Spectacular Science

Snow! It marks that winter has arrived! Snow coats the ground like a white blanket and kids (including me) love to play in it! When you look at snow, it all looks the same, but they are not. In fact, there are lots of different shapes of snowflakes! In this episode, Akshay wonders about snow and finds out how snow is formed and why every snowflake is unique. Please follow/subscribe to Spectacular...

Have you ever looked up in the night sky and wondered how everything got there? I’m talking about the origins of our universe! The one thing that formed this universe!! Akshay wonders about that when he goes stargazing, so he visits Dr. Paul M. Sutter, an astrophysicist and author of Your Place in the Universe and How to Die In Space. He also hosts a podcast called Ask a Spaceman. Join Akshay and...

Have you wondered how long seeds last underground before they can’t sprout anymore? Akshay wonders the same thing! So, Akshay talks to Dr. David Lowry from Michigan State University about the amazing Beal Seed Experiment. Join Akshay and Dr. Lowry on an adventure to discover what the Beal Seed Experiment is and go on a seed treasure hunt!! Learn more about the Beal Seed Experiment here! Look at pi...

Look out the window. Is it sunny, cloudy, or rainy? Well, that is all weather! In this episode, Akshay gets caught in a storm and wonders what weather is and how weather works! In this episode, we are taking a deep dive into the science of weather and the patterns in the atmosphere. Please follow/subscribe to Spectacular Science! Learn how to follow this podcast by going to www.spectacularsci.com/...

The oceans are full of roaring waves and moving tides!! You may have surfed of waves and watched the tide go in and out. But, have you ever wondered about the science behind these ocean movements? Akshay wonders that as well on his trip to the beach. Grab your swim gear because we are taking a deep dive into the science of ocean waves and tides!! Please follow/subscribe to Spectacular Science! Lea...

Slime is something that you can make at home or buy at the story! It is gooey and has some strange properties. Have you ever wondered about what slime really is and how it gets these weird properties? Akshay wonders the same thing after making his own slime!! Get ready because we are diving straight into the science of slime. Please follow/subscribe to Spectacular Science! Learn how to follow this...

Skin protects our bodies from the outside world. But, there is so much more inside of your skin! In this episode, Akshay explores the different layers of skin and how they play a role in protecting our bodies. This episode is all about the anatomy of skin! Please follow/subscribe to Spectacular Science! Learn how to follow this podcast by going to www.spectacularsci.com/subscribe! By subscribing/f...

It’s time to look up in the night sky! In this episode, Akshay explores the science behind comets! Comets are giant “dirty snowballs” that orbit around stars. We will learn about what comets are, what the parts of comets are, and comet mysteries in this episode! Don’t forget to grab your telescope and stargazing gear!! Please follow/subscribe to Spectacular Science! Learn how to follow this podcas...

If you were to zoom in on anything around you, you would see tiny building blocks called atoms and molecules! Atoms and molecules make up everything in this universe from wood, to people, to air! In this episode, Akshay explores the science behind these tiny building blocks of the universe. Please follow/subscribe to Spectacular Science! Learn how to follow this podcast by going to www.spectacular...

Akshay is curious about how geckos can walk on glass! Then, he discovers that some scientists have actually built a robot that is inspired by gecko feet! In this episode, Akshay talks to Mr. Dane Brouwer, from Stanford University, about farmHand, a gecko robot hand! Join Akshay and Mr. Brouwer as they talk about the science of this amazing robot hand! Please follow/subscribe to Spectacular Science...

Have you ever wondered how flamingos can stand or even sleep on one leg? Akshay wonders this same exact thing when he tries to balance on one leg! Akshay visits Dr. Young-Hui Chang, a professor in the School of Biological Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology who studies movement in animals. Join Akshay and Dr. Chang as they talk about how flamingos really stand on one leg and what that...

We are starting off Season 4 of Spectacular Science with a really bright episode! This episode is all about light! Light makes our world bright and helps animals and plants survive! In this episode, Akshay explores the science of the visible light around us. Please follow/subscribe to Spectacular Science! Learn how to follow this podcast by going to www.spectacularsci.com/subscribe! By subscribing...

This is our Season 3 Finale and our last episode of 2021! In this episode, Akshay is exploring the science behind something that we use everyday but don’t really notice, lightbulbs! Lightbulbs light up our world! Akshay is exploring three types of lightbulbs today: incandescent lights, fluorescent lights, and LED lights. This episode is going to be really bright! Spectacular Science will return on...

Ever wondered how those giant fossils of dinosaurs are formed? That is what Akshay is exploring today! Get ready because this episode takes you back in time and under the soil. The process in which fossils are formed is a really complex and interesting process!! Join us next episode for the Season 3 Finale!! We now have an exclusive membership where you can get access to bonus activities, episode...

Everyone has memories! They have memories of their childhood, vacations, and even someone’s name! But, how do we actually create, store, and recall those memories? That is what Akshay is exploring today! Akshay is looking at his baby photo album and wonders about how memories are created and how we remember or even forget them! We now have an exclusive membership where you can get access to bonus...

If you look at the map of the world, you see seven continents. But, millions of years ago, you would actually see a giant supercontinent called Pangaea!! How do the continents move? Akshay is curious about that too! Join Akshay on an adventure to find our how continents move! We now have an exclusive membership where you can get access to bonus activities, episode snippets, the fact of the day, an...

We use soap a lot, especially during this pandemic. Washing our hands with soap and water helps keep us safe from pesky viruses and bacteria, but also gets rid of dirt. But, how does soap work in the first place? That is what Akshay is exploring today! Join Akshay on an adventure to discover how soap works. We now have an exclusive membership where you can get access to bonus activities, episode s...

Have you ever wondered how we smell? Akshay wonders about the same thing while he smells things around the kitchen! That is why Akshay visits Dr. Rachel Herz, a neuroscientist and an expert on the psychology of smell. Join Akshay and Dr. Herz on an adventure to find out how we actually smell! Dr. Herz is the author of the books Why You Eat What You Eat, The Scent of Desire, and That’s Disgusting....

Hair, hair, hair! All around us! We have hair and animals have hair. But, what is hair made out of and how does it keep growing? Akshay is getting a haircut and wonders the same thing! Hold onto your hair because you are going to go on a wild adventure, finding out what hair is and how it grows! We now have an exclusive membership where you can get access to bonus activities, episode snippets, the...

We all think that plants are just sitting there, but there is so much going on inside and around the plant! Today, we are going to focus on plants making their won food. Plants don’t go to the grocery store to buy food and they definitely do not order food delivery, so how do they produce food when rooted to one place? That is what Akshay is exploring in this episode of Spectacular Science! We now...

Wind can range from a gentle breeze to intense storms like hurricanes! Wind can be very powerful. But, how does wind form in the first place? That is what we’re uncovering in this episode. Join Akshay on a windy adventure as he explores what wind is and the formation of wind. Hold onto your hats, because it’s windy in here! We now have an exclusive membership where you can get access to bonus acti...

We all know that we have 8 planets in our Solar System. But, did you know that we have so many other dwarf planets in the Solar System?? In this episode of Spectacular Science, Akshay discovers the science of dwarf planets! Get in your rocket ship and zip up your space suits, because we are leaving Earth and heading out into deep space. Please contact me at www.spectacularsci.com to suggest episod...

All the things we have today like cars, computers, towels, soap, and concrete had to be invented! Inventions make our life easier and faster! Akshay really wants to invent something, so he talks to Dr. Shyamala Rajagopalan about inventions and how they are created! It makes my day to receive your show suggestions, questions, and comments! Go to www.spectacularsci.com/contact to contact me!

Trees? Sunlight? Air? Iron? Coal? They are all natural resources! Natural resources are used all around us from our computers, to cars, and even electricity production! Natural resources make up most of the materials we use today for energy and construction. In this episode, Akshay discovers what natural resources are and they different types! It makes my day to receive your messages about my podc...

If you look at energy resources around us, they are mostly coal, oil, and natural gas. They are used in cars, from factories, to stoves! But, how are these fuels made? On this episode, Akshay learns how fossil fuels, like oil and natural gas get created! We will also learn about the big fossil fuel problem. It makes my day to see your messages about my podcast! Go to www.spectacularsci.com/contact...