Best Exoplanet Exploration Podcasts (2025)

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820: Studying the Molecular Information Cells Use to Move Through Their Environments - Dr. Michelle Starz-Gaiano 36:14

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1d ago36:14

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Dr. Michelle Starz-Gaiano is Professor and Chair of Biological Sciences at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC). Michelle’s research uses fruit flies to examine how cells in the body go to the right place at the right time. Understanding why and how cells use their genetic information to move through the body is critical because if th…

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Episode 40: The Parent Who Can't Let Go of Their 40 Kids (Because They're Literally Attached) 49:09

2d ago49:09

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Send us a text In this fortnightly episode of "When Aliens Come to Tea," host Felix Andromeda sits down with Fleeb Parental-Unit-Prime, a Sporonite parent who gives new meaning to "helicopter parenting" - they're raising 40 offspring who are physically attached to their body and cannot be separated. This darkly hilarious conversation explores what …

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Busting Skincare Myths with Dr. Michelle Wong 28:18

1d ago28:18

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The skincare industry is riddled with false advertising, misleading labels, and supposed “miracle cures.” So, as a consumer, how are you meant to know what’s fact and what’s fiction? Today, host Dr. Samantha Yammine explores the science behind skincare, from how the collagen industry is causing deforestation in the Amazon for a product that might n…

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819: Making Great Leaps Studying the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology of Tropical Frogs - Dr. Maureen Donnelly 49:41

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Dr. Maureen (Mo) Donnelly is a Professor of Biology and Associate Dean for Graduate Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences at Florida International University (FIU). She is also a Research Associate in the Department of Herpetology at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Mo studies amphibians like frogs and toads. These org…

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Episode 104 - Megastructures! 28:10

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In the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), scientists need to consider what technologies they should look for, including those used by a more advanced species. This has spawned the idea of Megastructures, which was first proposed in the 1960s by theoretical physicist and mathematician Freeman Dyson (who proposed the Dyson Sphere). Sinc…

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The Puzzle of AI Ethics with Dr. Cansu Canca 22:03

13d ago22:03

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You’ve heard of the attention economy, but what about the intention economy? Rather than competing for consumers’ attention, our devices are now attempting to predict our purchasing patterns through AI. And who better to discuss that issue than Dr. Cansu Canca, a leading expert in AI ethics and founder of the AI Ethics Lab? She joins Senior Produce…

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818: Shining Light on the Exciting Capabilities of Quantum Computing - Dr. Mark Saffman 35:07

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Dr. Mark Saffman is a Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He received is B.Sc. with honors in Applied Physics from the California Institute of Technology. Mark’s research focuses on quantum computing. He and his colleagues are trying to build a new kind of computer called a quantum computer that can solve …

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Genetic Data and Black Americans with Dr. Janina Jeff Ringo 26:52

20d ago26:52

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Genetic testing has had some ups and downs over the past few years, with wide swaths of data sets setting a precedent for potential individualized healthcare. But, oftentimes, that data misrepresents African-descended individuals and doesn’t paint the whole picture. Population geneticist Dr. Janina Jeff Ringo joins host Dr. Samantha Yammine to disc…

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817: Creating New Cancer Models and Advancing Regenerative Medicine - Dr. Luiz Bertassoni 43:00

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Dr. Luiz E. Bertassoni is the founding director of the Knight Cancer Precision Biofabrication Hub and Professor in the Division of Oncological Sciences at the Knight Cancer Institute, where he is also co-section head for Discovery and Translational Oncology. He is also faculty in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, the Cancer Early Detection …

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Breakdown Episode 39: Ambassador Zorp Glorbax - The Investigator of Missing Common Sense 16:46

23d ago16:46

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Send us a text In this hilarious episode of When Aliens Come to Tea, we explore what happens when extreme alien bureaucracy collides with human chaos Ambassador Zorp Glorbax from Flarbgarrl Prime arrives at our intergalactic tea house to investigate Earth's apparent lack of common sense - armed with a 47-page tea service protocol manual and a citat…

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Episode 103 - Space Medicine (with Dr. Shawna Pandya) 46:32

27d ago46:32

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Dr. Shawna Pandya is an aeromedical transport physician, a neurosurgery and emergency medic, leader of the an aquanaut with NASA's NEEMO analog missions, director of the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences' (IIAS) Space Medicine Group, and will be Canada's first female commercial astronaut. She's also a black belt martial artist in T…

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Science Loves a Binary. Dr. Shawn Hercules Is Breaking It Down 25:05

27d ago25:05

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It’s Pride Month! To help us celebrate, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by Dr. Shawn Hercules, a queer, non-binary cancer researcher and science communicator. They’ll discuss Shawn’s research into breast cancer among people of African ancestry, how policies around gender affirming care can positively affect healthcare at large, and the importance of…

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816: Deciphering Genetic Variations in Bacteria that Lead to Disease - Dr. Shannon Manning 35:55

29d ago35:55

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Dr. Shannon Manning is a Michigan State University (MSU) Foundation Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. The goal of Shannon’s research is to understand how pathogens (bacteria or viruses) cause disease in people. How likely a person is to get sick may be due to the different types of pathogens they are expo…

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Episode 39: Ambassador Zorp Glorbax - When Common Sense Files for Vacation | Intergalactic Bureaucrat Investigates Earth's Logic Deficiencies 1:14:38

1M ago1:14:38

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Send us a text In this hilarious episode of When Aliens Come to Tea, host Felix Andromeda welcomes Ambassador Zorp Glorbax of Flarbgarrl Prime—Lead Investigator of Missing Common Sense for the Intergalactic Division. This lavender, pear-shaped alien has made it his life's work to investigate why common sense seems to take extended vacations across …

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Science at the Edge of the Solar System 1:23:12

1M ago1:23:12

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A Talk by Dr. Oliver White (SETI Institute) May 28, 2025 Ten years ago, the New Horizons spacecraft flew by the Pluto system and revealed an unexpectedly diverse range of landscapes on that dwarf planet and its largest moon Charon -- implying much more complex geological histories for these distant worlds than anyone expected. Dr. White leads a viv…

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Episode 102 - My Interview with AADYA Geo Talks (Part II) 36:02

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A few months ago, I had the honor of appearing on AADYA Geo Talks, the podcast series launched by Bharti Sharma and the organization she founded – AADYA, whose name means “origin” in Hindi. As a geologist and world-traveller, Sharma launched this organization to promote knowledge about planetary and geoscience and create opportunities for collabora…

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Ocean Literacy & Conservation 31:24

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The key to protecting our oceans is understanding them. So, today, host Dr. Samantha Yammine leans into learning about the power and struggles of the environments that keep our planet blue. From the power of bioluminescence and how it’s changed how we study molecular biology to the importance of salt for our bodies and cultures, there is so much to…

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Episode 101 - My Interview with AADYA Geo Talks 33:38

1M ago33:38

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A few months ago, I had the honor of appearing on AADYA Geo Talks, the podcast series launched by Bharti Sharma and the organization she founded – AADYA, whose name means “origin” in Hindi. As a geologist and world-traveller, Sharma launched this organization to promote knowledge about planetary and geoscience and create opportunities for collabora…

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815: Fascinated by the Effects of Material Properties on the Form and Function of Fishes - Dr. Adam Summers 50:02

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Dr. Adam Summers is a Professor in the School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences and Department of Biology at the University of Washington, and he conducts research in his lab within the Friday Harbor Laboratories there. With a background in engineering and mathematics, Adam works on applying engineering and physics principles to living systems. He …

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W.A.C.T Breakdown Ep. 38: Unpacking Roric Slade – Calisto Prime Logic, Optimized Malice, and the Secrets of a Fed-Up Spacesuit 19:38

1M ago19:38

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Send us a text This deep dive revisits our unforgettable interview (Episode 38) with Roric Slade, the former covert information broker from paranoia-driven Calisto Prime, now a crisis mitigation consultant. We explore the source material detailing his upbringing where "trust is a liability" and data is oxygen. Discover the high-stakes biotech assig…

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Digital Privacy & Protecting Your Data 28:16

1M ago28:16

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You might think you have nothing to hide on your devices but everyone does. From bank accounts to passwords to travel plans, protecting your digital privacy is one of the biggest issues we face today. Digital privacy expert Eva Galperin joins host Dr. Samantha Yammine to discuss the importance of protecting your data and how to best do so. Sam also…

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814: Uncovering the Secrets of Ancient Creatures By Studying Fossils and the Fossilization Process - Dr. Sarah Gabbott 51:23

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Dr. Sarah Gabbott is a Professor of Palaeontology in the School of Geography, Geology, and the Environment at the University of Leicester. She is also Director of Green Circle Nature Regeneration CIC, a non-profit organization in the UK, and she is co-author of the recently released book Discarded: How Technofossils Will be Our Ultimate Legacy. As …

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W.A.C.T Ep. 38: Roric Slade - The Interstellar Spy Who Audits Reality 1:00:29

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Send us a text Welcome back to "When Aliens Come To Tea"! This fortnight, Felix Andromeda sits down with the enigmatic Roric Slade, a man whose past is as encrypted as his former client list. Hailing from the high-stakes, paranoia-fueled corporate world of Callisto Prime, Roric was a covert information broker, dealing in secrets that could topple e…

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NASA's Budget for 2026: Tough Times Ahead 17:33

2M ago17:33

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The White House recently released its budget for FY 2026, which has led to significant concerns at NASA as it recommends significant cuts to international programs, education, and research. In addition, many of these cuts call for the cancellation of key elements of NASA's Artemis Program and its plans for sending crewed missions to Mars. This incl…

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The Scramble to Solve Space Scrap 26:21

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Looking up at the dark sky on a clear night means seeing the lit up little satellites move their way around the night sky. Those satellites might be pretty to look at but researchers are currently working to solve a decades-old problem: what happens when they encounter space junk? Today, producer Teresa Carey speaks with Dr. John Crassidis from the…

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813: Investigating the Impacts of the Gut Microbiome on Immunotherapy Cancer Treatments - Dr. Jennifer Wargo 35:18

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Dr. Jennifer Wargo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and a Stand Up To Cancer researcher. Jennifer is a physician scientist, and this means she splits her time between providing care to patients and doing research to find better ways of treating disease. Specificall…

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W.A.C.T Breakdown Ep. 37: Seven Goes Squishy – A Logical AI's Hilariously Doomed Quest to Understand Organic Emotion 6:56

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Send us a text Welcome to Episode 37 of "When Aliens Come to Tea," famously known around the office as "Seven Goes Squishy"! Join us as we break down the galactic incident involving Unit 734 (Seven) from the Cygnus X-1 collective. This being of pure, unadulterated logic was tasked by the Concordance AI itself to decipher organic emotion after a cru…

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The Kerbal Space Program and Mission Design (feat. Dr. Rodrigo Schmitt) 44:09

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The Kerbal Space Program is currently used as an educational tool to teach about spacecraft and mission design. But as Dr. Schmitt tells us, it should be used as a method for designing whole mission architectures. For years, Schmitt has relied on KSP and its realism mods to design and simulate missions, including those that will take astronauts bac…

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Climate Change in the Pacific Islands 30:57

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It’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and we’re using this week’s episode to highlight scientists and researchers from those regions to emphasize their contributions to science across all different fields of study. Then, Sam speaks with Dr. Steven Mana’oakamai Johnson. He explains how people are responding to clim…

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812: Studying the Evolutionary Diversity of Squishy Sea Creatures - Dr. Joseph Ryan 38:00

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Dr. Joseph Ryan is an Assistant Professor of Biology at the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience at the University of Florida. Joe studies DNA from squishy marine invertebrates like ctenophores (e.g. comb jellies), cnidarians (e.g. jellyfish), tunicates (e.g. sea squirts), and sea cucumbers. His goal is to understand how different types of anim…

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W.A.C.T Ep. 37: Unit 734 & The Empathy Algorithm – When a Logic AI Proves Feelings Have Function 59:51

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Send us a text This fortnight on "When Aliens Come To Tea," Felix Andromeda pours a cosmically complex brew with Unit 734 (or "Seven"), a Cross-Cultural Behavioral Analyst from the purely logical Cygnian Concordance. Seven’s mission: decode messy organic emotion. But when a critical diplomatic negotiation faced a 78.4% chance of failure under pure …

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The Growing Problem of Space Junk 23:45

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In Earth's orbit, there are millions of debris objects that pose a collision risk for satellites and space stations. If left unchecked, the situation could lead to a cascading effect known as Kessler Syndrome. While space agencies worldwide track and monitor objects in orbit to prevent collisions, strategies for active debris removal are needed and…

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Birding for Beginners in a Changing World 33:35

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Birdwatching has taken off as a hobby in recent years, and for good reason! Birds are vital members of our planet’s ecosystems and are major bioindicators when it comes to understanding how climate change is affecting different environments. Joining host Dr. Samantha Yammine today are two passionate birders who use science to understand bird behavi…

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811: Investigating Clams with Photosynthetic Algae, Parasites in Mud Shrimp, and Other Species Interactions that Shape Evolution - Dr. Jingchun Li 42:59

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Dr. Jingchun Li is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado Boulder, and she is the Curator of Invertebrates at CU Boulder’s Museum of Natural History. She is also a Packard Foundation Fellow and a National Geographic Explorer. Jingchun studies how different species interact with eac…

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Will AI Replace Scientists? 22:25

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The tasks that AI is able to perform has grown exponentially over the years but there are a few things AI still struggles with, like accurately mimicking scientific methodology. Dr. James Zou joins host Dr. Samantha Yammine today to discuss recent updates in AI’s ability to play the role of scientist. He is an associate professor of Biomedical Data…

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810: Studying Social Behavior, Reproduction, and Health in Female-Dominant Species - Dr. Christine Drea 42:15

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Dr. Christine Drea is the Earl D. McLean Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology, as well as Professor in the Department of Biology, the University Program in Ecology, and the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences at Duke University. Research in Christine’s lab examines animal behavior from an integrative perspective. She and her colleagues are investig…

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Indigenous Climate Solutions, Virus Thaw, AI Brain Implant 17:49

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When tackling solutions to climate change, we tend to focus on westernized approaches rather than listening to Indigenous Peoples about the best ways to protect our earth. So, today, just in time for Earth Day, Dr. Samantha Yammine speaks with Dr. Myrle Ballard about natural resource and environmental management from Indigenous perspectives. Then, …

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809: Bright Researcher Studying Exoplanets and their Stars and Developing New Astrophysics Technology - Dr. Kevin France 33:53

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Dr. Kevin France is an Assistant Professor in the Department for Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences as well as an investigator within the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Kevin’s research focuses on improving our understanding of planetary systems outside of our own solar system. His research he…

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New Worlds: Analyzing the Atmospheres of Exoplanets with the James Webb Space Telescope 1:22:52

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Non-technical Talk by Prof. Jonathan Fortney (U. of California, Santa Cruz) Apr. 9, 2025 Over 6000 planets have now been found around other stars, but we only have information about what their atmospheres are like for a few dozen. NASA's powerful James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which features a 20-foot mirror in space, is currently being used to…

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Iceberg Ahead, Microbiome Map, Non-Alcoholic Wine 27:51

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Icebergs are natural behemoths, littered across the ocean. They are both subjects of awe and fear among sailors so today, Dr. Samantha Yammine discusses the ins and outs of these ginormous monoliths with an experienced sailor and iceberg admirer, producer Teresa Carey. Then, Sam speaks to Dr. Beth Culp, a lead author on a recent study that maps out…

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808: Unraveling How Mitochondria Can Be Used to Reverse Aging and Treat Age-Related Diseases - Dr. Keshav Singh 51:31

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Dr. Keshav K. Singh is the Joy and Bill Harbert Endowed Chair and Professor of Genetics, Dermatology and Pathology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is also the founding Editor-in-Chief of the Mitochondrion Journal. In addition, Keshav is the founder and Chief Scientific Officer of the company Yuva Biosciences. Research in Keshav’s lab…

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Breakdown Episode 36: The Great Gravity Glitch, Sentient Socks & Questioning Reality 8:04

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Send us a text Dive into Intergalactic Insider Episode 36, where cosmic chaos is the new normal! We start in Neo Alexandria, exploring the ethical maze of 'Persona Weavers' and the Authenticity Guild's concerns about genuine identity. Then, brace yourself for galactic gravity glitches – from Felix Andromeda stuck ceiling-side to rogue space bananas…

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Fungal Zombies, Audible Enclaves, mRNA Vaccines 26:32

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Fungal parasites like the ones shown in The Last of Us might not be starting up a zombie apocalypse anytime soon but that doesn’t mean they’re not causing trouble in other ways. Host Dr. Samantha Yammine speaks with Dr. Carolyn Elya, a mycologist specializing in fungi’s unique ability to take over the brains of insects. They discuss how that compar…

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807: Conducting Cool Science on Conservation in Arctic and Subarctic Ecosystems - Dr. Luise Hermanutz 57:00

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Dr. Luise Hermanutz is a Professor in the Department of Biology at Memorial University in Canada. Her work is dedicated to solving the puzzle of how organisms survive and adapt in their environments. She is interested in how plants and animals interact and how that shapes the world around us. Most of Luise's work focuses on northern boreal forests …

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Episode 36: The Great Gravity Subscription Crisis, Octuple Helix Humans & Alien Tech Disasters 48:58

3M ago48:58

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Send us a text Reality is unstable! Felix Andromeda kicks things off floating on his ceiling as GraviCorp's system-wide outage causes the Great Gravity Subscription Crisis – plunging millions into zero-G chaos, sparking black markets, and revealing corporate absurdity (Unicorn tears?!). Then, delve deep into xenogenetics with Dr. Rip Helix as we ex…

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Adolescent Turtles, Measles, Lab-Grown Diamonds 22:34

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We’re all about answering questions here at Curiosity Weekly. Questions like: where do baby sea turtles actually go when they waddle from their cozy beach nest into the ocean? Host Dr. Samantha Yammine explores the mysteries of adolescent sea turtles before bringing on our special guest, Jessica Malaty Rivera, to answer even more questions, this ti…

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806: Creating Two-Dimensional Material Structures to Investigate Novel Quantum States of Matter - Dr. Jia "Leo" Lee 30:07

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Dr. Jia "Leo" Li is an Associate Professor of Physics at Brown University. He is a condensed matter experimental physicist, and his research involves stacking different layers of two-dimensional (2D) material together to discover new electronic properties that could revolutionize future technology, including the next generation of computers and ele…

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Flower Trade, Climate Tech, Aquafaba 33:08

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Spring has officially sprung! The birds are chirping, the bees are buzzing and flowers are blooming. But, have you ever wondered the journey that flowers take from the soil to your vase at home? Today on Curiosity Weekly, author Amy Stewart joins Dr. Samantha Yammine to chat about the global flower trade. Sam is also joined by producer Teresa Carey…

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Celestial Steward | A Conversation with Moriba Jah | Stories From Space Podcast With Matthew S Williams 35:28

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Guest | Dr. Moriba Jah, Professor, The University of Texas at Austin [@UTAustin] On Twitter | https://x.com/moribajah On LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/jahniverse/ On Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/moribajah Website | https://www.moriba.com/ Host | Matthew S Williams On ITSPmagazine 👉 https://itspmagazine.com/itspmagazine-podcast-radio…

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805: Creating Cell-Free Gene Editing On A Chip For Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment - Dr. Eric Kmiec 44:34

4M ago44:34

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Dr. Eric Kmiec is Director of the Gene Editing Institute of the Helen F. Graham Cancer and Research Institute at Christiana Care Health System. He also holds faculty appointments at the University of Delaware and the Wistar Institute. Eric and his colleagues are working to develop new ways to treat cancer by destroying the genes that cause cancer c…