Discover Science

Host of the famous "Ologies" podcast Alie Ward gets a turn on the other side of the microphone in this Discover Science podcast episode. Seven years into her podcasting journey, Ward reflects on why Ologies is a success, and hints that curiosity has played a big role. This episode is hosted by Hitchcock Project for Visualizing Science student Katrina Perce and Ecology, Evolution and Cons...

Communicating science is a tricky job, but "The Ice Cream Scientist" Dr. Maya Warren is up to the task, with help from filmmaker Page Buono. Warren and Buono collaborated on the film, "Frosty Formulations" which shows audiences that science can be sweet and fun, just like ice cream. This episode is hosted by Hitchcock Project for Visualizing Science student Katrina Perce.

The top of Mount Everest is a cold, unforgiving place to conduct scientific research. So are the mangrove jungles deep in the Amazon, accessible only by boat. But for scientists, those regions can be some of the most important sources of data when it comes to the climate crisis. Nevada State Climatologist and geography professor Baker Perry and his colleague, fellow geography professor Julie Loise...

To its disciples, science can seem like an infallible tool to determine fundamental truths about the world that we live in. But the truth is, science can fall victim to misinformation, disinformation and fraud, like many other institutions. Some scientists have turned the proverbial microscope on science itself. Jevin West, an associate professor in the Information School at the University of Wash...

Colorado River water allocation policy is an extremely complicated field to navigate. That, in part, is why the Colorado River is known as the most litigated river in the world. But researchers, policymakers and water managers have taken a more collaborative approach in recent years. Those collaborations are made more critical by the increasing risk drought poses to the Lower Basin. Colby Pellegri...

The advent of the internet has benefitted humanity in many ways. It has also caused some chaos, as people try to discern fact from fiction and sense from nonsense shared online. Many scientists have recently taken a more active role in helping society to understand how science works. One of those scientists is Dr. Joe Schwarcz. Dr. Schwarcz is a professor of chemistry at McGill University and the...

Titan is Saturn's largest moon and is the subject of distinguished atmospheric chemist Sarah Hörst's research. The distant moon is considered to be one of the most Earth-like worlds in the solar system, and its potential to host life is the topic of conversation in this episode of Discover Science. Dr. Hörst is an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University in the Department of Earth and...

An aware society is one of the best weapons against climate change. Sustainable solutions can only advance if voters and policy makers understand what's at stake. From vanishing biodiversity to the widespread intensification of destructive weather patterns, that's where environmental journalists play a decisive role acting as the bridge between scientists and the general public. Andrew Revkin is a...

Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt discusses his three days on the lunar surface, the exciting geological discoveries that he made as the only true scientist to have set foot on the Moon, and his thoughts on the future of space exploration.

Scientific lead in the development of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine Kizzmekia Corbett discusses the early days of the vaccine's development, the importance of good mentorship, and how to find your place in science.

Renowned number theorist Dr. Ken Ono shares his deep connection to the life and work of Srinivasa Ramanujan. Dr. Ono served as the mathematical consultant and producer of the film "The Man Who Knew Infinity" about Ramanujan's life. This episode was co-produced with the Reynold's School of Journalism and the Hitchcock Project for Visualizing Science.

Members of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Nevada, Reno discuss the COVID-19 vaccine technology, hesitancy, distribution and more.

According to Tobler’s first law of geography, “Everything is related to everything else, but near things are more related than distant things.” On this episode of the Discover Science podcast, an offshoot of the lecture series by the same name, Dr. William F. Tate IV sits down with former College of Science Director of Advising, Recruitment and Retention Blane Harding as well as 2020 physics gradu...

More than 100 years after Albert Einstein predicted gravitational waves – ripples in space-time caused by violent cosmic collisions – LIGO team scientists confirmed their existence using large, extremely precise detectors. Listen as LIGO team physicist Dr. Gabriela González speaks with Physics professors Dr. Richard Plotkin and Thomas White about the discovery of gravitational waves, lasers in spa...

Listen in on a conversation between bee researchers Anne Leonard of the Leonard Lab and postdoctoral scholar at the time Felicity Muth as they discuss bugs as friends, their research and what it is like being a woman in science.