Best Seattle Astronomy Podcasts (2024)

1
234. Anjali Nayar and Dr. Sean Gibbons: Hack Your Health — The Secrets of Your Gut 57:37

2h ago57:37

57:37

Your gut microbiome consists of trillions of microbiota and is a critical health determinant, affecting your immune system, mood, energy level, and much more. As a scientific field, microbiome research is new to the scene, but the intricate relationship between our gut and our overall health is clear – and getting clearer. In April, Netflix started…

1
233. Sabrina Sholts with Dr. Julianne Meisner: Pandemics and Human Potential 1:12:45

15d ago1:12:45

1:12:45

The very fact of being human makes us vulnerable to pandemics, but it also gives us the power to save ourselves. The COVID-19 pandemic most likely won’t be our last—that is the uncomfortable but all-too-timely message of Sabrina Sholts’ new book, The Human Disease. Traveling through history and around the globe to examine how and why pandemics are …

1
232. Dori Gillam and Mack McCoy: Hello Old Lovers Wherever You Are! 57:47

26d ago57:47

57:47

Can you find lifelong love with an AARP card in your wallet? Dori (72) and Mack (69) did, and they’ve got a lot to say on the subject! Join them for a candid chat where they dish on discovering love later in life. Balancing time for each other, family, friends, and furry companions? Yep. Talking about merging households? Yep. Starting a family? Pro…

1
231. Lee McIntyre: A History of Disinformation 58:31

3M ago58:31

58:31

Disinformation has been used throughout history as a tool to intentionally deceive or manipulate the enemy. In our present age of information, where fabricated news stories, photos, or posts of any kind can be spread in an instant, we find ourselves especially vulnerable to the potentially devasting effects of weaponized disinformation. Lee McIntyr…

1
230. Emily Calandrelli with Zeta Strickland: Unleash Your Inner Scientist 53:41

4M ago53:41

53:41

Have you ever made coins float in water? Or created a geode from an egg? If not, Emmy-nominated science TV host Emily Calandrelli can show you how. Calandrelli, MIT-trained engineer turned internet STEAM star, demonstrates science experiments you can do at home with common household products as the host of Netflix’s Emily’s Wonder Lab and through h…

1
229. Dr. Charan Ranganath with Chantel Prat: Unlocking the Mysteries of Memory 1:23:06

5M ago1:23:06

1:23:06

We all get frustrated with our inability to remember people’s names, find our keys, or recover a lost computer password. Fortunately, these experiences are not reflections of our broken brains, but the fact that the brain didn’t evolve the complex mechanisms of memory so that we could remember that guy we met at that thing. In fact, human memory is…

1
228. Community is a Radical Act of Love: Growing Older as LGBTQ+ 58:41

5M ago58:41

58:41

Join Judy Kinney, Executive Director of GenPride, and members of the LGBTQ+ community for a lively discussion about how to stay proud and engaged as they age. GenPride advocates for Seattle/King County older LGBTQIA+ adults’ unique needs through programs and services that cultivate well-being and belonging. Judy Kinney (she/they) is an experienced …

1
227. Jeffrey McKinnon: Our Ancient Lakes 1:14:06

6M ago1:14:06

1:14:06

Discover the unexpected diversity, beauty, and strangeness of life in ancient lakes — some millions of years old — and the remarkable insights they yield about the causes of biodiversity. Most lakes are less than 10,000 years old and short-lived, but there is a much smaller number of ancient lakes, tectonic in origin and often millions of years old…

1
226. Dr. Linda Eckert with Diane Mapes: Empowering Change in Cervical Cancer Prevention 1:04:40

6M ago1:04:40

1:04:40

Delve into the urgent and critical issue of cervical cancer prevention with Dr. Linda Eckert. Cervical cancer claims the lives of almost 350,000 women each year, a staggering toll that is compounded by the fact that the disease is nearly 100% preventable. Dr. Linda Eckert, a leading expert in cervical cancer prevention, brings her wealth of experie…

1
225. Practicing the Art of the Heart: Promoting Personal Healing and Greater Peace in Challenging Times 1:03:31

6M ago1:03:31

1:03:31

Join Rebecca Crichton in conversation with Andrea Cohen, a long-time facilitator of Compassionate Listening practices. Andrea will share personal stories of how these practices have transformed conflicts – with families, friends, and within challenged communities – into relationships based on greater understanding, caring, and connection. Andrea Co…

1
224. Dr. Jen Gunter with Amy Bhatt: Decoding Menstruation 52:50

6M ago52:50

52:50

Delve into the insightful world of reproductive health with Dr. Jen Gunter. In her latest book, Blood, Dr. Gunter dispells myths and misinformation about menstruation with a foundation of scientific facts and medical expertise. Known for her evidence-based approach, Dr. Gunter addresses questions you may have never thought to ask about menstrual bl…

1
223. Britney Daniels: The Cost of Caregiving 1:11:54

7M ago1:11:54

1:11:54

Have you ever wondered what your nurses’ lives are like outside of the hospital? In a new memoir, Journal of a Black Queer Nurse, Nurse Britney Daniels divulges the details of her day-to-day life. From braving the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic to giving her own clothes to a patient who was unhoused to transporting bodies to overflowing m…

1
222. Understanding Your Pelvic Floor With Dr. Peg Maas, DPT 53:45

7M ago53:45

53:45

Take a moment to appreciate the humble but essential set of muscles we call the pelvic floor. When the pelvic floor is working well, our bladder, bowels, and sexual functioning are more likely to be trouble-free. If they aren’t working well, people can experience incontinence, constipation, pain, and a host of other troubles. Out of embarrassment o…

1
221. Cat Bohannon with Bonnie Garmus: The Evolution of the Female Sex 1:07:21

9M ago1:07:21

1:07:21

Why do women live longer than men? Why do women have menopause? Why do girls score better at every academic subject than boys until puberty, when suddenly their scores plummet? And does the female brain really exist? Considering the science and data collection methods we currently have, it is somewhat of a wonder that there is so little known about…

1
220. Jim Al-Khalili: The Joy of Thinking and Living Scientifically 1:07:40

9M ago1:07:40

1:07:40

Today’s information (and misinformation) overload is difficult and confusing to navigate. Post-truth politics and conspiracy theories abound. Science and scientists are under growing suspicion, causing even more confusion and unrest. At the same time, we need science to survive today’s biggest threats like pandemics and climate change. To bridge th…

1
219. Salmon, Cedar, Rock & Rain: Exploring Olympic National Park 1:11:54

10M ago1:11:54

1:11:54

In the Pacific Northwest, many of us delight in Olympic National Park, a UNESCO natural World Heritage Site, located right in Seattle’s backyard. Yet the famed park is just the center of a much larger ecosystem including rivers that encompass old-growth forests, coastal expanses, and alpine peaks, all rich with biodiversity. For tens of thousands o…

1
218. Michèle Lamont: How We See Others 1:09:58

10M ago1:09:58

1:09:58

Why does it seem like some people matter more than others? Why are some given higher status or more recognition? And how do we broaden the circle of those who belong in society? Harvard sociologist Michèle Lamont examines these questions and unpacks the power of recognition—how we perceive others as visible and valued. She draws from her new book, …

1
217. Tanmeet Sethi, M.D. with Rebekah Borucki - Reclaiming Our Power: Using Joy and Imagination to Disrupt Oppressive Systems 1:04:57

10M ago1:04:57

1:04:57

The concept of finding joy has gone mainstream. Its benefits are well known: joy can improve overall well-being, strengthen relationships, and even extend lives. Yet for many, especially folks in marginalized communities, joy is elusive. Seattle-based Integrative Medicine Physician and activist Tanmeet Sethi wants to prove that joy really can be fo…

1
216. Denise Malm: Personal Safety Nets – The Next Generation 52:00

10M ago52:00

52:00

Join Denise Malm, Social Worker and Geriatric Mental Health specialist, as she dives into the fascinating world of Personal Safety Nets (PSN) and their role in combating the growing issue of loneliness and isolation in our society. Discover how this concept, born in 2007 thanks to Judy Pigott and Dr. John Gibson, offers creative ways to build meani…

1
215. Ben Goldfarb with Brooke Jarvis - Life is a Highway: Protecting Wildlife through Road Ecology 1:19:08

11M ago1:19:08

1:19:08

Did you know that there are 40 million miles of roadways on earth? While roads are practically invisible to humans, wild animals experience them entirely differently. Conservation journalist Ben Goldfarb has explored the environmental effects of this ubiquitous part of the modern world. In his book, Crossings, Goldfarb explains how creatures from a…

1
214. Stephen M. Gardiner: Climate Justice: Past, Present, and Future 1:18:43

1y ago1:18:43

1:18:43

As awareness of the current climate crisis grows, we can’t help but wonder how the decisions of the past will affect our future. In Stephen M. Gardiner’s Dialogues on Climate Justice (co-written by Arthur R. Obst), we follow a cast of fictional characters as they experience the very real consequences of climate change. Spanning from the election of…

1
213. Peter Gleick: The History of Water 1:09:31

1y ago1:09:31

1:09:31

From the very creation of the planet to the present day, water has always been central to life on Earth. And while the amount of water on our planet has not changed, it has, in fact, changed the world. It has shaped our very existence. Renowned scientist Peter Gleick sheds light on water’s long history in his book, The Three Ages of Water. Gleick r…

1
212. Leroy Hood and Nathan Price with Jim Heath: Can Data Stop Disease? 1:13:00

1y ago1:13:00

1:13:00

Taking us to the cutting edge of the new frontier of medicine, a visionary biotechnologist and a pathbreaking researcher show how we can optimize our health in ways that were previously unimaginable. We are on the cusp of a major transformation in healthcare—yet few people know it. At top hospitals and a few innovative health-tech startups, scienti…

1
211. Rachel Nuwer with Dr. Sunil Kumar Aggarwal: The Ecstasy of Potential 1:02:51

1y ago1:02:51

1:02:51

How did the psychedelic drug MDMA emerge from the shadows to the forefront of a medical revolution? What potential does it hold to help us? What do you think of when you hear the abbreviation MDMA? Often seen as a party drug and vilified as a Schedule I substance that would supposedly eat holes in users’ brains, MDMA (also known as Molly or Ecstasy…

1
210. Jennifer Levin with Rebecca Crichton: Presence within Absence – Connections with the Deceased 1:00:04

1y ago1:00:04

1:00:04

We are all in relationships with people who have died. Whether they are our friends and family members, partners or teachers, we have all had to accept their absence from our lives. How do we remember, memorialize, and communicate with them? We will share the many ways we continue to feel the presence of people significant to us. Join Rebecca Crich…

1
209. Grace Stanke, Miss America 2023 with Scott Montgomery: Nuclear Energy, Climate Change, and Young Women in STEM 1:19:34

1y ago1:19:34

1:19:34

A conversation about nuclear energy, climate change, and inspiring young women to go into STEM fields. On December 15, 2022, Grace Stanke, a senior at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, studying nuclear engineering, took home the Miss America crown along with the scholarship of the Miss America Organization. She additionally won in a talent cat…

1
208. UW Engage Science 2023: Violet Sorrentino & Tessa Code 1:07:31

1y ago1:07:31

1:07:31

UW Engage Science sees a future where every graduate student has access to science communication training, and therefore good science communication becomes the norm. The outcome is an increased public trust and positive attitude toward science, ultimately strengthening the connection between the public and scientists. Join us for a look at the fore…

1
207. Philip Plait: A Sightseer’s Guide to the Universe 1:39:22

1y ago1:39:22

1:39:22

On a starry night, nothing inspires such deep wonder as staring into the vastness of space, imagining what curiosities might lie beyond our reach. This year we have seen several space-related news stories that managed to break through the usual slew of politics and economics. In February, we were met with headlines that reported a piece of the sun …

1
206. UW Engage Science 2023: Rory Mcguire, Keenan Ganz, & Rasika Venkataraman 1:22:01

1y ago1:22:01

1:22:01

UW Engage Science sees a future where every graduate student has access to science communication training, and therefore good science communication becomes the norm. The outcome is an increased public trust and positive attitude toward science, ultimately strengthening the connection between the public and scientists. Join us for a look at the fore…

1
205. Kaylin Ellioff, Samantha Borje, & Sonya Jampel: UW Engage Science 2023 1:18:35

1y ago1:18:35

1:18:35

UW Engage Science sees a future where every graduate student has access to science communication training, and therefore good science communication becomes the norm. The outcome is an increased public trust and positive attitude toward science, ultimately strengthening the connection between the public and scientists. Join us for a look at the fore…

1
204. Dementia-Friendly Seattle: Sandy Sabersky and Marigrace Becker 1:02:35

1y ago1:02:35

1:02:35

Did you know the Puget Sound region is known as a place where people with Dementia are respected, welcomed, and fully belong? Sandy Sabersky, Co-Founder of Elderwise® and co-author of The Elderwise Way, A Different Approach to Life with Dementia, will share how Spirit-Centered Care® provides connection and meaning for people with dementia as well a…

1
203. UW Engage Science 2023: Megan Gialluca, Abi Elerding, & Emma Scalisi 1:17:12

1y ago1:17:12

1:17:12

UW Engage Science sees a future where every graduate student has access to science communication training, and therefore good science communication becomes the norm. The outcome is an increased public trust and positive attitude toward science, ultimately strengthening the connection between the public and scientists. Join us for a look at the fore…

1
202. Joan Maloof - The Secrets of Trees 1:01:11

1+ y ago1:01:11

1:01:11

Standing in an old-growth forest, you can instinctively sense the ways it is different from forests shaped by humans. These ancient, undisturbed ecosystems are increasingly rare and largely misunderstood, but American environmentalist Joan Maloof knows these forests intimately and has been studying and writing about them for decades. In the newly r…

1
201. Brian Lowery: Who Are You? 1:00:07

1+ y ago1:00:07

1:00:07

There’s nothing we spend more time with, but understand less, than ourselves. You’ve been with yourself every waking moment of your life. But who — or, rather, what — are you? In Selfless, Social psychologist and Stanford professor Brian Lowery argues for the radical idea that the “self” as we know it — that “voice in your head” — is a social const…

1
200. Rebecca Heisman with Sally James: Where Do the Birds Go? 51:42

1+ y ago51:42

51:42

For the past century, scientists and naturalists have been steadily unraveling the secrets of bird migration. How and why birds navigate the skies, traveling from continent to continent — flying thousands of miles across the earth each fall and spring — has continually fascinated the human imagination, but only recently have we been able to fully u…

1
199. Derek Sheffield, CMarie Fuhrman, and Elizabeth Bradfield - Defining Cascadia: A Cultural Celebration 1:01:55

1+ y ago1:01:55

1:01:55

What comes to mind when you think of the Pacific Northwest? You might think of land forms like the Cascade Mountains, Olympic Peninsula, and the Willamette Valley, or of the Coast Salish and other Indigenous peoples who lived here since time immemorial. Or perhaps you’d think of urban centers like Vancouver, Seattle, or Portland, and the city-dwell…

1
198. Katie Davis - The Role of Digital Media in the Ages and Stages of Growing Up 59:37

1+ y ago59:37

59:37

Children are encountering technology at younger and younger ages, which leads many parents to ask: how do children engage with technology at each stage of development and how can they best be supported? From toddlers who are exploring their immediate environment, to twentysomethings who are exploring their place in society, technology inevitably an…

1
197. Nathan Sackett, Jane Adams, and Mike Moon - Seniors and Psychedelics 1:18:12

1+ y ago1:18:12

1:18:12

Is Seattle having a “Mushroom Moment?’” As research into the therapeutic use of psychedelics increases, we are learning about how the many findings benefit seniors. This lively and informative panel includes Dr. Nathan Sackett, an addiction psychiatrist, and focuses on the intersection between substance use and psychiatric disorders; Jane Adams, Ph…

1
196. Christopher J. Preston - Tenacious Beasts 1:16:26

1+ y ago1:16:26

1:16:26

The news about wildlife is dire — more than 900 species have been wiped off the planet since industrialization. Against this bleak backdrop, however, there are also glimmers of hope and crucial lessons to be learned from animals that have defied global trends toward extinction. Bear in Italy, bison in North America, whales in the Atlantic. These po…

1
195. David B. Auerbach - Automation vs. Humanity 1:07:35

1+ y ago1:07:35

1:07:35

Are the autonomous digital forces jolting our lives – as uncontrollable as the weather and plate tectonics – transforming life, society, culture, and politics? David Auerbach’s exploration of the phenomenon he has identified as the meganet begins with a simple, startling revelation: There is no hand on the tiller of some of the largest global digit…

1
194. Barbara Rae-Venter - Cracking the Case of the Golden State Killer 1:04:09

1+ y ago1:04:09

1:04:09

For twelve years the Golden State Killer terrorized California, stalking victims and killing without remorse. Then he simply disappeared, for the next forty-four years, until an amateur DNA sleuth opened her laptop. In I Know Who You Are, Barbara Rae-Venter reveals how she went from researching her family history as a retiree to hunting for a notor…

1
193. Ginny Ruffner with Dr. Jim Heath - The Intersection of Art and Science 1:02:38

1+ y ago1:02:38

1:02:38

While many would think art and science are two vastly different disciplines, one common driver often motivates them both – curiosity. Ginny Ruffner – who currently has a retrospective exhibition open at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art on the topic of “What if?” – has worked at the intersection of art and science for decades. Her curiosity aroun…

1
191. Orly Lobel with Beverly Aarons: Greater Humanity through Greater Technology 1:02:02

1+ y ago1:02:02

1:02:02

How much does the general public really trust tech? Despite increased scrutiny and critique of digital platforms, renowned tech policy scholar Orly Lobel defends digital technology, including AI, as a powerful tool we can harness to achieve equality and a better future. Lobel recognizes the criticism of big data and automation, and she does not ref…

1
192. Eric H. Chudler: The Human Brain from A to Z 1:10:53

1+ y ago1:10:53

1:10:53

The brain has fascinated scientists and philosophers alike for thousands of years. What’s really going on up there? Just ask neuroscientist, Eric H. Chudler. As the executive director of the Center for Neurotechnology at the University of Washington in Seattle, Chudler is poised to help you get to know your brain. His latest book on the subject, Ne…

1
190. Karen Bakker with Sally James: Uncovering the Secret Sounds of Life 1:21:40

2y ago1:21:40

1:21:40

Have you ever wished that animals or plants could talk to us? As it turns out, they can. The natural world is teeming with conversation, though many of it is beyond human hearing range. Scientists are using groundbreaking digital technologies to uncover these sounds, revealing vibrant communication in the Tree of Life. In The Sounds of Life: How Di…

1
189. Meghan O’Rourke with Jim Heath - The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness 1:01:25

2y ago1:01:25

1:01:25

A silent epidemic of chronic illnesses afflicts tens of millions of Americans: These are diseases that are poorly understood, frequently marginalized, and can go undiagnosed and unrecognized altogether. In her latest book – The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness – renowned writer Meghan O’Rourke delivers a revelatory investigation into …

1
188. Bryn Nelson with Sally James - Unlocking the Secrets — and the Science — of Poop 1:14:52

2y ago1:14:52

1:14:52

We all do it, but we hardly ever talk about it. After all, human feces isn’t exactly a popular topic of discussion. We’d simply like to flush it and forget about it. Researchers, however, want to change all that. That’s because our body’s natural byproduct may be the key to solving some of today’s biggest problems. Local, award-winning journalist a…

1
187. Geoffrey L. Cohen with Ruchika Tulshyan - The Data Behind Divisiveness 1:13:45

2y ago1:13:45

1:13:45

How did we become so deeply divided? In 2019, hate crimes reached a ten-year high in the United States. In 2020, 40% of each political party deemed supporters of the opposing party “downright evil.” In addition to division across political lines, rampant discord is likewise rooted in other hot-button issues like race, religion, gender, and class. D…

1
186. Blaise Aguera y Arcas and Melanie Mitchell with Lili Cheng: How Close Are We to AI? 1:24:57

2y ago1:24:57

1:24:57

Building Policy Update: As of June 1, 2022, masks remain required at Town Hall Seattle. Read our current COVID-19 policies and in-building safety protocols. Thu 7/14, 2022, 7:30pm Blaise Agüera y Arcas and Melanie Mitchell with Lili Cheng How Close Are We to AI? BUY THE BOOKS Ubi SuntBy Blaise Agüera y Arcas Artificial Intelligence: A Guide for Thi…

1
185. David Montgomery and Anne Biklé: What Your Food Ate 1:11:02

2y ago1:11:02

1:11:02

Year after year, the quality of the world’s agricultural soil is degrading, which deeply impacts the quality and quantity of the food that we grow. Further, there’s a clear link between the health of our soil and the health of humans. What does that mean for us? Eventually we’ll face an existential crisis of the world’s food supply and our health. …

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