Science Friday Audio Podcast: Episodes
Computer scientists at Indiana University in Bloomington have developed a tool to track the flow of information in Twitter. The goal is to identify deliberately deceptive tweets, and trace them back to their origins. Researcher Johan Bollen explains how the analysis works.
Ira Flatow took Nissan's new electric-powered Leaf for a drive around New York City. This car runs on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery -- no oil or gas -- and with a new battery, the car can go between 60 and 130 miles on a charge. The car is set to go into production in the next few months, with deliveries ...
A recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says two-thirds of Americans don't get the recommended two servings of fruit a day; three-quarters miss the target for vegetables. Ira Flatow and guests discuss ways Americans might be persuaded to eat more fresh produce.
Two Russian scientists won the Nobel Prize in physics this week for their work on graphene, a chicken-wire-like lattice of carbon atoms. Joseph Stroscio, of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, talks about why physicists are so fascinated by the material.
The Cassini spacecraft spotted icy plumes jetting from Saturn's moon Enceladus in 2005. Now researchers say a carbonated ocean may fuel the plumes. <em>Science News</em> reporter Ron Cowen talks about this and other news from a meeting of the American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences.
Two Russian scientists won the Nobel Prize in physics this week for their work on graphene, a chicken-wire-like lattice of carbon atoms. Joseph Stroscio, of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, talks about why physicists are so fascinated by the material.
The Cassini spacecraft spotted icy plumes jetting from Saturn's moon Enceladus in 2005. Now researchers say a carbonated ocean may fuel the plumes. <em>Science News</em> reporter Ron Cowen talks about this and other news from a meeting of the American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences.
Science Friday listener Josh Scott is on a mission: He wants to get a pictorial history of space exploration tattooed on his arm. What missions or satellites should be included? Apollo? Hubble? Call in with your suggestions and help Scott get sleeved in space science style.
Add an extra "H" for "hypothesis" to the head, heart, hands, and health that make up the 4-H club motto. This week, 4-H chapters across the country are taking part in science experiments that aim to teach kids in rural and urban areas about water use and carbon footprints.
A new study in the <em>Annals of Internal Medicine</em> suggests that dieters' sleep duration affects weight loss. Those who slept less lost more muscle than fat, while dieters who slept more took off more fat. Sleep researcher Michael Lacey explains how sleep relates to weight.
Computer scientists at Indiana University in Bloomington have developed a tool to track the flow of information in Twitter. The goal is to identify deliberately deceptive tweets, and trace them back to their origins. Researcher Johan Bollen explains how the analysis works.
Ira Flatow took Nissan's new electric-powered Leaf for a drive around New York City. This car runs on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery -- no oil or gas -- and with a new battery, the car can go between 60 and 130 miles on a charge. The car is set to go into production in the next few months, with deliveries ...
A recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says two-thirds of Americans don't get the recommended two servings of fruit a day; three-quarters miss the target for vegetables. Ira Flatow and guests discuss ways Americans might be persuaded to eat more fresh produce.
Did you know Mark Twain tried his hand at science fiction? In the book <em>The Disappearing Spoon,</em> author Sam Kean writes about Twain's prescient story "Sold to Satan." In the story, Satan’s problems stem, in part, from the fact that he is made entirely of the newly discovered radioactive element radium.
The television series <em>Cosmos,</em> which first aired 30 years ago this week, made a celebrity of science communicator Carl Sagan. In this archival 1994 Science Friday interview, Sagan discusses his book <em>The Pale Blue Dot</em> and shares his thoughts on manned space exploration.
Computer experts say a sophisticated computer worm dubbed "Stuxnet" exploits vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows to attack industrial control systems, including one at an Iranian nuclear power plant. Computer security experts discuss the worm and its impact on security.
Scientists report finding the fossilized remains of a new species of giant penguin in a Peruvian desert. Paleontologist Julia Clarke of the University of Texas, Austin describes what these huge birds looked like and how the new finding can help explain penguin evolution.
The brown marmorated stink bug, which hails from Asia, had a population boom this year -- terrorizing farmers and homeowners up and down the Eastern U.S. USDA entomologist Tracy Leskey explains what's known about the bug and how to cope.
Gliese 581g, a planet orbiting the dwarf star Gliese in the constellation Libra, is Earth-like in a few key ways. It's not much bigger than Earth, and its temperature seems mild enough for liquid water. Steven Vogt, of the University of California, Santa Cruz, explains how he found the planet.
What grows best in Martian soil? How do you get oxygen out of thin air? Pat Duggins, author of <em>Trailblazing Mars: NASA’s Next Giant Leap,</em> talks about the questions NASA will face if it sends astronauts to the Red Planet and how to choose the right people for the job.