Podcasts
Through weekly interviews with guest researchers and our own knowledgeable staff, the Museum's podcasts offer an in-depth look at the latest in science and technology.
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- Jupiter Collision | Using Ivy in Sunscreen (Podcast)
- Discover how during the formation of our solar system, Jupiter may have been involved in a massive collision which has forever altered it. Switching from the very large to the very small, hear about ivy-based nanoparticles that may be used to make a better sunscreen. (details).
September 03, 2010
- Friends Can Help You Live Longer (Podcast)
- Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad from Brigham Young University describes her massive comparative study on social relationships and mortality. The results show that having positive social interactions (aka friends) can increase your lifespan. Being lonely is a risk factor tantamount to smoking, alcoholism, and obesity ... (details).
August 27, 2010
- Improving Autism Diagnoses | A New Identity for Triceratops (Podcast)
- Dr. Tal Kenet from Massachusetts General Hospital discusses her work through the Transcend Research Program to identify consistent ways of diagnosing autism. Also, find out how a relative of Triceratops is an even more important family member than previously thought. (details).
August 20, 2010
- Hot Summer In The City | A Surprise Primate Fossil (Podcast)
- Yes, this summer has been exceptionally hot and you can find out why in this podcast. Also, Dr. Iyad Zalmout and Dr. Bill Sanders join us from the University of Michigan to talk about the discovery of a new primate ancestor. (details).
August 13, 2010
- Saving Sea Turtle Eggs From The Gulf Oil Spill (Podcast)
- Patricia Behnke from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and David Godfrey from the Sea Turtle Conservancy talk about steps being taken to move 70,000 sea turtle eggs away from the oil in the Gulf of Mexico and relocate them on the east coast of Florida. (details).
August 06, 2010
- New Images of the Sun | 10 Years With The Human Genome (Podcast)
- Dr. Ed DeLuca from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics talks about the Solar Dynamics Observatory and the amazing new pictures of the Sun. Also, Dr. Destin Heilman from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute discusses the Human Genome Project and what's happened in the 10 years since the genome has been sequenced ... (details).
July 30, 2010
- Wearable Electronic Fibers | Cool Vaccines (Podcast)
- Dr. Yoel Fink, a materials scientist at MIT, brings us into his lab to explain how he makes high-tech, small-sized acoustic fibers. Also, we will hear about preliminary work to create a cool new tuberculosis vaccine. (details).
July 23, 2010
- Marauding Chimpanzees | Artificial Lung Transplants (Podcast)
- On the 50th anniversary of Dr. Jane Goodall's first observations of chimpanzees in the wild, learn about new data that have led scientists to think about why chimpanzees fight and even kill. Then, hear about Massachusetts researchers who have been able to grow and transplant functioning lungs into rats ... (details).
July 16, 2010
- Bonehenge: Assembling A Sperm Whale Skeleton (Podcast)
- Join Keith Rittmaster, Natural Science Curator at the North Carolina Maritime Museum, as he tells the tale of assembling a 33 foot male sperm whale skeleton. (details).
July 08, 2010
- Nature's Beauty: Bubbles and Diamonds (Podcast)
- Bubbles and diamonds are not only beautiful, but they may also be important to scientists. The complex way that a bubble pops is now being studied, and diamonds may have use in nanotechnology. (details).
July 02, 2010
- Extremophiles: On Earth and On Titan? (Podcast)
- This week we will learn about extreme forms of life: a methane-eating, sulfate-breathing bacteria living in the Earth's Arctic Circle, and a hypothetical (yet improbable) methane-eating organism on Saturn's largest moon Titan. (details).
June 25, 2010
- The Museum's Wind Turbine Lab | World Oceans Day and Hermit Crabs (Podcast)
- Have you wondered what all those different wind turbines are doing on the roof of the Museum? The Museum's wind analyst Marian Tomusiak will talk all about the Museum's Wind Turbine Lab. Also, during World Oceans Day on June 8 the Museum focused on hermit crabs and some of their social behaviors. (details).
June 18, 2010
- Severe Summer Weather | Woolly Mammoth Evolution (Podcast)
- Hear about harbingers of summer that we don't usually look forward to: tornadoes and hurricanes! Also, learn how genetic research has revealed information about the evolution of an extinct animal. (details).
June 11, 2010
- Let's Play Ball! | Building a Cooler Transistor (Podcast)
- Physicist Dr. Alan Nathan from University of Illinois talks about some of the physics of baseball. We will also learn about a new nano-material that may keep computer transistors cooler. (details).
June 04, 2010
- Our Growing and Changing Family Tree (Podcast)
- New information is constantly being added to our human family tree. This week we will hear about a new addition, Australopithecus sediba, and about a new place for Neanderthals. (details).
May 28, 2010
- Model Systems: Worms and Walden Pond (Podcast)
- In this segment, two scientists describe their research using distinct model systems as a way of studying a bigger picture. Dr. Claire Benard from UMass Medical School details how biology of the worm, C. elegans, can provide understanding of human neural disease, and Dr. Charles Davis from Harvard University ... (details).
May 21, 2010
- Domestication of Chickens | Some Bacteria Linked to Obesity (Podcast)
- Is there a difference between wild chickens and domesticated chickens? Do wild chickens even exist anymore? Can bacteria in our bodies actually cause obesity? Learn the answers to these questions and more in this week's podcast. (details).
May 14, 2010
- Coral Reef Ecology | Birdology (Podcast)
- In this segment, find out how Dr. Randi Rotjan from the New England Aquarium is studying tropical coral reefs. Also, hear New Hampshire author Sy Montgomery discuss her new book detailing surprising characteristics of birds. (details).
May 06, 2010
- Firefly Scientists! (Podcast)
- Firefly season is almost here! Listen to firefly scientists Dr. Chris Cratsley and Dr. Kristian Demary talk about their research and about how the citizen science project Firefly Watch has helped them. (details).
April 30, 2010
- Disease Detection: Heart and Eye (Podcast)
- Hear Dr. Aaron Baggish from Massachusetts General Hospital describe his research on the effectiveness of electrocardiogram screening in young athletes. Then, find out about technologies on the horizon for glaucoma detection and treatment. (details).
April 23, 2010
- It's A Small World: Nano Landscaping and Micro Robotics (Podcast)
- Hear how Dr. Jennifer Hoffman, a physicist at Harvard University, is able to landscape on the nanoscale by moving around individual atoms. Then Harvard graduate students Ben Finio and Rebecca Kramer talk about how they are using small biological organisms to inspire the design of small robots. (details).
April 16, 2010
- Preventing Prematurity | Beautiful Butterflies (Podcast)
- Dr. Jon Davis, Chief of Newborn Medicine at Tufts Medical Center and part of the Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute, talks about causes of newborn prematurity and some ways to prevent it. Then we'll hear about how a beautiful butterfly can be used to study human evolutionary genetics ... (details).
April 09, 2010
- Guests from NanoDays! (Podcast)
- Across the country this March, NanoDays celebrated all things tiny. Today's guests include Dr. George Whitesides from Harvard University talking about developing simple medical diagnostics and Dr. Don Ingber from Harvard University explaining how to manipulate cells on the nanoscale. (details).
April 02, 2010
- Fingers: 40,000 year old DNA Identification and Bacterial Fingerprinting (Podcast)
- DNA from a small 40,000 year old finger may lead to the discovery of another ancient human relative. Physical fingerprints and human DNA might not be the only unique clues at a crime scene once our own bacterial fingerprints are determined. (details).
March 26, 2010
- Da Vinci Surgical Robot | Electric Bacteria (Podcast)
- Find out how a robot is assisting surgeons with their work and improving outcomes for patients. Also, learn about electricity-producing, ocean-dwelling bacteria that could provide us with new battery solutions. Support provided by Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute. (details).
March 19, 2010
- Illuminating Human Diversity and Light Bulb Technologies (Podcast)
- Learn about the incredible genetic diversity maintained in African people who are members of the oldest lineages of humans. Then, hear a comparison of established and new lighting technologies -- it could help you plan future reductions in your own energy consumption! (details).
March 12, 2010
- New Owl Research and Improved Magnetic Technology (Podcast)
- Guest researcher Angela Beltrani discusses her work with New England owls and a rare juvenile disease that she is studying. We will also hear about an improved type of magnetic imaging technology. (details).
March 05, 2010
- Making Movie Magic | Fighting Huntington's Disease (Podcast)
- Special effects Academy Award winner Dr. Doug Roble describes some of the work he has done on movies like The Day After Tomorrow and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Also, scientists have found a possible way to correct for the extra long gene that causes Huntington's disease. (details).
February 26, 2010
- New England Earthquakes | Exploring Arabia (Podcast)
- Hear Dr. John Ebel discuss his research into New England earthquakes at the Weston Observatory of Boston College. Also, Saudi Arabian filmmaker Hamzah Jamjoom talks about his experience with the new IMAX® movie Arabia. (details).
February 19, 2010
- The Color of Dinosaurs | Nanoburrs to Help Your Heart (Podcast)
- Fossil evidence has finally been found to paint a pretty picture of dinosaurs, literally. Also, nanotechnology may be used to help fight heart disease. (details).
February 12, 2010
- Purifying Pollutants | Running With Or Without Shoes? (Podcast)
- Is it possible to use glass to remove oil from water? Is it better to run with or without running shoes? Find out here, the answers may surprise you. (details).
February 05, 2010
- A Promising Pancreas and CO2 Storage (Podcast)
- Discover how an artificial pancreas may benefit Type I diabetes patients. Also, while many scientists are trying to reduce carbon emissions, learn how other groups are searching for places to store the carbon dioxide that will be emitted. (details).
January 29, 2010
- Spitting Cobras: Fast and Accurate (Podcast)
- Anatomist Bruce Young from the University of Massachusetts Lowell talks about his research with spitting cobras. Not only are they deadly, but they are incredibly fast and accurate with their venom. (details).
January 22, 2010
- Migratory Monarchs (Podcast)
- Hear Dr. Steven Reppert from the University of Massachusetts Medical School discuss his studies of monarch butterflies and learn surprising information about the biology of the insects and their annual migration. (details).
January 15, 2010
- Fuel On The Moon | Adaptive Bacteria (Podcast)
- Find out how we may be able to refuel our space rockets on the moon and learn how well bacterial disinfectants work. (details).
January 08, 2010
- Top 10 Science Stories of 2009 (Podcast)
- Hear Susan Heilman's picks for the year's best science news, including stories about space exploration, anthropology, health initiatives, and a giant snake! (details).
January 01, 2010
- Warm-Blooded VS Cold-Blooded | De-Ice VS Anti-Ice (Podcast)
- Hear new evidence in the debate about whether dinosaurs were warm-blooded versus cold-blooded. Also, learn an easier way of getting rid of ice- never have any in the first place. (details).
December 25, 2009
- Robots That Climb Or Act Human (Podcast)
- New technologies are constantly being developed to improve the function of robots. This week's episode focuses on two different types of robots: biologically inspired climbing robots and a pair of virtual humans. Both are on display at the Museum of Science, Boston in Cahner's ComputerPlace. (details).
December 18, 2009
- Canning BPA and Tracking Neurons (Podcast)
- BPA is not just in water bottles; it is also in many canned foods. Find out how the exposure limits for the intake of BPA are devised. Then learn about a new method for imaging a mouse's nerve cells as it grows new connections. (details).
December 11, 2009
- Obesity: You and Your Pet (Podcast)
- Dr. Lisa Freeman from the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University discusses the burgeoning problem of pet obesity. She describes steps we can take to reduce the risk of obesity-related disease in our household friends. Support provided by Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute ... (details).
December 04, 2009
- Why Should I Vaccinate? | Building A Better Hand (Podcast)
- Listen to Dr. Anita Loughlin from the Boston University Center for Vaccine Research as she answers vaccination questions and dispels vaccine myths. Also, learn how researchers are building a better prosthetic hand by connecting them to nerve cells. (details).
November 27, 2009
- Heart Health | Combination Scalpel (Podcast)
- Hear Dr. Aaron Baggish from Massachusetts General Hospital discuss his studies on the effect of exercise on athletes. Also, learn about a new way to excise tumors by connecting current technologies. (details).
November 20, 2009
- A New Relative And A Nano Nose (Podcast)
- Anthropologist Jeremy DeSilva from Boston University talks about Ardi, our 4.4 million year old ancestor. Also, a new device uses nanotechnology to detect harmful chemical toxins. (details).
November 13, 2009
- Studying the Sun and Spooky Spiders (Podcast)
- Solar physicist Dr. Gemma Attrill talks about the new mission to study the atmosphere of the sun. Also, Halloween time brings us some spooky information on a new giant spider species. (details).
November 06, 2009
- Helpful Bee Stings | Prehistoric Primates (Podcast)
- Although bee stings can be painful and possibly harmful, discover how the toxin may also be able to help kill cancer cells. Then, find out if ancient primates Ida and Afradapis are our cousins or our ancestors. (details).
October 30, 2009
- The Ocean and Ice Sheets | Flu Information (Podcast)
- Hear how guest researcher Dr. Fiamma Straneo studies the interaction between the ocean and Greenland's glaciers. Also, get the latest information about swine flu, seasonal flu, and vaccinations. (details).
October 23, 2009
- Water on the Moon? Oranges in Tires? (Podcast)
- Hear Boston University graduate student Tony Case talk about his part in the latest missions to the moon. Also, find out how orange oil can be used to make tires. (details).
October 16, 2009
- Archaeology Without Digging (Podcast)
- Geophysicist Dr. Meg Watters from Time Team America teaches us how to see beneath the soil without actually digging. (details).
October 09, 2009
- Measures of Melting | Green Batteries (Podcast)
- The ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica are constantly changing. In the first part of this podcast, find out how this happens and how scientists are measuring these changes. Then, learn about a type of algae that could significantly improve our current battery technology. (details).
October 02, 2009
- Space, The Final Frontier: Lunar Water and Black Holes (Podcast)
- On October 9, the LCROSS satellite will crash into the Moon in the search for lunar water. Our guest Andrew Chaikin gives a guided tour of the Moon. Also, astrophysicist Dan Evans talks about a galaxy-destroying black hole. (details).
September 25, 2009
- Blight and Blindness (Podcast)
- Tomato plants are dying all over New England. Find out why in this week's segment. Also, learn how gene therapy can be used to cure color blindness. (details).
September 18, 2009
- The Appendix and The Adhesive (Podcast)
- The appendix is an organ that has been around for millions of years - it has a function in other animals, but is it useful in humans? Find out more in this segment. Also, learn about a medical adhesive that mimics the natural glue produced by sandcastle worms. (details).
September 11, 2009
- Stem Cell Targeting | Genetics of Sleep (Podcast)
- Discover how scientists can use nanomagnets to direct stem cells to injured locations in the body. Then learn how genetics can play a role in how we sleep. (details).
September 04, 2009
- The Secret Life of Robotic Bees (Podcast)
- Spying, exploring, pollinating. These are just some of the many uses for robotic bees. Hear how a wide range of scientists and engineers at Harvard University are designing a mechanical form of this social insect. (details).
August 28, 2009
- The Benefits of Blueberries and the Bitterness of Broccoli (Podcast)
- Blueberries are a well-known healthy food, but blueberry leaves may now play a beneficial role in treating Hepatitis C. DNA sequencing of the Neanderthal genome suggests that our extinct cousins would have been able to taste the bitterness of broccoli in a way similar to humans. (details).
August 21, 2009
- Jellyfish Mix the Ocean | Monkeys Can Eat Less and Live Longer (Podcast)
- What do jellyfish have to do with climate change? Can primates (like monkeys and humans) live longer if they eat less? Learn the answers to these questions and more in this week's segment. (details).
August 14, 2009
- Skate Like a Snake | Cancer Vaccines (Podcast)
- Discover how scientists have been studying snake motion. Also, learn how testes proteins could provide an effective means of treating breast cancers. (details).
August 07, 2009
- Science of Sharing (Podcast)
- Learn about a research study conducted in the Museum of Science's Living Laboratory, by Harvard graduate students Peter Blake and David Rand, that teases out at what age children are willing to share. (details).
July 31, 2009
- Fighting Cancer with Salmonella | Tracking Wastewater with Sweeteners (Podcast)
- Find out how Salmonella cells may be able to fight cancer in a unique two wave attack. Also, learn how artificial sweeteners can be used to track the migration of wastewater after release into the environment. (details).
July 24, 2009
- Total Eclipse of the Sun (Podcast)
- On July 22, 2009 there will be a six minute interval where the moon will completely block out the Sun, creating a total solar eclipse. Scientists are flocking to the Eastern Hemisphere to study the Sun's corona during this impressive event. (details).
July 17, 2009
- Regenerating Salamander Limbs | Genetics of Schizophrenia (Podcast)
- Discover how scientists are using fluorescent salamanders to determine the mechanism of limb regeneration. Also, hear about massive new studies into the genetics of schizophrenia. (details).
July 10, 2009
- Wild Cancers and Robotic Ferrets (Podcast)
- This week we will learn how wild animals can develop cancer and what that means for conservation efforts. Then we will find out about a technology that could one day "ferret out" the contents of large shipping containers. (details).
July 03, 2009
- Water on the Moon? Dental Plasma? (Podcast)
- Learn how the recent unmanned mission to the moon will prepare us for humans' return to the lunar surface. Also, find out how plasma, the fourth state of matter, may be used to kill bacteria in a root canal. (details).
June 26, 2009
- 5D DVD | 17 Genes of TB (Podcast)
- Discover how you may one day be able to store all of your movies and all of your books (and all of the library's books) together on one disk. Also, learn what researchers have found out about how tuberculosis attacks our body. (details).
June 19, 2009
- Two Different Jungles: Ugandan and Epidermal (Podcast)
- This week will be exploring two different types of jungles. Hear Dr. Jeremy DeSilva describe how studying chimpanzees in a Ugandan jungle can tell us more about locomotion in human ancestors. Also, learn about our own epidermal jungle, including all the bacteria that live on our skin. (details).
June 12, 2009
- Little Green Monkeys and Little Green Men (Podcast)
- Sorry, but there is no science fiction in this week's episode, just real science. We will learn how and why scientists are making green, glowing marmosets. Also, we will find out if liquid water exists on Mars and what that means for the possibility of life on our planetary neighbor. (details).
June 05, 2009
- Primates and Plastics (Podcast)
- In this segment, find out what scientists have learned from the oldest complete primate fossil ever unearthed. Then hear how yet another type of plastic is raising questions about adverse human health effects. (details).
May 29, 2009
- Monitoring HIV and Regenerating Nerves (Podcast)
- Learn how a local Massachusetts company is helping treat HIV by devising a new piece of monitoring equipment. Also, hear how scientists can actually help nerve cells regenerate. (details).
May 22, 2009
- Forces That Change Us: Aging and Bacteria (Podcast)
- This week we will hear from two guest researchers from our Forces That Change Us series. Dr. Heidi Tissenbaum will describe her research into aging. Dr. David Schauer will discuss why the bacterium Helicobacter Pylori can cause peptic ulcers and gastric cancer, but not always! (details).
May 19, 2009
- Small Molecule Microarrays | Hippos and Hobbits (Podcast)
- Hear Dr. Angela Koehler from the Broad Institute describe her work with small molecule microarrays. Then find out about new research indicating why Homo floresiensis is called the human hobbit. (details).
May 15, 2009
- Green Pharmacy | Flying Animals (Podcast)
- What is Green Pharmacy and how can we implement it? Do a moth, a bat, and a bird all fly the same way? Learn the answers to these questions and more in this week's podcast. (details).
May 12, 2009
- Spring Is In The Air | DNA Alphabet (Podcast)
- Learn about current floral research at Walden Pond aided by the historical naturalist Henry David Thoreau. Also, hear about two more letters added to the four letter DNA alphabet. (details).
May 08, 2009
- Clearing Corneas | Fixing the Ozone Layer (Podcast)
- Learn how scientists can use human stem cells to clear damaged corneas in mice. Also, find out if the ozone layer has improved since CFCs were banned over 20 years ago. (details).
May 01, 2009
- Robot Scientist | Nano Muscles (Podcast)
- In this week's segment we will learn about experiments that are being performed by a robot scientist. We will also find out about new and improved artificial muscles. (details).
April 24, 2009
- Life From Meteorites? | Bacteria That Love Metal (Podcast)
- Find out how meteorites may have helped life develop on Earth. Also, learn how bacteria may one day reduce our nuclear waste. (details).
April 17, 2009
- Satellites and Space Debris | Infection-Induced Anemia (Podcast)
- Dr. David Wright from the Union of Concerned Scientists talks about space debris and its repercussions. We will also learn how and why infections can cause anemia. (details).
April 10, 2009
- The Very Small and the Very Old (Podcast)
- The small world of nanotechnology is making a big splash this summer with water repellent swimsuits. Also, our human ancestor Peking Man finds out he is much older than we thought. (details).
April 03, 2009
- Technology Old and New: Silk Production and Paper Diagnostics (Podcast)
- Hear how China may not have held the ancient patent on silk production technology. Also, discover future ways that paper technology can help diagnose patients, even outside of medical facilities. (details).
March 27, 2009
- Why Go Gray? | Not So Rose Wine (Podcast)
- Hear about new research detailing how hair cells turn gray. Then find out why red wine is not always beneficial to your health. (details).
March 20, 2009
- Talking About Taste (Podcast)
- In this week's episode, Dr. Dennis Drayna from the National Institutes of Health describes how our five senses of taste have played a role in improving human survival and fitness. (details).
March 13, 2009
- Coffee and Sunbathing? | Urine Test for Prostate Cancer (Podcast)
- Learn how caffeine might be useful in preventing skin cancer. Also, find out about a new urine test that might be better than a blood test in prostate cancer detection. (details).
March 06, 2009
