That Science and Nature Show

Recorded 8/10/2024. On the last special of summer 2024, Jeremy is rejoined by Becky Hansis-Oneill and alumni Sebastian Forward for another round of Stories from the Field. Join us for funny, wacky retellings of mishaps that have happened during field research in Ecuador, Costa Rica, New Mexico, the Rocky Mountains, and more.

Recorded 7/20/2024. For the second special of the summer, Jeremy and Webster are joined by friend and fellow movie buff, Jacob Kaiser, to discuss all things sci-fi movies! This episode covers what is science fiction, our favorite (and not so favorites) films, major themes of sci-fi movies, how much actual "science" is in these movies, what they have gotten right and wrong, and bigger messages of t...

Recorded 6/8/2024. On this first special for the summer, Jeremy and Webster are once again joined by Raj Prasai to talk about mental health and stress. The three tackle what it means to be mentally healthy, stress and stressors, stigmas and misconceptions, and how to take care of mental health. We incorporate a lot of our individual experiences and struggles into the conversation to make for a mor...

Aired 5/7/2024. For the final episode of the Spring semester, Jeremy and Becky are joined by guest and fellow grad student Giulia de Gennaro. The three discuss news on making white bread healthy, bird flu contaminating meat and milk, and the upcoming double cicada bloom. Topic of the show this week is about museums and cool museum exhibits.

Aired 4/30/2024. This week on the podcast, Jeremy and Webster are joined by George Todd, finally returning to the show since Season 1. News this week covers cities in China sinking into the ground, organ transplants causing changes in human personality and sexuality, and the science behind escape rooms. Topic of the show this week is on science education, with conversations about why it is necessa...

Aired 4/23/2024. This week on the show, Jeremy, Becky and Webster are joined by fellow grad student and zoo fellow, John Bender. The four discuss blood sucking bacteria, a potential panacea vaccine, and nature enjoying royalties from music streaming. Topic of the the show is about zoos, covering their history, our interactions with them, their research and community interactions, and some controve...

Aired 4/16/2024. This week on the podcast, Jeremy, Becky, and Webster are joined by Dr. Katy Mike Smaistrla, head of UMSL Sustainability. The 4 discuss the news of the cute aggression response, eating seafood sustainably, and a study on an interesting practice to reduce anger. Topic of the show covers environmental activism, what it means to us, how we feel we fit into the movement, and how to con...

Aired 3/19/2024. This week on the show, Jeremy and Becky are joined by returning Jenn Voss and James Ott from UMSL Sustainability. The 4 discuss a man illegally breeding hybrid sheep in Montana, an indigenous and wildlife rehabilitation conflict in India, and the rebranding of slugs and snails in the news. Topic of the show covering gardening and how to get into it as things warm up and we head in...

Aired 3/12/2024. This week on the show, Jeremy, Becky, and Webster are joined by a post doctoral researcher Dr. Bethany Williams. The four discuss an AI bug zapper umbrella invention from an ingenious high school student, resurrecting the wooly mammoth, and obese dogs as a result of a genetic defect. Topic of the show covers conspiracy theories, what they are, how they are damaging to the credibil...

Aired 3/5/2024. This week on the podcast, Jeremy, Becky, and Webster, are joined by guest Ketra Oketcho. For the news, the four discuss using comedy to get across issues in science, a potential new universal snake antivenom, and growing testicles in a lab. Topic of the show covers the overreliance of technology, and whether we are getting dumber and lazier as a result.

Aired 2/20/2024. This week on the show, Jeremy, Becky, and Webster are joined by Kristin Ranker, recent alumni from UMSL's Master's Biology program, and current dog trainer at the ZoomRoom. For the news, the 4 discuss magic mushrooms and drug busts, prosthetics now incorporating temperature sensors, and a growing amount of poop on Mt. Everest. Topic of the show covers animal training largely throu...

Aired 2/6/2024. This week, Jeremy and Webster are joined by special guest, Brandon Schack, Professional Wetland Scientist and Project Manager at Tetra Tech. The three discuss the news of scientists deflecting lightening bolts, AI chatbots being tricked into misbehaving, and famous aviator Amelia Earhart's plane potentially being found. Topic of the show covers wetlands, what they are, why they are...

Aired 1/30/2024. This week in the news, the cast discusses a complicated ecological web of how invasive ants affect lion's hunting success, if T-cells might be the fountain of youth, and the Doomsday clock getting ever closer to zero. Topic of the show covers viruses, what they are, the good and bad off them, society's thoughts on them, and if science research on viruses should have limits.

Aired 1/23/2024. For the premiere episode of the Spring semester, the cast discusses the rising risk of earthquakes, how insect wings evolved from gills, and solving crimes through forensic entomology. With it being the dead of Winter, topic of the show cover extreme cold and wintertime traditions.

Recorded 1/10/2024. For our Winter Break episode, the cast (Jeremy, Becky, Webster, and a returning Ray) reviews the 2023 critical and commercial darling, Oppenheimer, discussing major plot points, how science and scientists are depicted, and other various themes of military secrecy, communism and geopolitics, and research and ethnic/religious background. Full Spoilers for the movie Oppenheimer (a...

Recorded 12/12/2023. For the last episode of 2023, the cast discusses a found tomato on the International Space Station, robotic cells, climate change and foodstuffs, and saving sick corals with antibiotic paste in the news. In the spirit of the holiday season, topic of the show covers science and nature holidays. We cover a handful of obscure science and nature holidays, if they hold any signific...

Aired 12/5/2023. On this week's episode, the cast partakes in the 2nd science and nature trivia challenge competition. Fellow PhD student Raj Prasaj guests on this episode, having just returned from Ecuador with his field research, also recounts his time there.

Aired 11/28/2023. This week on the podcast, Jeremy, Becky, and an eventual Webster, interview Dr. Minsoo Kang, a history professor at UMSL about his research on the history of the mad scientist. The conversation covers the origin of the moniker, traits of the mad scientist, depictions throughout history and pop culture, and how the stereotype is harmful to the progression of science as a whole.

Aired 11/14/2023. This week on That Science and Nature Show, Garrett Behrends guest on the show! News this week covers the CDC and increasing voluntary disease surveillance for travelers, dying from laughter, and research linking the state you reside in and personality. Topic of the show covers animal stereotyping, including how animals are oftentimes put into boxes like people, examples of media...

Original Lost Recording 11/7/2023. This recording is a recap and memento to Episode 21 of the podcast on Alternative Medicine, which unfortunately did not properly record.

Aired 10/31/2023. On a very spooky themed episode of That Science and Nature Show, the cast talks about re-animating spider corpses, scientists exploring what makes a place "haunted", and horror movie museum exhibits. Topic of the show is about fear and phobias, our interactions with fear and horror, and some of the research done on the physiological sensation.

Aired 10/24/2023. This week on the show, the cast is joined by two special undergraduate guests from UMSL Sustainability, Jenn Voss and James Ott. News this week tackles hurricanes increasing in danger, recycling reforms in England, and the United States updating electric grid for future generations. Topic of the show this week is about about sustainability, discussing what is sustainability, what...

Aired 10/17/2023. This week on the show, the cast is joined by our first post-doc guest, having moved to St. Louis all the way from Australia, Dr. Tom Hagan! In the news this week is how the brain can create false memories, DARPA and puking headsets, and clothing waste. Topic of the show covers invasive species, and how they can cause a lot of problems for the natural world.

Aired 10/10/2023. This week on the show Jeremy, Becky, and Webster are joined by our first guest of the season, Ray Kannenberg! News this week covers addressing mental health using medicine vs. exercise, the phenomenon known as cold water plunging and what health benefits that has, and gene therapies under threat. Topic of the show is all about artificial intelligence (AI), as AI is no longer some...

Aired 10/2/2023. This week on the show, the cast talks about young climate activists suing their government, farmers turning to tech for pollination, baby's microbiomes and covid-19, and (most importantly) Fat Bear Week! Topic of the show covers conservation imbalances, tackling why certain animals are popular conservation targets, what are some less popular animals in need of conservation, and th...