It’s common knowledge that many diseases and conditions have some kind of genetic link. But that wasn't always the case. In 1990, long before the Human Genome Project tied so many health issues to differences in genetics, researchers identified a gene called BRCA1. It was the first gene linked to a hereditary form of any common cancer. People with certain variants of BRCA1 stood a higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer than those without those mutations.  
<a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/dr-mary-claire-king-geneticist?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Geneticist Mary-Claire King</a> and her lab were the first to identify that gene. She joined Host Flora Lichtman in September 2025 to talk about her background, her research, and her approach to science.
Guest:
Dr. Mary-Claire King is an American Cancer Society Professor in the departments of Genome Sciences and Medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle.
Other episodes you may enjoy:
<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/nagasaki-physician-masao-tomonaga/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">A Nagasaki Survivor And Physician Recounts His Life’s Work</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/the-leap-i-was-considered-a-nobody?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">I Was Considered A Nobody</a></li>
</ul>
Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/dr-mary-claire-king-geneticist?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">sciencefriday.com</a><a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/how-clinical-trials-work/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">.</a>
<a href="https://pod.link/73329284" target="_blank">Subscribe to this podcast.</a> Follow our show on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/scifri/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@scifri" target="_blank">TikTok</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/scifri" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social" target="_blank">Bluesky</a> @scifri and <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/newsletters/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">sign up for our newsletters</a>. Got a science question that’s keeping you up at night? Call us: <a href="tel:+18774724374">877-4-SCIFRI</a> Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

<description>&lt;p&gt;It’s common knowledge that many diseases and conditions have some kind of genetic link. But that wasn't always the case. In 1990, long before the Human Genome Project tied so many health issues to differences in genetics, researchers identified a gene called BRCA1. It was the first gene linked to a hereditary form of any common cancer. People with certain variants of BRCA1 stood a higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer than those without those mutations.  &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/dr-mary-claire-king-geneticist?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Geneticist Mary-Claire King&lt;/a&gt; and her lab were the first to identify that gene. She joined Host Flora Lichtman in September 2025 to talk about her background, her research, and her approach to science.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Guest:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Dr. Mary-Claire King is an American Cancer Society Professor in the departments of Genome Sciences and Medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Other episodes you may enjoy:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/nagasaki-physician-masao-tomonaga/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;A Nagasaki Survivor And Physician Recounts His Life’s Work&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/the-leap-i-was-considered-a-nobody?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;I Was Considered A Nobody&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/dr-mary-claire-king-geneticist?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;&lt;i&gt;sciencefriday.com&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/how-clinical-trials-work/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;&lt;i&gt;.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://pod.link/73329284" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;Subscribe to this podcast.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt; Follow our show on &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/scifri/" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;Instagram&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;, &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@scifri" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;TikTok&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;, &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.facebook.com/scifri" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;Facebook&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;, and &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;Bluesky&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt; @scifri and &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/newsletters/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;sign up for our newsletters&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;. Got a science question that’s keeping you up at night? Call us: &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="tel:+18774724374"&gt;&lt;i&gt;877-4-SCIFRI&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;p&gt;Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See &lt;a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com"&gt;pcm.adswizz.com&lt;/a&gt; for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

In September 2025, Dr. Mary-Claire King discussed her groundbreaking work in genetics, from identifying cancer risk to reuniting families.

A trailblazing geneticist reflects on her life and work

Old creepy houses are a horror cliche, but why? Why do they freak us out? According to new research, it might have something to do with <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/infrasound-haunted-house-explanation?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">infrasound</a>: a sound that’s below the range of human hearing, potentially emitted by low-rumbling pipes or old boilers more common in older houses.  
Psychologist and pseudoscience researcher Rodney Schmaltz explains his new study, and what role infrasound could play in leading people to feel unsettled in “haunted” places. Then, infrasound researcher Milton Garcés breaks down the infrasound that’s produced by volcanoes and asteroid impacts, and how it serves as a “keep away” signal in nature.
Guests:
Dr. Rodney Schmaltz is a professor of psychology at MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta.
Dr. Milton Garcés is a research scientist at the Hawai‘i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology and director of the Infrasound Laboratory at the University of Hawai’i in Honolulu.
Other episodes you may enjoy:
<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/melting-glacier-sounds?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">What The Sounds Of Melting Glaciers Can Tell Us</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/sonic-history-of-astronomy?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The World According To Sound: A Sonic History Of Astronomy</a></li>
</ul>
Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/infrasound-haunted-house-explanation?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">sciencefriday.com</a><a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/how-clinical-trials-work/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">.</a>
<a href="https://pod.link/73329284" target="_blank">Subscribe to this podcast.</a> Follow our show on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/scifri/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@scifri" target="_blank">TikTok</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/scifri" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social" target="_blank">Bluesky</a> @scifri and <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/newsletters/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">sign up for our newsletters</a>. Got a science question that’s keeping you up at night? Call us: <a href="tel:+18774724374">877-4-SCIFRI</a> Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

<description>&lt;p&gt;Old creepy houses are a horror cliche, but why? Why do they freak us out? According to new research, it might have something to do with &lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/infrasound-haunted-house-explanation?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;infrasound&lt;/a&gt;: a sound that’s below the range of human hearing, potentially emitted by low-rumbling pipes or old boilers more common in older houses.  &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Psychologist and pseudoscience researcher Rodney Schmaltz explains his new study, and what role infrasound could play in leading people to feel unsettled in “haunted” places. Then, infrasound researcher Milton Garcés breaks down the infrasound that’s produced by volcanoes and asteroid impacts, and how it serves as a “keep away” signal in nature.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Guests:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Dr. Rodney Schmaltz is a professor of psychology at MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Dr. Milton Garcés is a research scientist at the Hawai‘i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology and director of the Infrasound Laboratory at the University of Hawai’i in Honolulu.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Other episodes you may enjoy:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/melting-glacier-sounds?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;What The Sounds Of Melting Glaciers Can Tell Us&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/sonic-history-of-astronomy?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;The World According To Sound: A Sonic History Of Astronomy&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/infrasound-haunted-house-explanation?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;&lt;i&gt;sciencefriday.com&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/how-clinical-trials-work/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;&lt;i&gt;.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://pod.link/73329284" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;Subscribe to this podcast.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt; Follow our show on &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/scifri/" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;Instagram&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;, &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@scifri" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;TikTok&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;, &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.facebook.com/scifri" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;Facebook&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;, and &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;Bluesky&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt; @scifri and &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/newsletters/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;sign up for our newsletters&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;. Got a science question that’s keeping you up at night? Call us: &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="tel:+18774724374"&gt;&lt;i&gt;877-4-SCIFRI&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;p&gt;Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See &lt;a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com"&gt;pcm.adswizz.com&lt;/a&gt; for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Low-frequency noises that humans can feel, but not hear, may be behind the spooky feeling of old houses—and serve as a warning to animals.

Is that spooky old house full of ghosts, or just infrasound?

We recently got a call from a SciFri listener in Florida who has autoimmune arthritis. He told us that over the years he’d taken 10 drugs, and each out eventually stopped working. He then tried to enroll in a clinical trial for a new drug for his condition, but he was rejected specifically because he was on his 10th drug.
Today we’re digging into clinical trials and <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/how-clinical-trials-work/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">how they work</a>. Are there incentives for drug developers to leave out “problem children”? Or is it more complicated than that? Flora talks with lawyer and bioethicist Holly Fernandez Lynch about what clinical trials are designed to do, how participants are chosen, and where FDA regulation comes into play.
Guest:
Dr. Holly Fernandez Lynch is an associate professor of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania.
Other episodes you may enjoy:
<a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/social-science-replication-crisis-score-study/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Why so many studies can’t be replicated</a> <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/public-health-research-more-useful-to-communities/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Can ‘Suggestion-Box Science’ Make Public Health More Useful?</a>
Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/how-clinical-trials-work/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">sciencefriday.com.</a>
<a href="https://pod.link/73329284" target="_blank">Subscribe to this podcast.</a> Follow our show on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/scifri/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@scifri" target="_blank">TikTok</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/scifri" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social" target="_blank">Bluesky</a> @scifri and <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/newsletters/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">sign up for our newsletters</a>. Got a science question that’s keeping you up at night? Call us: <a href="tel:+18774724374">877-4-SCIFRI</a> Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

<description>&lt;p&gt;We recently got a call from a SciFri listener in Florida who has autoimmune arthritis. He told us that over the years he’d taken 10 drugs, and each out eventually stopped working. He then tried to enroll in a clinical trial for a new drug for his condition, but he was rejected specifically because he was on his 10th drug.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Today we’re digging into clinical trials and &lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/how-clinical-trials-work/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;how they work&lt;/a&gt;. Are there incentives for drug developers to leave out “problem children”? Or is it more complicated than that? Flora talks with lawyer and bioethicist Holly Fernandez Lynch about what clinical trials are designed to do, how participants are chosen, and where FDA regulation comes into play.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Guest:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Dr. Holly Fernandez Lynch is an associate professor of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Other episodes you may enjoy:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/social-science-replication-crisis-score-study/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Why so many studies can’t be replicated&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/public-health-research-more-useful-to-communities/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Can ‘Suggestion-Box Science’ Make Public Health More Useful?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/how-clinical-trials-work/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;&lt;i&gt;sciencefriday.com.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://pod.link/73329284" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;Subscribe to this podcast.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt; Follow our show on &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/scifri/" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;Instagram&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;, &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@scifri" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;TikTok&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;, &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.facebook.com/scifri" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;Facebook&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;, and &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;Bluesky&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt; @scifri and &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/newsletters/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;sign up for our newsletters&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;. Got a science question that’s keeping you up at night? Call us: &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="tel:+18774724374"&gt;&lt;i&gt;877-4-SCIFRI&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;p&gt;Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See &lt;a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com"&gt;pcm.adswizz.com&lt;/a&gt; for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

A bioethicist walks us through the complexity of clinical trials, from their core scientific questions to patient selection to FDA approval.

How do clinical trials work, and who can participate?

The herbicide <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/paraquat-parkinsons-link-us-rise?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">paraquat</a> is so toxic it’s banned in over 70 countries. But its use in the U.S. is growing, despite known links to Parkinson’s disease. In southeastern Mississippi, an industrial plant is leaking tens of thousands of pounds of the chemical into the air.
Environmental reporter Delaney Nolan and epidemiologist Beate Ritz join Host Flora Lichtman to discuss the implications of this leak, and what we know about how paraquat affects the body.
Guests: 
Delaney Nolan is an environmental reporter based in New Orleans. She reported this story for The Lens and the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk.
Dr. Beate Ritz is a professor of epidemiology at UCLA in Los Angeles.
Other episodes you may enjoy:
<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/parkinsons-early-symptoms-causes?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Teasing Apart The Causes And Early Signs Of Parkinson’s</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/worm-gym-exercise-parkinsons?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Workout Worms May Reveal New Parkinson’s Treatments</a></li>
</ul>
Want SciFri gear? <a href="https://merch.ambientinks.com/collections/sciencefriday" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Check out our new shop!</a>
Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/paraquat-parkinsons-link-us-rise?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">sciencefriday.com</a><a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/gynecologic-health-crisis-for-black-women-improving-uterine-health/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">.</a>
<a href="https://pod.link/73329284" target="_blank">Subscribe to this podcast.</a> Follow our show on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/scifri/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@scifri" target="_blank">TikTok</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/scifri" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social" target="_blank">Bluesky</a> @scifri and <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/newsletters/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">sign up for our newsletters</a>. Got a science question that’s keeping you up at night? Call us: <a href="tel:+18774724374">877-4-SCIFRI</a> Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

<description>&lt;p&gt;The herbicide &lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/paraquat-parkinsons-link-us-rise?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;paraquat&lt;/a&gt; is so toxic it’s banned in over 70 countries. But its use in the U.S. is growing, despite known links to Parkinson’s disease. In southeastern Mississippi, an industrial plant is leaking tens of thousands of pounds of the chemical into the air.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Environmental reporter Delaney Nolan and epidemiologist Beate Ritz join Host Flora Lichtman to discuss the implications of this leak, and what we know about how paraquat affects the body.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Guests: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Delaney Nolan is an environmental reporter based in New Orleans. She reported this story for The Lens and the Mississippi River Basin Ag &amp; Water Desk.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Dr. Beate Ritz is a professor of epidemiology at UCLA in Los Angeles.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Other episodes you may enjoy:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/parkinsons-early-symptoms-causes?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Teasing Apart The Causes And Early Signs Of Parkinson’s&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/worm-gym-exercise-parkinsons?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Workout Worms May Reveal New Parkinson’s Treatments&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
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&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/paraquat-parkinsons-link-us-rise?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;&lt;i&gt;sciencefriday.com&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/gynecologic-health-crisis-for-black-women-improving-uterine-health/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;&lt;i&gt;.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
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A processing plant in Mississippi is leaking massive amounts of Paraquat into the air. Its biological link to Parkinson's is becoming clear.

Use of herbicide linked to Parkinson's is on the rise in the US

Bucket hats. Low-rise jeans. Track suits. As you might’ve noticed, Y2K fashion is in right now. People say that fashion moves in 20-year cycles, and it turns out…it does! At least <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/fashion-trends-according-to-math?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">according to math</a>.
Host Flora Lichtman sits down with mathematician Emma Zajdela to figure out how she analyzed over 35,000 images of women's clothing dating all the way back to the 1860s to confirm this theory.
Guest: 
Dr. Emma Zajdela is a Franco-American mathematician and science diplomacy activist.
Other episodes you may enjoy:
<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/john-green-everything-is-tuberculosis-book?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Many, Many Ways Tuberculosis Shaped Human Life</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/bone-collector-caterpillar-and-e-textiles?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Functional Fashion From An Artist And A Caterpillar</a></li>
</ul>
Want SciFri gear? <a href="https://merch.ambientinks.com/collections/sciencefriday" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Check out our new shop!</a>
Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/fashion-trends-according-to-math?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">sciencefriday.com</a><a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/gynecologic-health-crisis-for-black-women-improving-uterine-health/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">.</a>
<a href="https://pod.link/73329284" target="_blank">Subscribe to this podcast.</a> Follow our show on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/scifri/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@scifri" target="_blank">TikTok</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/scifri" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social" target="_blank">Bluesky</a> @scifri and <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/newsletters/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">sign up for our newsletters</a>. Got a science question that’s keeping you up at night? Call us: <a href="tel:+18774724374">877-4-SCIFRI</a> Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

<description>&lt;p&gt;Bucket hats. Low-rise jeans. Track suits. As you might’ve noticed, Y2K fashion is in right now. People say that fashion moves in 20-year cycles, and it turns out…it does! At least &lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/fashion-trends-according-to-math?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;according to math&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Host Flora Lichtman sits down with mathematician Emma Zajdela to figure out how she analyzed over 35,000 images of women's clothing dating all the way back to the 1860s to confirm this theory.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Guest: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Dr. Emma Zajdela is a Franco-American mathematician and science diplomacy activist.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Other episodes you may enjoy:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/john-green-everything-is-tuberculosis-book?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;The Many, Many Ways Tuberculosis Shaped Human Life&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/bone-collector-caterpillar-and-e-textiles?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Functional Fashion From An Artist And A Caterpillar&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Want SciFri gear? &lt;a href="https://merch.ambientinks.com/collections/sciencefriday" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Check out our new shop!&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/fashion-trends-according-to-math?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;&lt;i&gt;sciencefriday.com&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/gynecologic-health-crisis-for-black-women-improving-uterine-health/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;&lt;i&gt;.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://pod.link/73329284" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;Subscribe to this podcast.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt; Follow our show on &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/scifri/" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;Instagram&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;, &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@scifri" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;TikTok&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;, &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.facebook.com/scifri" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;Facebook&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;, and &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://bsky.app/profile/scifri.bsky.social" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;Bluesky&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt; @scifri and &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/newsletters/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;sign up for our newsletters&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;. Got a science question that’s keeping you up at night? Call us: &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="tel:+18774724374"&gt;&lt;i&gt;877-4-SCIFRI&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;p&gt;Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See &lt;a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com"&gt;pcm.adswizz.com&lt;/a&gt; for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

A mathematician analyzed 150 years of women’s fashion to understand 20-year trend cycles, and how “optimal distinctiveness” drives change.

Why does fashion repeat in 20-year cycles? Math has the answer

Covering the outer reaches of space to the tiniest microbes in our bodies, Science Friday is the source for entertaining and educational stories about science, technology, and other cool stuff.

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