There 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.

Busting Six Mask Myths

Nov 21st, 2020 1h 23m

Where do the data stand on mask-wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic? Kristen tackles six myths (start times): Masks don’t work (00:12:41) Masks are unsafe (00:40:48) Masks solve everything (00:52:34) My mask protects only me (00:58:10) Wear a

Misinformation

Oct 3rd, 2020 53m 22s

Welcome 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. Re

Bonus

Summer Break 2020

Jul 6th, 2020 2m 9s

Early Bird Science is taking a break for the rest of the summer. Thank you for listening!

Robots Made of Frog Cells & An Exclusive Sneak Peak of an Important Upcoming Episode

Jun 22nd, 2020 23m 30s

The 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 gues

Friendship Bracelets for Glacier Mice

Jun 8th, 2020 23m 23s

Glacier 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 ab

Why Coffee Makes You Pee

May 25th, 2020 27m 36s

Most 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. References and Resources Mechanisms of Caffeine-Induced Diuresis Caff

How Does the Internet Work? With Steven Gago

May 11th, 2020 47m 19s

Kristen 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! Internet Concepts

GIANT FLYING REPTILES

Apr 27th, 2020 23m 54s

PTEROSAURS! Commonly known as pterodactyls, the most massive flyers in the fossil record could inform modern biomimetic aerospace engineering. Reference Volant Fossil Vertebrates: Potential for Bioinspired Flight Technology: https://www.cell

Ice on Mercury?!

Apr 13th, 2020 18m 12s

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 M

Take Care of Yourself

Mar 30th, 2020 16m 25s

Kristen discusses mental health during the pandemic. Wash your hands and be well. <3 In the United States, “If you, or someone you care about, are feeling overwhelmed with emotions like sadness, depression, or anxiety, or feel like you want to

Early Bird Pseudoscience: "N-Rays"

Mar 16th, 2020 15m 52s

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. Yes, Kristen has had a busy couple of weeks and couldn't find time to record an episode of Early Bird Science for this morning. However, her Headshake co-host Nathan A. Libby has offered to take over

Coronavirus

Mar 2nd, 2020 24m 40s

The coronavirus-caused disease COVID-19 has the potential to spread to pandemic levels. What are the facts? References and Resources World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 Situation Rep

Calculating the Limits of Human Endurance

Feb 17th, 2020 18m 56s

Studying long-term energy expenditure of athletes in sporting events ranging from 0.5 to 140 days long, researchers have calculated the limits of human endurance. Based on this research, it also turns out pregnant women are endurance masters! K

Ancient Stardust in an Old Meteorite - PLUS a Special Announcement!

Feb 3rd, 2020 17m 36s

An ancient meteorite contains the oldest solid material ever found on Earth. Kristen makes an exciting announcement about an upcoming project! References and Resources Article “Meteorite contains the oldest material on Earth: 7-billion-year-

Flex Those Muscles

Jan 20th, 2020 18m 24s

The 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 cont

How Do Computers Work? With Steven Gago

Jan 6th, 2020 41m 29s

Happy new year 2020! Steven Gago is the first human guest on Early Bird Science! He is an experienced software and firmware engineer, with a background in electrical and electronic engineering. Oh, yeah, he is also Kristen’s spouse. :-) He join

Evergreen for the Holidays

Dec 23rd, 2019 22m 4s

Evergreen 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 References and Resourc

Is Blood Blue?

Dec 9th, 2019 13m 42s

Kristen addresses the argument over whether human blood is blue. She talks about common misconceptions and what gives blood its color. As a bonus, she also talks about the variations in colors of blood in other animals. CORRECTION: In this ep

Self-driving Cars and Motion Sickness

Nov 25th, 2019 19m 29s

Self-driving, or autonomous, cars are an appealing technology with tons of transportation potential, but one major barrier that may afflict many future drivers-turned-passengers is motion sickness. Kristen discusses this challenge, as well as e

Snail Slime Inspires Superglue

Nov 11th, 2019 19m 30s

Kristen discusses a new superglue from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania that imitates the way snail slime works. The adhesive is not only super strong - It stuck a human to the ceiling! - but is also reversible, a combination of pr

India’s First Lunar Lander: Why Loss of Contact Is a Bummer but Also Brings Hope

Oct 28th, 2019 16m 8s

To the moon! ...Almost! 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. She

EKGs Part 2 of 2

Oct 14th, 2019 11m 15s

Have you ever wondered what those squiggly lines mean on heart monitors in the hospital or on TV? More importantly, has a friend of yours ever gotten a heart beat tattoo, and you really wanted to critique it? This episode is part 2 of 2 on EKGs

EKGs Part 1 of 2

Sep 30th, 2019 14m 9s

Bees Can Count to Zero

Sep 16th, 2019 17m 43s

Kristen welcomes you to the first ever episode of Early Bird Science! She gives an introduction to the show and what you can expect from future episodes. Then Kristen talks about a scientific discovery that bees can recognize zero. She discusse