A Moment of Science

A firefly lights up while sitting on a hand

Firefly flashes are mating signals

Male fireflies cruise the evening air, flashing their lanterns in a pattern characteristic of their species, looking for females of their own kind. Read More »

Recent Audio Podcasts

The ocean is changing color

A view of the ocean near Argentina, as seen from the ISS in space

About 56% of the ocean’s surface has changed in color. An expanse larger than Earth’s entire land surface has become slightly greener.

Very bright fluorescent yellow clothing fiber wound together in bundles against a white background

Have you ever wondered why fluorescent colors -- like you see in highlighters or clothing dyes, for instance - seem so much brighter than other colors?

What did the Earth need to become habitable?

A dog drinking water from a see-through cup, its tongue curling backward in the water

Dogs aren't quite as graceful as we humans when it comes to taking a drink. But you might give your pooch more credit if you knew that her lapping method is the most effective one.

A red-necked wallaby on short grass, with a wall of green leaves behind it

Imagine yourself walking through the English countryside. You might expect to come across some squirrels, moles, foxes, and badgers. However, you may find an unexpected animal friend crossing you path: a red-necked wallaby!

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A Moment of Science Blog

Surprising Science: How Fungi Can Help Conquer The Final Frontier

The fibers of mycelium in mushrooms cover a large area

Today's Surprising Science looks at the emerging field of astromycology and how fungi might just hold the key to our space exploration efforts.

Carlo Bononi’s Incoronazione della Virgine

Our last Surprising Science took us out of this world to learn more about how scientists determine potentially habitable planets. Today, we’re back on Earth to look at how some of our smallest life forms are impacting the art world.

How does introducing a new species impact an environment? The unique case of the Lazarus lizard shows there's more than one possible outcome.

Scientific breakthroughs can come from some surprising sources. Today's episode of Surprising Science looks at how different branches can create breakthroughs in other fields.