Best Seismology Podcasts (2024)

1
Why aren’t we eating more insects? 27:54

2h ago27:54

27:54

We try some cricket tacos and ask what role insects might play in our future diets, in a special programme with a live audience at Green Man Festival in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park in Wales. Our panellists: Peter Smithers, an entomologist and fellow of the Royal Entomological Society Aaron Thomas, co-founder of Yum Bug, which makes meat ou…

1
Beavers of London 28:10

4d ago28:10

28:10

The Ealing Beaver Project has found success as two new beaver kits have been born in a park in London after being reintroduced last October. Marnie visits the site to learn more about the benefits they bring - but beavers are just a drop in the river of urban rewilding. We find out what the practicalities and pitfalls of letting nature take back sp…

1
Going for gold 28:02

8d ago28:02

28:02

Today we will be going for gold in more ways than one. Inga Doak, the Head of Sustainability at The Royal Mint, reveals how the company plan to ‘urban mine’ gold from household electronic waste and turn it into jewellery. But with tens of millions of tonnes of e-waste piling up every year, the environment policy adviser at the Royal Society of Chem…

1
Source, path, and site effects and their role on earthquake ground motions 1:00:00

9d ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Haiyang Kehoe, USGS Seismograms contain information of an earthquake source, its path through the earth, and the local geologic conditions near a recording site. Ground shaking felt on Earth’s surface is modified by each of these contributions–the spatiotemporal evolution of rupture, three-dimensional subsurface structure, and site cond…

1
How much of a risk is space junk? 28:14

19d ago28:14

28:14

Space junk. It might sound like an out-of-this-world problem that we don’t need to worry about here on Earth – but is it? As we send more and more metal in the form of satellites up into space, scientists are warning it is becoming more of a risk both here – and up there. We dig into the problem and what’s being done to clean it up. Also this week,…

1
Solving the ground-motion puzzle one piece at a time 1:00:00

22d ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Tara Nye, USGS Models of earthquake ground motion (both simulations and ground-motion models) can be likened to a puzzle with three primary pieces representing the earthquake source, site conditions, and source-to-site path. Early versions of these models were developed using average behavior of earthquakes across a variety of regions and tectonic …

1
Empowering Science Communication through Storytelling, One Quilt at a Time: An Interview with Prof. Laura Guertin, Penn State Brandywine University 28:47

1M ago28:47

28:47

Summary Professor Laura Guertin, a marine geologist and earth science educator, combines her passion for science with quilting to create science storytelling quilts. These quilts serve as a unique and engaging way to communicate scientific data and concepts to non-STEM audiences. By incorporating data sets into the quilts, Laura is able to captivat…

1
CERN’s Supercollider Plan 28:04

22d ago28:04

28:04

CERN’s plans to build a bigger, faster particle collider, with a hefty 17 billion Euro price tag, are in question. Physicists Andrew Pontzen and Harry Cliff discuss if the new machine is really worth it. A place on the podium or disappointment in the Olympics can come down to the precise position of a foot or angle of the hips. Science reporter Ell…

1
Geometric Parametrization of Sedimentary Basins in Southern California for Site Response Analysis and Modelling 1:00:00

23d ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Rashid Shams, University of Southern California Site response in sedimentary basins is partially governed by mechanisms associated with three-dimensional features. This includes the generation of propagating surface waves due to trapped and refracted seismic waves, focusing of seismic energy due to basin shape and size, and resonance of the entire …

1
Should Antarctica be off limits? 28:17

29d ago28:17

28:17

Antarctica is a 'natural reserve, devoted to peace and science' - that’s according to an international treaty. But with visitor numbers at a record high, how does tourism fit into that – and what kind of impact is it having on its fragile ecosystem? We discuss whether tourists – and even scientists – should be allowed to go at all. Swimming in the …

1
Combining earthquake and tsunami early warnings along the west coast of the United States 1:00:00

30d ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Amy Williamson, University of California Berkeley Alerts sent through earthquake early warning (EEW) programs provide precious seconds for those alerted to take simple protective actions to mitigate their seismic risk. Programs like ShakeAlert have been providing alerts for felt earthquakes across the west coast of the US for almost 5 years. Earthq…

1
Wimbledon Grass Science 28:20

1M ago28:20

28:20

We visit Wimbledon’s iconic Centre Court... but we’re not interested in the tennis, we want to know all about the grass. Just how important is science to cultivating the perfect playing surface? Also this week, we discuss the aims and ethics of human stem-cell-based embryo models in research after a new code of practice for the UK made headlines. A…

1
Splay fault dynamics at subduction and rift margins: insight from 3D dynamic rupture modeling of the Cascadia megathrust and the Mai’iu low-angle normal fault 1:00:00

1M ago1:00:00

1:00:00

James Biemiller, USGS An unresolved aspect of tsunami generation in great subduction earthquakes is the offshore competition between coseismic deformation mechanisms, such as shallow megathrust slip, slip on one or more splay faults, and off-fault plastic deformation. In this presentation, we first review results from data-constrained 3D dynamic ru…

1
Sun, sea... and science 28:04

1M ago28:04

28:04

It’s election time but over here in Science Land, we’re heading off to the seaside for our summer special. We chat seagulls with Professor Paul Graham on Brighton beach and find out why they are so misunderstood - from what we call them to why they pinch our chips. We bust some sun safety myths with dermatologist Dr Jess Felton and find out why ice…

1
How Fault Network Geometry Affects Earthquakes 1:00:00

2M ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Jaeseok Lee, Brown University Field observations indicate that fault systems are structurally complex, yet fault slip behavior has predominantly been attributed to local fault plane properties, such as friction parameters and roughness. Although relatively unexplored, emerging observations highlight the importance of fault system geometry in the me…

901
What makes an effective protest? 28:13

2M ago28:13

28:13

As another week of disruptive Just Stop Oil protests grabs media attention, sociologist Dana Fisher discusses which actions might help a cause - and which could harm it. Japanese scientists have developed artificial skin for robots made from real human cells. Inside Science producer Dr Ella Hubber digs into the uncanny invention. Inside Science rep…

1
Historical Seismic Data for the Future: Preservation, Digitization, and Utility 1:00:00

2M ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Thomas Lee, Harvard University Since the first seismograms were recorded in the late 19th century, the seismological community has accumulated millions of ground motion records on both paper and film. While almost all analog seismic recording ended by the late 20th century, replaced by digital media, the still-extant archives of paper and film seis…

1
Outing the Real Age of the Colorado River: An Interview with Dr. Shannon Dulin, University of Oklahoma 25:06

2M ago25:06

25:06

Summary The Colorado River, one of the oldest rivers in the world, has been the subject of a joint study by the US Geological Survey and several universities. The study reveals that the river is younger than previously thought, with its grand debut occurring between 4.8 and 4.63 million years ago. The research used paleomagnetics and magnetostratig…

1001
Taylor Swift Seismology 28:24

2M ago28:24

28:24

Taylor Swift fans danced so hard they made the ground shake at her recent Edinburgh gig so this week we’re meeting Earth Scientists Emma Greenough and James Panton to measure the Cardiff show - and explain some Swiftie Seismology. We’re joined by the BBC’s disinformation and social media correspondent Marianna Spring and Cardiff University's Profes…

1
Marsquake Focal Mechanisms from InSight Data: Understanding the Seismotectonics of Mars 1:00:00

2M ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Ross Maguire, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Seismic source parameters – including hypocentral locations and focal mechanism solutions – provide the most direct constraints for understanding tectonic stresses and deformation processes within planetary interiors. The SEIS (Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure) seismometer d…

1
Are implanted brain chips the future? 28:02

2M ago28:02

28:02

Elon Musk’s implanted brain chip, Neuralink, is coming to the UK for clinical trials. Is controlling computers with our minds a future reality or is it all hype? Neuroscientists Dean Burnett and Christina Maher weigh in. Zoologist Jules Howard ponders the strange effects drugs in our sewage have on frogs from his garden pond. How do we measure the …

1
Decadal Creep-rate Changes Along the Hayward Fault 1:00:00

2M ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Roland Burgmann, University of California Berkeley Decadal changes in aseismic fault slip rate on partially coupled faults reflect long-term changes in fault loading and/or fault-frictional properties that can be related to earthquake cycle processes. We consider constraints on aseismic fault slip rates from historical alignment array measurements,…

1201
How do we solve antibiotic resistance? 28:02

3M ago28:02

28:02

The looming danger of antibiotic resistance may have fallen out of the public consciousness but is still very much in the mind of those in public healthcare and research. As promising new research is published, the University of Birmingham’s Laura Piddock and GP Margaret McCartney get to the bottom of why antibiotic resistance is still so difficult…

1
Understanding Seismic Risks through Historical Data: An Interview with Prof. Kenji Satake, AOGS, Japan 26:00

2M ago26:00

26:00

Summary Professor Kenji Satake, a renowned seismologist and tsunami researcher, discusses his research on historical earthquakes and tsunamis using interdisciplinary approaches. He emphasizes the importance of combining geophysical, geological, and historical data to understand the timing and magnitude of these natural disasters. His work has uncov…

1
JpGU 2024: Biggest Geosciences themes in Japan and beyond 24:09

2M ago24:09

24:09

Summary This special episode is to highlight the Japan Geoscience Union (JPGU) as a seismic force in geoscience, which offers a forum for the exchange of earth-shattering ideas and groundbreaking discoveries. Their annual meeting in Chiba, Japan this year brought together researchers from various geoscience disciplines and explored a wide range of …

1351
Why do we sleep? 28:20

3M ago28:20

28:20

Guest presented by Liz Bonnin. We all instinctively know that sleep is incredibly important but science doesn’t actually have a satisfying answer for why we need to sleep. There are multiple theories, but now, new research from Imperial College London has suggested that the leading idea might actually be incorrect. Science journalist Ginny Smith ex…

1
MyShake: Crowdsourced Data for Ground Motion Modeling and Earthquake Early Warning Performance Assessment 1:00:00

3M ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Savvas Marcou, University of California Berkeley MyShake is a free smartphone application, developed at UC Berkeley, that serves as one of the main delivery mechanisms for earthquake early warning (EEW) alerts issued to the US West Coast by the USGS ShakeAlert system. While it is most well-known for delivering alerts to the public, MyShake was orig…

1451
Micro Nuclear Reactors 28:15

3M ago28:15

28:15

Guest presented by Liz Bonnin. As the UK strives to achieve net zero by 2050, nuclear energy is looking more and more likely as a key player in reaching this goal. But it’s not just massive power plants like Hinkley point C - there’s are newer smaller reactors on the scene: small and micro modular reactors. 100 to 1000 times smaller than a conventi…

1551
Is gene therapy the future? 28:09

3M ago28:09

28:09

Last week, a girl who was born deaf had her hearing restored following gene therapy. In the US, the first commercial gene therapy for sickle cell disease has just begun. And Great Ormond Street Hospital has found great success in their trials and a gene therapy for children lacking an immune system. Gene therapy is clearly having a moment. But how …

1701
Is treated sewage worse for the environment than raw? 27:31

4M ago27:31

27:31

There has been increasing public outrage at raw sewage discharges into our rivers and seas, but new research at Lake Windermere suggests that treated sewage is as much to blame. Wastewater experts Simon Evans and Ali Morse get into the nitty gritty of sewage treatment and why it might be causing so many problems. Last week, the Sumatran orangutan R…

1
The Lost Nile Pathway Behind Egypt's Pyramid Clusters: An Interview with Joe Aslin, Deputy Editor, Communications Earth & Environment 25:47

4M ago25:47

25:47

In this episode, we are speaking to Dr. Joe Aslin, Deputy Editor Communications Earth & Environment, an open access journal from the Nature Portfolio publishing high-quality research, reviews and commentary in all areas of the earth, environmental and planetary sciences. We are talking about a fascinating paper published in this journal discussing …

1801
Ugly animals and asteroid Apophis 28:00

4M ago28:00

28:00

One year ago, the World Health Organisation declared that COVID-19 would no longer be categorised as a global health emergency. But the pandemic has left us with a new normal in all areas of our lives. From vaccine rollout to wastewater monitoring, we’re asking: how has COVID altered the scientific landscape? Marnie Chesterton is joined in the stud…

1
Can we get plastic waste under control? 27:44

4M ago27:44

27:44

As the UN tries to get a global agreement on plastic waste we hear from two delegates at the conference in Ottawa; John Chweya, a Kenyan waste picker, and plastics scientist, Steve Fletcher, discuss the impacts of plastic pollution and the possible solutions. Taylor Swift’s new album, The Tortured Poets Department, exposes the pain a break up can c…

1
Tree Rings to Understand Climate Extremes and Ecosystem Changes: An Interview with Prof. Zhihong Xu, Griffith University Australia 21:13

4M ago21:13

21:13

Tree rings serve as a natural archive for studying past climate conditions. By analyzing the tree rings, researchers can date the year the tree was growing and reconstruct past droughts, floods, and wildfires. Nitrogen is a critical element for forest ecosystems and its availability affects forest health and productivity. Climate extremes like drou…

1
Do we need a new model of cosmology? 31:39

4M ago31:39

31:39

Earlier this week, some of the world's leading astrophysicists came together at The Royal Society to question the very nature of our Universe. Does the Lambda Cold Dark Matter model, which explains the evolution of the cosmos and the Big Bang, need a rethink? Dr Chris North, an astrophysicist from the University of Cardiff, joins us in the studio t…

1
My Sediments Exactly - A brand new Springer podcast for all things geo- and earth sciences 2:07

4M ago2:07

2:07

Welcome to "My Sediments Exactly," Springer’s latest geo and earth science podcast where we take nothing for Granite. We’ll be digging and diving, making sure to bring you the best science and scientists to keep you updated on everything geo and earth sciences. ! You'll crack up at the joints and marvel at the faults because, in this show, it's all…

1
Bird flu outbreak in cows 31:41

5M ago31:41

31:41

A strain of highly pathogenic bird flu, H5N1, has been spreading unchecked through wild bird, and some mammal, populations for the past few years. Last week, news of a large number of dairy cows in the USA being infected with bird flu has alarmed the public and virologists alike. One farm worker has also picked up the virus and although they are no…

1
200 years of dinosaur science 27:52

5M ago27:52

27:52

In 1824, 200 years ago, Megalosaurus was the first dinosaur to ever be described in a scientific paper. William Buckland studied fossils from Stonesfield in Oxfordshire in order to describe the animal. In this episode, Victoria Gill visits palaeontologist Dr Emma Nicholls at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, who shows her those very …

1
Inside Your Microbiome 28:10

5M ago28:10

28:10

Microbiomes are a multi-million-pound industry. Every week, many people send off poop samples to be examined so we can learn about our own ecosystems of bacteria, virus and fungi that live in our guts, with a view to improving health. But how accurate are these tests? Microbiologist Prof Jacques Ravel is calling for better controls in what is curre…

1
Our Accidental Universe 36:14

5M ago36:14

36:14

Professor and presenter, Chris Lintott, talks about his new book Our Accidental Universe; a tour of chance encounters and human error in pursuit of asteroids, pulsars, radio waves, new stars and alien life. Even with incredible technological developments, the major astronomical events of the past century are largely down to plain ol’ good luck; dis…

1
World’s oldest forest fossils 28:14

6M ago28:14

28:14

The world’s oldest fossilised forest was uncovered in Somerset last week. We head to palaeobotanist, Dr Christopher Berry’s, lab at Cardiff University to learn about these cladoxylopsids. They lived 390 million years ago and although they are not the ancestors of today’s trees, they reveal some extraordinary evolutionary secrets. Also, Marnie speak…

1
How pure is the water from your tap? 28:12

6M ago28:12

28:12

A recent study on how to get rid of microplastics in water sparked presenter Marnie Chesterton’s curiosity. When she turns on the tap in her kitchen each day, what comes out is drinkable, clean water. But where did it come from, and what’s in it? Dr Stewart Husband from Sheffield University answers this and more, including listener questions from a…

1
Dimming the Sun 33:14

6M ago33:14

33:14

Switzerland has submitted a proposal to create a United Nations expert group on solar geoengineering to inform governments and stakeholders. The idea was discussed at the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya, this week. Professor Aarti Gupta shares how, after tense negotiations, the different member states could not agree, and the proposal was…

1
Laboratory-Grown Meat 28:10

6M ago28:10

28:10

Professor Ben Garrod guest presents. As a new 'meaty rice' is created and Fortnum & Mason launch a scotch egg made with cultivated meat that they hope to have on sale as early as next year, we investigate the world of laboratory-grown meat. Mark Post made the first ever synthetic meat in 2012 to the tune of £200,000. He tells us how these lab-grown…

1
The Gulf Stream’s tipping point 28:01

6M ago28:01

28:01

The Gulf Stream, also known as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), is essential to stable global climate, and the reason we have moderate temperatures in Northern Europe. Now, a new modelling study suggests that this circulation could, at some point, be at a tipping point and collapse. We hear from one of the minds behind the mo…

1
Ancient Roman writings revealed 28:16

7M ago28:16

28:16

As part of the Vesuvius Challenge, computer scientists have used machine learning to successfully reveal 2,000 characters from the Herculaneum scrolls. These artefacts were charred to a crisp following the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. Papyrologist Federica Nicolardi has been translating the writings, and tells us what exactly has been deciphered.…

1
When brains and computers meet 27:12

7M ago27:12

27:12

Are cyborgs now reality? Elon Musk certainly thinks so. His company, Neuralink, has successfully implanted one of its wireless brain chips in a human. Although billed as a breakthrough, they’re not the first to do it. In fact, similar devices have already been implanted, all with the aim of connecting our brains to computers with the aim of tacklin…

1
Hydrogen and the race to net zero 28:12

7M ago28:12

28:12

Hydrogen has long been touted as a potential wonder gas that could play a significant role in our race to net zero. Now, planning permission has been granted for the UK’s largest production hub of its kind, and one of the most advanced in the world. Located in Cheshire, it bills itself as a vital piece of Northwest England’s mission to help manufac…

1
A New Volcanic Era? 27:53

7M ago27:53

27:53

As lava consumes homes on the Reykjavik Peninsula in Iceland, evacuated communities have been witnessing eruptions shifting and intensifying. We take a look at the latest science that’s helping teams on the ground accurately predict where the danger is coming from, helping people to stay safe. Our go-to volcanologist, Dr Evgenia Ilyinskaya, and her…

1
Understanding Flood Forecasting 28:21

8M ago28:21

28:21

When Lois Pryce arrived at her boat in Berkshire, the area was already completely flooded. The only way to get to it was via a small pontoon. She is one of many across the UK that have been affected by the current floods, and is very familiar with the flood warning system accessible to the public. But how exactly does this system work? What informa…

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