The STEM Sessions Podcast: Recent Episodes
Jarl Cody
Presentations, opinions, and interviews on topics in STEM. Remember, STEM is not the exclusive property of experts, policy makers, or talking heads. Every presenter is susceptible to bias, unconsciously or deliberately, so always verify what you read and what you’re told. Do your own research. Satisfy your curiosity. And keep learning.
The STEM Sessions Podcast
Episode 39. Mistletoe – The Plant and the Meme
Discussion of the biology and botany of mistletoe, and where the tradition of kissing under it comes from.
This episode was researched, written, and produced by Cody Colborn
Music: “Void to the World” by Alexander Nakarada from Pixabay.com
Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2025/12/27/shownotes-ep39/
Support The STEM Sessions Podcast
- https://buymeacoffee.com/codycolborn
- https://paypal.me/thestemsessions
For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast
Episode 38. What Do Seasons Even Mean?
Discussion of what creates the seasons, how we define them, and are the real in the first place.
This episode was researched, written, and produced by Cody Colborn
Music: “The Metal” by Ivan Selivanov from Pixabay
Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2025/12/12/shownotes-ep38/
Support The STEM Sessions Podcast
- https://buymeacoffee.com/codycolborn
- https://paypal.me/thestemsessions
For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast
Episode 37. Volunteering in STEM
Discussion of the volunteer activities in STEM I participated in this year.
This episode was researched, written, and produced by Cody Colborn
Music: “Iron Cathedral” by Jyproject from Pixabay
Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2025/11/19/shownotes-ep37/
Support The STEM Sessions Podcast
- https://buymeacoffee.com/codycolborn
- https://paypal.me/thestemsessions
For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast
Episode 36. Pumping Iron, For Science
Lighthearted discussion of the drama in the science based fitness movement.
This episode was researched, written, and produced by Cody Colborn
Music
“Gearhead” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2025/11/02/shownotes-ep36/
Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions
For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast
Episode 35. Mad Scientists: Harbingers of Doom and Pop Culture Icons
A recording of my presentation at the Long Beach Comic Con in August 2025 on the history of the mad scientist trope in pop culture
This episode was researched, written, and produced by Cody Colborn
Music
“Neolith” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2025/10/19/shownotes-ep35/
Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions
For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast
Episode 34. What’s in a Name?
Discussion of the scientific naming convention of organisms and why it is important to know the scientific name in addition to the common and regional name of the plants and animals you’re observing.
This episode was researched, written, and produced by Cody Colborn
Music by Silent Partner, titled “Black Vulture”.
Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2025/10/01/shownotes-ep34/
Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions
For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast
Episode 33. There’s No Best Way to Take Notes
Discussion of how I take notes at work, at home, and on the trail.
Shownotes & Transcript: https://thestemsessions.com/2025/09/21/shownotes-ep33/
Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions
For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast
Episode 32. The Science Behind the Fear
Discussion of the biology and psychology behind fear, and why so many of us, including myself, love to be scared.
Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2024/10/30/shownotes-ep32/
Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions
For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast
Episode 31. Is That a Gopher in Your Pocket?
Discussion of the Botta’s pocket gopher, the latest critter to have been identified in my yard.
Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2024/09/08/shownotes-ep31/
Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions
For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast
Episode 30. Give Me Some Sugar, Little Honey Bee
A live fact-checking of a honey bee meme that has popped up in my social media feeds several times this year.
Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2024/08/09/shownotes-ep30/
Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions
For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast
Episode 29. Your Ankle Shouldn’t Bend That Way
Discussion of my broken ankle – from the injury to the surgery to the physical therapy to back to normal.
Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2024/07/30/shownotes-ep29/
Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions
For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast
Episode 28. Science in Koroneburg
Discussion of my experience at the 2024 Koroneburg Renaissance Festival as a member of the Guild of Science and Arts.
Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2024/07/13/shownotes-ep28/
Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions
For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast
Episode 27. Rivalries of 19th Century Science
Playback of my talk at Wild Wild West Con in Tucson, AZ, on 3/1/2024 about two rivalries in 19th Century Science: The Bone Wars, and the Telephone Patent.
Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2024/03/11/shownotes-ep27/
Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions
For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast
Episode 26. Auto-toxicity
Discussion of the nitrogen cycle in agriculture and deconstructing a rule of thumb for crop rotation in alfalfa fields.
Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2024/01/20/shownotes-ep26
Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions
For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast
Episode 25. STEM Sells, and We’re Buying
A rant and warning about the increasing use of STEM to artificially bolster authority and get clicks on YouTube.
Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2023/12/29/shownotes-ep25/
Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions
For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast
Episode 24. Political Shots, Shotty Science
Discussion of my time in the California Naturalist program, specifically the docent led tour that made me quit.
Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2023/10/22/shownotes-ep24/
Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions
For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast Episode 23. Thumbing For Distance Discussion of my attempt to mathematically and geometrically verify the legitimacy of a rule of thumb for estimating the distance between you and an object. Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2023/07/02/shownotes-ep23/ Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast
Episode 22. The Seventh Forward
Discussion of my attempt to mathematically determine optimal line combinations when seven forwards are dressed for a hockey game.
Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2023/01/16/shownotes-ep22/
Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions
For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast Episode 21. What a Difference Slope Makes Discussion of how elevation change causes divergence between map distance and distance traveled, and whether or not it matters in navigation. Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2022/11/28/shownotes-ep21/ Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast Episode 20. The Cone Bearers Discussion of the conifer family of plants and shrubs. Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2021/12/27/shownotes-ep20/ Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast Episode 19. Inconvenient Requirements Discussion of why engineers should not ignore requirements they believe to be inconvenient or stupid, and a philosophical look at the Elaine Thomas vs United States Navy case. Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2021/12/05/shownotes-ep19/ Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast Episode 18. Supply, Demand, and Cognitive Bias Discussion of cognitive biases and their influence on how we perceive supply and demand, and how we can use logic and reasoning to ground our decision making. Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2021/11/20/shownotes-ep18/ Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast Episode 17. The Northern Mockingbird Discussion of the Northern Mockingbird and the journey of two parents nesting and raising three chicks in my backyard Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2021/10/09/shownotes-ep17/ Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast Episode 16. Agents of Discovery at Willow Springs Park Field recordings from and discussion of my afternoon completing a question in the Agents of Discovery app. Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2021/09/18/shownotes-ep16/ Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast Episode 15. Why Did I Become an Engineer? Discussion of what inspired me to pursue a career in mechanical engineering, and why I believe those “ah ha” moments of inspiration are overrated. Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2021/07/06/shownotes-ep15/ Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast Episode 14. Backyard Ecology: The Alligator Lizard Discussion of alligator lizard taxonomy. Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2021/06/27/shownotes-ep14/ Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast Episode 13. The Trouble With Monarchs Discussion of the mortality rate of monarch butterfly caterpillars. Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2021/05/30/shownotes-ep13/ Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast Episode 12. Conservation of Momentum Discussion of the conservation of momentum and how to apply it to Hollywood action scenes. Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2021/05/25/shownotes-ep12/ Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com
The STEM Sessions Podcast Episode 11. Let’s Go to the Fair Discussion of my experience judging the 2021 science and engineering fairs. Shownotes: https://thestemsessions.com/2021/05/15/shownotes-ep11/ Support The STEM Sessions Podcast – https://paypal.me/thestemsessions For additional information visit https://thestemsessions.com or email thestemsessions@gmail.com