A look back on my life in science, birds, fish, invasive species, streams, dams, and climate change and sleeping lizards.By Tom Kennedy

Where is every one? Why haven't we been visited by alien races, made contact with aliens, or even discovered a hint of an alien race? Ever since Fermi asked this simple question, people have been coming up with answers as to why we don't see aliens. Some solutions are scary, but I think a potential answer could be found by looking at our own solar …

I believe humans are special and improve our chances of surviving as a species, I explain why we should colonize the solar system and beyond.By Tom Kennedy

I explore how the Silurian Hypothesis provides insight into what it takes for a planet to host or evolve a civilization, how we might detect them, and the legacy of humans on Earth.By Tom Kennedy

After 6 months, I'm back! I talk about how some of my views have changed to become more nuanced and how my own biases shape the way I think about astrobiology.By Tom Kennedy

In researching astrobiology for my up coming book, I've started to view the evolution of life and civilizations in a paradigm shifting way that challenges the very basics of our understanding of evolution. Listen in as I explain why I think evolution is progressive.By Tom Kennedy

What makes animals different from all other organisms? I discuss the evolutionary origins and unique features of animals along with a few other fun facts. And find out why I don't think sponges are animals.By Tom Kennedy

The more I learn about plants, the more I'm amazed. From insects to fungus and bacteria, plants form many relationships. Some plants even talk to each other through the air or underground, while others form three-way relationships with ants and fungus.By Tom Kennedy

Tatooine, Dagobah, Hoth, or the Death Star, how Star Wars resembles our solar system. I couldn't help myself, I had to do an episode comparing our solar system to my favorite movie. Learn how the Earth was like Mustafar. (Yes, I did say wookies were on Endor, Ewoks were supposed to be wookies)By Tom Kennedy

From the nature of light, to the light reaction and through the Calvin Cycle I explain how photosynthesis works. I cover how light energy transformed into chemical energy and follow the electrons from water to the Calvin Cycle.By Tom Kennedy

After a few memes with cats sitting on biology books making references to biology being soft and textbooks calling chemistry the central science, I figured it's time to start calling biology the Apex Science, or the apex of science. Drawing from my own experience, I explain how biology is special because it incorporates almost every other field of …

These are some of the biggest discoveries, events. and breakthroughs of 2022, from huge volcanoes, long-lived bacteria, breakthroughs in cancer treatments, AI, and why the James Web Telescope is one of the most important things we have done as a society.By Tom Kennedy

How we do science is changing. I use my own experiences from graduate school to understand science and where it is going from question driven science to the importance of natural history and keeping up with Artificial Intelligence.By Tom Kennedy

Can one number be used to rank a civilization's advancement? I discuss the Kardashev Scale and how we might expand upon it by looking at other measures of advancement beyond energy use.By Tom Kennedy

Do you have mutant super powers like eating ice cream without it hurting your stomach? How can diet and exercise slow down aging, or why do age in the first place? Does what happen to you affect your children? How do we make more proteins than we have protein-coding genes for? Lastly, how can two black labs have both chocolate and yellow lab puppie…

Why are some cancer cells immortal? What can we learn about aging from a lobster? Why does a gene from a human work in a bacteria? The answers lies in genetics. In this episode I explain how understanding the basics of DNA replication, the genetic code, and mutations improves our lives from treating cancer, slowing aging, to making medicines.…

Why do we reproduce sexually, why do we look similar to our parents and siblings, but are different? In this episode, I take a close look at the origins of sexual reproduction, how meiosis generates genetic diversity, and Mendel's basic principles of inheritance. One of the major themes in my classes is that biology is complicated, and that goes fo…

Why is the outer solar system perhaps the best place to look for life? If it is, then where should we look for it? And importantly, what would it mean to find life in our solar system?By Tom Kennedy

For hundreds of years, we have wondered if life is on Mars. I take a close look at the evidence from nearly 50 years of orbiters, landers, rovers, and even Marian rocks found on Earth to answer this question. The evidence is compelling!By Tom Kennedy

Surprisingly, defining life is hard. Listen in as Tom Kennedy takes a broader look at what makes something living.By Tom Kennedy

When searching for life, look for liquid water, AKA the habitable zone. But knowing where liquid water on a planet's surface can be difficult. I explain how the characteristics of a star and its planets greatly influences the size of the habitable zone and ultimately the chances of discovering life.By Tom Kennedy

Could alien life resemble life on Earth, or, would it completely different? Join me as I discuss the importance of convergent evolution and introduce a new concept of biological determinism to speculate about what life might look like from simple microbes to intelligent beings.By Tom Kennedy

What does the future hold for humanity? Join me as I speculate about the prospects of our survival into the future along with the obstacles we must overcome to ensure our survival. There's a lot of fun speculation in this podcast, I'd love to hear your comments!By Tom Kennedy

Cellular membranes separate life from the outside world. I take a look into the world of membranes explaining how forming a barrier lets cells use their membranes to do many things from storing energy to sending signals.By Tom Kennedy

One of the most biggest mysteries in science is how did life get started. In the past 100 years, several important theories improved our understanding about the origins of life. But each one has its limitations that become clear based on how we define life.By Tom Kennedy

Biology is more than just memorizing the parts of cell or dissecting some poor animal in lab, it's a broad field driven by curiosity and imagination grounded in the scientific method.By Tom Kennedy

Why do I believe the current geological era that began when the dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years ago came to an abrupt end on September 1, 1914. I make my case that we ended one era while starting a new one where invasive species will play a large role in the future of life on Earth. I also speculate on the future of humanity as we go forwar…

How would finding alien life, whether microbes or advanced civilizations, change how we think about ourselves in the universe? Would it matter if alien life looked like us or radically different?By Tom Kennedy

Is the universe teaming with life, or is life on the Earth unique? Join me as I discuss the possibility of life from microbes to intelligent life in the universe along with the current limits of our knowledge.By Tom Kennedy

Is Earth the only place in our solar system with life or is it wide spread? In this podcast, I discuss what life is, what conditions are needed for life to start, and places in the solar system where we might find life and why that would be important.By Tom Kennedy

We are star dust. But what exactly does that mean? Learn how life is connected to the universe going back to the Big Bang.By Tom Kennedy

Have you ever wondered why you didn't lose weight when you started a new exercise program? Learn how science has led to major changes in how we understand the role of exercise on weight loss and our health.By Tom Kennedy

Stanford University knows it needs to take bold action on environmental issues—it’s creating a new school focused on sustainability and climate change, it has plans to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050… So, why is it so hesitant to cut ties with the fossil fuel industry? In this episode of the Stanford SciCast, your hosts Ruby Gates and Vrinda Sur…

Does it really matter if we're in the sixth mass extinction? Short answer: no. But it’s actually a little more complicated. In this episode of the Stanford SciCast, Trevor Cambron and Keren Perla discuss the debate about whether or not we are currently in the sixth mass extinction, and what it would mean to be in one. We talk to Stanford’s own Dr. …

With the world’s population expected to reach about 10 billion people by 2050, many are wondering what is the most sustainable way to feed the world. Also, as we are currently going through the worst pandemic in 100 years, many people are wondering what can be done to prevent the threat of another large pandemic. Surprisingly, a solution for both t…

Our bodies are powered by proteins. They convert the food we eat into energy, convert that energy into motion, and keep our cells, and therefore ourselves, alive and healthy. Proteins can also pose a danger to our wellbeing -- the proteins surrounding the SARS-CoV-2 virus are particularly well suited to recognize and bind to human cells, allowing t…

We’re all familiar with heat waves on land, but did you know they can happen in the ocean as well? Marine heat waves, where ocean temperatures spike unusually high for a period of time, are becoming more frequent and intense as a result of climate change. They can impact a range of ecosystems, including kelp forests—beautiful, biodiverse, productiv…

How did the introduction of a lake trout in Yellowstone reduce elk populations? How did the re-introduction of wolves in Yellowstone improve stream quality and songbird populations. I take a closer look at how how the loss or addition of a single species can ripple across the landscape.By Tom Kennedy

New episodes of the Stanford Science Podcast will be released starting Wednesday, July 28 and continuing every week through September 15th. These podcasts are reported, written, and produced by students taking a course offered by the Program in Writing and Rhetoric at Stanford University.Music credit: Basketliner by Blue Dot Sessions…

Why do some animals remain unchanged for hundreds of millions of years or why do some evolve quickly with beautiful feathers or intricate songs. Listen in as I cover the different types of selection causing the diversity we see today including directional, stabilizing, disruptive, balancing, and sexual selection.…

Some roots don't grow in soil and some leaves eat insects. Discover the amazing things that roots, shoots, and leaves can do. Plants are cool!By Tom Kennedy

Plants have had an enormous influence on the evolution of life on Earth. Learn how plants altered ancient climates, triggered the evolution of reptiles and mammals (amniotes), provide us with important medicines, and just make us feel better.By Tom Kennedy

Despite the fact that GMOs are helping us solve problems in agriculture, medicine, and stopping the spread of diseases, there's a lot of negative propaganda against GMOs, I explain why they are safe and part of the solution to our problems.By Tom Kennedy

What do energy, enzymes, and metabolism mean for life? I take a look at the relationships between energy and life, and the importance of enzymes for our metabolism. Specific topics include a description of what it means to be living, I define energy and how it's governed by the laws of thermodynamics, the different types of energy and relate how li…

The cell cycle is more than just memorizing the position of chromosomes on a slide, it can help us understand growth and development, lead to treatments for cancer, or repair damaged organs and limbs. I go over the major steps of the cell cycle including interphase and the mitotic phase. Education level - high school to non-majors…

Star Wars, Zombies, Rhime of the Ancient Mariner, and Mullet (the fish, not the haircut) come together to help explain the role of energy, membranes, diffusion, transport, and chemical reactions to make something living.By Tom Kennedy

What does eating a pizza and aging have to do with our organelles? This episode explores how organelles of the endomembrane system work together to make proteins in our saliva that help us digest our food. Also, learn how we may eventually slow down our aging by studying lysosomes and mitochondria.By Tom Kennedy

Don't fear the chemistry! Life is the result of chemical reactions. While many of us fear chemistry, a little chemistry knowledge can go a long way into understanding how we work and understanding some of the basics behind nutrition. In this podcast, I introduce the most important types of molecules used for life without getting too technical.…

Astronomy and Biology in a single podcast! In this episode, I talk about how stellar processes made life possible.By Tom Kennedy

There's a hierarchy to the universe from the simplest atoms to the most complex ecosystems. At each level of complexity new properties arise and most importantly, life arises as an emergent property at the level of cells.By Tom Kennedy