NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast

Building Power Grid Resiliency

The U.S. power grid is the biggest machine in the world, and demand is ever increasing. Professor Anurag Srivastava is working on ways to make the grid more resilient by augmenting operators and optimizing control. We'll hear how. Department of Energy Engineer John Brewer also joins to explain the basics of the U.S. power grid.

Antarctica’s Weddell Seal

The Weddell seal population of Antarctica have been closely watched since the 1960s, but there are still new discoveries being made. We are joined by researchers Michelle Shero and Jennifer Burns, who have found a correlation between nursing mothers and their diving capacity. Jay Rotella also joins us to discuss long-term study learnings about lifespan and adaptations at the far end of the Earth.

Threatened with Extinction

A 15-year global reptile assessment by zoologist Bruce Young and Neil Cox has comprehensively documented extinction risks for over 10,000 species. The researchers and biologist Leslie Rissler join to discuss how they accomplished this monumental study, why we should care, and what we can do to help.

Concrete Objectives

Cement is the most widely consumed material on the planet, and its manufacturing process a large source of CO2 emissions. Researchers at Northwestern University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of Delaware are working on advances in cement manufacturing. Making better materials and making better use of the materials we have.

Mystery Of Shipwrecked Horses

Nicolas Delsol was working on his doctorate studying the domestication of cattle in the Americas when he inadvertently sequenced the DNA of the earliest known domesticated horse. We'll learn how this sample found in the Caribbean might solve the mystery of the origin of famous wild ponies on Assateague and Chincoteague islands, over 1000 miles away.

Baby’s First Words

Researchers in the cognitive development lab at Indiana University Bloomington are working to understand how children learn words and what roles visual memory and their environment play. We speak with postdoctoral fellow Elizabeth Clerkin to gain study insight and learn what implications it may have for machine learning. Discover how the U.S. National Science Foundation is advancing research at NSF.GOV

Dark Matter

Invisible dark matter is estimated to make up as much as 95% of the universe, but we can only see it by the gravitational effects on other, visible objects. Researchers at NYU, including graduate student Cara Giovanetti have developed a better way to model the cosmological signatures of dark matter. We’ll here from her as well as astrophysicist Dr. Joseph Pesche as we ask does dark matter exist, and if so, what is it made of?

Brightest Materials

  Liquid fluorescents play a role in many materials of today but have traditionally had a limitation when turned into a solid form. Researchers at Indiana University and the University of Copenhagen have created a new material, transforming liquid fluorescent dyes into solid, while maintaining brightness at levels never before possible. This breakthrough could dramatically improve the clarity of displays, the efficiency of solar panels, and revolutionize laser usage in medical procedures. We are joined by Professor Amar Flood, a co-creator of this new material.   Discover how the U.S. National Science Foundation is advancing research at nsf.gov

Killing Coral

Every year swimmers leave 6,000 tons of sunscreen washing through reefs, an organic compound found in many sunscreens can be harmful to corals. Researchers including guest Djordje Vuckovic at Stanford University are looking to better understand coral defense mechanisms and the relationship between this organic compound and sunlight. Providing additional coral commentary Marine Ecologist, Dr. Paul Sikkel. Discover how the U.S. National Science Foundation is advancing research at nsf.gov

Spinning Food Solutions

Researchers at Materials Research Science and Engineering Center at Harvard University are using a unique approach to address food spoilage and the illnesses that are born of it.  Could an innovative technology born on the battlefield point to the solution? We speak with Dr. Wuibin Chang and Professor Kit Parker to learn more. Discover how the U.S. National Science Foundation is advancing research at nsf.gov