Science is a Story

Why do humans like to drink alcohol? In this episode of Science is a Story, Kathy Straub, dean of the School of Natural and Social Sciences at Susquehanna University, talks with Erin Alexander, professor of neuroscience, about how alcohol affects the brain. Spoiler alert: the answer boils down to some combination of being chased by a tiger and eating chocolate.

What do bananas, the sun, and nuclear reactors have in common? In this episode of Science is a Story, Kathy Straub, dean of the School of Natural and Social Sciences at Susquehanna University, talks with Adam Hansell, assistant professor of physics, about what’s happening at the very smallest scales of matter. Let’s talk atoms with Adam! We go nuclear. It’s illuminating.

Bird eats berry. Bird digests berry. Bird poops out seed. Will seed grow? In this episode of Science is a Story, Kathy Straub, dean of the School of Natural and Social Sciences at Susquehanna University, talks with David Matlaga, professor of biology, about the science of plant ecology. Through stories of fieldwork in Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Illinois, David explains how...

Have you ever wondered how new medicines are developed? In this episode of Science is a Story, Kathy Straub, dean of the School of Natural and Social Sciences at Susquehanna University, talks with Geneive Henry, professor of chemistry, about the field of medicinal chemistry. By the end of the episode, you’ll understand how Covid drugs like Paxlovid work – and we’ll use fruit, toothpicks, and crazy...

In this episode of Science is a Story, Kathy Straub, dean of the School of Natural and Social Sciences at Susquehanna University, talks with Rolfe Peterson, associate professor of political science, about why some people are more interested in running for public office than others. Listen in for a deep dive into the effects of gendered personality traits on political ambition. Then go run for offi...

In this episode of Science is a Story, Kathy Straub, dean of the School of Natural and Social Sciences at Susquehanna University, talks with Matt Persons, professor of biology, about spider communication. Spiders can send and receive information through their silk, and Matt’s lab decodes these hidden messages. Join us to learn about the “world wide web” of spider communication. You’ll never look a...

In this episode of Science is a Story, Kathy Straub, dean of the School of Natural and Social Sciences at Susquehanna University, talks with Pavithra Vivekanand, professor of biology, about a novel approach to reduce inflammation and kill cancer cells using gold nanoparticles. Using ingredients found at the grocery store, Pavithra’s lab investigates whether gold nanoparticles synthesized with plan...

In this episode of Science is a Story, Kathy Straub, dean of the School of Natural and Social Sciences at Susquehanna University, talks with Stephen Robertson, assistant professor of psychology, about the impacts of food and drugs on impulsive behavior. Using rats as model organisms, Stephen’s lab investigates how a high-fat, high-sugar diet affects impulsivity by disrupting the brain’s dopamine r...

In this episode of Science is a Story, Kathy Straub, dean of the School of Natural and Social Sciences at Susquehanna University, talks with Siobhan Fathel, associate professor of earth and environmental sciences, about the fascinating world of beaver dam analogs. Known as nature’s engineers, beavers inspired these human-made structures that are helping to restore waterways leading into the Susque...