Episodes

  • Episode 429: Uncovering hidden pollution in the Arctic

    Episode 429: Uncovering hidden pollution in the Arctic
    Sep 13 2024
    Polluted ground and water in the Arctic have gone unnoticed for decades. University of Arizona environmental health scientist Frank von Hippel is working with Native American tribes in Alaska to locate and clean up pollution from military installations dating back to the Cold War.
    Show more Show less
    5 mins
  • Episode 428: Investigating the mystery of Long COVID

    Episode 428: Investigating the mystery of Long COVID
    Sep 6 2024
    Some former COVID-19 patients are still suffering symptoms years after first encountering the coronavirus. University of Arizona immunologist Janko Nikolich is contributing to an ongoing national study on Long COVID. He discusses why Long COVID continues to mystify researchers looking into the different COVID-19 variants.
    Show more Show less
    5 mins
  • Episode 427: How the design of places where we live and work affects our physical and mental well-being

    Episode 427: How the design of places where we live and work affects our physical and mental well-being
    Aug 30 2024
    Scientists are studying how sounds, smells, and other natural elements make a difference in how comfortable we feel in our homes and offices. University of Arizona Architecture professor Altaf Engineer focuses his research on health and well-being in the built environment. He’s researching the ways designers can impact social and behavioral issues through the buildings they create.
    Show more Show less
    5 mins
  • Episode 426: How plants and animals are responding to climate change

    Episode 426: How plants and animals are responding to climate change
    Aug 23 2024
    As our climate changes, growing seasons and migration patterns are happening at different times than in the past. University of Arizona environmental researcher Theresa Crimmins describes how seasonal data collection is revealing changes in the common design of nature.
    Show more Show less
    5 mins
  • Episode 425: How skin cells are delivering clues to the mystery of Parkinson's

    Episode 425: How skin cells are delivering clues to the mystery of Parkinson's
    Aug 16 2024
    Parkinson's disease affects an estimated 1 million Americans. University of Arizona neurology professor Lalitha Madhavan describes how a simple extraction of skin cells can uncover biomarkers that could help doctors diagnose Parkinson's in their patients.
    Show more Show less
    5 mins
  • Episode 424: Using satellites to measure ice and snow in Antarctica

    Episode 424: Using satellites to measure ice and snow in Antarctica
    Aug 9 2024
    Scientists are trying to get more accurate measurements of conditions in the continent of Antarctica. University of Arizona Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences professor Ali Behrangi describes how using a satellite in space can deliver data about snow and ice in one of the world's harshest environment.
    Show more Show less
    5 mins
  • Episode 423: Studying the survival instincts of squirrels

    Episode 423: Studying the survival instincts of squirrels
    Aug 2 2024
    Wildlife scientists are exploring which species are best adapting to the effects of climate change. University of Arizona evolutionary biologist Lauren Petrullo describes a long-term field project focusing on wild North American Red Squirrels and their everyday resilience habits.
    Show more Show less
    5 mins
  • Episode 422: How the mind keeps active during the brain's “down time”

    Episode 422: How the mind keeps active during the brain's “down time”
    Jul 26 2024
    Not much is known about the science of imagination because few studies have asked the question of what triggers creativity. University of Arizona psychology professor Jessica Andrews-Hanna talks about what develops in our brains when we turn our thoughts inward.
    Show more Show less
    5 mins