Dr. Lexi Walls is a biochemist, not a prophet—though, admittedly, it can sometimes be hard to tell the difference.Six years ago, when Lexi started researching coronaviruses, they were an understudied and poorly understood class of viruses. When Lexi wrote about the “tremendous pandemic potential of coronaviruses” in December 2019, no one realized that the seeds of the COVID-19 pandemic had already been sown. When Lexi completed her doctoral dissertation that same month on the structure of coronavirus spike proteins, she couldn’t have imagined how large those spike proteins soon would loom in our public consciousness, and in our efforts to develop effective vaccines against COVID-19.In this episode, Lexi joins Jocelyn and Bradley to share the surreal experience of doing “basic” research that turned out to have swift, profound, and far-reaching applications. She explains how the use of cryo-electron microscopy enabled her to characterize the structure of coronavirus spike proteins in great detail, and why this is so important for understanding how these viruses infect cells, how our immune system recognizes and responds to them, and how the emergence of variants could affect the course of the pandemic. She also explains the differences between mRNA vaccines and vector vaccines, as well as how these compare to more traditional types of vaccines. Finally, Lexi shares exciting news about a COVID vaccine she and her colleagues have developed using synthetic protein nanocages (!), and the friends discuss the future of pan-virus vaccines that might make us better prepared for the next pandemic.Follow Lexi on Twitter @coronalexington, and learn more about her amazing work at the links below!https://www.grad.uw.edu/lexi-walls/https://scienceinseattle.com/2020/03/18/dr-lexi-walls-talks-coronaviruses-and-cryo-em/https://youtu.be/e1YEyPX-PqwThe Veesler Lab:https://faculty.washington.edu/dveesler/https://twitter.com/veeslerlabDesigned Protein Nanoparticle Vaccine:https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(20)31450-1Further Reading:“Multitude of coronavirus variants found in the US — but the threat is unclear” (Ewen Callaway, Nature): https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00564-4“What Do Vaccine Efficacy Numbers Actually Mean?” (Carl Zimmer and Keith Collins, The New York Times): https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/03/03/science/vaccine-efficacy-coronavirus.html“Here’s Why Johnson & Johnson’s Vaccine Only Requires One Dose” (Emily Mullin, Medium): https://coronavirus.medium.com/how-does-johnson-johnsons-vaccine-work-a17524d85edd“Variant-proof vaccines — invest now for the next pandemic” (Dennis R. Burton and Eric J. Topol, Nature): https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00340-4“Self-assembly: From Nanowaffles to Nanostructures!”: https://funsizephysics.com/from-nanowaffles-to-nanostructures/ “Forming Nanostructures: Froot Loops, Legos, and Self-assembly”: https://funsizephysics.com/froot-loops-legos-self-assembly/Related episodes:What’s so “basic” about basic research? (Discussion): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/12-discussion-whats-so-basic-about-basic-research/id1471423633?i=1000448570255Everyone Has Herpes (Lisa Poppe): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/8-lisa-poppe-everyone-has-herpes/id1471423633?i=1000446370166Pandemic: A Letter from the Past (Gregg Mitman): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/40-gregg-mitman-pandemic-a-letter-from-the-past/id1471423633?i=1000470227078Beyond Bat Soup (Dorothy Tovar): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/44-dorothy-tovar-beyond-bat-soup/id1471423633?i=1000473039535Hindsight --> Insight --> Foresight (Nidhi Gupta): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/74-nidhi-gupta-hindsight-insight-foresight/id1471423633?i=1000505283002Big Little Life (Hannah Gavin): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/78-hannah-gavin-big-little-life/id1471423633?i=1000510524624Go Small or Go Home! (Axel Enders): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/16-axel-enders-go-small-or-go-home/id1471423633?i=1000452081082

Science! With Friends

#79 | Lexi Walls | Vaccine Nation

Life: our planet is teeming with it. The staggering diversity of the biological world is visible everywhere, from tiny insects to sprawling trees, from orchids and corgis to mold and lemurs and banana slugs and oyster mushrooms and . . . you get the idea. But even the boundless wonder of the macroscopic world may pale in comparison to all the life we cannot see. Jocelyn and Bradley are joined this week by Dr. Hannah Gavin, a veritable Willy Wonka of microbes, who introduces us to a vast, complex world of dazzling drama invisible to the naked eye but present all around us—and even within us. Hannah shares how being “professionally curious” led her to research questions at the intersection of microbiology, ecology, and human health. She discusses the far-reaching potential of the gut microbiome to impact our physiology; what differentiates “beneficial” bacteria from pathogens; and how microbes can perform valuable environmental services like digesting plastic. Along the way, she explains the differences between viruses and bacteria and bacteriophages (oh my!), and how viruses challenge our understanding of life itself. The friends also discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic has opened new spaces for dialogue between scientists and non-scientists, creating opportunities for us to learn together about the sometimes terrifying, sometimes beautiful, always awe-inspiring power of the microbiological world.Follow Hannah on Twitter @micro_cultured, and learn more about her amazing work at the links below!Harvard’s Microbial Sciences Initiative: https://msi.harvard.edu/SEA-PHAGES program: https://seaphages.org/“World of Viruses” exhibit (Harvard Museums of Science and Culture): https://hmsc.harvard.edu/world-viruses“A Fascinating World of Viruses” (Hannah on the HMSC Connects! podcast):https://hmscconnects.podbean.com/e/a-fascinating-world-of-viruses-with-microbiologist-hannah-gavin/“The Deadliest Being on Planet Earth – The Bacteriophage” (Kurzgesagt): https://youtu.be/YI3tsmFsrOgRelated episodes:Turkey, Stuffing, and Other Gastronomic Experiments (Soon Kiat Lau): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/24-soon-kiat-lau-turkey-stuffing-other-gastronomic/id1471423633?i=1000458033346 Our Soils, Ourselves (Yamina Pressler): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/39-yamina-pressler-our-soils-ourselves/id1471423633?i=1000469510259Everyone Has Herpes (Lisa Poppe): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/8-lisa-poppe-everyone-has-herpes/id1471423633?i=1000446370166

#78 | Hannah Gavin | Big Little Life

We’re counting down to Darwin Day, and you’re all invited to the par-TAY! This week, Jocelyn and Bradley celebrate the origin of Origin of Species author Charles Darwin with evolutionary geneticist and frequent (fruit) flier Dr. Kristi Montooth. Kristi regales us with tales of her work with model organism extraordinaire Drosophila, explaining why it’s hard to get some flies drunk, and why they owe their survival and ubiquity to the properties of their magical membranes. She also discusses the pivotal role the humble fruit fly played in the so-called “modern synthesis” of evolution and genetics that has yielded one of the most powerful and comprehensive explanatory frameworks in the history of science. More broadly, Kristi explains how the synthesis of many different types and sources of information is a hallmark of her work, and the friends discuss the chaotic, beautiful, joyously fractalesque nature of the living world and our attempts to understand it. Follow Kristi on Twitter @narhol, and learn more about her amazing work at the links below!https://biosci.unl.edu/kristi-montoothhttp://montoothlab.unl.edu/https://news.unl.edu/newsrooms/today/article/study-refutes-how-fruit-flies-developed-alcohol-tolerance/“RIPping and RAPping at Berkeley” (David M. Rand, Genetics): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1205242/pdf/ge13241223.pdfxkcd, “DNA”: https://xkcd.com/1605/“What If (Almost) Every Gene Affects (Almost) Everything?” (Ed Yong, The Atlantic): https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/06/its-like-all-connected-man/530532/Personalized Genetics Education Project: http://pged.org/Lords of the Fly: Drosophila Genetics and the Experimental Life (Robert Kohler): https://www.amazon.com/Lords-Fly-Drosophila-Genetics-Experimental/dp/B00DT68BQ2Related episodes:"I have a theory"... do you, though‪? (Discussion): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/33-discussion-i-have-a-theory-do-you-though/id1471423633?i=1000465426271That is How an Evolutionary Biologist D‪o (Matt Wilkins): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/32-matt-wilkins-that-is-how-an-evolutionary-biologist-do/id1471423633?i=1000464730144Sweet Dreams Are Made of Bee‪s (Anna Tatarko): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/76-anna-tatarko-sweet-dreams-are-made-of-bees/id1471423633?i=1000506815152Birds Spark Hop‪e (Scott V. Edwards): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/75-scott-v-edwards-birds-spark-hope/id1471423633?i=1000505997761Wild Lif‪e (Carin Bondar): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/71-carin-bondar-wild-life/id1471423633?i=1000501865084Sex is Always Weirder Than We Can Imagin‪e (Maurine Neiman): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/67-maurine-neiman-sex-is-always-weirder-than-we-can-imagine/id1471423633?i=1000497201747

#77 | Kristi Montooth | Fruit Flies, Fedoras, and Endless Forms Most Beautiful

Fruit flies in straightjackets. Bees at slumber parties. Climate change in Game of Thrones. Everybody’s looking for something, and this episode has something for everyone! A plant ecologist turned pollinator physiologist, Anna Tatarko tells Jocelyn and Bradley about the exciting methods she is using to study bee brains, and how this work is helping scientists to understand how bees smell, sleep, learn, dance, and possibly dream. In particular, she shares her research on how some pesticides interfere with bees’ olfactory processing, explaining how she hopes to extend her work to focus on the impact bees’ gut microbiomes may have on the health of bee populations. Whether you want to know what you can do to help preserve and protect pollinator populations or are just wondering what bees dream about, you’ll be buzzing about this episode.Learn more about Anna’s amazing work at http://www.annatatarko.com/ and at the links below!The Leonard Lab at University of Nevada, Reno: http://www.anneleonard.com/“Bees aren't getting enough sleep, thanks to some common pesticides”: https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/21/europe/bee-sleep-pesticide-intl-scli-gbr-scn/index.html“Bees learn while they sleep, and that means they might dream”: http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20160621-do-bees-dream“Bees understand the concept of zero” (Science): https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/06/bees-understand-concept-zero“Fungus provides powerful medicine in fighting honey bee viruses”: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181004100044.htm“A Mushroom Extract Might Save Bees From a Killer Virus”: https://www.wired.com/story/a-mushroom-extract-might-save-bees-from-a-killer-virus/Nerd Nite: https://www.wired.com/story/a-mushroom-extract-might-save-bees-from-a-killer-virus/Nerd Nite Lincoln: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nerdnitelincoln/Nerd Nite Reno: https://www.instagram.com/nerdnitereno/?hl=enNebraska native plants: https://plantnebraska.org/plants/resources.htmlRelated episodes:Bee Meets Girl (Bridget Gross): https://podcasts.apple.com/mt/podcast/18-bridget-gross-bee-meets-girl/id1471423633?i=1000453740563Birds Spark Hope (Scott V. Edwards): https://podcasts.apple.com/mt/podcast/75-scott-v-edwards-birds-spark-hope/id1471423633?i=1000505997761That is How an Evolutionary Biologist Do (Matt Wilkins): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/32-matt-wilkins-that-is-how-an-evolutionary-biologist-do/id1471423633?i=1000464730144

#76 | Anna Tatarko | Sweet Dreams Are Made of Bees

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -That perches in the soul -And sings the tune without the words -And never stops - at all -Emily Dickinson was clearly onto something when she penned these famous lines. Across countless generations, birds have captivated our imaginations with their incredible beauty, their staggering diversity, and their unique talents. For Dr. Scott Edwards, birds are fascinating organisms with a rich and complex evolutionary history, but they are also harbingers of hope at a moment when we sorely need it.Scott joins Jocelyn and Bradley to discuss his work as an ornithologist, evolutionary biologist, and curator at Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology. He explains how he uses a variety of techniques—even applying cutting-edge genomic analysis to specimens collected during the Lewis & Clark expedition!—to trace the evolution of new traits in birds. In addition, he shares stories of his cross-country bike trip inspired by #BlackBirdersWeek, and the friends discuss how the “tree of life” is not only a powerful metaphor for understanding evolutionary relationships but also for thinking about diversity, unity, the history of life and humanity’s place in it. Follow Scott on Twitter at @ScottVEdwards1, and learn more about his amazing work at the links below!https://edwards.oeb.harvard.edu/people/scott-v-edwardshttps://www.iamascientist.info/scott-edwardshttps://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/scott-edwardsScott’s bike journey across America:https://www.audubon.org/news/meet-harvard-ornithology-professor-biking-across-countryhttps://www.thecrimson.com/article/2020/8/21/scott-edwards-bike-trip/#BlackBirdersWeek: https://www.audubon.org/news/black-birders-week-promotes-diversity-and-takes-racism-outdoorshttps://www.scientificamerican.com/article/black-birders-call-out-racism-say-nature-should-be-for-everyone/https://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2020/06/i-cant-even-enjoy-blackbirdersweek-organizer-shares-her-struggles-black-scientistSystemic Racism in Higher Education (Science letter): https://science.sciencemag.org/content/369/6510/1440.2Harvard Dept. of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology: https://oeb.harvard.edu/Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology: https://mcz.harvard.edu/Where Song Began: Australia’s Birds and How They Changed the World: https://www.amazon.com/Where-Song-Began-Australias-Changed/dp/0300221665Related episodes:That is How an Evolutionary Biologist Do (Matt Wilkins): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/32-matt-wilkins-that-is-how-an-evolutionary-biologist-do/id1471423633?i=1000464730144The Lizarding World of Afro Herper (Earyn McGee): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/38-earyn-mcgee-the-lizarding-world-of-afro-herper/id1471423633?i=1000468800901

#75 | Scott V. Edwards | Birds Spark Hope

What the hell just happened? What does it all mean? And where do we go from here?If 2020 left you with a few lingering questions, you are not alone. Fortunately, London-based physician and filmmaker Dr. Nidhi Gupta is here to put it all in perspective. Nidhi tells Bradley and Jocelyn about her work on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, and she describes her own battle with the virus. She shares her journey from medicine into filmmaking, including the genesis and goals of her current documentary film project, Start. Stop. Repeat, in which she explores the causes, effects, and possible legacies of the COVID-19 pandemic. The friends discuss the “trust gap” science and scientists face at this critical inflection point in our history; whether film is a medium uniquely suited for scientists to connect with a broad audience; and whether and how COVID-19 might ultimately be galvanized as a force for positive social change.(NOTE: This episode was recorded in December 2020, prior to the latest surge and new COVID mutations were discovered in the United Kingdom.) Follow Nidhi on Twitter at @busydoctor, and learn more about her amazing work at the links below!Start. Stop. Repeat. https://greenlit.fund/project/start-stop-repeat“Redbridge doctor creates trailblazing documentary inspired by her experience of Covid-19”: https://www.westessexlife.co.uk/people/stop-start-repeat-documentary-on-covid-19-1-6896877Other podcasts featuring Nidhi:Drunk Women Solving Crime: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/97-dr-nidhi-gupta-the-unfit-husband/id1425174819?i=1000483419641The Other 50%: http://theotherfiftypercent.com/blog/ep-204nidhiguptaFemme Regard: https://www.radio.com/podcasts/femme-regard-podcast-29226/busy-doctor-bringing-the-documentary-realness-with-nidhi-gupta-315111874Spanish flu: A warning from history: https://youtu.be/3x1aLAw_xkY#hellomynameis campaign: https://www.hellomynameis.org.uk/Related episodes:Pandemic: A Letter from the Past (Gregg Mitman): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/40-gregg-mitman-pandemic-a-letter-from-the-past/id1471423633?i=1000470227078The Deep Compassion of Mathematics (Discussion): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/41-discussion-the-deep-compassion-of-mathematics/id1471423633?i=1000470889290We Are All Chimeras (Sam Illingworth): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/53-sam-illingworth-we-are-all-chimeras/id1471423633?i=1000484115050

#74 | Nidhi Gupta | Hindsight --> Insight --> Foresight

C’mon, it’s lovely weather for a podcast together with you! In our fa-la-la-last episode of 2020, Jocelyn and Bradley are celebrating Sir Isaac Newton’s 378th birthday with some Newtonmas caroling and a rousing discussion of physicists’ favorite fetish . . . We are referring, of course, to unification. The hosts consider whether the desire for a singular “theory of everything” can be traced back to Newton’s work, which was the first to bring the terrestrial and celestial realms under the same set of physical laws. They discuss the ironic fact that gravity—the original unifying force in the cosmos—is now the major obstacle to achieving a single, unified theory in physics. Finally, they consider possible motivations behind the quest for unification, and they debate whether a single, overarching theory is possible or even desirable. But just because our theories aren’t unified doesn’t mean we can’t be! Snuggle up together like birds of a feather (virtually, of course) and enjoy this holiday musical extravaganza we made just for you, friends. Bang! Math professors prove TV show theory about the number 73: https://www.thedartmouth.com/article/2019/05/bang-math-professors-prove-tv-show-theory-about-the-number-73Lisa Randall “Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs”: https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Matter-Dinosaurs-Astounding-Interconnectedness-ebook/dp/B00T3CU1ZK/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1W10RU4YD4CAE&dchild=1&keywords=dark+matter+and+the+dinosaurs&qid=1608215352&s=digital-text&sprefix=Dark+Matter+and+th%2Cdigital-text%2C266&sr=1-1The Singular Universe and the Reality of Time: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O0RKDBA/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i4Sean Carroll’s From Eternity to Here: The Quest for the Ultimate Theory of Time https://www.amazon.com/Eternity-Here-Quest-Ultimate-Theory-ebook/dp/B002VXTAZ0/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3DVSU0TWOQ645&dchild=1&keywords=from+here+to+eternity&qid=1608213402&s=digital-text&sprefix=from+here+to+et%2Cdigital-text%2C262&sr=1-5Katie Mack’s “The end of everything”: https://www.amazon.com/End-Everything-Astrophysically-Speaking-ebook/dp/B07Z41TTNK/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Katie+Mack&qid=1608215393&s=digital-text&sr=1-2Origins of Monotheism: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/monotheism/Religion population per country: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/religion-by-countryhttps://www.worldreligiondatabase.org/Videos:BigThink, Michio Kaku: The Theory of Everything: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hOGfwt0ERkFermilab, GUTs and TOES: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LGBo7dLgYkSteve Weinberg - Toward the Unification of Physics | Interactive 2013 | SXSW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSEXA5JueRUSupersymmetry & Grand Unification: Lecture 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6srShxBCrkRelated episodes:Here We Come A-Physicsing (Newtonmas 2019): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/27-discussion-here-we-come-a-physicsing/id1471423633?i=1000459976398Universal Beats (Stephon Alexander): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/72-stephon-alexander-universal-beats/id1471423633?i=1000502625366The scientific method: Is it a thing? (Discussion): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/54-discussion-the-scientific-method-is-it-a-thing/id1471423633?i=1000485209730The DartmouthThe DartmouthBang! Math professors prove TV show theory about the number 73A proof co-authored by Dartmouth mathematics professor emeritus Carl Pomerance and Morningside College mathematics professor Chris Spicer appeared on an episode of the television series, “The Big Bang Theory” on April 18. The proof, which was featured on a whiteboard in the background of the show, reveals the uniqueness of the number 73. (31 kB)https://snworksceo.imgix.net/drt/a9191fcf-358f-4cde-a66d-8c33a7d8984e.sized-1000x1000.jpg?w=800Apple PodcastsApple Podcasts‎Science! With Friends: #27 | Discussion | Here We Come A-Physicsing! on Apple Podcasts‎Show Science! With Friends, Ep #27 | Discussion | Here We Come A-Physicsing! - Dec 18, 2019 (130 kB)https://is3-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Podcasts113/v4/21/ee/4d/21ee4d5a-167d-6447-4a5f-5926735e659a/mza_2779981594897721493.jpg/1200x630wp.pngApple PodcastsApple Podcasts‎Science! With Friends: #72 | Stephon Alexander | Universal Beats on Apple Podcasts‎Show Science! With Friends, Ep #72 | Stephon Alexander | Universal Beats - Dec 16, 2020 (130 kB)https://is3-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Podcasts113/v4/21/ee/4d/21ee4d5a-167d-6447-4a5f-5926735e659a/mza_2779981594897721493.jpg/1200x630wp.pngApple PodcastsApple Podcasts‎Science! With Friends: #54 | Discussion | The scientific method: Is it a thing? on Apple Podcasts‎Show Science! With Friends, Ep #54 | Discussion | The scientific method: Is it a thing? - Jul 16, 2020 (130 kB)

#73 | Discussion| Einstein’s GUT and Newton’s TOE

When Dr. Stephon Alexander listens to the music of the cosmos, he hears structure, but also flexibility. He hears familiar cadences and novel riffs. He hears strings vibrating in ten-dimensional spacetime and resonating loops of quantum gravity. He hears Einstein’s musical mind and Coltrane’s cosmic sensibility. He hears the jazz of physics. And so will you. In this episode, Stephon tells Jocelyn and Bradley how a journey wending through the dusty halls of old jazz clubs and the chalky floors of physics offices ultimately led him from Trinidad to the Bronx to Brown University. He shares how his experience as a jazz saxophonist has shaped his approach to physics, and how incorporating more elements from the improvisational, inclusive culture of jazz will benefit the future of physics. Along the way, he explains how he is working to integrate general relativity with quantum mechanics by uncovering the quantum nature of gravity, and the friends speculate that the answer may ultimately shed light on the origins of consciousness itself. Follow Stephon on Twitter @stephstem, and learn more about his amazing work at the links below! Secret Lives of Scientists on NOVA: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/video/stephon-alexander-theoretical-physicist/ Big Think:“Sources of Inspiration”: https://bigthink.com/videos/sources-of-inspiration “Beyond Einstein”: https://bigthink.com/videos/beyond-einstein The Jazz of Physics: https://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Physics-Between-Structure-Universe/dp/0465034993 https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2016/06/11/481664722/scientist-stephon-alexander-infinite-possibilities-unite-jazz-and-physics TEDx Talk San Diego: https://youtu.be/v9_ZzY99-6U “Black Academics Have a Responsibility to the Next Generation” (New York Times editorial) : https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/02/04/do-black-intellectuals-need-to-talk-about-race/black-academics-have-a-responsibility-to-the-next-generation Brown University: https://vivo.brown.edu/display/salexan4 https://www.stephonalexanderlab.com/ Check out some of Stephon’s technical papers: Brane Gases: https://journals.aps.org/prd/pdf/10.1103/PhysRevD.62.103509 Noncommutative inflation: https://journals.aps.org/prd/pdf/10.1103/PhysRevD.67.081301 Gravitational waves: https://journals.aps.org/prd/pdf/10.1103/PhysRevD.67.081301 Chern–Simons modified general relativity: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037015730900177X Super strings and baryon asymmetry: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1475-7516/2006/06/018/meta Horava-Lifshitz theory: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1206.6296.pdf A Wrinkle in Time (2018) film trailer: https://youtu.be/UhZ56rcWwRQ John Coltrane music: Giant steps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xy_fxxj1mMY Cosmic music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC4tmbWzevg Related episodes: Quantum Whaaaat? (Part 1): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/30-discussion-quantum-whaaaat-part-1/id1471423633?i=1000464036509 Quantum Whatnot (Part 2): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/31-discussion-quantum-whatnot-part-2/id1471423633?i=1000464036508 The Musical Shape of Science (Tim Blais): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/61-tim-blais-the-musical-shape-of-science/id1471423633?i=1000492250770

#72 | Stephon Alexander | Universal Beats

This episode is gonna get twisted, y’all.Jocelyn and Bradley are joined by science sensation Dr. Carin Bondar, Biologist with a Twist, who regales us with weird, wonderful, twisted tales of the natural world! From the many talents of animal genitalia to the biological superpowers that make moms uniquely equipped to rule the world, Carin considers what humans can learn about ourselves by looking at the social lives of animals. The friends also discuss how anti-anthropomorphism—the assumption that nonhuman animals do not think and feel as humans do—is as baseless and potentially dangerous as viewing other animals through an excessively anthropomorphic lens. And Carin shares some of the surprising twists that made her journey from art into science so unique and rewarding, and how she has used social media to pioneer a whole new form of science communication.Follow Carin on Twitter and Instagram @carinbondar, and learn more about her amazing work at https://carinbondar.com/ and at the links below!Books:Wild Sex: The Science Behind Mating in the Animal Kingdom: https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Sex-Science-Behind-Kingdom/dp/1681775107/Wild Moms: Motherhood in the Animal Kingdom: https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Moms-Motherhood-Animal-Kingdom/dp/1681776650/The Nature of Sex: The Ins and Outs of Mating in the Animal Kingdom: https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Sex-Mating-Animal-Kingdom/dp/1780229119/The Nature of Human Nature: https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Human-Dr-Carin-Bondar/dp/0557457939/YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/user/DrBondarCarin’s TED talks:“The birds and the bees are just the beginning”: https://youtu.be/N39x_WTPix0“Motherhood in the Wild: Lessons on Evolution”: https://youtu.be/8VkNW5hQ8u0Carin’s science song parodies:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dr1tglWEJeA&list=PLMemAikxmpoYLQlULj3_pNiy5nMs_OuRQ“Evo Devo” (“Despacito” parody by A Cappella Science): https://youtu.be/ydqReeTV_vkOutrageous Acts of Science: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2857312/Related episodes:Sex is Always Weirder Than We Can Imagine (Maurine Neiman): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/67-maurine-neiman-sex-is-always-weirder-than-we-can-imagine/id1471423633?i=1000497201747The Musical Shape of Science (Tim Blais): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/61-tim-blais-the-musical-shape-of-science/id1471423633?i=1000492250770This Episode is a Venn Diagram (discussion): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/45-discussion-this-episode-is-a-venn-diagram/id1471423633?i=1000473780846

#71 | Carin Bondar | Wild Life

If science is a kind of dance between humans and the universe, perhaps nowhere is the choreography more intricate and complex than when consciousness contemplates itself in the form of the human brain. Jocelyn and Bradley are joined this week by Grace Huckins—neuroscientist, philosopher, visionary—who invites us on a tour of the cosmos within. Grace discusses her Ph.D. research using fMRI and machine learning to develop a more dynamic understanding of the biological processes underlying mental illness, sharing how her approach uses brain scans to construct brain stories. The friends discuss the perils and pitfalls of research that seeks to locate sex and gender in the brain, arguing that a more fluid and nuanced understanding of socially constructed categories like gender, as well as diagnostic categories, will produce a more robust science of the human brain. Grace also reflects on her work with WIRED magazine as part of the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Mass Media Fellowship program, sharing insights about how science communication improves both science and society. Follow Grace on Twitter @grace_huckins, and learn more about her amazing work at the links below!Grace on WIRED: https://www.aaas.org/programs/mass-media-fellowship/grace-huckinshttps://www.wired.com/author/grace-huckins/AAAS Mass Media Fellowship program: https://www.aaas.org/programs/mass-media-fellowshipRebecca M. Jordan-Young, Brain Storm: The Flaws in the Science of Sex Differences: https://www.amazon.com/Brain-Storm-Flaws-Science-Differences/dp/0674063511 Jocelyn’s review of Brain Storm: https://www.jstor.org/stable/43831457 Neurasthenia:https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/death-of-neurasthenia-and-its-psychological-reincarnation/CBF3F9183ED6368E940BB0F0AB327482Elaine Showalter, The Female Malady: https://www.amazon.com/Female-Malady-1890-1980-Showalter-1987-09-01/dp/B01FELG7JM/Charlotte Perkins-Gilman, “The Yellow Wallpaper”: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/theliteratureofprescription/exhibitionAssets/digitalDocs/The-Yellow-Wall-Paper.pdfRelated episodes:Fumbling Towards Empathy (John Kiat): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/56-john-kiat-fumbling-towards-empathy/id1471423633?i=1000486521259 A Neuromance of Many Dimensions (Melinda Smith): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/59-melinda-smith-a-neuromance-of-many-dimensions/id1471423633?i=1000489903116Science is for Everyone (discussion): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/35-discussion-science-is-for-everyone/id1471423633?i=1000466778549What is reality, really? (discussion): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/7-discussion-what-is-reality-really/id1471423633?i=1000445792520

#70 | Grace Huckins | Brain Dance

Flag on the play . . . This episode has been called for excessive celebration and unnecessary radness!!! Football: it’s as much a part of Thanksgiving as turkey, cranberries, and pumpkin pie. Physics: it’s as much a part of football as touchdowns, tackles, and tailgating. Jocelyn and Bradley are joined this week by football physics maestro Dr. Timothy Gay, who coaches us on the physics behind “Deflategate” and solves the gyroscope problem of the perfect spiral pass. He also explains how electrons are and are not like footballs, and how his research into their interactions with matter could yield critical insights about the origins of life on earth. Along the way, Tim shares stories from a life of fateful encounters with everyone from Bill Belichik to old Nazi rocket scientists to the drummer of Motley Crüe. Learn more about Tim’s amazing work at http://physics.unl.edu/~tgay/ and at the links below! Football Physics: The Science of the Game: https://www.amazon.com/Football-Physics-Science-Timothy-Gay-ebook/dp/B004GHOISI Huskervision playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE039D7520F3FC856 Throwing a perfect spiral: https://news.unl.edu/newsrooms/today/article/tipping-point-after-20-years-gay-solves-conundrum-of-football-physics/ https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-does-a-patrick-mahomes-football-pass-look-so-beautiful-these-physicists-believe-they-have-the-answer-11602253787 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/16/science/football-pass-physics.html https://aapt.scitation.org/doi/full/10.1119/10.0001388?journalCode=ajp Electrons and chiral molecules: https://phys.org/news/2014-09-dna-right-handed-helix.html https://news.unl.edu/newsrooms/today/article/physicists-get-surprising-results-from-electron-molecule-collisions/ Tommy Lee Goes To College: https://www.aps.org/publications/capitolhillquarterly/200604/reality-show.cfm https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0432677/fullcredits Related episodes: Beauty, Symmetry, and Funsize Physics (Shireen Adenwalla): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/28-shireen-adenwalla-beauty-symmetry-and-funsize-physics/id1471423633?i=1000461961912 How to Get Away With Meowder (Greg Gbur): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/34-greg-gbur-how-to-get-away-with-meowder/id1471423633?i=1000466086468

#69 | Timothy Gay | Physics Takes the Field

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittensBacteria in blenders and bird poop confusionDoggies that drool when a little bell ringsThese are a few of our favorite things . . . More specifically, these are a few of Jocelyn and Bradley’s all-time favorite experiments in the history of science! This week, the hosts consider the role of experiment in the scientific process and the qualities that make an experiment especially significant or compelling. They highlight several “classic” experiments in physics, cosmology, genetics, molecular biology, and psychology, and they discuss how these experiments tested the limits of human ingenuity to crystallize key concepts and chart new directions for scientific research. Move over, Oprah—we’re releasing the first-ever list of our favorite things!Related episodes:The scientific method: Is it a thing? https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/54-discussion-the-scientific-method-is-it-a-thing/id1471423633?i=1000485209730Research all the things! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/62-discussion-research-all-the-things/id1471423633?i=1000493142965Quantum whaaaat? (Part 1): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/30-discussion-quantum-whaaaat-part-1/id1471423633?i=1000464036509Quantum whatnot (Part 2): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/31-discussion-quantum-whatnot-part-2/id1471423633?i=1000464036508Further Reading:Cavendish experiment (1797-98):https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavendish_experimenthttps://youtu.be/2PdiUoKa9Nw* https://sciencedemonstrations.fas.harvard.edu/presentations/cavendish-experiment* Historical note: This resource—and Jocelyn during the episode—describes the source of light in the Cavendish experiment as a “laser beam.” Astute listeners will note that the laser (as in Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) was not built until 1960, so what Cavendish used in his original apparatus was a light source, but not a laser. Double-slit experiment (1801-03):For electrons: https://aapt.scitation.org/doi/full/10.1119/1.2757621For large molecules: https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2013/CP/c3cp51500a#!divAbstracthttps://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/what-does-the-new-double-slit-experiment-actually-show/Visual Tutorial: https://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/java/interference/doubleslit/Class from Khan Academy: https://www.khanacademy.org/science/physics/light-waves/interference-of-light-waves/v/youngs-double-split-part-1DIY: https://www.pasco.com/products/lab-apparatus/light-and-optics/diffraction/os-8531Mendel’s pea plants (1860s):https://www.khanacademy.org/science/high-school-biology/hs-classical-genetics/hs-introduction-to-heredity/a/mendel-and-his-peashttps://youtu.be/Mehz7tCxjSEPavlov and classical conditioning (1897):https://www.simplypsychology.org/pavlov.htmlhttps://sites.psu.edu/intropsychf19grp7/2019/11/16/classical-conditioning-in-the-classroom/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2755398/https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/mcat/behavior/learning-slug/a/classical-and-operant-conditioning-articlehttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00213-003-1601-0https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=IH-5kY65FncC&oi=fnd&pg=PA107&dq=operant+conditioning+and+drug+addiction&ots=YtLNLzHgwr&sig=CTFxywXx8VqVXq2OUH98u1oektM#v=onepage&q=operant%20conditioning%20and%20drug%20addiction&f=falseRutherford gold foil experiment (1908-1915):https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/1908/rutherford/biographical/http://chemed.chem.purdue.edu/genchem/history/gold.htmlHershey-Chase experiments (early 1950s):https://embryo.asu.edu/pages/hershey-chase-experiments-1952-alfred-hershey-and-martha-chasehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hershey%E2%80%93Chase_experiment#/media/File:Hershey_Chase_experiment.png Cosmic Microwave Background (1965):https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-scientists-confirmed-big-bang-theory-owe-it-all-to-a-pigeon-trap-180949741/https://www.space.com/25945-cosmic-microwave-background-discovery-50th-anniversary.htmlhttp://redshift.vif.com/JournalFiles/Pre2001/V02NO3PDF/V02N3ASS.PDFhttps://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.16.405https://science.sciencemag.org/content/156/3778/1100.abstract

#68 | Discussion | The Experimenta-Lists

The living world is infinitely more complex than the categories we create to contain and constrain it. This week, we turn to an ancient reservoir of biological wisdom to illuminate life’s wondrous complexity. We are referring, of course, to the humble snail. In this episode, Jocelyn and Bradley are joined by Dr. Maurine Neiman, an evolutionary biologist who was once branded a “snail pornographer” by conservative media outlets. Maurine explains that, far from being a trivial or esoteric topic, the sex lives of snails—or, sometimes, lack thereof—offer crucial insights into one of the biggest open questions in evolutionary biology, namely, why sexual reproduction evolved in the first place. Maurine explains how snail species vary widely in their reproductive strategies, from hermaphroditic garden snails to the freshwater snails she studies in her own research, which have both sexually reproducing and asexually reproducing lineages. By comparing the fates and fortunes of these lineages in various environments, Maurine’s research sheds light on the costs and benefits of different reproductive strategies. The friends also discuss how studying the evolutionary origins of sexual difference can impact how we think about maleness and femaleness, challenging our conventional assumptions about (binary) sex in both science and society. Follow Maurine on Twitter at @mneiman, and learn more about her amazing work at the links below! http://bioweb.biology.uiowa.edu/neiman/index.php https://clas.uiowa.edu/gwss/people/maurine-neiman Iowa City Darwin Day: https://iowacitydarwinday.org/ “Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Snail Sex”: https://www.kqed.org/science/1446777/everything-you-never-wanted-to-know-about-snail-sex Matt Ridley, The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature: https://www.amazon.com/Red-Queen-Evolution-Human-Nature/dp/0060556579 The Lively Lab @ Indiana: https://lively.lab.indiana.edu/index.html Robert J. Richards, The Romantic Conception of Life: Science and Philosophy in the Age of Goethe: https://www.amazon.com/Romantic-Conception-Life-Philosophy-Foundations/dp/0226712117 Andrew Cunningham & Nicholas Jardine, eds., Romanticism and the Sciences: https://www.amazon.com/Romanticism-Sciences-Andrew-Cunningham/dp/0521356857 Andrea Gambarotto, “Lorenz Oken (1779–1851): Naturphilosophie and the reform of natural history”: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-for-the-history-of-science/article/lorenz-oken-17791851-naturphilosophie-and-the-reform-of-natural-history/AA5EBBBE4ED2FDBBA7E23C4466D854C7

#67 | Maurine Neiman | Sex is Always Weirder Than We Can Imagine

Vampires! Werewolves! Zombies! Calculus exams! What makes something "monstrous"? Why do monsters inspire such fear and fascination? And what “monsters” has science inadvertently created throughout history? In this Halloween-themed episode, Bradley and Jocelyn explore the monsters of nature and the nature of monsters. From Frankenstein to Dracula, they discuss how monster lore often represents perceived "violations" of the natural order, and how newly discovered phenomena and technologies continually challenge our assumptions about that order. They also consider "Jekyll and Hyde" moments in the history of modern science, discussing topics from mustard gas to DDT, nuclear energy, and gene editing technologies. They also share their thoughts on the ultimate monster of nature. So what is it? Tune in to find out! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!Further reading:Wonders and the Order of Nature: https://www.amazon.com/Wonders-Nature-1150-1750-Lorraine-Daston/dp/0942299914The Science of Monsters: https://www.amazon.com/Science-Monsters-Origins-Creatures-Love/dp/145166799XMaster Mind: The Rise and Fall of Fritz Haber: https://www.amazon.com/Master-Mind-Laureate-Launched-Chemical/dp/0060562722 Great Radiolab episode about his story: https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/articles/bad-show DDT:https://www.epa.gov/ingredients-used-pesticide-products/ddt-brief-history-and-status https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0174.html Lead piping: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2509614/ https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water History of the Atomic Bomb: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/rise-to-world-power/us-wwii/a/the-manhattan-project-and-the-atomic-bomb Chernobyl:https://www.who.int/ionizing_radiation/chernobyl/WHO%20Report%20on%20Chernobyl%20Health%20Effects%20July%2006.pdf HBO show here: https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/safety-and-security/safety-of-plants/chernobyl-accident.aspx CRISPR & Designer babies: https://www.technologyreview.com/2018/11/25/138962/exclusive-chinese-scientists-are-creating-crispr-babies/ https://www.nature.com/news/crispr-fixes-disease-gene-in-viable-human-embryos-1.22382 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168365917308453 http://www.ask-force.org/web/Genomics/Jasanoff-CRISPR-Democracy-Gene-Editing-2015.pdf Cheryl Wheeler, "Just Like God": http://cherylwheeler.com/songs/jlgn.html

#66 | Discussion | Monsters of Nature, Monsters of Science

Grab hold, friends, and follow us into the Chamber of Science! Behold the power of the Natural Philosopher’s Stone . . . peer into the Erlenmeyer Flask of Fire . . . join the Order of the Elements . . . and meet the Professor of Aksarben*!Jocelyn and Bradley are joined this week by the Headmistress of Harry Potter Science, Dr. Rebecca Lai! Rebecca describes how she combines her love of chemistry with her love of fantasy literature to ignite a spectacular reaction in the hearts and minds of Harry Potter enthusiasts of all ages. She explains how real invisible ink works, and how the properties of light refraction could someday be used to create a real-life invisibility cloak; she describes the amazing applications of gold in both the Muggle world—including Rebecca’s own research—and the wizarding world; and she tells us where to find some real “fantastic beasts.” She also shares how Harry Potter has led her outside of her own field of expertise into a variety of interdisciplinary topics, and how this same emphasis on connection and creativity inspires her work on biosensors. Along the way, the friends discuss their favorite Harry Potter characters, houses, and charms, and Rebecca shares her hopes for the future . . . including a collaboration with J.K. Rowling herself!So, is it science, or is it magic? YES!*You might be from Nebraska if . . . you got that last reference.Learn more about Rebecca’s amazing work at http://chemweb.unl.edu/lai/ and at the links below!UPCOMING LIVESTREAM EVENT! A Muggle’s Guide to Harry Potter’s Chemistry: https://www.slsc.org/event/first-friday-harry-potter-2020/More Harry Potter:http://chemweb.unl.edu/lai/harry-potter-book-series-outreach-activities/https://cen.acs.org/education/outreach/Chemists-recreate-Hogwarts-magic-mere/97/i41https://www.informalscience.org/news-views/harry-potter-x-science-pop-culture-strategy-science-engagementSciPop Talks!: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Among Us: https://unl.libguides.com/c.php?g=51789&p=4289685Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Among Us II: https://unl.libguides.com/c.php?g=51789&p=4770815 Elements in the Harry Potter World: https://unl.libguides.com/c.php?g=51789&p=7195843Biosensors: http://chemweb.unl.edu/lai/biosensors/More podcasts ft. Rebecca:Potterology (Ologies podcast with Alie Ward!): https://www.alieward.com/ologies/potterologyAsk a Scientist: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dr-rebecca-lai/id1500764341?i=1000470730721Faculty 101: https://news.unl.edu/newsrooms/today/article/lai-shares-magic-of-chemistry-in-faculty-101-podcast/

#65 | Rebecca Lai | Portus Episodus (This Episode is a Portkey)

Science! with Friends is a podcast exploring life, the universe, and everything through the eyes of the scientists who study it. In interviews and discussion pieces, hosts Jocelyn Bosley (SciTalker) and Bradley Nordell (The Quantum Dude) highlight the personal side of science—the weird, awesome, surprising, humorous, and inspiring stories that make science meaningful in all our lives. What’s your science story?

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Science! With Friends

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