Science Friday

Photo of a women smiling to the camera and with glasses. Text says: “If we go, say, to Mars or the moons of Jupiter, and we are able to pull a sample … If you find molecules that are preserved that are similar to what we see in the past here on this planet, you can start to make that connection.” -Dr. Paula Welander

Studying the clues ancient microbes left behind in the fossil record might help us find life elsewhere in the universe.

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What The Label Of ‘Genius’ Tells Us About Our Society In “The Genius Myth,” Helen Lewis argues that who we call a genius reveals more about our values than any objective measure of brilliance.

What makes a genius? Smarts? Creativity? Big ideas? A new book says it's less about brains and more about what society chooses to celebrate.

“We actually use exercise now to treat concussion. Exercise helps to treat migraine. Exercise rehabituates the vestibular system.” - Dr. Michael Collins

Conventional wisdom is that rest is the best treatment after a concussion: dark rooms, no noise, no activity. But one concussion expert says the focus should be on rehabilitation, not rest.

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Science Friday Is Coming To Burlington, Vermont! Join the Science Friday team in Burlington on Friday, October 17, for a special live stage version of the beloved radio show!

🎙️Science Friday is coming to Burlington, Vermont!

Join host Flora Lichtman for a live show on Friday, Oct. 17. You'll get science news, local stories, music, demos, and more.

Presented with @vermontpublic.org.

🎟️ Tickets: buff.ly/BmADIDr

What Do We Know About SSRI Antidepressant Withdrawal? Without robust long-term data, physicians and patients continue debating the severity and significance of SSRI withdrawal symptoms.

What happens when you stop taking SSRI antidepressants, like Prozac, Lexapro, and Zoloft? Studies are mixed, and there's no consensus on how rough withdrawal really is.

Asha de Vos' Journey From Deck Hand To Marine Science Leader Growing up, Asha de Vos didn’t know of any Sri Lankans studying marine mammals. So she became the first.

“Not everyone has the privilege of saying that a floating pile of whale poop was where their career kick-started,” says marine biologist @ashadevos.bsky.social. 🐋💩

As The CDC Falters, How Do We Fill Public Health Gaps? Former CDC director Tom Frieden discusses how communities and health systems can move forward as the US public health system is dismantled.

With CDC layoffs, changing vaccine rules, and fading public trust, our public health system is struggling. We talked to one expert about solutions.

Great to be a guest on @scifri.bsky.social today on this really intriguing paper and the challenges it has posed to conventional ways of thinking about human origins.

Anthropologists Have A Bone To Pick With New Skull Finding A reconstruction of an ancient skull suggests that humans could have evolved half a million years earlier than thought. Not so fast, some say.

Drama in the field of human origins! Some anthropologists are raising an eyebrow at a new study that claims our species could have emerged at least half a million years earlier than we thought.

#EduSky join @scifri.bsky.social today from 2-4 pm ET for these great science stories. 🧪 This week, we have a feature on two inspiring women in science, and I can't wait to listen! Learn more and listen at www.sciencefriday.com

YouTube video by SciFri #DownToEarth Mission Control Live: Ladybug Launch

TODAY, October 3 at 1:15 pm ET / 10:15 am PT on YouTube! #EduSky join @scifri.bsky.social for our first #DownToEarth in honor of #WorldSpaceWeek. Get ready to launch and bring your curiosity, because this is your chance to ask questions about bugs in space! 😲🐞 www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnVz...

Photo of Asha de Vos snorkling underwater. Text says: October 3 A trailblazing whale researcher, SSRI withdrawal, helmet science, remembering Jane Goodall, 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. 🐋🎧

Science Friday Down To Earth Use innovation from space to solve real-world challenges in your community.

🚀 #WorldSpaceWeek starts this Saturday! Bring space science down to Earth with SciFri's free #DownToEarth educational program. Solve real environmental problems using space technology. New challenges every day!

Learn more: buff.ly/uoKgvmC

What Do We Know About SSRI Antidepressant Withdrawal? Without robust long-term data, physicians and patients continue debating the severity and significance of SSRI withdrawal symptoms.

About 1 in 10 Americans take antidepressants. The most common are SSRIs like Prozac or Zoloft. But what happens when you stop taking them?

Remembering Primatologist Jane Goodall Trailblazing chimp researcher and conservationist Jane Goodall died on October 1 at 91.

In memory of Dr. Jane Goodall, we're releasing a special podcast episode today. Ira Flatow shares his memories of the renowned primatologist, including a 2002 interview in which they discussed her groundbreaking discoveries and hopes for a better future.

The High-Tech Lab Unlocking Secrets Of Coral Reproduction At a lab in the heart of San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, scientists are breeding corals to be more resilient to rising ocean temperatures.

Scientists in the Bay Area have gotten corals to spawn in a lab at the same time they do in the wild in Australia. One of their tools: LED lights that simulate sunrises, sunsets, and even moonlight.

“This innate ability of understanding the source of error is something that a robot doesn't have. … It has no idea why it fails.” —Dr. Karen Liu

A roboticist is using machine learning and animation to build smarter humanoid robots. One big challenge? They lack self-awareness.

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Photo of Ira Flatow and Jane Goodall taken in 2024 during her 90th birthday celebration."

Photo of Ira Flatow and Jane Goodall taken in 2020.

"I do know that when talking to people who perhaps think very differently, the only chance you have of getting them to think in a different way is to touch the heart." — Dr. Jane Goodall (1934-2025)

Thanks, Jane, for touching our hearts.

Is Tylenol Use During Pregnancy Connected To Autism? We dig into the details of the science of Tylenol and autism with a researcher who led one of the largest studies on the topic.

Tylenol made headlines last week after President Donald Trump claimed that taking it during pregnancy can cause autism in children. We spoke to a researcher who led one of the largest studies on the topic to find out what the science actually says.

#EduSky join @scifri.bsky.social for #DownToEarth this October!

Asha de Vos' Journey From Deck Hand To Marine Science Leader Growing up, Asha de Vos didn’t know of any Sri Lankans studying marine mammals. So she became the first.

More than 20 years ago, budding scientist @ashadevos.bsky.social discovered the uniqueness of Sri Lanka’s blue whales after seeing one of them poop. She went on to become the first Sri Lankan to earn a PhD in marine mammal research. 🐋

Tradition Meets TikTok At The Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest A new group of social media-savvy wildlife artists is bringing a beloved conservation tradition to TikTok. It’s ruffled some feathers.

Social media-savvy artists are bringing a whole new audience to the Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest. Read the full story:

www.sciencefriday.com/articles/fed...

Did you know the federal government runs a waterfowl art contest? SciFri’s Emma Gometz attended this year’s event to report on the duck drama.

Science Friday Down To Earth Use innovation from space to solve real-world challenges in your community.

🚀Ready for an out-of-this-world adventure? Join Science Friday's #DownToEarth educational experience during #WorldSpaceWeek to learn how to use space technology to solve environmental challenges—no spacesuit required. #SciFri

Register: buff.ly/uoKgvmC

Head injuries are considered a normal risk of high-impact sports like football. But can better helmets and smarter guidelines help make the game safer?

Video courtesy of The Virginia Tech Helmet Lab.

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“Our genes changed when we started to tangle with yeast and lactic acid bacteria, and theirs didn't. And so from the standard storytelling, we would say, well, they domesticated us.” -Dr. Rob Dunn

For thousands of years, humans have harnessed microbes to ferment beer and bread. But ecologist Rob Dunn asks: Who’s really in charge of this relationship?

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The High-Tech Lab Unlocking Secrets Of Coral Reproduction At a lab in the heart of San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, scientists are breeding corals to be more resilient to rising ocean temperatures.

In a cutting-edge lab, scientists are growing baby corals that can adapt to warming oceans. What they discover could help save reefs around the world. 🪸

Photo of an image posing next to a large tree. Text says: “I heard about someone climbing into the forest canopy and studying bats. I was like, yeah, this is it. ... This is what I’m going to be doing for the rest of my life.” - —Dr. Iroro Tanshi

A Nigerian scientist wanted to do research that was exciting. She found bats. Now, she and her husband are on a mission to protect the furry flying mammals of their home country.

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Tradition Meets TikTok At The Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest A new group of social media-savvy wildlife artists is bringing a beloved conservation tradition to TikTok. It’s ruffled some feathers.

Each entry to the Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest is supposed to be completely anonymous. Are viral TikTokkers the exception? And does it even matter when the contest is really about raising money for waterfowl?

How AI Advances Are Improving Humanoid Robots Roboticist Karen Liu combines machine learning and animation to teach robots to move and respond more like humans.

Robots can walk and talk. But can they fold your laundry? One roboticist is working to create a robot roommate that could actually live with us and help out at home. 🤖