Ask a Scientist

Have you ever wanted to know about what microscopic organisms live in the soil? This week on Ask a Scientist, Dr. Priyanka Kushwaha, postdoctoral researcher at the University of Arizona talks to us all about soil microbiology (microbes that live in soils)!! She answers questions about what types of microbes live in soils, how she studies microbes, and why it is bad to eat dirt! 

Follow Dr. Kushwaha on Twitter https://twitter.com/pri_kush 

Have you ever wanted to know more about animals' brains? In this episode, Dr. Yan Wang, postdoctoral researcher at Princeton University, talks to us about how she studies the brain structures of different animals like bees and octopuses! She answers listener questions about these animals and about animal behaviors. She also talks about teaching science and science communication! 

Follow Dr. Wang on Twitter https://twitter.com/ZYanWang

Have you ever wanted to know the best way to communicate your ideas? In this special episode actor, comedian, and science communicator Brian Palermo talks to us all about science communication and how improvisation techniques can help scientists communicate better! You might recognize Brian from movies like The Social Network and tv shows like Henry Danger and Friends! Brian answers all your questions about science communication and improv and he talks about his experiences teaching science communication improv classes to groups of scientists!  

Follow Brian on Twitter: https://twitter.com/brianpalermo 

How does the Perseverance Mars Rover work? What was it like to work on? In this episode, Breanna Ivey, electrical engineering student at Georgia Tech and NASA intern, talks to us all about the Perseverance Mars Rover, working at NASA, electrical engineering, and much more! She answers questions from 4th graders about what kids can do to help the Mars Mission and gives advice for students who struggle with math! 

Breanna Ivey's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/breanna-ivey-729508160/

What does a career in science look like? How do you get a career in science? How do you find satisfaction in a career? In this extra special episode of Ask a Scientist, Danielle De La Mare of the Self-Compassionate Professor, talks to us about science careers and how to have a meaningful career. In this episode, Danielle and I have a great conversation about how to have a career in science. 

What is biofacturing? How can products be made from microbes? In this episode, Dr. Zach Serber, co-founder and chief science officer of the biofacturing company, Zymergen, talks to us all about making products from microbes. He tells us all about the process of creating novel products from microbes and all of the amazing things that Zymergen does.

Check out Zymergen's website: https://www.zymergen.com/  

Follow Dr. Zach Serber on Twitter and LinkedIn: https://twitter.com/ZachSerberhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/serber/

Have you ever wondered how stars form? Or what a black hole is? In this episode, Dr. Cara Battersby, assistant professor of physics at the University of Connecticut, talks to us about stars, the universe, time travel, and much more!! So grab your telescope, turn your eyes to the sky, and get ready to think about everything beyond our atmosphere! 

Dr. Battersby's Twitter https://twitter.com/battersbot

What is a parasite? What do parasites do to you? In this episode Dr. Bill Sullivan, professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis and author of "Pleased to Meet Me: Genes, Germs, and the Curious Forces That Make Us Who We Are," talks to us all about parasites, and answers questions about how you get parasites, how to prevent getting parasites, and how to treat parasites! He also talks about the parasite toxoplasma that has been associated with cats. Find out more about it in this episode!! 

Dr. Sullivan's website https://authorbillsullivan.com/ 

Dr. Sullivan's Twitter https://twitter.com/wjsullivan 

Have you ever wanted to know more about how animals form bonds? In this episode, Dr. Lisa Hiura, postdoc at the University of Colorado Boulder Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Department, answers all of your questions about animal bonding! She looks at the brains of a special wild rodent that also forms strong bonds like humans do to try and figure out what makes them (and us!) want to have close relationships. So get ready to learn all about neurobiology (the biology of the brain) and how animals develop relationships! 

Follow Dr. Hiura on Twitter @l_hiura

Have you ever wanted to know more about beer? Or even what beer is? In this episode, we talk to Dr. Ethan Tsai, manager of brewing operations at Cigar City Brewing, talks to us all about the science of beer and the science of things we eat and drink! He talks to us about all things beer, from how beer is made to how beer gets its flavors. But he also talks to us about other fermented foods like sour kraut and yogurt. He even talks to us about how some of the the chemical compounds that are responsible for beer going stale are also responsible for the taste of cucumbers and the smell of old people!! So go grab a cold one (beer or other beverage) and get ready to learn all about the science of things we drink and eat! 

Have you ever wanted to know what a neurotransmitter is? What about how cells inside your body "talk" to each other? In this episode, Dr. Mike Klymkowsky, professor in the Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology at the University of Colorado Boulder, talks to us about all things molecular and cellular biology! He tells us all about neurotransmitters, cell communication, experimenting on frogs, and more! He also talks to us about how people learn biology and how to teach biology! 

Images of molecular machines: 

https://evolutionnews.org/2017/05/molecular-machines-reach-perfection/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molecular_machine

Dr. Klymkowsky's lab:

http://klymkowskylab.colorado.edu/

What is climate change? How is it affecting us? How is it affecting other living things on the planet? Camille Collett, geologist and climate change expert, talks to us all about climate change and answers these questions and many, many more! 

This is an extra special episode in that we are joined by students from Mr. R's 4th grade class to ask their questions!

As an extra bonus, we are giving away a special climate change T-shirt to the first listener who can email the correct answer to Camille's question "what are the two main things that we can do about climate change to stop it and slow it down?" askascientistpod@gmail.com 

Get in touch with Camille:

http://camille-collett.squarespace.com/ 

camille.m.collett@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/cam_collett

Climate change shirt: https://www.facebook.com/askascientistpod/photos/a.131111268420098/250924959772061/

Have you ever wondered how your brain and spinal cord form? What happens before you are born that makes your brain and spinal cord develop? In this episode, Dr. Heather Brown, from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, talks to us all about the development of the brain and spinal cord. She discovered that one gene in particular is very important for making sure the spinal cord and brain form correctly. This gene acts like  “school bus” inside of a cell and it moves around the cell to pick up and drop off proteins at different places inside the cell, similar to how a school bus picks up and drops off students at home and at school.  Without this gene, our brain and spinal cord wouldn't grow! In this episode, we will learn all about this school bus gene, how it works, and how it helps the brain and spinal cord to form correctly. So grab your backpacks, hop on your school bus, and get ready to learn all about how your brain formed! 

Have you ever wanted to know why music sometimes gives you a strong emotional reaction? Or why spoiled food tastes really bad? In this episode, Dr, Melanie Peffer, professor at the University of Colorado Boulder and author of Biology Everywhere,talks to us all about biology in the world around us! She answers questions all about how music makes us feel, why some foods taste sour, why we look like our parents, and so much more! So tune in and get ready to think of the world around you in a whole new way! 

Check out Dr. Peffer's book and follow her on social media: 

https://www.biologyeverywhere.com/

Have you ever wondered what prehistoric insects looked like? In this episode, Dr. Gussie Maccracken, National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellow, tells us all about insects of the past! She answers questions about how big insects used to be (spoiler alert, they were HUGE!), what the insects ate, and how ancient insects interacted with dinosaurs! So grab your giant bug-catching nets and get ready to hear all about fossil insects! 

 Giant dragon fly fossil - http://www.geologyin.com/2018/01/the-largest-insect-ever-existed-was.html

Arthropleura - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthropleura 

Follow Dr. Gussie Maccracken on Twitter https://twitter.com/Gussie_Mac?s=20

Have you ever wanted to know more about skeletons? In this episode, Dr. Jaime Ullinger, associate professor of anthropology at Quinnipiac University, talks to us about bioarcheology, the study of skeletons to learn more about humans of the past. Dr. Ullinger answers all your questions about skeletons and talks about how what you eat affects your skeleton and what we can learn about diseases in the past by looking at skeletons. She has seen thousands of skeletons throughout her career and tells us all about them in this episode! 

Do you want to know more about the current COVID-19 pandemic? In this episode, retired respiratory therapist Tom Kellond talks to us all about COVID-19 and how patients with respiratory diseases like COVID-19 are treated in the hospital. He answers questions about how COVID-19 spreads,  how to protect yourself against COVID-19, and how COVID-19 patients are taken care of when they are in the hospital and in the ICU. With lot's of information and misinformation about COVID-19 going around on the news and on the internet, this episode of Ask a Scientist will give you direct answers to your questions from a respiratory health expert, Tom Kellond. 

Have you ever wanted to know more about bats? In this episode, Dana Green, from the University of Regina in Canada, talks to us all about bats! She answers your questions about how big, how small, how tall, and how fast bats are, and so much more!! She tells us all about how cool bats are! So if you've ever been afraid of bats, Dana tells us all about how awesome and not-scary bats are. Hopefully she can help you face your fears and realize that bats are amazing creatures that can't hurt you. So grab your night-vision goggles and keep an eye out for bats! 

Links to more info about different kinds of bats: 

Large flying fox bat:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_flying_fox

Kitti’s hog-nosed bat: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitti's_hog-nosed_bat

Hoary bats: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoary_bat

Indiana Bat: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_bat

Gray bats: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray_bat

Pallid bat: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pallid_bat

Short-tailed bat:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystacinidae

Tent-making bat: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tent-making_bat

White nose syndrome:https://www.nps.gov/articles/what-is-white-nose-syndrome.htm#:~:text=White%2Dnose%20syndrome%20(WNS),likely%20exotic%2C%20introduced%20from%20Europe.

Snakes hang to get bats: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2016/10/kantemo-bat-cave-hanging-serpents-snakes-yucatan-mexico-video/

Flying lemur: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_flying_lemur

Silver-haired bat: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver-haired_bat

Wrinkle-faced bat: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrinkle-faced_bat

Have you ever wanted to know more about whale sharks? Are they whales or sharks? Why are they called whale sharks? In this episode, Royale Hardenstine, from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, answers these questions and more! She tells us all about her work studying whale sharks and rays in the Red Sea! She talks about how she uses special camera systems to observe these amazing creatures and how she tags whale sharks without hurting them. She even talks about her time working at a Marine Animal Hospital working with sick and inured sea turtles and seals! So grab your snorkel gear and get ready for an underwater adventure! 

Red Sea Photo ID:  https://www.instagram.com/redsea_photoid/

OSearch Satellite Tags:https://www.ocearch.org/ocearch-adds-satellite-tag-to-shark-already-equipped-with-an-acoustic-transmitter/

Whale shark:http://askascientistpod.com/episode-33-royale-hardenstine-whale-sharks-and-rays/

Mangrove wit ray: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangrove_whipray

Blue-spotted ribbon ray:http://askascientistpod.com/episode-33-royale-hardenstine-whale-sharks-and-rays/

Manta ray: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manta_ray

Masked Puffer:http://askascientistpod.com/episode-33-royale-hardenstine-whale-sharks-and-rays/

Have you ever wanted to know more about sustainable ways to make materials like plastics? In this episode, Dr. John Trawick, Senior Research Fellow at Genomatica, talks to us about using biology to make stuff. That is, he uses microbes (small living things like bacteria) to make the building blocks of plastics! In this episode, he tells us more about what this means and how it works. This is a more sustainable way to make materials like plastics that are used in so many everyday items. Dr. Trawick will explain all about the process of making these plastic building blocks, he will give examples of products that use these building blocks, and much, much more!! 

Links to more information: 

Genomatica website: www.genomatica.com.

Mater-Bio (Novamont) in Italy has licensed Genomatica technology and makes 1,4-butanediol by fermentation instead of from crude oil: https://www.novamont.com/eng/                                                                                                                                                                 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsEfH8-2uN4

Genomatica is bringing renewable nylon to reality: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GTAJKDQhLQ&feature=youtu.be

Very Cherry Bright Moistuizer: https://www.sephora.com/product/very-cherry-bright-15-clean-vitamin-c-serum-with-acerola-cherry-P449400

Brontide: https://www.brontidebg.com/

Lavazza: https://www.lavazza.com/en.html

Have you ever seen a bug in your house and wanted to know how it got there and how to get rid of it? Dr. Sydney Crawley, Assistant Professor at North Carolina State University, studies the that live in and around your house (urban insects). She focuses on studying bed bugs, cockroaches, mosquitoes, and other pests that can harm people or pets. She answers all of your questions about these bugs and gives us some useful tips to prevent the bugs from coming into your house and how to get rid of them when you find them! She'll even teach you how to make your own fruit fly trap! 

Dr. Crawley’s Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydney-crawley-62916b7b/ 

Catepillar poop https://youtu.be/bxYuLjyf1Qw 

Peackcok spider https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3HlwwJG85cn

Camel cricket https://www.pestworld.org/pest-guide/occasional-invaders/camel-crickets/

Velvet ant https://www.pestworld.org/pest-guide/stinging-insects/velvet-ants-cow-killers/

Giant prickly stick insect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extatosoma_tiaratum

Giant water bug https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belostomatidae

Cacropia moth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyalophora_cecropia

Orchid mantis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hymenopus_coronatus

Madagascar hissing roach https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madagascar_hissing_cockroach

Have you ever wanted to know more about birds? In this episode, Alyssa DeRubeis talks about her Master's research at the University of Arkansas studying grassland birds in North America. She talks to us all about birds and what we can do to help birds. She answers all of your questions about birds, including "why do some birds fly south in the winter, while others don't?" "how is climate change affecting birds?" and "do all birds lay eggs?" She even gives some great advice about bird feeders and demonstrates some bird calls! 

Bobwhite quail -  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_bobwhite

California condor - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_condor

Giant ibis - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_ibis

Henslow’s sparrow - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henslow%27s_sparrow

Grasshopper sparrows - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grasshopper_sparrow

LaCante sparrows - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeConte%27s_sparrow

Red-winged blackbird - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-winged_blackbird

Bobolink - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobolink

Eastern meadowlark - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_meadowlark

Eastern bluebird - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_bluebird

American kestrel - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_kestrel

Painted bunting - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Painted_bunting

Scissor-tailed flycatcher - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scissor-tailed_flycatcher

Snowy owl - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowy_owl

Great gray owl - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_grey_owl

Jabiru stork - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jabiru

Dicksissel - https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dickcissel

Hoatzin - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoatzin

American redstart - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_redstart

Inaccessible island rail - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inaccessible_Island_rail

Bearded vulture - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bearded_vulture

Hook-billed kite - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook-billed_kite

Golden eagle - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_eagle

Canada jay - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_jay

Cliff swallow - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliff_swallow

Warbler - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warbler

www.ebird.org

Do you ever wonder if there is life on other planets? Do you love Sci Fi movies about extra terrestrials? In this episode, Dr. Jeff Coughlin, of the SETI Institute and Kepler Mission at NASA, talks to us about exoplanets and the search for life on other planets. He will answer all of your questions about exoplanets, including, "what is an exoplanet? Where is the closest exoplanet?" and of course the important question "how do you look for life on other planets?" So grab your telescopes and get ready to explore outer space! 

Have you ever wanted to know more about life in the ocean? In this episode, Susann Rossbach, PhD candidate in Marine Science at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, will talk to us about life underwater, specifically giant clams!! She will answer all of your questions about these wonderful invertebrates, like how big do they get, what do they eat, and how are the being affected by climate change. So grab your scuba gear and get ready for an underwater adventure into the world of giant clams! 

Ocean Sunfish: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_sunfish 

What is social science? Brooke McWherter, PhD student at Purdue University, talks to us all about being a social scientist. She is a natural resource social scientist, so she studies people’s thoughts and behaviors around natural resource management and conservation. she answers all of your questions about what it's like to work with people and study the ways that people think and feel about the natural world! 

Red-fronted macaw https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-fronted_macaw 

Have you ever wanted to know more about antibiotic resistance? In this episode, Lisa Stein, a master's student at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. She answers all of your questions including "what does antibiotic resistance mean?" "how to bacteria become resistant to antibiotic medicines?" and "how can you protect yourself from resistant bacteria?" 

Have you ever wanted to know how birds communicate with each other? Dr. Kelly Ronald, professor of biology at Hope College, talks to us all about bird communication! Why do birds sing early in the morning? How many noises can birds make? Why are birds so many different colors? Why are some birds bright colors and others aren't? She answers all these questions and more! 

Link to lyrebird sounds https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjE0Kdfos4Y

Dr. Ronald’s website https://www.kellylronald.com/

Have you ever wanted to know more about how libraries work? In this episode, Ben Chiewphasa, Government Information Librarian and Assistant Professor at the University of Montana, talks to us all about library and information sciences! Information is all around us: When you turn on the TV, read a news article, watch a YouTube video, and a lot more! Ben will answer all your questions about how information gets created, collected, organized, preserved, and distributed! He will even talk about fake news, how to identify it, and how to avoid it! So turn off your tvs, close your Google searches, and get ready to hear all about the world of information from a librarian and information scientist!  

Have you ever wanted to know more about animals without backbones (invertebrates)? In this episode, Dr. Jen Bauer, Collections Manager at the University of Michigan Museum of Paleontology, talks to us all about invertebrates and the 2 million fossils in the museum that she manages! She tells us all about sea urchins, sea stars, and what its like to work with 2 million fossils! She describes ancient invertebrates and how she studies family trees going back hundreds of millions of years! 

Here are links to things we've mentioned throughout the episode:

University of Michigan’s online fossil repository https://umorf.ummp.lsa.umich.edu/wp/

Dr. Bauer’s website Time Scavengers https://timescavengers.blog/

Venomous sea urchins -  https://www.liveabout.com/are-sea-urchin-spines-venomous-2962963

Sea star stomach: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DFXGafpGkQ

Fossil Focus: Blastoids  https://www.palaeontologyonline.com/articles/2018/fossil-focus-blastoids/

For listeners to explore other fossil types:  https://www.digitalatlasofancientlife.org/vc/

Heart urchin: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heteraster#/media/File:Heteraster_oblongus.jpg

Devonian sea star: http://michiganbasinfossils.org/viewrecord/8

Cryptoschisma: https://www.steinkern.de/steinkern-de-galerie/spanien/blastoidea-cryptoschisma-schultzii-de-verneuil-d-archiac-1845-12855.html 

Have you ever wanted to know more about the sun? In this episode, Dr. Michael Kirk, research scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center with Astra, talks to us all about the sun! Why is the sun so bright? Why is it bad to look at the sun? Why does the sun set at different times all throughout the year? What's it like to work for NASA? Dr. Kirk will answer all those questions and more!! 

Links: 

Sun-grazing comets: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1yH_DuC88M

Helioviewer: https://www.helioviewer.org/

Have you ever wanted to know more about snakes and alligators? In this extra special episode, the paleontologists of the Common Descent Podcast talk to us about all things paleontology! David tells us all about snakes. Will talks to us all about alligators and crocodiles. And they both talk to us about finding fossils, analyzing fossils, and hosting a podcast! So grab your paleontology hats and get ready to learn about reptiles and paleontology!! And check out the Common Descent Podcast at https://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/

Have you ever wanted to know more about genetics and how we can use genetics to protect species on the landscape? In this episode, Dr. Sarah Gaughan from Bellevue University, talks to us all about genetics, fish, conservation, and how we can use genetics to help species living in changing environments stay on the landscape. She answers all your questions about fish, how they evolved, and how they are changing today and in the future. So grab your fishing pole and get ready to learn all about these amazing creatures swimming just below the surface! 

Have you ever wanted to know more about weather in space? In this episode, Dr. Joe Hughes, Research Scientist at Astra, talks to us all about the weather in space! He answers all of your questions about what makes space weather, and how things like solar flares affect conditions on Earth. He even teaches us how GPS works! Grab your telescopes, look out to the stars, and get ready to learn all about the things that happen just beyond Earth's atmosphere! 

For a transcript of this episode and more information about some of the topics discussed, please visit https://askascientistpod.com/episode-transcripts/

Have you ever wanted to know more about dinosaur poop? In this episode, Dr. Karen Chin, Curator of Paleontology and Associate Professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, talks to us all about dinosaur dung!! She answers all of your questions about fossilized dinosaur doo-doo (the scientific term is coprolites) and about dinosaur bathroom behavior! She talks to us about where dinosaurs pooped, how big dinosaur poop was, and even what dinosaur poop might have smelled like! We talk about dinosaur diet, digestion, and other things we can't learn from studying dinosaur bones alone. So grab your toilet paper and get ready for a fun, informative episode all about dinosaur droppings! 

For a transcript of this episode and more information about some of the topics discussed, please visit https://askascientistpod.com/episode-transcripts/

Have you ever wanted to know more about sharks? In this episode, Dr. Mikki McComb-Kobza, Executive Director of Ocean First Institute,  talks to us about sharks! She tells us all about the world's oldest sharks, the biggest sharks, the smallest sharks, and what it's like to see a shark in person! We talk about why sharks are scared of orcas and how it is challenging to keep great white sharks in captivity. So grab your scuba gear and get ready to dive into the world of sharks!! 

For a transcript of this episode and more information about some of the topics discussed, please visit https://askascientistpod.com/episode-transcripts/

Have you ever wanted to know more about ancient humans who died a long time ago? In this episode, Dr. Erin Baxter, Curator of Anthropology at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, talks to us about what humans have done with their dead throughout history. She studies all of the wonderful burial practices of cultures around the world. In this episode, she talks to us about about mummies, skeletons, what we can learn from studying bones, and much, much more!  There is so much to be learned about humans and their history by studying human remains, so get ready to hear Dr. Baxter talk about some amazing experiences she's had studying humans all around the world. 

For a transcript of this episode and more information about some of the topics discussed, please visit https://askascientistpod.com/episode-transcripts/

Have you ever wanted to know more about scientist developing cures and treatments for cancer? In this episode, Roy Dornbrook, Associate Scientist at Verseau Therapeutics, talks to us about his research developing immune-based therapies for cancer. He answers your questions about cancer, new treatments being developed for it, what causes it, how long we've known about it, and even why it's called cancer! While cancer is a disease that affects many people, there are thousands of scientists all over the world trying to find treatments and cures for it, and Roy tells us all about it! 

Have you ever wanted to know more about the Earth? In this episode, Dr. Miquela Ingalls, Assistant Professor at Penn State University, will talk to us all about the Earth, its history, its environments, and its climate! She will answer all your questions about Earth’s oceans, continents, atmosphere, and how they have changed through the 4.6 billion year history of the Earth!! She's studied the Earth all over the world, from lakes in Mexico to the  peaks in the Himalaya and she talks to us all about these amazing places! 

Have you ever wanted to know more about dinosaurs? In this episode, Hillary Cepress-McLean, Fossil Lab Manager at the Perot Museum, talks to us about all things dinosaurs! She will answer your questions about the most crazy-looking dinosaurs, the smallest dinosaurs, the largest dinosaurs, and what it's like to put dinosaur skeletons back together at a museum! 

Here are some links to more information about some of the dinosaurs that Hillary mentions in this episode: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bajadasaurus

https://www.britannica.com/animal/therizinosaur

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinosaurus

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabloceratops

Have you ever wanted to know more about Alzheimer's disease? In this episode, Dr. Chris Link, Associate Professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, talks to us about his research working to understand brain diseases like Alzheimer's. He answers questions about developments that have been made in the field of Alzheimer's research and discusses how worms and mice are used to better understand Alzheimer's. 

Have you ever wanted to know more about spiders? In this episode Dr. Paula Cushing, curator of Invertebrate Zoology at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, talks to us all about spiders and their kin. What kinds of spiders do we find in our homes? Are any of them venomous? How big do spiders get? And what is the spider's place in the ecosystem? Dr. Cushing will answer all these questions and more! Get ready to learn about the 8-legged fuzzy friends we sometimes find in our houses! 

Have you ever wanted to learn more about beavers? In this episode, Dr. Emily Fairfax, Assistant Professor at California State University Channel Islands, talks to us about beavers and how they interact with the ecosystem around them. How do they create and protect wetlands? How long does it take them to chew through a tree? And why were beavers ever thrown from airplanes in boxes attached to parachutes??  

She made a short (45 second) stop motion video using felt and a toy beaver that shows how beavers change the land - you can watch it here: https://youtu.be/IAM94B73bzE

Have you ever wanted to know more about Mars? In this episode, Dr. Tanya Harrison, the Manager of Science Programs at Planet Labs, talks to us about everything Mars, from the rocks at the surface of Mars to Mars rovers. She'll even talk about Marsquakes! Get ready to blast off to Mars! 

Have you ever wanted to know more about bees? Or how humans are affecting bees and their habitats? In this episode, Dr. Adrian Carper, Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Colorado Boulder, will talk to us about bees, honey, pollination, and what we can do to help prevent bee extinction. And he will even tell us all about the murder hornets and what it means that they have been spotted in North America! 

Have you ever wanted to know more about ice cores? Or about what the climate was like in the past? In this episode Almost-Dr. Abby Hughes, who is finishing her PhD at the University of Colorado, talks to us about 100,000 year old ice, Greenland, climates of the past and how the climate is changing today.  Grab your jackets because she's going to tell us about some cold temperatures! 

Have you ever wanted to know more about volcanoes or the damage a volcanic eruption can cause? In this episode, (almost) Dr. Sophia Tsang, who just finished her PhD at the University of Auckland, will talk to us about volcanic eruptions, volcanic hazards, and how she studies volcanoes by making lava in the laboratory! 

Have you ever wanted to know more about the human brain? What about how exercise can help improve brain function? In this episode, Dr. Diane Ehlers, Assistant Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, will talk to us about different types of exercise, brain function, and how exercise can help improve brain function in older adults and people with cancer. 

Have you ever wanted to know more about chemistry or the science behind the magic of the Harry Potter world? In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Lai, chemistry professor at the University of Nebraska Lincoln, will talk to us about what it's like to be a chemist and about how she uses Harry Potter to teach people about chemistry. What Harry Potter potions can chemists really make? Are invisibility cloaks real? Dr. Lai will answer these questions and more in this episode! 

Have you ever wanted to know more about some of your favorite fruits and veggies like tomatoes and potatoes? In this episode, Dr. Stacey Smith, professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado Boulder, will talk to us about tomatoes, potatoes, hummingbirds and more! 

In this special episode of Ask a Scientist, Dr. Sharon Medcalf, director of the Center for Biosecurity, Biopreparedness, and Emerging Infectious Diseases at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, answers questions about the coronavirus that the listeners submitted over the last few days.

Have you ever wondered what it's like to dig up dinosaur bones? Dr. Ian Miller, paleontologist at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, will answer that question and more for the debut episode of Ask A Scientist.