The Poetry of Science

This episode explores new research, which has investigated bacteria that can eat forever chemicals. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Triple Moments of Light and Industry’ by Brenda Hillman here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: https://linktr.ee/sam...

This episode explores new research, which has investigated the key risks from Arctic permafrost thaw. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Undoing’ by Khadijah Queen here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: https://linktr.ee/sam.illingworth

This episode explores new research, which has found that barn owls have evolved to camouflage themselves by moonlight. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘The Owl’ by Arthur Sze here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: https://linktr.ee/sam.illingworth

This episode explores new research, which has found that sea surface temperatures and deeper water temperatures reached a new record high in 2024. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘The Sea Chews Things Up’ by Cleopatra Mathis here .   --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments...

This episode explores new research, which has found microplastic hotspots across the Southern Ocean. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read 'If the ocean had a mouth' by Marie-Elizabeth Mali here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: https://linktr.ee/sam.illi...

This episode explores new research, which explores the emerging archaeological record of Mars. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Tea-Strainer’ by Joyelle McSweeney here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: https://linktr.ee/sam.illingworth

This episode explores new research, which explores the emerging archaeological record of Mars. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Here's Mars’ by William H. Dickey here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: https://linktr.ee/sam.illingworth

This episode explores new research, which has found that air pollution in India is linked to millions of deaths. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘The Air Smelled Dirty’ by Marge Piercy here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: https://linktr.ee/sam.ill...

This episode explores new research, which has shown climate warming destabilises boreal forests. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘The Forest of Dead Trees’ by Mark Turbyfill here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: https://linktr.ee/sam.illingworth

This episode explores new research, which has found 1.5-million-year-old footprints of two different species of human ancestors at the same spot. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Footsteps’ by Fanny Howe here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: https:...

This episode explores new research, which has found that more snow could protect glaciers from melt – but only if we curb greenhouse gas emissions soon. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Eating the Glacier’ by Lauren Winchester here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments...

This episode explores new research, which has found that rainforest protection reduces the number of respiratory diseases. --- 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 questions or comments for the podcast: https://linktr.ee/sam.i...

This episode explores new research, which has observed warm ocean water moving beneath the Ross Ice Shelf of Antarctica, where it contributes to ice melting. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read 'Ice' by Gail Mazur here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:...

This episode explores new research, which has found that bats use an acoustic cognitive map for navigation. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Bats' by Luke Hathaway here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:  sam.illingworth@gmail.com    X:  @sami...

This episode explores new research, which has found that human actions cause insect colour change. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Insect’ by Annie Finch here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:  sam.illingworth@gmail.com    X:  @samillingwort...

This episode explores new research, which has found that tropical mammals react to changes in lunar light. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Moonlight’ by Paul Verlaine here .   --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:  sam.illingworth@gmail.com    X: ...

This episode explores new research, which has used the chemical fingerprints of zinc contained in meteorites to determine the origin of volatile elements on Earth. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Near-Earth Object’ by John Shoptaw here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comm...

This episode explores new research, which has found that drier winter habitat impacts songbirds’ ability to survive migration. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Migration’ by Ira Sadoff here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:  sam.illingworth@g...

This episode explores new research, which has found that burying wood in the right environmental conditions can stop its decomposition and help curb carbon dioxide emissions. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Wood’ by Richard Brautigan here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or c...

This episode explores new research, which has found that the long-range transport of dust enhances oceanic life. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Dust’ by Dorianne Laux here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:  sam.illingworth@gmail.com    X: ...

This episode explores new research, which has found that flowers use adjustable petal designs to attract pollinators. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Flowers’ by Wendy Videlock here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:  sam.illingworth@gmail.co...

This episode explores new research, which has found that excessive light pollution may increase risk of Alzheimer's. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read “Alzheimer’s” by William J. Harris here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:  sam.illingworth@gm...

This episode explores new research, which has observed a pair of galaxies in the act of merging 12.8 billion years ago. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Universe’ by Steven Schnur here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:  sam.illingworth@gmail....

This episode explores new research, which has found that meteor showers shed light on where comets formed in the early solar system. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘The Meteorite’ by Randall Jarrell 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 underground acoustics amplify soil health. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘This Soil’ by Alice Corbin Henderson here .   --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:  sam.illingworth@gmail.com    X:...