Why COVID-19 Vaccine Development Is Fast AND SafeThere is a light at the end of the pandemic tunnel in the U.S. The FDA is starting to grant emergency use authorization to COVID-19 vaccines! Kristen talks about how the current vaccines were developed so quickly without compromising safety./episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/17259164
Busting Six Mask MythsWhere do the data stand on masks during the COVID-19 pandemic? Kristen tackles six myths: /episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/16893956
MisinformationWelcome to Season 2! Kristen gets real about why a summer break was necessary, and also talks about what to expect this season. This extra-long episode provides a framework to empower you to minimize consumption and spread of misinformation./episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/16222031
Summer Break 2020Early Bird Science is taking a break for the rest of the summer. Thank you for listening!/episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/15093302
Robots Made of Frog Cells & An Exclusive Sneak Peak of an Important Upcoming EpisodeThe creation of tiny, bio-based robots called xenobots could spark a future of biodegradable, self-replicating, self-repairing ‘bots. Stick around to the end of the episode for a sneak peak of the next Headshake episode with a very special guest!/episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/14910668
Friendship Bracelets for Glacier MiceGlacier mice are rare fuzzy little green balls that mysteriously move in herds atop some of the world’s glaciers. They are not mammals, but they are kind of cute and may be important parts of glacial ecosystems. Researchers are learning more about them./episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/14728985
Why Coffee Makes You PeeMost of us have experienced nature’s call shortly after having a cup of coffee. Why does that happen? Kristen talks about the kidneys and how water and caffeine affect them./episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/14516102
How Does the Internet Work? With Steven GagoKristen and her software engineer spouse Steve Gago have been “safer at home” for weeks, so they decided to record an episode together while trying to stay sane. Steve is back on the show to talk about how the Internet works!/episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/14345234
GIANT FLYING REPTILESPTEROSAURS! Commonly known as pterodactyls, the most massive flyers in the fossil record could inform modern biomimetic aerospace engineering./episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/14150822
Ice on Mercury?!Surprisingly, Mercury, the closest planet to the sun, which can reach daytime temperatures of 430 degrees C (about 800 degrees F), has ice! Kristen discusses research describing a newly-discovered mechanism for water formation and freezing on Mercury./episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/13957664
Take Care of YourselfKristen discusses mental health during the pandemic. Wash your hands and be well. <3 /episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/13750910
CoronavirusThe coronavirus-caused disease COVID-19 has the potential to spread to pandemic levels. What are the facts?/episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/13359494
Calculating the Limits of Human EnduranceStudying energy expenditure of athletes in sporting events ranging from 0.5 to 140 days long, researchers have calculated the limits of human endurance. Pregnant women are endurance masters! Kristen’s Headshake co-host Nathan A. Libby pays a visit./episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/13144313
Ancient Stardust in an Old Meteorite - PLUS a Special Announcement!An ancient meteorite contains the oldest solid material ever found on Earth. Kristen makes an exciting announcement about an upcoming project!/episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/12903500
Flex Those MusclesThe types of muscles you pump up at the gym are just one of three different muscle types in your body. Kristen introduces the muscle types skeletal, cardiac, and smooth, and discusses their differences in appearance, location, control, and contraction./episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/12771671
How Do Computers Work? With Steven GagoHappy new year! Software and firmware engineer Steven Gago is the first human guest on Early Bird Science! Oh, yeah, he is also Kristen’s spouse. :-) He joins Kristen for this special, double-length episode to talk about how computers work./episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/12555635
Evergreen for the HolidaysEvergreen trees keep their green leaves all year long. What benefits and challenges do they experience as a result? Kristen discusses this topic and wraps up 2019, the Year of the Periodic Table. Happy holidays!/episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/12440042
Is Blood Blue?Human blood: Kristen addresses the argument about human blood color. She talks about common misconceptions and what gives blood its appearance. As a bonus, she also talks about the variations in colors of blood in other animals./episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/12007718
Self-driving Cars and Motion SicknessTo help many future drivers-turned-passengers avoid motion sickness, designers of self-driving cars need a better understanding of how vehicle acceleration affects human physiology. Kristen discusses this challenge and ongoing research./episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/11872031
Snail Slime Inspires SuperglueA new super strong, reversible adhesive inspired by nature: The combo of properties is currently rare and in-demand. Kristen discusses the technology itself and how it could get into your hands as a consumer in the future through technology transfer./episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/11756096
India’s First Lunar Lander: Why Loss of Contact Is a Bummer but Also Brings HopeChandrayaan 2 lunar mission: Description and opinion. Kristen discusses what happened during the Chandrayaan 2 mission on September 7, 2019 when the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) lost contact with their spacecraft as they were trying to land it on the moon./episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/11271581
EKGs Part 2 of 2Have you ever wondered what those squiggly lines mean on heart monitors in the hospital or on TV? Kristen talks about what you’re seeing when you look at an EKG. Part 2 of 2/episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/11064923
EKGs Part 1 of 2Have you ever wondered what those squiggly lines mean on heart monitors in the hospital or on TV? Kristen talks about what you’re seeing when you look at an EKG. Part 1 of 2/episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/11064851
Bees Can Count to ZeroIn this first ever episode of Early Bird Science, Kristen gives an introduction to the show, and she talks about a big scientific discovery that bees can recognize zero. We hope you are BUZZing with excitement!/episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/11155994
Coming Soon!Early Bird Science is coming soon! Kristen and AV tell you how to find out the moment Episode 1 is available./episode/index/show/earlybirdscience/id/11063927
