189 episodes

Third Pod from the Sun is back, and we’re going weekly! We’re breaking things up into six-week mini-series and our first series is all about the true, personal stories from scientists, for everyone. Join us as we combat misconceptions about sharks, learn how to lasso lizards, hear from a Martian here on Earth, spark science joy via TikTok, journey to Antarctica, and fight over food with some capuchins!

Third Pod from the Sun American Geophysical Union

    • Science
    • 4.6 • 45 Ratings

Third Pod from the Sun is back, and we’re going weekly! We’re breaking things up into six-week mini-series and our first series is all about the true, personal stories from scientists, for everyone. Join us as we combat misconceptions about sharks, learn how to lasso lizards, hear from a Martian here on Earth, spark science joy via TikTok, journey to Antarctica, and fight over food with some capuchins!

    Tales from the (manus)crypt: This is the end

    Tales from the (manus)crypt: This is the end

    Horror stories (especially movies) have a tradition of long series capstoned by an “ending” movie. Halloween Ends. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter. THE Final Destination. And while Third Pod isn’t a horror movie, we are ending (but like some of those stated “final” movies, we may someday return).Join hosts Shane Hanlon, Vicky Thompson, and a special guest, to reflect on the highs, and the highs (of course there weren’t lows!) of the podcast over the years, and what it has meant to them.This episode was produced by Shane M Hanlon (https://linktr.ee/ecologyofshane), and mixed by Collin Warren (https://www.collinwarren.com/). Art by Jace Steiner (https://www.instagram.com/opiartsy/).

    • 14 min
    Tales from the (manus)crypt: The sound of screams

    Tales from the (manus)crypt: The sound of screams

    There’s something powerful about the sound of a scream. Whether it pierces the silence of an empty building or rings out through a crowded room, it forces you to stop what you’re doing and take note. It turns out there’s a scientific explanation for that. Our brains are hardwired to recognize the sound of a human scream as a distress signal so that we can respond accordingly. We talked to neuroscientist Luc Arnal about what particular sounds make a scream a scream and how he studies the brain circuits that interpret them. This episode was produced by Andrew Saintsing (https://twitter.com/AndrewSaintsing) and mixed by Collin Warren (https://www.collinwarren.com/).

    • 30 min
    Tales from the (manus)crypt: Zombie-making fungi

    Tales from the (manus)crypt: Zombie-making fungi

    Carolyn Elya is the Zombiologist in Chief, aka incoming Assistant Professor in Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard University. She’s been obsessed with parasites for a while, but it was the flies zombified by a fungus that made them climb, perch, and die that really caught her fancy. We talked with Carolyn about how fungi control flies and other insects, and the evolutionary implications for the zombie-making fungus and its doomed victims.This episode was produced by Devin Reese and mixed by Collin Warren (https://www.collinwarren.com/). Art by Jace Steiner (https://www.instagram.com/opiartsy/).

    • 44 min
    Tales from the (manus)crypt: Volcanic video games

    Tales from the (manus)crypt: Volcanic video games

    One of the scariest things for scientists is watching entertainment media portray your field of study inaccurately—the horror! Flood resilience officer and social volcanologist Jazmin Scarlett turned her hobby of playing video games into a paper discussing the depictions of volcanic hazards in games such as Pokémon, LEGO DC Super Villains, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider. The typical video game volcano nearly always has molten lava, but would these games be even more fun to play if they incorporated fissure eruptions, pyroclastic flows, and the dangerous effects of ash and toxic gasses? Jazmin talked with us about her views on natural disasters in fiction media, what scares her about volcanoes, and why she left volcanology to work on flood resilience with the UK’s Environment Agency.This episode was produced by Katrina Jackson (https://www.katrina-jackson.com/) and mixed by Collin Warren (https://www.collinwarren.com/). Art by Jace Steiner (https://www.instagram.com/opiartsy/).

    • 44 min
    Tales from the (manus)crypt: Mind-controlling mushrooms

    Tales from the (manus)crypt: Mind-controlling mushrooms

    The video game and TV show “The Last of Us” captivated audiences with the concept of a fungal pandemic. The story is set in a world ravaged by a fungus that infects people and turns them into zombies. But what’s the likelihood a human fungal pandemic could happen? Scientists Teresa O’Meara and Tim James separate fungal fact from fiction and talk about what real fungal fears keep them up at night.This episode was produced by Molly Magid  (https://twitter.com/molmagid)and mixed by Collin Warren (https://www.collinwarren.com/). Art by Jace Steiner (https://www.instagram.com/opiartsy/).

    • 33 min
    Tales from the (manus)crypt: Evolved bloodsuckers

    Tales from the (manus)crypt: Evolved bloodsuckers

    We're diving into the intriguing world of vampire bats and their unique genetic adaptations to a blood-based diet. Shenglin Liu is a researcher at the Senckenberg Natural History Museum in Frankfurt, Germany tells us that vampire bats have evolved specialized traits, from teeth modifications to brain enhancements, to thrive on a diet of blood. The episode also explores the surprising social behaviors of these bats, including blood-sharing among friends, shedding light on their intelligence and adaptability. You will get a picture of these "cute, blood-sucking, smart, and generous bats" and the remarkable feats of evolution that make them stand out in the animal kingdom.This episode was produced by Anupama Chandrasekaran, and mixed by Collin Warren (https://www.collinwarren.com/). Artwork by Jace Steiner (https://www.instagram.com/opiartsy/). 

    • 26 min

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
45 Ratings

45 Ratings

Boulderbomp ,

Love this podcast!

I am a non scientist but I have an interest in science-related topics. This podcast is fun to listen to and informative without being overly technical. Very interesting topics and fun hosts — Nanci and Shane!

fb18377 ,

Great stories, not so great audio

As a former geology student, I really enjoy the stories and topics they cover. However, the sound effects are often so loud that they make it difficult to hear the interviewee or startle me when they come in. More subtlety in mixing, please!

hydroDavid ,

The human stories of research

Third Pod from the Sun connects with scientists in environmental fields about their work and the experience of doing it. I think AGU has really filled a niche with this podcast - this is exactly the kind of stuff I want to hear about! Keep up the good work!

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