Ask Dr. Universe: Recent Episodes
Washington State University
Join Dr. Universe and her friends at Washington State University as they investigate science questions from kids around the world. Know a kid with a curious science question? Help them submit it at askDrUniverse.wsu.edu for a chance to be featured on a future episode.
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Cosmo and I investigated belly buttons—thanks to WSU nursing professor Cindy Brigham-Althoff.
- Learn more about the placenta with Operation Ouch and Scientific American
- Check out all the belly buttons with Nat Geo
- Find out about placental mammals
- See what's living inside your navel with Nat Geo
Sound effects courtesy Pixabay
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Join me and some new friends as we shrink down and travel through a cell, checking out organelles along the way. It's a cell biology adventure!
This episode was written and performed by the 6th graders in Kelsey Starke's classes at Vancouver iTech Preparatory. Thanks to WSU's John Hinz for the expert factcheck.
Can't get enough cell bio?
- Check out the National Geographic cell biology collection
- Enjoy PBS Learning videos about life sciences
- Take a another trip through a cell with Amoeba Sisters
- Peep the National Science Foundation kids' video about cells
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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WSU apple breeder, Kate Evans, told me all about out how apples work and what it's like to be a scientist who makes new apples—like the Cosmic Crisp®.
- See Kate Evans' pollen vial here
- Learn more about the Cosmic Crisp® apple
- See all these different kinds of apples—and these Washington apples
- Enjoy these pollinator activities
- Use the Xerces Society pollinator plant lists to find what to plant near you
- Check out the apple question Kate Evans helped me answer
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Cosmo and I learned all about cat anatomy and how feline friends like us climb so well. Thanks to WSU vet med's Steve Lampa for the expert info.
- Learn more about joints with Nemours
- Find out about connective tissue with Brittanica Kids
- Check out Vox's explainer on the righting reflex
Sound effects courtesy Pixabay and Zapsplat
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Today Cosmo and I learned all about fingerprints—and how they give primates dexterity and grip.
- Learn more about primates from PBS
- Find out how gecko feet work with ACS
- Check out your fingerprints with SciShow Kids—or investigate them with PBS
Sound effects courtesy Pixabay
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Cosmo and I found out why our tallest animal friends have long, dark tongues—and what melanin does for humans, too. Thanks to Cynthia Cooper, who studies animal pigments at WSU Vancouver.
- Find out more about how DNA works with Amoeba Sisters
- Read my answer about how sunscreen works
- Investigate human skin color with PBS
- Check out prehensile tongues with Cleveland Zoo
- Learn about Cynthia Cooper's zebrafish lab
Sound effects courtesy Pixabay
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Cosmo and I learn about all kinds of life cycles: holometabolous (big change), hemimetabolous (small change), and ametabolous (no change).
- Check out how a caterpillar makes the big change with Deep Look
- And then watch some aphids
- Peep inside a cocoon with Insider Science
- Learn more about the history of insect wings, thanks to PBS Eons
Sound effects: Pixabay
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Today I'm talking with Julie Ménard, a planetary scientist at Washington State University. She told me about the terrestrial planets in our solar system, how we're about to visit Mars—and could even set up a station there someday, and the possibility of life in our solar system and beyond.
- See what NASA says about sending humans to mars
- Learn more about NASA's Gateway, the first space station around the moon
- Check out the planets in our solar system
- Find out how we're searching for life on other planets
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Cosmo and I learn about shots—and new technology our friend WSU's Roland Chen is working on to make painless vaccines.
- Learn more about microarray patches
- Find out how vaccines work with the Amoeba Sisters and why we get vaccines with SciShow Kids
- Check out how other vaccine technology gets rolled out, from Ted-Ed
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Today Cosmo and I learned all about dog paws from our friend, WSU veterinarian Dr. Natasha Hottmann.
- Learn more about being a veterinarian with Nat Geo Kids
- Find out how to check your dog's paws
- Can dogs communicate? Find out what PBS NewsHour thinks
Sound effects courtesy Zapsplat and Pixabay
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Cosmo and I learn how cell phones send texts, images and calls from phone to phone—thanks to our friend, electrical engineer Ben Belzer.
Resources you can use:
- Learn more about binary code with Crash Course
- Check out this binary code character table to make your own messages
- Get more info about pixels from NSU Florida library
Sound effects courtesy Zapsplat and Pixabay
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Love veggies? Me, too. And so does my friend Tim Waters, regional vegetable specialist at WSU Extension.
In this episode, you'll hear:
- What Extension is
- What it was like for Extension agents back in 1918
- How he solves problems—from insect ID to veggie pathogens to lightning strikes in fields
- One cool journey from community college all the way to a PhD
Resources you can use:
- Check out WSU Extension yourself (or look up Extension near you)
- Learn more about WSU research farms
- Find out how to a start a veggie garden yourself
- See some Prionid beetles and giant water bugs
- Even more giant water bugs! You won't believe how these guys breathe underwater and care for their eggs in this PBS Deep Look video
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Today Cosmo and I learn about turtles and how they grow their amazing shells —all thanks to my friend, Ryan Wagner, wildlife biologist at Washington State University (and former turtle pedicurist).
Art and science go hand and hand. Check out Ryan Wagner's website to see his incredible photos 📸🐢
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Dooooo-doo, Dooooo-doo. 🦈 Today Cosmo and I learn about sharks and their rad digestive systems—all thanks to my friend, Dr. Nora Hickey, fish veterinarian at Washington State University.
Want to learn more about fish? Check out Dr. Hickey's Fishkeep & Chill website 🦈
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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In this episode, I learn all about wildlife biology from my friend, Ryan Wagner. He told me about clipping turtle toenails and bathing froglets—all for science. And he recounted his recent adventure backpacking frogs into a national forest to return them to their former home. If you love amphibians and reptiles or conservation biology, this one's for you.
Hear about:
- stressed out turtles and their toenails
- chytrid fungus and frogs
- scientists helping Cascade frogs survive climate change
- how art makes science even better
Resources you can use:
- Want to see Ryan Wagner's wildlife photos or read his stories about science? Check out his portfolio
- Learn more about Cascades frogs in the PNW and why climate change is bad for them
- Get your amphibian fix with Nat Geo
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Cosmo and I learn about microbes, thanks to Eric Lofrgren, an infectious disease expert at WSU.
Resources you can use:
- hear what microbes are
- where they live in the environment
- how some skin bacteria help us out
- what biofilms are
- ...and check out this bellybutton bacteria scientists study
Oh, and wash your paws! =^..^=
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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In this episode, I learn all about what it means to be a pharmacist with my friend, Damianne Brand-Eubanks. She's a pharmacist and professor at Washington State University.
Hear about:
- different kinds of pharmacists
- rad new ways to receive medications or shots (like patches that feel like a cat's tongue and jet injectors like you see on Star Trek)
- why reading and writing are amazing for pharmacists, scientists and everybody
Resources you can use:
- Check out this CrashCourse about how scientists make new medicines—called drug discovery
- Find out what it's like to be a community pharmacist, a hospital pharmacist, a manufacturing pharmacist, a medical affairs pharmacist intern, or an informatics pharmacist
- Get some advice about medicine from a dog (who's probably cool even though he's not a cat)
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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What happens if you need your third molars removed? Cosmo and I find out, after talking to our friend David Carsten. He's a dentist anesthesiologist who studied at Washington State University and now teaches at Oregon Health and Science University.
Find out the real tooth here.
Resources you can use:
- Find out what it's like to be a dentist, a dental hygienist or a dental assistant, thanks to Teeth Talk Girl
- Learn more about early humans' big jaws with Ted-Ed
- Get the official word on wisdom teeth from the American Dental Association
Sound effects courtesy Zapsplat and Pixabay
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Can Cosmo and I help a cool kid like you face their fear of bugs? Join us—and our friend Paul Strand, psychologist at Washington State University—as we dig into why things freak us out and how to beat-le those fears.
Resources you can use:
- See some beautiful bugs and relatives with All Bugs Go to Kevin
- Learn about parts of the brain like the prefrontal cortex
- Feeling anxious about something? Let's make a plan
- Try a relaxation trick like this color sorting app
Sound effects courtesy Zapsplat and Pixabay
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Today I'm talking with Von Walden, an atmospheric scientist at Washington State University.
- Hear about Earth's bubble of gases AKA the atmosphere
- Learn why clouds can be weird in the polar regions
- Find out what an expert thinks about climate change—and how optimistic he is about the future
Resources You Can Use
- Check out AMNH's climate change resources
- Watch these polar bear cams
- Learn more about the polar regions
- Find out more about clouds and make a cloud in a jar
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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What up with the small intestine and the large intestine? Join Cosmo and me—and our friend Franck Carbonero, microbiologist at Washington State University—to break down how we break down food.
You'll hear:
- how the intestines differ in size and function
- all about your gut bacteria
- the journey food takes through your digestive tract
Resources you can use:
- American Museum of Natural History's microbiology resources
- Frontiers for Young Minds' explainer on fermentation
- National Geographic Kids' info on the human digestive system
Sound effects courtesy Zapsplat
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Purr-haps you'd like a new way to get your claws on science questions sent in by kids like you. That's litter-ally my favorite thing.
Today Cosmo and I tackle a question from William, 7, from the United Kingdom: Why is snot green?
You'll hear:
- What mucus is
- What protein makes mucus green sometimes
- How immune cells trap irritants and stuff that can make you sick
Resources you can use:
- Check out Operation Ouch's Science of Snot
- Learn about the nursing career
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Purr-haps you'd like a new way to get your claws on science questions sent in by kids like you. That's litter-ally my favorite thing.
Today Cosmo and I tackle a question from Hillary's 1st graders in Washington: What makes snow sparkle?
You'll hear:
- How snowflakes are hexagonal ice crystals
- About white light and rainbow colors
- What reflection and refraction mean
Resources you can use:
- Check out Von Walden's research near the North Pole and South Pole
- Learn about atmospheric science
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world. Today I'm talking to WSU biological anthropologist Thomas Siek.
- Hear about all kinds of anthropology
- Find out how Dr. Siek studied bones from the Middle Ages in Poland
- Learn how clues in bones help solve crimes with forensic anthropology
Resources You Can Use
- Watch this NPR team use forensic anthropology to figure out info about a skeleton from a high school art class
- See how fast you can build a human skeleton
- Check out the anthropology collections at the Smithsonian
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Purr-haps you'd like a new way to get your claws on science questions sent in by kids like you. That's litter-ally my favorite thing.
Today Cosmo and I tackle a question from Gabby, 9, in Kansas: Why do bees make honey?
You'll hear:
- What a bee proboscis is and why bees are so adorably hairy
- Why some people call honey "bee barf" and what trophollaxis is
- How bees make foods like bee bread and honey
Resources you can use:
- Check out these baby bees
- Learn how to make homes for native bees (they're like cousins to honey bees)
- Read the answer to this question here: Why do bees make honey?
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world. Today I'm talking to WSU environmental archeologist John Blong.
- Hear what environmental archeology is
- Learn about fossilized poop—AKA coprolites—and what they reveal to scientists
- Find out when the first people came to North America
Resources You Can Use
- Follow these interactive digs or talk to your grownup about skyping with a scientist from the Archaeological Institute of America
- Check out these famous archeologists
- Run through these archeology lessons or show them to your teacher
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world.
Today, the 4th graders at Palouse Prairie Charter School take Dr. Universe and her cougar cub friend Cosmo back in time to the formation of the universe.
- Join our intrepid science team as they explore the Big Bang
- Hear about how the sun works
- Learn about the Chicxulub asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs
All sound effects courtesy of Freesound.
- Explosion Outdoors Evan Boyerman
- F16 Takeoff Sandermotions
- Big boom SamsterBirdies
- Dramatic evil music Humanoid9000
- Snr_whoosh aishabag23
- Bing bong Timbre
- Asteroid toxicnun
- Radio static: eddy15
- Whoosh.spaceship newlocknew
- Dynamite explosion in the mountain felix.blume
- Dramatic acoustic guitar music LolaMoore
Want to make a podcast episode with your class or group? Ping me at dr.universe@wsu.edu
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world.
Today, the 4th graders at Palouse Prairie Charter School take Dr. Universe and her cougar cub friend Cosmo on an earth science adventure.
- Join our intrepid science team as they dig for fossils
- Hear about the supercontinent Pangea
- Learn about volcanoes and earthquakes
All sound effects courtesy of Freesound.
- Radio static: eddy15
- Steps on the sand field: rodrigovaz
- Moving a boulder: BW_Clowes
- Digging with pick axe: cameronmusic
- TsunamiBeach: acclivity
- Landslide: bikesandbassboi
- Volcanoexplosion: craigsmith
- Flagstones scraping: Metzik
Want to make a podcast episode with your class or group? Ping me at dr.universe@wsu.edu
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world. Today I'm talking to WSU astronomer Michael Allen.
- Learn what an astronomer does and what their day looks like
- Hear how people who do astronomy as a hobby contribute to the field
- Find out what Dr. Allen thinks about aliens
Resources You Can Use
- Check out Zooniverse to find a research project you can help with
- Find a robotic telescope to use from MicroObservatory or SkyNet
- Learn about the Jewett Observatory at WSU
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world. Today I'm talking to WSU veterinarian Jessica Bunch.
- Learn what a veterinarian does and funny things that happen
- Hear about how Dr. Bunch gives acupuncture to all kinds of animals
Resources You Can Use
- Check out ag careers with Future Farmers of America and 4-H
- Browse the House Rabbit Society or the Humane Society
- Some veterinarians use fear-free methods to keep animals unstressed
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
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Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world. Today we're talking to nurse practitioner Bevan Briggs.
Warning! This episode very briefly mentions intestines, body fluids, shots, stitches, broken bones, surgery, kids putting on pretend wounds (with intestines!) to help EMTs train, and the fact animals are butchered for food in some homes. If that doesn't sound like something you'd like to hear, I'll catch you on the next one. If you're not sure, ask your grownup to preview the audio or transcript. (I used italics in the transcript for anything that might be a little bit gross so it's easier to scan.) =^..^=
- Learn what a nurse practitioner does
- Hear about seeing surgery for the first time and wearing pretend wounds to help train EMTs on ambulances when he was a kid
- Discover what nursing school and nurse practitioner school are like
Resources You Can Use
- Do this body parts word search or labeling game
- Check out weird body stuff: how dogs detect things in your breath, why gross stuff makes us squeamish, and how scientists study viruses
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world.
Today we're talking about birds with Wes Dowd, a marine biologist and environmental physiologist at Washington State University.
- Learn about tiny crustaceans called copepods, which are a type of plankton— and rock out to this song about zooplankton
- Check out ocean mussels and their freshwater cousins
- Discover how to explore tide pools gently
Resources You Can Use
- Spend some time on the American Museum of Natural History's marine biology page
- Learn more about ocean plankton with Black in Marine Science
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world.
Today we're talking about birds with Jennifer Phillips, an ecologist at Washington State University.
- Learn about sensory pollution and the difference between a phenotype and a genotype
- Find out how birds get tagged and measured—and how it's a little bit like an alien abduction
- Hear Dr. Phillips' journey to be a scientist, her favorite bird fact and how being a scientist is like being a spy
Resources You Can Use
- Check out this video that shows how a cardinal's syrinx makes two sounds at once
- Did you know there's a poisonous bird? Meet the Pitohui
- Learn all about birds with Audubon for Kids
- Enjoy these spy activities from the Spy Museum
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world.
Today we're talking about libraries with David Luftig, a science librarian at Washington State University.
- Find out what a science librarian is and how to become one
- Learn how the resources at WSU's Owen Science and Engineering Library and Holland and Terrell Libraries are there for everyone in Washington
- Hear how everyone is a scientist—including you
Resources You Can Use
- Text, chat, email or tweet at a WSU librarian—or schedule a time to work together one-on-one
- Look at this cool taxidermy bear that lives in the science library
- Browse vintage photos and digital media from Washington and the Palouse
- Check out some of the rare books and collections at WSU
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world.
Today we're talking about learning with Kira Carbonneau, an educational psychologist at Washington State University.
- Find out what educational psychologist is and how Dr. Carbonneau became one
- Learn the difference between quantitative research and qualitative research
- Hear Dr. Carbonneau's advice for being a good learner—and what it has to do with the movie Sing
Resources You Can Use
- See the What Works Clearinghouse yourself
- Check out what Dr. Carbonneau taught me about having a growth mindset
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world.
Today we're talking about babies with Masha Gartstein, a psychologist who studies infant temperament at Washington State University.
- Learn about the individual differences that make up a baby's temperament and how scientists study it in the lab with real babies (Hint: It involves Halloween masks!)
- Hear about Dr. Gartstein's job and her advice for kids who want to be scientists
Resources You Can Use
- Check out the Gartstein Infant Temperament Lab to learn more about Dr. Gartstein's work and see adorable photos of babies in the lab
- Watch the trailer for Babies, Season 2 (Netflix). Dr. Gartstein is on the episode called "Nature and Nurture." Some episodes from the first season are available on YouTube.
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world.
Do you love insects? Me, too. In this episode, we meet Rich Zack, an insect scientist at Washington State University.
- Learn about entomology, the study of insects and arthropods like spiders and scorpions, and how to study insects right now.
- Hear how Dr. Zack discovered his passion for entomology in college—and how there's a place in science for everyone.
Resources You Can Use
- Have an insect to identify? Try BugGuide or iNaturalist
- Check out insect content and community science projects at Xerces Society— and become a Xerces Kid
- See some of the WSU entomology museum with this throwback video
- Watch ultraHD videos of insects with Deep Look
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
Hey, friends. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world.
In this episode, we meet Adah Crandall. She’s an organizer with the Sunrise Movement. That's a youth-led organization working on solutions for climate change. She started organizing as a middle schooler when she took on the Oregon Department of Transportation.
If you want to learn more, check out Sunrise on Instagram or the Green New Deal for Public Schools.
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
Welcome back, friends. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world.
In this episode, we meet Emily Erickson. She’s part of the Western Monarch Mystery Challenge team. That’s a community science project that asks people to look for monarch butterflies in early spring and send in pictures to help scientists learn more about these important pollinators.
If you’re interested in helping monarch butterflies near you, check out these nectar plant guides from the Xerces Society.
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world.
It's not enough to just do science—you've got to get the science out so people can read all about it. That's where science writers come in.
In this episode, we meet Sara Zaske, a science writer at Washington State University. She also edits the Ask Dr. Universe column!
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world.
What's a postdoctoral fellow? How do rattlesnakes rattle? What's it like searching for snakes in the field or taking blood samples from a grizzly bear?
In this episode, we meet Blair Perry, a postdoctoral fellow at Washington State University. He uses the same methods to study the genes of snakes and bears!
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world.
Do you love our solar system? Today, 4th graders from Palouse Prairie Charter School take me on a space tour in their Boomcrusher space shuttle. Come along!
Ask Dr. Universe is a service of Washington State University geared toward an 8- to 13-year-old audience. If your class or group is interested in working on a podcast episode with Dr. Universe, reach out. It takes about 6 months for young scientists to research and write a script and then work through editing, factchecking, and recording.
Sound effects courtesy Zapsplat.com. Thank you to Dr. Michael Allen (WSU Physics & Astronomy) for factchecking and to Northwest Public Broadcasting for recording.
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world.
How do you become a scientist? What does a scientist's day look like? Is being a scientist fun?
In this episode, we meet Nora Hickey, a fish veterinarian at Washington State University. We learn about fish medicine and why it’s important to follow your interests as you grow up.
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
Ask Dr. Universe is a service of Washington State University geared toward an 8- to 13-year-old audience. Check out WSU Veterinary Medicine’s Outreach Events—like the Teddy Bear Clinic—to find university experiences like Dr. Hickey had when she was a kid.
Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world.
What was early Earth like? How did life start on Earth? And what’s up with plate tectonics?
In part two of this two-part episode, we meet geologist Johannes Haemmerli of Washington State University. We learn about early Earth, some brand-new research on plate tectonics and the idea that this process helped make Earth habitable.
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
Ask Dr. Universe is a service of Washington State University geared toward an 8- to 13-year-old audience. Listeners working on the Middle School History of Earth Next Generation Science Standards may particularly enjoy this episode:
| MS-ESS1-4. | Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence from rock strata for how the geologic time scale is used to organize Earth's 4.6-billion-year-old history.| MS-ESS2-2. | Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth's surface at varying time and spatial scales.| MS-ESS2-3. | Analyze and interpret data on the distribution of fossils and rocks, continental shapes, and seafloor structures to provide evidence of the past plate motions.
What was early Earth like? How did life start on Earth? And what’s up with plate tectonics?
In part one of this two-part episode, we meet NASA scientist and Blue Marble Space Institute of Science founder Dr. Sanjoy Som. We learn about early Earth, stromatolites and how we can care for the planet that gave us life.
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu.
Ask Dr. Universe is a service of Washington State University curated for an 8- to 13-year-old audience. Listeners working on the Middle School History of Earth Next Generation Science Standards may particularly enjoy this episode:
| MS-ESS1-4. | Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence from rock strata for how the geologic time scale is used to organize Earth's 4.6-billion-year-old history.
| MS-ESS2-2. | Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth's surface at varying time and spatial scales.
| MS-ESS2-3. | Analyze and interpret data on the distribution of fossils and rocks, continental shapes, and seafloor structures to provide evidence of the past plate motions.
Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world.
How do you become a scientist? What does a scientist's day look like? Is being a scientist fun?
In this episode, we meet Kalli Stephens, a student scientist at Washington State University. We learn about what she does in the lab and how to find your place in science as a young person.
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next!
Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world.
How do you become a scientist? What does a scientist's day look like? Is being a scientist fun?
In this episode, we meet Dr. Marcos Frank, a brain scientist at Washington State University. We learn about his path to becoming a scientist and how science works in real life.
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next!
I'm Dr. Universe, and if you're anything like me, you've got big questions about our world. I get lots of questions from kids wondering about aliens.
In this episode, we meet Afshin Khan, an astrobiologist who studied signs of life when she was a Ph.D. student at Washington State University. She shares her adventures to uncover the teeny, tiny life that forms framboidal pyrite on Earth -- and what it would mean if we found those structures outside Earth.
As always, submit your burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next!
Learn more about astrobiology from scientists like Dr. Khan at Blue Marble Space Institute of Science.
Thanks to the amazing student actors at Regional Theatre of the Palouse.
Dr. Universe and a group of junior scientists from Palouse Prairie Charter School learn about underwater volcanoes and crystals. Students from the fourth-grade class in Moscow, Idaho help Dr. Universe answer earth science questions.
Another big thank you to Northwest Public Broadcasting for help with recording! You can find sources for information about underwater volcanoes and crystals in the transcript.
Dr. Universe joins a group of junior scientists from Palouse Prairie Charter School to learn about volcanoes. Students from the fourth-grade class in Moscow, Idaho, help Dr. Universe answer how volcanoes work, how they form, what happens when they erupt, whether volcanoes are on other planets, and a lot of other cool (or hot) information about these amazing mountains.
A big thank you to Northwest Public Broadcasting for help with recording!
You can find sources for volcano information in the transcript.
Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe and if you’re anything like me you’ve got lots of big questions about our world. This special edition episode features an interview with a scientist from our video series, Ask Dr. Universe, Meet the Scientists. If you like what you hear, you can watch the whole video interview with Dr. Ryan Driskell under the videos tab at askDrUniverse.wsu.edu. Let’s get started.
Welcome back, young scientists. On this episode, we meet Dr. Kim Chiok, a veterinarian at Washington State University who enjoys writing, doing experiments, and who is curious about viruses, especially those that affect the lungs and other parts of the respiratory system. Plus, we explore a question about how our lungs work.
The adventures continue at askDrUniverse.wsu.edu.
On this podcast, we'll talk to some curious people, hear their stories, and investigate some fun science questions along the way. Today's guest is someone who is really curious about sleep. Let's give a warm welcome to Ashley Ingiosi. She'll help us explore a science question about why sleep sometimes feels so short. Keep exploring at askDrUniverse.wsu.edu.
Hello young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe and if you are anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world. Today’s special guest is someone who is really curious about plants and why they get sick—yes, you heard that right, plants can get sick, too. We'll also investigate some questions about pumpkins along the way. As always, kids can submit a question for a chance to be featured on a future episode at askDrUniverse.wsu.edu/ask
On this episode, we meet with Julie Menard, a planetary scientist and geoscience education professional from Washington State University. Plus, we investigate a big kid question about how mountains form.
Featured Music: "Geology Rocks" by Mikey the Rad Scientist
Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe and if you’re anything like me you’ve got lots of big questions about our world. On this episode, we’ll investigate great questions from young scientists like, Why does ice cream melt? Why are some berries poisonous? And how do we learn things that are really, really hard?
A big thanks to the scientists at Washington State University and our kid narrator from Regional Theatre of the Palouse. Ask a question at askDrUniverse.wsu.edu/ask
Welcome back, young scientists. Have you ever wondered why most people are right-handed? How we learned to weigh a whole planet? How worms help the soil? Join Dr. Universe and Washington State University researchers as we investigate these great kid questions. Submit a question of your own at askDrUniverse.wsu.edu
Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe and if you’re anything like me you’ve got lots of big questions about our world. On this episode, we investigate questions about toothpaste, sunburns, and Saturn. A big thanks to our kid narrator from Regional Theatre of the Palouse and to the scientists at Washington State University.
Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe and if you’re anything like me you’ve got lots of big questions about our world. On this episode, we are talking birds, touch screen technology, and goosebumps.
A big thanks to our narrator Natalie from Regional Theatre of the Palouse and to WSU researchers Heather Watts, Praveen Sekhar and Ryan Driskell for helping with the science on this episode.
Kids can submit a question of their own for a chance to be featured at askDrUniverse.wsu.edu/ask
On this episode, we'll explore questions about flying squirrels, our curious pets, frost, and stinky cheese. A big thanks to our kid narrator from Regional Theater of the Palouse. Thanks to everyone who helped with the science on this episode: Todd Wilson, Dr. Jessica Bell, Kai Carter, and Minto Michael.
Submit a science question at askDrUniverse.wsu.edu/ask for a chance to be featured on a future episode.
Welcome back, young scientists. On this episode, our questions take us to outer space the bottom of the pond and into the fascinating world of light and shadows.
A big thanks to our kid narrator from Regional Theatre of the Palouse. Thanks to our friends at Washington State University for helping with the science: Vivienne Baldassare, Sukanta Bose, Joan Wu and Anya Rasmussen. And thanks to you for listening. If you enjoy the podcast, leave a review for Dr. Universe on your favorite podcast app.
As always, you can submit a question for a chance to be featured on a future podcast at askDrUniverse.wsu.edu/ask.
Hello young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe and if you are anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world. On this episode, we will investigate questions about why mushrooms grow in rings, how to make apple cider, the art of stained glass, why trees have sap, and finally, investigate why the internet goes down.
Thanks to our friends Washington State University who helped with the answers: David Wheeler, Bri Valliere, Nadia Valverdi, Dustin Regul, and Dingwen Tao. And a big thanks again to guest narrator Vivian from Regional Theater of the Palouse and Parker for helping read the questions on this episode. As always, thanks to you for listening. You make this podcast possible.
Kids can submit a science question of their own for a chance to be featured at askDrUniverse.wsu.edu/ask
Have you ever wondered why apes walk on their knuckles? Why we make tears when we yawn? Why and how exercise helps our bodies? What's the best exercise? (5:17) How the COVID-19 pandemic started?
On this episode, we’ll dig into these great kid science questions with help from researchers at Washington State University. Thanks to Parker for helping read the questions on this episode. If you would like to help read questions on a future episode send an e-mail to Dr.Universe@wsu.edu.
Thanks to WSU researchers Nanda Grow, Karin Biggs, Chris Connolly, and Michael Letko for helping with the science.
If you'd like to submit a question of your own for a chance to be featured on the podcast visit askDrUniverse.wsu.edu/ask.
Have you ever wondered why ants build hills? Why face masks are effective? Why we sometimes get that pins and needles feeling when we sit too long? How gummies are made? Why spiders hang upside down in their webs?
On this episode, we’ll dig into these great kid science questions with help from researchers at Washington State University. Thanks to Asher and Natalie for helping read the questions on this episode. If you would like to help read questions on a future episode send an e-mail to Dr.Universe@wsu.edu.
Thanks to WSU researchers Rob Clark, Darrell Jackson, Marian Wilson, Hang Liu, Connie Remsberg, and Todd Murray for helping with the science.
If you'd like to submit a question of your own for a chance to be featured on the podcast visit askDrUniverse.wsu.edu/ask.
Hello, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe and if you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world.
On this episode, we’ll talk with researchers at Washington State University about how coins are made, robot languages, bee wings, how food gives us energy, if dogs can tell time, and explore a tiny world of microbes.
A big thanks to our friends Natalie and Sierra who helped read the questions on this episode. Thank you to Elizabeth Reilly Gurocak, Manoj Karkee, Melanie Kirby, Alice Ma, Lynne Nelson, and Viveka Vadyvaloo for helping with the science.
You can learn more the different topics or send in a science question of your own at askDrUniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.