NSF's Discovery Files: Recent Episodes
U.S. National Science Foundation
This is the Discovery Files Podcast from the U.S. National Science Foundation. Where we will look at some of the latest research in the world of science, with commentary from the scientists making these discoveries. Join us as we explore the world of scientific research, coming soon from the US National Science Foundation. Subscribe wherever you get podcasts.
NSF Noirlab's Robert Blum, director of operations for the NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, discusses the observatory's signature mission, the Legacy Survey of Space and Time, and how it will transform the way we study the universe.
As the 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time officially starts and the greatest cosmic movie ever made is captured, U.S. National Science Foundation Program Officer Edward Ajhar discusses the NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory and how it will transform the way people study the universe.
An innovative new engineering approach may lead to denser, more powerful microchips and computing systems. U.S. National Science Foundation-supported researcher Qing Cao discusses a new monolithic, 3D-integrated silicon microchip and how it might impact artificial intelligence systems.
New, lifesaving treatments can be found at the intersection of bioengineering and medicine. U.S. National Science Foundation-supported professor Neil Forbes discusses how the bacteria salmonella can be modified for treatment against some of the deadliest cancers.
U.S. National Science Foundation-supported professor and director of the NSF Center for Complex Particle Systems Nicholas Kotov discusses complex materials and the development of new fused silk materials with applications in security and communications.
Hypertension affects nearly half of U.S. adults, and 10% of those cases don’t respond well to treatment. U.S. National Science Foundation-supported professor Tao Zhou discusses the development of a new 3D-printed hydrogel-based bioelectronic device for hypertension treatment.
Secure information is essential in the digital exchanges of modern life. U.S. National Science Foundation-supported professor Vinod Vaikuntanathan discusses quantum cryptography and the future of encryption.
Advancements in science and technology impact the well-being of the American people. U.S. National Science Foundation-supported professor Payam Heydari discusses a breakthrough brain-computer interface that controls a robotic exoskeleton, technology that could transform the lives of people living with spinal cord injuries.
Nearly 3 million antimicrobial-resistant infections occur every year in the United States. U.S. National Science Foundation-supported professor Kevin Minbiole discusses his work using artificial intelligence systems to discover new compounds to fight drug resistant bacteria.
Science, technology, engineering and mathematics-related fields employ 25% of the U.S. workforce. U.S. National Science Foundation-supported professors Erica Carlson and Muhsin Menekse discuss how their collaboration is inspiring the next generation of STEM workforce through a quantum education program.
Advances in artificial intelligence-driven technologies have the potential to impact the lives of Americans living with hearing loss substantially. Yasmin Kassim, a postdoctoral fellow and member of a group supported in part by NSF, has developed a deep learning-based tool that allows unparalleled insights into the hair cells that allow us to hear.
Emerging artificial intelligence technologies are transforming the American enterprise. Madhur Behl, an NSF-supported associate professor, discusses software challenges in autonomous racing and how his program is helping to develop the AI workforce of the future.
Artificial intelligence techniques are driving the development of autonomous vehicles. Madhur Behl, an NSF-supported associate professor, discusses how the high-speed world of racing helps advance safe autonomous vehicles.
In the health care industry, artificial intelligence, machine learning and advanced robotic systems could help solve many of the issues facing the field today. Axel Krieger, an NSF-supported associate professor, discusses his work developing autonomous surgical robots.
Artificial intelligence advancements in machine learning are allowing autonomous exploration in remote underwater environments. Katie Skinner, an NSF-supported assistant professor, discusses work advancing the field of robotics by combining computer vision with AI advancements in machine learning.
The future of quantum information science and engineering promises computers with unprecedented speed and capabilities. Miloš Popović, an NSF-supported associate professor, discusses a collaboration that has built a photonic quantum system into a traditional electronic chip.
Critical minerals play an essential role in modern technologies, and a domestic supply is essential for national security. Elizabeth Holley, an NSF-supported associate professor, discusses how domestic supplies might be increased by recovering critical minerals from the byproducts of existing mining sites.
The future of quantum information science and engineering promises computers with unprecedented speed and capabilities. Mikhail Lukin, an NSF-supported professor, discusses his work with neutral atom qubits, why error correction is important in quantum computing, and his journey through starting a company and moving into industry.
U.S. National Science Foundation-supported engineers are developing a bold new vision for chemical and materials discovery. Milad Abolhasani, an NSF-supported associate professor, discusses his work developing automated fluidic labs.
A workforce fluent in AI techniques will be essential to ensure U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence continues. Jeremy Waisome, an assistant professor at the University of Florida, discusses the Shark AI project, which has introduced artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to thousands of middle school students.
Advances in fundamental technologies enable robots to collaborate with humans, as well as with other robots. David Saldaña, assistant professor in the department of computer science and engineering at Lehigh University, discusses his work developing resilient and adaptive collaborative aerial robots.
Researchers and industry are coming together to develop computer systems that can take advantage of quantum mechanics. Christopher Monroe, a professor at Duke University and co-founder of IonQ, discusses quantum computing, advances in the field and IonQ's journey from startup to being the first publicly traded quantum computing company.
The fourth state of matter, plasma, is involved in several aspects of how modern microelectronic components are manufactured. Jeremiah Williams, a professor at Wittenberg University and a program director at the U.S. National Science Foundation, discusses how plasmas are used in semiconductor manufacturing and how understanding plasma physics spurs industrial innovation.
Metamaterials are a special class of engineered materials, designed to have properties not found in nature. Glaucio Paulino, a professor at Princeton University, discusses his work on developing modular chiral origami metamaterials, engineering control approaches and the ways they might benefit society.
U.S. National Science Foundation-supported researchers are accelerating artificial intelligence technologies. Mingyi Hong, a professor at the University of Minnesota, with affiliation with AI-LEAF National AI Institute, and an NSF-funded researcher, discusses AI reinforcement learning strategies and the challenges of training experts.
U.S. National Science Foundation-supported researchers are developing a new class of semiconductors with great potential for next-generation microelectronic devices. Zetian Mi, a professor at the University of Michigan, discusses his group's work with wurtzite ferroelectric nitride semiconductors.
As the NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, a joint project of the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, begins its mission to unlock new understanding of cosmic phenomena, we visit an archival lecture from its namesake, Vera C. Rubin. In the lecture, she discussed how galaxies form, how you might measure the matter in them and her observations of dark matter.
U.S. National Science Foundation-supported observatories allow researchers to advance and expand humanity’s understanding of the early universe. Tobias Marriage, a professor at Johns Hopkins University, and Yunyang Li, a postdoctoral researcher at The University of Chicago, discuss how they used the NSF Cosmology Large Angular Scale Surveyor to see the cosmic microwave background, light from the beginning of the universe.
U.S. National Science Foundation-supported researchers are developing a multimodal system that combines image analysis and natural language processing to help manufacturers detect problems, suggest improvements and communicate with machines in real-time. Bingbing Li, a professor at California State University, Northridge, discusses his group's work with vision language models for use in smart manufacturing.
U.S. National Science Foundation-supported researchers are investigating the mechanisms of cell regeneration for medical treatments. Maksim Plikus, a professor at the University of California, Irvine, discusses lipocartilage, how his lab found it and its potential for advancing tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
Critical minerals are crucial to both the economy and national security. Rachel Teasdale, a professor at California State University, Chico, and program director in the U.S. National Science Foundation Division of Earth Sciences, discusses how critical minerals and rare earth elements form and how we use them.
As innovation transforms the aerospace, energy and defense industries, new materials with advanced properties are needed to meet the moment. Kiran Solanki, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Arizona State University, discusses designing new materials and enhancing existing ones for extreme condition applications.
Implantable medical devices are creating new therapeutic and monitoring solutions for many complex health conditions. However, wireless medical devices are susceptible to malicious attacks. Kaiyuan Yang, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at Rice University, discusses biomedical security and developing hacker-resistant implants.
QR codes are scanned every day for restaurant menus, parking payments or flight boarding passes, but malicious users can take advantage of the technology for phishing and other criminal activities. Gaurav Sharma and Irving Barron, professors at the University of Rochester, discuss QR code technology and how their research makes it safer.
Concrete is the most widely used construction material in the world. Sabbie Miller, an Associate Professor at the University of California, Davis, discusses the built environment and optimizing infrastructure materials.
Fundamental science can have a profound impact when discoveries and research are developed into tangible solutions that benefit the public. Ximena Bernal and Pablo Zavattieri, professors at Purdue University, discuss how their research into mosquitoes may translate into bio-inspired sensors that could help save lives.
While artificial intelligence-driven technology is promising practical solutions to global challenges, AI-driven research advances the frontiers of knowledge and propels American ingenuity. Sethuraman Panchanathan, the 15th director of the U.S. National Science Foundation, discusses the current state of AI and the many ways it may be used in the future.
The sustained influx of fentanyl and other illicit drugs has had a profound impact on the lives of Americans. Louise Shelley, a professor emerita at George Mason University, discusses fentanyl, illicit trafficking networks and work on how criminal supply chains are being interrupted by scientific research.
Since 1964, the deep submergence vehicle Alvin has played major roles in sea discovery, from lost hydrogen bombs to hydrothermal vents and the first survey of the wreck of the RMS Titanic. Kaitlyn Beardshear, electrical engineer at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and a pilot of Alvin, discuses the submersible's history, sea exploration and discoveries in the ocean's depths.
The U.S. National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines program was established to advance collaborative, use-inspired and translational research and technology development in key technology focus areas across the United States. In this episode of the "NSF's Discovery Files" podcast, Hollie Mackey, CEO of The North Dakota Advanced Agriculture Technology Engine, discusses developing the next-generation farming workforce and how the unique conditions of North Dakota make it an ideal test bed for agricultural technologies.
From advances in the use of artificial intelligence and new guidance into its research to breakthroughs in biological treatments and approaches to healing to how we measure time, discoveries in many areas were revealed by U.S. National Science Foundation-supported researchers in 2024. As we start a new year, we're looking back at memorable moments from some of the most popular episodes of the last year.
Innovation in materials science allows for the improvement of technologies and the exploration of new ones. In this episode of the "NSF's Discovery Files" podcast, Yury Gogotsi, professor at the Drexel University College of Engineering, discusses how MXenes were discovered and some of the ways they may be used in the future.
Modern Americans benefit from centuries of improvements in drinking water safety. In this episode of the "NSF's Discovery Files" podcast, Julian Fairey, associate professor in the University of Arkansas Department of Civil Engineering, discusses how drinking water is treated and how he helped identify a disinfection byproduct.
New and advanced lasers are necessary to understand the complicated high energy, fast bursts of light occurring at the most extreme conditions in the universe. Franklin Dollar, professor of physics and astronomy at the University of California, Irvine, discusses lasers, how they're used to understand physics and how powerful the next generation of lasers will be.
Materials scientists and engineers are working to develop and advance materials and devices that harvest energy from light, resulting in more efficient solar cell technologies. In this episode of the "NSF's Discovery Files" podcast, Aram Amassian, a professor at North Carolina State University, discusses light technologies and developing more efficient perovskite solar cells.
Kidneys are essential for keeping the body functioning but one in seven Americans suffer from kidney disease. Alex Hughes, assistant professor of bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania, discusses the kidney's role in the body, its structure and how his lab is working to grow new kidney tissues.
Ice cores allow scientists to reconstruct climate conditions far into the past. Peter Neff, an assistant professor in the University of Minnesota Department of Soil, Water, and Climate, discusses the process of collecting ice cores, how data is obtained from them and what the past may teach us about the future.
Every fall, the Leonid meteor shower puts on an amazing display with observers counting numbers from thousands to tens of thousands of meteors per hour. Joe Pesce, an astrophysicist with the U.S. National Science Foundation, discusses meteor showers, why they occur and how to view the Leonid meteor shower.
The future of science, technology, engineering and mathematics will require many perspectives to achieve its utmost potential. Keivan Stassun, professor of physics and astronomy at Vanderbilt University, discusses astronomy, his efforts in expanding diversity in STEM and some of the discoveries that are resulting from it at the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, and his recent MacArthur Fellowship that acknowledges those efforts.
Advances in materials science and rapidly developing technologies are leading to new approaches to engineering concretes and building infrastructure. Reza Moini, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Princeton University, discusses his work with concrete, 3D-printing techniques and how his lab takes inspiration from nature as it works to reimagine the future of building materials.
The world of artificial intelligence is changing the way people live, work and think. This new frontier is also shifting the world of scientific research and has led the U.S. National Science Foundation to launch the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource pilot. Tess deBlanc-Knowles, NSF special assistant to the director for AI, discusses developing safe and responsible A.I. and how it is impacting new discoveries.
To advance the understanding of complex living systems, research must have an integration of scientific disciplines. Pankaj Jaiswal, a program officer in the U.S. National Science Foundation Division of Integrative Organismal Systems' Plant Genome Research Program, and Robyn Smyth, a program director in the NSF Division of Environmental Biology's Ecosystem Science Cluster, discuss plant genomes and water systems research.
An interagency effort has crafted a document to support the entire artificial intelligence research ecosystem, from foundational discoveries to societal applications. Jillian Mammino, a contractor at the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs; Mary Beech, director of workers and technology policy in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy; and Craig Jolley, a senior data scientist in the Bureau for Inclusive Growth, Partnerships, and Innovation at the U.S. Agency for International Development discuss the Global AI Research Agenda.
Plastics are foundational in modern life, but only a fraction of those produced are recycled. WashU researchers Arpita Bose, associate professor of biology; Eric Conners, a graduate student; and Tahina Ranaivoarisoa, a lab manager in the Bose Lab, discuss purple bacteria and how they might be used to produce biodegradable bioplastics.
An interagency effort has crafted a document to serve as a starting point to align an international artificial intelligence research vision. Michael Littman, the division director of the U.S. National Science Foundation Information and Intelligent Systems in the NSF Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering, and Joshua E. Porterfield, a Federation of American Scientists Impact Fellow in the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Critical and Emerging Technologies discuss the Global Artificial Intelligence Research Agenda.
Engineering is critical in modern society, from building bridges and homes to designing computers and life-saving medical devices. Nehemiah Mabry, a structural engineer and host of the NSF-supported series “Building Stuff with NOVA,” discusses streaming the live show every weekday and how it engages its audience through engineering news, games and interviews.
Imaging is central to biology and medicine, but light refracts and scatters as it hits tissues and lipids. Zihao Ou, associate professor of physics at The University of Texas at Dallas, discusses his paper demonstrating a new technique to achieve optical transparency in live tissue, a project he worked on in Guosong Hong's research group as a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University.
At the U.S. National Science Foundation Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure Wall of Wind Experimental Facility, researchers seek to better understand wind effects on civil infrastructure systems and to prevent wind hazards from becoming community disasters. Arindam Chowdhury, director and principal investigator at the facility, discusses hurricane-force winds and how they are studied.
People who enjoy birdwatching can provide valuable citizen science observation. An application called Merlin Bird ID can help users of all experience levels. Miyoko Chu, senior director of communications at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, discusses Merlin Bird ID, its development, and how new features have impacted birding and conservation efforts.
A quantum-educated workforce will be essential in the future; however, most students are not introduced to quantum mechanics until taking physics courses late into their college careers. Karen Jo Matsler, assistant professor at The University of Texas at Arlington, joins to discuss the Quantum for All initiative to expose K-12 students to the principles of quantum mechanics.
More than 8 million species call Earth home, but we only understand the language of one. Mickey Pardo, a postdoctoral associate at the K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, discusses research into how elephants are using vocalizations to communicate with each other.
Dangerous storms such as hurricanes can cause billions of dollars in damage and cost hundreds to thousands of lives. Rebecca Morss, a senior scientist at the NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research, discusses weather risk communication and response.
As next-generation technologies, such as robots, are developed, operational challenges come to light that need specialized solutions. Hao Zhang, associate professor of computer science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, discusses perception strategies, ethics and other challenges in human-centered robotics.
The future of the nation's leadership in science and technology discovery requires the engagement of diverse groups of students in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. Michele Yatchmeneff, a professor of civil engineering and executive director for Alaska Native Education and Outreach at the University of Alaska Anchorage, discusses supporting Alaska Native students in their STEM interests.
Electricity is the backbone of modern civilization and the increased demand due to extreme weather-related events is causing system failures and blackouts. Kyri Baker, assistant professor in the civil, environmental and architectural engineering department at the University of Colorado, Boulder joins to discuss optimization and control techniques for electricity systems and power grids.
Semiconductors are the backbone of modern electronics and energy-efficient ones will be critical for the future of artificial intelligence and quantum computing. Matthew Panthani, a professor of chemical and biological engineering from Iowa State University, discusses developing next-generation semiconductors.
Time is used to set many standards by counting a periodic event with a known frequency. Eric Hudson, a professor in the department of physics and astronomy at UCLA, joins to discuss working to directly manipulate the energy level of an atomic nucleus using a laser, something that has never been done before and may result in the most accurate clocks ever.
On August 8, 2023, a devastating fire swept through the town of Lahaina on the Hawaiian island of Maui. Andrea Kealoha, an assistant professor, and Sean Swift, a doctoral student, from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa, join to discuss their research into the impacts of wildfire on the coastal ecosystem.
From traffic to TVs and portable devices, people are surrounded by unwanted noise. Grace Yang, who worked on her doctoral degree as part of the fiber group at MIT, joins to discuss developing materials with acoustic properties for noise cancellation and sound suppression applications.
Most living creatures reveal themselves visually and are routinely photographed by humans from all walks of life. What if researchers could use those photos to answer fundamental biological questions? Tanya Berger-Wolf, a professor and computer scientist at The Ohio State University joins to share how she is using technology to extract information from images in the new field of imageomics.
Every year, songbirds across the United States make the arduous journey south to warmer winter climates and back again. But what behaviors, environmental cues, or genetic factors tell them it's time to go? Kira Delmore, assistant professor of biology at Texas A&M University, joins to share new insights into songbird migration.
In the 1990s, Atlantic surf clams largely died off in their southernmost range off the coast of Virginia. Daphne Munroe, associate professor at the Rutgers University Haskin Shellfish Lab, joins to discuss Atlantic surf clams, rebounding fishing efforts, and how this species may be adapting to changing conditions.
Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide act like an atmospheric blanket, but what if society could capture and repurpose those gases into useful products? Burcu Gurkan, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering department at Case Western Reserve University, joins this episode to discuss electrochemical methods of carbon capture, how the resulting products might be used and how flow batteries may fuel the future.
This year billions of cicadas will emerge as the annual varieties are joined by the periodic Brood XIX and Brood XIII species that pop up every 13 and 17 years. Allen Moore, division director for the Division of Environmental Biology at the U.S. National Science Foundation, joins to discuss cicadas and answer some questions about these mysterious insects.
Prior to European arrival, the Maya peoples built a civilization in the inhospitable lowland jungles of Middle America. David Lentz, professor of biological sciences and executive director at the University of Cincinnati Center for Field Studies, joins to discuss his archeological findings from ancient Mayan cities.
Advancing tools and techniques are revealing more about black holes, but they also raise more questions that continue to capture the imaginations of people everywhere. Joe Pesce, an astrophysicist with the U.S. National Science Foundation, joins to answer some popular questions.
With applications across the sciences and beyond, quantum information science is revolutionizing the world around us. We are joined by Scott Aaronson, Schlumberger Chair of Computer Science at The University of Texas at Austin and director of its Quantum Information Center, to discuss quantum computers, how to understand quantum mechanics and how artificial intelligence is misunderstood.
Over six million people get bacterial infections that develop into biofilms every year, but what if you could cut off the bacteria before infection occurs? We are joined by Amber Doiron, assistant professor in the University of Vermont Department of Electrical and Biomedical Engineering, to discuss developing biofilm-resistant wound dressings, the problems with treating bacteria, and how exciting it can be to mentor the next generation.
Tattoos have been a part of human culture for a very long time, but what if your tattoo could help diagnose your health? We are joined by Dmitry Kireev, assistant professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst to discuss developing graphene biosensors, how they're like a tattoo, and how this technology may impact the future of health monitoring.
For a few minutes on April 8, when the moon passed between the sun and Earth, millions of people in the path of totality from Maine to Texas experienced a total solar eclipse. We are joined today by Amir Caspi, a principal scientist at the Southwest Research Institute, who explains the Citizen Continental-America Telescope Eclipse 2024 and his role in the project, the unique opportunities for science that occur during an eclipse, and how anyone can be a scientist.
On April 8, parts of the United States, Canada and Mexico will experience a total solar eclipse. We are joined today by Carrie Black, a program officer in the NSF Division of Astronomical Sciences Division; Alain Brizard, a professor of physics at Saint Michael's College; and Maria Kazachenko, an assistant professor at the University of Colorado Astrophysical & Planetary Science department to hear about what they'll be doing on April 8, what insights you might learn during an eclipse, and what can be experienced during a solar eclipse.
In chemistry, advances in artificial intelligence are allowing automated and self-driving labs to quickly realize complex experiments while providing new avenues for exploration. We are joined by Milad Abolhasani, associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at North Carolina State University to hear about how he developed Smart Dope, a self-driving fluidic lab, and how it is being used to advance quantum dots.
Using cutting-edge tools such as the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, astronomers can study the sun as never before. We are joined by Maria Kazachenko, assistant professor in the University of Colorado Boulder Astrophysical & Planetary Sciences department and assistant professor at the National Solar Observatory, to hear about how why it's important to study the sun, why magnetic fields result in solar flares and how new tools are changing our understanding of the sun.
Plastics have historically been developed to be optimal for a specific use, but what if a single material could be made flexible for one application or sturdy for another? We are joined by Stuart Rowan, professor of molecular engineering innovation and enterprise at the University of Chicago, who shares how he is developing materials whose properties can be changed on demand.
Crocodilian species first appeared during the Mesazoic era 252-66 million years ago and have since adapted to survive changing environments and mass extinction events. We are joined by Greg Erickson, professor of anatomy and vertebrate paleobiology at Florida State University and curator at FSU's Biological Science Museum, who shares how he measured crocodilian bite strength, what happens if a crocodile bites you, and how they inform the understanding of dinosaurs.
Since 2007, Detroit's Downtown Boxing Gym has provided a free academic and athletic program to students aged 8-18, where they have seen long-term, life-changing impacts and a 100% high school graduation rate. We are joined by Purdue University Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology Amanda Case, Downtown Boxing Gym Executive Director Jessica Hauser, STEAM Lab Coordinator Remi Napier and student researcher Kenneth Cain to learn more about their incredibly successful program.
Quantum information science is a rapidly advancing field. The unique possibilities that quantum phenomena offer will create breakthroughs in areas such as sensing and measurement, computation and simulation, communication, networking, and security. Dolev Bluvstein, a doctoral student at Harvard University, working in the Lukin Group at the Quantum Optics Laboratory joins to discuss how they are making strides in advancing quantum computing, the value of error correction and what the future may hold.
The U.S. National Science Foundation's Zettawatt-Equivalent Ultrashort pulse laser System (ZEUS) is the highest power laser system in the United States, providing world-leading capabilities for scientific, medical, defense and industrial research. We are joined by Karl Krushelnick, professor of nuclear engineering and radiological sciences and director of the Gérard Mourou Center for Ultrafast Optical Science at the University of Michigan, which houses ZEUS, to hear about how the laser works, the research that will be conducted there, and how extreme light interacts with different materials.
From weather apps to maps, geographic information systems (GIS) are the computer-based tools that drive many modern-day conveniences. The U.S. National Science Foundation has played a central role in the technology's development and growth. NSF established the National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA) in 1988 and funded more than $83 million in grants in the last two years alone. We are joined by Jack Dangermond, who has served on advisory boards for NSF and NCGIA and alongside his wife Laura, who founded the Environmental Systems Research Institute, now known as ESRI, in 1969. Today, their proprietary software is among the most popular in the field. Dangermond discusses his role in the founding of NCGIA, how technology has transformed the field and the importance of conservation.
In the immune system, white blood cells help protect the body from viruses and bacteria. A subset known as macrophages offer great promise for cancer treatment. We are joined by Kolade Adebowale, a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences to hear about his macrophage studies, how they might be made more effective, and why we should be optimistic about the future of cancer treatment.
Since the discovery of incomplete dinosaur skeletons in the early 1800s, the collective knowledge about these creatures that roamed the Earth millions of years ago has grown dramatically. We are joined by Greg Erickson, a professor of anatomy and vertebrate paleobiology at Florida State University and curator at FSU's Biological Science Museum who shares how new Gorgosaurus discoveries impact what we know about ancient eating patterns, how he aged the famous Tyrannosaurus rex Sue, and his role in uncovering a lost world of arctic creatures that is changing what we know about dinosaurs.
Light catches the imagination and raises questions about phenomena such as rainbows or why the sky is blue from an early age. We are joined by Franklin Dollar, professor of physics and astronomy and associate dean of graduate studies in the School of Physical Sciences at University of California, Irvine to hear about how he uses extreme ultraviolet light and lasers to reproduce and study the plasma states and particle acceleration that occur in the most extreme corners of the universe.
The U.S. National Science Foundation's Center for Computer Assisted Synthesis is developing data science tools and computational workflows that aim to shape the future of synthetic chemistry. We are joined by Gabe Gomes, assistant professor of chemistry and chemical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, to hear about the work being done at the facility and the revolutionary new tool his team has developed, Coscientist.
From the Viking age to a Cold War military installation revealing insights into the ice age, advances in artificial intelligence, and looks at black holes and gravitational waves in the depths of space, these are just some of the stunning findings produced by U.S. National Science Foundation-supported researchers in 2023. As we start a new year, we're looking back at some memorable moments from the past year's shows.
Humans have always looked up to the sky and wondered about the stars and what life may be out there. Astronomers are using tools such as the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory and the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array to search for radio waves, technosignatures sent from distant stars. David DeBoer, a research astronomer at the University of California, Berkeley joins to explain how Breakthrough Listen is leading this effort and how the Collaboration for Astronomy Signal Processing and Electronics Research is advancing the technology behind it.
Blue whales are the largest animals to ever inhabit the planet and were hunted to near extinction in the era of commercial whaling. Since the 1960's, these giants have been protected but continue to be considered endangered and are seldom seen. Kate Stafford, an associate professor and bio-acoustician at Oregon State University's Marine Mammal Institute, joins today to explain how a film brought her to the Republic of Seychelles to locate blue whales using their vocalizations, share insights into whale song and explain how she hears climate change.
The U.S. National Science Foundation's Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) has helped ensure the quality, vitality and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce by recognizing and supporting outstanding graduate students since 1952. Kyle Johnson, a doctoral student at the University of Washington, joins us to talk about his work with robotics, his GRFP experience and how he inspires the next generation.
The ubiquity of plastic materials in modern life has meant that plastic debris can be found everywhere. A subset of these environmental contaminates, smaller than a sesame seed, are called microplastics, and an even smaller subset of those are called nanoplastics. We are joined by Lauren Pincus, an environmental chemist and post-doctoral fellow at Princeton University, to learn about plastic degradation, how it interacts with inorganic materials in the environment and what we might do to help prevent it.
The U.S. National Science Foundation has invested over half a billion dollars to establish the National AI Research Institutes. We are joined by D.K. Panda, from the AI Institute for Intelligent Cyberinfrastructure with Computational Learning in the Environment; Giovanni Vigna, from the AI Institute for Agent-based Cyber Threat Intelligence and Operation; Yiran Chen, from the AI Institute for Edge Computing Leveraging Next Generation Networks; Ness Shroff, from the AI institute for Future Edge Networks and Distributed Intelligence; and Tess DeBlanc-Knowles, staff associate for technology policy and strategy in NSF's Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, to hear how these institutes will drive cutting-edge innovations in AI and how society will benefit from this research.
The HistoryMakers is the world's largest searchable oral history archive, featuring the first-person accounts of over 3,000 African American people from a wide variety of disciplines, including a special subset of STEM community members under a project called "ScienceMakers." Founder Julieanna Richardson tells us about early challenges, memorable moments along the journey and how the Library of Congress is now housing the collection.
The U.S. National Science Foundation has invested over half a billion dollars to establish the National AI Research Institutes. We are joined by Aarti Singh from the AI Institute for Societal Decision Making; Amy McGovern from the AI Institute for Research on Trustworthy AI in Weather, Climate, and Coastal Oceanography; Ashok Goel from the National AI Institute for Adult Learning and Online Education; Vikram Adve from the Artificial Intelligence for Future Agricultural Resilience, Management, and Sustainability Institute; and Michael Littman, division director for Information and Intelligent Systems in NSF's Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate, to hear how these institutes will revolutionize the frontiers of AI and how society will benefit from these innovations.
A team of researchers at the NSF-supported EduceLab are working to revolutionize digital restoration. They are investigating the Herculaneum Scrolls, ancient writings that were carbonized in the Mount Vesuvius eruption of 79 C.E. We are joined by EduceLab principal investigator Brent Seales, a computer science professor at the University of Kentucky, to hear about imaging the fragile scrolls, using advanced computer technology to process the data and how the Vesuvius Challenge is revealing words.
Insects play vital roles in the ecosystem, but some species can be pests and home infestations can raise serious health issues. Coby Schal, a professor of entomology at North Carolina State University, joins to share his expertise of how moths and cockroaches communicate, their impacts as pests and strategies for controlling them.
Today's guest is approaching the grand problem of energy by developing thermal energy batteries. Asegun Henry is a professor in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Department of Mechanical Engineering, where he also directs the Atomistic Simulation & Energy Research Group. His work has earned him a Guinness World Record and recently an Alan T. Waterman award, the nation's highest honor for early-career scientists and engineers.
An understanding of the structure, composition and processes involved in erupting volcanoes and the ways lava flow can help better mitigate the effects of these environmental hazards. Our guest is Stephan Kolzenburg, assistant professor at the University at Buffalo, who joins us to share what makes volcanoes active, how researchers study lava flow in the field and ways to study it from a lab.
Eclipses have captured the imagination throughout history. Carrie Black, a program director in the Division of Astronomical Sciences at the U.S. National Science Foundation who oversees operations of the National Solar Observatory, joins us to discuss eclipse phenomena and share facts about the sun and how we use tools such as the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope to observe it.
Timothy Tharp, assistant professor at Marquette University; Danielle Hodgkinson, postdoctoral fellow at University of California, Berkeley; and Andrew Christensen a senior graduate student at UC Berkeley all contributed to the success of the Alpha-g experiment at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), testing gravity's effect on antimatter. We'll hear about what roles they played, challenges they faced and what's next for the group.
The Antihydrogen Laser Physics Apparatus (ALPHA) collaboration is an international group working with antihydrogen atoms at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), to understand the fundamental symmetries between matter and antimatter. We are joined by professors Joel Fajans and Jonathan Wurtele, NSF-supported researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, to announce the breakthrough results of an experiment looking to understand gravity's effect on antimatter.
Ahead of a special announcement coming later this week, Kevin M. Jones, the William Edward McElfresh Professor of Physics Emeritus at Williams College and a program manager in the Division of Physics at the U.S. National Science Foundation joins to explain what antimatter is, what happens when it comes into contact with other matter, and why you might win a Nobel Prize if you could figure out why it’s so rare.
In the United States there are over 95 million heads of cattle, but their known history stretches beyond the farms and cowboys of the Wild West back into the galleons of Spanish colonists. Nicolas Delsol, a postdoctoral associate at the Florida Museum of Natural History joins to explain how he traced their arrival in the Americas.
Airborne Phased Array Radar will provide a generational leap in severe storm and climate research. Wen-Chau Lee, APAR chief scientist and senior scientist at National Center for Atmospheric Research Earth Observing Laboratory, joins to discuss radar use in storms, improving modeling and why sometimes it’s better to collect data from inside of a storm.
After an incident as a young water polo player, Nicholas Cecchi began investigating brain injury. We’ll hear about how an early study resulted in a rule change, approaches to analyzing the severity of hits and impacts in sports, and how he used an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship to develop liquid shock absorbers for football helmets in the Camarillo Lab at Stanford University.
Yuzhang Li, assistant professor in chemical and biomolecular engineering at UCLA, is working to create the next generation of batteries. We'll learn about why lithium is volatile and how knowing the true shape of lithium will impact the development of safer and more powerful batteries.
Cryptofauna are creatures that live hidden among microhabitats. Our guest is Paul Sikkel, a research professor at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science who has discovered two species of Gnathiid isopods. We’ll hear about these creatures' life cycles, their role in the marine food web, and why Sikkel named them after musicians Bob Marley and Jimmy Buffett.
William Anderegg, director of the Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy and associate professor in The University of Utah School of Biological Sciences, joins to discuss how forest ecosystems are reacting to climate change. He is a 2023 recipient of the Alan T. Waterman Award, the nation's highest honor for early-career scientists and engineers.
Extreme weather events are increasing every year and wildfires are getting worse. We speak with Phil Higuera, a professor of fire ecology at the University of Montana, to explore the causes and consequences of wildfires and how they are impacting people and the environment.
A major initiative at the NSF, is broadening participation in STEM. Our guest today, Natalie S. King, a science educator at Georgia State University founded the I AM STEM program in 2017 which has served over 2,000 K-12 children and their families across 22 U.S. States, Canada, and the Caribbean. Her work was recently recognized with the Alan T. Waterman Award, the nation’s highest honor for early-career scientists and engineers.
A new integrated HPV DNA screening platform could transform cervical cancer screening around the globe. We'll speak with Kathryn Kundrod, who helped develop the test as an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship recipient at Rice University, to learn about the challenges with cancer screening and how researchers are working to prevent it.
A new polymer-based material with electrical and magnetic properties that can autonomously heal itself has been demonstrated by NSF-supported chemical engineers at Stanford University. We speak with co-author Christopher B. Cooper to learn more about this innovative work being done at the Stanford Nano Shared Facilities.
Thanks to the efforts of the NSF-Supported Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory and NANOGrav Physics Frontiers Center scientists have confirmed the existence of gravitational waves. We are joined by Kip Thorne, to hear about his role in the detection of gravitational waves, his experience being awarded a Nobel Prize and how time travel might be possible.
Thanks to the efforts of the U.S. National Science Foundation's NANOGrav Physics Frontiers Center a new milestone in gravitational wave detection can be revealed. We speak with Stephen Taylor of Vanderbilt University; Maura McLaughlin of West Virginia University; and Xavier Siemens of Oregon State University, to learn more about their breakthrough.
From black holes and fast repeating bursts to James Webb Space Telescope breakthroughs and the search for extraterrestrial life, space has been a hot topic this past year. Joe Pesce, an astrophysicist with the U.S. National Science Foundation, joins us to talk about all things space in a special episode recorded live.
The University of Washington's Center for Research and Education on Accessible Technology and Experiences (CREATE) is working towards a world with fewer problems and more solutions for people with disabilities. We are joined by CREATE collaborators Jennifer Mankoff and Heather Feldner to hear about their projects and the difference they are making.
During the Cold War, a U.S. military installation called Camp Century was carved out of the ice sheet in Greenland. One of the camp’s projects was drilling a near mile-long ice core, which in the subsequent decades went missing. We are joined by Paul Bierman, a geologist and professor at the University of Vermont, who will tell us about the secretive base, where the missing ice core was found and the staggering discovery he found at the bottom of the core.
Shwetak Patel leads the University of Washington Ubiquitous Computing Lab, which develops innovative sensing systems for health, sustainability and novel interactions. He will tell us about his experience bringing devices to market, mentoring the next generation and where sensors are headed next.
Cori Lathan has always had an interest in technology. She has spent her career inventing, founding and running a company, Anthrotronix, and inspiring STEM interest in future generations through robotics. Her recent book, "Inventing the Future: Stories from a Techno Optimist" explores the possibilities of tomorrow through her 20-year career journey. She joins us to discuss some of her inventions, how NSF support has helped her along the way, and her optimism for the future.
Jason Freeman, professor of music and Brian Magerko, professor of digital media at Georgia Tech had an idea for a music-based learning environment to engage students in STEM by coding. EarSketch has gone on to reach over a million users, has been used in more than 5,000 schools in all 50 states and over 180 countries and has collaborated with music partners such as Pharrell, Young Guru, Common and Richard Devine. We'll hear from Jason Freeman, Brian Magerko, and Richard Devine on how it became a success.
The vast wilderness of Antarctica has many secrets, and to reveal some, you must dig down into the subglacial environment. We are joined by Matthew Siegfried and Ryan Venturelli from the Colorado School of Mines to learn about their involvement in SALSA, the Subglacial Antarctic Lakes Scientific Access project.
Horses evolved in North America, but ancient populations died off during the last ice age. We are joined by William Taylor, assistant professor, and curator of archaeology at the University of Colorado Boulder, to learn about how horses impacted the shaping of the American West.
A recurring dramatic trope in film and television relates to the trolley problem, wherein a dilemma arises in which choice must be made to save one or another. We are joined by Joshua Greene, a professor of psychology at Harvard University, who has spent much of his career studying moral judgment and decision-making.
Jooyoung Lee, a doctoral student at Penn State’s College of Information Sciences and Technology, joins us to talk about her research on plagiarism from language models in popular online chatbots.
The landmark first image of a black hole, at the center of the Messier 87 galaxy, has received a makeover with the help of machine learning. Lia Medeiros, an astrophysicist at the Institute for Advanced Study joins to discuss how she used PRIMO to reach the full resolution of the Event Horizon Telescope and what impacts it will have on black hole physics.
Spiros Michalakis is manager of outreach and a staff researcher at Caltech’s Institute for Quantum Information and Matter, an NSF Physics Frontiers Center. He joins us to discuss his role representing the U.S. for World Quantum Day; quantum states as a natural language; the challenges in communicating complex ideas; and where he hopes to see the field go in the future.
In a landmark development for neuroscience, an interdisciplinary team has completed the first full map of an insect brain, revealing synaptic connections and valuable insights into how the brain operates. We are joined by Joshua Vogelstein, associate professor of biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University to learn about the obstacles in processing and analyzing big data; the links between animal intelligence, artificial intelligence, and machine learning; and where he’s hoping to take his research in the future.
The NSF Engineering Research Center for Hybrid Autonomous Manufacturing Moving from Evolution to Revolution will accelerate the development and deployment of intelligent, autonomous manufacturing systems, enabling mass customization in local production facilities. We are joined by co-principal investigators Glenn Daehn and Jian Cao, as well as NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan, Assistant Director for Engineering Susan Margulies, and ERC Program Director Sarit Bhaduri.
Representation is vital for inspiring the next generation, and the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are no different. Today we are joined by Karen Marrongelle, the NSF’s chief operating officer to talk about her career in mathematics, leadership in education and efforts being made to bolster the future STEM workforce.
Peggy Giordano has studied cognitive transformation and the dynamics of desistance for many years. Her work at Bowling Green State University in Ohio led to a 2021 Stockholm Prize in Criminology. We’ll hear about her study that follows subjects from adolescence into adulthood looking at social influences on the long-term cessation of violence, including the effects of intimate partner and family dynamics, and what behavioral changes are needed for successful cessation to occur.
The video game and television adaptation, The Last of Us, has created a lot of interest in the parasitic fungi Ophiocordyceps. We're joined by Charissa De Bekker, assistant professor of biology at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, to learn about the different kinds of Cordyceps, her experience studying their parasitic relationship with ants, and the zombie-like behavior that is exhibited as the fungus develops.
NSF's Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences supports research focused on human behavior and how behavior can be shaped by social, economic, political, cultural, and environmental forces. Two NSF-supported researchers, Abigail Marsh, a professor in the Department of Psychology and the Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience at Georgetown University and Joshua Greene, professor of psychology and a member of the Center for Brain Science at Harvard University, join us to discuss altruism. What is it? Are first responders altruistic? Are other creatures capable of altruism? If it's on the internet, is it performative?
With accurate definitions of a seemingly contradictory nature and complex concepts like entanglement and teleportation, the realm of quantum science can get unusual very quickly. But what is quantum? What can you do with it? Do the movies get it right? We set out to answer some of these questions with quantum physicist Spiros Michalakis, a staff researcher and manager of outreach at the Institute for Quantum Information and Matter at Caltech, a U.S. National Science Foundation Physics Frontiers Center.
During Iceland's Viking Age, a volcanic eruption formed a lava tube, which became a cave known as Surtshellir. Fast forward more than a millennium and a researcher from Brown University heard stories of tourists visiting a Viking Era site inside the cave and taking away bones they found there. What does the site tell us about Viking culture, Norse Mythology, and folklore? We'll speak with Kevin P. Smith to hear what he found when he descended into the cave of Surtur.
In elite athletics, competitive advantages can come from the smallest of differences. Track, cycling, baseball, basketball, soccer, football have all been fundamentally impacted by technological developments. Supported in part by NSF, NeuroTrainer has developed a virtual reality program that can impact performance by training the mind. We are joined by founder Jeff Nyquist and CEO Noah Rolland. We further explore scientific technology's revolutionary impact on sport with Rayvon Fouché.
Mentorship plays an essential role in encouraging and inspiring the next generation. Often, mentors are parents, family members or teachers, but anyone can be a mentor. We'll speak with Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan, the 15th director of the U.S. National Science Foundation, to learn about his experiences with mentorship and his approach to inspiring others. We will also look at the mentor – mentee relationship between NSF Creative Services Division Branch Chief Cori Bassett and AAAS fellow Dr. Sasha Luks-Morgan.
NSF-supported researchers at Princeton University have developed an egg protein-derived aerogel whose unique structure is able to remove both salt and microplastics from water. We speak with Sehmus Ozeden to learn more about how this aerogel was developed, how it might be used and what impact it could have on the food supply.
NSF's Engineering Research Center for Smart Streetscapes will forge livable, safe, and inclusive communities through real-time, hyperlocal technologies for streets and their surroundings. We are joined by Principal Investigator Andrew Smyth and Co-PI Mubarak Shah, as well as NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan, Assistant Director Susan Margulies, and Program Manager Sandra Cruz-Pol.
While we are seeing climate change impacts around the world, researchers from the University of Florida have reported the results of 30 dives tracking the number and diversity of one animal that appears to be doing just fine. We'll speak with Tobias Grun to learn exactly what an Echinoid is.
The NSF Engineering Research Center for Advancing Sustainable and Distributed Fertilizer Production will enable resilient and sustainable food production by developing next-generation technology for capturing, recycling and producing decarbonized nitrogen-based fertilizers. We are joined by Principal Investigator Gerardine Botte, Co-PI Odemari Mbuya, as well as NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan, Assistant Director Susan Margulies, and Program Manager Mehdi Ferdowsi.
A recent nuclear fusion ignition event at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has made headlines around the world. We are joined by physicists Slava Lukin and Jose Lopez to find out what nuclear fusion is and to learn about plasmas.
The Polar Geospatial Center at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and the Ohio State University have recently released four more years of image data, creating the most detailed polar region terrain maps ever. Dr Claire Porter, Co-Director at the Polar Geospatial Center joins to tell us exactly what is at the north pole and what we can learn from mapping it.
At North Carolina State University, NSF-supported researchers have developed a swimming soft robot that is four times faster than previous soft robots. Professor Jie Yin joins to explain how they developed the energy efficient model inspired by manta rays.
NSF's Engineering Research Center for Precision Microbiome Engineering will be creating microbiome technologies that address challenges at the interface of human health and the built environment. We are joined by principal investigator Claudia Gunsch, co-PI Joseph Graves, Duke University Dean of Engineering Jerome Lynch, as well as NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan, Assistant Director for Engineering Susan Margulies and ERC Program Director Randy Duran.
Kaitlyn Becker was working on her doctorate at Harvard University when she helped develop a soft robotic system that can handle complex objects by using entanglement grasping. She joins to explain how creatures of the sea inspired the robotic gripper and how it might be used in the future.
When you ask a smart device a question, there is a latency in the response due to the processing of your question taking place at a data center. What if you could process that query directly on the device? Researcher Alex Sludds joins to explain a new edge computing architecture.
Gravity in space is at a minimum, providing an ideal environment for studying physics-related properties. Researcher Ingrid Tomac joins us to explain why her work with mudflow is being studied aboard the International Space Station. We are also joined by NSF Program Director Kendra McLauchlan.
The lack of gravity in space provides an ideal environment for studying physics-related properties. To take advantage of this opportunity, an unprecedented seven NSF-supported projects are being sent to the International Space Station. We'll hear from NSF Deputy Division Director William Olbricht and researchers Ranga Narayanan, Jason Livesay, Yangying Zhu, Sushil Bhavnani, Karthekeyan Sridhar, Jing Fan, Chunhui Xu, and Allen Liu on why these experiments are going to space and what they might teach us back home on Earth.
From out in space, high-energy particles bombard Earth and objects in our orbit with radiation that can endanger the lives of astronauts and destroy electronic equipment. Researcher Luca Comisso joins to explain his insights into the turbulent origins of these cosmic rays.
As we move into flu season, virologist Joanna Shisler explains how viruses work and how we may avoid them. Engineer Gerri Botte tells us how she developed a COVID-19 sensor during the height of the pandemic.
The United Nations estimates that more than 400 million tons of plastic is produced each year. A byproduct of this level of use is that plastic waste now contaminates the entire global marine environment. Researcher Bhuvnesh Bharti tells us about his research into microplastics.
The U.S. power grid is the biggest machine in the world, and demand is ever increasing. Professor Anurag Srivastava is working on ways to make the grid more resilient by augmenting operators and optimizing control. We'll hear how. Department of Energy Engineer John Brewer also joins to explain the basics of the U.S. power grid.
The Weddell seal population of Antarctica have been closely watched since the 1960s, but there are still new discoveries being made. We are joined by researchers Michelle Shero and Jennifer Burns, who have found a correlation between nursing mothers and their diving capacity. Jay Rotella also joins us to discuss long-term study learnings about lifespan and adaptations at the far end of the Earth.
A 15-year global reptile assessment by zoologist Bruce Young and Neil Cox has comprehensively documented extinction risks for over 10,000 species. The researchers and biologist Leslie Rissler join to discuss how they accomplished this monumental study, why we should care, and what we can do to help.
Cement is the most widely consumed material on the planet, and its manufacturing process a large source of CO2 emissions. Researchers at Northwestern University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of Delaware are working on advances in cement manufacturing. Making better materials and making better use of the materials we have.
Nicolas Delsol was working on his doctorate studying the domestication of cattle in the Americas when he inadvertently sequenced the DNA of the earliest known domesticated horse. We'll learn how this sample found in the Caribbean might solve the mystery of the origin of famous wild ponies on Assateague and Chincoteague islands, over 1000 miles away.
Researchers in the cognitive development lab at Indiana University Bloomington are working to understand how children learn words and what roles visual memory and their environment play. We speak with postdoctoral fellow Elizabeth Clerkin to gain study insight and learn what implications it may have for machine learning.
Discover how the U.S. National Science Foundation is advancing research at NSF.GOV
Invisible dark matter is estimated to make up as much as 95% of the universe, but we can only see it by the gravitational effects on other, visible objects. Researchers at NYU, including graduate student Cara Giovanetti have developed a better way to model the cosmological signatures of dark matter. We’ll here from her as well as astrophysicist Dr. Joseph Pesche as we ask does dark matter exist, and if so, what is it made of?
Liquid fluorescents play a role in many materials of today but have traditionally had a limitation when turned into a solid form. Researchers at Indiana University and the University of Copenhagen have created a new material, transforming liquid fluorescent dyes into solid, while maintaining brightness at levels never before possible. This breakthrough could dramatically improve the clarity of displays, the efficiency of solar panels, and revolutionize laser usage in medical procedures.
We are joined by Professor Amar Flood, a co-creator of this new material.
Discover how the U.S. National Science Foundation is advancing research at nsf.gov
Every year swimmers leave 6,000 tons of sunscreen washing through reefs, an organic compound found in many sunscreens can be harmful to corals. Researchers including guest Djordje Vuckovic at Stanford University are looking to better understand coral defense mechanisms and the relationship between this organic compound and sunlight. Providing additional coral commentary Marine Ecologist, Dr. Paul Sikkel.
Discover how the U.S. National Science Foundation is advancing research at nsf.gov
Researchers at Materials Research Science and Engineering Center at Harvard University are using a unique approach to address food spoilage and the illnesses that are born of it. Could an innovative technology born on the battlefield point to the solution? We speak with Dr. Wuibin Chang and Professor Kit Parker to learn more.
Discover how the U.S. National Science Foundation is advancing research at nsf.gov
Researchers at Stanford University are working on a unique small-scale robot. This magnetic miniature machine moves by dynamic origami inspired folding and has amphibious capabilities. We speak with Dr. Renee Zhao, to hear firsthand about how her soft robotic systems operate and how you might end up ingesting them in the future.
Discover how the U.S. National Science Foundation is advancing research at nsf.gov
Researchers have discovered what they believe to be a rare “Black Widow” binary star system out in space some 3,000 light years from Earth. We’ll explain why this star is feeding on its companion, explore how this celestial object was spotted, and examine what makes this distant star system unique.
We are joined by researcher Dr. Kevin Burdge, and Astrophysicist Dr. Joseph Pesce.
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Discover how the U.S. National Science Foundation is advancing research at nsf.gov
Megalodon was a gigantic, prehistoric shark with teeth as big as a human hand that ruled the oceans 3-16 million years ago. We’ll explore the Meg’s place in the ancient food web from traces of food left behind in the fossilized enamel of their teeth and look for insights into why the Megalodon went extinct.
We are joined by researcher Dr. Emma Kast and Paleontologist Dr. Bruce MacFadden.
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Discover how the U.S. National Science Foundation is advancing research at nsf.gov
This is the Discovery Files Podcast from the U.S. National Science Foundation. Where we will look at some of the latest research in the world of science, with commentary from the scientists making these discoveries. Join us as we explore the world of scientific research, coming soon from the US National Science Foundation. Subscribe wherever you get podcasts.