Tiny Matters

The American Chemical Society
  • 0.0 (0)
  • LIFE SCIENCES
  • EVERY TWO WEEKS
Tiny Matters

Dive into genes, microbes, and other tiny things that have a big impact on our world with Tiny Matters. Join scientists Sam Jones and Deboki Chakravarti as they take apart complex and contentious topics in science and rebuild your understanding. From deadly diseases to ancient sewers to forensic toxicology, Sam and Deboki embrace the messiness of science and its place in the past, present, and future. Tiny Matters releases new episodes every Wednesday and is brought to you by the American Chemical Society, a non-profit scientific organization that advances chemistry and connects the broader scientific community.

  1. 6 HR AGO

    In defense of plants: Pitfall traps, rancid aromas, and other wild pollination strategies with Matt Candeias

    On Tiny Matters we just weren’t giving enough love to plants, but we’re dedicated to fixing that! In this week’s episode, we chat with Matt Candeias, the host of the podcast In Defense of Plants. We tackle a subject that we had definitely oversimplified in our minds: pollination. From stinky corpse flowers to pitfall traps to faux fermentation, the way plants have evolved so many strategies to reproduce is beyond fascinating. We can’t wait to take you all on this pollination ride!Send us your...

    29 min

  2. 20 NOV · BONUS

    [BONUS] Why we experience altitude sickness and a chirality mystery: Tiny Show and Tell Us #11

    In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we cover why your body feels so ‘off’ at high altitudes and how we’ve evolved not to detect low oxygen levels but high amounts of carbon dioxide. Then we unpack the confusing world of molecule chirality — what it is, why it matters, and how we evolved to only have ‘left-handed’ amino acids but ‘right-handed’ DNA and RNA.We need your stories — they're what make these bonus episodes possible! Write in to tinymatters@acs.org *or fill out this form* with ...

    15 min

  3. 13 NOV

    Stories trapped in ancient teeth: Reconstructing megalodon’s diet and retracing the steps of woolly mammoths

    How often do you think about your teeth? In this episode of Tiny Matters, we talk about how the atoms trapped within teeth can reveal what an animal ate and where it lived, and how studying teeth has helped ecologists reconstruct prehistoric food webs of megatooth sharks and retrace the steps of woolly mammoths across the Arctic. And hopefully, we’ll give you a few new reasons to appreciate your own pearly whites. Send us your science stories/factoids/news for a chance to be featured on an up...

    33 min

  4. 6 NOV · BONUS

    [BONUS] Mice aging in reverse and using origami to understand how a tiny organism captures prey: Tiny Show and Tell Us #10

    In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we explore the science behind a very catchy headline about a drug that makes mice look more youthful and increases their life expectancies. Then we shift gears to talk about a predatory unicellular organism with a swan-like neck that rapidly extends a great distance to capture prey. Researchers used origami to understand the mechanics behind this anatomical feat. We need your stories — they're what make these bonus episodes possible! Write in to tinym...

    17 min

  5. 30 OCT

    Ghosts and cyborgs: A specter skeptic and the promise (and perils) of biohybrid robots

    Halloween is right around the corner, so what better way to celebrate than a deep dive into the ‘science’ of ghost sightings? We touch on a bit of the psychology behind these experiences and then break down the equipment people use when searching for proof that spirits float among us, and how power lines and rats in walls muddy the specter detection waters. Then we switch to something a little more corporeal, but no less weird: cyborgs. Biohybrid robots hold a lot of potential, but their ethi...

    29 min

  6. 23 OCT · BONUS

    [BONUS] Algae in the clouds and colossal galaxy walls: Tiny Show and Tell Us #9

    In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we explore the unexpected ways algae (and the things that kill them) influence cloud formation. We also chat about the massive galaxy walls in our universe, including the South Pole Wall and the Sloan Great Wall, both of which are around 1.5 billion light-years long. We need your stories — they're what make these bonus episodes possible! Write in to tinymatters@acs.org *or fill out this form* with your favorite science fact or science news story for a...

    17 min

  7. 16 OCT

    Pesticides across history and learning from millions of years of plant-insect warfare

    On January 27, 1958, newspaper editor Olga Huckins sat down to write an angry letter to a friend. Olga and her husband owned a private two-acre bird sanctuary, and the previous summer the government had sprayed the pesticide DDT all over that two acres to control the mosquitos. She saw wildlife, particularly birds, getting sick and dying. The friend Olga sent the letter to was none other than Rachel Carson, who would go on to write the book Silent Spring, exposing the dangers of synthetic pes...

    32 min

  8. 9 OCT · BONUS

    [BONUS] A shark’s ‘jelly-filled canals’ and deadly cyanide in clovers: Tiny Show and Tell Us #8

    In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we talk about the ampullae of Lorenzini that allow sharks to detect the electrochemical signals coming from prey. We also cover the fascinating science behind cyanide-filled clovers. Did you know cyanide is actually a very popular poison in the plant kingdom? We need your stories — they're what make these bonus episodes possible! Write in to tinymatters@acs.org *or fill out this form* with your favorite science fact or science news story for a chance ...

    16 min
See All (94)

About

Dive into genes, microbes, and other tiny things that have a big impact on our world with Tiny Matters. Join scientists Sam Jones and Deboki Chakravarti as they take apart complex and contentious topics in science and rebuild your understanding. From deadly diseases to ancient sewers to forensic toxicology, Sam and Deboki embrace the messiness of science and its place in the past, present, and future. Tiny Matters releases new episodes every Wednesday and is brought to you by the American Chemical Society, a non-profit scientific organization that advances chemistry and connects the broader scientific community.

Information

  • Creator
    The American Chemical Society
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2024
  • Episodes
    94
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 Tiny Matters
  • Show Website
    Tiny Matters

You Might Also Like

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada