The brain is an enigma. Scientists are working to understand how these meager three pounds of matter inside your skull give rise to consciousness, thought, memory, and emotion. Doctors want to know how to keep your brain healthy and fix it when things go wrong, as in depression and autism. Here you will hear Science Update shows on the latest and most fascinating brain research.

From our own sun to the furthest reaches of the solar system and beyond, NASA and its partners are exploring worlds both near and far. Scientists working on the Genesis mission are studying matter collected from the sun. The MESSENGER mission is demystifying the sun’s nearest neighbor, the tiny planet Mercury. Meanwhile, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is looking for water on the moon, the New Horizons spacecraft soars to the outer reaches of the solar system and Kepler looks for planets orbiting other stars. Follow the action here at Science Update’s Space Exploration Spotlight. It’s a big universe; someone’s got to explore it.

Since Benjamin Banneker and George Washington Carver left their marks on American science, African Americans have made great strides as scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and inventors. It’s a story of success in the face of great odds in a racist society. However, there’s still much room for progress, because even today blacks are sorely underrepresented as science students, teachers, and professionals. Here you can hear the voices of just a few of the black scientists who are living and working in North America today—and helping to pave the way for those who will follow.