The Poetry of Science

This episode explores new research, which has found that nature is at risk in the hunt for the perfect selfie. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Manifesto of the Lyric Selfie’ by Becca Klaver here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:  sam.illingw...

This episode explores new research, which has studied how the rising earth in Antarctica will impact future sea level rise. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘The Way to Keep Going in Antarctica’ by Bernadette Mayer here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podca...

This episode explores new research, which has investigated the iridescent evolution of birds. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read 'Birdsong' by Joanie Mackowski 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:  @samilling...

This episode explores new research, which has found that even 10 minutes of nature exposure is likely to yield benefits for adults with mental illness. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Wildlife Management III’ by James Galvin here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments f...

This episode explores new research, which has found that unprecedented warming threatens earth’s lakes and their ecosystems. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Lake Cycle’ by Jessica Nelson North here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:  sam.illi...

This episode explores new research, which has found that painting roofs white is effective at cooling cities at scale. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read 'Heat' by John Gould Fletcher 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 meteorite impact rate on Mars can help date planetary surfaces. --- 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:  sam.illingwort...

This episode explores new research, which has found that dense, swirling winds help supermassive black holes grow. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘The Effects’ by Nick Laird 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  ...

This episode explores new research, which has found that restored rat-free islands could support hundreds of thousands more breeding seabirds --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Baiting Bush Rats’ by Anthony Lawrence here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podca...

This episode explores new research, which has identified the gene that enhances some of the properties of lavender. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read  'Lavender' by Mary Enslow 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  ...

This episode explores new research, which has found that mussels downstream of wastewater treatment plants contain radium. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Merrymakers in a Mussel Shell’ by Holly Corfield Carr 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 used wobbling stars to find new exoplanets. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘In the Planetarium’ by James Doyle 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:  @samillingw...

This episode explores new research, which has investigated how heatwaves are affecting Arctic phytoplankton. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Invitation’ by Aimee Nezhukumatathil here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:  sam.illingworth@gmail.c...

This episode explores new research, which has found that heavy snowfall and rain may contribute to some earthquakes. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read 'Snowfall' by Ravi Shankar 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...

This episode explores new research, which has found that a magnetic field collapse may have triggered the emergence of animals on Earth. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘The Moon’s Magnetic Field Once Came from an Asteroid’ by Rebecca Morgan Frank here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any q...

This episode explores new research, which has found that women and shepherds historically reduced wildfire risk in Central Italy. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Leaves’ by Ursula K. Le Guin here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:  sam.illing...

This episode explores new research, which has found that toxic chemicals from microplastics can be absorbed through skin. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Plastic: A Personal History’ by Elizabeth Bradfield here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Ema...

This episode explores new research, which has found that Africa’s flamingos are threatened by rising lake levels. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Flamingo Watching’ by Kay Ryan 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 four in five bird species cannot tolerate intense human pressures. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘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:  sam.illingworth@gm...

This episode explores new research, which has found that common water pollutants cause heart damage in fish. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Water Devil’ by Jamaal May 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 signs of life could be detectable in single ice grains that are emitted from extraterrestrial moons. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Ten Moons’ by Sasha Dugdale 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 used ancient tree rings to reconstruct the climate records of North China. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Trees’ by Mark Haddon 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...

This episode explores new research, which has found that fishing for oil and meat drives deepwater shark and ray decline. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Sharks at the New York Aquarium’ by Charles Martin here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Emai...

This episode explores new research, which has found that deforestation exacerbates the risk of malaria for the most vulnerable children. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Mosquito Music’ by Philip Gross 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 cloud clustering causes more extreme rain. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read  'Clouds' by Caroline Forché 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:  @samil...