The Poetry of Science

This episode explores new research, which has found that heatwaves are becoming more frequent and more deadly. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘Heatwave’ by Ted Hughes 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 America’s wealthiest 10% is responsible for 40% of US greenhouse gas emissions. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read 'Vespers ["Once I believed in you..."]' by Louise Glück here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or commen...

This episode explores new research, which has found that mega-storms leave marks on Saturn’s atmosphere for centuries. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read 'Saturn' by Stefanie Marlis 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 Kordofan giraffes face local extinction if poaching continues. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘The Giraffe’ by Ronald Lee Perry 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 found that ancient pathogens emerging from melting ice and permafrost risk eroding ecosystems. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘Yeast’ by Roddy Lumsden 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 that the Pacific slope of Peru is greening, and that this is not good news. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘Prophecy’ by Jules Supervielle 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 ocean animals vacate areas both around and outside deep-sea mining operations. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘Sea Floor’ by Edward Weismiller 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 human-made materials in nests can bring both risks and benefits for birds. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘Nests in Elms’ by Michael Field 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 that birds raise fewer young when spring arrives earlier in a warming world. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘Spring’ by Gerard Manley Hopkins 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 global reservoirs are becoming emptier. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘The Reservoir’ by Mei-Mei Berssenbrugge 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 combustion from gas stoves can raise indoor levels of the toxic chemical benzene. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘In Praise of Old Stoves’ by Paul Petrie here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the po...

This episode explores new research, which has found evidence of the first prehistoric wind instruments. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘Incantation to an Age of Stone’ by V R lang here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:  sam.illingworth@...

This episode explores new research, which has found that night-time pollinators such as moths may visit just as many plants as bees. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘Moths’ by Caleb Klaces 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 global flash droughts are expected to increase in a warming climate. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘Dear Drought’ by Amy Beeder 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 current measures to protect grasslands in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau are damaging the ecosystem and should be stopped. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘On the Plains’ by David Wagoner here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any qu...

This episode explores new research, which has found that coastal lights trick coral reefs into spawning earlier than they should. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘Night in Day’ by Joseph Stroud 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 bird species body size may predict the rate of climate change. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘Confession of a Bird Watcher’ by Chard Deniord 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 that air pollution exposure is associated with an increased risk of irregular heartbeat. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘Arrhythmia’ by Hailey Leithauser 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 water arsenic is linked to higher urinary arsenic totals among the US population. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘Water Route’ by Barry Sternlieb 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 the diversity of present tree species is shaped by climate change in the last 21,000 years. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘Native Trees’ by W.S. Merwin 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 found that light pollution may extend the mosquito biting season. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘Mosquitos’ by Katherine Hauth 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 jet lag’s harmful health impacts are caused by biological clock misalignment. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘Reunion’ by Megan Fernandes 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 blind people sense their heartbeats better than sighted people. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘A Blind Woman’ by Ted Kooser here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:  sam.illingworth@...

This episode explores new research, which has looked at the long-term environmental impact of different methods to control Japanese knotweed. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘Autumn’ by Sydney Lea 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 entire populations of Antarctic seabirds fail to breed due to extreme, climate-change-related snowstorms. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘The Sea Bird to the Wave’ by Padraic Colum here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questio...