NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast

From out in space, high-energy particles bombard Earth and objects in our orbit with radiation that can endanger the lives of astronauts and destroy electronic equipment. Researcher Luca Comisso joins to explain his insights into the turbulent origins of these cosmic rays. 

As we move into flu season, virologist Joanna Shisler explains how viruses work and how we may avoid them. Engineer Gerri Botte tells us how she developed a COVID-19 sensor during the height of the pandemic.

The United Nations estimates that more than 400 million tons of plastic is produced each year. A byproduct of this level of use is that plastic waste now contaminates the entire global marine environment. Researcher Bhuvnesh Bharti tells us about his research into microplastics.

The U.S. power grid is the biggest machine in the world, and demand is ever increasing. Professor Anurag Srivastava is working on ways to make the grid more resilient by augmenting operators and optimizing control. We'll hear how. Department of Energy Engineer John Brewer also joins to explain the basics of the U.S. power grid.

The Weddell seal population of Antarctica have been closely watched since the 1960s, but there are still new discoveries being made. We are joined by researchers Michelle Shero and Jennifer Burns, who have found a correlation between nursing mothers and their diving capacity. Jay Rotella also joins us to discuss long-term study learnings about lifespan and adaptations at the far end of the Earth.

A 15-year global reptile assessment by zoologist Bruce Young and Neil Cox has comprehensively documented extinction risks for over 10,000 species. The researchers and biologist Leslie Rissler join to discuss how they accomplished this monumental study, why we should care, and what we can do to help.

Cement is the most widely consumed material on the planet, and its manufacturing process a large source of CO2 emissions. Researchers at Northwestern University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of Delaware are working on advances in cement manufacturing. Making better materials and making better use of the materials we have.

Nicolas Delsol was working on his doctorate studying the domestication of cattle in the Americas when he inadvertently sequenced the DNA of the earliest known domesticated horse. We'll learn how this sample found in the Caribbean might solve the mystery of the origin of famous wild ponies on Assateague and Chincoteague islands, over 1000 miles away.

Researchers in the cognitive development lab at Indiana University Bloomington are working to understand how children learn words and what roles visual memory and their environment play. We speak with postdoctoral fellow Elizabeth Clerkin to gain study insight and learn what implications it may have for machine learning. Discover how the U.S. National Science Foundation is advancing research at NS...

Invisible dark matter is estimated to make up as much as 95% of the universe, but we can only see it by the gravitational effects on other, visible objects. Researchers at NYU, including graduate student Cara Giovanetti have developed a better way to model the cosmological signatures of dark matter. We’ll here from her as well as astrophysicist Dr. Joseph Pesche as we ask does dark matter exist, a...

  Liquid fluorescents play a role in many materials of today but have traditionally had a limitation when turned into a solid form. Researchers at Indiana University and the University of Copenhagen have created a new material, transforming liquid fluorescent dyes into solid, while maintaining brightness at levels never before possible. This breakthrough could dramatically improve the clarity of d...

Every year swimmers leave 6,000 tons of sunscreen washing through reefs, an organic compound found in many sunscreens can be harmful to corals. Researchers including guest Djordje Vuckovic at Stanford University are looking to better understand coral defense mechanisms and the relationship between this organic compound and sunlight. Providing additional coral commentary Marine Ecologist, Dr. Paul...

Researchers at Materials Research Science and Engineering Center at Harvard University are using a unique approach to address food spoilage and the illnesses that are born of it.  Could an innovative technology born on the battlefield point to the solution? We speak with Dr. Wuibin Chang and Professor Kit Parker to learn more. Discover how the U.S. National Science Foundation is advancing research...

Researchers at Stanford University are working on a unique small-scale robot. This magnetic miniature machine moves by dynamic origami inspired folding and has amphibious capabilities. We speak with Dr. Renee Zhao, to hear firsthand about how her soft robotic systems operate and how you might end up ingesting them in the future.   Discover how the U.S. National Science Foundation is advancing rese...

Researchers have discovered what they believe to be a rare “Black Widow” binary star system out in space some 3,000 light years from Earth. We’ll explain why this star is feeding on its companion, explore how this celestial object was spotted, and examine what makes this distant star system unique.   We are joined by researcher Dr. Kevin Burdge, and Astrophysicist Dr. Joseph Pesce. Subscribe where...

Megalodon was a gigantic, prehistoric shark with teeth as big as a human hand that ruled the oceans 3-16 million years ago. We’ll explore the Meg’s place in the ancient food web from traces of food left behind in the fossilized enamel of their teeth and look for insights into why the Megalodon went extinct. We are joined by researcher Dr. Emma Kast and Paleontologist Dr. Bruce MacFadden. Subscribe...

This is the Discovery Files Podcast from the U.S. National Science Foundation. Where we will look at some of the latest research in the world of science, with commentary from the scientists making these discoveries. Join us as we explore the world of scientific research, coming soon from the US National Science Foundation. Subscribe wherever you get podcasts.