Looking for Signatures of Life on Mars

03/17/15 Was there ever life on Mars? How do scientists search for and analyze possible clues? Roger Summons

The Formation of Stars and Planets

09/15/15 How stars and their planetary systems form, and what the New Horizons mission to Pluto will reveal about the "fossil record" of our own solar system. Scott J. Kenyon

Language Acquisition: How Many Languages Can You Learn?

10/10/18 The acquisition of even one language is very complicated. But there are some --called hyperpolyglotals-- who learn dozens of languages. How does the brain do this? Evelina Fedorenko

Searching for Bio-Molecules

04/29/15 At the Summons Lab at MIT, scientists probe soil and rock samples from both ancient Earth and --using remote instruments-- Mars for bio-molecules. Roger Summons

Ecological and Psychological Perspectives on Climate Change

02/13/18 Important factors that influence the way people think about climate change. Brian Helmuth and John Coley

A Brief History of Earth: Four Billion Years in Eight Chapters

08/23/21 In his latest book for the general public, an esteemed geologist makes the dynamics of our planet and its lifeforms accessible to all. A must-read for all who care about our Earth. Andrew Knoll

Understanding Viruses: The Connor Lab

07/2014 The Connor Lab at Boston University is a leader in the effort to understand how viruses infect and how cells learn how to block infection. John Connor

Let's Get Serious: Fossil Fuel Pollution's Impact on Health and Mortality Rate

10/29/24 A collaborative study by HSPH epidemiologist Joel Schwartz and British colleagues has revealed a much greater impact of fossil fuel pollution on health and on worldwide mortality rates than previously thought. Joel Schwartz

A Potential Solution to the Methane Problem

03/29/22 An innovation attracting great interest: an abundant, inexpensive clay might be used to remove the greenhouse gas methane from the atmosphere. Desiree Plata

Carbon Capture and Storage Will Not Reduce Global Warming

02/09/24 GBH Forum Network webinar (noon ET) The extreme level of atmospheric CO2 is well beyond a “capture and storage/sequestration” solution, yet the hype persists that some clever extraction innovation will resolve the problem. Charles Harvey

Today's Featured Contributors

Featured Author

Mario Livio, Ph.D.

A well known astrophysicist who is also gifted at making science and mathematics accessible to the general public

Featured Guest

Aaron Kesselheim, M.D., J.D., M.P.H.

A research physician who brings his combined medical and legal expertise to the evaluation of regulatory agencies