Today we’re spotlighting an underappreciated group of marine creatures: <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/science-of-sea-slugs/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">sea slugs.</a> Don’t let their humble name fool you. They come in vivid neon colors, with patterns that rival the most beautiful butterflies and feather-like external gills and tentacles.There are an estimated 10,000 species of sea slugs and they are incredibly diverse. Some are smaller than a quarter. And one species can weigh more than a terrier, up to 30 pounds. Not to mention their contributions to brain research—understanding their neural networks was the basis for a Nobel Prize in 2000.  Marine biologist Patrick Krug joins Host Ira Flatow to dive into the slimy science of sea slugs. Guest: Dr. Patrick Krug is a sea slug researcher and professor of biological sciences at Cal State LA.Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/science-of-sea-slugs/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">sciencefriday.com.</a>
<a href="https://pod.link/73329284" target="_blank">Subscribe to this podcast.</a> Plus, to stay updated on all things science,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/newsletters/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">sign up for Science Friday's newsletters</a>.

<description>&lt;p&gt;Today we’re spotlighting an underappreciated group of marine creatures: &lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/science-of-sea-slugs/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank"&gt;sea slugs.&lt;/a&gt; Don’t let their humble name fool you. They come in vivid neon colors, with patterns that rival the most beautiful butterflies and feather-like external gills and tentacles.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are an estimated 10,000 species of sea slugs and they are incredibly diverse. Some are smaller than a quarter. And one species can weigh more than a terrier, up to 30 pounds. Not to mention their contributions to brain research—understanding their neural networks was the basis for a Nobel Prize in 2000.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Marine biologist Patrick Krug joins Host Ira Flatow to dive into the slimy science of sea slugs. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Guest: Dr. Patrick Krug is a sea slug researcher and professor of biological sciences at Cal State LA.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at &lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/science-of-sea-slugs/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank"&gt;sciencefriday.com.&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; Plus, to stay updated on all things science,&amp;nbsp;&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;&lt;strong&gt;sign up for Science Friday's newsletters&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Across their 10,000 species, sea slugs sport striking colors, external gills, and even the ability to regrow a body from a severed head.

Don’t Let Their Name Fool You—Sea Slugs Are Awesome

There’s an enormous buildout of data centers underway across the country to fuel the AI boom. Hundreds of <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/ai-data-centers-cost-pushback/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">billions</a> of dollars have already been spent on data centers, with talk of spending trillions more. And these data centers use a lot of power: According to the Times Picuayune, Meta’s new data center under construction in Louisiana will require nearly three times the power that New Orleans uses in a year. Residents across the country have taken note, and rising utility rates have become an issue in some recent elections.Casey Crownhart, senior climate reporter at MIT Technology Review, has been studying the costs and impacts of the data center boom. She joins Host Ira Flatow for an update on the latest.Guest: Casey Crownhart is a senior climate reporter at MIT Technology Review, based in New York, NY.Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/ai-data-centers-cost-pushback/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">sciencefriday.com.</a>
<a href="https://pod.link/73329284" target="_blank">Subscribe to this podcast.</a> Plus, to stay updated on all things science,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/newsletters/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">sign up for Science Friday's newsletters</a>.

<description>&lt;p&gt;There’s an enormous buildout of data centers underway across the country to fuel the AI boom. Hundreds of &lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/ai-data-centers-cost-pushback/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank"&gt;billions&lt;/a&gt; of dollars have already been spent on data centers, with talk of spending trillions more. And these data centers use a lot of power: According to the &lt;i&gt;Times Picuayune,&lt;/i&gt; Meta’s new data center under construction in Louisiana will require nearly three times the power that New Orleans uses in a year. Residents across the country have taken note, and rising utility rates have become an issue in some recent elections.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Casey Crownhart, senior climate reporter at&lt;i&gt; MIT Technology Review&lt;/i&gt;, has been studying the costs and impacts of the data center boom. She joins Host Ira Flatow for an update on the latest.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Guest: Casey Crownhart is a senior climate reporter at &lt;i&gt;MIT Technology Review&lt;/i&gt;, based in New York, NY.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at &lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/ai-data-centers-cost-pushback/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank"&gt;sciencefriday.com.&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; Plus, to stay updated on all things science,&amp;nbsp;&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;&lt;strong&gt;sign up for Science Friday's newsletters&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

A boom in construction of AI data centers is facing backlash over soaring electricity and water usage, and the resulting utility hikes.

As Companies Build Data Centers For AI, Communities Push Back

You might think about bats as flitting around in the dark and hunting insects, but some species feed on fruits or flowers—and play an important role as pollinators. One place that role is crucial is in the relationship between bats and agave plants. Bat conservationist Kristen Lear joins Host Ira Flatow to describe <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/bats-agave-pollinator-monarch-migration-tracking/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">efforts to restore agaves</a> in the Southwest and Mexico, which has consequences for bats, for the ecosystems around the agave, and for your liquor cabinet, since agave is the source of drinks like tequila and mezcal.Plus, journalist Dan Fagin joins Ira to discuss his recent <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/science/monarch-butterfly-migration-tracking-sensor.html?unlocked_article_code=1.108.w18T.8m0O7fbF7NXR&smid=url-share" target="_blank">New York Times article</a> on a new technology that is letting researchers follow individual monarch butterflies over the course of a thousand-mile migration. Guests: Dr. Kristen Lear is director of the Agave Restoration Initiative at Bat Conservation International, based in Austin, Texas. Dan Fagin is a science journalist and the director of the Science, Health & Environmental Reporting Program at New York University.Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/bats-agave-pollinator-monarch-migration-tracking/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">sciencefriday.com.</a>
<a href="https://pod.link/73329284" target="_blank">Subscribe to this podcast.</a> Plus, to stay updated on all things science,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/newsletters/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">sign up for Science Friday's newsletters</a>.

<description>&lt;p&gt;You might think about bats as flitting around in the dark and hunting insects, but some species feed on fruits or flowers—and play an important role as pollinators. One place that role is crucial is in the relationship between bats and agave plants. Bat conservationist Kristen Lear joins Host Ira Flatow to describe &lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/bats-agave-pollinator-monarch-migration-tracking/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank"&gt;efforts to restore agaves&lt;/a&gt; in the Southwest and Mexico, which has consequences for bats, for the ecosystems around the agave, and for your liquor cabinet, since agave is the source of drinks like tequila and mezcal.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Plus, journalist Dan Fagin joins Ira to discuss his recent &lt;a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/science/monarch-butterfly-migration-tracking-sensor.html?unlocked_article_code=1.108.w18T.8m0O7fbF7NXR&amp;smid=url-share" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;New York Times&lt;/i&gt; article&lt;/a&gt; on a new technology that is letting researchers follow individual monarch butterflies over the course of a thousand-mile migration. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Guests:&lt;br /&gt;Dr. Kristen Lear is director of the Agave Restoration Initiative at Bat Conservation International, based in Austin, Texas.&lt;br /&gt;Dan Fagin is a science journalist and the director of the Science, Health &amp; Environmental Reporting Program at New York University.&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/bats-agave-pollinator-monarch-migration-tracking/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank"&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; Plus, to stay updated on all things science,&amp;nbsp;&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;&lt;strong&gt;sign up for Science Friday's newsletters&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

How bats, agave plants, and tequila are connected. Plus, tiny trackers on monarch butterflies reveal their migration journeys.

A Toast To Bats That Pollinate Agave, And Tracking Monarchs

The spotted owl has been a conservation flashpoint for more than 30 years. While habitat loss has been their historic foe, their most recent threat comes from within the owl family tree: the barred owl. Barred owls have expanded into the Pacific Northwest and are now <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/spotted-owls-barred-owls-conservation/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">outcompeting spotted owls</a> for food and habitat. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has put forth a strategy that some experts say is the only way to save the spotted owl, and it could involve killing hundreds of thousands of barred owls.Ecologist and spotted owl expert Rocky Gutierrez joins Host Flora Lichtman to break down the plan, and explain how we got to this point.Guest: Dr. R.J. “Rocky” Gutierrez is an owl ecologist and professor emeritus at the University of Minnesota. He’s now based in Humboldt County, California.Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/spotted-owls-barred-owls-conservation/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">sciencefriday.com.</a>
<a href="https://pod.link/73329284" target="_blank">Subscribe to this podcast.</a> Plus, to stay updated on all things science,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/newsletters/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">sign up for Science Friday's newsletters</a>.

<description>&lt;p&gt;The spotted owl has been a conservation flashpoint for more than 30 years. While habitat loss has been their historic foe, their most recent threat comes from within the owl family tree: the barred owl. Barred owls have expanded into the Pacific Northwest and are now &lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/spotted-owls-barred-owls-conservation/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank"&gt;outcompeting spotted owls&lt;/a&gt; for food and habitat. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has put forth a strategy that some experts say is the only way to save the spotted owl, and it could involve killing hundreds of thousands of barred owls.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ecologist and spotted owl expert Rocky Gutierrez joins Host Flora Lichtman to break down the plan, and explain how we got to this point.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Guest: Dr. R.J. “Rocky” Gutierrez is an owl ecologist and professor emeritus at the University of Minnesota. He’s now based in Humboldt County, California.&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/spotted-owls-barred-owls-conservation/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank"&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; Plus, to stay updated on all things science,&amp;nbsp;&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;&lt;strong&gt;sign up for Science Friday's newsletters&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

To save spotted owls in the Pacific Northwest, one plan suggests killing thousands of barred owls. Conservationists and activists are at odds.

A Startling Plan To Save Spotted Owls—From Barred Owls

A team of scientists is trying to <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/microbe-conservation-movement/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">jumpstart</a> a global conservation movement, on par with efforts to save the rainforests or protect the oceans. But it might be even more ambitious because the target of their quest is invisible, everywhere, and mostly something we try to hand-sanitize away: microbes.So how do you conserve something that is everywhere and in everything? And why do microbes need protecting to begin with? Host Flora Lichtman digs into it with microbial ecologist Jack Gilbert, who is leading this charge. They chat about the thinking behind microbe conservation plans, and why some scientists are hesitant to jump onboard.Guest: Dr. Jack Gilbert is a microbial ecologist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and co-chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Species Survival Commission’s Microbial Conservation Specialist Group. Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/microbe-conservation-movement/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">sciencefriday.com.</a>
<a href="https://pod.link/73329284" target="_blank">Subscribe to this podcast.</a> Plus, to stay updated on all things science,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/newsletters/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">sign up for Science Friday's newsletters</a>.

<description>&lt;p&gt;A team of scientists is trying to &lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/microbe-conservation-movement/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank"&gt;jumpstart&lt;/a&gt; a global conservation movement, on par with efforts to save the rainforests or protect the oceans. But it might be even more ambitious because the target of their quest is invisible, everywhere, and mostly something we try to hand-sanitize away: microbes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So how do you conserve something that is everywhere and in everything? And why do microbes need protecting to begin with? Host Flora Lichtman digs into it with microbial ecologist Jack Gilbert, who is leading this charge. They chat about the thinking behind microbe conservation plans, and why some scientists are hesitant to jump onboard.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Guest: Dr. Jack Gilbert is a microbial ecologist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and co-chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Species Survival Commission’s Microbial Conservation Specialist Group. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at &lt;a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/microbe-conservation-movement/?utm_source=wnyc&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank"&gt;sciencefriday.com.&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; Plus, to stay updated on all things science,&amp;nbsp;&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;&lt;strong&gt;sign up for Science Friday's newsletters&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Microbes make up about 99% of all species, but they’re not part of any global conservation plans. One group is trying to change that. 

Can A Microbe Conservation Movement Take Off?

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.

Science Friday

Details

Recent Episodes