A Bittersweet Farewell and Enthusiastic Hello: A New Science Podcast Is Headed Your Way!
Orbitals
We have some bittersweet news: Orbitals is coming to a close.
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🧪 Solutions 112 | The Sweet Chemistry of Vanilla Memories
Orbitals
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 plant…rice!
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🧪 Solutions 111 | A Walk Among the Sponges
Orbitals
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 cleaning.
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Bacteria are cleaning up our toxic waste | Orbitals 410
Orbitals
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 lives by cleaning up things like massive oil spills and radioactive waste. Featuring Dr. Cara Santelli.
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🧪 Solutions 110 | What your raincoat and a hydrogen fuel cell have in common
Orbitals
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 yet?
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The Great Molasses Flood of 1919 | Orbitals 409
Orbitals
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, molasses can be dangerous. Just over a century ago, the North End of Boston learned just *how* dangerous.Â
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🧪 Solutions 109 | No 5G Without Chemistry
Orbitals
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!Â
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Sweat: The Taboo Fluid That Keeps Us Alive | Orbitals 408
Orbitals
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 Sarah Everts, who recently wrote a book called The Joy of Sweat: The Strange Science of Perspiration.
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🧪 Solutions 108 | Antiviral Fabric: From Less-Smelly Socks to Life-Saving Masks
Orbitals
A team of researchers making workout gear that never stinks realized that their invention could actually have a bigger impact fighting a global pandemic. It all starts with a fabric found in your closet and a common mineral in your breakfast cereal.
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It's Raining PLASTIC?! | Orbitals 407
Orbitals
In 2020, researchers discovered that more than 1,000 tons of plastic—that’s over 100 million plastic water bottles worth—rains down on National Parks and wilderness in the western U.S. every year. How is that possible?
info_outlineIn the first half of the 20th century, there were very few environmental laws in the United States.
Then, in 1962, environmentalist Rachel Carson published Silent Spring, opening the eyes of many Americans to the environmental destruction and detrimental impacts on human health caused by unchecked toxic chemical use and industrial waste. One of those chemicals was the highly effective synthetic insecticide DDT.
8 years later, the Environmental Protection Agency was created.