The Poetry of Science

This episode explores new research, which has harnessed the problem-solving capabilities of a simple slime mould to trace the large-scale structure of the universe. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘The Universe: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack’ by Tracy K. Smith here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media...

This episode explores new research, which has used jellyfish to help understand how sexual reproduction in animals may have evolved. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘A Jelly-Fish’ by Marianne Moore here .   --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:  sa...

This episode explores new research, which has combined genealogy and genetics to identify thousands of individuals in Québec whose remains lie in unmarked graves. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read 'Mapping the Genome’ by Michael Symmons Roberts here .   --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any ques...

This episode explores new research, which has found that the Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador has shown signs of possible flank instability. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘A Postcard from the Volcano’ by Wallace Stevens here .   --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for th...

This episode explores new research, which has found that a Himalayan glacier shows evidence of the start of the Industrial Revolution. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Snowmen’ by Agha Shadid Ali here .   --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:  sam....

This episode explores new research, which has investigated the sounds made by marine mammals in a changing Arctic environment. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Seals at High Island’ by Richard Murphy here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:  sa...

This episode explores new research, which has found that marine heat waves are linked to an increase in the number of whales being caught in fishing gear. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘The Right Whale in Iowa’ by Debora Greger here .    --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or com...

This episode explores new research, which has found that male swamp sparrows are less intimidated by the songs of their ageing rivals. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here .   Read ‘Sparrow’ by Farnoosh Fathi here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:  sam.i...

This episode explores new research, which has found that historical housing policies are responsible for a disproportionate exposure to dangerous climate impacts. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here .   Read  ‘Color Blind (For Real)’ by Marc Livanos and Quincy Hull here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send i...

This episode explores new research, which has found that nearly a decade after the nuclear accident in Fukushima, Japan, wildlife populations are abundant in areas devoid of human life.   --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Chernobyl Year’ by Jehanne Dubrow here .    --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and sen...

This episode explores new research, which has found that climate change is affecting the timing of bird migration on a continental scale. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read the ‘The Birds’ by Linda Pastan here .   --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:...

This episode explores new research which has created a strain of the bacteria E. coli, that eats carbon dioxide for energy rather than organic compounds like sugars and fats.  --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read the ‘Wings’ by Miroslav Holub here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions o...

This episode explores new research which has found that simulated microgravity, such as that encountered in spaceflight, disrupts the functioning of the epithelial barrier (the lining of the gut). --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read the 'Astronaut of Waste’ by Joel Sloman here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social me...

This episode explores new research which has found that elevated levels of mercury in mountain lions may be caused by coastal fog. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘In the Fog’ by Giovanni Pascoli here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:  sam....

This episode explores new research which has found that rainfall patterns across the globe are likely changing due to a rapid warming of the Indo-Pacific region. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Clouds’ by Stephen Dobyns here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for...

This episode explores new research which has found that the environmental impacts of Bitcoin mining might be lower than previously thought. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here .  Read ‘Miners’ by Wilfred Owen here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:  sa...

This episode explores new research which has found that metal pollution from agriculture and shipping poses an emerging threat to coral reefs.   --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Coral’ by Derek Walcott here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:...

This episode explores new research which has found a large number of microplastics in oysters and clams along the Oregon coast in the United States. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘What Makes a Pearl’ by Emily Rose Cole here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for...

This episode explores new research which has found how satellites can be used to map the effect that ship emissions have on cloud formation.  --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Oh Great O North Cloud’ by Allen Grossman here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the...

This episode explores new research which has found that an ancient extinction event on Earth may have been caused (in part) by mercury poisoning from volcanic eruptions. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Quicksilver’ by Julie Suk here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comme...

This episode explores new research which has found that while much of the Earth's land surface remains relatively wild, it is threatened by anthropogenic fragmentation. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Human Habitat’ by Alison Hawthorne Deming here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any que...

This episode explores new research which has found a strong correlation between the rate of deforestation and the transmission of malaria in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Rainforest’ by Teresa Mei Chuc here .   --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questio...

This episode explores new research which has found that there has been a clear degradation in mountain permafrost across the central Alps over the past two decades, likely brought about by climate change. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .    Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Twilight in the Alps’ by Henry van Dyke Jr here .  --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow...

This episode explores new research which has found that heat stress from climate change has caused a dramatic decline across bird populations in the Mojave Desert in North America. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .    Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘The Death of the Bird’ by A. D. Hope here .    --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send...

This episode explores new research which has found that increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide causes marsh plants to increase in bulk but decrease in size, resulting in dense networks of underground roots that can potentially protect these marshes against rising sea levels.   --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Marshlands’ by Emil...