Cool Science Radio

Former CIA senior executive Steve Hirsch discusses how intelligence professionals assess emerging threats, from biological risks and food security to cyberattacks and artificial intelligence. He explores how leaders can make sound decisions amid uncertainty and prepare for crises that could affect national security.

University of Utah astrophysicist Grace Telford discusses new Hubble Space Telescope findings that reveal unexpectedly weak stellar winds in some of the universe's most metal-poor stars. The research could help explain how the earliest galaxies formed and evolved.

Orthopedic spine surgeon Dr. Stefano Sinicropi explores how physicians weigh new evidence, medical imaging and emerging technologies when making decisions about patient care. He discusses chronic pain, AI, regenerative medicine and the challenge of separating promising innovations from technologies that are ready for clinical use.

Mark Shelhamer, former chief scientist of NASA's Human Research Program, explores the physical, psychological and engineering challenges of sending humans to Mars. He discusses what we still need to learn about long-duration spaceflight and how preparing for the journey could improve healthcare on Earth.

RC Mowers co-founder and CEO Michael Brandt discusses how remote-operated and autonomous mowing technology is helping workers tackle dangerous terrain. He explains how GPS, LiDAR and robotics are being used to improve safety, address labor shortages and make difficult jobs more efficient.

Marc Abrahams, founder and editor of the Annals of Improbable Research, discusses the 2026 Ig Nobel Prizes, which celebrate scientific research that first makes people laugh and then makes them think. He shares some of this year's unusual discoveries and the story behind the annual ceremony.

Jeffrey Cole, founding director of the Center for the Digital Future at USC Annenberg, explores how technological change reshapes society, why established institutions can be caught off guard and what decades of internet research reveal about America's changing relationship with technology.

Carleton University biologists Jennifer Bruin and Myriam Hoyeck discuss new research finding persistent environmental pollutants in the human pancreas and explore how these chemicals may affect insulin secretion and metabolic health.

Dr. Alexander Mossbrucker discusses how bioacoustics, artificial intelligence and digital monitoring tools are helping conservationists track endangered wildlife. From detecting Asian elephants by their vocalizations to training rangers in Sumatra, Mossbrucker explores how better data can strengthen efforts to protect animals and their habitats.

Caltech physicist and engineer Gabriele Vajente explains how LIGO detects the faint ripples in spacetime known as gravitational waves. He explores the engineering behind the world's most sensitive measuring instruments, what we've learned from black hole collisions and neutron stars, and what future observations could reveal.

University of Utah doctoral student Colin Domnauer discusses new research linking reports of vivid “tiny people” hallucinations to a single mushroom species — and what the discovery could reveal about an unidentified hallucinogenic compound.

MIT engineer Amos Winter discusses how to design affordable, high-performance products that can succeed in different global markets. Drawing on examples from eye care, prosthetics, mobility and clean water, Winter explains how engineers can create innovations that scale and make a lasting impact.

Gene-editing researcher Raj Chari discusses how CRISPR technology is being used to study cancer, develop potential new treatments, and explore the challenges of bringing gene-editing therapies from the laboratory into clinical care.

Bloomberg investigative journalist Kit Chellel explores the surprising history of gamblers who used mathematics, early computers, and engineering to beat casinos and sportsbooks, while helping pioneer technologies that would influence the modern computing and AI landscape.

Kalpana Pot, a self-proclaimed Space Nerd, mixes her unique brand of storytelling and humor to make complicated astrophysics topics entertaining and understandable in her new book, "Spaced Out: A Casual Approach To The Cosmos."

Carleton University neuroscientist Michael Hildebrand discusses new research revealing important differences in how mice, rats and humans process pain — findings that could help explain failed treatments and point to better therapies for chronic pain.

What happens when physics, physiology, and music collide? Opera turns the human body into an extraordinary acoustic instrument, and there’s a surprising amount of science behind the sound.

Stuart Firestein, Professor of Neuroscience at Columbia University, explores why uncertainty is essential to science and how embracing what we don't know can foster creativity, innovation and a more informed understanding of the world.

Nick Day of Roundtable Learning discusses how virtual reality is transforming workforce training by measuring real skills, helping employers verify learning outcomes and preparing workers for high-stakes jobs.

AI entrepreneur Anmol Madan, founder and CEO of RadiantGraph, explores how artificial intelligence is helping healthcare move beyond treating illness to predicting health risks before they become serious.

Astronomer Tanmoy Laskar of the University of Utah explains how researchers detected the magnetic fingerprint of a gamma-ray burst for the first time, offering new clues about some of the universe's most powerful explosions.

George Schaller helped transform modern conservation through decades of groundbreaking wildlife research. Author Miriam Horn shares the story behind one of the most influential scientists you've probably never heard of.

Healthcare innovation isn't limited to hospitals. Landon Gibb, senior vice president of technology and systems at PACS Group, discusses how data analytics is helping post-acute care providers improve patient outcomes and give caregivers better tools to make informed decisions.

Paleontologist Steve Brusatte explores the remarkable evolutionary journey of birds and explains why they are the only dinosaurs still living today.

Veteran firefighter-paramedic Brad Newbury and EMT Kiera Newbury discuss the life-saving impact of CPR, AEDs and emergency response and how a single act can change countless lives.