Science Friday

Nov 20 2024 150 ep. 19 mins 442.3k
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Brain fun for curious people.

  Science
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Bacteriophages Lurk In Your Bathroom, But Don’t Worry

Nov 20 2024 18 mins  
Researchers found hundreds of viruses that prey on bacteria on toothbrushes and showerheads. They’re unlikely to pose a threat to humans.

Managing Invasive Plants And Ticks Together | Clue Into The Evolution Of The Bird Brain

Nov 19 2024 18 mins  
Researchers are connecting two ecological problems in the Northeast in hopes of reducing the risk of tick-borne illnesses. Also, a “one-of-a-kind” fossil of Navaornis hestiae helps fill a giant gap in scientists’ understanding of how bird brains evolved.

The Gurgling, Growling History Of The Gut

Nov 18 2024 18 mins  
In her new book, medical historian Dr. Elsa Richardson discusses the changing cultural and scientific understandings of the gut.

At COP29, The World’s Top Polluters Are No-Shows | Walking Pneumonia Is Spiking

Nov 15 2024 25 mins  
Leaders from the top-polluting countries, like the US and China, aren’t showing up to the UN’s big climate conference in Azerbaijan. And, walking pneumonia typically affects school-age kids, but the CDC reports a rise in cases in children aged 2-4.

Oliver Sacks Searched The Brain For The Origins Of Music

Nov 14 2024 18 mins  
On Science Friday’s 33rd anniversary, excerpts from a classic interview with neurologist and author Dr. Oliver Sacks about music and the brain.

CAR-T Cell Therapy For Autoimmune Diseases | Measuring Early Life Adversity—In Marmots

Nov 13 2024 20 mins  
In a Chinese study, donor CAR-T cells sent autoimmune diseases into remission. There’s hope that the therapy is scalable. And, scientists used decades of yellow-bellied marmot research to find a way to measure how adverse events affect wild animals’ survival.

Your Arm Position Can Make Blood Pressure Readings Inaccurate

Nov 12 2024 17 mins  
Blood pressure categories are based on patients who are sitting in a certain position. But not every doctor’s office takes readings that way.

Why Do We Keep Widening Highways If It Doesn’t Reduce Traffic?

Nov 11 2024 17 mins  
Decades of research shows that expanding highways, despite its promise to reduce congestion, actually increases travel times.

Ballot Measures Passed To Protect Abortion Rights | New Largest Prime Number

Nov 08 2024 22 mins  
Abortion was on the ballot in 10 states, and seven of them passed constitutional amendments defending abortion rights. Also, this ginormous number has a whopping 41,024,320 digits, which isn’t very helpful for mathematicians but is certainly exciting for math nerds.

Chickens Have Friendships And Reputations | Tourist Photos May Help Map Penguin Colonies

Nov 07 2024 24 mins  
Author and naturalist Sy Montgomery discusses chicken intelligence and her experience raising a flock in New Hampshire. And, snapshots from over the years could provide researchers with valuable data about how penguin colonies have shifted.