Assigned Scientist at Bachelor‘s

This episode is coming a day late but time is fake anyway. Happy Mother's Day! Or maybe not, if you have a bad relationship with your mom. Either way, insects will always be there for you, and sometimes they're even there for their own offspring.  Sources, further reading, and a transcript are available at our website here: https://asabpodcast.com/2026/05/11/episode-65/   The show is on Bluesky @...

This episode was originally recorded several years ago and I never got around to editing and posting it - but we're getting back into the swing of things and I didn't want to let this one molder away in the vault! A short episode on hematophagy (blood-eating) as a strategy in arthropods, and especially a curious little spider, Evarcha culicivora, which is a specialist on mosquitoes.  Sources, furt...

We're back from hiatus and talking about several updates in space news from the time we were gone - specifically, Arizona naming Pluto its state planet, the status on phosphine in Venus's atmosphere, and water on Mars.  Sources, further reading, and a transcript are available at our website here: https://asabpodcast.com/2025/02/18/episode-63-several-space-updates/   The show is on Bluesky @ ASABpo...

In this the first episode of Trans Medicine March - the one month of the year where this podcast is specifically and explicitly about being trans, and specifically aspects of medical transition - we begin with a consideration of how time in space affects the human body in general, and how being someone who has medically transitioned might interact with that. Also NASA: Send Tessa to space already....

In this episode which is definitely right on time for Valentine's Day, Charles tells Tessa about a paper he read on the fruitless gene (originally identified in Drosophila melanogaster, the "laboratory fruit fly") and its possible control over the courtship behavior in Blattella germanica, the "German cockroach," another classic model organism. Tangents of variable length include how crucial genit...

On this episode we're joined by PhD student Jackson Reyna to talk about his love of chemistry and specifically fire. Some topics include organometallics, practical applications of chemical research, what is fire, and whether and under what conditions we'd all be willing to participate in experimental medicine.  A transcript and show notes are available on our website at: https://asabpodcast.com/20...

In this episode, the two of us share several different interesting topics we've read about recently, including the timing of the meteor that killed the dinosaurs, the first fossil cockroach found with its sperm, the use of ultrasound as contraception for mammals, extremely dangerous theoretical rockets, and unethical animal experimentation in the American mid-twentieth-century. Warning for animal...

In this episode, we address what happens to all the insects when it's cold out - where do they go? how do they survive? how do you survive freezing temperatures? Including the elusive grylloblattids, freeze tolerant cockroaches, Alaskan stoneflies, and even some butterflies.  A transcript and show notes for this episode are available on our website here: https://asabpodcast.com/2022/11/28/episode-...

In this episode - recorded almost 18 months ago but still great - we talk to our first and only cis (?) guest: Rose Eveleth, the creator, writer, producer, and host of the podcast Flash Forward (in Charles's estimation, the greatest podcast of all time). We talk about the process behind making Flash Forward, the episodes which we feel speak particularly to The Trans Experience, Rose's attitude tow...

It's Nona time baby!!!!!!  A transcript and show notes are available on our website here: https://asabpodcast.com/2022/09/19/episode-56/ The show is on Twitter @ ASABpod , Charles @ cockroacharles , and Tessa @ spacermase .  Our intro music is by Nicole Petkovich.  Thank you for listening!

In anticipation of the release of the third entry in the Locked Tomb quartet by Tamsyn Muir (Nona the Ninth, out 13 September), we're re-releasing our conversation with friend of the pod Erin on the first two books: Gideon the Ninth and Harrow the Ninth. Spoilers, like a lot of them.  Our episode on Nona the Ninth will be released a week from now, so get reading!  A transcript of this episode is a...

In this episode we use the TNG episode "The Neutral Zone," in which three people from the 20th century are revived from cryopreservation to find themselves on the Enterprise 300 years later, to talk about cryonics. We touch on its history, whether it actually works (no), whether it could work (probably not), whether we'd do it (no way), and, just for fun, a little on the history and philosophy of...

In this episode, we talk about the significance of the new James Webb Space Telescope (and why it should have a different name) - how it works, why it's important, and what people are going to do with it. Also stay to hear the story of how Tessa proposed to her wife, which is extremely dorky and pretty sweet.  A transcript and show notes for this episode are available on our website: https://asabp...

In this episode we're joined by MD-PhD student Laurel Hiatt, whose work focuses on somatic mosaicism, or the differences between individual cells, specifically in the human colon. We talk about genetic mosaicism, cancer risk, why the colon causes so many problems, and how Laurel's work will (hopefully) help develop tools to improve screening and colorectal disease prevention.  You can find Laurel...

In this special holiday episode, we talked about Syngnathidae (the family of ray-finned fishes including pipefish, seahorses, and sea dragons), particularly Hippocampus spp. (seahorses) and their unusual reproductive strategy of male pregnancy. We talk about the physiology of seahorses' pregnancy, with tangents about the complexity of biological sex and reproductive strategies, other fish, evoluti...

In this episode we're joined by geneticist and artist Robin Aguilar to talk about their research using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) to visualize DNA, brush up on some basic genetics, and discuss a new episode-ending question, of which era of geologic time we'd travel to if we somehow got a trip in a time machine. We also touch on Robin's advocacy work in science, particularly with Geno...

This week we're joined by quantum physics student Lyra Cronin. We talk about the meaning of quantum physics, Lyra's work with nitrogen vacancy centers in diamonds, the possibilities of quantum computing, and when to become (and die as) a robot.  We don't mention it in the episode, but Lyra can be found on Twitter @ Seranyx .  A transcript and show notes are available on our website here: https://a...

Like most gay people, we have now watched the HBO series Our Flag Means Death (full season 1 available now!). Unlike most gay people, Charles is a PhD candidate in history and philosophy of biology. In this episode, we touch on several topics in history of science touched on in the show: Linnaean taxonomy and binomial nomenclature, phrenology, and scurvy (caused by humans' inability to synthesize...

In this episode we're joined by science superstar (pun intended) Lucianne Walkowicz to talk about their research, who space belongs to (including whether it can "belong" to anyone), and how gay space is. Charles also defends leeches (they probably won't give you diseases!), the animal, but not leeches, metaphor for the capitalist class.  Lucianne is all over, but can be found on Twitter @RocketToL...

Warning for this episode that we are talking at length about reproductive anatomy and genitals, the effect of testosterone and genital reconstruction of the clitorophallus.  The second in our two-part series on genitals medical transition, in this one we talk about the history and procedures of metoidioplasty and phalloplasty, as well as possibilities for the future.  Show notes (including sources...

Warning for this episode that we are talking at length about reproductive anatomy and genitals, particularly vaginoplasty as a gender-affirming surgery. This episode includes frank discussion of vaginoplasty as a procedure, as well as Tessa's personal experience.  The first in a two-part series on trans people and genitals, this episode focuses on vaginoplasty, with an explanation of embryonic sex...

In this episode we spoke with nature photographer Lee Jaszlics about their experience of "detransition." Lee is nonbinary and took testosterone before choosing to end use, and reverse some of its effects. We talk about their experience of gender and transitioning, and also tapeworms.  Lee is on Twitter @taenia and has their wonderful photographer at Woodfern Studio.  Show notes and transcript are...

In this episode, motivated by the recent barrage of anti-trans legislation, we begin a dig into the science underlying gender-affirming care, beginning with hormones and hormone therapy. Topics include "sex" hormones and how they work, chromosomal sex determination, and puberty blockers (mechanism and long-term health prospects).  Extensive show notes and transcript are available on our website he...

This week Tessa and Charles talk about Animorphs for the first but assuredly not last time, particularly about the Cassie book, "The Departure," in which Cassie has just the worst weekend ever.  A transcript and show notes are on our website at:  The show is on Twitter @ ASABpod , Charles @ cockroacharles , and Tessa @ spacermase .  Our intro music is by Nicole Petkovich.  Thank you for listening!

This episode we're joined by "astrophysicist in the making" Charlotte Olsen to talk about galaxies, different paths to science, and if it's gay if it's in space (yes).  A transcript and show notes will be on our website here: https://asabpodcast.com/2022/01/29/episode-42/ Charlotte can be found on Twitter @CharlotteEureka   The show is on Twitter @ ASABpod , Charles @ cockroacharles , and Tessa @...