PBS NewsHour - Science

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Listen to PBS NewsHour science reporting published every Wednesday by 9 p.m. Featuring reports from Miles O'Brien, Nsikan Akpan and the rest of our science crew, we take on topics ranging from the future of 3-D printing to power of placebo drugs. Is this not what you're looking for? Don't miss our o…

PBS NewsHour


    • Aug 26, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekdays NEW EPISODES
    • 6m AVG DURATION
    • 594 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from PBS NewsHour - Science

    California farms face pressure to boost efficiency as water supply declines

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2025 8:09


    The demand for water from the Colorado River is of paramount importance out West and the focus of some big battles. It's been especially critical for farming and agriculture. In California's Imperial Valley, there are growing questions over the use of that resource and whether bigger changes are needed. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

    As glaciers melt, scientists study potential for more violent volcanic eruptions

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2025 6:44


    Scientists are flocking to Iceland to investigate an increasingly crucial question: Will melting glaciers accelerate and intensify earthquakes and volcanic eruptions? William Brangham reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

    Florida’s climate-focused tech sector faces uncertainty after federal cuts

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2025 8:40


    South Florida is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Start-ups, local governments and researchers are working to make the area more resilient, but federal funding cuts may hinder those efforts. William Brangham traveled to the region and reports for our series, Tipping Point. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

    A photographer’s quest to raise awareness of fireflies under threat with dazzling images

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2025 2:56


    For many people, fireflies are part of the story of summer, evoking memories of lazy, hot evenings spent trying to catch them in glass jars. Now, one man is still trying to catch them — not with a jar, but with a camera — to raise awareness about the threats facing these glowing insects. John Yang reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

    How a White House plan to overturn a key EPA regulation threatens children’s health

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2025 5:01


    In July, the Trump administration proposed revoking a landmark 2009 finding that’s been the basis for EPA regulation of greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. If the proposal is finalized, experts warn that it could jeopardize the health of millions of Americans, especially children. John Yang speaks with pediatrician and clinical professor Dr. Debra Hendrickson for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

    AI-generated models shake up the fashion industry and raise concerns

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2025 7:50


    The rise of artificial intelligence has touched nearly every industry, disrupting long-established workflows and raising concerns about job losses. Now, the fashion world is reckoning with these changes as AI takes hold, from virtual fitting rooms to AI avatars starring in marketing campaigns. Ali Rogin reports on the refashioning of the industry and why it’s raising alarms. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

    How Maryland’s riverkeepers protect the state’s waterways

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2025 2:47


    Fred Tutman is the riverkeeper of Maryland’s longest and deepest intrastate waterway. He's an advocate for the Patuxent River and one of the longest-serving waterkeepers in the Chesapeake region. Our journalism training program, PBS News Student Reporting Labs, traveled to Maryland to learn about Tutman's unique job. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

    New study highlights ‘grave, growing’ danger of plastic pollution to world’s health

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2025 4:49


    In Geneva, negotiators from 175 nations are trying to hammer out the first-ever legally binding treaty on plastic pollution. The urgency of the talks was underscored this week by a new study published in The Lancet. It calls plastics a “grave, growing and under-recognized danger to human and planetary health.” John Yang speaks with Tracey Woodruff, one of the study’s authors, to learn more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    How radioactive rhino horns could help save the species from poachers

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2025 2:10


    The black market trade in rhino horns is driving the species to near extinction. Now, scientists at a rhino orphanage in the Bushveld of South Africa are trying to protect them from poaching in a rather surprising way. John Yang reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Scientists face ecological and economic hurdles to save Mississippi River Delta

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2025 8:25


    The iconic Mississippi River Delta is of enormous importance to the country, especially near the Gulf Coast. It's an economic engine and a key wildlife habitat. But it's shrinking considerably due to a variety of factors, including engineering done decades ago. Science Correspondent Miles O'Brien looks at those problems and efforts to prevent further loss. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Federal mRNA funding cut is ‘most dangerous public health decision’ ever, expert says

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2025 7:52


    Many public health experts and scientists say they are stunned by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s decision to cancel nearly half a billion dollars in federal funding for future vaccine development. MRNA technology was central in the battle against COVID and can be developed more quickly than traditional vaccines. Geoff Bennett discussed the implications with Dr. Michael Osterholm. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    How a Kentucky community is using AI to help people find common ground

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2025 9:02


    The rise of artificial intelligence has sparked concerns across various sectors, including employment, education and national security. But one Kentucky county is taking a different approach, using the technology to boost something far more human: civic engagement. Judy Woodruff reports on an experiment that revealed surprising levels of agreement. It’s part of her series, America at a Crossroads. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    New book explores the science behind ‘super aging’ and longer, healthier lifespans

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2025 4:48


    Imagine a future where the aging process can be delayed and more people live active, healthy and disease-free lives well into their 90s. That reality may be sooner than you think, according to Dr. Eric Topol, author of the new book “Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity.” Ali Rogin speaks with Topol about the rapidly advancing science of healthy aging. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    How Ben & Jerry’s is recycling food waste into energy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2025 7:05


    It may sound like the stuff of sci-fi movies, but diverting food waste from the landfill and converting it into electricity has become a real thing. William Brangham visited Ben & Jerry’s Vermont ice cream factory and the operations next door to find out how it works. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    What’s in Trump’s new AI policy and why it matters

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2025 6:38


    President Trump unveiled his approach to the development of AI. Surrounded by some of the biggest names in tech, he signed three executive orders. One targets what Trump called "ideological bias" in AI chatbots, another aims to make it easier to build massive AI data centers and the third encourages the export of American AI tech. Amna Nawaz discussed the implications with Will Oremus. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Malaysia stops accepting plastic waste from the U.S. and other rich nations

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2025 4:28


    The U.S. produces more plastic waste than any other country in the world. Last year, more than 35,000 tons of it was shipped to Malaysia, which received more discarded plastic from rich nations than any other developing country. But in June, Malaysian leaders effectively banned future shipments. John Yang speaks with Anja Brandon, director of plastics policy at Ocean Conservancy, to learn more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    ‘Slow motion crisis’: Why some of the most populous cities in the U.S. are sinking

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2025 5:13


    According to a recent study published in the journal Nature Cities, 28 of the most populous U.S. cities are sinking. It’s due to a phenomenon called land subsidence, exacerbated in many cases by humans extracting too much groundwater from underground aquifers. Ali Rogin speaks with Grist senior writer Matt Simon to learn more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Study warns 1.5-degree warming limit can’t prevent dangers of melting glaciers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 6, 2025 4:54


    The 2015 Paris agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius was thought to be the threshold for averting severe climate change impacts. But new research says even that level is too high to prevent the catastrophic consequences of sea level rise due to melting glaciers. John Yang speaks with Chris Stokes, one of the study’s authors, to learn more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    What the U.S. has accomplished in 250 years of innovation and what’s next

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2025 6:33


    President Donald Trump went to Iowa on Thursday to start the countdown to the nation’s 250th Independence Day next year. To mark the anniversary, the nonpartisan Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress is looking at 250 years of U.S. innovation. John Yang speaks with Glenn Nye, the center’s president and CEO, about the project. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Rooftop solar industry fears demand will collapse as GOP rolls back tax credits

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2025 5:46


    Provisions in the GOP policy bill would end a host of tax credits for renewable energy, including one that allows homeowners to recoup 30 percent of the cost of a rooftop solar system. Businesses say it could deal a serious blow to the industry. Geoff Bennett discusses the potential with Dan Conant of Solar Holler, a solar installation company in West Virginia, for our series, Tipping Point. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Scientists track humpback whale migration with an assist from AI technology

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2025 5:11


    Humpback whales are some of the largest creatures on Earth and live in every one of the planet’s oceans. Their seasonal migrations are among the longest of any mammal, stretching thousands of miles. Now, scientists are using AI-powered facial recognition technology to track the whales on their journeys, offering new insights into their habits and health. John Yang reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Can AI help solve India’s food and water insecurity?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2025 8:05


    One of the largest challenges facing India: how to sustain food production for 1.4 billion people amid deteriorating soil quality, diminishing water supplies and climate change. For some, including hundreds of artificial intelligence startup companies, the challenge represents a business opportunity. From India, Fred de Sam Lazaro reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    New book ‘Empire of AI’ investigates OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2025 8:12


    OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is one of the most famous and secretive companies in the world working to develop artificial general intelligence that would match or surpass the cognitive abilities of humans across every task. Investigative journalist Karen Hao joins Ali Rogin to discuss her new book, “Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman’s OpenAI," which delves into the company. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    How researchers in Florida are using gene editing to protect the state’s orange groves

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2025 4:39


    Researchers in Florida are testing a new gene-edited tree that they hope will be able to fight off the tiny insects that have devastated the state’s orange groves for years. Colleen Krantz of Iowa PBS reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Group of rescued gray seals heads home after rehabilitation

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2025 2:17


    A group of gray seals in Rhode Island are making a splash. They were rescued in March and April after becoming entangled in fishing gear and other debris near Block Island. Several were recently released after being rehabilitated. John Yang has the story. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    To change perceptions of sharks, swimmer Lewis Pugh takes the plunge at Martha’s Vineyard

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2025 4:21


    Sharks have been cast as the ultimate villain ever since the movie “Jaws” was released 50 years ago this summer. The film tells the story of a great white shark terrorizing beachgoers, but in reality, humans pose the greater threat to sharks. Ali Rogin speaks with endurance swimmer Lewis Pugh, who wants to get that message out by swimming around Martha’s Vineyard, where “Jaws” was filmed. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    The growing environmental impact of AI data centers’ energy demands

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2025 4:57


    The EPA has reportedly drafted a plan to eliminate all limits on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, according to documents obtained by The New York Times. Now, with the rise of artificial intelligence technology, demand on power plants is increasing, in large part due to AI’s reliance on data centers. Ali Rogin speaks with Kenza Bryan, climate reporter for The Financial Times, for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    What the dismissal of hundreds of scientists means for a flagship climate report

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2025 5:32


    In late April, the Trump administration told hundreds of scientists and experts that they were no longer needed to compile the next national climate assessment, a flagship report mandated by Congress to catalog the ways climate change affects the country. John Yang speaks with Elizabeth Koebele, an associate professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, who was among the recipients of that message. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Breakthrough gene editing treatment helps child born with rare disorder

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2025 6:44


    Doctors announced this week that they have treated a newborn baby with a rare genetic disease using the world’s first personalized gene editing therapy. Geoff Bennett discussed the treatment and its potential with Dr. Peter Marks. He oversaw gene therapy treatment and vaccine safety and approval for the FDA before he left in March. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    One woman’s mission to help save cheetahs from extinction

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2025 5:31


    Cheetahs, the fastest mammals on Earth, are now in a race against extinction. It’s estimated that fewer than 7,000 exist in the wild. John Yang speaks with Laurie Marker, a woman who has already helped dramatically reduce one threat to cheetahs and is tackling new ones that have emerged, for our Weekend Spotlight. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Humans have seen a tiny fraction of the deep sea. Researchers are trying to change that

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2025 5:16


    The deep sea covers about two-thirds of the Earth’s surface, but according to a new study, humans are estimated to have observed less than .001 percent of the deep seafloor — an area roughly the size of Rhode Island. Stephanie Sy speaks with the study’s author, Katy Croff Bell, who is working to change that. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    How a warming Arctic may be eroding Indigenous history in Alaska

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2025 5:56


    In a remote part of Alaska, global warming is being blamed for endangering a treasure trove of Indigenous artifacts. Archaeologists at one dig site near the Bering Sea say they’re in a race against time. Nelufar Hedayat reports for the nonprofit news organization Evident Media. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    How NIH staffing cuts may delay a promising cancer treatment’s implementation

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2025 6:19


    Earlier in April, doctors at the National Institutes of Health made a promising step in the fight against cancer, announcing an immunotherapy treatment was able to shrink gastrointestinal tumors for about a quarter of patients. But NIH staffing shortages, layoffs and cuts are threatening to delay the rollout of this promising development. William Brangham speaks with Dr. Steven Rosenberg for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Coral bleaching is affecting nearly all the world’s reefs, new NOAA report says

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2025 3:22


    Coral reefs are a crucial part of the marine ecosystem, providing habitats for all sorts of marine life and protecting coastlines from storm damage. But scientists say rising ocean temperatures are posing a grave threat to the future of the world’s reefs. Ali Rogin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Gaia space observatory bids farewell after a decade of mapping the stars

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2025 4:08


    After more than a decade of mapping billions of stars across the Milky Way and beyond, a groundbreaking spacecraft is retiring. The European Space Agency’s space-based observatory known as Gaia is leaving behind a legacy of stunning discoveries that changed what we know about the universe. John Yang reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    How synthetic braiding hair may be putting Black women’s health in jeopardy

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2025 7:19


    For years, Black women have used synthetic braids to help style their hair. But a recent study by Consumer Reports found that these fake hair strands can contain dangerous chemicals that pose a health threat. Ali Rogin reports on the history of braiding in Black culture and speaks with Adana Llanos, co-leader of the Cancer Population Science Program at Columbia University, to learn more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Farmers turn to seaweed in attempt to reduce methane emissions from livestock

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2025 7:46


    As the world races to curb climate change, scientists are taking aim at cows, a surprisingly potent source of greenhouse gases. Science correspondent Miles O’Brien traveled from California to Mexico and Australia to explore a bold idea that could make a big impact. It's part of our series, Tipping Point. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Why the military is creating artificial reefs to protect U.S. shorelines

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2025 5:27


    Artificial, human-made reefs have been deployed around the country to enhance and protect coastlines. The Department of Defense is working to deploy them in waters off its coastal military bases with its “Reefense” project. Ali Rogin speaks with Catherine Campbell, who manages the program, to learn more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Scientists work to restore wild ocelot populations with fertility treatments

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2025 2:55


    While ocelots are widespread in South and Central America, in the United States they are on the brink of extinction. They were once overhunted for their coats, and now they face shrinking habitats. Researchers hope that the key to restoring this species can be found in fertility treatments. John Yang reports for our series, “Saving Species.” PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    How 200-year-old whaling logs are helping scientists track climate change

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2025 7:30


    What can centuries-old whaling ship logs tell us about today’s extreme weather? According to scientists, the answer is a lot. They’re using the information recorded by mariners going back hundreds of years to push the frontier of modern-day climate science. Special correspondent Pamela Watts with Rhode Island PBS reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    Scientists sound alarm on Trump administration’s dismantling of research funding

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2025 6:46


    The Trump administration is waging a ‘wholesale assault on U.S. science’ that threatens the country’s health, economic development, national security and scientific preeminence. That's according to an open letter published by nearly 2,000 doctors, scientists and researchers. William Brangham discussed the letter with Dr. Steven Woolf, one of its authors. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

    The effect of NIH funding cuts on vaccine access and hesitancy research

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2025 5:01


    The National Institutes of Health has terminated dozens of grants for scientific research projects related to vaccine use and hesitancy, informing researchers that their studies no longer aligned with the Trump administration’s priorities. Ali Rogin speaks with Sophia Newcomer, one of the researchers whose grant was cancelled, whose work focuses on health care access in rural communities. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

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