logo
episode-header-image
Today
22m 45s

Everyone is calling for safer AI. So wha...

SCIENCE FRIDAY AND WNYC STUDIOS
About this episode
Concerns about AI safety are growing. Two researchers explain the unintended consequences of training AI models and what questions remain. 
Up next
Yesterday
Underwater archeology reveals clues about Ice Age humans
During the last ice age, America’s coastlines and waterways looked much different than they do today. When glaciers melted, coasts and shorelines were inundated, burying early human settlements underwater. This is where underwater archeology comes in. Donning scuba gear and trowe ... Show More
18m 18s
Sep 22
Climate change is increasing hurricane risk for Hawaiʻi
The Hawaiian Islands tend to be insulated from the worst effects of hurricanes, but this summer has been different. In mid-August, Hurricane Lala pummeled the Big Island, damaging homes and roads and causing flooding and power outages. Then a few weeks later, Hurricane Lowell hit ... Show More
12m 30s
Sep 21
Bringing hard electronics into soft and squishy bodies
A lot of things in life are squishy, including your skin, your organs, and all the goo inside you. But technology tends to be rigid and hard. Figuring out how to get those two worlds to work together can be challenging. How do you connect an electronic sensor to a soft, beating h ... Show More
18m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2025
What makes fireflies glow?
<p>Melissa and Jam delve into the fascinating chemistry behind fireflies' bioluminescence. They explore how fireflies produce light through a complex series of chemical reactions involving specific molecules like luciferin and enzymes like luciferase. The discussion extends to ho ... Show More
56m 31s
May 2024
FIREFLIES with Sara Lewis
<p>We’re back with another fresh episode of Smologies to light up your life and your butt. World renowned firefly expert Dr. Sara Lewis of Tufts University joins to share her love of a bug that many think is merely a mythological delight. Learn how these tiny animals illuminate t ... Show More
22m 20s
Jul 2025
Lampyridology (FIREFLIES) aka Sparklebuttology Updated Encore with Sara Lewis
<p>Let’s light up your life and butt. World-renowned firefly expert Dr. Sara Lewis of Tufts University gives us some updates to her 2021 episode, sharing her love of a bug that many think is merely mythological. Learn how these tiny animals illuminate the night, the dos and don’t ... Show More
1h 7m
May 2024
The luminous mystery of fireflies | Wan Faridah Akmal Jusoh
There are more than 2,000 firefly species, found on every continent except for Antarctica — an astonishing diversity of movement and light. Firefly scientist Wan Faridah Akmal Jusoh explores the mysteries of these little beetles that light up the night and details her quest to di ... Show More
13m 18s
Jul 2013
Insect Love Song
<p>Insect Love Song: The night is alive with insects. To our human ears their song is mere cacophony, but it's actually a vast web of communication signals. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Julie decode the Insect Internet for the meanings behind insect song ... Show More
24m 20s
Oct 2022
How do glow sticks work? The science of chemiluminescence
With Halloween just around the corner, we're talking all things glow sticks! What makes glow sticks glow, and what does it have to do with ocean bacteria? Let's take a look at the science of chemiluminescence. Ellen Phiddian is a science journalist at Cosmos. She has a BSc (Honou ... Show More
7m 48s
Feb 2023
Glow for it! How do creatures make light?
Lots of creatures are able to glow, like fish, mushrooms, fireflies and even some bacteria! This special ability is called bioluminescence and it looks like magic, but it’s actually chemistry. In this episode, we’ll travel to the bottom of the ocean in the ExPLORERR to meet some ... Show More
35m 58s
Nov 2024
Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Fireflies in synchrony
Once a year they come out, by the thousands. Fireflies. But these aren’t just any fireflies. These are Photinus Carolinas, also known as synchronous fireflies They blink on and off together. It’s an amazing site. On this episode, I head to Great Smoky Mountains National Park to e ... Show More
47m 21s
Sep 2012
Bioluminescence: A Bright and Shiny Fish
<p>Science has a handle on fireflies and glowworms, but most bioluminescent animals live in the ocean and are tough to study. Today, researchers are still figuring out why some animals produce light. Dive with Josh and Chuck into this illuminating topic.</p><p> </p> Learn more ab ... Show More
36m 40s
Oct 2021
Night Flights Are No Sweat for Tropical Bees
New research uses night vision to see how nocturnal bees navigate the dark. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 
5m 13s