NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast

Fastest Swimming Robots

At North Carolina State University, NSF-supported researchers have developed a swimming soft robot that is four times faster than previous soft robots. Professor Jie Yin joins to explain how they developed the energy efficient model inspired by manta rays.

Exploring The Microbiome

NSF's Engineering Research Center for Precision Microbiome Engineering will be creating microbiome technologies that address challenges at the interface of human health and the built environment. We are joined by principal investigator Claudia Gunsch, co-PI Joseph Graves, Duke University Dean of Engineering Jerome Lynch, as well as NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan, Assistant Director for Engineering Susan Margulies and ERC Program Director Randy Duran.

Sea Inspired Robot Arms

Kaitlyn Becker was working on her doctorate at Harvard University when she helped develop a soft robotic system that can handle complex objects by using entanglement grasping. She joins to explain how creatures of the sea inspired the robotic gripper and how it might be used in the future.

Lightspeed Smart Devices

When you ask a smart device a question, there is a latency in the response due to the processing of your question taking place at a data center. What if you could process that query directly on the device?  Researcher Alex Sludds joins to explain a new edge computing architecture.  

Space Science [Special Edition] Mudslides

  Gravity in space is at a minimum, providing an ideal environment for studying physics-related properties. Researcher Ingrid Tomac joins us to explain why her work with mudflow is being studied aboard the International Space Station. We are also joined by NSF Program Director Kendra McLauchlan.

Space Science [Special Edition] Gravity Research

The lack of gravity in space provides an ideal environment for studying physics-related properties. To take advantage of this opportunity, an unprecedented seven NSF-supported projects are being sent to the International Space Station. We'll hear from NSF Deputy Division Director William Olbricht and researchers Ranga Narayanan, Jason Livesay, Yangying Zhu, Sushil Bhavnani, Karthekeyan Sridhar, Jing Fan, Chunhui Xu, and Allen Liu on why these experiments are going to space and what they might teach us back home on Earth.

Tracking Cosmic Radiation

From out in space, high-energy particles bombard Earth and objects in our orbit with radiation that can endanger the lives of astronauts and destroy electronic equipment. Researcher Luca Comisso joins to explain his insights into the turbulent origins of these cosmic rays. 

Viral Knowledge

As we move into flu season, virologist Joanna Shisler explains how viruses work and how we may avoid them. Engineer Gerri Botte tells us how she developed a COVID-19 sensor during the height of the pandemic.

Microplastics Are Everywhere

The United Nations estimates that more than 400 million tons of plastic is produced each year. A byproduct of this level of use is that plastic waste now contaminates the entire global marine environment. Researcher Bhuvnesh Bharti tells us about his research into microplastics.

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.