Science Friday

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The Evolution Of An Enzyme Engineer Who Changed Chemistry Mar 03, 2026

Show notes

In nature, enzymes are the catalysts that make much of biology work. They jumpstart chemical reactions that either wouldn’t happen, or would happen super slowly. They break down food, build other molecules, extract energy, and more. What if we could harness evolution to engineer designer enzymes that do other specific jobs that benefit us?

Putting that idea into practice changed the game for chemistry, and earned Frances Arnold the Nobel Prize prize in 2018. She called it “directed evolution.” Today, thousands of labs use her methods to coax enzymes into doing things no one ever thought of. She joins Host Flora Lichtman to talk about where she sees this approach going in the future, and the personal evolution that brought her into science.
Guest: Dr. Frances Arnold is the Linus Pauling Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering and Biochemistry at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California.
Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com.

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The Art And Science Of Staving Off Cognitive Decline Mar 02, 2026

Show notes

The new semi-autobiographical play “The Reservoir” spins a comedic narrative around cognitive reserve, the idea that doing brain-stimulating activities can prevent or delay the onset of dementia symptoms. It’s currently running at the Atlantic Theater Company and co-produced by The Ensemble Studio Theater in New York.*

Host Ira Flatow talks with playwright Jake Brasch about his inspiration for the play and how to mesh science into the theater.

Then, neurologist Marilyn Albert discusses some of the latest science of mental stimulation and dementia. After following a diverse group of older adults for 20 years, her research found that a modest amount of specialized cognitive training reduced dementia risk by 25%. You can try a very similar brain training exercise at home.

*“The Reservoir” received funding from the Sloan Foundation, which also helps support Science Friday.
Guests:
Jake Brasch is a writer, performer, composer, clown, and writer of the new play “The Reservoir.”
Dr. Marilyn Albert is a professor of neurology and director of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com.

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Into the Woods, From Chestnut Genetics To Tiny Forests Feb 27, 2026

Show notes

American chestnut trees once towered over the landscape, dominating forests in parts of the eastern United States. But in the late 1800s, a fungal blight virtually wiped them out across the country. Chestnut restoration scientist Jared Westbrook tells Host Ira Flatow how new genetic work could speed up efforts to breed fungal resistance into hybrid chestnuts and create a heartier chestnut population.

Then, author Hanna Lewis introduces Ira to the concept of miniforests, self-sustaining native forest ecosystems on a tiny footprint, like an empty lot or a schoolyard. The planting method, developed by botanist Akira Miyawaki, can help “rewild” small parcels of land by jump-starting forest development.

Read our full story, The Miniforest Movement Gains Ground In The U.S.

Guests:
Dr. Jared Westbrook is Director of Science for the American Chestnut Foundation in Asheville, North Carolina.
Hanna Lewis is the author of the book Mini-Forest Revolution: Using the Miyawaki Method to Rapidly Rewild the World. She works for non-profit Renewing the Countryside in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com.

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EPA Rescinds The Legal Basis For Regulating Greenhouse Gases Feb 26, 2026

Show notes

On February 12, the Environmental Protection Agency dealt a major blow to the government’s power to fight climate change by rescinding a key piece of research called the endangerment finding. The finding, issued in 2009, basically says: Greenhouse gas emissions endanger public health and welfare—and because they’re harmful, they must be regulated. It's the legal basis for the federal government’s regulation of greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. So what does it mean that this finding has been thrown out?

Host Flora Lichtman digs into this question with Andy Miller, an original author on the endangerment finding who spent more than 30 years working for the EPA.

Guest:
Dr. Andy Miller worked on air pollution and climate change at the EPA for more than 30 years. He was an original author on Endangerment Finding.

Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com.

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How One Gene Affects Alzheimer’s Risk Feb 25, 2026

Show notes

An estimated 500,000 people are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in the United States each year, but the causes and mechanisms of the condition remain a neurological mystery. A recent study looked at the role of variants in a gene called APOE in Alzheimer’s, and found that while it’s not a simple determinant of developing the disease, that one gene seems to play a significant role in promoting disease risk. Researchers hope work like this could point to new areas to study and even potential treatments.

Epidemiologist Dylan Williams joins Host Ira Flatow to explain the findings and discuss the challenges in tracing a complex disease to its roots.

Guest: Dr. Dylan Williams is a principal research fellow in molecular and genetic epidemiology at University College London.

Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com.

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Are My THC Gummies Going Away? Feb 24, 2026

Show notes

Does the availability of “hemp-derived” THC products have you dazed and confused? A legal loophole in the 2018 Farm Bill lets these items be sold over the counter. But state actions, and a federal law that could come in November, aims to snuff these products out.

Host Flora Lichtman talks to cannabis expert Cinnamon Bidwell about the confusing legal landscape, and the real differences between products. Plus, investigative reporter Joe Hong talks to Flora to break down his findings of what’s lurking in NYC’s dirty snowbanks.
Guest:
Dr. Cinnamon Bidwell is a clinical psychologist focused on cannabis at the University of Colorado. She co-directs the CU Change lab.
Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com.

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Why Aren’t There Biomarkers For Mental Illness? Feb 23, 2026

Show notes

Despite major advances in our understanding of the biology of mental health disorders, there’s no blood test or brain scan that will confirm if you have depression, anxiety, PTSD, or any other psychiatric illness.

And yet, the American Psychiatric Association recently announced that it will be including biomarkers for mental conditions in the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), which guides diagnosis and treatment of mental illness. So how close are we to pinpointing the biological markers of mental illness, and what does that mean for diagnosis? It’s complicated.

Host Flora Lichtman untangles some of this science with psychiatry researcher John Krystal.

Guest: Dr. John Krystal is a professor of psychiatry, neuroscience, and psychology at the Yale School of Medicine.

Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com.

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Autism Rates Appear To Be Even Across Sexes. Diagnosis Is Not Feb 21, 2026

Show notes

There’s a long-held idea that autism is more prevalent in boys than girls—the CDC says it’s three times as common. But a growing body of research suggests the reality is more complicated. In a new study, researchers tracked autism diagnoses in millions of Swedish people born from 1985 to 2022. They found that the prevalence of autism is actually pretty even across the sexes, but people with “female” stamped on their birth certificate are often diagnosed later in life.

Host Flora Lichtman speaks with epidemiologist Caroline Fyfe about what this study teaches us about the prevalence of autism. Then, psychology researcher Rachel Moseley, an autistic woman herself, shares how late and missed diagnoses can affect autistic people.
Guests:
Dr. Caroline Fyfe is an epidemiologist at the University of Edinburgh who studied sex differences in autism diagnoses.
Dr. Rachel Moseley is a researcher in psychology at Bournemouth University in the UK, studying the experiences of autistic adults.
Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com.

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AMA Joins Effort To Launch Independent Vaccine Review Panel Feb 20, 2026

Show notes

The gap between vaccine science and vaccine policy has been widening under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Now, the American Medical Association and the Vaccine Integrity Project, based at the University of Minnesota, have announced that they are partnering to create their own vaccine review process, effectively creating a parallel system to the CDC’s.

Host Ira Flatow talks with Michael Osterholm, executive director of the Vaccine Integrity Project, about the role of this new review panel.

Guest: Dr. Michael Osterholm is the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy and executive director of the Vaccine Integrity Project at the University of Minnesota.

Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com.

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What A Snow Drought In The West Means For The Rest Of 2026 Feb 19, 2026

Show notes

While parts of the eastern and southern US have had unusually high snowfall this year, Colorado and Utah are in a snow drought. The abysmal winter sports season is just the tip of the melting iceberg: Snowpack is key to providing water throughout the year for the drought-stricken region. Joining Host Flora Lichtman to talk about this unusual winter are reporter David Condos and climate scientist Brad Udall.

Guests:
David Condos is the Southern Utah Reporter at KUER based in St. George.
Brad Udall is a senior water and climate research scientist at Colorado State University’s Colorado Water Center.

Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com.

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