University of Michigan Museum of Natural History Podcast

University of Michigan Museum of Natural History
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Podcast from the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History

  1. 07/30/2025

    Special Episode: The New Cretacious Period Diorama!

    In this special episode, we dive into the story behind our new exhibit – a 12-foot ammonite diorama made from recycled materials! Created in partnership with LSA Sustainability, inspired by the original work of George Marchand, and his diorama's decades-long presence in the museum. Listen to learn about its history and what made the Cretaceous period so fascinating.

    9 min

  2. 03/05/2025

    Science Cafe: A Problem So Small You Can See It From Space

    Do we really consume a credit card’s worth of microplastics in a week? That depends largely on how you measure it. But one thing is certain: microplastics are all around us and they’re here to stay. These plastics may be small, but understanding their impact requires research at all scales. Zooming in, microplastics are not solo actors: they host an array of plastic-associated microbes that could be unexplored reservoirs of pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes. Microbes also degrade plastic. Zooming out, the extent of the microplastic pollution in our waterways could be detected from space using remote sensing technology. Please join Chris Ruf, Principal Investigator of the Remote Sensing Group (RSG) in the Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering Department (CLaSP) and graduate student Gopal Sundaram of the College of Engineering; Melissa Duhaime, Associate Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; and members of the Duhaime Lab (Rachel Cable, Lizy Michaelson, Skyler Har), for a discussion about one of our planet’s biggest tiny problems.

    1h 16m

  3. 02/26/2025

    Science Cafe: Disinformation, Social Media, and Elections

    Where do you get your news? How do "fake news" and social media affect your perspectives? New U-M research and scholarship can help us understand the widespread impact of disinformation and bias in our current ecosystem of social media and content sources. Please join Ariel Hasell from the Communication and Media department, and Barbara McQuade of the U-M Law School, for a discussion about truth, trust, government, and how we can be effective and critical technology users and consumers. Professor McQuade has recently published the book: Attack from Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America, and books will be available for sale.

    1h 17m

  4. 02/04/2025

    Science Café: The Future of MRNA Vaccines

    We have seen how mRNA vaccines have changed the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, reducing the occurrence of severe illness and saving lives. What is the future of this biotechnology? Join Rachel Niederer and Nils Walter of the U-M Department of Chemistry and the Center for RNA Biomedicine to learn how mRNA vaccine technology could address influenza, Ebola, and other viruses—and even help fight cancer.

    1h 8m

  5. 01/08/2025

    Science Café: Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence

    What is machine learning? Is it the same as artificial intelligence? Please join Raed Al Kontar of the U-M Department of Industrial & Operations Engineering to discuss how machine learning algorithms can be applied to distributed systems such as cars, phones, and hospitals, where data comes from many sources.

    1h 4m

  6. 01/08/2025

    Science Café: Politics and Power in Your Morning Coffee

    Coffee production has a history as a colonial crop, destructive to the environment. Can coffee support biodiversity and local farms? What if we teach farmers how to grow coffee sustainably? What if doing so means opposing mega-corporations, or even advocating for political independence? Learn about new research and education efforts by two U-M scientists who are intent on revolutionizing coffee production to something sustainable that benefits local communities.   John Vandermeer (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology) and Ivette Perfecto (School for Environment and Sustainability) have worked with coffee production in Mexico, and are currently working in Puerto Rico. Learn about the obstacles to this important work - this conversation may change the source of your morning brew! Bring your coffee questions.

    1h 6m

  7. 12/19/2024

    Science Cafe: High Tech Bones and Buildings

    High-resolution 3D scans, prints, and renderings are changing the way scientists work! Please join Adam Rountrey of the U-M Museum of Paleontology and Nic Terrenato of the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology for a look at the research and educational opportunities made possible by 3D imaging and printing. With accurate digital "copies" available, are the original objects more or less important? How should 3D research data be shared and preserved? Can these copies make repatriation easier? What about equitable access to collections? Enjoy a presentation and casual conversation on the changing nature of historical sciences.

    1h 4m

  8. 12/11/2024

    Science Cafe: Policy from the Pulpit? Influences on Climate Change Skepticism

    Climate change action is one of the most urgent questions we face. What influences public opinion on this issue? Recent research has shown that religious affiliation is not a consistent predictor for climate change skepticism. The exception to this rule is evangelical protestants who consistently poll as more skeptical than the general population. Do local evangelical ministers fit the trend of this larger demographic, or is there more to the story? Join Buddy Stark (Ph.D. student with the Mallinson Institute for Science Education at Western Michigan University) to discuss how the belief structures leading to skepticism among evangelicals are more complex than we might predict. We'll consider what approaches might be useful in moving us all forward. Buddy Stark is the planetarium manager at the U-M Museum of Natural History.

    1 hr
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Podcast from the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History

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