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Science Friday

@scifri.bsky.social
242K followers 127 following 3.1K posts

Entertaining & educational conversations about science, tech, + more. Hosted by Ira Flatow and Flora Lichtman. From WNYCStudios.

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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 53m
We’re nominated for a Signal Award in their Science category! If Science Friday has sparked your curiosity, taught you something new, or has been a fun part of your commute, please vote for us! Vote now before Oct. 15th: bit.ly/4eoRbvB
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 17h
And if you’re celebrating World Octopus Day, check out our Cephalopod Week Spotlight for more stories, games, and activities. www.sciencefriday.com/spotlights/c...
sciencefriday.com
Happy Cephalopod Week from Science Friday
Cephalopod Week is back! Time to poddy.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 17h
Listen to our podcast episode "The punk rock life of cephalopods" or hear it on your local public radio station this Friday. www.sciencefriday.com/segments/pun...
sciencefriday.com
The punk rock life of cephalopods
This Cephalopod Week, we’re talking death spirals, cannibalism, and giant squid dissection.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 17h
From their three hearts to their doughnut-shaped brains, octopuses are fascinating creatures that are also biologically wired to die after they reproduce. We spoke with cephalopod expert Z. Yan Wang to learn more about octopus death spirals and to answer listener questions for Cephalopod Week!
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
If you’ve been loving our cephalo-bration, join our Sea of Support with a donation! donate.sciencefriday.com/seaofsupport
donate.sciencefriday.com
Sign Up for Science Friday Newsletters
From weekly science news to book club picks and educational resources, discover the SciFri newsletters that belong in your inbox.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
We explore the different movies cephalopods have starred in with our latest Science Goes To The Movies newsletter. Check out the article on our website and dive into our other cephalopod content that we’re dropping all week long. www.sciencefriday.com/articles/cep...
sciencefriday.com
How on-screen cephalopods went from monsters to teachers
Cephalopod characters have shown up in movies for over a century. But as our understanding of them has changed, so have their on-screen roles.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Cephalopods are having a Hollywood glow-up. 🎬🐙 From monsters to villains to teachers, their on-screen roles have been changing as people understand them more.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
We did film the whole interview so you can watch this special episode on our YouTube or website. www.sciencefriday.com/segments/how...
sciencefriday.com
How important ideas get reawakened, with David Byrne
Why do some breakthroughs go dormant—and then wake up? Watch Flora's interview with artist David Byrne about these "sleeping beauties."
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
David Byrne is no stranger to bringing extraordinary ideas to life. But what about ideas that are ahead of their time? How do we reawaken them? Flora chatted with David about his new book “Sleeping Beauties: Why Good Ideas Go Dormant and How They Wake Up,” and which ideas resonated with him most.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
We’ll be chatting with marine biologist Dr. Gregory Barord, Director of Science and Outreach for Save the Nautilus, and answering questions from the chat. Cephalopod fans of every age are welcome so share with your friends! www.sciencefriday.com/articles/dis...
sciencefriday.com
Discover the chambered nautilus with Dr. Gregory J. Barord
Join SciFri Educate for a live Q&A about this endangered "living fossil."
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Join SciFri Educate on October 8th for a Cephalopod Week live Q&A! When: Thursday, October 8 at 1 pm ET / 10 am PT Where: Science Friday’s YouTube channel ⤵️ www.youtube.com/live/O4X5kdv... Tickets: Free! RSVP for reminders below ⤵️ www.sciencefriday.com/articles/dis...
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Follow along at home or in the classroom with our free nautilus math activity! It has a worksheet, suggested questions, and other educational resources. Link in bio. www.sciencefriday.com/educational-...
sciencefriday.com
Myth or math? Is the nautilus shell’s golden ratio real?
Grab a ruler, crunch the numbers, and test if the spiral is truly golden.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
People have claimed the nautilus shell is an example of the golden ratio, but is that true? The golden ratio is a number associated with spirals, art, architecture, and patterns in nature. So Christopher Bartlett, an art professor from Towson University, put the nautilus shell to the test.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
It’s Cephalopod Week! All week long we’ll be celebrating our favorite cephalopods with stories, games, educational activities, virtual events, and lots more! Dive in on our website at sciencefriday.com/cephalopodweek. We’re kicking it off with a nautilus as our #PictureOfTheWeek.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Size-wise, yes!
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Always looking fierce!
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
AI is changing fast and we want to hear how it’s showing up in your life. Is an AI agent your new thought partner? Or are you using AI in ways you never expected? What’s changed since AI and how do you feel about it? Call and tell us about it at 877-4-SCIFRI.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Image credits: NASA Goddard/Intuitive Machines/Robert Wagner
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Flora spoke with planetary scientist Tyler Powell about what we can learn from this rare impact. Listen to our podcast episode “Examining a new lunar crater + searching for signs of alien technology.” www.sciencefriday.com/segments/exa...
sciencefriday.com
Examining a new lunar crater + searching for signs of alien technology
Scientists are learning more about a recent impact crater on the moon. Plus, hunting for extraterrestrial life through technological clues.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
There’s a new crater on the moon and it’s unlikely to happen again in our lifetimes. Created by a comet or asteroid striking the moon between April 11 and May 22, 2024, it is the largest, newly formed crater discovered in our solar system.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
We need your help with a story about attachment styles. We want to know if you’ve heard of them and how it has impacted you. Do you never date someone with avoidant attachment? Do you think you're anxiously attached but you want to be a secure attachment person? Leave a voicemail at 877-4-SCIFRI.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Listen to our podcast episode "The tilcayo is the new wild cat on the block" or hear it on your local public radio station this Friday. www.sciencefriday.com/segments/the...
sciencefriday.com
The tilcayo is the new wild cat on the block
The tiny, three-pound tilcayo is the first cat species to be described in a century, and, yes—it is as cute as you’d think.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Flora chatted with Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz, the biologist who worked for nearly 10 years to identify this feline. They talked about how Paola met the tilcayo and why it was so hard to identify as a new species.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Big news for tiny cats: an itty-bitty three-pound spotted cat is the first new wild cat species described in more than a hundred years. Photos by Fernando Faciole/National Geographic.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Lymphatic drainage is taking social media by storm. Hacks on how to clear toxins from your system are flooding people's feeds. But how effective are they? Do they actually work? We spoke with experts to find out. Listen to our episode "What is lymphatic drainage, anyway?" bit.ly/4hmk6T7
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Very cool! Love to hear it!
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
We just say add your worms in the video. Our educational resource (www.sciencefriday.com/educational-...) specifies that red wiggler worms are best, but not everyone can find them easily. So for our demostration video, we did use nightcrawlers as that is what we had access to.
sciencefriday.com
From scraps to soil: the dirt on the (not so lowly) worm
Turn your leftovers into new soil by building a worm farm.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Science Friday has a new educational resource to walk you through creating your own worm farm at home or in the classroom. This free resource also has worksheets, suggested questions, and videos to keep kids engaged. Check it out on our website! www.sciencefriday.com/educational-...
sciencefriday.com
From scraps to soil: the dirt on the (not so lowly) worm
Turn your leftovers into new soil by building a worm farm.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Are you curious about vermicomposting? Try this! Vermicomposting means composting with worms. They help speed up the process and you get to have a team of tiny recyclers working for you.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Listen to our podcast episode “Bringing hard electronics into soft and squishy bodies.” www.sciencefriday.com/segments/bri...
sciencefriday.com
Bringing hard electronics into soft and squishy bodies
Inventor John Rogers bridges the natural and artificial worlds with flexible, biocompatible electronics.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Flora chatted with John A. Rogers, who led the development of this pacemaker, about his creative process and his other biocompatible electronic devices like wireless sensors that stick to skin like a temporary tattoo.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
The world’s smallest pacemaker is smaller than a grain of rice, can dissolve in the body, and is our #PictureOfTheWeek. Image credit: John A. Rogers/Northwestern University
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Great question! Call in and leave us a voicemail!
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Science Friday’s Cephalopod Week is right around the corner, starting October 5th! 🦑 We’re planning an octopus-squid-cuttlefish extravaganza and we need all your cephalopod questions for inspo. Leave us a voicemail at 877-4-SCIFRI.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Listen to our podcast episode "Underwater archeology reveals clues about Ice Age humans" or hear it on your local public radio station this Friday! www.sciencefriday.com/segments/und...
sciencefriday.com
Underwater archeology reveals clues about Ice Age humans
At the end of the last ice age, glacial melt inundated human settlements near shorelines. Underwater archeologists are uncovering their artifacts.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
When glaciers melted at the end of the last ice age, shorelines and artifacts from coastal communities were buried. Underwater archeologist Jessi Halligan digs through these underwater sites to learn about life in the early Americas. She talked to Flora about her discoveries in Florida.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Join our Q&A with marine biologist & author Helen Scales! @helenscales.bsky.social We'll chat about her work and “What the Wild Sea Can Be." All are welcome! No book club membership needed. 📅 Friday, Sept. 25 4pm ET/1pm PT 📍Science Friday's YouTube 🎟️ Free! RSVP for reminders bit.ly/4xIPtfG
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Flora chatted with herpetology expert Sara Ruane about her snake scans on our last radio broadcast. If you missed it, check out our website to listen now! www.sciencefriday.com/episodes/sep...
sciencefriday.com
September 18, 2026
Hawaiʻi has generally been safe from the worst effects of hurricanes. But this year, two hurricanes battered the islands in a matter of weeks. A new wellness trend focuses on stimulating the lymphatic...
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
This surprise is a good reminder that skeletons don't tell the whole story. Fossils may not have evidence of unique adaptations if they were made of soft tissue.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Researchers recently got their first look inside the bizarre tail using XCT scanners. Drum roll please…the skeleton was shockingly normal. It looked just like an average snake skeleton with nothing to hint at its spider-like adaptation.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Our #PictureOfTheWeek is the spider-tailed horned viper. Its tail looks a lot like a spider, complete with a round "body" and several "legs," which it flicks to lure unsuspecting birds into becoming lunch. 📸 credits: 1. Omid Mozaffari 2. Sara Ruane 3. Sara Ruane & Stephanie Smith
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
It has historically been neglected by medicine, but that's starting to change. People are talking about it more online, but some misconceptions are also spreading.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
What’s your best museum memory? We’re working on a story about the future of science museums and we want to hear from you! Tell us about a museum experience that you can’t forget. Leave us a voicemail at 877-4-SCIFRI. www.sciencefriday.com/articles/cont…
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Listen to our podcast episode “Black bears are moving into the neighborhood. How do we coexist?” www.sciencefriday.com/segments/bla...
sciencefriday.com
Black bears are moving into the neighborhood. How do we coexist?
As black bears return to their historic ranges across the U.S., human encounters are increasing. How can bears and people live in harmony?
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
With black bear populations on the rebound, will they get used to living with people? Some people love bears visiting their pools and porches, but carnivore ecologist Nyeema Harris explains why we don’t want bears to become comfortable in our backyards.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Flora talked with physicist Richard Gaitskell about the hunt for a dark matter particle and why he’s excited about this weird little finding. Hear the convo in our podcast episode “Did scientists just find a dark matter particle? Maybe.” www.sciencefriday.com/segments/dar...
sciencefriday.com
Did scientists just find a dark matter particle? Maybe
The LUX-ZEPLIN detector picked up a strange signal that scientists haven’t cracked yet. Could it be a dark matter interaction?
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
The LZ detector looks for flashes of light that come from particles bumping into xenon atoms. And during its observations, researchers saw a very weird flash—a bump that doesn’t look like it came from any particle we know of.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Dark matter makes up 85% of all matter in the universe and we still have no clue what it is. To learn more, scientists have put a giant cauldron filled with 7 tons of liquid xenon, encased in water and surrounded by super-sensitive photodetectors, a mile underground in South Dakota.
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Our #PictureOfTheWeek shows what’s happening inside the LUX-ZEPLIN detector, which is on the hunt for dark matter particles. Image credits: 1. Greg Stewart, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory 2. Matthew Kapust/Sanford Underground Research Laboratory
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Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
We want to hear from you! Call in with your stories about black bears. Was one sitting on your outdoor couch looking ready for a margarita? Did it take a dip in your hot tub? Did you scare each other in the woods? If you had an encounter with a black bear, leave us a voicemail at 877-4-SCIFRI.
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