Tiny Matters

On May 7, 1981, influential physicist Richard Feynman gave a keynote speech at Caltech. Feynman opened his talk by politely rejecting the very notion of a keynote speech, instead saying that he had his own ideas on what to discuss and that everyone should speak on what they please. And for Feynman, this meant proposing a new technology that could simulate physics with computers. That lecture 44 ye...

In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we cover squirrel pox — a disease that hasn’t had a huge impact in the United States but has decimated populations of squirrels in the UK. Then we talk about the story that Napoleon's army lost the Battle of Waterloo because the military uniforms used tin buttons that broke apart in cold temperatures, making it harder for the troops to survive. But is ther...

In January, 1997, David Nierenberg was a physician at Dartmouth‐Hitchcock Medical Center, specializing in toxicology. Chemist Karen Wetterhahn was placed in his care. When she arrived at the hospital, Karen was slurring her speech and having difficulty balancing and with coordination. What David soon learned was that her symptoms were all due to a few tiny drops of a compound called dimethylmercur...

In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we talk about how climate change may impact the effectiveness of mental health medications and how heat waves impact mental health more generally. Then we cover how fetal heart rates can change depending on which language they’re hearing while in the womb. We need your stories — they're what make these bonus episodes possible! Write in to tinymatters@acs.o...

Climate change has brought forth extreme fire events, like the Palisade and Eaton fires in Los Angeles, which devastated communities in Altadena and the Pacific Palisades in the beginning of 2025. And it’s becoming harder to not wonder: Is this just the world we live in now? Under the constant threat of catastrophic fires? Fortunately, we have the perfect guests to answer that question. We travele...

In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we talk about why the FDA recently banned Red Dye No. 3 and how concerned people should be about its use in food. Then we cover icy winter roads and the fascinating science behind clearing them and taking a more sustainable approach that won’t hurt the environment. We need your stories — they're what make these bonus episodes possible! Write in to tinymatt...

In 1975, NASA launched two spacecraft to Mars. Viking 1 and Viking 2 arrived at their destination less than a year later, each bringing a lander to explore the surface of the planet and an orbiter to survey above. What was supposed to be a 90 day mission ended up lasting until the early 1980s. Those years provided scientists with important data about the Martian landscape, from seismometer reading...

In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we talk about what dark energy and dark matter are made out of and how knowing more could upend our understanding of the Big Bang. Then we cover microchimeric cells — cells transferred between baby and mom — and how new research in mice shows that fetal cells that took residency in mom from a first pregnancy are replaced by new fetal cells of a second preg...

In December 2017, the FDA approved a new injectable drug to treat type 2 diabetes called semaglutide, which you likely know by its brand name: Ozempic. A few years later, during the pandemic, Wegovy, a drug with a higher dose of the same active ingredient, was approved specifically for chronic weight management. Soon after, people taking Ozempic started reporting a dramatic, even “life-changing” w...

In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we hear from a listener who has Marfan syndrome and dive into the complexities of the disease. Then we talk about pathogens that eat — or infiltrate! — plant DNA. We need your stories — they're what make these bonus episodes possible! Write in to tinymatters@acs.org * or fill out this form * with your favorite science fact or science news story for a chanc...

Over the last 200 years or so, vaccines have come a long way, for a number of viruses. We’ve made so much progress, in fact, that in 2017 scientists began the early stages of vaccine development for some virus families they believed could pose a future pandemic threat. One of those families was Coronaviridae: coronaviruses. Not many people know that before SARS-CoV-2 started making its way into pe...

In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we break down what limits on anesthesia could mean, both for doctors and patients. Then we hear from a listener who’s on a research trip in Puerto Rico and went kayaking in a bioluminescent bay. What is bioluminescence? And what are the perfect conditions to try to see it? We need your stories — they're what make these bonus episodes possible! Write in to...

The placenta is essential for life, but so much of its function is unknown. In this episode, we talk about how this disposable organ’s development within the early weeks of pregnancy shapes so much of what happens months later. We tackle what makes the human placenta so unique, what other animals like reptiles are teaching us about it, and how scientists are turning to evolution and computer model...

In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we hear from a listener about her incredible grandma who’s a pharmacist in Venezuela (still, at 92 years old!) and has inspired her love of science and current lab work. We then talk about orcas spotted wearing dead salmon as hats, and what this fishy behavior may mean.  We need your stories — they're what make these bonus episodes possible! Write in...

The reason many of us hear about glaciers has to do with sea level rise — which makes sense! If all of the glaciers on Earth melted, sea levels are predicted to increase by about 230 feet (70 meters), which would flood coastal areas, envelope a number of islands, and seriously impact human infrastructure, including our current water resources. But glaciers do more than safeguard Earth’s future — b...

In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we discuss the differences between e-cigarettes (vapes) and far-less-studied dry herb vaporizers. Then we talk about some of the incredible evolutionary adaptations of populations of people living at high altitudes.  We need your stories — they're what make these bonus episodes possible! Write in to tinymatters@acs.org * or fill out this form * with y...

In the 1700s and early 1800s scientists from Europe and the Americas were studying what they called "race science," a pseudoscientific field of study promoting the idea that humans could be divided into separate and unequal races. Biases stemming from race science have influenced medicine for hundreds of years, and still have deadly consequences today. In this episode of Tiny Matters, we tack...

In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we discuss if a crocheted wasp nest could actually attract wasps and keep them from invading your property. Then we talk about how sewage is impacting the resilience of coral reefs. We need your stories — they're what make these bonus episodes possible! Write in to tinymatters@acs.org * or fill out this form * with your favorite science fact or science new...

In the 1970s, the rape kit began as a simple box with some envelopes, a comb, nail clippers, and a few other basic tools. The contents of the kit have evolved somewhat since then, but the technology to analyze samples has evolved astronomically. And, through and through, the rape kit has stood for the idea that every survivor has the right to go to a hospital, get a full forensic exam, and have th...

In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we cover the science of rainbows and why double rainbows are always mirror images. Then we talk about mysterious, yet super common, chromosomes called Robertsonian chromosomes that seem to have a significant impact on human health. We need your stories — they're what make these bonus episodes possible! Write in to tinymatters@acs.org * or fill out this for...

Hemophilia is a rare bleeding disorder caused by a deficiency in clotting factors in the blood, which can cause permanent damage to joints and, in some cases, life threatening bleeding, both externally and internally. Today, people with hemophilia can live generally long, healthy lives, but in previous generations, the future wasn’t so bright. In fact, less than a century ago the life expectancy f...

In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we cover the incredible world of fungus farming ants and how it really needs to be a Pixar movie. Then we talk about what makes fresh squeezed juice taste so much better than the mass produced processed juices you pick up in the grocery store.  We need your stories — they're what make these bonus episodes possible! Write in to tinymatters@acs.org * or...

In the summer of 2011, paleontologist and science writer Riley Black was on a mission. Walking through the Montana desert, she was on the lookout for a Tyrannosaurus rex. But that day, she wasn’t having any luck. Sitting atop a rock, she pulled out a geological hammer, sometimes called a rock pick, to dislodge a little piece and try to discern its composition. What she saw was a leaf, but upon clo...

In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we consider if bacteriophages could become our biggest allies in the fight against antibiotic resistance. Then we cover the historical role of "night soil men" and how some sewage treatment systems today are setting the standard for sustainable management of human excrement while also making sure we don't get sick.  We need your stories — they're what make...

In 1893, Belgian paleontologist Louis Dollo suggested that evolution can’t go backwards in the exact same way that it proceeded. This became known as “Dollo’s Law,” and came under a lot of scrutiny. But, more recently, Dollo’s Law was co-opted into the idea that traits, once they gain a certain amount of complexity, can’t return to a simpler state. In this episode of Tiny Matters, we explore two e...