Rodenticides are building up inside unintended targets, including birds, mammals, and insects; and bringing bioacoustics and artificial intelligence together for ecology
First up this week, producer Kevin McLean and freelance science journalist Dina Fine Maron discuss the history of rodent control and how rat poisons are making their way into our ecosystem. ... Show More
May 7
A team effort to save a giant fish, the power of moonlight, and how scientists can navigate a tough political environment
First up on the podcast, along Brazil’s Juruá River, local residents have been working with scientists to manage a giant fish called the arapaima—affecting the land, the people, and the economy. Contributing Correspondent Warren Cornwall joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about this ... Show More
53m 53s
Apr 30
Watching a spiders’ heart beat, epigenetic ethics, and what science biographies reveal about fame
First up on the podcast, Online News Editor David Grimm shares a batch of fun stories with podcast host Sarah Crespi—from spider hearts racing when traffic gets loud to a disease-preventing house. Staff Writer Adrian Cho hops in to help discuss the possibility of black holes with ... Show More
46m 43s
Apr 23
Cleaning up uranium mining, and how the heart avoids cancer
First up on the podcast, freelance science and environmental journalist Quentin Septer joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about a controversial uranium mine getting fast-tracked in South Dakota. Septer chatted with locals, scientists, and regulators to learn more about the geology o ... Show More
30m 48s
Dec 2024
The New Conservationists: Thanks to Conservation Efforts, Pandas, Wolves and Panthers Are Making a Comeback (Part 4)
Tens of thousands of animal species are facing extinction, mostly because of human activity. But thanks to conservationists, there are some animals that are making a comeback.
This is part four of “The New Conservationists,” a four-part series about the evolving world of animal c ... Show More
23m 25s
Jul 2025
AI, bounties and culture change, how scientists are taking on errors
A simple methodological error meant that for years researchers considered drinking moderate amounts of alcohol to be healthy. Now plenty of evidence suggests that isn't the case, but errors like this still plague the scientific literature. So, how can the scientific literature be ... Show More
49m 19s
Aug 2024
The not-so-secret life of plants
From the perspective of Western science, plants have long been considered unaware, passive life forms; essentially, rocks that happen to grow. But there’s something in the air in the world of plant science. New research suggests that plants are aware of the world around them to a ... Show More
39m 4s
Oct 2025
SECRET VOICES OF THE WILD: AI Unlocks Animal Language🦁🐘
Get ready for another adventure through space, nature, and the strangest corners of science on the BIGGER and BETTER Science Weekly! This week, we’re answering YOUR questions, have scientists battle it out to decide which science is the best, and uncovering why plastic is such a ... Show More
28m 45s
Aug 2025
Animals in the year 20202025
What do scientists think animals might be like millions of years from now? (First published in 2021) Guests: Benji Jones, senior correspondent at Vox; David Willard, ornithologist at Chicago's Field Museum; Liz Alter, marine biologist at San José State University; Jingmai O'Conno ... Show More
27m 19s