Science, Spoken
Get in-depth coverage of current and future trends in technology, and how they are shaping business, entertainment, communications, science, politics, and society.
Latest episodes
Sep 15, 2023 • 7min
Libya’s Deadly Floods Show the Growing Threat of Medicanes
Entire neighborhoods of the Libyan city of Derna have vanished following devastating floods wrought by Storm Daniel. Such storms are rare—but climate change will supersize them.Read this story here.
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Sep 14, 2023 • 7min
Covid Boosters Can’t Outpace New Mutations. Here’s Why They Still Work
The latest vaccines are designed to target XBB.1.5, the dominant variant throughout much of 2023—until now.Read this story here.
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Sep 13, 2023 • 9min
Blue-Green Algae Is Filling Rivers With Toxic Sludge
Harmful algal blooms are taking over as the world warms and grows richer in carbon dioxide—and there’s no easy fix.Read this story here.
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Sep 12, 2023 • 8min
The Investigation of SpaceX’s Starship Explosion Is Complete—and Elon Musk Has More Work to Do
Following a joint “mishap investigation” by SpaceX and the FAA, the federal agency listed 63 issues that must be addressed before launches can resume at the Texas site.Read this story here.
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9 snips
Sep 11, 2023 • 8min
Scientists Just Tried Growing Human Kidneys in Pigs
Transplant organs are scarce. Could growing ones with human cells in pigs alleviate the shortage?Read this story here.
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Sep 8, 2023 • 9min
What Ever Happened to the Tiny House Movement?
Tiny houses started as a minimalist revolution. They ended up as an Instagram aesthetic.Read this story here.
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Sep 7, 2023 • 9min
A Flesh-Eating Bacterium Is Creeping North as Oceans Warm
The Vibrio vulnificus pathogen thrives in hot coastal waters, and beachgoers can contract it via a small cut or scrape. It can also kill them in two days.Read this story here.
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Sep 6, 2023 • 8min
Weight-Loss Drugs Ozempic and Wegovy Can Also Protect the Heart
A new study shows that semaglutide reduces heart failure symptoms like fatigue and swelling by bringing down body weight.Read this story here.
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Sep 5, 2023 • 9min
The High-Stakes Calculus of Preventing Wildfires by Burying Power Lines
Investigators are eying the Lahaina wildfire as yet another deadly blaze started by electrical equipment. Putting lines underground would help—at a steep cost.Read this story here.
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Sep 4, 2023 • 7min
Paper Coffee Cups Are Just as Toxic for the Environment as Plastic Ones
Discover the deceptive nature of supposedly eco-friendly paper coffee cups, which are coated in plastic that can harm living creatures. Explore the challenges of recycling and identifying toxic substances in paper cups. Compare the environmental impact of disposable and reusable cups, highlighting the potential for using more sustainable materials like glass and stainless steel.
