Spectacular Science

The Appalachian Mountains – over 480 million years in the making with core rocks over a billion years old. It is one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world! How did this breathtaking and ancient natural phenomena form? Join me on my hike up Bearwallow Mountain (4,232 feet) as I take you into the science of the Appalachians, their formation, unique ecosystems, and more. Join me on the adv...

If you’ve been online lately, there’s no escaping the “aura farming” boat kid on many social media platforms! This Indonesian boat racing (Pacu Jalur) tradition has gone viral lately due to this young boy dancing on the front of a narrow boat. He is the “ultimate aura farmer”, captivating people with his smooth moves and impressive balance. How is he able to bal...

Saturn is known for its iconic rings. But, it may not last long. In the long term, Saturn is set to lose its rings. Why? And how will this happen? Why do astronomers believe they’re slowly disappearing? In this episode, I will take you into the science of Saturn’s rings, the different parts of the system, how they were formed, and how Saturn’s rings might vanish in the future. Here&#82...

You’ve probably seen labels on many food products that say “bioengineered food ingredients”. What exactly are these special ingredients and what impact do they have on us and our environment? And what do GMOs have to do with all of this? In this episode, I will take you behind the science of bioengineered foods, GMOs, and the impacts they have on our planet. Here’s an artic...

The search for past life on Mars is still ongoing, but is promising! The volcanoes on Mars could have made way for microbial life in the past. How does this possible and how are scientists studying Mars for clues using rovers and space exploration? In this episode, I take you into the science of past volcanic life on Mars and more about the missions trying to uncover this science right now. Here&#...

Ever wondered what’s going on inside your phone’s battery? How is it able to store charge and get recharged over and over again? And why do these batteries degrade over time? In this episode, I’ll take you behind the science of rechargeable batteries, how they work, and the science behind lithium-ion batteries. Here’s an article! It is called “How Batteries Work&#8221...

Microplastics. You’ve probably heard of them because of ocean cleanups and pollution. They are tiny pieces of plastics harmful to many animals. But, it might not just be sea creatures. There might be microplastics in our water supplies. How? In this episode I will take you into the science of microplastics, what they are, and how they are contaminating so many things on Earth. Here’s an article! I...

Even though we don’t have tails, we still have a tailbone? Does the tailbone even do anything? Why do we still have it even though we have clearly branched away from our ape ancestors? In this episode, I will take you behind the science of vestigial traits, why we have them, and why we still have these features. Here’s an article! It is called “What Are Vestigial Features?” (https://spectacularsci...

We have all heard that humans share 50% of their genes to bananas. Is this actually true? And what does this have to do with all of the life on Earth, the human genome, and more? In this episode, I will take you into the science of human genetics and explain this wild statement! Here’s an article! It is called “DNA – Explained” (https://spectacularsci.com/2025/03/dna-explained-article/) Here’s an...

Even if you probably did not notice, the Moon is slowly moving away from Earth right now! This movement of the Moon could cause things to change here on Earth as well. Why does this happen? In this episode, I will answer this mind-blowing question and take you into the interesting science of the Moon. Here’s an article! It is called “How Moons Form” (https://spectacularsci.com/2025/03/how-moons-fo...

Asteroid 2024 YR4 has been in the eyes of scientists lately. This asteroid has a slight chance of hitting Earth in 2032. All of these factors are changing daily and the chance that the asteroid will actually hit is changing rapidly, from 3.1% to less than 1%. Will this actually asteroid hit Earth in 2032 and how big is this asteroid? Why are the numbers changing so much? What can scientists do abo...

Right now, we are in the age of AI or Artificial Intelligence. They are paving the way for new groundbreaking technologies. But, the use of AI actually uses up a lot of water. Why does this happen? What are these environmental impacts of water and AI? In this episode, I will be explaining to you the science behind water, AI, and why it is using up our water resources. Here’s an article! It is call...

Welcome to the 200th episode of Spectacular Science! In this special episode, I will be joined by Dr. Charles Hillman! Dr. Hillman studies exercise and its impacts on the body at Northeastern University. This episode is all about exercise, moving your body, and the science behind the benefits of exercise. Simply keeping yourself active has endless positive impacts! Learn more about it in this spec...

Infinity mirrors are a fascinating phenomenon that seem to defy the laws of physics! But really, it’s just some amazing science and a very interesting optical illusion. How do infinity mirrors work, and what crazy science goes on behind the scenes? In this episode, I will explain the science of this phenomenon and more! Here’s an article! It is called “What Are Mirrors?” (https://spectacularsci.co...

Triangles are one of the strongest geometric shapes! You can see them everywhere in buildings and architecture such as bridges and the Eiffel Tower. How are triangles so strong and what is the science that goes behind figuring that out? In this episode, I will take you behind the science and the engineering marvels behind triangles and why they are used almost everywhere. Here’s an article! It is...

We all eat a lot of fruits and vegetables every day! Some of this fresh produce contains something that has a large impact on humans and ecosystems: pesticides. Produce that contains pesticides may have impacts on the environment, on animals, and even humans who eat it. Why are pesticides used, what are their impacts, and how can we make healthy choices when it comes to buying produce? In this epi...

Heat moves all around us! In fact, as heat moves, the method of transfer has a lot of science behind it. What are the 3 types of heat transfer, how do they work, and how do they impact the world around us? In this episode, I will explain the 3 types of heat transfer: conduction, convection, and radiation and go into detail on how each mode of transfer works! Here’s an article! It is called “What A...

Titan, one of Saturn’s many moons, is very mysterious and interesting! It has oceans of liquid methane, an atmosphere, and more. Scientists are still working to find out more about Titan and how this may relate to the quest for life. In this episode, I will be speaking with Dr. Lauren Schurmeier from the University of Hawaii. Dr. Schurmeier studies Titan, its impact craters, and its crust. Do you...

Green is universally seen as the color for “go”, but why? What is the science behind green being such a universal “go” color? Why do traffic lights around the world use green? And why do other colors, such as red and yellow, mean certain things to humans? What’s so special about these colors? In this episode, I will take you into the science of color psychology, the science of the visible light sp...

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), launched in 2021, is changing the way astronomers are seeing everything in the universe. James Webb is the largest telescope in space and has discovered many new findings in its almost 3 years in orbit. How does the James Webb Telescope work and how is it changing the way we view space? In this episode, I will take you behind the science of this engineering a...

Modern-day chickens are actually distantly related to the t-rex, a ferocious dinosaur that lived millions of years ago! In fact, modern-day birds are related to ancient dinosaurs! They look different, but really they are related. How is this possible? In this episode, I take you into the science of dinosaurs, birds, evolution, and how they are distantly related. Here’s an article! It is called “Ho...

Life has always been a mystery. The building blocks, origins, and more are some of the biggest questions in science! The Miller-Urey experiment, conducted in 1952-53, changed our understanding of how life came about and got us one step closer to finding the true answer! What was the Miller-Urey experiment and what the scientists find? In this episode, I will explain this groundbreaking experiment,...

Even though you can’t see it, space junk orbiting around the Earth is a very big problem. But what exactly is it, how much of it is circling the Earth, and what are scientists doing to tackle this problem? In this episode, I will take you into the science of space debris and uncover what is really is, and the things scientists are doing to make sure space is safe. Here’s an article! It is called “...

Calories are listed everywhere. On food packages, nutrition plans, and more! What is a calorie exactly and what does it really mean for our body? Why is consuming a certain amount of calories important? What role does it play in our everyday lives? In this episode, I will take you into the science of energy, how it is harnessed by our bodies, and what a calorie really measures. Here’s an article!...

Glaciers! These giant “rivers of ice” are mind-blowing and fascinating to learn about. How are glaciers changing on Earth and how is that tied to climate change? In this episode, I will be speaking with Neosha Narayanan. Neosha studies glaciers and ice sheets at Georgia Tech and is a glaciology PhD student. In this episode, we will learn about the science of glaciers, why they’re important, and ho...