Ira Flatow

Radio and TV journalist Ira Flatow produced his first science stories back in 1970 during the inaugural Earth Day. Since then, he has worked for Emmy Award-winning science programs and covered science for a number of high-profile news organizations, and has hosted the popular public radio program “Science Friday” for more than three decades. In his career, Flatow has interviewed countless scientists, journalists and other experts about the most exciting developments in science. Now the Club welcomes Flatow in conversation with local journalists to speak about the role of science writing in the current cultural climate. About the Speakers Ira Flatow is an award-winning science correspondent, TV journalist, and the host of "Science Friday," heard on public radio stations across the country and distributed by WNYC Studios. He brings radio and podcast listeners worldwide a lively, informative discussion on science, technology, health, space, the environment and more. Flatow describes his work as the challenge “to make science and technology a topic for discussion around the dinner table.” Annalee Newitz writes science fiction and nonfiction. Most recently, as a science journalist, they are the author of Stories Are Weapons: Psychological Warfare and the American Mind , about the history of psychological warfare, from Sun Tzu to Benjamin Franklin and beyond. They have published in The Washington Post , Slate , Scientific American , Ars Technica , The New Yorker , and Technology Review , among others. Newitz is the co-host of the Hugo Award-winning podcast "Our Opinions Are Correct," and has contributed to the public radio shows "Science Friday," "On the Media," KQED "Forum," and "Here and Now." Ezra David Romero is a climate reporter for KQED News. He covers the absence and excess of water in the Bay Area—think sea level rise, flooding and drought. For 12 years he’s covered how warming temperatures are altering the lives of Californians. He’s reported on farmers worried their pistachio trees aren’t getting enough sleep, families desperate for water, scientists studying dying giant sequoias, and alongside firefighters containing wildfires. His work has appeared on local stations across California and nationally on public radio shows such as "Morning Edition," "Here and Now," "All Things Considered" and "Science Friday." Naveena Sadasivam is a writer and editor at Grist covering the oil and gas industry and climate change. She previously worked at the Texas Observer , Inside Climate News , and ProPublica, and is based in Oakland, California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the first FDA approval for a pain medication in 25 years. How does the drug work, and who is it for? Also, non-mixing layers of water and hydrocarbons thousands of miles deep could explain the icy planets’ strange magnetic fields.The FDA Approves A New, Non-Opioid PainkillerIn January, the Food and Drug Administration approved a new pain medicine called Journavx (suzetrigine) , made by Vertex Pharmaceuticals. It’s the first time in 25 years the agency has given the green light to a new painkiller. Notably, it’s not an opioid and, according to the company, it’s not addictive. Unlike opioids, which act directly on the brain, Journavx instead blocks nerve endings across the body that transmit pain.Host Ira Flatow is joined by Dr. Sean Mackey, a professor of anaesthesiology and pain medicine at Stanford University and chief of the Division of Stanford Pain Medicine, to discuss how the new drug works, who should take it, and what its limitations are.Might Uranus And Neptune Have Deep, Multi-Layer Oceans?We’ve got a pretty good idea about what’s beneath the surface of our nearest planetary neighbors, like Mars. But as you get farther out into the solar system, our knowledge becomes scarce. For instance, what’s inside the so-called ice giants, Neptune and Uranus?Recent research based on computer simulations of fluids hints that the planets could contain vast multi-layered oceans, as much as thousands of miles deep. A layer of water that is on top of—but doesn’t mix with—a deeper layer of hydrocarbons could help explain strange magnetic fields observed during the Voyager mission.Dr. Burkhardt Militzer, a professor of earth and planetary sciences at UC Berkeley, wrote about this idea in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . He joins Host Ira Flatow to explain his theories.Transcripts for each segment will be available after the show airs on sciencefriday.com. Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters . 99% of people are being fed 'pop-science' garbage. If you want the real intelligence without the digital tracking, you just found the exit. Bypass the system noise now. 🔴 INITIALIZE SECURE DOWNLOAD ⚪ GET THE UNFILTERED ARCHIVE

It’s the first FDA approval for a pain medication in 25 years. How does the drug work, and who is it for? Also, non-mixing layers of water and hydrocarbons thousands of miles deep could explain the icy planets’ strange magnetic fields. The FDA Approves A New, Non-Opioid Painkiller In January, the Food and Drug Administration approved a new pain medicine called Journavx (suzetrigine) , made by Vertex Pharmaceuticals. It’s the first time in 25 years the agency has given the green light to a new painkiller. Notably, it’s not an opioid and, according to the company, it’s not addictive. Unlike opioids, which act directly on the brain, Journavx instead blocks nerve endings across the body that transmit pain. Host Ira Flatow is joined by Dr. Sean Mackey, a professor of anaesthesiology and pain medicine at Stanford University and chief of the Division of Stanford Pain Medicine, to discuss how the new drug works, who should take it, and what its limitations are. Might Uranus And Neptune Have Deep, Multi-Layer Oceans? We’ve got a pretty good idea about what’s beneath the surface of our nearest planetary neighbors, like Mars. But as you get farther out into the solar system, our knowledge becomes scarce. For instance, what’s inside the so-called ice giants, Neptune and Uranus? Recent research based on computer simulations of fluids hints that the planets could contain vast multi-layered oceans, as much as thousands of miles deep. A layer of water that is on top of—but doesn’t mix with—a deeper layer of hydrocarbons could help explain strange magnetic fields observed during the Voyager mission. Dr. Burkhardt Militzer, a professor of earth and planetary sciences at UC Berkeley, wrote about this idea in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . He joins Host Ira Flatow to explain his theories. Transcripts for each segment will be available after the show airs on sciencefriday.com. Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters .

After her SciFri internship 20 years ago, Flora went on to become a beloved science journalist, video producer, and podcaster. Now she’s back! Also, several different fires are causing extreme damage in the Los Angeles area. Strong Santa Ana winds are one factor behind their rapid spread.Science Friday Now Has Two Hosts: Meet Flora Lichtman!Big news! Science Friday now has two hosts—Ira Flatow, the program’s founder, and veteran science journalist Flora Lichtman . Going forward, you’ll hear both of them regularly on the air and on our podcast. Flora joins Ira to introduce herself and talk about her background, from her start as an intern at Science Friday 20 years ago to her role as a video producer, then a writer for Bill Nye, and as creator of the podcast “Every Little Thing.”Los Angeles Wildfires Burn For Days, Stoked By Santa Ana WindsThis week, the Los Angeles area has been battered by at least five separate wildfires . Tens of thousands of acres have burned, and thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes. Fire experts had warned on January 2 that conditions were ideal for wildfires in parts of Southern California. One factor that has helped these fires spread rapidly? Unusually strong Santa Ana winds. On the other side of the country, Winter Storm Blair has caused freezing temperatures and up to a foot of snow across the Midwest and up into the East Coast, putting more than 60 million people under weather alerts.Joining Ira Flatow to discuss these and other top stories of the week is Umair Irfan, science correspondent at Vox, based in Washington, D.C.Transcripts for each segment will be available after the show airs on sciencefriday.com. Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters . 99% of people are being fed 'pop-science' garbage. If you want the real intelligence without the digital tracking, you just found the exit. Bypass the system noise now. 🔴 INITIALIZE SECURE DOWNLOAD ⚪ GET THE UNFILTERED ARCHIVE

After her SciFri internship 20 years ago, Flora went on to become a beloved science journalist, video producer, and podcaster. Now she’s back! Also, several different fires are causing extreme damage in the Los Angeles area. Strong Santa Ana winds are one factor behind their rapid spread. Science Friday Now Has Two Hosts: Meet Flora Lichtman! Big news! Science Friday now has two hosts—Ira Flatow, the program’s founder, and veteran science journalist Flora Lichtman . Going forward, you’ll hear both of them regularly on the air and on our podcast. Flora joins Ira to introduce herself and talk about her background, from her start as an intern at Science Friday 20 years ago to her role as a video producer, then a writer for Bill Nye, and as creator of the podcast “Every Little Thing.” Los Angeles Wildfires Burn For Days, Stoked By Santa Ana Winds This week, the Los Angeles area has been battered by at least five separate wildfires . Tens of thousands of acres have burned, and thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes. Fire experts had warned on January 2 that conditions were ideal for wildfires in parts of Southern California. One factor that has helped these fires spread rapidly? Unusually strong Santa Ana winds. On the other side of the country, Winter Storm Blair has caused freezing temperatures and up to a foot of snow across the Midwest and up into the East Coast, putting more than 60 million people under weather alerts. Joining Ira Flatow to discuss these and other top stories of the week is Umair Irfan, science correspondent at Vox, based in Washington, D.C. Transcripts for each segment will be available after the show airs on sciencefriday.com. Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters .

Last October, Ira Flatow took a trip to the World Forestry Center in Portland, Oregon, for a daylong exploration of lichen —the fuzzy growths often found on trees, roofs, and gravestones. Ira sat down in front of a sold-out room with Dr. Hannah Prather, postdoctoral researcher and visiting assistant professor of biology at Reed College, and Dr. Jesse Miller, lead botanist for the Washington Natural Heritage Program. From their crucial role in ecosystems as indicators of air quality to their striking colors and forms, we’ve really taken a lichen to these amazing organisms. Transcripts for each segment will be available after the show airs on sciencefriday.com . Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters .

Ira Flatow wants to turn science...into dinner conversation. The host and creator of Science Friday has spent a career quenching our curiosity, and his, and making science accessible. But amidst the fun are serious issues, like water shortages, climate change, genetic engineering, and artificial intelligence. We replay a conversation from August, when Flatow was in Colorado and spoke with CPR Southern Colorado Reporter Dan Boyce in front of an audience.

Leaders from the top-polluting countries, like the US and China, aren’t showing up to the UN’s big climate conference in Azerbaijan. And, walking pneumonia typically affects school-age kids, but the CDC reports a rise in cases in children aged 2-4.At COP29, The World’s Top Polluters Are No-ShowsThe United Nations’ annual international climate conference, COP29, got underway this week in Baku, Azerbaijan. Leaders from around the world come together at this conference to hammer out deals between nations to lower emissions and coordinate climate change-related financial efforts.And a big focus this year was to negotiate a deal for wealthier countries to financially compensate developing nations who’ve experienced climate-change related damage. The only problem is that world leaders from the top-polluting countries, like the US and China, aren’t even showing up .Ira Flatow is joined by Umair Irfan, senior correspondent at Vox , to catch up on this and other science stories of the week, including new data on rising alcohol consumption, why Voyager 2 got an inaccurate snapshot of Uranus in the 1980s, and why the world’s largest organism might also be its oldest.Walking Pneumonia Is Spiking. Here’s How To Stay SafeLast month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put out a report outlining a significant spike in Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections, better known as walking pneumonia . This respiratory illness is caused by bacteria spread through respiratory droplets, and symptoms usually mimic the common cold. It’s pretty common, with about 2 million infections happening each year, mostly in school-age kids. This year’s spike, which started in the spring, is a little different: There’s been a significant increase in kids aged 2 to 4 and it is now the new leading cause of pneumonia for that group.Dr. Preeti Sharma, pediatric pulmonologist at Children’s Heath in Dallas, knows what it’s like to have a child with mycoplasma pneumonia. Her daughter came home with the illness in the spring. What she thought was a typical cold turned into a deep and lingering cough : a telltale sign of walking pneumonia.Dr. Sharma, who is also an associate professor at UT Southwestern, joins Ira Flatow to discuss this year’s Mycoplasma pneumoniae spike, the best treatments, and how to keep your family healthy this holiday season. Transcripts for each segment will be available after the show airs on . Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/newsletters/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer no

Leaders from the top-polluting countries, like the US and China, aren’t showing up to the UN’s big climate conference in Azerbaijan. And, walking pneumonia typically affects school-age kids, but the CDC reports a rise in cases in children aged 2-4. At COP29, The World’s Top Polluters Are No-Shows The United Nations’ annual international climate conference, COP29, got underway this week in Baku, Azerbaijan. Leaders from around the world come together at this conference to hammer out deals between nations to lower emissions and coordinate climate change-related financial efforts. And a big focus this year was to negotiate a deal for wealthier countries to financially compensate developing nations who’ve experienced climate-change related damage. The only problem is that world leaders from the top-polluting countries, like the US and China, aren’t even showing up . Ira Flatow is joined by Umair Irfan, senior correspondent at Vox , to catch up on this and other science stories of the week, including new data on rising alcohol consumption, why Voyager 2 got an inaccurate snapshot of Uranus in the 1980s, and why the world’s largest organism might also be its oldest. Walking Pneumonia Is Spiking. Here’s How To Stay Safe Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put out a report outlining a significant spike in Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections, better known as walking pneumonia . This respiratory illness is caused by bacteria spread through respiratory droplets, and symptoms usually mimic the common cold. It’s pretty common, with about 2 million infections happening each year, mostly in school-age kids. This year’s spike, which started in the spring, is a little different: There’s been a significant increase in kids aged 2 to 4 and it is now the new leading cause of pneumonia for that group. Dr. Preeti Sharma, pediatric pulmonologist at Children’s Heath in Dallas, knows what it’s like to have a child with mycoplasma pneumonia. Her daughter came home with the illness in the spring. What she thought was a typical cold turned into a deep and lingering cough : a telltale sign of walking pneumonia. Dr. Sharma, who is also an associate professor at UT Southwestern, joins Ira Flatow to discuss this year’s Mycoplasma pneumoniae spike, the best treatments, and how to keep your family healthy this holiday season. Transcripts for each segment will be available after the show airs on sciencefriday.com . Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters .

Ira Flatow wants to turn science... into dinner conversation. The host and creator of Science Friday has spent a career quenching our curiosity, and his, and making science accessible. But amidst the fun are serious issues, like water shortages, climate change, genetic engineering, and artificial intelligence. Flatow was in Colorado recently. He spoke with CPR Southern Colorado Reporter Dan Boyce in front of an audience.

Click here to begin listening. The chance to interview another interviewer is an opportunity I like to take. A chance came on September 4, 2007, when I was able to visit with Ira Flatow, the host of “Science Friday,” a part of Talk of the Nation, on NPR. We talked about some ideas and concepts he raises […]

Robert Ballard: 50 Years Exploring Deep Waters — Today's Amazon Deals - https://amzn.to/3FeoGyg – Deep-sea voyager Robert Ballard has discovered everything from 10-foot-tall tube worms to the Titanic on his ocean expeditions around the world. Ballard discusses his underwater finds and how new robotic technology allows scientists to explore the sea from ashore. This interview was originally broadcast on July 3, 2009. Sponsor Message SCIENCE Exploring The Deepest, Darkest Spots On Earth INTERVIEWS Desktop Diaries: Sylvia Earle ENVIRONMENT Its Budget Sunk, Undersea Lab May Have To Surface IRA FLATOW, HOST: You're listening to Science Friday, from NPR News. I am Ira Flatow. My next guest, underwater explorer Robert Ballard. He has probably passed more time on the bottom of the ocean than most of us have probably spent swimming in it. His work day - a typical workday may include a two-and-a-half hour commute each way to the ocean bottom in a cramped submersible. But what he's found down there in five decades of exploration has changed the way we look at the oceans and our planet. Think of the things that he has discovered. You know, he's discovered those hydrothermal vents, the superheated hot springs on the ocean floor, the creatures living there that - they certainly rival any Mariners' tales of monsters or mermaids. We've got those 10 feet-long tube worms, football sized clams with blood red bodies. He's found all kinds of stuff down there, all in the darkness where no one thought any living thing could survive. But he's also made great scientific discoveries as he has, and he's also an underwater archaeologist. And in 1985, Dr. Ballard found the wreck of the Titanic, which is probably the thing he's most famous for but probably not the biggest scientific advance that he's done. He's also -soon after that he found a Nazi warship. And lately, he's been doing other underwater excavations, looking for evidence of ancient civilizations underwater in the Americas, searching for Byzantine merchant ships in the Black Sea. Where is he going next? What's left to find? What kind of new technology is he using? Well for the rest of the hour we're going to be talking about those expeditions with our modern-day Captain Nemo. Robert Ballard is president of the Institute for Exploration. He's Explorer-in-Residence for the National Geographic Society. He's also the director of the Center for Ocean Exploration and Archaeological Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island. And he joins us from Waterford, Connecticut. Welcome back to science Friday, Dr. Ballard. ROBERT BALLARD: It's a pleasure to be back. It's been awhile. FLATOW: I think I used up 40 minutes just saying what you've done. (LAUGHTER) BALLARD: Well there's a lot left to be done, fortunately. FLATOW: Do you think of yourself as a, like a modern-day Captain Nemo? BALLARD: Well, I hope so. I mean, that was my dream as a little kid and it's been my driving engine for years and years. "Twenty-thousand Leagues," as you remember, was not down to the bottom of the ocean, it was driving along the bottom of the ocean in a submarine looking out of that big window, and that's what I'm doing. So I think I might have pulled it off. FLATOW: When did you first - how young were you? When did you first discover that this was your career, this is was what you wanted to do? BALLARD: Oh, very early. When I grew up in San Diego, I was a little kid and I lived by the ocean, and that was my play yard. And back then, the parents simply said, you know, get home before it's dark. And I would spend the day in the tidal pools, so I had to learn the tides. And I remember the movie, "Robinson Crusoe" and I wanted to see those footprints of Friday in the sand. So I just began extremely early and then I got a big break when I was in high school. I got - in fact, it was 50 years ago this month - and on my first oceanographic expedition with the Scripps Institute of Oceanography - I had a scholarship there with t