It’s dolphin time! Join us as we talk with Justin Gregg, research associate at the Dolphin Communication Project, author of the new book Are Dolphins Really Smart, and voiceover artist. Bonus: a brief discussion on dolphin assisted birth and why that’s a really dumb idea.
Mon, 15 December 2014
This week, we learn all about flamingos from molecular biologist/palaeontologist Chris Torres of the University of Texas at Austin. Chris also explains how he solved a 150 year old mystery in a natural history museum, and why his house is covered in pink.
For more information, including links to the papers we discuss in this episode, check out the show notes at http://breakingbio.com. |
Sun, 23 November 2014
This week we're joined by Dr. Nate Morehouse, an Assistant Professor at the University of Pittsburgh who studies colour and how its used among insects and spiders. Nate explained some of his lab's work trying to understand how butterflies tell who are potential mates and who are wasted effort, as well as how jumping spiders taste the rainbow. If you enjoyed this episode, Nate and his lab could use your help with their crowd-funding campaign to finance an expedition to the southwestern US in search of colourful jumping spiders - https://experiment.com/projects/why-are-some-jumping-spiders-so-colorful
Direct download: Breaking_Bio_73_-_Nate_Morehouse_Audio.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:00pm EDT |
Mon, 10 November 2014
This week we're talking to Louisiana State University PhD student Paige Brown Jarreau about her work trying to understand what makes science bloggers tick, or at least why they do what they do. We also discuss the role and future of crowd-funding scientific research. Help support Paige's crowd-funding campaign - https://experiment.com/projects/something-is-wrong-on-the-internet-what-does-the-science-blogger-do?s=search Find more information, including links to resources discussed in this episode, on our website - http://breakingbio.com
Direct download: Breaking_Bio_72_-_Paige_Brown_Jarreau_audio.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:40am EDT |
Wed, 5 November 2014
This week we've put together 4 shorter interviews with Columbia University Conservation Biology Master's Students who are all starting their academic careers studying some aspect of Mammal Conservation. From African traffic noise, to mouse gut microbes, and monkey poo to monkey conflicts, these students share their enthusiasm for their work.
Guests: Kaggie Orrick - @KaggleRock - https://twitter.com/kagglerock Erin Dimech - @ErinDimech - https://twitter.com/erindimech Jessica Stitt - @JessMStitt - https://twitter.com/jessmstitt Allison Roth
Columbia University Conservation Biology Student Blog - http://www.cuinthefield.wordpress.com/
Direct download: Breaking_Bio_71_-_Columbia_Mammal_Mashup_audio.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:06pm EDT |
Mon, 27 October 2014
This week, we talk to Dr. Emily Burfield-Steel of the University of Jyvaskyla in Finland about her work with species who get confused in the bedroom, how scientists introduce drama into spider sex, and moth farts. Kinda.
Check out http://breakingbio.com for more information, and links to the papers discussed in this episode!
Direct download: Breaking_Bio_70_Dr_Emily_Burdfield-Steel_audio.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:59pm EDT |
Tue, 14 October 2014
We talk to Dr. Sandra Rehan of the University of New Hampshire about her work on the evolution of sociality, the natural history of bees, and what it's like to be a new prof!
More info about Dr. Rehan's work: Lab webpage: http://www.unhbeelab.com/ Twitter: @sanrehan - https://twitter.com/sanrehan
------- Find more of Breaking Bio online: Blog & past episodes: http://breakingbio.com/ Twitter: @BreakingBio - https://twitter.com/BreakingBio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/breakingbiopodcast |
Mon, 6 October 2014
This week, we sit down and discuss the #SAFE13 project, which is bringing incidences of sexual harassment and assault in scientific field research to light, with the study's authors: Dr. Kate Clancy, Dr. Robin Nelson, Dr. Julienne Rutherford, and Dr. Katie Hinde. |
Mon, 29 September 2014
Tom talks to Dr. Hope Jahren from the University of Hawaii Manoa about her work on plants and how they deal with changing climates, both in recent years and long in the past. |
Mon, 22 September 2014
We sit down to talk with Dr. David Gorski, oncologist and science blogger, about his long blogging career and his continuing crusade against crack-pot medical advice. |
Mon, 15 September 2014
We sit down to talk about the evolution of sex chromosomes and the diversity of ways organisms determine sex with Dr. Melissa Wilson Sayres of Arizona State University. Dr. Wilson Sayres also explains why math is important for biologists, and how public outreach and engagement needs to become more common from practicing scientists.
Direct download: Breaking_Bio_65_-_Melissa_Wilson_Sayres_audio.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:39am EDT |
Wed, 30 July 2014
We're on hiatus for the summer, but filmed a special episode to highlight a crowd-funding project that we think deserves a voice and hopefully some funding. We talk to Janna Eaves, CTO and Co-Founder of Miss Possible, a start-up company looking to empower girls to follow their dreams by creating a line of children's dolls showcasing female role models from STEM fields. Miss Possible is currently running a crowd-funding campaign in order to start production on their first doll (Marie Curie). Janna tells us all about what Miss Possible is and hopes to do, as well as how a couple of entreprenuerial women started their own line of dolls while finishing their undergraduate degrees in engineering. |
Wed, 2 July 2014
Natalie Bray of Columbia University discusses her work studying soil biodiversity. |
Thu, 5 June 2014
In episode 64 we talk with Steve Phelps of the University of Texas at Austin about the evolution of social behaviour, prairies voles, singing mice, Twitter for academics, the academic work life and more! |
Fri, 16 May 2014
Erin Eastwood, an MSc student at Columbia University, talks to us about her research on Marine Protected Areas and small scale fisheries in Fiji. |
Mon, 5 May 2014
We talk to Dr. Crystal Dilworth, science correspondent with Al Jazeera America, about the many ways she's helped promote science on screen.
Direct download: Breaking_Bio_63_-_Crystal_Dilworth_audio.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:35pm EDT |
Fri, 2 May 2014
In the very first Breaking Bio Blitz we talk to Cynthia Malone of Columbia University about her upcoming research on conflicts between wildlife and oil palm plantations in Cameroon. |
Mon, 28 April 2014
Don't worry, we're not the ones dancing. Stuart Wigby from the University of Oxford sits down to talk to us about his work on fruit fly sex, how aging impacts reproduction, and why his PhD students feel as comfortable on the dance floor as they do in the lab! |
Wed, 9 April 2014
This week's guest is ecologist and all-around bird nerd Dr. Alex Bond. Alex was an adjunct at the University of Saskatchewan when we talked to him, but he'll soon beginning his new position as a Conservation Scientist for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in the UK. Alex talked to us about the wide variety of ornithological research he's involved with, the importance of natural history to science, and why puffins are giant D-bags! Come for the feathers, stay for the fun! Follow along with Alex's research & upcoming field work in the middle of nowhere on Twitter (@thelabandfield) and his blog The Lab & Field (http://labandfield.wordpress.com/). |
Mon, 24 March 2014
It’s coral reefs, it’s climate change, it’s us making connections for our next African vacation. It’s episode 60 with Emily Darling (@emilysdarling), marine ecologist extraordinaire! And good news: we’re not all screwed. Well, mostly. Probably. Okay, look, watch the interview and decide for yourself. |
Mon, 17 March 2014
|
Mon, 3 March 2014
In episode 58 we’re joined by Dan Gillis, Assistant Professor in the School of Computer Science at the University of Guelph. We had a great talk about his work as an ecological modeller for the Saugeen Ojibway First Nations and about an innovative project with his students that is helping to deliver fresh food to food donors and emergency food providers! |
Thu, 20 February 2014
In episode 57 we’re joined by David Shiffman (@WhySharksMatter), marine biologist, shark conservationist, and scicommer extraordinaire. It’s a great interview, ranging everywhere from shark culls in Australia to mermaids to how one can buy the shirt off your Red Lobster servers’ back. Everyone in the pool! |
Tue, 11 February 2014
I bet you didn’t know that ‘comparative lactation’ was a thing, did you? Well, it is. And it’s awesome. Katie Hinde (@mammals_suck), assistant professor at Harvard, joins us to talk about milk, milk, milk! Oh, and some biology stuff. Ever thought about milking a monkey? Be prepared to have your mind blown. |
Fri, 31 January 2014
In episode 55 we’re joined by a luminary of evolutionary biology and behavioural ecology, Professor Marlene Zuk of the University of Minnesota! Marlene joins us to talk about her latest book Paleofantasy, crickets, the odd things that people will tell you, and more! If you like science, this one’s chock-full of it. |
Thu, 23 January 2014
|
Tue, 7 January 2014
In episode 53, we’re joined by the awesome and funny Jessica Light to talk lice. That’s right, lice. More generally, though, it’s host-parasite interaction and it’s pretty fascinating stuff. You’ll learn things. Interesting things. Dark things. Ever wondered how to collect lice from a dead rat? We guarantee that you’ll never look at a Home Depot the same way. |