Transistor
62 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 6 years ago - ★★★★★ - 44 ratingsTransistor is podcast of scientific curiosities and current events, featuring guest hosts, scientists, and story-driven reporters. Presented by radio and podcast powerhouse PRX, with support from the Sloan Foundation.
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Episodes
No Inoculation without Representation!
November 13, 2017 05:00 - 13.4 MBVaccinations, in one form or another, have been around longer than the United States. In fact, during the Revolutionary War in 1776, future first lady Abigail Adams pursued the controversial scientific technique to protect her 5 children against a threat more dangerous than an army of Redcoats. Here’s Luke Quinton with the story.
Cosmic Ray Catchers
October 30, 2017 04:00 - 14.9 MBCosmic rays from outer space sound like science fiction. They’re not—invisible particles flung from outer space pass through our bodies every minute. But not all cosmic rays are equal; Some are immensely powerful and very rare. For decades scientists have wondered where they're coming from – and what could possibly be hurling them at Earth. Now, they're getting closer to finding out. Ross Chambless has the story.
Three Letters on Broom Bridge
October 16, 2017 04:00 - 15 MBEvery October 16th hundreds of people gather in Dublin to celebrate Ireland's greatest mathematician, William Rowan Hamilton. And get this – It was his act of vandalism on Broom Bridge in 1843 that put him in the history books – it actually changed mathematics forever. Samuel Hanson brings us the story.
After A Flood
October 02, 2017 04:00 - 13.4 MBHurricanes Harvey and Irma left devastation in their wake all across the southern United States as unimaginable quantities of water swallowed up small towns and cities alike. But what happens to that water and how can cities better prepare ahead of time? Two years ago, reporter Jenny Chen followed two so-called flood hydrologists to learn more about the preparation.
Bowl Tastes Delicious
September 18, 2017 04:00 - 15.1 MBWhat if the size of our dinner plate, its color, the material of our cutlery - even background sounds - all affect how our food tastes? In other words, what if it’s not just about what we cooked for dinner, but the context of the meal itself? Reporter Quentin Cooper brings us this story.
Hurry Up and Listen
September 04, 2017 04:00 - 12.4 MBUnderneath our vrooms, beeps, and rumbles, natural sound may be more important than we think.
A Job for the Bee Team
August 21, 2017 04:00 - 12.2 MBOn May 2, 2015, beekeepers Pam Arnold and Kristy Allen got hit with a pesticide. They couldn't see it or smell it, but when they saw their bees writhing on the ground and dying they knew something was seriously wrong. They called a panel of scientists at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
An Ovarian Transplant Between Twins
August 08, 2017 16:34 - 12.9 MBThirty-six-year-old twins Carol and Katy are physically identical in every way but one: Katy was born without ovaries, and wanted to start a family. The science and ethics behind ovarian transplants as a treatment for infertility.
Tick Tock Biological Clock
May 17, 2017 02:45 - 12.6 MBThe headlines are often full of advice for women about when they should have children. Marnie Chesterton goes digging into the fertility stats and myths for modern women. Prepare to be surprised.
Owning the Clouds
April 28, 2017 13:08 - 14.5 MBHumans have always been interested in controlling the weather. In the past we used raindances and sacrifices; today we turn to science. Cloud seeding is practiced all over the world, but there's still a lot we don't know about it. Delve into the surprising history, the controversial present, and the uncertain future of cloud seeding.
Spotting Fake Art -- with Math
April 03, 2017 20:54 - 8.73 MBVisual stylometry is a branch of mathematics that can determine the style of a particular artist’s body of work.
Engineering NYC from Below
March 09, 2017 22:51 - 11.7 MBHead underground to hear how some of the first subways were built, and how they are built today. This story was originally produced by Bishop Sand in 2013. It was hosted for Transistor by Genevieve Sponsler and mixed for Transistor by Josh Swartz. Image: CC BY-SA 3.0 Adam E. Moreira | Music: Whurlywind from Podington Bear
700 Fathoms Under the Sea
February 07, 2017 21:13 - 9.38 MBThis 1948 graphic shows sound traveling on an axis 700 fathoms down in the Atlantic. Something unusual happens about a half mile under the sea. Ocean physics create a special zone where sound travels for hundreds, even thousands of miles. Whales use it, and cold warriors plumbed its secrets. Listen in: This story was produced by David Schulman in 2014. It was hosted for Transistor by Genevieve Sponsler and mixed for Transistor by Josh Swartz.
Sidedoor from the Smithsonian: Shake it Up
January 20, 2017 03:04 - 28.3 MBFor the next few episodes, we’re featuring the Smithsonian’s new series, Sidedoor, about where science, art, history, and humanity unexpectedly overlap — just like in their museums. In this episode: an astronomer has turned the night sky into a symphony; an architecture firm has radically re-thought police stations; and an audiophile builds a successful record company on under-appreciated sounds. For even more from Sidedoor, subscribe in iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. ...
Sidedoor from the Smithsonian: Butting Heads
December 09, 2016 21:41 - 22.1 MBFor the next few episodes, we’re featuring the Smithsonian’s new series, Sidedoor, about where science, art, history, and humanity unexpectedly overlap — just like in their museums. In this episode: two besties turn into lifelong enemies over a dining room; a researcher embraces the panda craze; and why some dinosaur skulls were built to take a beating. For even more from Sidedoor, subscribe in iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. Music credits under backannounce: “Walking B...
Sidedoor from the Smithsonian: Masters of Disguise
December 01, 2016 04:07 - 21.9 MBFor the next few episodes, we’re featuring select episodes from the Smithsonian’s new series, Sidedoor, about where science, art, history, humanity and where they unexpectedly overlap — just like their museums. Up first: tales of scientific deception and trickery. For even more from Sidedoor, subscribe in iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.
Dance: It’s Only Human
November 11, 2016 03:59 - 12.4 MBBronwyn Tarr with Carimbó dancers. Oxford evolutionary neuroscientist Bronwyn Tarr was in a remote area of Brazil to begin an experiment. On her first night there, she heard distant drumbeats, went looking for them, and experienced firsthand what she was there to study: how dancing develops a sense of community. This story was produced by Katie Burke in 2015 with the assistance of Jagmeet Mac, and edited by Andrea Mustain. It was hosted for Transistor by Genevieve Sponsler and mixed for T...
The Words are a Jumble
October 20, 2016 16:37 - 12.3 MBVissarion Shebalin was not a great composer. But his music could unlock an important truth about how the brain processes music and language. This story was produced by Tobin Low in 2015 and edited by Andrea Mustain. It was hosted for Transistor by Genevieve Sponsler and mixed for Transistor by Josh Swartz.
The Art and Science of Polynesian Wayfinding
September 21, 2016 14:09 - 13 MBAncient navigators traveled across the Pacific without the aid of maps or instruments. We’ll hear from modern-day navigators in New Zealand, Hawai’i and North America about the techniques used to do so. This is the art and science of Polynesian wayfinding, brought to us by producer Lily Bui. This story was produced by Lily Bui in 2015 and edited by Andrea Mustain. It was hosted for Transistor by Genevieve Sponsler and mixed for Transistor by Josh Swartz. Image by Lily Bui.
Remaking the Science Fair
September 02, 2016 17:35 - 8.05 MBThis episode is brought to you by… science fair memories. I (your host Genevieve) remember being inspired to create my sixth grade science fair project by a visit to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia (more on that below). I found this piece from Adam Hochberg in our archive. It’s about schools remaking science fairs to include more actual science and less papier-mâché volcanos. Enjoy! As mentioned in the episode, here’s a photo of my Rube Goldberg machine that I built after s...
Peeing in Your Pants… In Your 30s
August 06, 2016 07:02 - 11.1 MBSome studies suggest that one out of 10 women in her 30s is peeing herself. Others say the numbers could be much much higher. But it’s tough to talk about. Producer Lauren Whaley shares her story and the scientific approaches to hopefully one day solving this problem.
The Ghost in the MP3
July 21, 2016 14:31 - 12.7 MBWhat’s lost when a song is compressed into an MP3? To the untrained ear, perhaps nothing. But to one composer, these “lost sounds” are a source for his stunning and ghostly musical compositions. This episode was produced by Emily Richardson-Lorente with editing by Andrea Mustain. It was curated and hosted for Transistor by Genevieve Sponsler, and mixed for Transistor by Josh Swartz.
Outside Podcast: Devil’s Highway, Part 2
June 21, 2016 15:07 - 34.2 MBTransistor’s mothership PRX has partnered with Outside Magazine to produce four special podcast episodes on the Science of Survival. You’ll receive them in Transistor’s podcast feed, and for even more, subscribe to the Outside Podcast. Here’s episode 4. In the spring 2001, a large group of men set out from Mexico to cross the border into Arizona through some of the harshest desert terrain anywhere. The tragic result helped researchers develop the Death Index, a new model for predi...
Outside Podcast: Devil’s Highway, Part 1
June 02, 2016 19:50 - 32.8 MBTransistor’s mothership PRX has partnered with Outside magazine to produce four special podcast episodes on the Science of Survival. You’ll receive them in Transistor’s podcast feed, and for even more, subscribe to the Outside Podcast. Here’s episode 3. In the heart of the Sonoran Desert is the remarkable story of Pablo Valencia, a gold prospector who spent six days wandering in 110-degree heat before stumbling into scientist William McGee’s camp.
Outside Podcast: Struck by Lightning
May 19, 2016 20:43 - 49.4 MBTransistor’s mothership PRX has partnered with Outside magazine to produce four special podcast episodes on the Science of Survival. You’ll receive them in Transistor’s podcast feed, and for even more, subscribe to the Outside Podcast. Here’s episode 2. Most of the time, when lightning makes the news, you’re hearing about it because something really unlikely has happened. Like the park ranger who was struck by lightning seven times. Or the strike survivor who also won the lottery....
Trace Elements: The Musical
May 05, 2016 21:04 - 17.2 MBTa-da! Our fifth special episode with Cristina Quinn and Alison Bruzek of Trace Elements is here. Let us know what you enjoyed about their series and what surprised you in the comment section below. In just five episodes they’ve covered the science of feeling no fear, illusions with robots, bio-hacking, a mystery at a lake, and this time… Birds of a feather may flock together — but it turns out birds that live in the city sing at higher frequencies, louder, and more often than their rural ...
Trace Elements: Mystery at the Lake
April 21, 2016 21:38 - 17.1 MBLake Oneida on April 24, 2016. Photo by Carl Hagmann Special episode #4 featuring Trace Elements with Cristina Quinn and Alison Bruzek. In the 1970s, a geochemist and a biologist banded together to solve a mystery at Lake Oneida in upstate New York. What they found is changing the way we think about human life, and where the origins of life come from. Guests: Kenneth Nealson, professor, University of Southern California Willard Moore, professor emeritus, University of South Carolina ...
Trace Elements: Upgrade
April 07, 2016 20:53 - 22.1 MBIt’s here! Episode three of our special five-part series called Trace Elements with hosts Cristina Quinn and Alison Bruzek. Hacking your hearing aid to implanting NFC tags into your hands — we are now in the age of DIY Bio. Dive into the growing underworld of body modification from the backrooms of tattoo shops to the lab in your kitchen. Guests: Frank Swain, biohacker/community manager at New Scientist Amal Graafstra, CEO of Dangerous Things Meredith Patterson, technologist ...
Outside Podcast: Frozen Alive
March 30, 2016 15:16 - 35.7 MBWe are interrupting your regularly scheduled podcast feed with a special new episode on the science of survival from Outside Magazine and PRX. Here’s the first episode on the cold, hard facts about what happens when you get lost in the snow. To get future episodes, which come every two weeks, subscribe to the Outside Podcast on iTunes or wherever you lsiten. You can also get the full scoop from PRX’s press release.
Trace Elements: Fooled Ya
March 24, 2016 22:19 - 20.6 MBCristina & Marco hanging out with EDI Episode two of our special five-part series called Trace Elements — with hosts Cristina Quinn and Alison Bruzek — is here. This time: the how and why of illusion. Maybe you’ll get some April Fools ideas. Marco Tempest is not your average magician. He uses robots to do magic tricks on stage — but the real trick is in how easily he can get an audience to believe that robot has personality and is almost human. Guests: Marco Tempest, cyberillusionist Ma...
Trace Elements: The Reset
March 10, 2016 16:41 - 16.4 MBTwo hosts, one adventure: This episode marks the beginning of five special Transistor episodes featuring Trace Elements. Hosts and producers Cristina Quinn and Alison Bruzek take listeners on an off-road trip into the science that connects us. Learn more here in our super-official press release. In this episode: Meet a man who woke up from a hospital procedure and no longer felt any fear. Guests: Jordy Cernik Tracy Cernik Richard Hodin, chief of endocrine surgery at Massachusetts Gener...
The Invention of the Home Pregnancy Test
February 29, 2016 05:39 - 13.3 MBWe love a good backstory to a scientific invention that is ubiquitous today. Meet the women who got pregnancy tests out of labs and into homes. In the episode: Audrey Peattie Margaret Crane Gloria Allen Special thanks to Dr. Jesse Olszynko-Gryn (University of Cambridge), whose research provided the basis for this piece. This episode was brought to us by the podcast Mother, produced by Amy Gastelum and Anne Noyes Saini.
Rodney Learns to Fly
February 12, 2016 22:04 - 14.3 MBRodney Stotts and Mr. Hoots, a Eurasian eagle owl. “Biophilia” refers to the instinctive affection humans have for nature. It’s a term that was coined in the mid-’80s by renowned biologist E.O. Wilson. This story is about just such a connection: Rodney Stotts grew up selling dope and guns. But he’s always loved caring for birds. The drugs landed him in jail. The birds helped set him free. Rodney Stotts and Mr. Hoots, a Eurasian eagle owl. Producer/reporter Ari Daniel. This story was pro...
Imagine All the People
January 26, 2016 19:44 - 11.1 MBCasey draws his imaginary grandson, Georgie. Photo by Pien Huang. Casey is just four, but he already has an imaginary grandson. What does science say about what imaginary friends do for kids and the adults they become? Hey listeners, do you remember your imaginary friends? We’d love to hear who they were. Comment below or tweet us @TransistorShow. This episode’s story was produced by Pien Huang and edited by Andrea Mustain. It was hosted for this episode of Transistor by Genevieve Sponsl...
Disease Detectives On the Case
January 07, 2016 22:46 - 11 MBEbola, salmonella, even measles. All of these have a source, and disease detectives trained at the CDC know how to find the culprits. Join two rookies as as they solve “the case of the nutty dish”. This episode was originally produced by Philip Graitcer for PRX’s STEM Story Project in 2014. It was hosted for this episode of Transistor by Genevieve Sponsler and mixed for Transistor by Josh Swartz.
Orbital Path: Must Be Aliens
December 17, 2015 16:29 - 16.7 MBLoyal Transistor listeners will remember astronomer Michelle Thaller, who hosted three episodes for us early in 2015. She’s back, now with her own monthly podcast from PRX called Orbital Path. It’s all about stars, the universe, and us — for space lovers or just the curious. The debut episode features the infamous Phil Plait of Bad Astronomy, as Michelle and Phil talk about why aliens get the credit for almost everything unexplainable. And episode two is in the works with another g...
Bluegrass…for Wolves?
December 07, 2015 04:11 - 11.2 MBWhat kind of music do animals like? A woman who studies how non-human creatures go mad throws concerts for captive animals to try and enrich their lives, and researchers weigh in on how we can understand animal tastes for music with science. Plus, a bluegrass concert for 52 wolves. Here’s a video of the concert featured in the audio story: Music for Wolves: Black Prairie from Aubree Bernier-Clarke on Vimeo. This episode was produced for PRX and Studio 360 with Kurt Andersen by Br...
All By Myself…Maybe
November 20, 2015 21:46 - 9.84 MB“52 Hz” is the name given to a mysterious whale that vocalizes at a different frequency than other whales. Some refer to him as “The World’s Loneliest Whale,” but other scientists aren’t convinced that its unique call has left the whale isolated at all. Craig and George went on a whale watch when they reported this story. See their photos and videos here. This episode was produced for PRX & Transistor by Craig Shank and George Drake Jr. of Everything Sounds, and was mixed for Transistor b...
Nautilus special: “To Save California, Read Dune”
November 05, 2015 19:16 - 24 MBThe sci-fi epic of Dune takes place on a desert planet. There, the water in even a single tear is precious. Can Dune offer lessons for drought-stricken California of 2015? This is a special episode featuring science magazine Nautilus. This episode was produced for PRX and Nautilus by David Schulman.
The Indiana Jones of Math
October 05, 2015 21:15 - 10 MBKen Golden isn’t your typical mathematician. He’s the Indiana Jones of Mathematics. He gets up from behind his desk, armed with mathematical theory and gets out into the world, having adventures and finding unifying math behind seemingly unconnected subjects. In this episode, we find him out on the Arctic sea ice drawing on math developed for stealth technology to understand not only the ice, but the bones of people with osteoporosis. This episode was produced by Ben Harden in 2014 for PR...
Forensics in Flames
August 18, 2015 20:43 - 14.1 MBOver the past 20 years, there’s been a revolution in the science of arson investigations. Many of the clues that had been used for decades to determine that a fire was not accidental, especially the analysis of burn patterns on walls and floors, have been proven to be false. Reporter Michael May looks closely at two deadly fires to explore the cutting edge of fire science. For more on this case, here’s Dave Mann of the Texas Observer on NPR’s All Things Considered last year: This episode ...
That Crime of the Month
July 16, 2015 17:25 - 13.7 MBWhat does it mean when a woman commits a crime and attributes her actions to PMS? We revisit the court case for — and the science behind — the first use of the “PMS defense” in this country, back in 1981. Featuring the true crime show, Criminal. This episode was produced by Criminal — Phoebe Judge, Lauren Spohrer, and Eric Mennel — in 2014 for PRX’s STEM Story Project. It was hosted for this episode of Transistor by Genevieve Sponsler and mixed for Transistor by Erika Lantz.
The Last of the Iron Lungs
July 06, 2015 20:14 - 9.89 MBAs storms raged through Oklahoma in 2013, Martha Lillard waited them out from inside her iron lung. She is one of just dozens of polio survivors who still rely on their decades-old machines. The Last of the Iron Lungs is a portrait of Martha, who contracted polio in 1953. To Martha, the 1940s iron lung is comfort and survival. As a researcher explains in the story, newer machines operate differently, forcing air into the lungs in a way that doesn’t feel right for iron lung patients...
Where Math and Mime Meet
June 29, 2015 04:26 - 14.6 MBTim and Tanya Chartier present a classic mime stance Some things can be better left unsaid. Who would have thought that math could be one of them? Tim Chartier has found a way to fuse his two great loves: math and mime. He and his wife strive to have their audiences become a part of the world that they’re creating on stage, and in so doing, the math becomes at once understandable and unforgettable. Inside the Episode: Producer Ari Daniel gives us an inside look on pulling this story t...
This is Crohn’s Disease
June 11, 2015 19:52 - 23.2 MBProducer/reporter Jack Rodolico and his wife, Christina. Told by the couple who lived it, this is a story of how Crohn’s disease can change lives when you least expect it. And it’s a story of how science can present multiple paths to — hopefully — relief or recovery. What’s it like making a very personal radio piece about your spouse? Jack Rodolico shares it all in this special follow-up article. For more on treatments for illnesses like Crohn’s and C. diff, listen to The Straigh...
Finding the Elusive Digital Stradivarius
May 29, 2015 21:52 - 10.5 MBA hammer tap to the bridge — light as a dried pea — helps Curtin capture an acoustic instrument’s sound signature. In music, everything seems to have another digital life. Pianists can play with different voicings on an electric keyboard. Guitarists can filter their instrument’s signal through a pedal or amp to create various effects. Why shouldn’t violinists be able to digitally harness the sound of a Stradivarius? For starters, it takes an incredible feat of engineering to make an ...
Totally Cerebral: Exercise and Your Brain
May 22, 2015 15:53 - 20.5 MBA story of movement, memory, and mentors. Dr. Wendy Suzuki introduces us to Dr. Marian Diamond, whose lively classes ushered Wendy into a career in neuroscience. And Wendy shares how she came to study how exercise profoundly affects the brain, not just the body. Dr. Marian Diamond and Wendy Suzuki on Wendy’s undergrad graduation day Here’s more from Wendy: A science mentor can make your career. Dr. Marian Diamond not only ushered me into the field of neuroscience with her lively ...
Science’s Blind Spots
May 14, 2015 18:51 - 22 MBOne of the things we assign to science is that there are true, absolute facts. But scientists are human and, it turns out, as prone to blind spots in their thinking as the rest of us, especially when cultural assumptions and biases get in the way. Emily Martin & Richard Cone In this episode, biologist Christina Agapakis explores ways these blind spots, especially around gender and sexism, have affected research and women’s careers in science. She talks with one of her heroes, an...
Early Bloom
May 07, 2015 15:55 - 10.7 MBWhen University of Washington researcher David Rhoades discovered that plants could communicate with each other, he was laughed out of science. But now, three decades later, science is reconsidering. His discovery came on the heels of the book The Secret Life of Plants, which claimed plants were sentient, emotional creatures with the ability to communicate telepathically with humans. It was a huge bestseller and Rhoades’ experiments sounded like they were straight from the book. Hi...
The Next Generation of Galapagos Scientists
April 23, 2015 19:27 - 9.44 MBWhat motivates young people to become scientists? Meet Maricruz Jaramillo and Samoa Asigau, two young women scientists from opposite sides of the Pacific Ocean, whose professional aspirations have taken them to the Galapagos Islands. Science reporter Véronique LaCapra joined Mari and Samoa in the Galapagos, where they are studying a type of malaria that is affecting native bird populations. Maricruz Jaramillo (standing) and Samoa Asigau wait for their ride back to the Charles Darwi...