Entertaining & educational conversations about science, tech, + more. Hosted by Ira Flatow and Flora Lichtman. From WNYCStudios.https://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3muzhgwlgi222Why is it so hard to find out the age of a fungus? It sounds like a simple question, but it’s more complicated than you think.08 Sep 2026 16:37 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3muzhgwlgi222https://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3murdho4umg2qWe’re working on a story about the lymphatic system and want to hear from you! Have you seen videos or workouts promising to cleanse you or de-bloat you through lymphatic drainage? Have you tried any of it? What questions do you have? Leave us a at voicemail at 1-877-4-SCIFRI.05 Sep 2026 11:05 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3murdho4umg2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3mup33bpdv22lAlmost everyone who eats this mushroom has the same hallucination: lots of tiny people.🧑‍🤝‍🧑 👬 👭 Biologist Colin Domnauer devoted his PhD to figuring out why this is happening. He talked with Flora about the hallucinations and how this mushroom is still enjoyed in restaurants.04 Sep 2026 13:29 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mup33bpdv22lhttps://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3mukoyimug22tHave you had a loved one with Alzheimer's suddenly seem like their old self again? Researchers are only starting to define what these moments of lucidity actually are. Ira spoke with researcher Andrea Gilmore-Bykovskyi about these moments and what they could mean for the progression of Alzheimer's.02 Sep 2026 19:42 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mukoyimug22thttps://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3mufqixpzhc2iOur #PictureOfTheWeek shows the orbits of the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites operated by the United States. Credit: Data visualizer, Kel Elkins (Science and Technology Corporation)31 Aug 2026 20:26 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mufqixpzhc2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3muaxb4dki62sCan microplastic-loving algae combat water pollution? Our Think Big resource teaches about an unexpected scientific discovery and how it could change the way we treat water. Made for grades 6-8, this free resource includes a video, discussion questions, and a worksheet. https://bit.ly/4d8mMku https://www.sciencefriday.com/educational-resources/microplastic-loving-algae-clean-water/29 Aug 2026 22:44 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3muaxb4dki62shttps://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3mu5lxftvgk2wMore and more doctors are using AI tools for diagnosis, paperwork, and getting up to speed on patients. But it’s definitely not perfect and there are concerns with incorporating it into healthcare. Flora talked with Dr. Jonathan Chen about how AI is being used and how it’s affecting patients.28 Aug 2026 14:43 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu5lxftvgk2whttps://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3mtzfiiepbc2cScience Friday is diving into the ocean for our next Book Club pick! 🌊 Helen Scales (@helenscales.bsky.social) gave us a sneak peek into her incredible book, "What the Wild Sea Can Be: The Future of the World's Ocean” and will be answering your questions in a livestream next month.26 Aug 2026 22:37 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtzfiiepbc2chttps://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3mtu6ufo56c2rOur #PictureOfTheWeek is an illustration of a new astrophysical phenomenon, a black hole star. Credit: Jose-Luis Olivares, MIT24 Aug 2026 20:55 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtu6ufo56c2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3mto3t22np32gBack to school season is the perfect time to grab some Science Friday merch! We have mugs for teachers, t-shirts for adults and kids, tote bags for books and laptops, and even onesies for the lil' fri in your life. Check out our online store at ScienceFriday.com/shop!22 Aug 2026 10:45 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mto3t22np32ghttps://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3mtma37nbfc25We have an extra special episode today. Science Friday’s producer, Kathleen Davis, wanted to know how microplastics affect pregnancy after a 2024 study found microplastics in 62 human placentas.21 Aug 2026 16:55 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtma37nbfc25https://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3mtkaqidp7s2wLarge language models like ChatGPT and Claude can be quick to answer questions, but a robot doing chores in a house needs a "world model" to understand physical space.20 Aug 2026 22:02 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtkaqidp7s2whttps://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3mtfbe4qx5s2iWhat does it mean when a species is lost to science? Image credit: Julie McIntyre/USFWS18 Aug 2026 22:30 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtfbe4qx5s2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3mt4lsbhnim2vWe want to hear your ocean stories! Did a snorkeling trip bring you to tears? Did you fall in love with sea slugs at a tidal pool? Did you lock eyes with a manta ray and find the meaning of life? Tell us about your most memorable or surprising experience with the ocean. Call in at 1-877-4-SCIFRI.15 Aug 2026 11:43 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt4lsbhnim2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3mt2kltlvfk2iHave you seen a larval firefly? Firefly researcher Candace Fallon says everyone should check out the juvenile insect that kind of looks like a steamrolled roly-poly. Producer Kathleen Davis chatted with Fallon about all things fireflies, including the search for species that are “lost” to science.14 Aug 2026 16:16 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt2kltlvfk2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3msyogkupg22gWho knew insect pee could be so fascinating? Research projects like this are the norm at The Bhamla Lab (@bhamlalab.bsky.social), where Saad Bhamla  believes scientists should take risks and find new ways of looking at things.13 Aug 2026 22:19 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3msyogkupg22ghttps://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3mstbpd5iwk22Science Friday, in partnership with Grove Atlantic, is giving away 10 copies of “What the Wild Sea Can Be“ by Helen Scales. Enter for your chance to win! Apply here: i1j7zijgb78.typeform.com/to/F5dHQjVk11 Aug 2026 18:48 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mstbpd5iwk22https://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3msqyx7mzys24Our #PictureOfTheWeek features astronaut Leland Melvin surrounded by floating food and drink packets in space. As NASA prepares for long-term space missions to the moon and Mars, how important is the food they send up?10 Aug 2026 21:06 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3msqyx7mzys24https://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3msiu7zzbak2mHow many hours a day are you sitting? Probably too many. Manoush Zomorodi, author of "Body Electric: The Hidden Health Costs of the Digital Age and New Science to Reclaim Your Well-Being,” recruited 23,000 people to take movement breaks every 30 minutes to see if they actually felt the benefits.07 Aug 2026 15:20 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3msiu7zzbak2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3msc2ulnfxs2iWe couldn’t agree more. For today’s podcast, we’re throwing it back to when Queen guitarist/astronomer Brian May and astrophysicist Derek Ward-Thompson chatted with Flora about their stereoscopic book of galaxies, “Islands in Infinity: Galaxies 3-D.” And yes, we get into the music too.04 Aug 2026 22:30 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3msc2ulnfxs2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3ms77h6n2dk2tOur #PictureOfTheWeek features Cold War codebreaking specialists. This group of highly skilled Black women were recruited as cryptologists to decipher intercepted Soviet messages. Their role in Cold War intelligence operations has been largely overlooked, until now. 📸: NSA03 Aug 2026 19:14 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3ms77h6n2dk2thttps://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3ms4mngqbkf2mWhat food would you take to space? We want to know the one thing you could eat over and over again if you were sent on a mission to Mars. Tell us your comfort food, the clever recipe, how you make it, and why it matters to you. Leave us a voicemail at 877-4-SCIFRI.02 Aug 2026 18:33 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3ms4mngqbkf2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3mrzshvytlk2zWe created a puzzle adventure game with Grand Gamers Guild! Imagine you're a science journalist hosting a symposium on the chambered nautilus and the featured expert is missing! Solve puzzles, search the aquarium for clues, and race to find them before time runs out in this escape room-style game.01 Aug 2026 15:39 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrzshvytlk2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3mrxbmn3chk2sDid you know sharks are older than Saturn’s rings? Marine conservation biologist Catherine Macdonald joined Flora to talk about shark conservation and what it’s like encountering hundreds of sharks a year off the coast of Florida. Plus we hear about a tiger shark vomiting up an unexpected surprise.31 Jul 2026 15:32 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrxbmn3chk2shttps://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3mrvb7zmaux23Don't forget to join our live Q&A with author Craig Childs! 📅 Friday, July 31 at 4pm ET 📍 YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/i2zq0P2uKkA Come with your questions and bring a friend! We're reading his book "The Wild Dark" in SciFri's Book Club but all are welcome to join!30 Jul 2026 20:20 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrvb7zmaux23https://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3mrqcsn76pv2uEver wondered how clinical trials actually work? Who gets chosen to participate and why? And what criteria does a drug have to meet to get approved? Flora talked with lawyer and bioethicist Holly Fernandez Lynch to break it all down. Listen now: https://bit.ly/4fd2FBV https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/how-clinical-trials-work/28 Jul 2026 21:05 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrqcsn76pv2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3mrpz7y5hb223Tom Hiddleston first visited Pompeii at 17 and never forgot it. Now he's returned as host of National Geographic's "Pompeii: Out of Time with Tom Hiddleston" to piece together the lives of the thousands of people who once called it home.28 Jul 2026 18:13 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrpz7y5hb223https://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3mrkzgrtcqo2tThe Tour de France ends today, but we still have one burning question. Why do cyclists shave their legs? You've probably heard it makes them faster, but does it actually make a difference? We spoke with four cycling experts to find out. 🚴 https://bit.ly/3SLbGuF https://www.sciencefriday.com/articles/why-do-cyclists-shave-their-legs/26 Jul 2026 18:34 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrkzgrtcqo2thttps://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3mrfrp5vcts2wWe’re throwing it back to a podcast we did in October 2025 with marine biologist @ashadevos.bsky.social. Over 20 years ago, she discovered a unique population of blue whales that live year round off the coast of Sri Lanka. She also became the first Sri Lankan to earn a PhD studying marine mammals.24 Jul 2026 16:32 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrfrp5vcts2whttps://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social/post/3mrb6nfexmm2uJess Venner, author of “The Lost Voices of Pompeii,” talks about the people who faced the destruction of Pompeii. With actor Tom Hiddleston, host of Nat Geo's “Pompeii: Out of Time with Tom Hiddleston,” we explore what life was like in Pompeii. Full podcast is on YouTube: https://bit.ly/4fmXSOv22 Jul 2026 20:40 +0000at://did:plc:rjtifgmgwnacwa24lqp4tpsy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrb6nfexmm2u