The future is scary, but it doesn’t have to be! Host Dr. Kate Biberdorf (aka Kate the Chemist) is seeking scientists to guide us into the great unknown. From fu...
How to adapt to the extreme cold, according to Finnish reindeer herders
Human biology thankfully allows us to adapt to major changes in temperature, but only so quickly. Professor Cara Ocobock is working with reindeer herders in subarctic Finland to find out how the human body evolved to withstand the extreme cold over time. What can we learn from communities that have a long history of living and working in the frigid weather?
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Your most surprising science questions of the year, answered
We’ve dug into a lot of fascinating topics this past year on Seeking a Scientist, but they’re all so complicated! That means there are a lot of lingering questions that we haven’t had a chance to tackle yet. As we close out 2024, we’re celebrating our favorite science stories of the year and answering the weirdest, wackiest, and most surprising science questions you all submitted — including space trash, immortal jellyfish, and why cats like to sit on puzzles.
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How living in outer space changes the human body
Gravity dominates every moment of our experience here on Earth. We may take it for granted, but NASA astronaut Kate Rubins assuredly does not. She knows firsthand the fun and challenges of living in microgravity. During her time in space, Rubins conducted important experiments so that someday humans can handle even longer missions — like heading to Mars.
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Feeling stressed? Here’s what is actually happening
Stress is a part of every human’s life, but the way it feels and how we handle it varies based on the individual. That’s one of the reasons stress is such a challenging topic for scientists to study. Dr. Rajita Sinha of Yale’s Stress Center says new brain imaging technology is helping us better understand our stress biology, the lasting effects of chronic stress, and healthy ways of dealing with it.
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How can we bring extinct species back from the dead?
A new “Jurassic Park” movie is coming out next year, the latest installment of the blockbuster series all about the dangerous hubris in trying to bring dinosaurs back from extinction. Paleogeneticist Beth Shapiro says the science may be flawed, but cloning extinct species is more realistic than you may think. In fact, that work is already underway — but with the slightly friendlier woolly mammoth.
The future is scary, but it doesn’t have to be! Host Dr. Kate Biberdorf (aka Kate the Chemist) is seeking scientists to guide us into the great unknown. From fungus zombies to feeling young forever, we’re puzzling out what our world could look like — and how we can get ready. A podcast from KCUR Studios and the NPR Podcast Network. Supported by The Stowers Institute For Medical Research.
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