Advertise on podcast: The Show About Science

An accidental island sits in the middle of the Panama Canal, and for more than a century, it's drawn scientists from around the world. In this two-part series on Barro Colorado Island in Panama, Nate meets biologists Rachel Page and Erin Spear of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute to explore the questions hidden in one of the world's most closely studied tropical forests. In this episode, Nate follows Rachel into the rainforest at dusk, where a puddle full of tiny, love-struck frogs must get loud and brave to survive. Subscribe to our mailing list: https://theshowaboutscience.com/#subscribe-submit Connect with The Show About Science: Instagram: @showaboutscience Facebook: @theshowaboutscience YouTube: The Show About Science Twitter: @natepodcasts LinkedIn: The Show About Science Threads: showaboutscience

In this episode of The Show About Science, Nate visits the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia, to learn how scientists are working to protect cheetahs from extinction. He talks with carnivore keeper Amber Dedrick and program curator Adrienne Crosier about cheetah personalities, purring cats, genetic bottlenecks, microbiomes, fertility science, and the quiet work of saving a species one generation at a time. What does it take to help the fastest cat on Earth keep running? Find out on this episode of The Show About Science. Subscribe to our mailing list: https://theshowaboutscience.com/#subscribe-submit Watch the Tumble Joke-ha-thon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9eEdIwog_k&t=1s Support Tumble: https://givebutter.com/JokeHaThon2026/natebutkus Connect with The Show About Science: Instagram: @showaboutscience Facebook: @theshowaboutscience YouTube:The Show About Science Twitter: @natepodcasts LinkedIn: The Show About Science Threads: showaboutscience

In 1991, hikers in the Alps spotted what looked like a doll frozen in the ice. It wasn’t a toy. It was a body. What police thought was a recent accident turns out to be something far stranger. In this episode, Nate talks with author and journalist Brenda Fowler about the discovery of Ötzi the Iceman and the science that helped unravel his story. What can one frozen body teach us about early human civilization? Much more than you’d think. Brenda is the author of Iceman Uncovering the Life and Times of a Prehistoric Man Found in an Alpine Glacier.  Connect with The Show About Science: Website: https://theshowaboutscience.com/ Instagram: @showaboutscience Facebook: @theshowaboutscience YouTube:The Show About Science Twitter: @natepodcasts LinkedIn: The Show About Science Threads: showaboutscience

Seeds hold history. They carry the genetic blueprints of the past and the key to our future. But when disaster strikes, how far will scientists go to save them before they’re lost forever? In this episode of The Show About Science, Nate traces the incredible journey of some of the world’s most valuable seeds - from the Middle East to the Arctic Circle to the wheat fields of Kansas. Along the way, he uncovers how a global network of scientists are racing against time to safeguard our food supply for generations to come. Joining us on this journey are Mark Schapiro, author of Seeds of Resistance: The Fight to Save Our Food Supply, Luigi Guarino from the Crop Trust, Zakaria Kehel from the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), and Bart Panis from the World Banana Collection. Want to see inside the Svalbard Seed Vault? Check out the virtual tour here: https://theshowaboutscience.com/?p=1135. Subscribe to The Show About Science email list: https://theshowaboutscience.com/subscribe/ Connect with The Show About Science: Instagram: @showaboutscience Facebook: @theshowaboutscience YouTube:The Show About Science Twitter: @natepodcasts LinkedIn: The Show About Science Threads: showaboutscience

What is it like to fly a plane while attempting to make a podcast from 2,000 feet in the air? And can we pull this off? In this episode of The Show About Science, Nate chats with Carley Walker, the Director of Development at STEM Flights, and then takes to the skies with STEM Flights volunteer, Dragan Lazić, a passionate pilot and aviation safety expert.  Nate's thrilling flight experience at Waukegan National Airport highlights the importance of STEM education and programs like STEM Flights, which inspire young people to explore aviation and STEM careers. STEM Flights is a national nonprofit organization that connects Middle and High School students with volunteer Pilot Mentors to inspire America’s youth to pursue STEM and aviation careers with a unique flight experience. Learn more about STEM Flights:www.stemflights.org/ Apply to fly a STEM Flights mission:  www.stemflights.org/applyforastemflight Learn more about Dragan and Golden Wings Team: www.goldenwingsteam.com/ T-Shirt Contest The first 3 listeners who subscribe to The Show About Science mailing list will receive a Show About Science Flight Crew T-Shirt. Learn more at https://theshowaboutscience.com/2024/09/14/110-stem-flights-with-dragan-lazic-and-carley-walker/ Connect with The Show About Science: Instagram: @showaboutscience Facebook: @theshowaboutscience YouTube:The Show About Science Twitter: @natepodcasts LinkedIn: The Show About Science Threads: showaboutscience

It's the hottest day of the year, and deep underground, a mysterious countdown has finally hit zero. After years of silence, millions of cicadas are emerging from the earth, ready to take the stage in a once-in-a-lifetime event. But how do these creatures synchronize their grand entrance? In this episode of The Show About Science, Nate explores the fascinating world of cicadas emerging en masse after years of living underground. Joined by Jorin Graham, a physics PhD student from Northwestern University, they dive into the science behind cicada synchronization, the role of xylem in their lifecycle, and how synchronization mechanisms are key in nature. Connect with The Show About Science: Instagram: @showaboutscience Facebook: @theshowaboutscience YouTube:The Show About Science Twitter: @natepodcasts LinkedIn: The Show About Science Threads: showaboutscience

In this episode of The Show About Science, Nate unearths the surprising history of the Kentucky Coffee Trees growing in his backyard and quickly becomes obsessed with germinating their seeds. This obsession leads him to a lab at the University of Illinois at Chicago where he meets up with plant ecologist, David Zaya, to uncover the evolutionary tale of these trees and the role humans now play in preserving them.

Bacteriophages, also known as ‘phages,’ are the most common lifeform on the planet. They are constantly hunting for bacteria to infect and kill. What if we could harness these tiny microbes to help us in our fight against harmful, disease-causing bacteria? On this episode of The Show About Science, Ben Chan, from Yale University, joins Nate to explore the potential of phages in treating human infections amid the declining effectiveness of broad-spectrum antibiotics. If you’re interested in collecting phage samples, you can email Ben at [email protected] for further instructions on how to safely prepare and send your samples. Connect with The Show About Science: Mailing list and Ad Free Episodes: theshowaboutscience.com Instagram: @showaboutscience Facebook: @theshowaboutscience YouTube:The Show About Science Twitter: @natepodcasts LinkedIn: The Show About Science Threads: showaboutscience

In this episode of The Show About Science, Nate heads to the banks of the Chicago River to meet up with Melissa Pierce, PhD, the Technical Program Director at Current, a nonprofit water innovation hub. Together, they explore the complex world of urban water chemistry, focusing on the river's historical pollution problems and the measures taken to improve the water quality, in particular, an in-depth look at Current's H2Now program. In the second part of the episode, Nate travels to Washington, DC, to chat with Steve MacAvoy, PhD, a professor at American University. Steve's research has centered around studying the impact of urban infrastructure on river water chemistry and how the rising concentrations of specific chemicals are impacting our waterways. Episode Resources: H2NOW website: https://www.h2nowchicago.org/ Current's website: https://www.currentwater.org/ River Lab: https://www.currentwater.org/river-lab Listen to The Show About Science on Storybutton, the device that makes it easy for kids to listen to podcasts without using a screened device. Get yours at Storybutton.com. Connect with The Show About Science: Instagram: @showaboutscience Facebook: @theshowaboutscience YouTube:The Show About Science Twitter: @natepodcasts LinkedIn: The Show About Science Threads: showaboutscience

What it would really entail to conquer the relentless Martian elements, engineer a thriving, self-reliant biosphere, and craft life-preserving abodes within the alien realms of lava tubes? Zach Weinersmith is the cartoonist behind the popular webcomic, Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal. He, along with his partner in science, Kelly Weinersmith, have just published a new book entitled, 'A City on Mars', which explores the science behind settling the Red Planet. In this episode of The Show About Science, Zach and Nate delve into the monumental challenges of constructing a metropolis on the Mars. Learn more about 'A City on Mars': https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/639449/a-city-on-mars-by-kelly-and-zach-weinersmith/ Listen to The Show About Science on Storybutton, the device that makes it easy for kids to listen to podcasts without using a screened device. Get yours at Storybutton.com. Connect with The Show About Science: Instagram: @showaboutscience Facebook: @theshowaboutscience YouTube:The Show About Science Twitter: @natepodcasts LinkedIn: The Show About Science Threads: showaboutscience

What happens when 21 kids sue the U.S. government for a dream of a world without climate change? On this episode of The Show About Science, Nate interviews Elizabeth Rusch about the kids who are working to make that dream a reality. Elizabeth is the author of the new book, "The Twenty-One, The True Story of the Youth Who Sue the U.S. Government Over Climate Change," which tells the story of 21 young climate activists supported by environmental lawyer, Julia Olson, who sue the government for actively supporting the fossil fuel industry.   Learn more about Elizabeth Rusch at https://www.elizabethrusch.com/ Follow the case at https://www.ourchildrenstrust.org/ Listen to The Show About Science on Storybutton, the device that makes it easy for kids to listen to podcasts without using a screened device. Get yours at Storybutton.com. Connect with The Show About Science: Instagram: @showaboutscience Facebook: @theshowaboutscience YouTube:The Show About Science Twitter: @natepodcasts LinkedIn: The Show About Science Threads: showaboutscience

The platypus is a fascinating animal that has perplexed generations of scientists. Now researchers are studying the platypus on the molecular level, and it's just as surprising. Frank Grützner is a professor of genetics at the University of Adelaide. Frank studies the monotremes, a different lineage of mammals that includes the iconic egg-laying duck-billed platypus and short-beaked echidna.  On this episode of The Show About Science, we talk about the genetic mysteries of the platypus and their potential for advancing medical science. It's a captivating journey into nature, genetics, and medical breakthroughs you won't want to miss. Listen to The Show About Science on Storybutton, the device that makes it easy for kids to listen to podcasts without using a screened device. Get yours at Storybutton.com. Connect with The Show About Science: Instagram: @showaboutscience Facebook: @theshowaboutscience YouTube:The Show About Science Twitter: @natepodcasts LinkedIn: The Show About Science Threads: showaboutscience

Dr. Kimberly Arcand is a Visualization and Emerging Technology Scientist at NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory at the Center for Astrophysics, Harvard, and Smithsonian. In this episode of The Show About Science, Nate and Dr. Arcand dive into the mysteries of the universe illuminated by Chandra's use of X-ray light. From uncovering the intricacies of black hole cosmic recycling processes to exploring the aftermath of exploded stars and the mesmerizing pulsars emitting high-energy particles like cosmic lighthouses, this is a galactic tour like no other! Connect with The Show About Science: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/showaboutscience Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theshowaboutscience YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/showaboutscience Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/natepodcasts LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-show-about-science/ After experiencing the universe in a new light, consider leaving a stellar review and rating on your favorite podcast platform.

Can sound help us understand the complex patterns in our universe? This question leads Nate to Symbolic Sound in Champaign, Illinois, where composer Carla Scaletti guides him on a journey where sound, music, and data intertwine in captivating and thought-provoking ways. Along the way, we'll meet Kimberly Arcand, who unveils the hidden melodies of space through her celestial soundscapes, delve into the fascinating world of protein folding with Martin Gruebele, and listen to the delicate dance of DNA with Mark Temple. This episode was inspired by a fantastic LA Times article entitled The Sounds of Science by Sumeet Kulkarni. https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2023-02-03/the-sounds-of-science Kimberly Arcand is a visualization scientist and emerging technology lead at NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory with the Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian. Martin Gruebele is a professor at the University of Illinois where he leads the Gruebele Group. Carla Scaletti is an experimental composer, designer of the Kyma sound design language and co-founder of Symbolic Sound Corporation. Mark Temple is a Senior Lecturer in Molecular Biology in the School of Science at the Western Sydney University (WSU). Mark also created a web app that lets anyone plug and play their own DNA that’s been sequenced by a company such as 23andMe or Ancestry.com. Web App: http://dnasonification.org/index.html Myrtle Rust performance: https://youtu.be/n_3edKbfmbg Connect with The Show About Science:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/showaboutscience Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theshowaboutscience YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/showaboutscience Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/natepodcasts LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-show-about-science/ Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating wherever you listen to podcasts!

Brian Selznick is an illustrator and author best known for his books The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Wonderstruck, and The Marvels and Kaleidoscope. Brian joins Nate on this episode of The Show About Science to talk about the science behind his latest book, Big Tree. The book follows two small sycamore seeds, Merwin and Louise, who are looking for a safe place to grow while trying to save the entire world. Brian's research into fossil species, climate change, fungal hyphae and paleobotany form the backbone of this mesmerizing journey from the Cretaceous period to present day. Learn more about Brian, Big Tree, and his other books: https://www.thebrianselznick.com Transcript: https://theshowaboutscience.com/2023/04/18/100-big-tree-with-brian-selznick Connect with The Show About Science:  Website: https://www.theshowaboutscience.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/showaboutscience Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theshowaboutscience YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/showaboutscience Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/natepodcasts LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-show-about-science/ Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating wherever you listen to podcasts!