Best Sled Technology Podcasts (2025)

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A mother lode of Mexican mammoths, how water pollution enters the air, and a book on playing dead 55:07

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3h ago55:07

55:07

First up on the podcast, Staff Writer Rodrigo Pérez Ortega joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about a megafauna megafind that rivals the La Brea Tar Pits. In addition to revealing tens of thousands of bones from everything from dire wolves to an ancient human, the site has yielded the first DNA from ammoths that lived in a warm climate. Next on the sh…

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New insights into endometriosis, and mapping dengue in Latin America 32:07

7d ago32:07

32:07

First up on the podcast, Staff Writer Meredith Wadman joins host Sarah Crespi to discuss recent advances in understanding endometriosis—a disease where tissue that resembles the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus, causing pain and other health effects. The pair talk about how investigating the role of the immune system in this disease is…

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Why chatbots lie, and can synthetic organs and AI replace animal testing? 31:53

14d ago31:53

31:53

First up on the podcast, producer Meagan Cantwell and Contributing Correspondent Sara Reardon discuss alternative approaches to animal testing, from a heart on a chip to a miniorgan in a dish. Next on the show, Expert Voices columnist Melanie Mitchell and host Sarah Crespi dig into AI lies. Why do chatbots fabricate answers and pretend to do math? …

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Why anteaters keep evolving, and how giant whales get enough food to live 28:08

21d ago28:08

28:08

First up on the podcast, Online News Editor David Grimm brings stories on peacock feathers’ ability to emit laser light, how anteaters have evolved at least 12 times, and why we should be thanking ketchup for our French fries. Next on the show, rorqual whales, such as the massive blue whale, use a lunging strategy to fill their monster maws with se…

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Wartime science in Ukraine, what Neanderthals really ate, and visiting the city of the dead 51:33

28d ago51:33

51:33

First up on the podcast, Contributing Correspondent Richard Stone joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about the toll of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and how researchers have been mobilized to help the war effort. In June, Stone visited the basement labs where Ukrainian students modify off-the-shelf drones for war fighting and the facilities where bi…

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Robots that eat other robots, and an ancient hot spot of early human relatives 34:45

1M ago34:45

34:45

First up on the podcast, South Africa’s Cradle of Humankind is home to the world’s greatest concentration of ancestral human remains, including our own genus, Homo, Australopithecus, and a more robust hominin called Paranthropus. Proving they were there at the same time is challenging, but new fossil evidence seems to point to coexistence. Producer…

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Studying a shark-haunted island, and upgrading our microbiomes with engineered bacteria 36:50

1M ago36:50

36:50

First up on the podcast, Réunion Island had a shark attack crisis in2011 and closed its beaches for more than a decade. Former News Intern Alexa Robles-Gil joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about how researchers have used that time to study the island’s shark populations and test techniques for preventing attacks, in the hopes of protecting lives and…

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A tardi party for the ScienceAdviser newsletter, and sled dog genomes 25:52

2M ago25:52

25:52

First up on the podcast, Newsletter Editor Christie Wilcox joins host Sarah Crespi to celebrate the 2-year anniversary of ScienceAdviser with many stories about the amazing water bear. They also discuss links between climate change, melting glaciers, and earthquakes in the Alps, as well as what is probably the first edible laser. Next on the show, …

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Losing years of progress against HIV, and farming plastic on Mars 31:12

2M ago31:12

31:12

First up on the podcast, U.S. aid helped two African countries rein in HIV. Then came President Donald Trump. Senior News Correspondent Jon Cohen talks with producer Kevin McLean about how in Lesotho and Eswatini, treatment and prevention cutbacks are hitting pregnant people, children, and teens especially hard. This story is part of a series about…

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Will your family turn you into a chatbot after you die? Plus, synthetic squid skin, and the sway of matriarchs in ancient Anatolia 44:57

2M ago44:57

44:57

First up on the podcast, Contributing Correspondent Andrew Curry joins host Sarah Crespi to discuss a pair of Science papers on kinship and culture in Neolithic Anatolia. The researchers used ancient DNA and isotopes from 8000 to 9000 years ago to show how maternal lines were important in Çatalhöyük culture. ● E. Yüncü et al., Female lineages and c…

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How effective are plastic bag bans? And a whole new way to do astronomy 37:25

2M ago37:25

37:25

First up on the podcast, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory is just coming online, and once fully operational, it will take a snapshot of the entire southern sky every 3 days. Producer Meagan Cantwell guides us through Staff Writer Daniel Clery’s trip to the site of the largest camera ever made for astronomy. Next on the show, probing the impact of plas…

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Why peanut allergy is so common and hot forests as test beds for climate change 37:22

3M ago37:22

37:22

First up on the podcast, Staff Writer Erik Stokstad talks with host Sarah Crespi about how scientists are probing the world’s hottest forests to better understand how plants will cope with climate change. His storyis part of a special issue on plants and heat, which includes reviews and perspectives on the fate of plants in a warming world. Next on…

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Farming maize in ice age Michigan, predicting the future climate of cities, and our host takes a quiz on the sounds of science 42:05

3M ago42:05

42:05

First up on the podcast, we hear from Staff Writer Paul Voosen about the tricky problem of regional climate prediction. Although global climate change models have held up for the most part, predicting what will happen at smaller scales, such as the level of a city, is proving a stubborn challenge. Just increasing the resolution of global models req…

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Tickling in review, spores in the stratosphere, and longevity research 52:30

3M ago52:30

52:30

First up on the podcast, Online News Editor Michael Greshko joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about stories set high above our heads. They discuss capturing fungal spores high in the stratosphere, the debate over signs oflife on the exoplanet K2-18b, and a Chinese contender for world’s oldest star catalog. Next on the show, a look into long-standing …

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Strange metals and our own personal ‘oxidation fields’ 40:13

3M ago40:13

40:13

First up on the podcast, freelance journalist Zack Savitsky joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about the strange metal state. Physicists are probing thebehavior of electrons in these materials, which appear to behave like a thick soup rather than discrete charged particles. Many suspect insights into strange metals might lead to the creation of room-t…

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A horse science roundup and using dubious brain scans as evidence of crimes 30:27

3M ago30:27

30:27

First up on the podcast, freelance journalist Jonathan Moens talks with host Sarah Crespi about a forensic test called brain electrical oscillation signature (BEOS) profiling, which police in India are using along with other techniques to try to tell whether a suspect participated in a crime, despite these technologies’ extremely shaky scientific g…

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Staying Ahead in the Age of AI-Powered Threats- Michael Townsend, National SLED Solutions Architect, Barracuda 35:35

4M ago35:35

35:35

AI-driven attacks don’t take breaks—and neither should your cybersecurity strategy. In this episode, Rick from DALY is joined once again by Michael Townsend, National SLED Solutions Architect at Barracuda, to dive into the five foundational pillars every organization needs to protect its network. From proactive detection to rapid response and scala…

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Analyzing music from ancient Greece and Rome, and the 100 days that shook science 33:17

4M ago33:17

33:17

First up on the podcast, producer Meagan Cantwell worked with the Science News team to review how the first 100 days of PresidentDonald Trump’s administration have impacted science. In the segment, originally produced for video, we hear about how the workforce, biomedical research, and global health initiatives all face widespread, perhaps permanen…

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Tales from an Italian crypt, and the science behind ‘dad bods’ 32:28

4M ago32:28

32:28

First up on the podcast, Contributing Correspondent Andrew Curry talks with host Sarah Crespi about his visit to 17th century crypts under an old hospital in Italy. Researchers are examining tooth plaque, bone lesions, and mummified brains to learn more about the health, diet, and drug habits of Milan’s working poor 400 years ago. Next on the show,…

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A caterpillar that haunts spiderwebs, solving the last riddles of a famed friar, and a new book series 45:52

4M ago45:52

45:52

First up on the podcast, bringing Gregor Mendel’s peas into the 21st century. Back in the 19th century Mendel, a friar and naturalist, tracked traits in peas such as flower color and shape over many generations. He used these observations to identify basic concepts about inheritance such as recessive and dominant traits. Staff Writer Erik Stokstad …

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Linking cat domestication to ancient cult sacrifices, and watching aurorae wander 26:36

4M ago26:36

26:36

First up on the podcast, Online News Editor David Grimm joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about how an Egyptian cult that killed cats may have also tamed them. Next on the show, we hear about when the aurorae wandered. About 41,000 years ago, Earth’s magnetic poles took an excursion. They began to move equatorward and decreased in strength to one-ten…

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The metabolic consequences of skipping sleep, and cuts and layoffs slam NIH 28:34

5M ago28:34

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First up on the podcast, ScienceInsider Editor Jocelyn Kaiser joins host Sarah Crespi to discuss big changes in science funding and government jobs this month, including an order to cut billions in contracts, lawsuits over funding caps and grant funding cancellations, and mass firings at the National Institutes of Health. Next on the show, taking s…

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Talking about engineering the climate, and treating severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy 31:56

5M ago31:56

31:56

Geoengineering experiments face an uphill battle, and a way to combat the pregnancy complication hyperemesis gravidarum First up on the podcast, climate engineers face tough conversations with the public when proposing plans to test new technologies. Freelance science journalist Rebekah White joins host Sarah Crespi to discuss the questions people …

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Studying urban wildfires, and the challenges of creating tiny AI robots 32:46

5M ago32:46

32:46

First up this week, urban wildfires raged in Los Angeles in January. Contributing Correspondent Warren Cornwall discusses how researchers have come together to study how pollution from buildings at such a large scale impacts the environment and health of the local population. Next on the show, Mingze Chen, a graduate student in the mechanical engin…

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Why seals don’t drown, and tracking bird poop as it enters the sea 38:13

5M ago38:13

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First up this week, Newsletter Editor Christie Wilcox joins host Sarah Crespi to discuss stories from the sea, including why scientists mounted cameras on seabirds, backward and upside-down; newly discovered organisms from the world’s deepest spot, the Mariana Trench; and how extremely venomous, blue-lined octopus males use their toxin on females i…

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Why sign language could be crucial for kids with cochlear implants, studying the illusion of pain, and recent political developments at NIH 42:40

6M ago42:40

42:40

First up this week, science policy editor Jocelyn Kaiser joins host Sarah Crespi to discuss the latest news about the National Institutes of Health—from reconfiguring review panels to canceled grants to confirmation hearings for a new head, Jay Bhattacharya. Next, although cochlear implants can give deaf children access to sound, it doesn’t always …

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Intrusive thoughts during pregnancy, paternity detectives, and updates from the Trump Tracker 55:09

6M ago55:09

55:09

First up this week, International News Editor David Malakoff joins host Sarah Crespi to discuss the most recent developments in U.S. science under Donald Trump’s second term, from the impact of tariffs on science to the rehiring of probationary employees at the National Science Foundation. Next, we tackle the question of extra-pair paternity in peo…

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Keeping transgenic corn sustainable, and sending shrunken heads home 35:58

6M ago35:58

35:58

First up this week, Kata Karáth, a freelance journalist based in Ecuador, talks with host Sarah Crespi about an effort to identify traditionally prepared shrunken heads in museums and collections around the world and potentially repatriate them. Next, genetically modified Bt corn has helped farmers avoid serious crop damage from insects, but planti…

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Shrinking AI for use in farms and clinics, ethical dilemmas for USAID researchers, and how to evolve evolvability 42:25

6M ago42:25

42:25

First up this week, researchers face impossible decisions as U.S. aid freeze halts clinical trials. Deputy News Editor Martin Enserink joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about how organizers of U.S. Agency for International Development–funded studies are grappling with ethical responsibilities to trial participants and collaborators as funding, suppli…

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Training AI to read animal facial expressions, NIH funding takes a big hit, and why we shouldn’t put cameras in robot pants 39:05

7M ago39:05

39:05

First up this week, International News Editor David Malakoff joins the podcast to discuss the big change in NIH’s funding policy for overhead or indirect costs, the outrage from the biomedical community over the cuts, and the lawsuits filed in response. Next, what can machines understand about pets and livestock that humans can’t? Christa Lesté-Las…

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How the mantis shrimp builds its powerful club, and mysteries of middle Earth 26:55

7M ago26:55

26:55

First up this week, Staff Writer Paul Voosen joins host Sarah Crespi to discuss mapping clogs and flows in Earth’s middle layer—the mantle. They also talk about recent policy stories on NASA’s reactions to President Donald Trump’s administration’s executive orders. Next, the mantis shrimp is famous for its powerful club, a biological hammer it uses…

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Stepping into the Future of Computing - Matias Matias, Principal of Business Strategy, HP 41:40

7M ago41:40

41:40

The SLED space is on the brink of a massive transformation. With Windows 10 and Microsoft 365 nearing the end of their support, many organizations risk leaving their tech behind. An outdated system, jeopardizes both security and quality making evolving your operating system no longer an option – it’s a necessity. In the first episode of this season…

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Why it pays to scratch that itch, and science at the start of the second Trump administration 26:59

7M ago26:59

26:59

First up this week, we catch up with the editor of ScienceInsider, Jocelyn Kaiser. She talks about changes at the major science agencies that came about with the transition to President Donald Trump’s second administration, such as hiring freezes at the National Institutes of Health and the United States’s departure from the World Health Organizati…

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Unlocking green hydrogen, and oxygen deprivation as medicine 33:12

7M ago33:12

33:12

First up this week, although long touted as a green fuel, the traditional approach to hydrogen production is not very sustainable. Staff writer Robert F. Service joins producer Meagan Cantwell to discuss how researchers are aiming to improve electrolyzers—devices that split water into hydrogen and oxygen—with more efficient and durable designs. Nex…

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Rising infections from a dusty devil, and nailing down when our ancestors became meat eaters 33:57

7M ago33:57

33:57

First up this week, growing numbers of Valley fever cases, also known as coccidioidomycosis, has researchers looking into the disease-causing fungus. They’re exploring its links to everything from drought and wildfires to climate change and rodent populations. Staff Writer Meredith Wadman joins host Sarah Crespi to discuss her visit to a Valley fev…

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Bats surf storm fronts, and public perception of preprints 32:34

8M ago32:34

32:34

First up this week, as preprint publications ramped up during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, so did media attention for these pre–peer-review results. But what do the readers of news reports based on preprints know about them? Associate News Editor Jeff Brainard joins host Sarah Crespi to discuss studies that look at the public perception …

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Bridging the Digital Document Divide - Scott Francis, RICOH Document Scanners 31:49

8M ago31:49

31:49

For decades, business have relied on paper. But as organizations strive for sustainability and efficiency, paper is getting piled up, crumpled up, and completely outdated. With more people working remotely, digitizing documents is crucial for an organization's success. From offices to the classroom, the evolution of work has caused a big question: …

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On the trail with a truffle-hunting dog, and why we should save elderly plants and animals 28:33

8M ago28:33

28:33

First up this week, Newsletter Editor Christie Wilcox talks with host Sarah Crespi about truffle hunting for science. Wilcox accompanied Heather Dawson, a Ph.D. student at the University of Oregon, and her sister Hilary Dawson, a postdoctoral researcher at Australian National University, on a hunt for nonculinary truffles—the kind you don’t eat—wi…

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Top online stories of the year, and revisiting digging donkeys and baby minds 37:31

8M ago37:31

37:31

First up this week, Online News Editor David Grimm shares a sampling of stories that hit big with our audience and staff in this year, from corpse-eating pets to the limits of fanning ourselves. Next, host Sarah Crespi tackles some unfinished business with Producer Kevin McLean. Three former guests talk about where their research has taken them sin…

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Charging Toward the Future - Abe Wiley, Jar Systems 41:38

8M ago41:38

41:38

Technology gives us so much power in the palms of our hands. But with great technology comes an even greater power need. In the education space, the plethora of student devices utilized need full batteries to unlock the full potential of learning. But most school systems don’t have the charging tech infrastructure to meet the challenge. In this epi…

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Science’s Breakthrough of the Year, and psychedelic drugs, climate, and fusion technology updates 44:46

9M ago44:46

44:46

First up this week, Breakthroughs Editor Greg Miller joins producer Meagan Cantwell to discuss Science’s 2024 Breakthrough of the Year. They also discuss some of the other scientific achievements that turned heads this year, from ancient DNA and autoimmune therapy, to precision pesticides, and the discovery of a new organelle. Next, host Sarah Cres…

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Making Latin American science visible, and advances in cooling tech 31:11

9M ago31:11

31:11

First up this week, freelance science journalist Sofia Moutinho joins host Sarah Crespi to discuss making open-access journals from South and Latin America visible to the rest of the world by creating platforms that help with the publishing process and discovery of journal articles. This story is part of a News series about global equity in science…

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Leaf-based computer chips, and evidence that two early human ancestors coexisted 26:44

9M ago26:44

26:44

First up this week, making electronics greener with leaves. Host Sarah Crespi talks with Newsletter Editor Christie Wilcox about using the cellulose skeletons of leaves to create robust, biodegradable backings for computer chips. This sustainable approach can be used for printing circuits and making organic light-emitting diodes and if widely adopt…

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Testing whales’ hearing, and mapping clusters of extreme longevity 36:36

9M ago36:36

36:36

First up this week, where on Earth do people live the longest? What makes those places or people so special? Genes, diet, life habits? Or could it be bad record keeping and statistical flukes? Freelance science journalist Ignacio Amigo joins host Sarah Crespi to discuss the controversies around so-called blue zones—regions in the world where cluste…

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Defending Your Data in the SLED Space- Edwin Kohler, Distinguished Principal Engineer, Extreme Networks 35:49

9M ago35:49

35:49

Data is a valuable and sensitive resource. Hackers from all over the world are discovering new ways to steal data from organizations. As hackers evolve, so does your network to protect and defend against the latest in cyber threats. But how do you know which program is the best for your defense? In this episode, tune-in to hear Rick from DALY speak…

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Resurrecting a ‘flipping ship,’ and solving the ‘bone paradox’ in ancient remains 31:20

10M ago31:20

31:20

First up this week, a ship that flips for science. Sean Cummings, a freelance science journalist, joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about the resurrection of the Floating Instrument Platform (R/V FLIP), a research vessel built by the U.S. Navy in the 1960s and retired in 2023. FLIP is famous for turning vertically 90° so the bulk of the long ship is …

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Watching continents slowly break apart, and turbo charging robotic sniffers 25:04

10M ago25:04

25:04

First up this week, Staff Writer Paul Voosen talks with host Sarah Crespi about his travel to meet up with a lead researcher in the field, Folarin Kolawole, and the subtle signs of rifting on the African continent. Next on the show, Nik Dennler, a Ph.D. student in the Biocomputation Group at the University of Hertfordshire and the International Cen…

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The challenges of studying misinformation, and what Wikipedia can tell us about human curiosity 38:40

10M ago38:40

38:40

First up this week, Contributing Correspondent Kai Kupferschmidt joins host Sarah Crespi to discuss the difficulties of studying misinformation. Although misinformation seems like it’s everywhere, researchers in the field don’t agree on a common definition or shared strategies for combating it. Next, what can Wikipedia tell us about human curiosity…

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The Challenges of Safety Policy - Sean Georgia, Panasonic, and Wes Dobry, Eclypsium 38:01

10M ago38:01

38:01

From the outside, keeping everyone safe can seem relatively simple. However, there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes to make sure our public safety professionals are all up to standards. The Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) policy is crucial towards ensuring safety organizations are protecting their network along with the public. …

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Paleorobotics, revisiting the landscape of fear, and a book on the future of imagination 45:48

10M ago45:48

45:48

Using robots to study evolution, the last installment of our series of books on a future to look forward to, and did reintroducing wolves really restore an ecosystem? First up this week, a new study of an iconic ecosystem doesn’t support the “landscape of fear” concept. This is the idea that bringing back apex predators has a huge impact on the beh…