The Poetry of Science

This episode explores new research, which has found that nearly half of 232 US health datasets were changed, mostly replacing 'gender' with 'sex', without logging or explanation. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Testament to the Agency of Man’ by Rickey Laurentiis here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media...

This episode explores new research, which has found that damming water in reservoirs from 1835 to 2011 shifted Earth's spin axis by over half a metre. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Toward the North Pole’ by Louis Gilmore here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for...

This episode explores new research, which has found that vampire bats can lick rabies vaccines off each other, spreading immunity through grooming. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Bats’ by Hussain Ahmed here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: https:...

This episode explores new research, which has found that even small amounts of lead in early childhood were linked to lower reading and maths scores all the way through school. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Lead in the Water’ by Jean Garrigue here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any que...

This episode explores new research, which has found that oceans are getting greener near the poles and bluer in the subtropics. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Against Opulence’ by Kimiko Hahn here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: https://linktr.e...

This episode explores new research, which found that climate change and cheese quality are directly linked. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Personals’ by C.D. Wright here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: https://linktr.ee/sam.illingworth

This episode explores new research, which found that living within proximity to a golf course increases the risk of Parkinson’s disease. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘X Ray’ by Dannie Abse here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: https://linktr.ee/...

This episode explores new research, which has found that removing fluoride from US water would cost $9.8 billion. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Brushing Teeth with My Sister after the Wake’ by Jim Daniels here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: ht...

This episode explores new research, which has found that beers brewed across the US contain 'forever chemicals' linked to health risks. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Lines on Ale’ by Edgar Allan Poe here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: https://...

This episode explores new research, which has found that democratic countries often appear greener because they offshore pollution to less democratic nations. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Love in a Time of Climate Change’ by Craig Santos Perez here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any q...

This episode explores new research, which has found that the richest 1% of people caused 20 times more warming than the global average since 1990. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘ted talk’ by Jenny Zhang here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: https...

This episode explores new research, which has found that citizens in more democratic nations report greater wellbeing. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Democracy Poem #1’ by June Jordan here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: https://linktr.ee/sam.il...

This episode explores new research, which has found that a 50% drop in US childhood vaccination could cause 51 million measles cases in 5 years. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘A Mnemonic Device’ by Clare Pollard 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 a link between wildfires and mental health–related emergency department visits. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘The Ashes’ by Karin Gottshall here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: https://linktr....

This episode explores new research, which has found that carrion crows can spontaneously detect geometric regularity - like right angles and symmetry - just like humans. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Crows in a Strong Wind’ by Cornelius Eady here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any ques...

This episode explores new research, which has found that US Bitcoin mining uses more electricity than Los Angeles, mostly from fossil fuels. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read 'Air' by W.S. Merwin here .   --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: https://linktr...

This episode explores new research, which has found a permanent global decline in terrestrial water storage, especially soil moisture. --- Read this episode’s science poem 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 podcast: https://linktr.ee/sam.illingworth

This episode explores new research, which has found that insect brains might calculate the sun’s position using internal clocks and trigonometric circuits. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Insect’ by Annie Finch 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 which has found that matcha green tea reduces DNA damage and oxidative stress in bone marrow after gamma radiation exposure. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Green Tea’ by Dale Ritterbusch here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any que...

This episode explores new research, which has found that decaying jellyfish blooms create hotspots for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Moon Jellyfish’ by Jennifer Martelli here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: https:...

This episode explores new research, which found war-related trauma changes DNA in Syrian refugee families, affecting children and grandchildren. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Origins of Violence’ by Jenny George here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podc...

This episode explores new research, which has found that countries like the US and UK use more land for golf courses than for wind or solar energy. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Seaside Golf’ by John Betjeman 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 wildfire suppressants contain toxic metals. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘Smothered Fires’ by Georgia Douglas Johnson here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: https://linktr.ee/sam.illingwort...

This episode explores new research, which has found that Ancient Egyptian mummies still smell nice. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘The Egyptian Tomb of Emily Dickinson’ by Alexandria Peary here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast: https://linktr.ee/s...

This episode explores new research, which has found that urban rat populations are increasing in most major cities - driven by climate warming and urbanisation. --- Read this episode’s science poem here . Read the scientific study that inspired it here . Read ‘The Rats’ by Pierre Martory here . --- Music by  Rufus Beckett . --- Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for t...