Ira Flatow

We all think we’re logical—so why do we have so many disagreements? Finding the straw man, gray areas, and false equivalencies. Plus, a conversation with Nobel laureate Frances Arnold.

Yemen is gripped by civil war—and some experts say it could be the first of many "water wars" to come. And NASA researchers capture a rare kind of electric blue cloud.

Months after Utah national monuments were slashed, paleontologists are among those still in limbo. Plus, two Japanese rovers land on an asteroid.

We talk efforts to preserve some species in Hawaii found nowhere else on Earth. Plus, researchers sequester six volunteers on the side of a Hawaiian volcano to simulate a Mars mission.

We find out what it’s like to step into a paleontologist’s boots and discover some dino gold. Plus, innovative methods of exploring tree canopies.

A new film about the International Science and Engineering Fair gives a look into the world of science fairs. Plus, scientists can now see how one leaf talks to another—in real time.

Algorithms influence more than what’s on your social media feed, like who gets parole. Plus, the prevailing is that a meteorite wiped out the dinos. But one scientist isn't buying it.

New technologies mean we’re more connected to our jobs than ever. Do we need boundaries? Plus, the downside of working for tips. And new research into how ungulates learn to graze.

How strong is the human-robot bond? How do you relate to a mechanical device? We’ll talk robot relationships. Plus, New Hampshire calls for speedier approvals for tick repellents.

The waters of the Rio Grande are closely regulated. But what about the water deep below the Mexico-Texas border? Plus, research into real-time tracking of viral infections.

The SciFri Book Club closes the book on the Stephen Hawking classic, A Brief History of Time. Plus, why you should not flush those disposable contact lenses down the drain.

The discovery that a microbe was not a bacterium added a new branch to the tree of life. Plus, Earth has been safely storing its own natural nuclear waste for two billion years. How?

The Army is investigating sea barriers to protect New York from a future Sandy. But others have doubts. Plus, researchers have identified a gene in elephants that can kill cancer cells.

Each year, we use nearly 50 billion tons of sand and gravel worldwide. Is that sustainable? Plus, can dance help bring new understanding and metaphors for researchers and the public?

A population boom in forests and other wild areas is leading to more destructive blazes. How do we cope with worsening wildfires? Plus, some good news from Britain's hot summer.

In physics, is mathematical beauty overrated? Plus, Alan Alda talks about his life with Parkinson's. 

New research suggests that even bacteria go extinct. Plus, some police departments are using facial recognition software to help identify suspects, but accuracy remains an issue.

What does heredity actually mean? Carl Zimmer finds out in his new book. Plus, scientists determined that bread-making may pre-date the agricultural revolution.

There’s a new infectious yeast in town and we’re almost out of drugs for it. Plus, scientists simulated a prehistoric atmosphere to deduce how much dinos actually ate.

Soccer dives aren’t as random as you think. It’s all about the dynamics of risk and reward. Plus, the chemistry of nerve agents explained. And a look at the psychology of happiness.