University of Michigan Museum of Natural History Podcast

In this special episode, we dive into the story behind our new exhibit – a 12-foot ammonite diorama made from recycled materials! Created in partnership with LSA Sustainability, inspired by the original work of George Marchand, and his diorama's decades-long presence in the museum. Listen to learn about its history and what made the Cretaceous period so fascinating.

Do we really consume a credit card’s worth of microplastics in a week? That depends largely on how you measure it. But one thing is certain: microplastics are all around us and they’re here to stay. These plastics may be small, but understanding their impact requires research at all scales. Zooming in, microplastics are not solo actors: they host an array of plastic-associated microbes that could...

Where do you get your news? How do "fake news" and social media affect your perspectives? New U-M research and scholarship can help us understand the widespread impact of disinformation and bias in our current ecosystem of social media and content sources. Please join Ariel Hasell from the Communication and Media department, and Barbara McQuade of the U-M Law School, for a discussion about truth,...

We have seen how mRNA vaccines have changed the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, reducing the occurrence of severe illness and saving lives. What is the future of this biotechnology? Join Rachel Niederer and Nils Walter of the U-M Department of Chemistry and the Center for RNA Biomedicine to learn how mRNA vaccine technology could address influenza, Ebola, and other viruses—and even help fight can...

What is machine learning? Is it the same as artificial intelligence? Please join Raed Al Kontar of the U-M Department of Industrial & Operations Engineering to discuss how machine learning algorithms can be applied to distributed systems such as cars, phones, and hospitals, where data comes from many sources. 

Coffee production has a history as a colonial crop, destructive to the environment. Can coffee support biodiversity and local farms? What if we teach farmers how to grow coffee sustainably? What if doing so means opposing mega-corporations, or even advocating for political independence? Learn about new research and education efforts by two U-M scientists who are intent on revolutionizing coffee pr...

High-resolution 3D scans, prints, and renderings are changing the way scientists work! Please join Adam Rountrey of the U-M Museum of Paleontology and Nic Terrenato of the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology for a look at the research and educational opportunities made possible by 3D imaging and printing. With accurate digital "copies" available, are the original objects more or less important? How shoul...

Climate change action is one of the most urgent questions we face. What influences public opinion on this issue? Recent research has shown that religious affiliation is not a consistent predictor for climate change skepticism. The exception to this rule is evangelical protestants who consistently poll as more skeptical than the general population. Do local evangelical ministers fit the trend of th...

Pollinators play a vital role in our food systems and are crucial to preserving the areas across the world being threatened by climate change and industrialization, but it takes more than just planting flowers to protect our pollinators. In this episode, Dr. Michelle Fearon will walk us through the basics of pollination and pollinator health, former U-M Horticulture Supervisor Bill Kronberg will e...

Sometimes scientists must go to the ends of the earth, and even deep underground, to see the unseen! Join us and meet two charismatic researchers from the U-M Department of Physics who do just that. Bjoern Penning studies dark matter a mile underground in the former Homestake gold mine in Lead, South Dakota, using Lux-Zeplin, the world's most sensitive dark matter experiment. Marcelle Soares Santo...

How can renewables such as wind and solar energy produce power for use when the sun isn't shining or the wind ebbs? How can we capture the carbon dioxide that is already in the atmosphere? Join  Charles McCrory  of the  U-M Department of Chemistry  and  David Kwabi  of the  U-M Department of Mechanical Engineering  to discuss new research on renewable energy storage: using renewable electricity to...

How does ocean biodiversity change over deep time? Join Matt Friedman, director of the U-M Museum of Paleontology, and Hernán López-Fernández, chair for collections and curator of fishes in the U-M Museum of Zoology. We will discuss how Matt uses old fossil fishes to answer new questions about biodiversity hotspots in ancient oceans. Hernán will help us consider how this research can shed light on...

The James Webb Space Telescope increases the clarity and resolution of space photography, both within our galaxy and beyond. What do these photos tell us so far and what can we expect in the future? What does it take to put a project like this together? Join Professor and Chair Ted Bergin from the U-M Department of Astronomy as we celebrate the return of Science Cafés with an out-of-this-world con...

Great Lakes fisheries are managed intensively to reduce nutrients from fertilizer runoff and to increase game fish populations such as trout and salmon. When you add invasive species such as non-native mussels and the possibility of carp, we have a very fragile system. Join us to discuss the past, present, and possible futures of Lake Michigan fisheries with Bo Bunnell of the U.S.G.S. Great Lakes...

If you stretched the DNA in one human cell all the way out, it would be about two meters long. How does all that DNA fit into one tiny cell? How does the way it is packaged matter for human health? Join Gyorgyi Csankovszki of the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology for a discussion of current research into basic cellular biology and the implications this research may have...

Hidden in the feathers of museum specimens of birds is information on the air quality of past decades - very detailed information. These specimens also contain evidence of the impacts of recent climate change on birds. What do these birds have to say? Join Shane DuBay and Ben Winger of the U-M Museum of Zoology to discuss what bird specimens can tell us about air quality, climate change impacts, a...

Microbes in the water take carbon from the atmosphere, break down plastics, and even cause and prevent toxic algae blooms. Join Dr. Melissa Duhaime of the U-M's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and members of her lab team to discuss the ecology of aquatic microbes, and how what we learn about them now could have huge impacts on our future. Originally recorded November 20, 2019. For m...

Have you ever helped with research by doing a Christmas bird count, helping to identify photos for an online project, or participating in local water testing? Join us as we explore the potential roles of citizen and community science projects in scientific research and public policy. We’ll highlight some U-M projects, with opportunities for involvement.  Nyeema Harris - Applied Wildlife Ecology La...

A discussion of the history and social psychology of nationalist and fascist politics and what light this scholarship may or may not shed on current events.  Joshua Rabinowitz, lecturer, U-M Psychology Department Dario Gaggio, professor, U-M History Department For more information on future Science Cafes, please visit our website . 

New technology makes gene editing easier. Its use is being explored to correct diseases caused by genetic mutations, to fight cancer, and even to learn about human evolutionary adaptations, and its potential is amazing. We'll explore the capabilities and research that CRISPR Cas9 gene editing brings, as well as its ethical, legal, and social implications. Jody Platt, Assistant Professor in the Dep...

Human beings have changed Earth so extensively that geologists now propose renaming our current epoch as the Anthropocene—the era defined by people. Human influences are apparent in the shape of landscapes, the extent of biodiversity, ocean chemistry, and our climate. We will explore the history of human influence on Earth and the ideas driving the concept of the Age of Humans, taking time to disc...

What are the stories of contemporary Latin American migration, and how do we uncover them? What can these stories tell us about borders, their impact, and the struggles of many families to find a new life? How can such stories inform policy and/or political action? Jason De Leon, U-M Department of Anthropology For more information on future Science Cafes, please visit our website . 

Basic science research seeks to improve our understanding of the world, without any direct, obvious application. Much of it is funded by government grants, including those from the National Science Foundation.  That funding may soon face cuts. A discussion on how much we spend on such research, what the rationale is, and what the implications of such cuts might be.   Meghan Duffy, Associate Profes...

A discussion on the politics of oil, water, and food production and how they are deeply intertwined with human-caused climate change and political upheaval, especially in the Middle East.   Jennifer Blesh, Assistant Professor of Environment and Sustainability, U-M School for Environment and Sustainability Juan Cole, Professor of History and Director for U-M Center for Middle Eastern and North Afri...

Today's geologic era—the Anthropocene—is dominated by human activity. In this talk, Ben van der Pluijm explored the impacts of a growing human population and our increasing needs for resources, such as food, water and energy, and solutions toward a thriving human society in this new era. Ben van der Pluijm, B.R. Clark Collegiate Professor, U-M Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences For mor...