Science Friday Folgen

The gentle curve of a beam. The particular shape of a clay brick. The sharp angles of a series of trusses. You might view these elements of buildings, bridges, and structures as part of the aesthetic and artistic design, or maybe you have overlooked them completely. But for London-based structural engineer Roma Agrawal, these visual charms play an important role not only in the beauty of a building, but in the physics that keep a structure from tumbling down. Agrawal reveals the hidden engineering and physics in the buildings and bridges around you. Until recently, scientists believed the only horses in the world left untouched by humans were the Przewalski subspecies, in central Asia. But now, researchers discover there are no more wild horses left anywhere on Earth. Do Florida's flamingos really belong there? New research argues that the colorful birds are a species native to Florida, and should be protected. Plus, the reason why you don't see 'goosefoot' on your Thanksgiving dinner table, and other stories in science.  Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.

A group of engineers are building softer, squishier robots—ones you might knowingly invite into your home to hang out. Instead of sporting bodies of rigid plastic and metal, biohybrid robots often consist of 3D-printed scaffolds laced with lab-grown muscles, sourced from the cells of mice, insects, and even sea slugs. Some "bio-bots" can even heal themselves after an injury, and get back to work. A roundup of engineers talk about the growing fleet of biohybrid robots. Plus, since the first fossil finds in the 19th century, many have considered Neanderthals, a “sister species” of Homo sapiens, as a primitive species. Their reputation stands as unsophisticated and brutish—and not artistic. Now, new uranium dating of art in Spanish caves turns up a number that suggests they were painted by Neanderthals. And if it’s true, what does art have to do with complex thought? Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.

While oohing and ahhing at the powerful leaps and nimble spins on the ice at the Olympics, you may not realize you’re watching physics in action. Each jump requires a careful balance of matching the time in air to the speed and number of rotations.  From spray can to ocean spray, it's time to talk about aerosols. They do play a role in climate change, but not the one you might think.  There's a new urban air polluter on the block. Volatile organic compounds like wall paints and cleaning agents are becoming our cities' biggest sources of air pollution.  Could UV light zap the flu bug? Scientists are looking into a way to kill the bug even before it has a chance to get into your system, and one type of UV light could be used to disable proteins in the flu virus.  Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.