Orbitals

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Radiolab

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Science Vs

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About the show

Latest episodes

• A Bittersweet Farewell and Enthusiastic Hello: A New Science Podcast Is Headed Your Way!

  December 30, 2021 · 5 min

  We have some bittersweet news: Orbitals is coming to a close. BUT there's a new science podcast headed your way in 2022! It's called Tiny Matters, and it's a show about things small in size but big in impact. Every other Wednesday, hosts…

• 🧪 Solutions 112 | The Sweet Chemistry of Vanilla Memories

  December 29, 2021 · 12 min

  If there's one flavor you can always count on, it's vanilla. Sweet, creamy, and nostalgic, it comes from a creeping orchid vine. But with increased demand, scientists are finding new ways to make it, including starting from an unexpected…

• 🧪 Solutions 111 | A Walk Among the Sponges

  December 2, 2021 · 15 min

  Think the science behind sponges must be boring? You're so, so wrong. Shrink down to the microscopic level with us and take a walk among sponges designed to keep bacteria alive, clean with just water, and literally cut through your holiday…

• Bacteria are cleaning up our toxic waste | Orbitals 410

  November 11, 2021 · 15 min

  Bacteria often get a bad rap, which is fair—they are responsible for diseases like strep throat, pneumonia, and tuberculosis, and antibiotic resistance is a legitimate threat to humanity's existence. But some bacteria might actually save…

• 🧪 Solutions 110 | What your raincoat and a hydrogen fuel cell have in common

  October 28, 2021 · 16 min

  Polymer membranes make everything from rain jackets to medical devices. But they're also integral parts of hydrogen fuel cells, powering cars that give off nothing but water vapor. How do fuel cells work, and why aren't you driving one…

• The Great Molasses Flood of 1919 | Orbitals 409

  October 14, 2021 · 13 min

  When you hear the word "molasses" you probably imagine super slow-moving, brown-colored sweet stuff that you add to a cookie recipe. And that is what molasses usually looks like, but under certain conditions and in large enough quantities…

• 🧪 Solutions 109 | No 5G Without Chemistry

  September 30, 2021 · 14 min

  5G is coming… but can your phone handle it? Surprisingly, a lot of that comes down to the chemistry inside! Let's crack open your phone to figure out how chemistry is making it smaller, faster, and a little more sticky!  Solutions is made…

• Sweat: The Taboo Fluid That Keeps Us Alive | Orbitals 408

  September 16, 2021 · 17 min

  Sweat is this thing that many of us seem to loathe, but also pay a lot of money to do while being yelled at by professionals. So what is sweat? And why do we do it? And why are we often so embarrassed by it? This episode features writer…