Science Friday

In excerpts of two conversations from the Science Friday archives (originally recorded in 2000 and 2009), oceanographer Robert Ballard joins Host Ira Flatow to discuss the 1985 expedition in which he discovered the wreck of the Titanic. [https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/robert-ballard-deep-sea-exploration/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri] He also emphasizes the value of combining the efforts of oceanographers, engineers, and social scientists to study the world’s deep oceans. Guest:  Robert Ballard is a National Geographic Explorer-at-Large and a Professor of Oceanography in the Center for Ocean Exploration at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, Rhode Island. Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com. [https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/robert-ballard-deep-sea-exploration/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri]   Subscribe to this podcast. [https://pod.link/73329284] Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters [https://www.sciencefriday.com/newsletters/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri].

Summer is here, which means it’s the season for soaking up the sun. But it’s important to do so responsibly, considering the strong link between sun exposure and skin cancer. [https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/sunscreen-ingredients-science/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri] There are a lot of sunscreens on the market, so Hosts Flora Lichtman and Ira Flatow join dermatologist Jonathan Ungar to discuss what ingredients to look for and how they work. Guest:  Dr. Jonathan Ungar is a dermatologist and director of the Waldman Melanoma and Skin Cancer Center at Mount Sinai in New York, New York. Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com. [https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/sunscreen-ingredients-science/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri] Subscribe to this podcast. [https://pod.link/73329284] Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters [https://www.sciencefriday.com/newsletters/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri].

The latest Jurassic World movie, “Jurassic World Rebirth,” [https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/jurassic-world-rebirth/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri] is out today. The movie stars Scarlett Johansson (“The Avengers”) and Mahershala Ali (“Moonlight”). Their characters make a dangerous journey to an island chock-full of dinosaurs to get their hands on some dino blood for a life-saving heart medicine. But unfortunately for them, and luckily for us, things do not go as planned. Producer Dee Peterschmidt saw the movie and has a behind-the-scenes look with the movie’s scientific consultant, paleontologist Steve Brusatte. Guest:  Dr. Steve Brusatte is a paleontologist at the University of Edinburgh. Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com. [https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/jurassic-world-rebirth/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri] Subscribe to this podcast. [https://pod.link/73329284] Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters [https://www.sciencefriday.com/newsletters/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri].

AI is not just for automating tasks or coming up with new recipe ideas. Increasingly, people are turning to AI chatbots for companionship. [https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/ai-chatbot-companion/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri] Roughly half a billion people worldwide have downloaded chatbots designed specifically to provide users with emotional and social support. And while these human-chatbot relationships might ease loneliness or simply be fun to have, these digital friends can also cause real harm by encouraging dangerous or inappropriate behavior—especially in children or teens. To explore the emerging world of AI companion chatbots, Host Flora Lichtman is joined by freelance science reporter David Adam, who recently wrote about the effect of AI companions on mental health for Nature magazine; and Rose Guingrich, a psychology researcher studying interactions between humans and AI at Princeton University. Guests:  David Adam is a freelance science reporter based in London. Rose Guingrich is a researcher in the department of psychology at Princeton University. Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com. [https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/ai-chatbot-companion/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri] Subscribe to this podcast. [https://pod.link/73329284] Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters [https://www.sciencefriday.com/newsletters/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri].

Geologist Steve Squyres risked his career and millions of dollars to get two rovers roaming on Mars. But the mission almost didn’t make it to the launch pad. Steve and NASA engineer Jennifer Trosper describe the many obstacles the team faced in getting Spirit and Opportunity ready, from ripped parachutes to fuzzy camera feeds, and the problem-solving it took to safely land the twin vehicles on Martian soil. “The Leap” [https://www.sciencefriday.com/the-leap/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri] is a 10-episode audio series that profiles scientists willing to take big risks to push the boundaries of discovery. It premieres on Science Friday’s podcast feed every Monday until July 21.  “The Leap” is a production of the Hypothesis Fund, brought to you in partnership with Science Friday. Transcript is available on sciencefriday.com. [https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/mars-it-was-a-miracle-we-got-to-florida/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri] Subscribe to this podcast. [https://pod.link/73329284] Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters [https://www.sciencefriday.com/newsletters/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri].