Best Scienceteacher Podcasts (2024)

1
Measure Locally, Think Globally with Vernier Sensors 34:36

2M ago34:36

34:36

It's spring, and it's a great time to get students outside to do some science. Need some ideas? Science teacher Brian Kaestner (St. Mary's Hall in San Antonio) and Vernier Educational Technology Specialist Colleen McDaniel join us to discuss how they use Vernier sensors so students can locally measure the effects of climate change. Show notes at: h…

1
Three reasons why civilizations grew up around volcanoes 5:50

4M ago5:50

5:50

In this episode, I talk about the three reasons why people and civilizations grew up around active volcanoes. Why did people need to live close to the dangers of eruptions? What was it that drove and kept them there? Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them o…

1
Salt Weathering 6:11

4M ago6:11

6:11

In this episode, I talk about how salt acts as a physical weathering agent to break down rocks. Physical weathering is the breaking down of rocks without a chemical change, and salt can act as the agent that breaks down rocks especially close to the ocean, but also in salt-rich soils, etc. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resour…

1
STEM Learning with the World's Simplest Camera 1:00:25

4M ago1:00:25

1:00:25

Video version at: https://youtu.be/7zvYh4XvFVk In 2017, Sam Cornwell launched a successful Kickstarter campaign to make a pinhole camera called the Solarcan. Now a successful company with the same name, the Solarcan is a simple camera that takes extremely long time exposures capable of capturing the path of the sun. Sam joins us for this special vi…

1
Current Iceland Volcanic Activity 101 8:09

6M ago8:09

8:09

In this episode, I explain in simple terms what is happening in Iceland these last few years on the plate boundary. I explain the two geological phenomena in Iceland, the recent eruptions and earthquake activity, and how they are related to Plate Tectonics. Support the Show.By Gary Lewis, GEOetc.com

1
How to Become a Scientific Illustrator 33:39

6M ago33:39

33:39

Ella Marushchenko joins Lab Out Loud to discuss her job and her journey from a traditional art background to creating scientific illustrations. Stressing the need for artistic freedom in scientific visualization, Ella describes how she balances the collaborative process between artists and scientists as she translates complex concepts into visually…

1
Fake & Pseudo Fossils 5:10

7M ago5:10

5:10

In this episode, I talk about fake fossils and why people create them, as well as pseudo fossils such as dendrites. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Come and check out all we have to offer at GEOetc.com Support the Show.…

1
Where does magma come from? 6:08

7M ago6:08

6:08

In this episode, I talk about how molten rock is formed inside the Earth - what are the mechanisms that cause our planet to produce molten rock to feed volcanoes? Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the show Support the Show.…

1
Without Twitter, Where Will Scientists Find Community? 47:30

9M ago47:30

47:30

In a recent survey, Nature asked scientists about their use of Twitter, and discovered that many decreased their use of the platform, and some have decided to leave it completely. To help understand this trend, we welcome bilingual science journalist Myriam Vidal Valero to the show. Myriam reminds us how many scientists need social media to connect…

1
We Can't Recycle our Way Out of This: The Hidden Cost of Cheap Technology 40:58

11M ago40:58

40:58

To talk to us about the life cycle of our technology, we welcome Lucas Gutterman to the show. As the director of the Design to Last campaign with PIRG, the Public Interest Research Group, Lucas provides us with some insight and strategies on how we can advocate to make our devices last longer, and in turn save money and previous raw materials. Show…

1
All about limestone 9:18

1y ago9:18

9:18

In this episode, I talk about the different forms of limestone and how they form including chalk, coquina, fossiliferous limestone, travertine, and oolitic limestone. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the Show.…

1
Bowens Reaction Series 7:18

1y ago7:18

7:18

In this episode I talk about Bowen's Reaction Series - and how it tells us the order of crystallization of minerals from molten rock. Support the Show.By Gary Lewis, GEOetc.com

1
Earth's Major Systems 6:59

1y ago6:59

6:59

The Earth is a huge system made up of a number of 'spheres' - the geosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. What are each of these spheres and how can they interact? This episode explains each sphere and gives examples of the interaction between them. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are class…

1
Buying a rock (geologic) hammer 5:59

1y ago5:59

5:59

In this episode, I talk about the things to consider when buying a geologic hammer - what to look for and the decisions you will need to make. You can find this information and more in my blog post about buying a forever hammer. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. …

1
Earth's largest volcano erupts - Mauna Loa 2022 7:21

1y ago7:21

7:21

In this episode, I talk about the recent eruption of Mauna Loa on the Big Island of Hawaii. The eruption was in 2022 and lasted just two weeks - but produced massive around of lava. Come and join us in Hawaii, or on any of our field adventures. See here for the trips for educators and here for the trips for geocachers. Visit our GEOetc Members Sect…

1
Have I found gold? Simple tests to find out! 5:35

1y ago5:35

5:35

In this episode, I talk about the three common minerals that fool people into thinking they have found gold - pyrite, chalcopyrite, and mica. I talk about the simple tests you can do to find out if what you found was really gold or one of these three. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help yo…

1
Hawaii - why I love taking people to visit the volcanoes 9:11

1y ago9:11

9:11

In this episode, I talk about the four reasons I just love to take people on tours around the volcanoes in Hawaii. It is about the accessibility of seeing the planet's largest and most active volcanoes and more. Come join us on an field adventure: www.geoetc.com/field-adventures Support the Show.By Gary Lewis, GEOetc.com

1
This Comic Book Shares Secrets of Everyday Hidden Systems 42:29

1y ago42:29

42:29

Artist Dan Nott joins Lab Out Loud to tell us about his new graphic nonfiction book called Hidden Systems. With the help of visual metaphors, Dan illustrates systems that we often take for granted, such as the internet, the electrical grid, and providing water. Hidden Systems reveals these difficult to understand and often hidden systems that we te…

1
The 5 Great Extinctions 8:17

1y ago8:17

8:17

In this episode, I talk about the five great extinction events - events in which more than 70% of species on Earth become extinct. When did these occur and what might have caused each event. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the Show.…

1
Graptolites 6:26

1y ago6:26

6:26

In this episode, I talk about the extinct colonial animal we call graptolites. These are fascinating fossils as they not only show an evolutionary trend that goes from complex to simple, but their wold-wide distribution makes them a perfect index fossil. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help…

1
Elements needed for an EV battery 8:11

1y ago8:11

8:11

In this episode, I talk about the major elements needed for an EV battery (lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese and graphite). How much is needed for just one EV battery? Where are these materials currently coming from? Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them …

1
Volcanic Explosive Index 8:15

1y ago8:15

8:15

In this episode, I talk about the Volcanic Explosive Index (VEI) and how that logarithmic scale is used to rate eruptions. It is based on the amount of material ejected, the size of the eruption plume and the length of the eruption. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth scien…

1
Volcanic Eruption Styles 9:11

1+ y ago9:11

9:11

In this episode, I talk about the five major eruption styles - Icelandic, Hawaiian, Strombolian, Vulcanian, and Plinian. What are the characteristics of these different styles of eruptions and what materials do they produce? Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Chec…

1
Sapphires, Rubies & Corundum (oh my!) 5:15

1+ y ago5:15

5:15

In this episode, I talk about the corundum family of minerals - their chemistry, how they form, and what makes them different from each other. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the Show.By Gary Lewis, GEOetc.com

1
The Bald and the Beautiful: Tales from the Nest in Big Bear Valley 32:54

1+ y ago32:54

32:54

Meet the Friends of Big Bear Valley, a group that maintains two solar powered webcams focused on Jackie and Shadow, a pair of bald eagles in Big Bear Valley, California. Executive Director Sandy Steers and Candee Roberts join us to share a little of Jackie and Shadow’s life while describing the continuous challenges that the eagles face. Listen to …

1
Longshore Drift - the shifting sands 7:03

1+ y ago7:03

7:03

In this episode, I talk about how sand moves along a beach due to longshore drift. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the Show.By Gary Lewis, GEOetc.com

1
Volcanoes & Climate 8:28

1+ y ago8:28

8:28

In this episode, I talk about how volcanic eruptions can affect climate - by releasing ash, gas, and aerosols. We talk about the role of CO2 and SO2 and what effect they may have. I talked specifically about Pinatubo, Tambora, and the Laki eruptions. I also mention an activity available for GEOetc Members called Climeworld that members can download…

1
Focus & Epicenter - important earthquake terms 7:15

1+ y ago7:15

7:15

In this episode, I talk about the difference between the terms focus and epicenter. What do the terms mean and how are they used? How is the information about an earthquake's focus used? How about the information about the epicenter of an earthquake? Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you…

1
Ring of Fire - what's happening around the Pacific? 6:01

1+ y ago6:01

6:01

In this episode, I talk about what is causing the Pacific Ring of Fire. Why do 75% of all active volcanoes and 90% of all earthquakes happen around the edge of the Pacific Ocean? Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the Show.…

1
Revisiting the 1986 Teacher in Space Program 39:22

1+ y ago39:22

39:22

Announced in 1984 by President Reagan as a way to boost science education, the Teacher in Space program invited teachers to apply to become the first citizen into space. Realizing that two teachers from Wisconsin were selected, we reached out to connect with one of them. From Tomah, Wisconsin, science teacher Larry Scheckel was a finalist in the pr…

1
Diamonds - all about those gems! 9:18

1+ y ago9:18

9:18

In this episode, I talk about diamonds - where they form, how they are brought to the surface and even about different colors and uses. Visit our Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the Show.By Gary Lewis, GEOetc.com

1
Index Fossils - the keys to dating layers 7:25

1+ y ago7:25

7:25

In this episode, I talk about index fossils - what are they and what makes one fossil better than another for dating layers in a sedimentary sequence. I aven leave you pondering what human product would make a great index fossil. Visit our GEOetc Members Section - Over 100 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science.…

1
Landslides - the 'other' natural disaster! 8:49

1+ y ago8:49

8:49

In this episode, we talk about the main causes of landslides and provide examples - California and Thredbo, NSW, Australia. What is the role of water? What about trees and deforestation? How can earthquakes be involved etc? This is a great introduction to landslides as a natural disaster. Support the Show.…

1
Help! My Physics Tutor is a Robot! 47:50

1+ y ago47:50

47:50

Rhett Allain returns to Lab Out Loud for his 5th time to talk about ChatGPT, a novel artificial intelligence chat tool from OpenAI. In the last few months, Rhett has also been exploring how to use ChatGPT to see how it can solve physics homework, serve as a suitable teaching assistant and even write code. Rhett shares his experience as we think abo…

1
A Closer Look at Snowflakes 30:45

1+ y ago30:45

30:45

Thinking of snow? We first talked to Dr. Kenneth Libbrecht in 2006 when the US Postal Service began featuring his photographs of snowflakes on stamps. 16 years later, we wanted to find out what’s changed in snowflake science, so we invited him back to the show. Dr. Libbrecht joins us again to share new discoveries in snowflake science, describe how…

1
More Science and Technology Videos from Sloan Science and Film 28:50

1+ y ago28:50

28:50

Sloan Science and Film is an online publication from the Museum of the Moving Image that examines the intersection of science and film. As curator of Science and Technology at the museum and the Executive Editor of scienceandfilm.org, Sonia Epstein returns to Lab Out Loud to discuss how Sloan films were used during the pandemic, how you can use the…

1
Radioactive dating - how does it tell us how old rocks are? 7:30

1+ y ago7:30

7:30

Rocks can contain radioactive elements that breakdown (decay) over time at a set rate. We can use this decay to work out the age of the rocks. In this episode, we do a brief look at the process, and how we know it works. Visit our Members Section - Over 90 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! …

1
The History of the theory of Plate Tectonics 9:24

1+ y ago9:24

9:24

Where did the Theory of Plate Tectonics come from? How did it evolve? What started it all off and how did new evidence change the theory? Visit our Members Section - Over 90 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Support the Show.By Gary Lewis, GEOetc.com

1
What are the mechanisms that drive Plate Tectonics? 5:32

1+ y ago5:32

5:32

What drives the movement of the Earth's huge lithospheric tectonic plates? In this episode, we talk about mantle convection currents and slab pull - the too well-accepted theories for what is driving Plate Tectonics. Visit our Members Section - Over 90 teaching resources that are classroom-ready to help you teach Earth science. Check them out! Don'…

1
Sand - why do we see such variations? 7:19

2y ago7:19

7:19

Why do we see such variation in the sand around the world - white, yellow, black and green, and more! What can the grains of sand tell us about the age of the sand? And how can sand on an island that contains just black rocks have white sand? This one is for the sand collectors! Support the Show.By Gary Lewis, GEOetc.com

1
Zombie Science Returns 24:44

2y ago24:44

24:44

For the last decade, this episode on zombie neurobiology has been a seasonal favorite. Listen to Dr. Steven Schlozman describe how to use zombies to teach science. More show notes at: https://laboutloud.com/2022/10/episode-270-zombie-science-returns/By Dale Basler and Brian Bartel

1
Missing time - what are unconformities? 7:15

2y ago7:15

7:15

Earth scientists in the field recognize that a sequence of rocks may be missing layers of rocks that represent a period of time. We call those unconformities. In this episode, we discuss what an unconformity is and the four main types of unconformities - angular, paraconformity, disconformity, and nonconformity. Don't miss a thing! Join our email l…

1
Seeing inside the Earth 6:50

2y ago6:50

6:50

How do we know about the inside of the Earth? Using earthquake waves and visitors from out of space (meteorites), we can see the layers and work out the chemistry of the layers that make up our planet. Visit us at GEOetc.com to learn more about our amazing planet! Support the Show.By Gary Lewis, GEOetc.com

1
Trilobites - King of the fossils! 5:47

2y ago5:47

5:47

Trilobites are amazing fossils! They can be used for accurate correlation between sedimentary layers because they evolved rapidly, lived in almost all marine environments, and have exoskeletons that were easy to preserve. Here is a link to the activities mentioned in the episode: Trilobite ID Trilobite (and other fossil) models Support the Show.…

1
Did you get all of your School Supplies? 29:01

2y ago29:01

29:01

Pencils. Notebooks. Glue sticks. Dry erase markers. Safety goggles. Tissues. As students returned to school this fall, they were asked to obtain numerous school supplies for their own use and sometimes for the entire classroom. When are school supplies necessary and when are they excessive? Dale and Brian discuss the topic of school supplies for al…

1
The Earth's layers explained 8:41

2y ago8:41

8:41

The Earth is made up of layers - and we can define those layers in two ways - as being chemical (crust, mantle, core) or mechanical (lithosphere, asthenosphere, mesosphere, outer core, inner core). This episode explains the layers and why they are important for plate tectonics and more. Teachers can download a worksheet for their students to comple…

1
What is a glacier? 7:36

2y ago7:36

7:36

What is a glacier? How is it formed? Where can I find them and how are they classified? Support the Show.By Gary Lewis, GEOetc.com

1
Why are dikes awesome? 6:23

2y ago6:23

6:23

A dike is a planar igneous intrusion that cuts through the existing rocks. They have always fascinated me - and in this episode, I talk a little about them and why I think they are awesome! Support the Show.By Gary Lewis, GEOetc.com

1
Why is Iceland an island? 5:30

2y ago5:30

5:30

Why does the island of Iceland exist? Learn how two major geological phenomena occur together to make this amazing and unique place on our planet. Plate Tectonics and Mantle Plumes interact to provide us with a beautiful island. Support the Show.By Gary Lewis, GEOetc.com

1
A Message About the Future of the Show 13:46

2y ago13:46

13:46

After 15 years, the Lab Out Loud podcast is changing. What does this mean? We are incredibly thankful for the support that NSTA has provided for the show, but after 15 years we are now looking for alternative funding to continue the show. We need your help! Learn how you can support Lab Out Loud as a listener or an advertiser. Will we still produce…

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