Best Bioengineering Podcasts (2025)

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Synthetic Cells: The Next Bioengineering Frontier 14:15

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1d ago14:15

14:15

There are more human cells in your body than there are stars in the Milky Way galaxy! Cells are the fundamental building blocks of life but that doesn’t mean they are simple – biology still doesn’t have a full picture of how exactly a living cell works. Host Regina G. Barber talks with bioengineers Kate Adamala and Drew Endy about why scientists ar…

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Why Legal Weed Isn’t Always Safe 14:05

10h ago14:05

14:05

Marijuana is decriminalized or legal in some form in multiple states. But, because it’s illegal on the federal level, states have had to build their own regulatory infrastructure. Without a centralized body to guide them, regulations in one state can look vastly different from those in another. For more on the scope of the issue, Short Wave host Re…

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349. Becca Lee Gardner: How to Handle Conflict and Force in Children's Books 59:38

7h ago59:38

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Becca Lee Gardner is one of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet! In this episode, she shares her origin story of the Dragon Champion series, born from the ritual of bedtime tales spun for her children. This is the first time writing children’s books has been discussed on this podcast.We also cover how one deals with force and conflict in …

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Why The Tropics Have A Weather Forecasting Problem 14:07

2d ago14:07

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Weather in the tropics is decidedly different than it is in the middle latitudes. It turns out, so are the weather systems – the factors that create things like the daily temperature and humidity! Historically, most weather forecasting models have been based on data from high-income countries in the northern hemisphere. But different factors drive …

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Doing Science at the Edge of the Earth 13:15

4d ago13:15

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Some scientific discoveries take place in a lab. Others are made deep in the rainforest, along the ocean floor or on the dark side of the moon. And still others are made squelching through mud and ice on the northernmost island on Earth… at least, if you’re NPR climate correspondent Alejandra Borunda. Two summers ago, Alejandra followed an expediti…

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#33 “Can death be the answer?" A conversation with philosopher Nicholas Agar 1:44:30

7d ago1:44:30

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Solved: The Potato Origin Mystery 12:27

5d ago12:27

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The Science Of Fear And Horror Movies 13:45

8d ago13:45

13:45

Creepy crawly season is upon us, Short Wavers! We're welcoming fall with a contemplation of fear and anxiety. In human history, fear kept us safe. It helped us flee from predators. Anxiety made us wary of potential dangers — like venturing into a known lion-infested area. But what happens when these feelings get out of hand in humans today? And why…

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348. Matthew Wolf On Creating Epic Adventure Fantasy 1:01:36

11d ago1:01:36

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Matthew Wolf is the creator of the epic adventure-fantasy series The Ronin Saga. He is releasing the fifth book in the series, “Heart of Flesh.” In this episode, we explore how he transforms myth into vivid reality, with the Ronin—a once-legendary team of nine, each with specific powers—now returning over a thousand years later. Each volume introdu…

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What Are Flies Doing In The Middle Of The Ocean? 8:45

11d ago8:45

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In the North Sea — between the United Kingdom, Norway and Denmark — thousands of flies swarmed an oil rig. Engineer Craig Hannah noticed they’d stay still on the rig for hours, suddenly taking off all at once. He was seeing hoverflies. Often confused with bees, they’re unsung pollinators. And they migrate, often hundreds of miles – including, it se…

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Fertility Post Transplant and Cellular Therapy 19:43

12d ago19:43

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The topic of fertility and reproduction before and after BMT can be emotional and complex. In this episode of the straight and marrow podcast, Alex and Yvonne have a conversation with A/Prof Antoinette Anazodo, a Paediatric and Adolescent Oncologist. Antoinette discusses the impact of treatment on fertility, options for fertility preservation and p…

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Why Animal Scavengers Protect Your Health 9:44

13d ago9:44

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Worldwide, populations of scavenging animals that feed on rotting carcasses are declining. Scientists are finding that this can seriously hurt human health. NPR science reporter Jonathan Lambert has been looking into how human health is intertwined with scavenging animals and why these animals’ decline could lead to more human disease. Today, he br…

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Nature Quest: How High Will Sea Levels Rise? 12:02

14d ago12:02

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How high will the ocean rise under climate change? By 2050, scientists have a pretty good idea. But why does it matter where you live? And what can humans do to slow it down? This episode is part of Nature Quest, our monthly segment that brings you a question from a Short Waver who is noticing a change in the world around them. Our question comes f…

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Why Do Some Hurricane Survivors Thrive After Disaster? 13:18

15d ago13:18

13:18

You’ve probably heard of PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder. But what about its counterpart, post-traumatic growth? The term was coined in the 90s to describe the positive psychological growth that researchers documented in people who had been through traumatic or highly stressful life events. Psychologists and sociologists conducting long-range …

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347. Navigating the AI Revolution with Stone Sanchez 58:04

18d ago58:04

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In this episode, we dive into the world of artificial intelligence with Stone Sanchez, the publisher of Spare Oom Press and a passionate computer geek. Stone is not only a technologist but also an avid reader, writer, and musician. Join us as we explore the growing influence of computer intelligence and its implications for creatives. Stone shares …

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ToxPath 2025 Series - EP3: Deep Learning–Based Spermatogenic Staging in Tissue Sections of Cynomolgus Macaque Testes 40:41

18d ago40:41

40:41

Aleksandra Zuraw, Podcast Editor of Toxicologic Pathology, interviews author Lars Mecklenburg, to discuss the article, "Deep Learning–Based Spermatogenic Staging in Tissue Sections of Cynomolgus Macaque Testes". The article that can be found on the TPX journal site here.

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A Surprising Cause Of Endometriosis Could Lead To Cure 13:29

18d ago13:29

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Since the age of nine or ten, Katie Burns has had debilitating pain from endometriosis, a condition where tissue resembling the uterine lining grows outside the uterus. For years, Katie was in the dark about what was causing her pain. Even after a diagnosis at age 20 it was hard to find relief, or even answers about her condition. Her search for be…

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Tylenol and Autism: What’s True and What Isn’t 14:42

20d ago14:42

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On Monday, the Trump administration linked the use of Tylenol with rising autism rates, but science doesn’t support that claim. Guest host Sydney Lupkin talks to autism researcher Helen Tager-Flusberg about how autism is studied, the findings from decades of research, and what people–especially those who are pregnant–should do when they experience …

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#32 “Medical malpractice”: Matt Kaeberlein on biological age tests 1:50:07

21d ago1:50:07

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One idea I’ve had lately is to put together a list of people to trust in geroscience and the longevity field more broadly. (And I might do it - keep an eye on reachlevity.com - and subscribe while you’re at it!) Matt Kaeberlein would not only make that list - he’d likely be right at the top. He’s rigorous, precise in his wording, and always puts in…

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Advanced Lasers 14:57

21d ago14:57

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At Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, scientists are developing high-repetition-rate lasers that fire thousands of times per second. In this episode, we’ll explore what these advanced lasers are and how they’re being used. From thermal challenges to breakthrough designs like the BAT laser, we’ll dive into what makes this new generation of lase…

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A Surprising Culprit of Food Allergies 11:26

21d ago11:26

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Food allergies have risen in the United States over the last few decades. Research suggests that 40 years ago the prevalence of food allergies was less than 1%. But today that number is closer to 6%. But this trend is not present in all countries — and what people are allergic to varies globally. Today, we dive into the complex world of food allerg…

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Should You Try Red-Light Therapy? 13:15

22d ago13:15

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The anti-aging product market was worth roughly 53 BILLION dollars in 2024. One of the latest big trends: red light therapy. Social media is rampant with claims about all sorts of purported health benefits to using directed red light regularly … but does the research really live up to all the hype? For answers, we turn to cosmetic chemist and scien…

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346. Craig Miller: the first Director of Fan Relations for Lucasfilm Ltd. 1:00:53

25d ago1:00:53

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Craig Miller, the first Director of Fan Relations for Lucasfilm Ltd., played a pivotal role during the creation of Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back. As a publicist, writer, producer, and innovator, Craig crafted groundbreaking ways to engage and grow the Star Wars fanbase, helping cement its place as a cultural phenomenon. Beyond Star Wars, Cr…

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Untangling The Science of Octopus Arms 8:04

25d ago8:04

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Octopuses and their arms are a bit of a mystery. Not because scientists don’t know how they work; they’re boneless hydrostats, made up of groups of muscles working together and capable of bending, twisting, elongating or shortening — like a frog’s tongue, or an elephant’s trunk. But because scientists are still figuring out how most octopuses use t…

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What Does a Black Hole Collision Sound Like? 12:04

27d ago12:04

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For centuries, the primary way that astronomers studied outer space was through sight. But just ten years ago, scientists successfully established a way to ‘listen’ to our cosmos – detecting gravitational waves created by huge cosmic events that took place billions of light years away. NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce explains how sci…

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What Do Stem Cells Mean For The Future Of Parkinson's? 15:06

28d ago15:06

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Parkinson’s Disease affects around a million people in the United States. And that number is on the rise, in part because our population is getting older. Dr. Claire Henchcliffe, chair of neurology at the University of California, Irvine, is one of the scientists at the forefront of Parkinson’s research. She's working toward new treatment options f…

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The Surprisingly Long History Of Nose Jobs 14:22

29d ago14:22

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Rhinoplasty is one of the most common facial plastic surgeries performed today. And it turns out, the ability to reconstruct a nose with living tissue has been known for a very long time – over 2500 years! But what spurred our ancestors to master this reconstructive technique? Well, there’s quite a range of answers – everything from adultery to due…

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345. Nancy Kress on Bioengineering, Aliens, and Crafting Authentic Science Fiction 57:38

1M ago57:38

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With her thought-provoking novels, Nancy Kress, acclaimed science fiction author and winner of six Nebulas, two Hugos, a Sturgeon, and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award, blends cutting-edge science with profound human questions. In this episode, we dive into her celebrated works, starting with “Beggars in Spain,” a gripping exploration of bioengi…

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The Most Convincing Evidence Yet Of Life On Mars 13:03

1M ago13:03

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Was there ever life on Mars? Planetary scientists think there could have been but there hasn’t been any direct evidence. After years of roaming Mars, NASA’s Perseverance rover saw spots on Mars rocks. These spots could be the most likely clue that Mars had organic life millions of years ago. Host Regina G. Barber speaks with recent PhD graduate and…

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Brain Implants Are Here — And Getting Better 12:53

1M ago12:53

12:53

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are surgically implanted devices that link the brain to a computer. They can be helpful for people who’ve lost the ability to move or speak. And they’re making progress. New generations of BCIs could go as far as to detect a person’s inner monologue. But that progress is raising questions about the future privacy of…