In this special sneak peek video, The Big Bang Theory star Mayim Bialik reveals whether she prefers Sheldon or Penny, what she imagines Blossom is doing now, and how she fell in love with the neuron.

More Mayim on February 12.

Too busy celebrating the holidays with your precious family and friends to check out public broadcasting’s best science stories? Fear not. From the Mayan Apocalypse to a New Year’s resolutions guide, we’ve been keeping our eyes peeled for the most relevant science stories of the past two weeks. Enjoy!

A snowflake - ready for it’s close-up.

Radio Lab: Snowflake Science

What does it take to become a snowflake? It’s a beautiful, complicated journey - one you can re-live in this lovely Radio Lab piece.

NPR Science: A 3.8 Billion-Pixel Tour of Mount Everest

Why shlep all the way up a mountain, when you can catch a bird’s eye view of Mount Everest from your iPAD?

Science Friday: Debunking Doomsday and Exploring Maya Science

All of this apocalypse nonsense provides the perfect opportunity to revisit the science of the Mayans - who accurately tracked the moon and planets, knew the solar year was 365 days and even invented the concept of zero.

NPR Science: Birds Hang Around Mistletoe For More Than A Kiss

It’s food, you guys. The birds hang around for food.

Science Friday: Making Resolutions That Stick

Perhaps heeding the advice of a clinical psychologist will increase the odds of sticking to your resolutions this year. (premieres Friday at 4:00PM)

NPR Science: Building A Rover Of The Edible Kind

It’s finally here! A model of the Mars Rover you can stuff your face with.

NOVA scienceNOW: Live Stream the Entire Season

If you missed an episode of NOVA scienceNOW, the entire season is now streaming online. This year’s episodes provide some answers to questions like “What Are Animals Thinking?” and “What Make Us Human?”

What is the funniest word? Who is the funniest comedian? And what does Robert Lynch’s fake laugh sound like?

Robert bears all in his “10 Questions” video. Check it out in the player above and on his Secret Life homepage.

You learned about his science. Now, can you guess his secret? In the video below, we drop four major hints about Robert’s life outside of the lab. We want to hear from YOU. Send us your guesses in the comments section below.

Stay tuned! We’ll reveal Robert’s secret tomorrow, December 20th.

We gave Robert Lynch 30 seconds to tell us about his work as an evolutionary anthropologist, focusing on the important role humor plays in the development of the human species. It turns out, a case of the giggles can tell us more about ourselves than you might think.

Our friend the microbe hunter waxes philosophical with a haiku about vaccine.

Bruce Jackson’s mother grew up in the segregated south. Bruce tells us how giving her the photo of he and President Barack Obama shaking hands felt like the “ultimate universal justice.”

Ian Lipkin paints a picture of life as a Hollywood Consultant by telling us about one instance in which he helped “Contagion” director Steven Soderbergh keep his film scientifically accurate.

Fixing the mistake required an expensive and time-consuming reshoot, but as Ian put it - “it really has to be good science.”

Kudos to Soderbergh for keeping his film scientifically honest.

Bruce Jackson opens up to us about what he looks for in a diving partner, the scariest thing he’s encountered underwater and how he really feels about the science on CSI. Check it out in the player above and on his Secret Life homepage.

In case you didn’t have the time to meticulously scan the public broadcasting space for the best science stories this week, we’ve gathered them all in one place for you. A Cheeseburger Worth Remembering

Happy Friday, you guys.

NPR: Hours After A Meal, It’s The Memory That Matters

Keep holy the lunch hour. Eating while distracted can rob you of precious food memories that impact your food decisions later in the day. So turn off the computer at lunch, and honor thy meatball sub.

NOVA: Engineering Extra Senses

Sorry, nature. Five senses just won’t do.

Science Friday: No Joke - Why Even Tragedy Gets A Laugh

“I just can’t help it,” said the man laughing uncontrollably at a funeral. It turns out, he’s right. In this piece, a neuroscientist explains how we can’t help but to laugh at the sad stuff.

inside NOVA: The Secret Social Life Inside NOVA: Science Cafes

Classrooms aren’t the only place to talk science.

Radio Lab - Krulwich Wonders: The Rubik’s Cube That Isn’t

Wait - what?! You’ll want to watch this chin scratcher more than once.

NPR Science: Perfection is Skin Deep: Everyone Has Flawed Genes

Science confirms the common suspicion that no one is indeed perfect.

We know about Bruce Jackson’s life as a DNA detective from his “30 Seconds” video. But now it’s time for you, dear readers, to do some sleuthing of your own. Using the clues in this video, can you guess Bruce’s secret life? Send us your theories in the comments section below. We’ll retweet our favorite guesses.

When someone mentions a molecule like DNA, what comes to mind? CSI detectives? Evidence? Nailing the bad guy? Bruce Jackson has a different angle. He may use DNA to catch the bad guys, but he also uses the “coolest of all molecules” to free the unjustly imprisoned, to study how humans have changed over billions of years and to trace people’s ancestries.

There’s more to this molecule than meets the eye, ya see?

We got a lot of science out of Bruce in just 30-Seconds, but there’s a piece of the puzzle still missing. Stay tuned in the next two days for clues to Bruce’s secret life, which we’ll uncover this Thursday, December 6th.

There was a time when Sundays were for reading the newspaper. While these science stories from the public broadcasting space might lack the nostalgic glow of ink and paper, they more than make up for it with fascinating science and a human touch. Sundays are for reading.

NPR Science: Could Nate Silver Predict How Good Your Pumpkin Pie Will be?

Now that the election is over, we can finally focus on what’s really important.

Science Friday: Ig Nobel Prizes Celebrate Somewhat Suspect Science

The physics of ponytails, the explosiveness of colonoscopies, the greenness of hair…this is the silly science of the Ig Nobel Prize, celebrating work that “first makes you laugh, and then makes you think.” The ceremonies included a hearty welcome from our own Jean Berko Gleason.

Radio Lab: On Goosepumps

Back when we humans had a coat of hair covering our bodies, goosebumps caused our follicles to contract and stand on end, creating a giant “poof” of fur used to keep warm and make us appear larger to predators. Someone totally took our idea, you guys. What do you have to say for yourselves, porcupines?

NPR Science: Victory Or Defeat? Emotions Aren’t All In The Face

Forget a poker face. Considering that our bodies do most of the talking, card players may need to develop poker arms, poker legs and other such poker limbs.

NOVA: Packaging You Can Eat

How can raspberry frozen yogurt get any more tasty? An edible shell. That’s how.

Inside NOVA: Hey Mars, What’s For Dinner?

Hey, NASA. We know someone who can help out with that little food situation on Mars.

In his “10 Questions” video, Tom Yang shows off his ample vocal range by belting out an F-flat that will make your M&M’s melt. Check it out in the player above and on his Secret Life homepage.

Anyone can be Tom Jones. But not everyone can guess Tom Yang’s secret life. This is your LAST chance to guess before we premiere his video on Monday. Check out the clues, and send us your best guesses in the comment section below.

How do you make three-year old beef ravioli palatable for troops eating in 120-degree weather? Enter Tom Yang. Take thirty seconds to learn about his important work delivering food that that feels “Mom-Cooked” to the guys and gals who need it most.

This year, we are thankful for extended expiration dates.

Who among us does not enjoy very, very fast, very wild rock and roll music? Check out the first video of our latest scientist, Tom Yang. Using these five clues, can you guess his secret life?

We want to hear from YOU. Sound off in the comments section below, and on Facebook and Twitter. We promise to retweet our favorite guesses.

The week is over, and you haven’t had time to read ANY science stories from your favorite public broadcasters.

Allow us to help. We’ve gathered the best stories of the week for your enjoyment. And, in compliance with the unwritten laws of the internet, we jumped at the opportunity to show you a photo of a cute puppy. Jack - The Demanding Puggle

NOVA: The Clever Dog Lab

On the one hand, you have a happy-go-lucky golden retriever: no frills, eager to please. On the other, you have a strong-willed, “Miranda”-type puggle who knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to demand it. What’s going on behind those puppy eyes? A fascinating look at how dogs understand the world.

Science Friday: Are We Getting Dumber? Maybe, New Research Suggests

It seems that humans have been getting much dumber since we stopped with the hunting/gathering. May I suggest that all graduate students adopt a Hunger Games lifestyle during exam season?

NPR: A Young Reporter Chronicles Her ‘Brain On Fire’

That “demonic possession” you’ve been complaining about? It may have just been a nasty case of the rare, brain-attacking autoimmune disease chronicled in this fascinating memoir. A sneak peak here.

NOVA scienceNOW: What Will The Future Look Like?

This piece provides fascinating insight into what the New York Times Tech page could look like in 30 years.

NPR: A Peek Inside Rappers’ Brains Shows Roots of Improvisation

Here’s a shocker. When it comes to rapping, it’s best not to over-think the creative process. CC: Kanye West.

SPOILER ALERT: This video and post contain spoilers about the film Contagion (2011).

Director Steven Soderbergh wanted the film Contagion to convey a message: no one is beyond the law of nature. Not even Gwyneth Paltrow.

Here’s one way he achieved that goal.

We’re thrilled to congratulate fellow AAAS Kavli Science in Journalism Award winner and Secret Life contributor Carl Zimmer for winning the prestigious award. He received the honor for three stellar pieces of science journalism in The New York Times:

Tending the Body’s Microbial Garden

A Sharp Rise in Retractions Prompts Calls for Reform

Evolution Right Under Our Noses

A tip of the hat to you, Carl.