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Covering the outer reaches of space to the tiniest microbes in our bodies, Science Friday is the source for entertaining and educational stories about science, technology, and other cool stuff.

PublishesDailyEpisodes1369Founded21 years ago
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Life SciencesNatural SciencesScience

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Artwork for Science Friday

Latest Episodes

Brain cancers are rare, but devastating. Patients face short life expectancies after diagnosis. Brain tumors are often impossible to remove completely. And radiation and chemotherapy don’t always stop them from spreading.

It’s a daunting class of di... more

Astronaut food is not known as a frontier of culinary imagination, unless you count rehydrated shrimp cocktail. As NASA prepares for longer trips to the moon and Mars, is space cuisine ready for an overhaul?

Flora speaks with retired astronaut Clayt... more

At one point this year, the 50 hottest cities on the planet were all in one country: India. The average peak temperature in those cities was 112 F. India is one of the most climate vulnerable countries in the world, and weather disasters, such as hea... more

About 130 days a year, a research vessel leaves Miami and sets out to catch, measure, sample, tag, and release sharks in Florida’s coastal waters. Over the course of a year, they’ll encounter about 600 animals in a process called “fisheries independe... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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Contact Information
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Recent Guests

Catherine Macdonald
Marine Conservation Biologist and Director of the Shark Research and Conservation Program at the University of Miami
University of Miami
Episode: Tracking shark populations, one shark at a time
Dr. Sarah Valentine
Author of Decoding the Devil, Black Women Code Breakers and The Secret War Against Stalin's Bomb
Author/Researcher
Episode: The Black women codebreakers of the Cold War
Andrea Ghez
Professor of physics and astronomy at UCLA
University of California, Los Angeles
Episode: Peering through dust clouds to the center of the galaxy
AR. Siders
Associate Professor in the Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware
University of Delaware
Episode: Why a paper about relocating coastal communities hit a nerve
Jessica Dandridge-Smith
Executive Director of The Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans
The Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans
Episode: Why a paper about relocating coastal communities hit a nerve
Dr. Jess Venner
Archaeobotanist and author of The Lost Voices of Pompeii
University of Oxford (research position); author
Episode: How do you piece together what life was like in Pompeii?
Tom Hiddleston
Actor, host of Pompeii, Out of Time
National Geographic; actor (Marvel universe)
Episode: How do you piece together what life was like in Pompeii?
Byron Chaves
A food safety expert from Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Episode: Hold the lettuce: Updates on the 'explosive' cyclospora outbreak
Jackie Townsend
Project manager for the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Mission
Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Mission (NASA)
Episode: A space telescope launch + Alvin submersible check-up

Host

Flora Lichtman
Host of Science Friday; frequently introduces guests and leads interviews.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 7.7k ratings
  • Excellent way to stay abreast of science discoveries without a slew of clickbaity shenanigans or advertisements for casinos. These people are good

    Podcast Addict
    5
    RhineOeris
    2 months ago
  • Excellent, well-researched and informative PC. Timely, factual and useful science presented in a manner understandable for all listeners. Full marks!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Just Me
    2 months ago
  • Great input in a complex universe!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    HågenH
    2 months ago
  • Very informative, interesting, relevant and FUN!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    matTrixta
    2 months ago
  • Infectious! In a Good Way

    It doesn’t matter what the topic being discussed is, if Flora Lichtman gets excited about it, I’m soon completely invested.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JenMededit
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Fans appreciate deep-dive interviews with researchers and clear real-world relevance.
Some listeners wish for more depth on certain topics and longer segments.
Audience notes strong guest diversity and thorough explanations but some critiques of perceived bias in topics.
Listeners praise accessible science stories and engaging hosts.
Show is seen as a reliable source for science news and thoughtful discussion.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Why worry about my data If I have nothing to hide?
Q: Why do lawmakers struggle to pass comprehensive privacy legislation?
Progress has been uneven due to the rapid pace of technological change, lobbying by powerful data-driven industries, and the challenge of drafting laws that balance innovation with strong protections while addressing state-level disparities and federalism complexities.
Why worry about my data If I have nothing to hide?
Q: What would a practical privacy strategy look like for a typical person?
A practical approach combines minimizing sharing where possible, using encrypted communications, and supporting stronger privacy laws to reduce how much data is collected in the first place; individuals should advocate for societal-level protections rather than relying solely on personal habits.
Why worry about my data If I have nothing to hide?
Q: Can you opt out of any of this?
Opting out is limited; some location data may be avoided by turning off location services, but many data streams operate behind the scenes through advertising networks and other sources, making total opt-out impractical for the average person.
Beautiful botflies, luscious leeches, and the wonder of parasites
Q: Dino, welcome to Science Friday.
Nice to be here. Delighted to talk about parasites and their surprising roles in nature.
Hold the lettuce: Updates on the 'explosive' cyclospora outbreak
Q: Say more. Tell me.
There are a number of questions about how contamination happened, whether there is a single source or multiple outbreaks, and whether lettuce from different places is involved; researchers are examining irrigation water and other potential vectors.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Science Friday

What is Science Friday about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A science-focused show covers a wide range of topics from space and climate to health, technology, and everyday phenomena. Episodes blend interviews with researchers, journalists, and industry experts to explain complex ideas in accessible terms, often tying scientific findings to policy, society, and everyday life. Notable strengths include a track record of skeptical inquiry, interdisciplinary storytelling, and a consistent emphasis on real-world implications—whether examining environmental health risks, the math behind cultural trends, or the future of space biology. Listeners likely appreciate clear explanations, curiosity-driven exploration, and guests who bring both technical depth and human context to their work.

Where can I find podcast stats for Science Friday?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Science Friday. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Science Friday and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Science Friday get?

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What are the audience demographics for Science Friday?

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How many subscribers and views does Science Friday have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Science Friday has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Science Friday?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Science Friday:

1. Radiolab
2. Short Wave
3. Science Magazine Podcast
4. Hidden Brain
5. Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

How many episodes of Science Friday are there?

Science Friday launched 21 years ago and published 1369 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Science Friday?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Science Friday?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Science Friday from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Science Friday?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Science Friday. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Science Friday?

Recent guests on Science Friday include:

1. Catherine Macdonald
2. Dr. Sarah Valentine
3. Andrea Ghez
4. AR. Siders
5. Jessica Dandridge-Smith
6. Dr. Jess Venner
7. Tom Hiddleston
8. Byron Chaves

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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