Science Night

It’s Star Wars Day and we’ve gathered a plucky team to talk about the science of this beloved saga. We have four great pieces of Star Wars scicomm covering lightsabers and blasters, languages, midichlorians, and Wookie anatomy, plus so much more. Don’t forget to checkout scinight.com for links to learn more about the topics we cover in this episode. Your Hosts ] James Reed Steffi Diem Jason Organ...

This week we're featuring a conversation with Dr. Alma Cristal Hernandez Mondragon, a science policy advocate from Mexico City that is paving the way for a generation of science advocates in Mexico. In the news, we're talking about troubling transmissions, frog tinder, and anti-venom achievements. Your Hosts ] James Reed Steffi Diem Jason Organ Our Guest Alma is a pioneer in Mexico in the study, p...

Earth Day is here, and what better way to celebrate than bringing back our favorite climate scientist, and Vancouver City Council hopeful, Dr. Devyani Singh! We share our feelings about the modern Earth Day holiday, talk about some counter-environmental efforts by large companies, counter that with how scientists are pushing back, and finally share some things you can do to help. Your Hosts ] Jame...

This week we're talking to Gabe Verduzco from the UC Cooperative Extension. He's taken to social media to raise awarness about invasive beetles that could destroy native forests. Gabe also dropped some great advice for anyone that is thinking about starting their first garden, but isnt quite sure where to start. In the news we're talking tiny T-Rex arms, laternfly labels, and bendy batteries. Your...

This week we’re highlighting another scientist that is blending art with science.  Dr. Naila Kuhlmann is a Parkinson’s researcher from McGill University that has found an interesting way to include dance in her work, which led to the creation of the Piece of Mind Collective.  She’s also a host of the AMiNDR (A Month in Neurodegenerative Disease Research) Podcast and co-founder of the Gre...

This week we're talking to paleontologist turned anatomist and craniofacial researcher, Dr. Richard Sherwood, from the Univ. of Missouri. He tells us all about the path that brought him to his current work, and an approach to work-life balance that we should all listen to. In the news, we solve daylight saving time. We also talk about sunken ships, de-extinction debacles, and dino disagreements. I...

This week we are talking to climate science, Canadian Green Party political candidate, and generally incredible person Dr. Devyani Singh. We talk about potential solutions to the climate crisis and ways to make green energy work for everyone. In the news, we talk about new ways of identifying invasive species, the best-laid plans of a research team being thwarted by Australian Magpies, and a new p...

This week we're talking to paleontologist, anatomist, and all-around crocophile Dr. Casey Holliday. He talks all about bringing extinct dinosaurs to life using the dinosaurs that are still alive, and how imaging and modeling can help us learn more about how dinosaurs interacted with their world. In the news, we revisit the problem with solar storms, the state of methane concentrations, and another...

This week, we sit down with planetary astrophysicist Dr. Laci Brock about her path to science and her unique form of science communication blending video, art, and snark. In the news, we're covering a new article from an old friend, unlocking new achievements in frogs, and if we are ready for the next big solar storm. Your Hosts ] James Reed Steffi Diem Our Guest Dr. Laci Brock is a planetary scie...

2021 was a year with loads of advancement in the field of fusion energy. To mark the achievements from this incredible year, Dr. Arturo Dominguez from the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory is joining Steffi and James for a special episode of the podcast. We cover the major landmarks and talk about what this could mean for the future of fusion energy. Also, Steffi talks to Arturo about his work a...

This week we have a human evolution double feature. First, special guest hosts Dr. Briana Pobiner from the Smithsonian Institution's Human Origins Program and Ryan McRae from The George Washington University talk about the biggest discoveries from 2021 in human evolution. Next up, former guest turned returning champion Dr. Ellie McNutt returns to talk about her recent work at our favorite paleo pa...

This week Prof. Adam Taylor of Lancaster Univ. is talking to us about his attempts to teach the people of Britain more about their bodies, and his work on a very rare disease. In the news, we’re talking about fish cars and a check-in with our favorite autonomous submarine. Our Guest Prof. Adam Taylor is the Director of the Clinical Anatomy Learning Centre & Professor in Anatomy at Lancaster Un...

This week we talk to Dr. Jen Verdolin, the host of the Wild Connection podcast, about her work studying prairie dogs and her recent visit to Glasgow in an attempt to...SAVE THE WORLD. In the news, we talk about delayed launches, solar satellites, forgotten freezer DNA, and we tease a future interview about our favorite paleo pathway. Our Guest Widely regarded animal behavior scientist, author, and...

STRESS! Everyone experiences it, and most of us aren't the greatest at dealing with it. The question our guest, Dr. Zane Thayer from Dartmouth College, is trying to learn more about stress. Mainly how a history of stress can lead to long-term health effects. You'll also learn a few tips for dealing with stress in a healthy way. The news segment will definitely build those stress levels as we talk...

This week, our friend Bill Sullivan returns to talk about his book Pleased to Meet Me. We talk about how the world around you can cause a ripple effect down to the genetic level. In the news segment, we're talking about Martian tomatoes along with their many uses, and the chilling revelation of frog teeth. Our Guest: BILL SULLIVAN is a professor of pharmacology and microbiology at the Indiana Univ...

Cannabis continues to spark conversations as popular opinion shifts and its future legal status is debated. However, a long history of stigmatization that led to current federal regulations make it difficult to study. This week, we're talking to Dr. Barb Kaplan, an Associate Professor for Mississippi State University, whose research looks at how cannabis alters the immune response. In the news seg...

Beware dear listener, this episode of the Science Night podcast is much spookier than our typical offering. We begin our descent into the strange by talking about the scientific origins of the lore of our favorite monsters with special guest, Bill Sullivan . Later, the bravest among you can stay tuned for a dramatic reading of "Bit" from the twisted mind of Cody Sullivan , host of fellow Riverpowe...

Science isn't political. But that doesn’t mean that scientists don’t have influence in politics. Join us for our conversation with Dr. Naomi Charalambakis, Associate Director of Science Policy at the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, to learn about how animal research informs human health and why it’s important for scientists to advocate for increased federal funding for s...

There are plenty of stories about how social media can be used to popularize misinformation and create division. This week we’re taking a different approach and highlighting someone that is doing some great science communication on social media. Combining her passion for art with a talent for explaining science, Dr. Jen Ma has created Gentle Facts . This week, we talk to Jen about her work and her...

This week we're talking about all the ways humans express themselves including a stories about a recent find that may be the world's most ancient, and how the things we use to read affect our comprehension. The highlight is a conversation with David J. Peterson, a language creator that has helped build the languages that made the world your favorite shows and movies inhabit feel richer and more vi...

Here's a quick bonus episode brought to you by our friends at Indiana Sciences ! James talked about cryptids for the 2021 Science of Science Fiction panel from Gen Con. If you want to hear more (and you definitely do) check out the Indiana Sciences site to hear the rest. Also, be sure to support them by checking out all there other great content. Special Thanks: Indiana Sciences for all the hard w...

Science news has been hot over the last couple of weeks, with announcements of major advances in fusion energy, a green alternative to fossil fuel energy. On this episode we sit down with Dr. Steffi Diem, a plasma physicist from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and director of the Pegasus III a fusion energy and plasma science experiment, to learn about the latest in fusion energy research and...

Science Night, reimagined. Season 3 debuts a new format for your favorite podcast where we focus on the coolest science the stories behind it: past, present, and future! Episode 1 features the latest science developments from protein folding to time crystals, a brief history of 19th Century evolutionary theorist Alfred Russell Wallace, and an attempt to answer the question, “What is Science?” We h...

This week I'm on my own and talking about the Rosetta Stone. Not the overpriced software but the large slab of granite from which the software gets its name. I'll talk about why the stone was made in the first place and it's role in our understanding of ancient Egyptian culture. I'll also talk about why should be returned to Egypt by the British Museum. Credits Edited and Mastered by James Reed Mu...

What does it mean to be bipedal? How do we know what we know about this process in our own human lineage? How important is the continued reevaluation of fossil remains, and old hypotheses? To help answer these questions, we have the author of the new book First Steps: How Upright Walking Made Us Human, Jeremy DeSilva Credits Edited and Mastered: James Reed Excerpt from First Steps: How Upright Wal...