Science, Spoken

A new study says the reviled stinging insects play a critical ecological role—and their venom might even be useful to people. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Biologists have long believed that these animals rely on magnetic sensing to migrate across oceans. Someone finally figured out how to prove it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Covid-19 is still raging, but so are efforts to nip its successor in the bud—thanks to data sharing, political cooperation, or a multimillion-dollar challenge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A hazy atmosphere makes data ricochet all over the place. Now scientists think they can use that signal to better predict severe smoke events. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May the 4th be with you! If you're hitching a ride on the Millennium Falcon today, you should know a little bit about the bumpy physics of acceleration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Airports have vast swaths of empty land and rooftops. But it’s not so easy as just covering everything with solar panels. Â Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Venice faces a four-foot sea level rise, the historic cathedral—and its marble—could succumb to damaging tides. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some groups of neurons process sensory data and memories at the same time. New work shows how the brain pivots those representations to prevent interference. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Scientists crunched 20 years’ worth of satellite data to estimate the melt rate across the planet, and the news isn’t good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One new study found that radiation exposure didn't genetically harm future generations, while another offers insights into how radiation causes thyroid cancer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When flat, the structure is about the size of a twin mattress. But when it's inflated, walls widen, and a roof snaps into place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The six-month mission is another step toward an eventual moon landing, and the second time this Crew Dragon capsule has visited the space station. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kadir van Lohuizen photographed nations affected by climate change. His book documents the present, but offers a glimpse of the future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Luxor finding has been called "the second most important archaeological discovery" since King Tut's tomb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

More than a year into the pandemic, scientists and environmentalists have the first data on where disposable gloves and masks are turning up in ecosystems. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Want to be more sociable or less of a doormat? There's an (experimental) app for that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bad news: Trees emit methane, a greenhouse gas. Good news: Some are home to bacteria that can't get enough of it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The copter safely whirled its way up and back down, demonstrating the first powered, controlled flight on another planet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Understanding how other animals dream could help us figure out why it’s so important to the human brain, and why it may have been preserved throughout history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chamise may not look (or smell) like much, but it's actually a kind of crystal ball for understanding how badly California might burn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mining companies and marine scientists want to know whether harvesting blobs of useful materials from the seafloor harms ocean life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At any given time, 1,100 tons of microplastic are floating over the western US. New modeling shows the surprising sources of the nefarious pollutant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Krispy Kreme is offering a year of treats to anyone who gets the Covid-19 vaccine. What if they worked off the energy on pedal-powered bike generators? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Studies from all over the globe show short-term improvements in urban air quality, but experts are skeptical about how long they’ll last. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hall thrusters have been used in satellites for years. Now, they'll play a crucial role in reaching a metallic asteroid called Psyche. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices