Innovation Now

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Innovation Now is a daily 90-second radio series and podcast that gives listeners a front row seat to hear compelling stories of revolutionary ideas, emerging technologies and the people behind the concepts that are shaping our future.

WHRO


    • Sep 18, 2026 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekdays NEW EPISODES
    • 1m AVG DURATION
    • 3,878 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Innovation Now

    Mice in Space

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2026 1:30


    Fire Fuels

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2026 1:30


    NASA data can be used to better understand how much fuel a potential wildland fire might have.

    Defying Gravity

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2026 1:30


    A device built to simulate spaceflight has become a secret ingredient for skincare.

    Seeking the Dark Universe

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2026 1:30


    The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is on its way, beginning a three-month, million-mile journey to orbit.

    Skills for Tomorrow

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2026 1:30


    Moon rocks collected by astronauts in the past are helping students learn computer skills for tomorrow.

    Firefighter Safety

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2026 1:30


    Over the past decade Phil Dennison has led the development of multiple applications of remote sensing and GIS to improve firefighter safety.

    Informed Decisions

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2026 1:30


    During the spring season, more than two million acres in Kansas are intentionally burned to manage invasive species and improve cattle grazing.

    Power from Pollution

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2026 1:30


    NASA learned how to make fuel from thin Martian air. That same technology is being used to help clean up oil fields on Earth.

    Labor Day Salute

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2026 1:30


    Labor Day often means barbecues or beach trips for Americans. Parades have been part of the festivities even before Labor Day became an official national holiday in 1894.

    Behind Your Map App

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2026 1:30


    To track climate patterns, NASA needed to measure the height of the world's oceans from space, but existing GPS data wasn't precise enough for this scientific challenge.

    An Orbital Incubator

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2026 1:30


    On Earth, 3D printed tissue collapses under its own weight. But in space, things are a bit different.

    Clever Engineering

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2026 1:30


    Thanks to some clever engineering, NASA's Voyager 2 has enough power to continue doing science in interstellar space.

    A Featherweight Antenna

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2026 1:30


    Orbiting spacecraft can map Martian ice deposits far below the surface, but they are blind to the top layers of regolith, where ice would be most accessible.

    An Agricultural Tightrope

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2026 1:30


    Farmers walk an agricultural tightrope: use too little fertilizer and crops fail. Use too much, and it washes away, polluting local water.

    Training the Brain

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2026 1:30


    Distractions are everywhere. But these smart glasses use a NASA invention to help students train their brains to pay attention.

    Planet Hunting

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2026 1:30


    Roman will test new technologies for space-based planet hunting.

    Modern Airships

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2026 1:30


    Technology that dressed the Apollo astronauts is being used to launch a fleet of modern airships.

    Perfect Focus

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2026 1:30


    The scan that keeps checkout lines moving has a cosmic origin.

    Taxi Please

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2026 1:30


    NASA is planning air taxi rides that can keep travelers feeling good.

    One Billion

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2026 1:30


    Volunteers from around the world have made one billion classifications on Zooniverse.

    No Blind Spots

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2026 1:30


    A radio designed for NASA, now tracks flights over the most remote parts of the globe, eliminating air traffic blind spots.

    DAVINCI goes to Utah

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2026 1:30


    Before NASA sends DAVINCI to Venus, scientists traveled to Utah to see if the instruments can do the job.

    No Limits

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2026 1:30


    Solar storms may have far worse effects on our technology than previously thought.

    Disaster Support

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2026 1:30


    Dry thunderstorms popped up over the Cascades on the evening of July 15th, peppering Oregon and Washington with thousands of lightning strikes.

    Epic Sensors

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2026 1:30


    The EPIC team is using a quadrotor drone to test flexible sensors that could be securely attached to parachute material.

    Mixed Reality Simulators

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2026 1:30


    NASA is hoping to give wings to mixed reality simulators as a safer, cost-effective training tool for future Earth aviators as well as pilots on space missions.

    A New Crew Vehicle

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2026 1:30


    When integrated into the new Lunar Terrain Vehicle, AIRES and L-MAPS will help support human exploration on the Moon.

    Volcanic Action

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2026 1:30


    Magellan was the first deep space probe launched by a space shuttle, and the first spacecraft to provide direct evidence of volcanic action on Venus.

    Underground Sanctuaries

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2026 1:30


    On the Moon or Mars, a machine that drops a weight at high speeds could effectively locate underground sanctuaries for planetary explorers.

    Manufacturing Nutrients

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2026 1:30


    NASA is looking at ways to manufacture the nutrients astronauts will need for long-duration space missions.

    Interacting with the Sun

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2026 1:30


    The lunar surface is constantly interacting with the Sun.

    Swarming Proxima Centauri

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2026 1:30


    Far beyond the reach of our solar system lies a dim red dwarf star, Proxima Centauri, the closest star to our own Sun.

    Deep Dive Robots

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2026 1:30


    Operating robots in deep space or the deep sea presents the same challenge: communication delays that require machines to think for themselves.

    Scrubbing the Air

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2026 1:30


    A device built to save seedlings in space became a global standard for clean air and fresh food.

    Satellite Relays

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2026 1:30


    NASA has selected SpaceX to help advance communications for next year's Artemis III mission.

    From Orbit to Impact

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2026 1:30


    A camera built to record a spacecraft's splashdown has become a widely adopted tool in automotive safety testing.

    Setting the Stage

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2026 1:30


    Heat Domes

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2026 1:30


    Summer isn't over in the Northern Hemisphere. There may still be sweltering days ahead.

    LEAPing into the Unknown

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2026 1:30


    Some of the most exciting discoveries in the universe are often in some of the hardest places to reach.

    Hydroplaning Hazards

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2026 1:30


    This NASA solution for sliding aircraft became a global standard for highway and pedestrian safety.

    Detoxifying Mars

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2026 1:30


    Scientists have confirmed there's frozen water on Mars. But there is a challenge. Martian water is full of toxic chemicals.

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