Science & Technology

The future is in good hands with these innovators, and these stories of inventions, technology, and scientific ingenuity are changing not only the way we see the world, but also the world itself.

60 min listen

Looking for Easy Ways to Volunteer? There’s an App for That! with Stephanie Page (Episode #119)

What if you could instantly connect with people who share your passions, and then, spur of the moment, do something fun together that makes the world a better place. Oh, and while you are expanding your friend network, you’d also be learning about your community and building your skills and resume! Turns out, all that is very possible, and today’s guest may send you spinning off into a new life of possibility. Stephanie Page is co-founder of POINT, the app and website that the world has needed for too long. (Think Uber meets volunteerism.)

Image: A picture of kelp beside a picture of bacon, as a new kind of bacon is being made out of seaweed.

Meet the New Vegan Bacon Made From Seaweed

When it comes to faux bacon, it’s not just about taste. People want the bacon to be as authentic as possible including the sizzling fat. Now a Bay Area California startup has introduced a vegan bacon that is made from seaweed that tastes delicious and has a crispy bacon appearance.

Are Video Games Bad for You, Really?

On the quest to find out the effect that video games have on the brain, researchers may have stumbled into something that could change the nature of medicine. We're on the verge of prescribing video games, and these awesome creators walk us through it!

88 min listen

Saving Whales to Save Ourselves: Shared Survival through Whale Research with Iain Kerr (Episode #116)

A constant source of wonder in the world is learning about innovators who use technology in wildly novel ways to do tasks that used to be chores or next to impossible. Our guest, Dr. Iain Kerr, is at the center of that kind of wonder with the way he combines drone technology, the science of snot, and the study of whales. (Yes, you read that right.) Even if you are not a science enthusiast, Iain’s take on progress, finding purpose, perseverance, and innovative thinking will simply put a spring in your step.

Image: spacex launch streak of light on a dark cloudy sky

How Space Can Heal What Divides Us!

Why is it that when astronauts leave this planet they come back humanitarians and artists? Here's a perspective from a filmmaker who has stood next to and interviewed some of the greatest space explorers of our time on how the lessons we've learned from space exploration may help us to be more empathetic, compassionate, and bring us together.

Image: A floating solar farm with two workers walking on top of it.

Floating Solar Farms Are a Game Changer

The sun’s power is virtually infinite — opportunities to collect and make use of it are not. As demand for renewable energy increases, so does the need for places to generate it. Over the last few years, a technological evolution has resulted in solar farms that take up no land at all.

Image: Two whales swimming in the ocean, one under the surface and the other breached and spraying whale snot into the air.

How Whale Snot is Saving an Ocean Near You!

Whale biologists at the Ocean Alliance are pioneering a new, non-invasive way to study whales using drones that allows scientists to observe whales like never before. These insights are giving us a glimpse into the lives of the largest creatures to ever live, and helping us understand how to better protect the oceans that they call home and we depend on.

5 min read

Image: The James Webb Space Telescope's "Cosmic Tarantula"

The Most Detailed Look at Space We’ve Ever Seen Begins to Answer Humankind’s Biggest Questions

On Christmas Day 2021, NASA launched a piece of technology into orbit that has gotten us closer than ever before to some of humanity’s deepest questions. This machine is giving us the best look we’ve ever had at the very origins of our universe. Here's a look at the first four images from the James Webb Space Telescope.

Image: Purple, sparkly slime. Not the exact slime that makes up the slime robots, but certainly a more aesthetic version!

These Slime Robots Could Save Your Life!

When I say “robot” what do you think of? I’m guessing it’s something boxy, solid, metal, maybe a little rigid in its movements. So, what if I told you that scientists are working on a liquid robot, or to be more accurate, a slime robot. This strange little guy challenges our understanding of what robots can be capable of, and in the process, has the power to revolutionize medicine!

65 min listen

Take a Walk with a Doctor: Understanding Yourself Through Nature with Jonathan Reisman M.D. (Episode #99)

The best medicines for overwhelm these days are joy and wonder. Both, when you can get it! And today’s guest, Dr. Jonathan Reisman, brings us exactly that. He is a pediatrician and ER physician with a penchant for adventure travel, nature and food, and connecting ideas that no one ever thought to combine. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Washington Post, Slate, and Discover Magazine and now he has a book that is one of the best “bedside reads” you might ever come across: The Unseen Body: A Doctor's Journey Through the Hidden Wonders of Human Anatomy.

Image: A woman sitting by the sea, drinking water out of a water bottle.

New Portable Device Makes Seawater Drinkable On The Go

Whether you're in the city or on a mountain, any water can now become drinkable. Using less power than a cell phone charger and powered by a small solar panel, this new portable device can make undrinkable water drinkable on the go!

5 min read

Image: A shark swimming near the surface of the ocean, one of the many sharks who inspired the Sharklet antibacterial pattern.

The World’s First Germ Resistant Material, Inspired by… Sharks?

Taking inspiration from sharks, we now have a technology that can help prevent the spread of Staph infections, E Coli, MRSA, and other superbugs that we don’t even have antibiotics for yet! Engineers have discovered that shark skin has a unique pattern that can be duplicated and applied to everything from door handles to medical equipment to prevent the spread of deadly diseases.

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