Atmosphere with Emily Gracey

Twice a year, Americans change their clocks. Twice a year, we argue about whether we should stop. But what does the science actually say? Stanford sleep researcher Dr. Jamie Zeitzer joins Atmosphere to unpack the surprisingly complicated science behind daylight saving time. Is permanent standard time really healthier? And are we overlooking a much bigger problem while arguing about the clocks? Fro...

What if simply looking up at the clouds could help NASA? Satellites can observe Earth in extraordinary detail, but there's something they can't do: stand on the ground and look up with the human eye. And that human perspective turns out to be incredibly valuable to scientists. In this episode of Atmosphere , meteorologist Emily Gracey talks with Dr. Andy Sayer, an atmospheric scientist working wit...

What happens when ocean science meets an '80s power ballad? Oceanographer and coastal scientist Dr. Greg Dusek created Kelvin Wave , an AI-generated song and music video that tells the story of Kelvin waves, El Niño, coastal flooding, and rising seas. The project was created by Dr. Dusek using Claude.ai for the lyrics and visuals, Suno for the music, and real NOAA water level data to help tell the...

What happens when an oceanographer uses artificial intelligence to turn a complicated scientific phenomenon into an '80s power ballad? You get soaring vocals, dramatic lyrics, a saxophone solo... and some surprisingly serious science. In this episode of Atmosphere , meteorologist Emily Gracey sits down with Dr. Greg Dusek, a coastal scientist and former NOAA oceanographer, to talk about his AI-gen...

Artificial intelligence is already changing the way meteorologists forecast and communicate the weather. But how much of the job should we actually hand over? Meteorologist and weather communications coach Tim Heller joins Atmosphere to talk about the AI weather tools he’s building, how meteorologists are using AI to analyze data and create content, and why simply avoiding the technology isn’t the...

What happens when weather becomes evidence? Forensic meteorologist Rob Perillo has spent decades reconstructing the atmosphere to help answer that question. Using radar, satellite imagery, weather observations and even a little geometry, he pieces together what happened at a specific place and time—and sometimes takes those findings into a courtroom. In this episode of Atmosphere, Rob shares some...

What if science didn't have to feel like science class? Maynard Okereke — better known as Hip Hop Science — has built an audience of more than 100,000 followers by blending science with entertainment, pop culture and curiosity. But before Hip Hop Science, Maynard was a civil engineer who also happened to be a hip-hop artist and performer — two sides of himself he once felt he had to keep separate....

What if the biggest obstacle to tackling climate change isn’t finding the solutions... but actually using them? Dr. Jonathan Foley, climate scientist and Executive Director of Project Drawdown, joins Atmosphere for a candid conversation about where we really stand on climate change, the solutions already within reach, and why he has little patience for the idea that our individual actions don’t ma...

Halfway through the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, the biggest story may be what hasn’t happened. The Atlantic has been exceptionally quiet — but does that mean we can relax? Hurricane expert Michael Lowry joins Atmosphere to explain what’s behind the unusual season, what he’s watching as we head into the fall, and why the Gulf could still play an important role. Michael also shares the fascinati...

Why do sunsets move us so much? In this episode of Atmosphere , we're exploring the science, stories and emotions behind one of nature's most beautiful daily spectacles. Cameron Hewitt, director of content at Rick Steves Europe, has traveled the world chasing and photographing sunsets. He'll share what makes a truly spectacular sunset, where he's found the most memorable ones, and why a sunset can...

The OTUS Project is a family-run team flying custom-built drones directly into tornadoes — including the first-ever drone flight inside a tornado's eye, captured in May 2024. Co-founder Louis Tucker joins us to talk about how he and his brother Nelson build drones tough enough to survive tornado wind speeds, how they forecast and chase storms in real time, and the near-surface wind data they're co...

While Emily takes a short break to travel with her family, Atmosphere takes a different form. In this special mini-episode, a rhyming journey through the summer’s biggest weather and natural disaster stories leads us from science, to stories, to comfort, and back again. The poem was written with the help of AI, guided and shaped by Emily. Now is the time to catch up on Atmosphere - new episodes wi...

We like to think of scientists as people who have the answers. But what about the questions they still can’t answer? In this episode of Atmosphere , meteorologist Emily Gracey sits down with marine scientist, author, and science communicator Dr. Ellen Prager to explore some of the biggest mysteries in science and the natural world. What happens beneath a volcano before it erupts? Can we ever truly...

Dr. Marshall Shepherd didn't plan to become a meteorologist. A life-threatening honeybee allergy forced him to abandon his childhood dream of becoming an entomologist, leading to a sixth-grade science project that changed the course of his life, and eventually the field of atmospheric science. In this episode of Atmosphere , Emily Gracey sits down with Dr. Marshall Shepherd, former president of th...

We've all heard them. Rubber tires protect you from lightning. Heat lightning is a different kind of lightning. A hundred-year flood only happens once every hundred years. If the weather changes, a big earthquake must be coming. But how many of these weather myths are actually true? In this episode of Atmosphere , meteorologist Emily Gracey is joined by fellow meteorologist Anthony Yanez for a fun...

Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean floor, yet they support a quarter of all marine life on Earth. So what happens when the water around them gets too hot to survive? This year's strong El Niño is pushing already-stressed reefs past their limits. In this episode of Atmosphere , host Emily Gracey sits down with Dr. Tracy Fanara , an environmental engineer and ocean scientist, to break down...

How different is America's weather today from the world the founding fathers knew 250 years ago? On July 4, 1776, as 56 men gathered to declare independence. That same day, Thomas Jefferson bought a brand-new thermometer, and started taking meticulous notes. Those very readings marked the birth of an American climate record that stretches all the way to the present day. In this episode of Atmosphe...

What does it actually take to safely chase a tornado, and how does that extreme proximity save lives on the ground? In this episode of Atmosphere , we’re going inside the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) in Norman, Oklahoma - the epicenter of severe weather research. Dr. Pam Heinselman, Deputy Director of Science at NSSL, joins us to break down the cutting-edge tech behind today's storm ch...

The ground under our feet feels completely solid, but deep beneath the surface, rocks are under constant stress until they hit a breaking point. What actually happens when the earth snaps? In this episode of Atmosphere , meteorologist Emily Gracey steps away from the sky and digs into the subsurface for a masterclass on seismic activity. Joined by geologist and educator Sean Willsey, this comprehe...

Why are we still getting hurricane safety wrong? National Hurricane Center Deputy Director Jamie Rhome joins Atmosphere to expose the hidden communication failures, widespread education gaps, and the lesser-known storm indicators that coastal residents consistently miss until it’s too late. As the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season begins, most headlines focus entirely on the forecast models. But in t...

In June 1944, the fate of World War II didn't just rest with a general. It rested with a meteorologist. On the first episode of Atmosphere, meteorologist Emily Gracey digs into the science and human drama behind PRESSURE, the new film about the real weather forecasters who had to find a window for the Allied invasion of Normandy. No satellites. No radar. Everything on the line. Weather historian S...

Welcome to Atmosphere with meteorologist Emily Gracey, a podcast where science becomes conversation. Each week, Emily sits down with leading experts in weather, climate, earth science, and beyond to explore not just the science shaping our world, but the human stories behind it.