthier lives.

More fascinating #animals this week! These #superagers live ‘long’ healthy lives - much longer than expected for the types of animals they are. What can we learn from them?

Flora talks with Vera Gorbunova (U of Rochester) and Juan Manuel Vazquez (Penn State U)

www.sciencefriday.com/segments/ani...

400-Year-Old Displays Of Human Tissue Live On In ‘Frankenstein’ The 17th century Evelyn Tables show real human nerves and veins, dried on wooden boards. Designers on the new Netflix film took note.

Heard of the Evelyn Tables? Displays of real human nerves & blood vessels in their positions in the body. Love that @realgdt.bsky.social included these 17th century science artifacts in #Frankenstein.

Love this article by @emmalgometz.bsky.social, too! www.sciencefriday.com/articles/fra...

How Alphafold Has Changed Biology Research, 5 Years On Google's tool for predicting how proteins “fold” turns 5 this year. How is it fitting into biological research—and where is it going?

Alphafold (released 5 yrs ago) won the 2024 Nobel in Chemistry. If you don’t work in protein structures, you may not know what it is.

Ira talks w/John Jumper (Nobel recipient) about what Alphafold is, what it does well & doesn’t do well, & where it's headed.

www.sciencefriday.com/segments/alp...

Join us at CU Denver Biology! We have an open search for an assistant professor in cell and molecular biology to support our research and teaching mission. cu.taleo.net/careersectio...

How A Woodpecker Pecks Wood, And How Ants Crown A Queen Is it all in the hips? Scientists break down woodpeckers' head-hammering moves. Plus, what makes one ant a queen and another a worker?

Animals are endlessly fascinating! Two cool animal studies to kick off the week: 1) How #woodpeckers peck wood, and 2) How #ants crown a queen.

Flora talks with @nickantonson.bsky.social about woodpeckers and @danielkronauer.bsky.social about ants.

www.sciencefriday.com/segments/ant...

Memories Change. But Can We Change Them On Purpose? Neuroscientists are manipulating memories in mice in an effort to develop treatments for brain disorders.

In today's podcast, Dr. Steve Ramirez - Boston U (@okaysteve.bsky.social) says memory manipulation in mice is #Inception & #Severance type manipulations. What??? He also shares that memory & imagination light up the same #brain regions.

Catch it all at www.sciencefriday.com/segments/how...

November 14: A bone-breaking avian hoarder, Phish's bassist unpacks the flow state, how to change a memory, and more.

Happy Science Friday! Here’s what we’re covering today on the show. Listen on your local public radio station, 2-4 p.m. ET. 🐦 🎸 🧠

Learn more here: buff.ly/wRuFSXF

"The Leap" 10-part audio documentary series cover art.

We're thrilled to share that "The Leap," from Science Friday and @hypothesisfund.bsky.social, is a winner of the 2025 @aaas.org Kavli Science Journalism Gold Award for Audio. Explore the entire 10-part series here: buff.ly/rlL5C0h

Bearded Vulture Nests Hold Trove Of Centuries-Old Artifacts Picking through a dozen vulture nests, scientists discovered hundreds of artifacts, including a sandal that could be more than 700 years old.

Many humans see us as apart from nature. This study points out we are part of the natural world for other organisms. Plus, bearded vultures are cool - eating mostly bones.

Flora's 12 min conversation w/ Dr. Ana Belen Marín-Arroyo - Universidad de Cantabria

www.sciencefriday.com/segments/bea...

Investigating 'Flow State' With The Bassist From Phish Phish bassist Mike Gordon is teaming up with neuroscientists to try to understand the transcendent experience of musical flow state.

Confession - I've loved the music of @phish.com since their 1st album. I especially love the live jams with the guys in #flowstate.

Love that this conversation between Flora and @mike-gordon.com (bassist) and Dr. Greg Appelbaum (UCSD) is about flow state.

www.sciencefriday.com/segments/phi...

Even Nobel Prize Winners Deal With Imposter Syndrome Neuroscientist Ardem Patapoutian immigrated to the US, found belonging in science, and did groundbreaking work on sense of touch.

Ever wonder what the journey to a Nobel Prize is like?

Take a 36 min dive into the not-so-straight path that led @ardemp.bskyverified.social from roach-stomping as a child in Lebanon to Nobel Prize winning scientist. Armed's conversation with Flora is great.

www.sciencefriday.com/segments/ard...

Study Finds COVID mRNA Vaccines Boost Cancer Treatment New research found that mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 could enhance cancer treatments and help patients live longer.

Take a 13 min break for an interesting discussion on the potential impact of COVID mRNA vaccines on cancer treatments & cancer patients.

Ira talks with Adam Grippin (@mdanderson.bsky.social) and @erictopol.bsky.social (The Scripps Research Inst.).

www.sciencefriday.com/segments/cov...

Were Dinos On Their Way Out Before The Asteroid Hit? Maybe Not Two new studies suggest that, contrary to longstanding beliefs, dinosaurs were not on the decline before the Chicxulub asteroid impact.

Fossil Friday anyone? Finish the week with Dinosaurs.

Today's SciFri podcast focuses on the latest late Cretaceous research - Were Dinos thriving at the end? (w/ @stevebrusatte.bsky.social ) and Nanotyrannus is real (w/Lindsay Zanno).

www.sciencefriday.com/segments/din...

Guessing you haven't organized and run an event in NYC recently. No cut for Sean or Ira. Any funds leftover after paying event expenses go to support Science Friday's mission.

An Evening Of Physics And Philosophy With Dr. Sean M. Carroll Host Ira Flatow will be joined by award-winning physicist Dr. Sean M. Carroll to discuss his book, “The Biggest Ideas in the Universe.”

#NYC area folks - SciFri event at the Greene Space - Friday 12/5 6-9pm. 1st hour - open bar, hors d'oeuvres & talking w/ @heyira.bsky.social & @seanmcarroll.bsky.social. Only 130 seats. Tickets $200/each. Come for a fun night of science!

www.sciencefriday.com/articles/sea...

After you cram lots of pixels into a small space, does it matter if you cram in some more? What are the limits of our vision?

Today's SciFri podcast is "Is There Such A Thing As Too Much Resolution On A TV?" with Dr. Maliha Ashraf, U of Cambridge, and Dr. Bryan W. Jones, U of Pittsburgh

Can A Billion-Dollar Barricade Keep Carp Out Of The Great Lakes? A giant infrastructure project aims to block invasive carp from entering Lake Michigan, but Chicago’s polluted water already keeps them out.

Keeping human-introduced carp out of the Great Lakes

Today's SciFri podcast: "Can A Billion-Dollar Barricade Keep Carp Out Of The Great Lakes?" with Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco (@juanpab.bsky.social), WBEZ environment reporter, and Dr. Cory Suski, U of Illinois.

www.sciencefriday.com/segments/inv...

Inside The Race To Save Wild Axolotls Lake Xochimilco in Mexico City is the only place where axolotls live in the wild, and they face growing threats.

Axolotls are so interesting!

Today's SciFri podcast is "Inside The Race To Save Wild Axolotls" with Dr. Alejandro Maeda-Obregón, University College London, and Dr. Luis Zambrano (@zambranol.bsky.social), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.
www.sciencefriday.com/segments/sav...

Endometriosis Is Common. Why Is Getting Diagnosed So Hard? A scientist diagnosed with endometriosis is working to answer fundamental questions about the disease and pave the way for better treatments.

One in 10 women with a uterus experience endometriosis in their lifetime.

Today's SciFri podcast is "Endometriosis Is Common. Why Is Getting Diagnosed So Hard?" with Dr. Linda Griffith, Scientific Director of The MIT Center for Gynepathology Research. www.sciencefriday.com/segments/end...

October 31: Our fascination with horror, managing digital afterlives, creatures that will make your skin crawl, and more.

Happy Spooky Science Friday! Grab your headphones and get ready for a frighteningly nerdy Halloween show. Listen on your local public radio station, 2-4 p.m. ET. 🎃🧛🏽🧪

Learn more here: buff.ly/jsQPONI

It’s Science Friday! I'm looking forward to segments with @whatknows.bsky.social, @drkencarter.bsky.social & @morbidpsych.bsky.social, @geodesaurus.bsky.social, and @elena-tena.bsky.social. Tune in! 11am - 1pm PT, Noon - 2pm MT, 1-3pm CT, 2-4pm ET, and 6-8pm GMT. @scifri.bsky.social

Enter SciFri's Nerdy Halloween Costume Contest! It’s Nightmare on Nerd Street—and your science-inspired Halloween costume could win SciFri’s first-ever costume contest.

Have you ever dressed up or dressed your kids up in a nerdy costume this time of year?
www.sciencefriday.com/articles/sci...

What Did It Feel Like To Be An Early Human? A new documentary puts viewers in the shoes of Neanderthals and early humans, giving an intimate glimpse into humans’ evolutionary history.

“It really suited us to portray ourselves as this kind of pinnacle of human evolution,” says paleoanthropologist Ella Al-Shamahi, who hosts the BBC and NOVA PBS docuseries “Human.” She says Homo sapiens was actually an evolutionary underdog—and shares why Neanderthals get a bad rap.

Get a dose of amazing and end the week on a high note!

So much packed into this week's show. I'm really looking forward to Archaeologists recreating the tastes and smells of lost civilizations and hearing more about why many rodents have thumbnails similar to you and me.