PNAS Science Sessions

PNAS
  • 4.4 (42)
  • SCIENCE
  • UPDATED SEMIMONTHLY

Welcome to Science Sessions, the PNAS podcast program. Listen to brief conversations with cutting-edge researchers, Academy members, and policymakers as they discuss topics relevant to today's scientific community. Learn the behind-the-scenes story of work published in PNAS, plus a broad range of scientific news about discoveries that affect the world around us.

  1. 4D AGO

    How mosquitoes time their bites

    Molecular regulation of mosquito biting timing Science Sessions are brief conversations with cutting-edge researchers, National Academy members, and policymakers as they discuss topics relevant to today's scientific community. Learn the behind-the-scenes story of work published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), plus a broad range of scientific news about discoveries that affect the world around us. In this episode, Laura Duvall introduces a potential pathway for disrupting the biting behavior of mosquitoes. In this episode, we cover: •[00:00] Introduction •[00:57] Mosquito neuroscientist Laura Duvall introduces us to the normal biting behavior of mosquitoes. •[02:46] She tells why the biting behavior of the Aedes aegypti mosquito is of particular interest. •[03:24] Duvall describes findings regarding how mosquitoes' responses to CO2 vary over times of day. •[05:37] She introduces the PDF peptide that might be regulating timing of biting behavior and explains how losing that peptide changed mosquitoes' behavior. •[08:07] Duvall talks about the takeaways from the study for control of mosquito-borne illnesses. •[08:53] She lists the caveats and limitations of the study. •[09:26] Conclusion. About Our Guest: Laura Duvall Assistant Professor Columbia University View related content here: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2520826122 Follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts for more captivating discussions on scientific breakthroughs! Visit Science Sessions on PNAS.org: https://www.pnas.org/about/science-sessions-podcast  Follow PNAS: Twitter/X Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Sign up for the PNAS Highlights newsletter

    10 min

  2. JAN 26

    Impact of flu vaccines on hospital burden

    How well flu vaccines protect public health Science Sessions are brief conversations with cutting-edge researchers, National Academy members, and policymakers as they discuss topics relevant to today's scientific community. Learn the behind-the-scenes story of work published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), plus a broad range of scientific news about discoveries that affect the world around us. In this episode, Lauren Meyers explains what the 2022-2023 influenza season taught us about the effectiveness of flu vaccines. In this episode, we cover: •[00:00] Introduction •[01:16] Computational epidemiologist Lauren Meyers introduces the health and hospitalization burden of seasonal influenza. •[01:47] She defines vaccine effectiveness. •[02:37] Meyers describes the features of the 2022-2023 flu season. •[04:05] She describes how the researchers estimated the hospitalizations prevented by vaccination. •[05:11] Meyers tells how vaccination of young adults protected adults over 65 years of age. •[06:56] She describes the takeaways of the study for future flu seasons. •[08:08] Meyers lists the caveats and limitations of the study. •[09:49] Conclusion. About Our Guest: Lauren Meyers Professor University of Texas at Austin View related content here: https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2505175122 Follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts for more captivating discussions on scientific breakthroughs! Visit Science Sessions on PNAS.org: https://www.pnas.org/about/science-sessions-podcast  Follow PNAS: Twitter/X Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Sign up for the PNAS Highlights newsletter

    10 min

  3. JAN 12

    Secrets of Earth's climate in six-million-year-old ice

    Air quality and pet health Science Sessions are brief conversations with cutting-edge researchers, National Academy members, and policymakers as they discuss topics relevant to today's scientific community. Learn the behind-the-scenes story of work published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), plus a broad range of scientific news about discoveries that affect the world around us. In this episode, Sarah Shackleton shares climate lessons learned from 6 million-year-old ice. In this episode, we cover: •[00:00] Introduction •[01:02] Paleoclimate and ice scientist Sarah Shackleton introduces the information researchers can glean from ice cores. •[02:02] She recounts the age extent of previous ice cores. •[03:03] Shackleton describes the Allan Hills Ice Area. •[04:35] She describes the method for ascertaining the age of air in an ice core. •[05:49] She explains the results of the study and the insights into the climate in Antarctica over the last 6 million years. •[06:32] Shackleton talks about the ice at the base of the core, and the research implications of the study. •[08:13] Caveats and limitations of the study. •[09:11] Conclusion. About Our Guest: Sarah Shackleton Assistant scientist Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution View related content here: https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2502681122 Follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts for more captivating discussions on scientific breakthroughs! Visit Science Sessions on PNAS.org: https://www.pnas.org/about/science-sessions-podcast  Follow PNAS: Twitter/X Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Sign up for the PNAS Highlights newsletter

    10 min

  4. 12/29/2025

    China, ascendent

    China's science leadership Science Sessions are brief conversations with cutting-edge researchers, National Academy members, and policymakers as they discuss topics relevant to today's scientific community. Learn the behind-the-scenes story of work published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), plus a broad range of scientific news about discoveries that affect the world around us. In this episode, James Evans explains how and why China's leadership in global science is rising. In this episode, we cover: •[00:00] Introduction •[00:56] Social and complex systems scientist James Evans recounts the recent history of the trajectories of science in the U.S. and in China. •[01:50] He explains how to measure a country's scientific leadership and introduces the data sources used in the study. •[04:18] Evans tells the results of the study, and talks about some areas of science in which China's leadership has particularly advanced. •[06:20] He lists the key takeaways from the study for policymakers and the benefits of global science engagement. •[08:47] Evans talks about the caveats and limitations of the work. •[09:54] Conclusion About Our Guest: James Evans Max Plofsky Professor of Sociology and Data Science  University of Chicago View related content here: https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2414893122 Follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts for more captivating discussions on scientific breakthroughs! Visit Science Sessions on PNAS.org: https://www.pnas.org/about/science-sessions-podcast  Follow PNAS: Twitter/X Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Sign up for the PNAS Highlights newsletter

    10 min

  5. 12/08/2025

    Genetic history of dog domestication

    Genetic history of dog domestication Science Sessions are brief conversations with cutting-edge researchers, National Academy members, and policymakers as they discuss topics relevant to today's scientific community. Learn the behind-the-scenes story of work published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), plus a broad range of scientific news about discoveries that affect the world around us. In this episode, researchers explore the impact of domestication on dog genetics and behavior. In this episode, we cover: •[00:00] Introduction •[01:00] Greger Larson explains how the history of gene flow between dogs and their wild relatives differs from what we know about other domestic species. •[02:38] Audrey Lin finds that low levels of wolf ancestry are found in almost two thirds of dog breeds. •[04:18] Linus Girdland Flink documents evidence of two genetic wolves on a remote Scandinavian island that may have been under human control. •[06:13] Clément Car explores how the mating systems of free-ranging village dogs could provide insight into canine domestication •[07:43] Katia Bougiouri explains how she used a statistical method to improve ancient genomes and what her results reveal about the history of inbreeding in dogs. •[09:21] Lachie Scarsbrook explains how he used museum specimens to reconstruct the history of inbreeding in German Shepherd Dogs. •[11:10] Eleanor Raffan analyzes genetic data and owner-submitted behavioral questionaries from 1,343 golden retrievers. •[12:54] Kathryn Lord finds that genetic testing cannot accurately predict canine behaviors. •[14:25] Final thoughts and conclusion. About Our Guest: Greger Larson  Professor  University of Oxford Audrey Lin  Gerstner Postdoctoral Scholar American Museum of Natural History Linus Girdland Flink  Lecturer  University of Aberdeen Clément Car  Postdoctoral Researcher University of Gdańsk Katia Bougiouri  Postdoctoral Researcher University of Copenhagen Lachie Scarsbrook Postdoctoral Researcher University of Oxford, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich Eleanor Raffan  University Associate Professor  University of Cambridge Kathryn Lord Postdoctoral fellow  University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School View related content here: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2528616122 https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2421768122 https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2421759122 https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2421756122 https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2416980122 https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2421755122 https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2421757122 https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2421752122 Follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts for more captivating discussions on scientific breakthroughs! Visit Science Sessions on PNAS.org: https://www.pnas.org/about/science-sessions-podcast  Follow PNAS: Twitter/X Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Sign up for the PNAS Highlights newsletter

    15 min

  6. 11/24/2025

    Air pollution and pet health

    Air quality and pet health Science Sessions are brief conversations with cutting-edge researchers, National Academy members, and policymakers as they discuss topics relevant to today's scientific community. Learn the behind-the-scenes story of work published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), plus a broad range of scientific news about discoveries that affect the world around us. In this episode, Stephen Jarvis explores the health impacts of poor air quality on pets. In this episode, we cover: •[00:00] Introduction •[00:51] Environmental economist Stephen Jarvis explains how he became interested in the effects of air quality on pets. •[01:59] He talks about the similarities in exposure between humans and pets, and introduces the veterinary dataset used in the study. •[03:30] Jarvis explains the results of the study and the potential physiological effects of poor air quality. •[05:40] He talks about the implications of reducing air pollution for petcare and the takeaway messages of the study. •[08:17] Jarvis explains the caveats and limitations of the study. •[09:14] Conclusion. About Our Guest: Stephen Jarvis Assistant professor London School of Economics View related content here: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2504553122 Follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts for more captivating discussions on scientific breakthroughs! Visit Science Sessions on PNAS.org: https://www.pnas.org/about/science-sessions-podcast  Follow PNAS: Twitter/X Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Sign up for the PNAS Highlights newsletter

    10 min

  7. 11/10/2025

    Probing the die-off of Pacific oysters

    A giant virus associated with oyster aquaculture mortality Science Sessions are brief conversations with cutting-edge researchers, National Academy members, and policymakers as they discuss topics relevant to today's scientific community. Learn the behind-the-scenes story of work published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), plus a broad range of scientific news about discoveries that affect the world around us. In this episode, Curtis Suttle and Kevin Xu Zhong explain how a previously unidentified virus may be connected to mass die-offs of farmed Pacific oysters. In this episode, we cover: • [00:00] Introduction • [01:03] Environmental virologist Curtis Suttle introduces the importance of the Pacific oyster to aquaculture. • [01:42] Suttle describes mass mortality events, including one he witnessed. • [02:42] Environmental microbiologist Kevin Xu Zhong talks about the methods used to identify the Pacific Oyster Nidovirus 1. • [03:53] Zhong describes the notable features of the nidovirus. • [05:19] Zhong and Suttle explain how the nidovirus merits designation of a nidovirus family. • [06:25] Suttle explores the takeaways for oyster farmers and regulators. • [08:15] He lists the caveats and limitations of the study. • [09:40] Conclusion. About Our Guests: Kevin Xu Zhong Research Associate University of British Columbia Curtis Suttle Professor University of British Columbia View related content here: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2426923122 Follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts for more captivating discussions on scientific breakthroughs! Visit Science Sessions on PNAS.org: https://www.pnas.org/about/science-sessions-podcast  Follow PNAS: Twitter/X Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Sign up for the PNAS Highlights newsletter

    10 min

  8. 10/27/2025

    Swamp lights and bat sight

    Swamp lights and bat sight Science Sessions are brief conversations with cutting-edge researchers, National Academy members, and policymakers as they discuss topics relevant to today's scientific community. Learn the behind-the-scenes story of work published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), plus a broad range of scientific news about discoveries that affect the world around us. In this episode, researchers explore two spooky mysteries: the source of will-o'-the-wisps and how bats integrate vision with echolocation. In this episode, we cover: •[00:00] Introduction •[00:58] Richard Zare's background and expertise. •[01:26] Richard, have you ever seen will-o'-the-wisps in the wild? •[01:31] What did we already know about will-o'-the-wisps before your study? •[02:42] How could water droplets ignite methane? •[03:24] Tell us about the methods of your study. How did you explore this phenomenon? •[04:17] What are the broader implications of your findings, beyond just will-o'-the-wisps? •[05:20] What are the caveats or the limitations of the study? •[05:40] Laura Stidsholt's background and expertise. •[06:06] Laura, what can you tell us about the species you studied? •[06:25] What instruments did you attach to the bats? •[07:03] How did the bats' echolocation behavior compare in dark versus lit environments? •[08:14] What do the results suggest about the benefits of integrating information from multiple senses while hunting prey? •[08:58] What do the results imply about the potential impact of artificial light on bats? •[09:43] Final thoughts and conclusion. About Our Guests: Richard Zare  Marguerite Blake Wilbur Professor of Natural Science  Stanford University Laura Stidsholt  Assistant Professor  Aarhus University View related content here: https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2521255122 https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2515087122 Follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts for more captivating discussions on scientific breakthroughs! Visit Science Sessions on PNAS.org: https://www.pnas.org/about/science-sessions-podcast  Follow PNAS: Twitter/X Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Sign up for the PNAS Highlights newsletter

    10 min
See All (414)

4.4
out of 5
42 Ratings

About

Welcome to Science Sessions, the PNAS podcast program. Listen to brief conversations with cutting-edge researchers, Academy members, and policymakers as they discuss topics relevant to today's scientific community. Learn the behind-the-scenes story of work published in PNAS, plus a broad range of scientific news about discoveries that affect the world around us.

Information

You Might Also Like