The Poetry of Science

This episode explores new research, which has found that bees follow linear landmarks to find their way home. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘Bees, so many bees’ by Anna Jackson here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:  sam.illingworth@gmai...

This episode explores new research, which has found that long-term exposure to air pollution is tied to an increased risk of having a heart attack or dying from heart disease. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘Heart Valve’ by Elizabeth Arnold here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any ques...

This episode explores new research, which has found that geckos can use their tongue to differentiate their own odour from that of other members of their species. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here .    Read ‘A Lizard in Spanish Valley’ by Wendy Videlock here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any ques...

This episode explores new research, which has found that small perching birds, such as blue and great tits, avoid breeding in urban areas where there are many non-native trees. --- 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 questio...

This episode explores new research, which has investigated the rapid behavioural responses of endangered tigers to major roads during COVID-19 lockdown. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here .   Read ‘Tiger on the Shoulder’ by Janet McAdams 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 instead of using traditional fireworks, cleaner alternatives like drone and laser light shows should be used to prevent harm to wildlife, household pets, and the environment. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘State Fair Fireworks, Labor Day’ by Maryann Corbett here . --- Music...

This episode explores new research, which has found that elephant extinction could have a major impact on atmospheric carbon levels. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .     Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘The Elephant’ by Dan Chiasson 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 human-initiated wildfire smoke is responsible for around 20,000 premature deaths per year in the United States. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .     Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘SMOKE’ by Philip Levine 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 children near airports may be exposed to dangerous levels of lead. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .     Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Sparrow Trapped in the Airport’ by Averill Curdy 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 climate change threatens endangered marimo algae balls with extinction through deadly sunburn. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .    Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read 'Hearsay Song' by John Yau 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 up to one a half million tonnes of carbon, soot, and other particles from combustion end up in deep-sea trenches every year. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .    Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read 'Ocean of Earth' by Guillaume Apollinaire here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and se...

This episode explores new research, which has found that hotter days brought about by climate change have been linked to an increased risk of shootings in the United States. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .    Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘My Mother Contemplating Her Gun’ by Nick Flynn here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send...

This episode explores new research, which has found that the microplastics in Auckland’s air is equal to 3 million plastic bottles every year. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .   Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Plastic Bag from Corner Store Laments the Self’ by Aliyah Cotton here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questi...

This episode explores new research, which has found that in the Western United States, an increase in forest resilience is linked with a higher mortality risk for trees. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Eastern Forests’ by Charlie Smith here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or...

This episode explores new research, which has found that seagrass can reduce coastal erosion by up to 70% thanks to its root mats binding the sand. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘The Coast’ by Julia Randall here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: E...

This episode explores new research, which has found that under the conditions, disease-resistant corals can help protect other corals that are more vulnerable to disease. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .               Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘People Are a Living Structure Like a Coral Reef’ by Heather Christle here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follo...

This episode explores new research, which has found that thanks to conservation efforts reef manta rays are thriving off the Raja Ampat archipelago in Indonesia. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .              Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Night Dive’ by Peggy Shumaker 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 vines and climbing plants are more likely to infest smaller trees in Southeast Asian forests, with significant implications for global carbon storage and climate change. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .                Read the scientific study that inspired it here .   Read ‘Vine in Early Spring’ by Sara van Alstyne Allen here . -...

This episode explores new research, which has found that rhino horns have shrunk over the past century, likely due to hunting. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .               Read the scientific study that inspired it here .   Read ‘A Rhinoceros and a Lion’ by Kaoru Maruyama 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 insects can contribute to atmospheric electricity. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .              Read the scientific study that inspired it here .   Read ‘Myths of Electricity: A Letter to Nikola Tesla’ by Kevin Meaux 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 80 years after it sank, a World War 2 warship is still polluting the local ecosystem. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .             Read the scientific study that inspired it here .   Read ‘After the Shipwreck’ by Alicia Ostriker 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 the Salton Sea is turning into toxic dust. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .             Read the scientific study that inspired it here .   Read ‘Salt to Make a Sea’ by Renée Ashley here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: Email:  sam.illingworth@gma...

This episode explores new research, which has improved the ability to predict fluctuations in the rotation of the Earth and with it the length of the day. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .             Read the scientific study that inspired it here .   Read ‘Days’ by Philip Larkin here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments fo...

This episode explores new research, which has found that planting hedges and flower strips in orchards helps to support wild bee communities, thereby improving pollination. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .             Read the scientific study that inspired it here .   Read ‘The Bees’ by Bruce Mackinnon here .   --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in an...

This episode explores new research, which has found that five years after the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, one in four residents has PTSD. --- Read this episode’s science poem here .            Read the scientific study that inspired it here .   Read ‘Water Table’ by Eliza Griswold here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the...