The Science Pawdcast

Send us Fan Mail Ready for a hearty mix of laughter, compassion, and knowledge? This episode of Pet Chat is just the ticket! We kick off with a game centered around my (Jason's) adorable dogs - Bunsen and Beaker, and then take you on a journey through the world of pets. Alongside, we extend the conversation to include our listeners' stories and answer their questions. There's also a...

Send us Fan Mail Feeling the burn from both the scorching heat outdoors and the blazing tension between your cats? We've got the antidote. This week, we're talking about the global heat wave that's got everyone talking, thanks to that meddlesome El Nino. We're also decoding feline language, so you can tell if it's a fun play-fight or a real feud brewing between your cats....

Send us Fan Mail Brace yourselves for a thrilling ride as we journey into the past, exploring the enigmatic Homo Nelidi, a bygone relative of humans with an unusual ritual of burying their dead. As we meander through the eerie Rising Star Cave System, the final resting place of these intriguing beings, we also exchange thoughts with Dr. Erin Kane, an eminent primatologist with intriguing insights...

Send us Fan Mail Join us on an incredible voyage through the cosmos, where the extraordinary Dr. Nora Bailey, host of Nora's Guide to the Galaxy, unveils the enigmatic world of exoplanets. Your curiosity will be thoroughly satiated as Dr. Nora shares her captivating journey from academia to studying these alien worlds, her love for planets from her favorite sci-fi stories, and the intriguing...

Send us Fan Mail Remember that nostalgic sensation when you see an old friend, and you both marvel at how it feels like you just met yesterday? We shared that exact sentiment this week as we celebrated the anniversary of our first meeting! We took a playful and whimsical turn, hosting a fun game featuring questions from last week's content. Packed with laughs, we revealed anecdotes about our...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome aboard to an exciting journey as we unearth the astounding shifts in ocean hues, and their far-reaching impacts on marine ecosystems. Witness firsthand how our planet's lifeblood undergoes dramatic transformations, particularly in tropical regions near the equator, as a result of climate change. With revelations from an enlightening study conducted by MIT and the Nati...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered how much planning goes into preparing for a total solar eclipse? Prepare to be enlightened with our guest Dan Schneiderman, Eclipse Partnership Coordinator at the Rochester Museum and Science Center. In our delightful conversation, Dan takes us on a journey, revealing the fascinating world of total solar eclipses and all the nitty-gritty that goes into preparing for...

Send us Fan Mail How do you outsmart a vegetable-stealing squirrel? We kick things off with a head-to-head Kahoot battle and navigate into an interstellar journey with our favorite canine heroes from Texts from Bunsen. We also touch upon an intriguing study about dolphins and their unique communication methods. The journey gets funnier as we share about Adam's adventure at the Calgary Stamped...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered why more girls than boys report symptoms of teenage depression? Could societal norms be pressuring boys into silence? We're hashing out this pressing issue and more in our latest episode. We also take a detour into the cat brain and the ongoing debate over feline versus canine intelligence. Our expert guest Dr. Carly York has so much to share! There was a frog t...

Send us Fan Mail Get ready for a journey into the astounding world of marine communication, pet fitness, and hobby paleontology. You're in for a treat as we help unravel the secrets of dolphin communication, and how these intelligent creatures use 'baby-talk' with their young ones. Plus, we shed light on the significant role of exercise in maintaining a healthy lifestyle for you and...

Send us Fan Mail What if I told you that the mysteries of the universe could be unraveled from your listening device? Brace yourselves for a cosmic ride with our guest, astrobiologist and science writer Caitlin Rasmussen. Her journey from gazing starry skies in rural Maryland to deciphering the universe's enigmas at Florida State University is as captivating as it is inspiring.  In this episo...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered how animals communicate and what we can learn from them? Join us on this week's Pet Chat as we play a Kahoot game that explores the fascinating animals in our homes and beyond, including the mysterious molecule found on Saturn's moon, Enceladus. Congratulations to our Kahoot winners - Katrina, Millie, Schnauzer, Carousel, and Rosie! Come along with us on a...

Send us Fan Mail What do the discovery of phosphorus on Saturn's moon, Enceladus, and the fascinating question of whether dogs can teach other dogs language have in common? They're both topics we're buzzing about in this week's episode! Delight in our discussion about the possibility of life on Enceladus and the thought-provoking research on canine communication, as we share st...

Send us Fan Mail Get ready for a captivating journey into the world of solitary bees and the incredible ways they survive. Discover the Plitoglossa bee, which lines its nursery chambers deep underground with a secreted plastic-like material, and learn about their unusual runny food that smells like beer. You won't believe how these fascinating creatures go through their life cycle! Joining us...

Send us Fan Mail Imagine a world where photosynthesis could revolutionize renewable energy and agriculture while combating harmful algal blooms - that's what we're exploring with our guest Grant Steiner, a PhD student at Loyola University studying photosynthetic biochemistry. Together, we dive into the captivating world of cyanobacteria and their role in the great oxygenation event that...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered what surprising accessory can make men less threatening in a threatening situation? Tune in to this week's episode of Pet Chat, where we explore this intriguing topic, the hilarious Couch Wars between Beaker and Ginger, and a fascinating fact about the percentage of people who sign cards with their dog's name. Bunsen and Beaker Links: The Ginger Stuffie is...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when we combine the effects of forest fire smoke, the psychology of feeling safe, and even the world of astrophysics? Today's episode takes you on a journey through these seemingly unrelated topics, all while shedding light on how they impact our lives and the environment around us. With wildfires causing havoc across Canada and the United States, we discuss the...

Send us Fan Mail What if you could uncover the secrets of Mars with the help of an expert scientist? This week, we had the privilege of having a fascinating conversation with Dr. Dabarati Daa, a Mars scientist with a doctorate in geology and a postdoc at Los Alamos National Broad Street. We explored Mars' intriguing similarities and differences to Earth, including its roughly 24-hour day and...

Send us Fan Mail In our opening game join us as we explore recent studies on vegan diets for dogs that left us delightfully shocked, and discuss a groundbreaking peanut allergy treatment that's making waves in the medical world.   All this, plus a hilarious message from the government of Canada that you simply can't miss! We're not just about the science - we're about the pets...

Send us Fan Mail What if we told you that a simple skin patch could help desensitize toddlers with peanut allergies? It's true! Join us as we explore this groundbreaking immunotherapy treatment and discuss the science behind peanut allergies. Plus, ever thought about feeding your dog a vegan diet? We had our doubts, but a recent study on vegan dog food might just change your mind. We're...

Send us Fan Mail Get ready for a wildly entertaining episode as we chat with wildlife author and animal expert Jason Bittel. We kick off the conversation with a fun game of moose facts, uncovering surprising truths about these majestic creatures like their impressive swimming abilities and their incredible speed at just five days old. You won't believe how much there is to learn about these f...

Send us Fan Mail What do sassy put-downs, pregnant beagles, and dolphins in Antarctica have in common? They're all part of this week's entertaining and informative episode of Pet Chat! We kick things off by sharing Ginger's hilariously sassy interactions with dogs, celebrating a graduation milestone, and testing our knowledge with a fun game of Kahoot Now. We then discuss an amazing...

Send us Fan Mail Phew!  What a jam packed week! Adam is graduating this week, it's his birthday AND I have to prep for a huge science show for our local children's festival next week! Don't worry, the show this week is really interesting!   I do a deep dive into a story about an ancient lake in Antartica!  In Pet Science we look at a study had an hypothesis that for people who care...

Send us Fan Mail This is a recording of our live audio show Scichat which runs Tuesday evening at 9PM Eastern.  Scichat brings an amazing expert in a field of science LIVE to discuss their expertise AND take questions! Dr. Emily Taylor is an amazing scientist who studies rattlesnakes.  She is an advocate for them and is a fountain of knowledge and funny to boot!  You'll love this chat! Dr. Ta...

Send us Fan Mail This Pet Chat is a heavy and moving discussion.  It was not our normal happy space as it was a much more emotional discussion about pet death and pet afterlife with some tough conversations. We had two excellent speakers join us: Dr Jenny McKay who is a veterinarian and reverend and Dr. Sebastian Bol, a molecular biologist and cat expert. This show touches on the perspective of ma...