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Arizona Science explores the latest scientific research and technological innovations taking place in Southern Arizona and at the University of Arizona. Catch Arizona Science each Friday during Science Friday on NPR 89.1.

Arizona Public Media


    • May 29, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 5m AVG DURATION
    • 831 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Arizona Science

    Episode 460:Exploring the mystery of dark energy

    Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2025 5:26


    Dark energy can't be seen but space scientists say it can be measured through the outward movement of supernovae and galaxies.

    Episode 459:Tracking advances in endoscopic technology

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2025 5:26


    Researchers are revolutionizing medical imaging by creating extremely small devices that can see inside the human body.

    Episode 458: Studying the natural partnerships occurring among and between plant and animal species

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2025 5:30


    Scientists are studying the biological connections within and between species that benefit both. University of Arizona evolutionary biologist Judith Bronstein identifies examples of mutualism, ranging from bacterial organisms to plant pollinators.

    Episode 457: Discovering the most distant galaxies

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2025 5:23


    Astronomers are focusing on the smallest and most distant galaxies in the universe. University of Arizona researcher David Sand describes how he locates dwarf galaxies through digital sky surveys and gathers information about them using ground-based telescopes in the Southern Hemisphere.

    Episode 456: Fueling airborne transportation with transmitted electricity

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2025 5:26


    Now that people are driving electric cars and buses, researchers are working on the feasibility of all-electric airplanes.

    Episode 455: Studying medical science at Biosphere 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2025 5:26


    Visitors imagine Biosphere 2 as a place for large scale research on plant life and ocean biology.

    Episode 454: Examining the health benefits of copper

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2025 5:26


    Arizona's ties to copper go back to the territorial era, but the mineral also plays a big part in human health.

    Episode 453: Why do certain plants respond better to extreme weather events?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2025 5:26


    Plants and their pollinators work together to promote successful natural growth.

    Episode 452: How our brains can cause us to forget our memories

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2025 5:26


    People coping with clinical amnesia provide a window to the importance of memory.

    Episode 451: Communicating with alien intelligence

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2025 5:26


    Exchanging messages with aliens is the source material for science fiction stories, but scientists have been trying to communicate with outer space intelligence for decades.

    Episode 450: Can computers recognize human feelings?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2025 5:26


    Scientists are say the ability to recognize emotion is essential for advanced human-computer communication.

    Episode 449: What science tells us about bilingual communication

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2025 5:26


    Diverse languages and cultures interact every day in Southern Arizona. University of Arizona Speech and Cognitive Science professor Genesis Arizmendi discusses how being bilingual shapes how we communicate and connect within our communities.

    Episode 448: Tracking the seasons on Mars

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2025 5:26


    Scientists have long known Mars has annual seasons just like Earth. University of Arizona planetary scientist Shane Byrne describes how 20 years of observations by the U-of-A built HiRISE orbiting camera have given researchers new insight into what happens on the surface during the 687 Earth-day Martian year.

    Episode 447: Producing astronomy for the sight-impaired

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2025 5:26


    Advances in 3-D modelling are leading to new ways of visualizing the surface of the Moon, Mars and other objects in the solar system.

    Episode 447: Producing astronomy for the sight-impaired

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2025 5:26


    Advances in 3-D modelling are leading to new ways of visualizing the surface of the Moon, Mars and other objects in the solar system.

    Episode 446: Updating the fight against infectious diseases

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2025 5:15


    Medical researchers are shifting their attention to bird flu this season. University of Arizona professor Mohaned Al-Obaidi discusses how the H5N1 strain has created a challenge for scientists fighting the spread of the emerging virus.

    Episode 445: Tracing the cause of eating disorders

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2025 5:26


    Scientists studying eating disorders are focusing on a part of the brain that governs food consumption and emotions. University of Arizona neuroscientist Haijiang Cai discusses how understanding the two functions could help people coping with anorexia.

    Episode 444: Finding new similarities between chimpanzees and humans

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2025 5:26


    Researchers are finding chimpanzees have more in common with humans that was previously thought. University of Arizona anthropologist Jacob Negrey discusses how chimpanzees transition to old age and how that translates to the human experience.

    Episode 443: Using genetic science to control damaging plant pests

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2025 5:26


    The Corn Earworm attacks both corn and cotton in Arizona, causing millions of dollars in damage each year. University of Arizona director of Entomology Bruce Tabashnik discusses why genetically engineered crops developed to defeat the Earworm have failed to keep the pest at bay.

    Episode 442: How color evolved in the plant and animal kingdom

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2024 5:26


    Plants and animals were not always as colorful as we see them today. University of Arizona evolutionary biologist John Wiens discusses the evolution of color for plant and animal species that developed hundreds of millions of years ago.

    Episode 441: Continuing research into the source of COVID-19

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2024 5:26


    The fight against COVID-19 became part of our lives four years ago. Researchers are still working to find out how to it started. University of Arizona immunobiologist Michael Worobey discusses the latest findings and considers the possibilities of new pandemics brewing around the globe.

    Episode 440: A new look at how planets are formed

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2024 5:26


    The James Webb Space Telescope is giving astronomers a closer look at the creation and development of planets. University of Arizona planetary scientist Ilaria Pascucci discusses a new study on protoplanetary disks, described as a cradle where new planets are born.

    Episode 439: Exploring the telescopes atop Kitt Peak

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2024 5:26


    Kitt Peak National Observatory has reopened to the public after closures due to the pandemic and a mountain wildfire. Visitors Center Operations Manager Peter McMahon talks about what people can see and do among the largest collection of scientific research telescopes in North America.

    north america atop telescopes kitt peak national observatory kitt peak
    Episode 438: Why is our connection with canines so strong?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2024 5:26


    Scientists are learning more about dogs and their special communicative link with people.

    Episode 437: Exploring the pros and cons of big data

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2024 5:26


    Developments over the past decade have demonstrated the complexities of collecting and interpreting big data.

    Episode 436: Tracking the dietary habits of animals

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2024 5:26


    Scientists are catching up with the evolution of diet among animal species.

    Episode 435: Exploring the universe with the Large Binocular Telescope

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2024 5:26


    The Large Binocular Telescope has been observing planets, stars, and galaxies from atop Mount Graham since 2005. Telescope staff scientist Al Conrad discusses the most recent pictures it captured of Jupiter's volcanic moon Io.

    Episode 434: Surveying the sky with one of the world's most advanced telescopes

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2024 5:26


    Astronomers with the University of Arizona-backed Vera Rubin Observatory are on track to start their work early next year. Project outreach and education director Alan Strauss discusses how they will use the largest camera ever built to take a highly-detailed time-lapse look at our universe.

    Episode 433: Measuring glacier ice and its impact on sea level rise

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2024 5:26


    Scientists say 95 percent of the thickest ice in the Arctic Ocean has already melted. Now they are focusing on ice melt from inland glaciers in the Northern Hemisphere and how it's affecting sea level rise. University of Arizona planetary scientist Jack Holt is leading a team trying to predict how glaciers build and retreat in response to climate change.

    Episode 431: Expanding research techniques to fight Alzheimer's

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2024 5:26


    External brain stimulation is being used to treat issues ranging from schizophrenia to depression. University of Arizona psychology professor Ying Hui Chou talks about Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and its treatment potential for Alzheimer's patients.

    Episode 431: Expanding research techniques to fight Alzheimer's

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2024 5:26


    External brain stimulation is being used to treat issues ranging from schizophrenia to depression. University of Arizona psychology professor Ying Hui Chou talks about Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and its treatment potential for Alzheimer's patients.

    Episode 430: Creating physics textbooks for homeschooling

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2024 5:26


    A retired University of Arizona educator is making science available for kids learning at home. Optical Science professor emeritus Richard Powell talks about the challenge of writing a physics textbook that can be used by families dedicated to homeschooling education.

    Episode 429: Uncovering hidden pollution in the Arctic

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2024 5:26


    Polluted ground and water in the Arctic have gone unnoticed for decades. University of Arizona environmental health scientist Frank von Hippel is working with Native American tribes in Alaska to locate and clean up pollution from military installations dating back to the Cold War.

    Episode 428: Investigating the mystery of Long COVID

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2024 5:26


    Some former COVID-19 patients are still suffering symptoms years after first encountering the coronavirus. University of Arizona immunologist Janko Nikolich is contributing to an ongoing national study on Long COVID. He discusses why Long COVID continues to mystify researchers looking into the different COVID-19 variants.

    Episode 427: How the design of places where we live and work affects our physical and mental well-being

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2024 5:26


    Scientists are studying how sounds, smells, and other natural elements make a difference in how comfortable we feel in our homes and offices. University of Arizona Architecture professor Altaf Engineer focuses his research on health and well-being in the built environment. He's researching the ways designers can impact social and behavioral issues through the buildings they create.

    Episode 426: How plants and animals are responding to climate change

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2024 5:26


    As our climate changes, growing seasons and migration patterns are happening at different times than in the past. University of Arizona environmental researcher Theresa Crimmins describes how seasonal data collection is revealing changes in the common design of nature.

    Episode 425: How skin cells are delivering clues to the mystery of Parkinson's

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2024 5:26


    Parkinson's disease affects an estimated 1 million Americans. University of Arizona neurology professor Lalitha Madhavan describes how a simple extraction of skin cells can uncover biomarkers that could help doctors diagnose Parkinson's in their patients.

    Episode 424: Using satellites to measure ice and snow in Antarctica

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2024 5:26


    Scientists are trying to get more accurate measurements of conditions in the continent of Antarctica. University of Arizona Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences professor Ali Behrangi describes how using a satellite in space can deliver data about snow and ice in one of the world's harshest environment.

    Episode 423: Studying the survival instincts of squirrels

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2024 5:26


    Wildlife scientists are exploring which species are best adapting to the effects of climate change. University of Arizona evolutionary biologist Lauren Petrullo describes a long-term field project focusing on wild North American Red Squirrels and their everyday resilience habits.

    Episode 422: How the mind keeps active during the brain's “down time”

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2024 5:26


    Not much is known about the science of imagination because few studies have asked the question of what triggers creativity. University of Arizona psychology professor Jessica Andrews-Hanna talks about what develops in our brains when we turn our thoughts inward.

    Episode 421: Shrinking cyberinfrastructure down to size

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2024 5:37


    The growth of computing systems and artificial intelligence is creating barriers for institutions trying to navigate cyberinfrastructure. University of Arizona Data Science Institute director Nirav Merchant talks about his research helping people crunch massive amounts of data.

    Episode 420: What data research teaches us about traffic safety

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2024 5:26


    Motor vehicle crashes are preventable but accidents are still ranked as the top cause of death for Americans under the age of 40. University of Arizona civil engineering professor Alyssa Ryan studies transportation crash data. She's looking deeper into why certain populations experience higher traffic mortality rates than others.

    Episode 419: A mission to detect moonquakes on the lunar surface

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2024 5:37


    Astronauts left the last seismometers on the moon's surface during the Apollo program 50 years ago.

    Episode 418: Seeking evidence of a climate change turnaround

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2024 5:26


    Scientists studying the world's oceans are finding proof that the Earth is responding to efforts by populations fighting climate change.

    Episode 417: Updating an endangered species count in the Sky Islands

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2024 5:26


    The pace of local extinctions is on the rise in the sky islands of the Sonoran Desert. University of Arizona evolutionary biologist John Wiens is tracking lizard populations in mountainous regions of southern Arizona and western Mexico and found some species are struggling with the changing climate.

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