The Science Pawdcast

Send us Fan Mail Imagine fixing a fracture with a steady hand and a smart pen. We open the lab door on a handheld “bone printer” that lays down bio‑ink directly at the injury site, promising faster healing, fewer imaging steps, and the chance to customize strength and shape in minutes. If you’ve ever waited days for scans and fabrication, the appeal is obvious: hydroxyapatite to encourage bone gro...

Send us Fan Mail After a two-week hiatus dealing with shipping challenges and postal strikes, Jason and Chris return with exciting scientific breakthroughs and heartwarming pet insights. Their absence was filled with stuffy reshipping adventures and a memorable Comic-Con appearance with their super-dog companions. The episode features a remarkable development in Huntington's disease treatment...

Send us Fan Mail Fascinating new research reveals how catching a common cold may provide surprising protection against COVID-19, reducing infection risk by 50% and viral load by tenfold. We explore the science behind this finding and why children might experience milder COVID symptoms thanks to their frequent colds. • Recent study shows having a cold in the previous month led to 50% lower risk of...

Send us Fan Mail The Science Podcast explores surprising research that challenges conventional wisdom about dietary protein and cancer mortality while also examining how cats with dementia could unlock mysteries of human Alzheimer's disease. Water expert Cydian Kauffman reveals shocking truths about drinking water safety standards and the presence of "forever chemicals" in our water...

Send us Fan Mail We explore fascinating examples of mutualism in nature and therapeutic relationships between humans and animals through two distinct scientific studies. • Squamillaria plants in Fiji function as apartment buildings for up to five different ant species • These plants have internal chambers with separate entrances preventing deadly conflicts between rival ant colonies • When chamber...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode we look at the tsunamis that weren't from the Russian megaquake, and which dog breeds are super super hungry all the time. • Earthquake occurred in the Kural Kamchatka subduction zone where the Pacific plate slides under the Okhotsk plate at 75mm per year • Logarithmic earthquake scales mean each magnitude increase represents 10x more energy • Despite the eart...

Send us Fan Mail Pet Chat today has a special guest: Wildlife rehabilitator Janie Girardin who shares her experiences caring for orphaned and injured animals at Spicy Paws Wildlife Sanctuary, explaining the delicate process of rehabilitation and eventual release back to nature. • Specializes in rehabilitating squirrels, rabbits, songbirds, and fawns • Currently caring for eight baby squirrels, fiv...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we explore scientific findings about optimal daily step counts, genetic predispositions for having children of the same sex, and how dogs perceive and interact with television. • Research shows 7,000 steps per day is the health "sweet spot," not the commonly cited 10,000 • At 7,000 steps, studies found 25% reduced cardiovascular disease risk, 37% lower ca...

Send us Fan Mail Johnny Heim, pet artist extraordinaire, shares his journey from childhood drawings of Snoopy to creating art that has raised thousands of dollars for animal rescues worldwide. • Started drawing as a child in Winnipeg, perfecting his Snoopy technique during long winters • Won a shrine circus poster contest in grade six, realizing art could bring tangible rewards • Drew attention wi...

Send us Fan Mail We dive into the environmental impact of AI technologies and explore the science behind how pet touch affects human well-being. • Generative AI consumes significant energy with a ChatGPT query using approximately 10 times more energy than a Google search • By 2028, data centers could account for 12% of US energy use, up from 4.4% currently • Companies rarely disclose the true ener...

Send us Fan Mail We explore groundbreaking science developments from space discovery to environmental innovation and canine intuition. The James Webb Space Telescope has directly imaged an exoplanet for the first time, marking a pivotal moment in our quest to understand distant worlds. • JWST captures first direct image of an exoplanet orbiting star TWA7, 111 light-years away • The Saturn-sized pl...

Send us Fan Mail Jason an Kris share updates on their dogs Bunsen, Beaker, and Bernoulli, as well as cat Ginger, covering health updates, socialization progress, and hilarious escape stories. • Bunsen has recovered better than expected from his health issues but remains on-leash for safety • Ginger was a rescue whose name felt perfect without needing a science-themed replacement • Beaker has overc...

Send us Fan Mail We celebrate a milestone of 200,000 Instagram followers, reflecting on how their platform has grown from a "ghost town" into a thriving community where cute dogs help deliver science education. • The hosts share updates about their dogs, including Bunsen's recovery progress • Jason shares exciting wildlife footage captured on their trail cam, featuring a great horne...

Send us Fan Mail Innovations in science are making daily life better through passive cooling paint and insights into pet interactions.  In the Science News section we explore technologies that could transform how we maintain comfortable living spaces and manage our emotions at work. • Cement-based cooling paint from Nyang Technological University uses three cooling strategies: radiative cooling, e...

Send us Fan Mail We explore the physics behind making the biggest splash in pool jumping and examine a promising new non-opioid painkiller that could revolutionize pain management without addiction risks.  Our investigation into canine health reveals which dog breeds are most prone to diarrhea—with some surprising findings for particular designer breeds. • The science of Manu jumping reveals a pre...

Send us Fan Mail The cosmic dance of our solar system is more precarious than we realize, with rogue stars potentially disrupting Earth's orbit and sending us hurling into space—though the probability is a reassuring 0.2% over 5 billion years.  Recent research reveals singing to babies significantly improves their overall mood, highlighting the universal evolutionary importance of lullabies a...

Send us Fan Mail We dive into the fascinating world of extinct giant sloths, explore how dogs are inspiring better swimming robots, and discuss the alarming resurgence of measles with immunologist Dr. Elisabeth Marnick. • Ancient sloths evolved wide body size diversity based primarily on their habitat preference • Tree-dwelling sloths evolved to be smaller while ground-dwelling species became mass...

Send us Fan Mail We explore the science behind HBO's "The Last of Us," investigating whether a fungal apocalypse could happen in real life and if a vaccine for fungal infections is possible. The Royal Tyrrell Museum's new "Breakthroughs" exhibit showcases five groundbreaking fossil discoveries that revolutionized our understanding of prehistoric life.  Lastly we look...

Send us Fan Mail We explore the cutting-edge science of extending dog lifespan through innovative drug development with Loyal founder and CEO Celine Halioua , who shares the company's groundbreaking approach to canine longevity and health. In Science News: • Cold water immersion after exercise shows no benefits for women despite its popularity among fitness influencers In Pet Science: • Brach...

Send us Fan Mail On this show we explore the contentious debate around fluoride in municipal water, the science behind pedigree cat adoptions, and innovative approaches to teaching science to non-science majors. • Examination of the fluoride controversy using Calgary, Alberta as a case study • Discussion of how fluoride strengthens tooth enamel and prevents acid damage • Review of research showing...

Send us Fan Mail This week we look to deunk myths about rising autism rates and explain the genetic and environmental factors at play, while exploring the resurrection of dire wolves through genetic engineering and how puppy cognition predicts adult dog behavior. • CDC data shows autism diagnoses increased from 1 in 150 children in 2000 to 1 in 31 in 2022 • Approximately 80% of autism cases stem f...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we explore potential signs of alien life on exoplanet K2-18b and discuss how pets impact our sleep quality, while special guest Dr. Sabina Vorah-Miller provides expert insights on vaccine misinformation and avian flu safety. • Bunsen's recovery from a UTI and continued mobility improvements • Recent James Webb Space Telescope findings detected dimethyl sulfide...

Send us Fan Mail On this week's episode we dive deep into nature's most shocking survival strategy exploring how the Alamendro tree has evolved to harness lightning strikes as a competitive advantage. We also examine the fascinating results of fermenting miso in space and discuss the challenges and rewards of cat fostering programs. • Lightning-resistant Alamendro trees have 100% surviva...

Send us Fan Mail On this week's show we dive into the hidden connections between shingles vaccines and decreased dementia risk, while exploring how humans often misinterpret their pets' emotions based on environmental context rather than actual animal behavior.  Our guest, Dr. Yasmin Mohseni blows us away with the inner workings of the immune system. Some highlights: • Shingles vaccine s...

Send us Fan Mail This week on The Science Pawdcast: • MIT researchers identified a 13-degree threshold in pedestrian movement patterns, below which people naturally form orderly lanes • Angular spread exceeding 13 degrees creates chaotic, inefficient pedestrian flow in public spaces • UC Berkeley engineers developed SALTO, a one-legged jumping robot inspired by squirrel biomechanics • SALTO can la...