Nov 24

Tamer Raccoons, COP30 Recap, New Fluoride Research

Zoya Teirstein, a senior staff writer at Grist, joins host Kendra Pierre-Louis to talk about this year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP30, which wrapped up in Brazil last week. Plus, new studies debunk claims that fluoride harms children’s cognitive development ... Show More

9m 29s

Nov 21

The Hidden Worlds of ‘Nanocosmos’

In his new book, Nanocosmos: Journeys in Electron Space, artist and writer Michael Benson transforms scientific imaging into art, capturing intricate natural designs that inspire awe and wonder. Join host Kendra Pierre-Louis as they explore how science and creativity intersect at ... Show More

24m 20s

Nov 19

Gut Health Tips for the Holidays

Holiday meals can delight our taste buds while the food puts real strain on our digestion. Host Kendra Pierre-Louis talks with Northwestern University gastroenterology expert Kathryn Tomasino about why digestion is influenced not just by diet but also by stress, sleep and mindful ... Show More

16m 57s

Feb 2025

An Asteroid May Hit Earth in 2032. What Can We Do about It?

The European Space Agency recently announced that the near-Earth asteroid 2024 YR4 has a 2 percent chance of hitting our planet in 2032. The probability of impact is difficult to predict exactly and will be clearer in 2028, when 2024 YR4 will whiz by us. But if the asteroid reall ... Show More

13m 11s

Feb 2025

Measles Outbreaks, Asteroid Risks and Fish Friends

The black hole at the center of our galaxy is emitting near-constant, random light. The European Space Agency has approved astronaut candidate John McFall, making McFall the first physically disabled candidate to be cleared to fly. The risk of asteroid 2024 YR4 hitting Earth rose ... Show More

7m 20s

Feb 2025

Saying Farewell to the Spacecraft That Mapped the Milky Way

The Gaia spacecraft stopped collecting data this January after about 11 years and more than three trillion observations. Senior space and physics editor Lee Billings joins host Rachel Feltman to review Gaia’s Milky Way–mapping mission and the tidal streams, black holes and astero ... Show More

17m 20s

May 2025

Jupiter’s Cyclones, Amazon’s Satellites and T. rex Collagen

The congressionally mandated National Climate Assessment grinds to a halt. Amazon launches its first round of Internet satellites. The European Space Agency launches a satellite to measure the biomass of Earth’s trees. New data from NASA’s Juno spacecraft offer insights into Jupi ... Show More

9m 1s

Feb 2025

Near-Earth Asteroid 2024 YR4 and NASA under a new administration

<p>The internet is buzzing about Asteroid 2024 YR4, currently ranked as the highest-threat asteroid in our skies. But is it really cause for concern? Our Public Education Specialist, Kate Howells, breaks down the facts. Then, we shift from potential impacts to stunning space imag ... Show More

1h 2m

Jan 2025

Finding Pluto’s Potential Replacement with a Giant New Telescope

Pluto was unseated as our solar system’s ninth planet in 2006. Since then astronomers have found signs that a real ninth planet could be hiding at the edges of our solar system. Clara Moskowitz, senior editor for space and physics, explains how the forthcoming Vera Rubin Observat ... Show More

18m 39s

Sep 19

The evolutionary price we pay for longer lives; the asteroid coming VERY close to Earth; how dinosaurs shaped the ecosystem

Episode 321 Humans live a lot longer than other primates - and much of that is down to our immune system. But there’s a price we pay for the capacity to fight off infections: inflammation. Chronic inflammation is to blame for a range of health issues, especially those related to ... Show More

32m 59s

An Asteroid May Hit Earth in 2032. What ...