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Gillian Jacobs & Diona Reasonover
Periodic TalksEpisodes
Gillian Jacobs & Diona Reasonover
Periodic Talks
A weekly Science podcast featuring Gillian Jacobs
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Episodes of Periodic Talks
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Radio waves aren’t sound. They’re electromagnetic radiation and essentially a type of invisible light. Radio astronomer Nicole Gugliucci joins us to explain how it's used to observe the formation of galaxies, black holes and other objects in ou
Birds are simply captivating. We take a deep dive into their relationship dynamics, parenting habits and other behaviors with biologist and conservationist Wenfei Tong. Then, actress Olivia Scott Welch (Fear Street) stops by to help us share an
Cities aren’t meant to last, according to writer Annalee Newitz. In their book “Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age,” they explore the rise and fall of ancient sites. What can architecture tell us about how we live? What can urb
We’re off this week, but we wanted to share a bonus behind the scenes exclusive: Creating the sound for our show. We’re joined by senior audio engineer and musician Brendan Byrnes, who walks us through initial concepts and building the music yo
Can you imagine hearing music all day, every day? Mary Steenburgen says that’s her reality. The Oscar-winning actress and songwriter joins us to share a mysterious, fascinating and moving story. How do you re-adjust to life when your brain play
A roughly 1-million pound space station orbits our planet every day. Wanna know how they keep the lights on? Battery Subsystem’s Manager Penni Dalton breaks down how it gets its power. Then, NASA engineer Tracy Drain returns to answer listener
Astronaut Victor Glover joins us after an extended stay on the International Space Station. He gets personal, sharing his launch day music playlist and what it's like being a dad in space. Then, actor Jack Black and his brother Neil Siegel do t
This week, we’re immersed into the world of sound. First, we’re deep in the ocean with acoustic ecologist Michelle Fournet. She shares some truly mind-blowing audio of humpback whales and bearded seals, and then analyzes what they’re probably s
Genetics 101, And Thinking Critically About Our DNA (w/ Dr. Janina Jeff, Mary H.K. Choi, Danny Pudi)
Humans are about 99.9% the same genetic material. The little that makes us different tells fascinating stories about our ancestors and histories, according to geneticist Dr. Janina Jeff. She joins us to share some basics about our genes, and to
We need to talk about volcanoes. Seriously. From the Pacific Ring of Fire to Mount Erebus, which holds an active lava lake, volcanoes have altered the very landscape of our planet, according to volcanologist Kayla Iacovino. Then, actress Zazie
Spiders have been getting a bad wrap, according to expert Hannah Wood. We talk about how they’ve evolved over hundreds of millions of years, their species diversity and... the chelicerae (a.k.a., spider jaws). Then, we share a story about an an
Why is Hollywood obsessed with time travel? Theoretical physicist Dr. Clifford V. Johnson breaks down black holes, string theory, science consulting on Marvel flicks and how time travel to the future might not be total fiction. Then, a story ab
Did you miss us? The wait is almost over! We're back with all new episodes beginning Tuesday, July 13th.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
This is literally our most fun episode yet. Listen to our full game of D&D with Felicia Day (Supernatural, Buffy), Erika Ishii (Apex Legends) and Jasmine Bhullar (Twitch). Warning: After you hit play, you may spend the next 45 minutes with a sm
What can games tell us about who we are? Game designer Mitu Khandaker sees a connection between the earliest forms of play and modern day virtual reality. It’s head spinning! Plus, we play a little unofficial Dungeons and Dragons with Felicia D
Why do we put on sad songs for a good cry? Why do certain melodies give us the chills? We get the details from neuroscientist and singer Dr. Indre Viskontas, who looks at how music affects the brain. Then, we’re joined by special guests Jessie
Food writer J. Kenji López-Alt gets us thinking about cooking as a science. A kitchen is kind of like a lab. So, what experiments do you do? Then later, we fall down a rabbit hole on Google investigating an often misunderstood ingredient.See Pr
How do fossil hunters know where to dig? How is it possible dinosaurs are still flying in the sky? What are feathers? Paleontologist Dr. Jingmai O'Connor talks to us about the connection between modern day birds and avian dinosaurs.Then later,
Raven Baxter, aka Raven The Science Maven, is a rapper, YouTube personality and yes, a scientist. She answers our every question about molecular biology, and offers an unforgettable lesson in how to stay true to yourself. Later, special guest S
It’s beyond time to think about how we live in what we wear, according to Camila Chiriboga, an emerging clothing designer from Ecuador. We talk to her about designing for people with disabilities, including people who are blind or visually impa
Why are coral reefs so mesmerizing? And what do they have to do with hyperbolic geometry? With delicate precision, science artist Margaret Wertheim helps crochet incredible reefs, explaining their connection to mathematics and conservation. The
Who gets to shape extended reality? We talk to Arwa Michelle Mboya, a young innovator from Kenya, about designing more inclusive virtual experiences and headsets. Plus, we share a story about the origins of computer science.See Privacy Policy a
Can we reintroduce ourselves? Hello. This is Periodic Talks!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We’re taking a little break to work on new stuff. We'll be back next week with a new episode and an exciting announcement. Talk soon!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We shape inventions, and our inventions shape us. Everyday items, like clocks and lightbulbs, fundamentally transformed how we live, according to Dr. Ainissa Ramirez. We talk to her about working in material science and her book “The Alchemy of
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