NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast

NSF Noirlab's Robert Blum, director of operations for the NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, discusses the observatory's signature mission, the Legacy Survey of Space and Time, and how it will transform the way we study the universe.

As the 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time officially starts and the greatest cosmic movie ever made is captured, U.S. National Science Foundation Program Officer Edward Ajhar discusses the NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory and how it will transform the way people study the universe.

An innovative new engineering approach may lead to denser, more powerful microchips and computing systems. U.S. National Science Foundation-supported researcher Qing Cao discusses a new monolithic, 3D-integrated silicon microchip and how it might impact artificial intelligence systems.

New, lifesaving treatments can be found at the intersection of bioengineering and medicine. U.S. National Science Foundation-supported professor Neil Forbes discusses how the bacteria salmonella can be modified for treatment against some of the deadliest cancers.

U.S. National Science Foundation-supported professor and director of the NSF Center for Complex Particle Systems Nicholas Kotov discusses complex materials and the development of new fused silk materials with applications in security and communications.

Hypertension affects nearly half of U.S. adults, and 10% of those cases don’t respond well to treatment. U.S. National Science Foundation-supported professor Tao Zhou discusses the development of a new 3D-printed hydrogel-based bioelectronic device for hypertension treatment.

Secure information is essential in the digital exchanges of modern life. U.S. National Science Foundation-supported professor Vinod Vaikuntanathan discusses quantum cryptography and the future of encryption.

Advancements in science and technology impact the well-being of the American people. U.S. National Science Foundation-supported professor Payam Heydari discusses a breakthrough brain-computer interface that controls a robotic exoskeleton, technology that could transform the lives of people living with spinal cord injuries.

Nearly 3 million antimicrobial-resistant infections occur every year in the United States. U.S. National Science Foundation-supported professor Kevin Minbiole discusses his work using artificial intelligence systems to discover new compounds to fight drug resistant bacteria.

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics-related fields employ 25% of the U.S. workforce. U.S. National Science Foundation-supported professors Erica Carlson and Muhsin Menekse discuss how their collaboration is inspiring the next generation of STEM workforce through a quantum education program.