samsplaining science

Sam Rossano
  • 5.0 (8)
  • SCIENCE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Hey! Welcome to Samsplaining Science - a podcast where a chick named Sam tries to explain some science! Science affects our lives every day, more than any of us realize. That's where this podcast comes in! Join Sam as she explores and explains the wonders of science that are all around us - hopefully learning a little bit and laughing a little bit along the way!

  1. FEB 22

    ep 56. Black History Month part 2!

    Happy Black History Month! In Part 2 of this Month’s series, sam-splains scientific contributions of Drs. Mamie Phipps Clark and Kenneth Clark and Dr. Percy Julian!  Sources: 1. American Psychological Association. (Created 2012). “Featured Psychologists: Mamie Phipps Clark, PhD, and Kenneth Clark, PhD.” Link: https://www.apa.org/pi/oema/resources/ethnicity-health/psychologists/clark#:~:text=Mamie%20Phipps%20Clark%20and%20Kenneth%20Clark%20were,expert%20witnesses%20in%20several%20school%20desegregation%20cases.  2. City University of New York Academic Commons. (Accessed 2026). “The Doll Study - The Legacy of Dr. Kenneth Clark.” Link: https://kennethclark.commons.gc.cuny.edu/the-doll-study/#:~:text=Black%20is%20Beautiful:%20The%20Doll%20Study%20and,the%20Court's%20decision%20to%20end%20school%20segregation.  3. NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (Accessed 2026). “Brown v. Board: The Significance of the Doll Test.” Link: https://www.naacpldf.org/brown-vs-board/significance-doll-test/  4. DePauw University. (Last updated Aug 2023). “Percy L. Julian, Class of 1920: Biography.” Link: https://libguides.depauw.edu/percyjulian  5. Science History Institute: Museum & Library (Accessed 2026). “Percy Lavon Julian”. Link: https://www.sciencehistory.org/education/scientific-biographies/percy-lavon-julian/  Follow the Show: www.instragram.com/samsplainingsci  www.tiktok.com/@samsplainingsci  samsplainingsci.bsky.social  Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@samsplainingsci   Ask a Question: www.samsplainingscience.com/ask/

    43 min

  2. FEB 6

    ep 55. Black History Month pt 1!

    Happy Black History Month! In Part 1 of this Month’s series, sam-splains scientific contributions of Granville T. Woods and Dr. Patricia Bath!  Sources: 1. Biography | Granville T. Woods, Inventor, Induction Telegraph. (Updated 2021). Link: https://www.biography.com/inventors/granville-t-woods    2. Advancing Physics: APS News. (2023). “November 29, 1887: Granville Woods Patents the Induction Telegraph”. Link: https://www.aps.org/apsnews/2023/10/granville-woods-patents-induction-telegraph   3. Wilson, TV. How Subways Work. (Accessed 2026). Link: https://science.howstuffworks.com/engineering/civil/subway3.htm   4. Black Women Physicians: Dr. Patricia Era Bath Inventors Hall of Fame Nomination (Image) Link: https://www.blackwomenphysicians.org/dr-patricia-era-bath    5. U.S. National Library of Medicine - Changing the fact of Medicine | Patricia E. Bath (Accessed 2026). Link: https://cfmedicine.nlm.nih.gov/physicians/biography_26.html  6. Ignotofsky, R. (2016). Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World. Link: https://rachelignotofskydesign.com/women-in-science  7. Cataracts | National Eye Institute. National Institutes of Health. (Accessed 2026). Link: https://www.nei.nih.gov/eye-health-information/eye-conditions-and-diseases/cataracts   8. Cataract Surgery | American Academy of Ophthalmology. (Accessed 2026). Link: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-cataract-surgery  Follow the Show: www.instragram.com/samsplainingsci  www.tiktok.com/@samsplainingsci  samsplainingsci.bsky.social  Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@samsplainingsci   Ask a Question: www.samsplainingscience.com/ask/

    32 min

  3. JAN 23

    ep 54. i smell snow!

    on this episode, sam-splains snow, ice, and why we use rock salt to keep from slipping on sidewalks! (and fair warning - she is sleep deprived and gets spicy lol) Women's Foundation of Minnesota - Immigrant Rapid Response Fund Link: https://www.wfmn.org/funds/immigrant-rapid-response/ Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota - Link: https://www.ilcm.org/donate/ Sources: 1. Climate Science Investigations. Temperature Over Time: Water’s Influence on Temperature. Link: https://www.ces.fau.edu/nasa/module-3/why-does-temperature-vary/land-and-water.php‍ ‍ 2. Exploring our Fluid Earth: Macroscopic Changes in Liquid Water Volume. Link: https://manoa.hawaii.edu/exploringourfluidearth/physical/density-effects/density-temperature-and-salinity/weird-science-macroscopic-changes-liquid-water-volume 3. Libbrecht, K. (2007). “The Formation of Snow Crystals”: American Scientist. 95(1):52. Link: https://www.americanscientist.org/article/the-formation-of-snow-crystals 4. Sehgal T and Wright C. “Breaking the Ice: A Scientific Take on the Ice Melting Abilities of Household Salts” (2017). Journal of Emerging Investigators.. Link: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/4dbc/f8d607e223c7b48f0e4edebef9984486e5f2.pdf. Follow the Show: www.instragram.com/samsplainingsci www.tiktok.com/@samsplainingsci samsplainingsci.bsky.social Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@samsplainingsci‍ ‍ Ask a Question: www.samsplainingscience.com/ask/

    49 min

  4. JAN 10

    ep 53. wtf is ai?

    On this episode, sam-splains AI! What even is AI? What can it do, and what can’t it do? Is it good or evil? Let’s discuss! Leave your thoughts in the comments or share them on socials @samsplainingsci !! Sources:  1. Ng, A. Coursera: AI for Everyone. Link: https://www.coursera.org/learn/ai-for-everyone  2. Commonly Asked Questions about ChatGPT. OpenAI. Updated: 4 months ago. Link: https://help.openai.com/en/articles/6783457-what-is-chatgpt  3. Wen J, Wang W. The future of ChatGPT in academic research and publishing: A commentary for clinical and translational medicine. Clin Transl Med. 2023 Mar;13(3):e1207. doi: 10.1002/ctm2.1207. PMID: 36941774; PMCID: PMC10028016. 4. United Nations Environment Programme. “AI has an environmental problem. Here’s what the world can do about that.” 2025 Nov 13. Link: https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/ai-has-environmental-problem-heres-what-world-can-do-about  5. Kosmyna, N. et al., (2025). ”Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing Task. ” Arxiv.  Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.08872 [PRE-PRINT; NOT PEER REVIEWED] Follow the Show: www.instragram.com/samsplainingsci  www.tiktok.com/@samsplainingsci  samsplainingsci.bsky.social  Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@samsplainingsci   Ask a Question: www.samsplainingscience.com/ask/

    1h 5m

  5. 12/21/2025

    ep 52. the most wonderful time of the year!

    On this episode, sam-splains the winter solstice and how it happens! Source: National Weather Service. The Seasons, The Equinox, and The Solstices. Link: https://www.weather.gov/cle/seasons  Follow the Show: www.instragram.com/samsplainingsci  www.tiktok.com/@samsplainingsci  samsplainingsci.bsky.social  Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@samsplainingsci   Ask a Question: www.samsplainingscience.com/ask/

    27 min

  6. 07/25/2025

    ep 51. cheers!

    On this episode, sam-splains alcohol! We talk about alcohol fermentation and how it is used in beer brewing and winemaking! Cheers, friends! 🍻 Sources: Alba-Lois L and Segal-Kischinevsky C. Yeast Fermentation and the Making of Beer and Wine (2010). Nature Education. 3(9):17. Link: https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/yeast-fermentation-and-the-making-of-beer-14372813/ Bokulich NA and Bamforth CW. The microbiology of malting and brewing (2013). Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews. Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3668669/ Sablayrolles, J.M. Control of Alcoholic fermentation in winemaking: Current situation and prospect. (2009). Food Research International. Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0963996908002524 If you or someone you love is in need of assistance with a substance abuse or alcohol addition, you can go to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/helplines/national-helpline or call 1-800-662-4357. Follow the Show: www.instragram.com/samsplainingsci www.tiktok.com/@samsplainingsci samsplainingsci.bsky.social Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@samsplainingsci Ask a Question: www.samsplainingscience.com/ask/

    58 min

  7. 04/21/2025

    ep 50. move well, feel well, think well

    In this episode, sam-splains why exercise is good for your brain! Tl;dr - exercise gives you endorphins, endorphins make people happy, and happy people don’t kill their husbands! Sources: 1. Basso JC and Suzuki WA. The Effects of Acute Exercise on Mood, Cognition, Neurophysiology, and Neurochemical Pathways: A Review. Brain Plasticity. 2016;2(2):127-152. doi:10.3233/BPL-160040 2. Macpherson H, Teo W-P, Schneider LA and Smith AE (2017) A Life-Long Approach to Physical Activity for Brain Health. Front. Aging Neurosci. 9:147. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2017.00147  Follow the Show: www.instragram.com/samsplainingsci  www.tiktok.com/@samsplainingsci  samsplainingsci.bsky.social  Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@samsplainingsci   Ask a Question: www.samsplainingscience.com/ask/

    1 hr

  8. 01/10/2025

    ep 49. scientific literacy

    On this episode, sam-splains the keys to scientific literacy! How should I search for an article? What types of articles should I read? How do I read a research article? Tune in as Sam gives you some pro-tips to scientific literacy! Sources: 1. Jarry J, McGill University Office for Science and Society, “Doing Your Own Research A Little Bit Better”. (2022). Link: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking/doing-your-own-research-little-bit-better  2. Kelly Y et al. EClinical Medicine, The Lancet Psychiatry. (2018). Link: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(18)30060-9/fulltext  Follow the Show: www.instragram.com/samsplainingsci  www.tiktok.com/@samsplainingsci  samsplainingsci.bsky.social  Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@samsplainingsci   Ask a Question: www.samsplainingscience.com/ask/

    59 min
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About

Hey! Welcome to Samsplaining Science - a podcast where a chick named Sam tries to explain some science! Science affects our lives every day, more than any of us realize. That's where this podcast comes in! Join Sam as she explores and explains the wonders of science that are all around us - hopefully learning a little bit and laughing a little bit along the way!

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