Best Science Friday and WNYC Studios Podcasts (2025)

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How Did Vaccine Policies Actually Change In 2025? 12:21

Play Pause

6h ago12:21

12:21

Since 1955, when Congress passed the Polio Vaccination Assistance Act, the federal government has been in the business of expanding access to vaccines. That is, until this year. 2025 has been filled with almost daily news stories about federal agencies, under the direction of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., casting doubts about vaccine safe…

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Why Astronomers Are Excited About Comet 3I/ATLAS’ Close Approach 18:33

3d ago18:33

18:33

This year, comet 3I/Atlas broke into our solar system, but also the zeitgeist. This dirty snowball is a visitor from another solar system, and it’s only the third interstellar object we’ve ever spotted. And today, it's closer to us than ever before—just 170 million miles away. Astronomy experts Stefanie Milam and Hakeem Oluseyi join Host Flora Lich…

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‘Fire Amoeba’ Likes It Hot, And A Faraway Lava Planet 18:08

4d ago18:08

18:08

While on a sampling trip in California’s Lassen Volcanic National Park, researchers stopped to sample a rather boring stream on their hike to Boiling Springs Lake. But when they incubated that water sample back in the lab, they discovered an amoeba that could still move and divide at 145 F, a new record for a eukaryotic cell. Microbiologist Angela …

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What’s The Reality Behind The Humanoid Robot Hype? 12:19

5d ago12:19

12:19

Videos of humanoid robots dancing, doing cartwheels, putting clothes in a washing machine, and serving drinks are all over social media. And tech CEOs are telling us to prepare for the forthcoming humanoid army that’s going to totally change our lives for the better. But what’s real? Where are we with this technology? Are these humanoids robots rea…

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'Just' A Blue Jay? Don't Overlook These Magnificent Common Birds 17:55

6d ago17:55

17:55

It’s that time of year: the Christmas Bird Count, when birders go out in flocks to record all the birds they see in a single day. The data collected during this annual tradition gets compiled by the National Audubon Society, and helps scientists understand bird population trends across the Americas. If you participate in the bird count, chances are…

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Can We Just Throw Our Plastic Garbage Into A Volcano? 17:16

7d ago17:16

17:16

It’s winter, and the SciFri team is already dreaming of warmer weather. How about a mind vacation to one of the hottest places on earth, an erupting volcano? Tamsin Mather has trekked to volcanoes in Chile, Guatemala, Italy, and beyond to learn their secrets. She joins Host Flora Lichtman to field your burning volcano questions, like what’s the dea…

301
How Did Ancient Humans Use The Acoustics Of Spaces Like Caves? 18:55

10d ago18:55

18:55

The sound of a choir performing in a cathedral is iconic for a reason. It’s this beautiful human experience: being side-by-side with other people, feeling the sound vibrate through you, reverberating around the space. But how long has that been a part of our culture? And what role did sound play in the lives of people who lived during the Ice Age o…

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What The Sounds Of Melting Glaciers Can Tell Us 18:26

11d ago18:26

18:26

As the planet warms, the world’s glaciers are melting faster than snow can replenish the ice. That has implications for sea level rise, ocean currents, and global weather patterns. But collecting data at the edge of a melting glacier can be risky. Glaciologist Erin Pettit and her colleagues are listening to the sounds melting glaciers make—from the…

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How A Fringe Idea Led To Lifesaving Cancer Treatments 30:08

12d ago30:08

30:08

In cancer research, the “seed and soil” hypothesis posits that the tumor is like a seed of misbehaving cells taking root in the body. Whether it grows—and where it grows—depends on the conditions, or soil. Since this hypothesis was proposed more than 100 years ago, most research and treatments have focused on the seed, or tumor. For nearly 50 years…

401
Why Is Bubonic Plague Still With Us? 12:24

13d ago12:24

12:24

For many people, bubonic plague is an illness that seems squarely situated in medieval times. But each year, a handful of human cases pop up in the western United States. Plague can be treated successfully with modern medicine. But why does it still exist, and how should we think about it both locally and globally? Plague researcher Viveka Vadyvalo…

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Don’t Let Their Name Fool You—Sea Slugs Are Awesome 23:31

14d ago23:31

23:31

Today we’re spotlighting an underappreciated group of marine creatures: sea slugs. Don’t let their humble name fool you. They come in vivid neon colors, with patterns that rival the most beautiful butterflies and feather-like external gills and tentacles. There are an estimated 10,000 species of sea slugs and they are incredibly diverse. Some are s…

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As Companies Build Data Centers For AI, Communities Push Back 11:48

17d ago11:48

11:48

There’s an enormous buildout of data centers underway across the country to fuel the AI boom. Hundreds of billions of dollars have already been spent on data centers, with talk of spending trillions more. And these data centers use a lot of power: According to the Times Picuayune, Meta’s new data center under construction in Louisiana will require …

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A Toast To Bats That Pollinate Agave, And Tracking Monarchs 18:28

18d ago18:28

18:28

You might think about bats as flitting around in the dark and hunting insects, but some species feed on fruits or flowers—and play an important role as pollinators. One place that role is crucial is in the relationship between bats and agave plants. Bat conservationist Kristen Lear joins Host Ira Flatow to describe efforts to restore agaves in the …

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A Startling Plan To Save Spotted Owls—From Barred Owls 16:10

19d ago16:10

16:10

The spotted owl has been a conservation flashpoint for more than 30 years. While habitat loss has been their historic foe, their most recent threat comes from within the owl family tree: the barred owl. Barred owls have expanded into the Pacific Northwest and are now outcompeting spotted owls for food and habitat. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service…

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Can A Microbe Conservation Movement Take Off? 12:34

20d ago12:34

12:34

A team of scientists is trying to jumpstart a global conservation movement, on par with efforts to save the rainforests or protect the oceans. But it might be even more ambitious because the target of their quest is invisible, everywhere, and mostly something we try to hand-sanitize away: microbes. So how do you conserve something that is everywher…

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How To Tap Into The Hidden Histories Of Rocks 19:12

21d ago19:12

19:12

When we try to commune with nature, many of us turn toward the living: a walk in the woods among swaying trees, chirping birds, blooming flowers. But earth scientist Anjana Khatwa says not to overlook the inanimate—don’t sleep on rocks. She joins Host Flora Lichtman to talk about her love for rocks beyond the scientific and her new book, The Whispe…

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Fingernails And Indigestion At The 2025 Ig Nobel Prizes 47:56

24d ago47:56

47:56

Each year, the Ig Nobel Prizes recognize scientific research that first makes you laugh, then makes you think. For instance, researchers who investigated the pizza preferences of lizards on the island of Togo. Or a man who kept track of his fingernail growth for 35 years. As is Thanksgiving tradition, we’re sharing highlights from this year’s Ig No…

Science Friday And WNYC Studios Podcasts

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Science Friday

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Undiscovered

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Universe of Art

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SciFri

SciFri

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Science Diction

Science Friday and WNYC Studios

1
How Did Vaccine Policies Actually Change In 2025? 12:21

1
Why Astronomers Are Excited About Comet 3I/ATLAS’ Close Approach 18:33

1
‘Fire Amoeba’ Likes It Hot, And A Faraway Lava Planet 18:08

1
What’s The Reality Behind The Humanoid Robot Hype? 12:19

1
'Just' A Blue Jay? Don't Overlook These Magnificent Common Birds 17:55

1
Can We Just Throw Our Plastic Garbage Into A Volcano? 17:16

301
How Did Ancient Humans Use The Acoustics Of Spaces Like Caves? 18:55

1
What The Sounds Of Melting Glaciers Can Tell Us 18:26

1
How A Fringe Idea Led To Lifesaving Cancer Treatments 30:08

401
Why Is Bubonic Plague Still With Us? 12:24

451
Don’t Let Their Name Fool You—Sea Slugs Are Awesome 23:31

1
As Companies Build Data Centers For AI, Communities Push Back 11:48

1
A Toast To Bats That Pollinate Agave, And Tracking Monarchs 18:28

1
A Startling Plan To Save Spotted Owls—From Barred Owls 16:10

1
Can A Microbe Conservation Movement Take Off? 12:34

1
How To Tap Into The Hidden Histories Of Rocks 19:12

1
Fingernails And Indigestion At The 2025 Ig Nobel Prizes 47:56