Science Underground artwork

Science Underground

44 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 35 ratings

Science Underground is a two-minute podcast hosted by TED speaker and scientist Ainissa Ramirez. By the time you sip your coffee or eat your cereal, Science Underground explains a science topic in a fun and understandable way. The show explores a range of topics—some that are pulled right from the headlines, others are topics you’ve been wanting to know. Ainissa interviews tops scientists and translates their work in everyday language--arming you with science nuggets for the next lunch table chat, water cooler klatch, or cocktail party. Each week there is a separate topic that can be listened to before class or when you have a brief moment to spare. The ideas will give you much to think about long after the podcast is over. New episodes are released on Sunday mornings. (Many topics align with NGSS.)

Natural Sciences Science Education chemistry stem science astronomy biology earth physics
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Episodes

Using Science to Stop Your Mirror From Fogging Up

June 21, 2020 09:00 - 2 minutes - 1.81 MB

The fog on your mirror after you shower can be prevented with a little dab of science. Find out how in just two minutes.

The Ancient Way to Sleep

June 14, 2020 09:00 - 2 minutes - 1.82 MB

Our ancestors used to sleep differently. If you looked back you would see them sleep in two parts. The inventions of the light bulb and the clock changed this old way of sleeping.

How An Accident Led To Your Computer

June 07, 2020 09:00 - 2 minutes - 1.82 MB

The way to make pure silicon chips was discovered when a chemist accidentally dipped his fountain pen into a crucible of molten tin instead of his inkwell.

How A Jiggling Gem Helps Your Watch Keep Time

May 31, 2020 21:28 - 2 minutes - 1.83 MB

Deep in your watch is a small piece of quartz, which creates your clock's ticks and tocks.

The Lady Who Sold Time

April 25, 2020 13:00 - 2 minutes - 1.85 MB

In the late 19th century, there was a woman in London name Ruth Beliville who sold time.

The Science of Fireworks

July 01, 2016 17:30 - 2 minutes - 1.89 MB

Fireworks are a display of color and chemistry. Everyone loves fireworks, especially astronomers. Find out why.

How Fireflies Make New Medicines

June 26, 2016 09:00 - 2 minutes - 1.85 MB

Fireflies light up the summertime night, but the glowing molecules inside them are also used by scientists to make new drugs.

Can We Make A Transporter?

June 19, 2016 09:00 - 2 minutes - 1.85 MB

Lots of technologies on Star Trek have become a reality. But what is missing is the transporter. Lawrence Krauss, physicist and author, sheds some light on the possibilities. 

Making Ketchup Hurry Up

June 12, 2016 09:00 - 2 minutes - 1.89 MB

Ketchup takes a long time to come out of the bottle. Fortunately, science has a few answers for how to help ketchup hurry up.

ZOMBEES

June 05, 2016 09:00 - 2 minutes - 1.89 MB

Honeybees are turning into zombie bees after a small fly injects a parasite into them. Scientists are asking everyone to report weird bees at zombeewatch.org.

How Animals Camouflage

May 29, 2016 09:00 - 2 minutes - 1.9 MB

Get ready to be introduced to nature's best master of disguise--the cuttlefish.

Smart Shirts

May 22, 2016 09:00 - 2 minutes - 1.9 MB

In the future, you will be able to download data from your shirt, which has electronics embedded in the fabric.

How Lightning Makes Magnets

May 15, 2016 09:00 - 2 minutes - 1.89 MB

When lightning bolts zap iron minerals they make magnets called lodestones. NASA scientists coax bolts to strike rocks using a trick from Ben Franklin.

Say Cheese, Pandemic

May 08, 2016 09:00 - 2 minutes - 1.9 MB

There are special cameras, called thermal cameras, that can detect heat. These cameras are the first defense against threats and diseases.

Saving Monarch Butterflies

May 01, 2016 09:00 - 2 minutes - 1.89 MB

Twenty years ago, there were a billion monarch butterflies. Now, there are less than 10 percent of them left. Their disappearance is linked to a weed. 

Meat Grown in a Lab

April 24, 2016 09:00 - 2 minutes - 1.82 MB

Scientists can now grow beef outside of the cow. In the not-so-distant future, you might get your burger from a beaker.

How Animals Gossip

April 17, 2016 09:00 - 2 minutes - 1.85 MB

Imagine if we could talk to the animals. To do so, we will have to think about time differently.

How Plants Know Which Way Is Up

April 10, 2016 09:00 - 2 minutes - 1.84 MB

Seeds that are buried deep in the soil need to figure out which way their roots and stem should go. Ends up they have special cells to tell them what's up.

Bubbles that Print

April 03, 2016 09:00 - 2 minutes - 1.82 MB

Deep in your ink jet printer are millions of explosions, which cause bubbles that help you print.

Space Suit Secrets

March 27, 2016 09:00 - 2 minutes - 1.89 MB

Astronauts wear special suits so that they can work many hours in space. Find out about a special accessory they wear, which is very useful if they drank too much Tang in the morning.

Invisibility Cloaks

March 20, 2016 09:00 - 2 minutes - 1.85 MB

Scientists have made invisibility cloaks in the laboratory. What does it take to make something invisible? A bit of brain trickery.  

As Sweet As Pi

March 13, 2016 10:00 - 2 minutes - 1.85 MB

Pi is the mysterious number of 3.14 that keeps our appliances running, our GPS going, and our clocks ticking. This number is pretty sweet.

How Atoms Keep Time

March 06, 2016 10:00 - 2 minutes - 1.85 MB

We keep time by measuring repeating patterns, like a swinging pendulum or the earth's rotation. But, the best way to measure time is with atoms inside atomic clocks.

How Frog's Legs Helped Make the Oscars Possible

February 28, 2016 10:00 - 2 minutes - 1.84 MB

In the 1700s, a scientist was dissecting frogs and found the legs twitched when touched with his tools. This freaky experiment allows us to make golden statues and get power from batteries.  

Making a Phone Call in Ancient Africa

February 21, 2016 10:00 - 2 minutes - 1.84 MB

To send messages over long distances, the ancients used a drum. Recently, scientists have discovered how drum beats travel for miles with the help of the surface of the Nile.

The Science of Chocolate

February 10, 2016 13:34 - 2 minutes - 1.83 MB

Chocolate is tasty chemistry. What takes weeks to prepare, takes moments to enjoy. The steps from tree to your tongue are described. 

Concussions

February 07, 2016 10:00 - 2 minutes - 1.84 MB

Concussions seem to be in the news lately. A leading expert explains what is going on in the brain during a concussion.

High Tech High Heels

January 31, 2016 10:00 - 2 minutes - 1.85 MB

The design of the high heel shoe is over a century old. However, there are new materials and modern technologies that can make shoes more comfortable. Fashion engineers are on a mission to rescue hurting feet. 

Why is Snow White?

January 24, 2016 10:00 - 2 minutes - 1.84 MB

Water is clear, but snow is white. Light dances on the snowflake edges creating this white color.

How Lakes Create Blizzards

January 17, 2016 10:00 - 2 minutes - 1.84 MB

Cold dry air from Canada traveling over clear lakes are the ingredients for a miserable winter.

The Science Behind the Gateway Arch

January 10, 2016 10:00 - 2 minutes - 1.84 MB

The Gateway Arch is a beautiful example of the marriage between materials and mathematics. The secret behind this monument's longevity is revealed.

The Skinny on Fat

January 03, 2016 10:00 - 2 minutes - 1.83 MB

Our waistlines are increasing partly because of our modern diet, but also because of our Stone Age bodies. Back then, food was rare. Now? Not so much.

Light From Sand

December 27, 2015 10:00 - 2 minutes - 1.85 MB

LEDs are small lights that come from a material that is under your feet at the beach--sand. The uses of LEDs are almost as numerous as the grains of sand that make them.

This Is Your Brain on CTE

December 20, 2015 10:01 - 2 minutes - 1.85 MB

Boston University's Dr. Robert Stern tells us about a brain disease that has been in the news recently -- CTE.

Why Snowflakes Have Six Sides

December 20, 2015 10:00 - 2 minutes - 1.85 MB

Snowflakes have six sides. The answer to why can be found in your local supermarket in a stack of oranges.

How Origami Saves Lives

December 13, 2015 10:00 - 2 minutes - 1.83 MB

Origami is the ancient art of paper folding. Today, origami can be seen in pizza boxes and fancy napkins, but it can also save your life in a car accident.

How Chameleons Change Color

December 06, 2015 11:00 - 2 minutes - 1.85 MB

The colors we see in a chameleon's skin is not really what it seems. Their skin is playing with light in the same way soap bubbles do. 

Molecules That Heat The Planet

November 29, 2015 10:00 - 2 minutes - 1.84 MB

Sitting in a hot car is the same thing that is happening to the earth. Molecules are trapping heat and warming the planet. If we all work together we can stop this trend. 

Taste With Your Nose

November 22, 2015 10:00 - 2 minutes - 1.84 MB

While we think the tongue is responsible for taste, actually the nose has a nose for it. Food without your nose would be pretty boring.

How Bubbles Catch Comets

November 15, 2015 10:00 - 2 minutes - 1.84 MB

Soap bubbles are not just for kids. Foams can help you from spilling your coffee and can help scientists understand the origin of our solar system. 

Tires From Lettuce

November 08, 2015 10:00 - 2 minutes - 1.85 MB

There are 2 billion tires sold every year and each takes several gallons of oil to make it. Scientists have found an unusual source of natural rubber that is hidden in your salad. 

How Leaves Change Color

November 01, 2015 11:00 - 2 minutes - 1.84 MB

The secret for how leaves change color is uncovered. Find out how yellow and orange colors are made and how they are made differently from the reds and the purple colors. The best tree to see in the fall is also revealed.  

Football Science with Jerry Rice

November 01, 2015 09:00 - 2 minutes - 1.85 MB

NFL legend Jerry Rice discovered something that perplexes rocket scientists. The football looks different if thrown by a left-handed or right-handed quarterback and will drift off its target. The reason? The spin.  

Intro to Science Underground

November 01, 2015 07:00 - 1 minute - 971 KB

The host of Science Underground invites you to explore the wonders of the world and to get back in touch with your inner scientist. Welcome the the Underground ... Science Underground.