NSF's Discovery Files

This is the Discovery Files Podcast from the U.S. National Science Foundation. Where we will look at some of the latest research in the world of science, with commentary from the scientists making these discoveries. Join us as we explore the world of scientific research, coming soon from the US National Science Foundation. Subscribe wherever you get podcasts.

Repurposing Carbon Dioxide 05/27/2024

Repurposing Carbon Dioxide Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide act like an atmospheric blanket, but what if society could capture and repurpose those gases into useful products? Burcu Gurkan, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering department at Case Western Reserve University, joins this episode to discuss electrochemical methods of carbon capture, how the resulting products might be used and how flow batteries may fuel the future. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/31451807

Cicadas 05/20/2024

Cicadas This year billions of cicadas will emerge as the annual varieties are joined by the periodic Brood XIX and Brood XIII species that pop up every 13 and 17 years. Allen Moore, division director for the Division of Environmental Biology at the U.S. National Science Foundation, joins to discuss cicadas and answer some questions about these mysterious insects. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/31357807

Mayan Archeology 05/13/2024

Mayan Archeology Prior to European arrival, the Maya peoples built a civilization in the inhospitable lowland jungles of Middle America. David Lentz, professor of biological sciences and executive director at the University of Cincinnati Center for Field Studies, joins to discuss his archeological findings from ancient Mayan cities. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/31232842

Black Hole Questions 05/06/2024

Black Hole Questions Advancing tools and techniques are revealing more about black holes, but they also raise more questions that continue to capture the imaginations of people everywhere. Joe Pesce, an astrophysicist with the U.S. National Science Foundation, joins to answer some popular questions. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/31092108

Clarifying Quantum Information 04/29/2024

Clarifying Quantum Information With applications across the sciences and beyond, quantum information science is revolutionizing the world around us. We are joined by Scott Aaronson, Schlumberger Chair of Computer Science at The University of Texas at Austin and director of its Quantum Information Center, to discuss quantum computers, how to understand quantum mechanics and how artificial intelligence is misunderstood. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/30986418

Biofilm Resistance 04/22/2024

Biofilm Resistance Over six million people get bacterial infections that develop into biofilms every year, but what if you could cut off the bacteria before infection occurs? We are joined by Amber Doiron, assistant professor in the University of Vermont Department of Electrical and Biomedical Engineering, to discuss developing biofilm-resistant wound dressings, the problems with treating bacteria, and how exciting it can be to mentor the next generation. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/30899868

Graphene Health Monitor 04/15/2024

Graphene Health Monitor Tattoos have been a part of human culture for a very long time, but what if your tattoo could help diagnose your health? We are joined by Dmitry Kireev, assistant professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst to discuss developing graphene biosensors, how they're like a tattoo, and how this technology may impact the future of health monitoring. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/30779513

Citizen CATE 2024 04/08/2024

Citizen CATE 2024 For a few minutes on April 8, when the moon passed between the sun and Earth, millions of people in the path of totality from Maine to Texas experienced a total solar eclipse. We are joined today by Amir Caspi, a principal scientist at the Southwest Research Institute, who explains the Citizen Continental-America Telescope Eclipse 2024 and his role in the project, the unique opportunities for science that occur during an eclipse, and how anyone can be a scientist. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/30661273

Total Solar Eclipse 04/01/2024

Total Solar Eclipse On April 8, parts of the United States, Canada and Mexico will experience a total solar eclipse. We are joined today by Carrie Black, a program officer in the NSF Division of Astronomical Sciences Division; Alain Brizard, a professor of physics at Saint Michael's College; and Maria Kazachenko, an assistant professor at the University of Colorado Astrophysical & Planetary Science department to hear about what they'll be doing on April 8, what insights you might learn during an eclipse, and what can be experienced during a solar eclipse. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/30562778

Smart Dope Quantum Dots 03/25/2024

Smart Dope Quantum Dots In chemistry, advances in artificial intelligence are allowing automated and self-driving labs to quickly realize complex experiments while providing new avenues for exploration. We are joined by Milad Abolhasani, associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at North Carolina State University to hear about how he developed Smart Dope, a self-driving fluidic lab, and how it is being used to advance quantum dots. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/30477123

Solar Weather Astronomy 03/18/2024

Solar Weather Astronomy Using cutting-edge tools such as the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, astronomers can study the sun as never before. We are joined by Maria Kazachenko, assistant professor in the University of Colorado Boulder Astrophysical & Planetary Sciences department and assistant professor at the National Solar Observatory, to hear about how why it's important to study the sun, why magnetic fields result in solar flares and how new tools are changing our understanding of the sun. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/30386608

Pluripotent Polymers 03/11/2024

Pluripotent Polymers Plastics have historically been developed to be optimal for a specific use, but what if a single material could be made flexible for one application or sturdy for another? We are joined by Stuart Rowan, professor of molecular engineering innovation and enterprise at the University of Chicago, who shares how he is developing materials whose properties can be changed on demand. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/30288628

Crocodilia 03/04/2024

Crocodilia Crocodilian species first appeared during the Mesazoic era 252-66 million years ago and have since adapted to survive changing environments and mass extinction events. We are joined by Greg Erickson, professor of anatomy and vertebrate paleobiology at Florida State University and curator at FSU's Biological Science Museum, who shares how he measured crocodilian bite strength, what happens if a crocodile bites you, and how they inform the understanding of dinosaurs. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/30168938

STEM and Downtown Boxing Gym 02/26/2024

STEM and Downtown Boxing Gym Since 2007, Detroit's Downtown Boxing Gym has provided a free academic and athletic program to students aged 8-18, where they have seen long-term, life-changing impacts and a 100% high school graduation rate. We are joined by Purdue University Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology Amanda Case, Downtown Boxing Gym Executive Director Jessica Hauser, STEAM Lab Coordinator Remi Napier and student researcher Kenneth Cain to learn more about their incredibly successful program. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/30067103

Quantum Computing 02/19/2024

Quantum Computing Quantum information science is a rapidly advancing field. The unique possibilities that quantum phenomena offer will create breakthroughs in areas such as sensing and measurement, computation and simulation, communication, networking, and security. Dolev Bluvstein, a doctoral student at Harvard University, working in the Lukin Group at the Quantum Optics Laboratory joins to discuss how they are making strides in advancing quantum computing, the value of error correction and what the future may hold. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/29984343

ZEUS and the Frontier of Laser Science 02/12/2024

ZEUS and the Frontier of Laser Science The U.S. National Science Foundation's Zettawatt-Equivalent Ultrashort pulse laser System (ZEUS) is the highest power laser system in the United States, providing world-leading capabilities for scientific, medical, defense and industrial research. We are joined by Karl Krushelnick, professor of nuclear engineering and radiological sciences and director of the Gérard Mourou Center for Ultrafast Optical Science at the University of Michigan, which houses ZEUS, to hear about how the laser works, the research that will be conducted there, and how extreme light interacts with different materials. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/29803888

Geographic Information Science 02/05/2024

Geographic Information Science From weather apps to maps, geographic information systems (GIS) are the computer-based tools that drive many modern-day conveniences. The U.S. National Science Foundation has played a central role in the technology's development and growth. NSF established the National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA) in 1988 and funded more than $83 million in grants in the last two years alone. We are joined by Jack Dangermond, who has served on advisory boards for NSF and NCGIA and alongside his wife Laura, who founded the Environmental Systems Research Institute, now known as ESRI, in 1969. Today, their proprietary software is among the most popular in the field. Dangermond discusses his role in the founding of NCGIA, how technology has transformed the field and the importance of conservation. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/29731348

Macrophages and Cancer 01/29/2024

Macrophages and Cancer In the immune system, white blood cells help protect the body from viruses and bacteria. A subset known as macrophages offer great promise for cancer treatment. We are joined by Kolade Adebowale, a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences to hear about his macrophage studies, how they might be made more effective, and why we should be optimistic about the future of cancer treatment. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/29665153

Tyrannosaurids 01/22/2024

Tyrannosaurids Since the discovery of incomplete dinosaur skeletons in the early 1800s, the collective knowledge about these creatures that roamed the Earth millions of years ago has grown dramatically. We are joined by Greg Erickson, a professor of anatomy and vertebrate paleobiology at Florida State University and curator at FSU's Biological Science Museum who shares how new Gorgosaurus discoveries impact what we know about ancient eating patterns, how he aged the famous Tyrannosaurus rex Sue, and his role in uncovering a lost world of arctic creatures that is changing what we know about dinosaurs. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/29561438

Lasers and Extreme Ultraviolet Light 01/15/2024

Lasers and Extreme Ultraviolet Light Light catches the imagination and raises questions about phenomena such as rainbows or why the sky is blue from an early age. We are joined by Franklin Dollar, professor of physics and astronomy and associate dean of graduate studies in the School of Physical Sciences at University of California, Irvine to hear about how he uses extreme ultraviolet light and lasers to reproduce and study the plasma states and particle acceleration that occur in the most extreme corners of the universe. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/29459078

Advancing Computational Chemistry 01/08/2024

Advancing Computational Chemistry The U.S. National Science Foundation's Center for Computer Assisted Synthesis is developing data science tools and computational workflows that aim to shape the future of synthetic chemistry. We are joined by Gabe Gomes, assistant professor of chemistry and chemical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, to hear about the work being done at the facility and the revolutionary new tool his team has developed, Coscientist. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/29354063

A Look Back at 2023 01/01/2024

A Look Back at 2023 From the Viking age to a Cold War military installation revealing insights into the ice age, advances in artificial intelligence, and looks at black holes and gravitational waves in the depths of space, these are just some of the stunning findings produced by U.S. National Science Foundation-supported researchers in 2023. As we start a new year, we're looking back at some memorable moments from the past year's shows. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/29258303

Searching for Technosignatures 12/25/2023

Searching for Technosignatures Humans have always looked up to the sky and wondered about the stars and what life may be out there. Astronomers are using tools such as the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory and the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array to search for radio waves, technosignatures sent from distant stars. David DeBoer, a research astronomer at the University of California, Berkeley joins to explain how Breakthrough Listen is leading this effort and how the Collaboration for Astronomy Signal Processing and Electronics Research is advancing the technology behind it. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/29165448

Listening To Giants 12/18/2023

Listening To Giants Blue whales are the largest animals to ever inhabit the planet and were hunted to near extinction in the era of commercial whaling. Since the 1960's, these giants have been protected but continue to be considered endangered and are seldom seen. Kate Stafford, an associate professor and bio-acoustician at Oregon State University's Marine Mammal Institute, joins today to explain how a film brought her to the Republic of Seychelles to locate blue whales using their vocalizations, share insights into whale song and explain how she hears climate change. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/29095823

Demonstrating Potential 12/11/2023

Demonstrating Potential The U.S. National Science Foundation's Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) has helped ensure the quality, vitality and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce by recognizing and supporting outstanding graduate students since 1952. Kyle Johnson, a doctoral student at the University of Washington, joins us to talk about his work with robotics, his GRFP experience and how he inspires the next generation. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/28988393

Microplastics in the Environment 12/04/2023

Microplastics in the Environment The ubiquity of plastic materials in modern life has meant that plastic debris can be found everywhere. A subset of these environmental contaminates, smaller than a sesame seed, are called microplastics, and an even smaller subset of those are called nanoplastics. We are joined by Lauren Pincus, an environmental chemist and post-doctoral fellow at Princeton University, to learn about plastic degradation, how it interacts with inorganic materials in the environment and what we might do to help prevent it. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/28882988

At the Edge of Artificial Intelligence 11/27/2023

At the Edge of Artificial Intelligence The U.S. National Science Foundation has invested over half a billion dollars to establish the National AI Research Institutes. We are joined by D.K. Panda, from the AI Institute for Intelligent Cyberinfrastructure with Computational Learning in the Environment; Giovanni Vigna, from the AI Institute for Agent-based Cyber Threat Intelligence and Operation; Yiran Chen, from the AI Institute for Edge Computing Leveraging Next Generation Networks; Ness Shroff, from the AI institute for Future Edge Networks and Distributed Intelligence; and Tess DeBlanc-Knowles, staff associate for technology policy and strategy in NSF's Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, to hear how these institutes will drive cutting-edge innovations in AI and how society will benefit from this research. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/28780053

The History Makers 11/20/2023

The History Makers The HistoryMakers is the world's largest searchable oral history archive, featuring the first-person accounts of over 3,000 African American people from a wide variety of disciplines, including a special subset of STEM community members under a project called "ScienceMakers." Founder Julieanna Richardson tells us about early challenges, memorable moments along the journey and how the Library of Congress is now housing the collection. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/28687978

The Frontier of Artificial Intelligence 11/13/2023

The Frontier of Artificial Intelligence The U.S. National Science Foundation has invested over half a billion dollars to establish the National AI Research Institutes. We are joined by Aarti Singh from the AI Institute for Societal Decision Making; Amy McGovern from the AI Institute for Research on Trustworthy AI in Weather, Climate, and Coastal Oceanography; Ashok Goel from the National AI Institute for Adult Learning and Online Education; Vikram Adve from the Artificial Intelligence for Future Agricultural Resilience, Management, and Sustainability Institute; and Michael Littman, division director for Information and Intelligent Systems in NSF's Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate, to hear how these institutes will revolutionize the frontiers of AI and how society will benefit from these innovations. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/28567928

Unwrapping Heritage Science 11/06/2023

Unwrapping Heritage Science A team of researchers at the NSF-supported EduceLab are working to revolutionize digital restoration. They are investigating the Herculaneum Scrolls, ancient writings that were carbonized in the Mount Vesuvius eruption of 79 C.E. We are joined by EduceLab principal investigator Brent Seales, a computer science professor at the University of Kentucky, to hear about imaging the fragile scrolls, using advanced computer technology to process the data and how the Vesuvius Challenge is revealing words. /episode/index/show/48785071-4186-4b15-b961-5d3aa8196ef7/id/28506404

NSF's Discovery Files

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