Science Friday

Dr. Masao Tomonaga was 2 when Nagasaki was bombed. In August 2025, he spoke with Ira Flatow about a lifetime caring for fellow survivors.

DNA signatures of plant and animal species remain behind even after they’ve been eaten, digested, excreted, and flushed down the toilet.

A pioneer of cancer neuroscience explains how brain cancer develops, the role of the nervous system, and what might lead to new treatments.

As NASA plans for longer spaceflights to the moon and Mars, a better menu is important both nutritionally and psychologically.

Extreme heat is hitting India hard. One physician is trying to understand the health impacts, and help Indians prepare for future heat waves.

A Florida research team catches and releases about 600 sharks a year to monitor their populations and study the health of marine ecosystems.

A new book tells the story of Black women cryptologists who deciphered Soviet telegrams intercepted during the early days of the Cold War.

In a 2025 story, Asha de Vos tells how she became the first Sri Lankan to earn a PhD studying marine mammals, then built a biology program.

Andrea Ghez developed a way to peer through dust clouds and observe stars orbiting the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way.

In a recent analysis, scientists argued that New Orleans should relocate. But planning for a city's future is about much more than geography.

Archeologists are piecing together the lives of ordinary Pompeii residents, from a fish sauce entrepreneur to an enterprising businesswoman.

The cyclospora outbreak causing diarrhea for thousands has been linked to shredded lettuce. What's making it so hard to pinpoint a source?

The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is slated for launch in August. Plus, routine maintenance for the Alvin deep-sea submersible is no joke.

Cases of alpha-gal syndrome, a red meat allergy that comes from a tick bite, are climbing fast. But why does it only develop in certain people?

The sci-fi movie “Disclosure Day” predicts that our reaction to intelligent alien life will be chaotic. But what does the science say?

Sure, botflies are gross, but they also know just how to hitch a ride on a camel sneeze. An entomologist celebrates the world of parasites.

China's biotech industry is on a rapid rise, with the first approved brain-computer interface and massive growth in drug discovery.

Writer Craig Childs biked from the brightest sky to the darkest in our Book Club pick "The Wild Dark." Plus, the latest on light pollution.

Virologist, policymaker, diplomat: Dr. John Nkengasong discusses the current Ebola outbreak, and how public health is inherently political.

Two experts at the forefront of untangling the gut-brain connection explain its role in IBS, Parkinson’s, and depression.