Periodic Talks Gillian Jacobs & Diona Reasonover

Radio waves aren’t sound. They’re electromagnetic radiation and essentially a type of invisible light. Radio astronomer Nicole Gugliucci joins us to explain how it's used to observe the formation of galaxies, black holes and other objects in outer space. Then, Gillian and Diona go on a field trip to see a meteor shower! It’s pretty much a disaster, but kind of hilarious and most definitely a blast. Stick around until the very end for an important announcement.

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Birds are simply captivating. We take a deep dive into their relationship dynamics, parenting habits and other behaviors with biologist and conservationist Wenfei Tong. Then, actress Olivia Scott Welch (Fear Street) stops by to help us share an incredible story from the Apollo Era. We also get a voice memo from Gillian’s co-star on Community, Joel McHale!

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Cities aren’t meant to last, according to writer Annalee Newitz. In their book “Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age,” they explore the rise and fall of ancient sites. What can architecture tell us about how we live? What can urban planning tell us about our changing values? And ultimately, why are cities abandoned? Later, we also dive into the story of a scientist who helped us understand the very structure of our DNA. Plus, we get a voice message from actress Sarah Ramos (Parenthood).

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We’re off this week, but we wanted to share a bonus behind the scenes exclusive: Creating the sound for our show. We’re joined by senior audio engineer and musician Brendan Byrnes, who walks us through initial concepts and building the music you hear every week!



This exclusive is part of a series of bonus episodes, which includes peeks behind the scenes and extended guest conversations. You can hear more bonus episodes by signing up for Stitcher Premium. Just subscribe through the Stitcher app, use the promo code PERIODIC and then you can listen to the rest of our bonus content for free for 30 days!

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Can you imagine hearing music all day, every day? Mary Steenburgen says that’s her reality. The Oscar-winning actress and songwriter joins us to share a mysterious, fascinating and moving story. How do you re-adjust to life when your brain plays music nonstop? Also, in a completely separate conversation, we learn about the functions and mysteries of the brain by talking to neurosurgeon Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa.

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A roughly 1-million pound space station orbits our planet every day. Wanna know how they keep the lights on? Battery Subsystem’s Manager Penni Dalton breaks down how it gets its power. Then, NASA engineer Tracy Drain returns to answer listener questions. We even get a question from actor Joel McHale! Plus, director Mikey Alfred sends us a math fact.

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