Meet Charles Townes, who invented the “maser”, predecessor to the laser.

Strangely, the best way to stop a wildfire may be to start one. Scientists use techniques like “thinning” and controlled burns to regulate the cause and spread of wildfires.

Back in 1989, the world wide web was just an idea. Less than thirty years, three billion people use it.

New research suggests that as much as 25% of individuals who have autism may have received it through new genetic mutation. Dr. Wendy Chung of the Simons Variation Project joins us to discuss the role of genetics in the autism spectrum disorder.

Scientists from Rutgers are using underwater robotic gliders to analyze current patterns in and around Antarctica in order to determine food supply for penguins in the area.

Did you know that by using an antenna, you can hear echoes of the big bang right here on earth? Find out how two communications engineers scooped theoretical astrophysicists on one of the biggest cosmic discoveries of the twentieth century.

The pangolin is the only mammal completely covered in scales. Learn more about this curious creature here.

Believe it or not, the invention of the microwave was an accident. Get the real story behind the kitchen’s most convenient appliance.

Scientists are calling the loss of starfish “catastrophic”. What mysterious disease is killing them off? A team of researchers in Alaska is looking for answers.

Our apps are evolving. Find out what you can do now with Twitter that you couldn’t before.

Mobile and touchscreen technology can be too complicated for elderly users. A father and son team have developed a tablet that aims to solve that by making the tech simpler and more intuitive.

In the next year, an estimated twelve million veterans will be looking for work. To help ease the transition back into civilian life, numerous organizations around the country are helping them apply their skills in the business world.

Putting on large scale events is more than just flicking switches. Jere Harris from Production Resource Group joins us to explain how his company uses technology to produce large scale events, and how a former craft industry went tech.

Beth Comstock is an executive at General Electric who has been instrumental in the development of companies like Hulu and Quirky.

Geologist (and former cheerleader) Christine McCarthy tells us about Science Cheerleaders and how the organization is trying to attract more young women to STEM professions.

Biodiversity is more complicated than the number of species on Earth (for the record, there are over 8.7 million). Scientist Shahid Naeem joins us to explain what constitutes true diversity in nature.

It’s been twenty-five years since the Hubble Telescope was launched into orbit. Find out what kind of technology will replace this long-serving science workhorse.

Fossils for the pterosaur — cousin of the dinosaur — are very difficult to come by. Out of all the bones ever recovered, over 90% come from only five different deposits. Experts from the American Museum of Natural History discuss efforts to find this ancient animal.

The human body has a lot of bacteria in it. But just how much, exactly?

When a crow dies, other crows gather around and linger over the body, almost like a funeral. But are they mourning? Or does this ritual mean something else?