NSF’s Discovery Files Podcast

  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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.