Science Quickly

• The Fungi Facing Extinction and the Conservationists Working Hard to Protect Them

  Conservationists are ringing the alarm about the fungi facing extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List features vulnerable pandas and endangered tortoises, but it also highlights more than 400 fungi species that are under threat. Gregory Mueller, chief scientist emeritus at the Chicago Botanic Garden and coordinator of fungal conservation programs at the IUCN, and Anders Dahlberg, a professor of mycology at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, explain the critical role fungi play in our environment and ways we can protect these threatened species. Recommended reading: Mysterious ‘Dark Fungi’ Are Lurking Everywhere  For fans of The Last of Us, our 2023 podcast on real zombifying fungi E-mail us at [email protected] if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter.  Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper, Naeem Amarsy and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was hosted by Rachel Feltman. Our show is edited by Alex Sugiura with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Griefbots Offer AI Connections with Deceased Loved Ones

  Griefbots, artificial intelligence chatbots that mimic deceased loved ones, are increasingly in popularity. Researcher Katarzyna Nowaczyk-Basińska reflects on what death, grief and immortality look like in the digital age. She shares insights from a project that she is leading as a AI2050 Early Career Fellow: Imaginaries of Immortality in the Age of AI: An Intercultural Analysis. Plus, we discuss the ethical and privacy concerns surrounding how the data of the deceased are used and what consumers should be on the lookout for if they want to use griefbots.  Recommended reading: You can read a recent paper on griefbots co-authored by Nowaczyk-Basińska: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13347-024-00744-w And you can keep up with her research: https://katarzynanowaczykbasinska.pl/en/dr-katarzyna-nowaczyk-basinska/ Read our coverage of the tricky ethical debates around AI: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-god-chatbots-changing-religious-inquiry/  E-mail us at [email protected] if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter.  Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper, Naeem Amarsy and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was hosted by Rachel Feltman. Our show is edited by Alex Sugiura with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Scientific American in 1925: Solar Eclipses, Seances and Some Strange Inventions

  We’re taking a break from our usual weekly news roundup to do a little time travel. In 1925 Scientific American covered a total solar eclipse that featured some surprising solar shadow play and a prediction about today’s eclipses. Plus, we review some long-gone sections of the magazine that tried to verify mediums and show off zany inventions! Recommended reading: You can read more from our archives here: https://www.scientificamerican.com/archive/issues/  E-mail us at [email protected] if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter.  Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper, Naeem Amarsy and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was hosted by Rachel Feltman. Our show is edited by Alex Sugiura with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• How to Become an Urban Naturalist

  Wild NYC author Ryan Mandelbaum takes host Rachel Feltman through New York City’s Prospect Park to find urban wildlife. They explore the city’s many birds, surprising salamanders and unexpected urban oases. Plus, they discuss what the rules of engagement with wildlife are and how you can find wildlife in your own urban or suburban environment.  Recommended reading: Read Wild NYC: Experience the Amazing Nature in and around New York City, which is out now. Listen to our episode on protecting wildlife wherever you are.  E-mail us at [email protected] if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter.  Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper, Naeem Amarsy and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was hosted by Rachel Feltman. Our show is edited by Alex Sugiura with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Our Fear and Fascination around Snakes

  When writer Stephen S. Hall was a child, he would capture snakes—much to his mother’s chagrin. Now the science journalist is returning to his early fascination In his latest book, Slither: How Nature’s Most Maligned Creatures Illuminate Our World. The book explores our long, complicated relationship with snakes. Plus, Hall chats about humans’ and other animals’ evolved reactivity to the presence of snakes and the adaptations that keep snakes alive in even the most extreme environments. Recommended reading: Slither is out now: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/stephen-s-hall/slither/9781538741337/  An Evolutionary ‘Big Bang’ Explains Why Snakes Come in So Many Strange Varieties https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/an-evolutionary-big-bang-explains-why-snakes-come-in-so-many-strange-varieties/  Venomous Snakes May Spread into Vulnerable Communities because of Climate Change https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/venomous-snakes-are-spreading-because-of-climate-change/  E-mail us at [email protected] if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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