Best Archaea Podcasts (2024)

1
Degrading Plastic Through the Power of Microbes: Angie Beckett 51:20

11d ago51:20

51:20

Plastic waste in our oceans is a significant problem, but some bacteria might offer a solution. Did you know that certain bacteria can break down plastic? Plastic pollution affects wildlife and can even enter our food and water. As plastic production increases, finding better ways to manage this material is essential. Current recycling methods are …

1
Lichen Basics: Dr. Jessica Allen 1:13:25

1M ago1:13:25

1:13:25

Have you ever noticed the colorful growths on trees and rocks but weren't sure what they were? Lichens are all around us yet often overlooked. They play important roles in ecosystems and can even indicate air quality. Many people don't fully understand these symbiotic organisms or appreciate their significance. In this episode, you'll learn about t…

1
491: Less Liquid Lands Losing Lichens 9:22

2M ago9:22

9:22

This episode: Trends of declining lichen populations and biocrust cover overall match trends of increasing temperatures in Colorado dryland! Download Episode (6.4 MB, 9.3 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Cherry chlorotic rusty spot associated partitivirus Takeaways: Global climate change is affecting almost every natural system on the p…

1
Plant Pathogen Lettuce Downy Mildew: Dr. Kelsey Wood 49:59

3M ago49:59

49:59

Have you ever noticed little white fluffy spots or yellowish patches on your lettuce at the grocery store? This could be downy mildew, a microbe that infects lettuce and other leafy greens. This microbe might not be well-known, but it's of great importance due to its effects on the agriculture industry and the food we buy. It poses a significant ch…

1
Safe Chicken Handling from Supermarket to Backyard: Dr. Andrea Etter 1:17:04

4M ago1:17:04

1:17:04

While many microbes bring benefits, pathogens are the focus when ensuring food safety. This episode dives into practical tips for enjoying chicken, whether you buy chicken or eggs from the store or raise your own chickens for eggs in your backyard. Join food safety expert Dr. Andrea Etter as she shares insights into preventing foodborne illnesses c…

1
490: Parasitoid Pox Partners 11:10

4M ago11:10

11:10

This episode: A virus partners with a parasitoid wasp to help exploit fruit fly victims! Download Episode (7.7 MB, 11.2 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Actinomadura livida Takeaways Parasitoid wasps have an interesting lifestyle: they inject their eggs into the larvae of other insects, and their young hatch and grow up by consuming the…

1
The Skin Microbiome and Our Health: Dr. Aayushi Uberoi 51:13

5M ago51:13

51:13

Have you ever stopped to think about the bustling world of life thriving right on your skin? Billions of microscopic organisms, collectively known as the skin microbiome, call this complex ecosystem home, playing a vital role in our health. Many of us are unaware of the intricate dance between our skin and its microbial residents. This delicate bal…

1
489: Soil Smell Synthesis Significance 8:43

6M ago8:43

8:43

This episode: Many organisms produce the smell of earth, geosmin, and many others can sense it–but why? Download Episode (6.0 MB, 8.7 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Acidianus spindle-shaped virus 1 News item Takeaways The smell of soil or earth is one of the most recognizable smells, and comes largely from a chemical called geosmin, p…

1
The Gut Virome: Michael Shamash 48:53

6M ago48:53

48:53

Have you ever thought about the trillions of invisible, microscopic entities inhabiting your body right now? While much of the microbiome spotlight shines on bacteria, there's a hidden side to this story that many people overlook. In this podcast episode, we discuss the lesser-known residents of our microbiome: viruses. These tiny but potent entiti…

1
488: Social Slimes Synchronize Sorties 10:38

7M ago10:38

10:38

This episode: Slime mold amoebas Fonticula alba have interesting and unique foraging and reproductive behaviors! Download Episode (7.3 MB, 10.6 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Cajanus cajan Panzee virus News item Takeaways How did life develop from single-celled organisms acting independently into the complex, multicellular organisms w…

1
487: Probiotic Pulverizes Pathogen Persisters 11:59

8M ago11:59

11:59

This episode: A probiotic strain of E. coli can target and destroy pathogens that survive a treatment of antibiotics! Download Episode (8.2 MB, 12 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Streptomyces griseoruber Takeaways Antibiotic resistance is becoming more and more of a problem as bacterial pathogens develop resistance to more and more dru…

1
486: Biohybrid Bacteria Build Biomass 9:28

9M ago9:28

9:28

This episode: Incorporating light-absorbing molecules into bacterial membranes can allow bacteria to use solar energy to transform nitrogen gas into fertilizer! Download Episode (6.5 MB, 9.9 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Wheat dwarf virus Takeaways Turning nitrogen gas into biologically useful compounds, such as protein or ammonia fo…

1
Sustainability Through Biodegradation: Jhonatan Hernandez Valdes 40:56

9M ago40:56

40:56

Are you curious about how microbes are involved in creating a more sustainable world? Those tiny, often-overlooked organisms hold a remarkable secret — the power to break down chemicals through biodegradation. Imagine a world where plastics and other challenging compounds, often seen as environmental villains, could be transformed into environmenta…

1
485: Small Cell Sculpts Sticky Snot Sphere 11:24

9M ago11:24

11:24

This episode: A marine protist predator traps prey microbes in an attractive bubble of mucus, eats what it wants, and lets the rest sink, possibly sequestering significant amounts of carbon! Download Episode (7.8 MB, 11.4 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Bat associated cyclovirus 1 News item Takeaways The oceans have a lot of unique, un…

1
484: Bacteriophages Boost Brains 10:55

10M ago10:55

10:55

This episode: Certain phages in the gut are linked with increases in performance on some cognitive tests! Download Episode (7.5 MB, 10.9 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Streptomyces bikiniensis News item Takeaways Our gut microbiota includes a large number of viruses, mostly bacteriophages. These fall into two groups, the lytic kind th…

1
483: Recycling Resources Raises Robustness 10:36

10M ago10:36

10:36

This episode: Adding tags to proteins to increase their degradation can help engineered bacteria grow and survive better under various conditions! Download Episode (7.3 MB, 10.4 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Lactococcus virus sk1 News item Takeaways Engineering bacteria with new genetic pathways allows us to use them in many new and …

1
The Lab Coat Project: Dr. Derek Miller 51:33

10M ago51:33

51:33

Lab coats are an integral part of the world of microbiology, serving as a vital piece of personal protective equipment (PPE). When we envision a microbiologist at work wearing their crisp lab coat, we often associate it with professionalism and scientific rigor. However, the reality is that lab coats, while essential, don't always live up to expect…

1
482: Colony Concentric Clock Construction 14:02

10M ago14:02

14:02

This episode: Single-celled bacteria can act independently to create patterns and structure in their biofilm communities! Download Episode (9.6 MB, 14.0 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Dictyostelium discoideum Skipper virus News item Takeaways Large multicellular organisms like us have interesting mechanisms for using one set of geneti…

1
Teaching High School Microbiology with Passion and Purpose: Clara Marcelín 1:08:57

11M ago1:08:57

1:08:57

Are you a science educator who wants to spark curiosity in your high school students with microbiology? In this world of information overload and digital distractions, capturing the attention of today's learners might seem like an uphill battle. That’s why, in this podcast episode, I chatted with Clara Marcelín, a seasoned high school science educa…

1
481: Hijacker-Host Sequence Swap 10:55

11M ago10:55

10:55

This episode: Gene transfers between viruses and eukaryotes have happened many times throughout evolutionary history! Download Episode (7.5 MB, 10.9 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Mycoplasma subdolum News item Takeaways As we’ve all seen recently, viruses can cause a lot of trouble. Their biology requires them to be parasites inside t…

1
The Aromatic World of Microbes: Exploring the Delightful and Repulsive Smells 23:03

12M ago23:03

23:03

Have you ever caught a whiff of something and wondered, "What in the world is responsible for this?" Well, the world of microbes might hold the answer. These tiny organisms, invisible to the naked eye, have the remarkable ability to produce smells that range from delightful to downright repulsive. It's a world where the nose becomes a gateway to a …

1
480: Bait Bottlenecks Bear Bacteria 8:37

1y ago8:37

8:37

This episode: Human-based food used as bait by hunters can reduce bears' gut microbe diversity! Download Episode (5.9 MB, 8.6 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Actinomadura verrucosospora News item Takeaways Gut microbes are important for the health of most animals. In humans, many things can affect our gut microbe community, including d…

1
What Really Makes Something Dirty: Dr. Sandra Wilks 1:09:03

1y ago1:09:03

1:09:03

In a world where news articles claim that your water bottle has more bacteria than a toilet seat, it's natural to worry about microorganisms making you sick. However, it’s important to embrace the microbial world around us because they play crucial roles in our lives, and without them, we would be in bad shape. So, in this episode of the Joyful Mic…

1
Algae in Nature and Biotechnology: Dr. Kyle Lauersen 57:47

1y ago57:47

57:47

In this episode, we dive into the captivating world of algae and biotechnology with Dr. Kyle Lauersen. He is an Assistant Professor at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia and leads a research group focusing on engineering algae for useful purposes. We cover everything from the basics of algae and their…

1
479: Uncomplicated Critters Conquer Cancer 9:14

1y ago9:14

9:14

This episode: Simple microscopic animals can survive extreme radiation by ejecting damaged cells that might otherwise become cancer! Download Episode (7.3 MB, 9.2 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Helleborus net necrosis virus News item Takeaways Any multicellular organism with different types of cells needs some sort of cell regulation,…

1
Introducing Joyful Microbiology Activities 16:32

1y ago16:32

16:32

I'm thrilled to announce that in this podcast episode, I read the introduction chapter of my brand new ebook, Joyful Microbiology Activities. This book has been a labor of love, and I'm so excited to share it with you. Microbiology is a fascinating subject studying organisms that are often viewed negatively as “those gross and scary germs.” However…

1
478: Babies Bear Bacterial Birthright 10:41

1y ago10:41

10:41

This episode: How family members share gut microbes across multiple generations! Download Episode (7.3 MB, 10.7 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Dyozetapapillomavirus 1 Takeaways Our gut’s microbial communities can greatly influence our health, for good or bad. The makeup of these communities can be influenced by many factors, including…

1
Microbes & health, forensic microbiology, and Invisible Friends: Dr. Jake Robinson 46:53

1+ y ago46:53

46:53

Dr. Jake Robinson is a microbial ecologist at Flinders University and researches microbes, ecosystems, social equity issues, and ways to conserve and restore nature. He studies how microbes can benefit human health and not just cause disease. He is also the author of the new book Invisible Friends. He came on the podcast to discuss a variety of top…

1
477: Hijackers Hitchhike on Hyphal Highways 10:19

1+ y ago10:19

10:19

This episode: Bacteriophages can hitch a ride on bacteria they don't infect to travel through soil on fungal filaments, potentially helping their carriers by infecting and killing their competitors! Download Episode (7.1 MB, 10.3 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Epinotia aporema granulovirus News item Takeaways For tiny bacteria, partia…

1
476: Bamboo Breakdown Benefits Beetle Babies 11:14

1+ y ago11:14

11:14

This episode: Beetles inoculate bamboo with a fungus that consumes the bamboo sugars to feed the beetle larvae! Download Episode (7.7 MB, 11.2 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Saccharomyces cerevisiae virus L-BC (La) News item Video: Lizard beetle laying its egg Takeaways The structural polymers that make up plants, such as cellulose, c…

1
475: Modifying Mixed Microbiota 16:45

1+ y ago16:45

16:45

This episode: New techniques allow specific modifications in certain members of a complex community of microbes, without isolating them in pure culture first! Download Episode (11.5 MB, 16.7 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Tomato golden mosaic virus News item Takeaways The technology for understanding and manipulating microbial genetic…

1
474: Stalker Cells Stop Seafood Sickness 6:58

1+ y ago6:58

6:58

This episode: Predatory bacteria could protect lobster farms from disease-causing bacteria! Download Episode (4.8 MB, 7 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Gordonia rubripertincta Takeaways Antibiotics have done wonders for controlling bacterial pathogens. Many people have lived that would otherwise have died, and some industries have prod…

1
473: Bacteriophage Bunks in Bacterial Barriers 9:57

1+ y ago9:57

9:57

This episode: A bacteriophage that overcomes the bacterial CRISPR/Cas immune system by interrupting the CRISPR DNA with its own genome! Download Episode (6.8 MB, 10 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Wenzhou mammarenavirus Takeaways Bacteria have many ways to resist being exploited by bacteriophage viruses, including the adaptable CRISPR/…

1
472: Caulobacter Condensates Compartmentalize Kinase 15:53

1+ y ago15:53

15:53

This episode: Bacteria can use blobs of disordered proteins to quickly adapt to new conditions! Thanks to Dr. Saumya Saurabh for his contribution! Download Episode (10.9 MB, 15.9 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Drosophila melanogaster Micropia virus Takeaways Bacteria can adapt to environmental fluctuations via mechanisms operating at …

1
Microbiology Education Ideas and Tips From The Joyful Microbe Community 21:19

1+ y ago21:19

21:19

We are celebrating, microbe friends! This month marks the 4th anniversary of Joyful Microbe!!! I’ve had such a blast creating articles, podcast episodes, and other resources to help you enjoy microbes in your daily lives and spread knowledge about the microbial world with others. In this episode, I’m featuring ideas and tips about microbiology educ…

1
How To Nurture Your Skin Microbiome: Dr. Julie O’Sullivan 57:36

2y ago57:36

57:36

A vast number of microbes live on our skin, in our gut, and almost everywhere else you can imagine on and in our bodies. Collectively, these microbes are called the human microbiome and play a crucial role in our health and well-being. Different locations on our bodies contain a specific set of microbes, which are individual microbiomes, i.e., the …

1
471: Phage Fight Foils Fitness 9:53

2y ago9:53

9:53

This episode: A phage both kills bacterial pathogens and selects for reduced virulence! Download Episode (6.3 MB, 9.9 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Helminthosporium victoriae 145S virus News item Takeaways Using bacteria-killing viruses to treat bacterial infections, or phage therapy, can be a good alternative to antibiotics in some …

1
What is a tardigrade? 37:35

2y ago37:35

37:35

Tardigrades are beloved microorganisms. These little water bears hide in moss, lichen, and bark of trees. When kids discover tardigrades, it often sparks an interest in science. If you haven’t personally experienced finding a tardigrade under the microscope, I promise it makes a significant impact. In this podcast episode, you’ll get the chance to …

1
470: Super Small Symbionts Soothe Symptoms 9:11

2y ago9:11

9:11

This episode: Tiny bacteria that live on larger bacteria reduce the inflammation and gum disease the bigger microbes cause in the mouths of mice! Download Episode (6.3 MB, 9.2 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Actinomadura viridilutea Takeaways Even bacteria can be hosts to smaller symbionts living on them. Some kinds of these extremely …

1
The Microbiology of Fermented Foods: Dr. John Leech 1:06:15

2y ago1:06:15

1:06:15

Fermented foods like beer, wine, bread, sauerkraut, yogurt, and kombucha are delicious to eat and fun to make at home. And we can give credit to microbes for the wonderful flavors of these foods. The process of fermentation is when microbes transform food so that it extends its shelf life, improves the taste, or makes it beneficial to consume. In t…

1
Microbiology Activities for High School Students: Jessica Popescu 1:01:24

2y ago1:01:24

1:01:24

The K-12 curriculum does not cover microbiology much at all. But this area of science matters. Children need a complete understanding of the microorganisms that play roles in our health, like the microbiome, and diseases, like germs. That way, they’ll carry these concepts into adulthood, ultimately helping keep them healthier. Despite the lack of m…

1
469: Prophage Provides Partial Protection 11:03

2+ y ago11:03

11:03

This episode: A virus lurking in a bacterial genome protects its host population from infection with other phages, by killing off infected cells! Download Episode (7.6 MB, 11.0 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Olive latent ringspot virus Takeaways Many bacteriophages just go in and gobble up all their host's resources to make a bunch of…

1
Micronovo’s Microbiology Books for Kids: Dr. Mike Manefield 51:42

2+ y ago51:42

51:42

How do you explain microbiology to a child? It’s an abstract topic since you can’t readily see microbes due to their size. So, to help your kids visualize microbes, you can read them a children’s book specifically about microbiology. I’ve featured a few excellent microbiology books for kids before on Joyful Microbe. But after I found out about Dr. …

1
Painting with colorful antibiotics from bacteria: Dr. Vineetha Zacharia 40:02

2+ y ago40:02

40:02

The words bacteria and beauty are not usually associated. But some bacteria make beautiful colors that span the entire rainbow. And one type of bacteria called Streptomyces coelicolor makes an antibiotic with a lovely blue pigment. This blue-colored antibiotic, called actinorhodin, inspired microbiologist Dr. Vineetha Zacharia, a postdoctoral resea…

1
468 - Commensal Can Kill Cholera 8:24

2+ y ago8:24

8:24

This episode: Harmless gut microbes resist cholera with good defense or better offense! Download Episode (5.8 MB, 8.4 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Streptomyces corchorusii News item Takeaways The community of microbes in our guts is highly diverse, yet generally they all coexist relatively peacefully. Some pathogens can invade this …

1
S2E9: Invertebrates, museums, windsurfing and more with Dr. Gonzalo Giribet 44:33

2+ y ago44:33

44:33

In this episode, we’re hearing from Dr. Gonzalo Giribet, who is a Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and the Curator of Invertebrates and Director of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. Gonzalo received his bachelor’s degree and his PhD from the University of Barcelona, then did his postdoc at the American Museum of Natural History in …

1
S2E8: Dr. Paula Welander on geobiology, archaea, and how to come up with good questions 44:44

2+ y ago44:44

44:44

In today’s episode we’re talking to Dr. Paula Welander, an Associate Professor in the Earth Systems Science Department at Stanford University. Although she is now a tenured professor at Stanford, this certainly wasn’t the plan from the start. Paula’s parents immigrated from Mexico in the hopes of giving their family a better life, and they really e…

1
The superpowers of bacteria: Dr. Sarah Wettstadt (BacterialWorld) 40:56

2+ y ago40:56

40:56

Dr. Sarah Wettstadt is the founder of the BacterialWorld blog and loves sharing about bacteria and all of the amazing things they do in the world. So I know you’ll enjoy hearing this episode where we talk about the superpowers bacteria have and how bacteria can help us save the world. In this episode, you will learn about… 4 bacterial superpowers 3…

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S2E7: The value of PhD soft skills with Dr. Rebecca Shaw, Chief Scientist at the World Wildlife Fund 51:28

2+ y ago51:28

51:28

In this week’s episode, we’re hearing from Dr. Rebecca Shaw, the Chief Scientist at the World Wildlife Fund. Rebecca received her MA in environmental policy and her PhD in energy and resources from UC Berkeley. After finishing her PhD, Rebecca did a postdoc at the Carnegie Institution for Science at Stanford, and then worked at the Nature Conservan…

1
Bonus: STEM Grad School Interview Tips & Advice 29:56

2+ y ago29:56

29:56

In this bonus episode, Steph shares some tips for grad school interviews. This episode is broken down into advice for before, during, and after the interviews. Here are some additional resources that were mentioned in the show: Template for thank you note to faculty: Hi Dr. (NAME), It was so great to meet you on Friday. Thanks for taking the time t…

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