August 27th, 2026
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:38:52 — 100.6MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
This Week: Interview W/Daniel Swain, Weather & Climate Science, Pulsating Mass, Bad Aging Science?, Get Vaccinated!, Baby Brained, and Much More!
Become a Patron!
Check out the full unedited episode of our podcast on YouTube or Twitch. And remember that you can find TWIS in all the podcast directories.
If you are looking for science podcasts on Spotify, we are there! Science podcasts on Google? We are there! Are you looking for science podcasts on iTunes or science podcasts on Apple? We are there, too! Just look for This Week in Science!
Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
When I leave this mortal coil,
I hope it is said
that I gave instead of took,
that I taught instead of told,
that I shared instead of stole,
that I laughed and loved
and inspired the same in others.
The world is a little less today
with the passing of Dolly and Tim.
But I hope you prefer, as I do
to think of the richness they brought
to the world while they were in it.
We are all better because of their
kindness, determination, and spirit.
Let’s all do the time warp
because we’re working 9-5
again
on tonight’s episode of
This Week in Science.
HELP TWIS GROW! GET FRIENDS TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
The Interview!
Daniel Swain is a weather and climate scientist focused on the dynamics and impacts of extreme events—including droughts, floods, storms, and wildfires—on a warming planet. His primary appointment is as a climate scientist (Associate Researcher) in the California Institute for Water Resources within the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR), and he has been a longtime research partner at the NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research. He’s a fellow University of California, Davis graduate, got his PhD at Stanford University (Ph.D., Earth System Science), and completed his postdoctoral work at UCLA. He also authors the widely-read Weather West blog (weatherwest.com), which provides real-time perspectives on California weather and climate, and can be found as #WeatherWest on YouTube and Bluesky.
This is a fun and fascinating interview you’ll want to listen to again and again!
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A TWIS SHIRT OR MUG, OR OTHER ITEM OF TWIS MERCHANDISE TO WEATHER THE STORM, CLICK ON THE ZAZZLE LINK TO BROWSE OUR STORE
Science Stories with Kiki!
Pulsating Mass
What if exercise just happened?
Bad Aging Science?
How much aging science is compromised because of the wrong antibodies?
Get Vaccinated!
The Shingrix recombinant shingles vaccine looks to protect against heart failure.
Baby Brained
Why can’t we remember being a baby?
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This Week in Science Questions!
Do you have questions that you want us to answer? Send us your questions (Like, What’s Up With Weather in the West??)! We will do our best to have answers! Remember, everyone, we need you to write in with your questions! Leave us a message on our Facebook page, email Dr. Kiki, or find us on Mastodon Social if you can!
Support is the secret to more TWIS! WANT TO HELP TWIS? LEAVE A POSITIVE REVIEW FOR TWIS ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM TODAY!
Take a blast into the past…
What were we discussing at this time last year? This time last year We discussed Interstellar Interloper, Mind’s Eye, Jumping Spiders, Pig Lungs, Covid Shots, Ape Medicine, Cane Toads, Bird Poop, Justin Trashes a Study, Phantom limb, Big Brainy Thumb, Nature Words, and Much More Good Science!
This week 10 years ago TWIS discussed Red Hot Spot, Primordial Holes, Spinning Gas Cloud, Dingo Diet, Slothy Sloths, Interview with Bad Astronomer – Philip Plait, and Much More! ! Take a blast into the past with TWIS!
If you love TWIS, and all the news we present each week, please consider making a donation to the This Week in Science podcast.
Tags: Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kiki Sanford, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, Interview, Patreon, podcast, science podcast, science policy, science radio, STEM, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in animals, biology, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, conservationism, earthquakes, ecology, end of the world, global warming, infectious diseases, information technology, Language, medicine, neuroscience, oceanography, physics, podcast, psychology, science, science and politics, Science Education, science history, sexy scientists, technology, therapies, Vaccine, z-Broadcasts, z-Science-Videos | No Comments »
July 30th, 2026
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:09:26 — 65.7MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
This Week: Interview W/Dannielle Engle, PhD, Pancreatic Cancer, Gut Memories, Memorable Brain Changes, and Much More Science to Dish About!
Become a Patron!
Check out the full unedited episode of our podcast on YouTube or Twitch.
And remember that you can find TWIS in all the podcast directories. If you are looking for science podcasts on Spotify, we are there! Science podcasts on Google? We are there! Are you looking for science podcasts on iTunes or science podcasts on Apple? We are there, too! Just look for This Week in Science!
Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
There once was a cell from a patient
It was always useful adjacent.
With more than a wish
It’s now in a dish,
And, new therapies are possibly nascent.
Learn all about it here on This Week in Science.
HELP TWIS GROW! GET FRIENDS TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
The Interview!
We’re starting the show off with an interview tonight.
Dannielle Engle, PhD, is an American biologist and assistant professor of the regulatory biology laboratory at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. Engle’s research aims at improving detection and treatment of pancreatic cancer.
She received her B.A. from Northwestern University in Biology and Asian Studies and her Ph.D. in Biology from the University of California, San Diego. She recently published a paper in Cell Stem Cell describing a new platform using patient-derived pancreatic organoids for disease study and development of personalized treatments.
This is a fun and fascinating interview you’ll want to listen to again and again!
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A TWIS SHIRT OR DISH, OR OTHER ITEM OF TWIS MERCHANDISE, CLICK ON THE ZAZZLE LINK TO BROWSE OUR STORE
Science Stories with Kiki!
Gut Memories
The stomach is involved with memory formation. Who knew?
Memorable Brain Changes
Your brain cells swell when you learn new stuff.
DON’T FORGET TO GET FRIENDS TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
This Week in Science Questions!
Do you have questions that you want us to answer? Send us your questions (Like, how do we dish on science?)! We will do our best to have answers!
Remember, everyone, we need you to write in with your questions!
Leave us a message on our Facebook page, email Dr. Kiki, or find us on Mastodon Social if you can!
Support is the secret to more TWIS!
WANT TO HELP TWIS? LEAVE A POSITIVE REVIEW FOR TWIS ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM TODAY!
Take a blast into the past…
What were we discussing at this time last year? This time last year We discussed Atomic Slits, Vaccines Work, Wifi Fingerprint, Ancient Teeth, Deep Life, Fat for Tumors, Immunity in your head, Cultural Function, Brain Generics, and Much More Science you can trust!
This week 10 years ago TWIS discussed Red Hot Spot, Primordial Holes, Spinning Gas Cloud, Dingo Diet, Slothy Sloths, Interview with Bad Astronomer – Philip Plait, and Much More!
! Take a blast into the past with TWIS!
If you love TWIS, and all the news we present each week, please consider making a donation to the This Week in Science podcast.
Tags: Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kiki Sanford, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, Interview, news, Patreon, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science policy, science radio, STEM, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in Archaeogenetics, biology, cancer, cell biology, clinical trials, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, CRISPR, genetics, Medical technology, medicine, microbiology, molecular biology, neuroscience, podcast, psychology, science, Science Education, sexy scientists, stem cells, technology, therapies, Women in Science, z-Broadcasts, z-Science-Videos | No Comments »
July 24th, 2026
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:17:52 — 81.2MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
This Week: Interview W/Dana Page, Feral Pigs, Prescribed Burns, Climate Change, Plant Cheese, and Much More Science!
Become a Patron!
Check out the full unedited episode of our podcast on YouTube or Twitch.
And remember that you can find TWIS in all the podcast directories. If you are looking for science podcasts on Spotify, we are there! Science podcasts on Google? We are there! Are you looking for science podcasts on iTunes or science podcasts on Apple? We are there, too! Just look for This Week in Science!
Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
The only constant in this world is change
Friendships fade, children grow up, historical knowledge shifts, the hip become passe.
Decay, consumption, conflict, they are all part of life.
In many ways, it is what makes life truly beautiful.
Yes, nothing stays the same, nothing is forever…
Well, except for a certain podcast perhaps? One that persists, year after year.
Dedicated to the dissemination of the latest science news…
The players may rotate, the format may shift, but one thing is for sure, you can count on
This Week in Science!
HELP TWIS GROW! GET FRIENDS TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
The Interview!
We’re starting the show off with an interview tonight.
Dana Page is a trained Wildlife Biologist working on large-scale regional land management strategies.
USCS – BA Enviro Studies and USF- MS Enviro Management. Dana has over 2 decades of experience working throughout the Bay Area on a variety of projects ranging from Island Restoration off the CA coast and SF Bay, coastal grassland habitat restoration, Prescribed Fire and Rangeland Management, to name a few.
This is a fun and fascinating interview you’ll want to listen to again and again!
Interview Topics
Feral Pigs Vs Deer
Prescribed Burns Australia
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A TWIS SHIRT OR MUG, OR OTHER ITEM OF TWIS MERCHANDISE, CLICK ON THE ZAZZLE LINK TO BROWSE OUR STORE
Blair’s Animal Corner!
Climate change depends on ancestors to carry the weight
Climate changes are so quick that mutation is unlikely to save species; instead, old-school genetic variation is the key
Would you like some plant cheese?
When is dairy not dairy? Would you eat cheese, milk, or ice cream created by a plant? It may be in our future.
DON’T FORGET TO GET FRIENDS TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
This Week in Science Questions!
Do you have questions that you want us to answer? Send us your questions (Like, how to deal with invasive science?)! We will do our best to have answers!
Remember, everyone, we need you to write in with your questions!
Leave us a message on our Facebook page, email Dr. Kiki, or find us on Mastodon Social if you can!
Support is the secret to more TWIS!
WANT TO HELP TWIS? LEAVE A POSITIVE REVIEW FOR TWIS ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM TODAY!
Take a blast into the past…
What were we discussing at this time last year? This time last year We discussed Interview W/Matthew Facciani, Australia, Stonehenge, Blood Pressure, Moth Dreams, Friendly Brains, Replication Win, Undoing Strokes, Meaning & Memory, And Much More Science!
This week 10 years ago TWIS discussed Interview w/ Dr. Enrique Abreu re: ketamine therapy for depression, So Hot!, Brain Mapping Matters, Brilliant Ducks, Turtle Shells, Zero-Knowledge Time, Bonobo Mentors, City Punk Birds, And Much More!
! Take a blast into the past with TWIS!
If you love TWIS, and all the news we present each week, please consider making a donation to the This Week in Science podcast.
Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Blair's Animal Corner, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science policy, science radio, STEM, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in animal behavior, animals, Archaeogenetics, Australia, biology, Blair's Animal Corner, botany, conservationism, Dendrology, ecology, end of the world, endangered animals, evolution, genetics, geology, global warming, mammals, podcast, reptiles, science, science and politics, Science Education, sexy scientists, technology, Women in Science, z-Broadcasts, z-Science-Videos | No Comments »
June 4th, 2026
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:15:42 — 139.7MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
This Week: Interview w/Dr. Andrew Thaler, Watching Wildlife, New Octopus, Cucumber Bits, Backrooms, and Much More Science!
Become a Patron!
Check out the full unedited episode of our podcast on YouTube or Twitch.
And remember that you can find TWIS in all the podcast directories. If you are looking for science podcasts on Spotify, we are there! Science podcasts on Google? We are there! Are you looking for science podcasts on iTunes or science podcasts on Apple? We are there, too! Just look for This Week in Science!
Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
UNDER THE SEA
IT’S NOT JUST WETTER
IT’S UNDER MORE PRESSURE
INHOSPITABLE TO HUMANS
WHILE A HAVEN FOR CRUSTACEANS,
TUBE WORMS, AND MORE.
THOUSANDS OF SPECIES
BIODIVERSITY GALORE.
YET, THAT’S NOT THE DRAW
IN OUR TECH OBSESSED AGE.
WE SOMETHING SHINY.
COULD IT MAKE SOMEONE MONEY?
PROBABLY A LOT MORE THAN
WE MAKE HERE ON
THIS WEEK IN SCIENCE!
HELP TWIS GROW! GET FRIENDS TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
The Interview!
We’re starting the show off with an interview tonight.
Our guest, Andrew Thaler, PhD, is a Deep-sea ecologist investigating how humans shape and reshape the most remote parts of our world. Connect with him on Instagram & Bluesky!
Founder and CEO of Blackbeard Biologic: Science and Environmental Advisors.
He is also a Conservation technologist developing open-source tools to help communities study and understand our changing oceans. Ocean educator creating novel tools to help students learn and interact with marine ecosystems.
This is a fun and fascinating interview you’ll want to listen to again and again!
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A TWIS SHIRT, OR OTHER ITEM OF TWIS MERCHANDISE, CLICK ON THE ZAZZLE LINK TO BROWSE OUR STORE
Blair’s Animal Corner
While watching wildlife, are we the show?
How does the presence of humans impact animals, even when all we are doing is minding our own business?
New octopus just dropped!
Look what researchers found via ROV! Tiny blue guy!!
DON’T FORGET TO GET FRIENDS TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
Science with Kiki!
Cucumber Bits
What makes sea cucumber cells tick? Researchers want to know more about their persistent epidermis.
Backrooms Go Front Stage
What are Backrooms and why do we obsess over them so much?
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A TWIS SHIRT OR OTHER ITEM OF TWIS MERCHANDISE, CLICK ON THE ZAZZLE LINK TO BROWSE OUR STORE
This Week in Science Questions!
Do you have questions that you want us to answer? Send us your questions (Like, are unicorns really real??)! We will do our best to have answers!
Remember, everyone, we need you to write in with your questions!
Leave us a message on our Facebook page, email Dr. Kiki, or find us on Mastodon Social if you can!
Support is the secret to more TWIS!
WANT TO HELP TWIS? LEAVE A POSITIVE REVIEW FOR TWIS ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM TODAY!
Take a blast into the past…
What were we discussing at this time last year? This time last year We discussed CRISPR, Government-Sanctioned Mass Extinction, Bugs in Space, Shrinking Clownfish, Bees Sleep, Dolphins Talk, Blocking Cell Death, Toothy Origins, and Much More Science!, and Much More Science!
This week 10 years ago TWIS A Force of Nature?, Red Geysers, Maladapted Marshmallows, Beetle Genitals, Spider Gifts, Dolphin Snot, Venomous Drugs, CLOUDs From Trees, Egyptian Takeovers, Cockroach Magnetism, Of Antibiotics And Beetles, Birdie Colors, Monster Croc, and Much More! Take a blast into the past with TWIS!
If you love TWIS, and all the news we present each week, please consider making a donation to the This Week in Science podcast.
Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Blair's Animal Corner, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kiki Sanford, Interview, Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science policy, science radio, STEM, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in animal behavior, animals, anthropology, biology, Blair's Animal Corner, botany, cell biology, cephalopod, Cetaceans, cognitive science, conservationism, crustaceans, ecology, emergent behavior, end of the world, endangered animals, fish, global warming, mammals, marine biology, oceanography, podcast, psychology, science, science and politics, Science Education, sexy scientists, sponges, technology, worms, z-Broadcasts, z-Science-Videos | No Comments »
May 14th, 2026
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:42:17 — 162.3MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
This Week: Interview w/Alaina Levine, Science Unicorns, Cancer Gone, Carnivorous Plants, Outdoor Cats, Carnivorous Rice, Gluca Gone, Insect Pain, Wings, Sleepy Time, and Much More!
Become a Patron!
Check out the full unedited episode of our podcast on YouTube or Twitch.
And remember that you can find TWIS in all the podcast directories. If you are looking for science podcasts on Spotify, we are there! Science podcasts on Google? We are there! Are you looking for science podcasts on iTunes or science podcasts on Apple? We are there, too! Just look for This Week in Science!
Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
Disclaimer Disclaimer Disclaimer
Hantavirus has reared its head,
but do not fear its reported spread.
The Noro is another beast.
Not much to do.
Just wash your hands
and brush your teeth.
Will Legionnaires be next?
In this cruise ship hall of fame?
And truly, who is to blame?
Certainly not you
Who buys your berths
and then complain
about the heat
as you dine on crab
and sleep like sardines.
We’ll definitely have thoughts here on
This Week in Science.
HELP TWIS GROW! GET FRIENDS TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
The Interview!
We’re starting the show off with an interview tonight.
Our guest, Alaina Levine is an international professional speaker, award-winning entrepreneur, STEM career coach and consultant, TEDx speaker, science journalist, and corporate comedian. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Her newest book, the forthcoming Your Unicorn Career, named after her successful column in Science, empowers anyone to create a customized career that honors your authenticity and values; allows you to define impact and success in a meaningful and personal way; and use skills and solve problems that bring you joy. Her first book, Networking for Nerds (Wiley, 2015), beat out Einstein (really!) for the honor of being named a Top 5 Book of 2015 by Physics Today.
As President of Quantum Success Solutions, LLC, Alaina is a prolific speaker and writer on career development and professional advancement for STEM Nerds (engineers, scientists, and technical leaders) and Word Nerds (journalists, communicators, writers, and PR Professionals).
Craft Your Unicorn Career.
This is a fun and fascinating interview you’ll want to listen to again and again!
Quick Science News!
Your Cancer Gone
Does this method really promise treatment for more than the most dire cases?
Carnivorous plants and wasps – strange bedfellows indeed
It would appear that even though pitcher plants will eat wasps, the wasps get their air supply from the pitcher, too. Is this mutualism and not predation?
Iron Space Rain
How does Earth happen to have so much Iron-60, the kind that comes from big stellar explosions?
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A TWIS SHIRT OR UNICORNS, OR OTHER ITEM OF TWIS MERCHANDISE, CLICK ON THE ZAZZLE LINK TO BROWSE OUR STORE
Blair’s Animal Corner
Outdoor cats are teeming with disease
Or at least carry as much as a feral cat, despite having a home to come home to…
Carnivorous rice
Rice plants and Venus flytraps share something in common
DON’T FORGET TO GET FRIENDS TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
More Science with Kiki!
Gluca Gone
How do GLP-1 drugs lead to weight loss?
Insect Pain
How do we know that insects feel pain? We test it!
Gives You Wings
Why are VR researchers making people flap their arms?
Sleepy Time
How much sleep do you get? Is it in the sleep sweet spot?
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A TWIS SHIRT OR UNICORNS OR OTHER ITEM OF TWIS MERCHANDISE, CLICK ON THE ZAZZLE LINK TO BROWSE OUR STORE
This Week in Science Questions!
Do you have questions that you want us to answer? Send us your questions (Like, are unicorns really real??)! We will do our best to have answers!
Remember, everyone, we need you to write in with your questions!
Leave us a message on our Facebook page, email Dr. Kiki, or find us on Mastodon Social if you can!
Support is the secret to more TWIS!
WANT TO HELP TWIS? LEAVE A POSITIVE REVIEW FOR TWIS ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM TODAY!
Take a blast into the past…
What were we discussing at this time last year? This time last year We discussed Knowledge, & Power, Forever Chemicals, AI Exaggeration, Internal Inference, Prey Trapping, Labile Language, Librarians Saving Democracy, and Much More Science!
This week 10 years ago TWIS Kepler Finds More Planets!, Martian Oxygen???, Earth’s Thin Atmosphere, Oldest Axe Ever, Loud Moths, Interview w/ Josiah Zayner re: Microbiome Transplantation, Lizard Tail Tales, Deadly Reptiles, Conservation By Kids, Sea Star Resurgence?, Memory Genes, Sleep Science, And Much More! Take a blast into the past with TWIS!
If you love TWIS, and all the news we present each week, please consider making a donation to the This Week in Science podcast.
Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Blair's Animal Corner, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kiki Sanford, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, Interview, Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science policy, science radio, STEM, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in agriculture, animal behavior, animals, biology, Blair's Animal Corner, cognitive science, cosmology, ecology, evolution, genetics, GLP-1, insects, mammals, Medical technology, medicine, podcast, science, science and politics, Science Education, space, technology, Toxoplasma, Weight Loss, Women in Science, z-Broadcasts, z-Science-Videos | No Comments »
May 7th, 2026
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:44:36 — 158.6MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
This Week: Guest Host Philip Shane, Death Of A Great Mind, Plastic Heat, Fish Filth, Swedish Power, Double Trouble, Sweet Myelin, Folding Proteins, Baby Mom Yawns, and Much More Science!
Become a Patron!
Check out the full unedited episode of our podcast on YouTube or Twitch.
And remember that you can find TWIS in all the podcast directories. If you are looking for science podcasts on Spotify, we are there! Science podcasts on Google? We are there! Are you looking for science podcasts on iTunes or science podcasts on Apple? We are there, too! Just look for This Week in Science!
Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
What kind of legacy does a great mind leave
When it shifts from this mortal coil?
What is left after all has been done and said?
What remains of the hopes and dreams
when people remember the man who had been?
Is it the buildings?
The centers?
The labs?
The papers?
Is it the many presentations upon so many stages
That leaves the rest of humanity to guess
What would have been done next?
Or is it the students?
The colleagues?
The nemeses and friends?
Will those who speak now
forever create the space
You inhabit in our minds?
Or, is what is said here on
This Week in Science.
HELP TWIS GROW! GET FRIENDS TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
Quick Science News!
Death Of A Great Mind
Last week, Craig Venter, the spearhead of synthetic biology, died. What comes next?
Plastic Heat
Are microplastics accelerating the warming of our planet?
Fish Filth
How long can Norwegian fish farms last if they’re swimming in filth?
Swedish Power
Why is Sweden digging a giant pit in the ground?
Double Trouble
When the “Big One” hits, will it take both California & Oregon?
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A TWIS SHIRT OR MUG, OR OTHER ITEM OF TWIS MERCHANDISE, CLICK ON THE ZAZZLE LINK TO BROWSE OUR STORE
Blair’s Podcast Corner
Fantastical Field Guide
Finding the real-world inspiration for the fantastical creatures from your favorite fiction
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More Science with Kiki!
Sweet Myelin
How does the body know when to build myelin?
Folding Proteins
Is your multivitamin helping your proteins get folded?
Baby Mom Yawns
Why do babies yawn when their moms do???
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A TWIS SHIRT OR MUG OR OTHER ITEM OF TWIS MERCHANDISE, CLICK ON THE ZAZZLE LINK TO BROWSE OUR STORE
This Week in Science Questions!
Do you have questions that you want us to answer? Send us your questions (Like, What Is Science Worried About?)! We will do our best to have answers!
Remember, everyone, we need you to write in with your questions!
Leave us a message on our Facebook page, email Dr. Kiki, or find us on Mastodon Social if you can!
Support is the secret to more TWIS!
WANT TO HELP TWIS? LEAVE A POSITIVE REVIEW FOR TWIS ON YOUR FAVORITE ANIMAL PODCAST PLATFORM TODAY!
Take a blast into the past…
What were we discussing at this time last year? This time last year We discussed Tiny Life, Human Fungus, Honeyguides, Survey Says, Vaccines and Menstruation, Art with Porpoise, Cuttlefish, Shrimp, Brain Computer Interface, Neanderthals, Tiny Town, On Being, and Much More Science!
This week 10 years ago TWIS How Ketamine Lifts, Weight Loss Gains, Dinos And Dung Beetles, Traumatic Insemination, Interview w/ Dr. Amro Hamdoun from UCSD, Rok Runestone Re-Read, Rhino Seed Vault?, 1 Trillion Friends?, Robo-Clicker For Dogs, How To Boil Water On Mars, And Much More! Take a blast into the past with TWIS!
If you love TWIS, and all the news we present each week, please consider making a donation to the This Week in Science podcast.
Tags: Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kiki Sanford, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, Interview, Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science policy, science radio, STEM, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in animals, artificial intelligence, biology, cell biology, cognitive science, computer science, earthquakes, end of the world, fish, geology, global warming, microbiology, molecular biology, podcast, psychology, science, science and politics, Science Education, science history, sexy scientists, z-Broadcasts, z-Science-Videos | No Comments »
April 23rd, 2026
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:58:14 — 109.7MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
This Week: Interview W/Sara Kobilka, Slowing Currents, Hard Freeze, It’s All Connected, Plant Lives, Cocaine Salmon, This Is New, Mars Stuff, and Much More Earth Science!
Become a Patron!
Check out the full unedited episode of our science podcast on YouTube or Twitch.
And remember that you can find TWIS in all the podcast directories. If you are looking for science podcasts on Spotify, we are there! Science podcasts on Google? We are there! Are you looking for science podcasts on iTunes or science podcasts on Apple? We are there, too! Just look for This Week in Science!
Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
Just how much is all this worth?
This planet of ours. This Earth?
In 1997, our global ecosystems were valued at just $33 trillion dollars annually.
give or take $17 trillion dollars.
At the same time, people globally were pumping out somewhere around $18 trillion,
or maybe $28 trillion,
or was it $31 trillion, as according to the WHO?
Later, in 2011, people profit was thought to be around $75 trillion,
while the planet was producing $125 trillion in benefits to people.
That number while shifting through time
decreases as environments are degraded by those activities
that push those profits ever higher.
How high can they get
lest we forget that our future is tied to this planet?
In 2024, nominal GDP was just $111 trillion.
Our population is nearly 8.3 billion.
There are so many reasons to value our planet,
Earth,
and to pay attention to This Week in Science!
HELP TWIS GROW! GET YOUR FRIEND’S BRAIN TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
The Interview!
We’re starting the show off with an interview tonight.
Our guest, Sara Kobilka, is a Renaissance Woman and lifelong learner known for her multidisciplinary approach to both work and life. A self-identified multipotentialite and generalist, her career spans television news, nonprofit organizations, higher education, and entrepreneurship, giving her a uniquely broad and adaptable perspective.
Guided by values such as honesty, authenticity, curiosity, and mutual respect, Sara brings an interdisciplinary mindset to everything she does. Based in New York’s mid-Hudson Valley, she balances her professional pursuits with a vibrant personal life as a mother, wife, and enthusiast of gardening, fitness, wine, and theater.
This is a fun and fascinating Earth day interview you’ll want to listen to again and again!
Quick Science News!
Slowing Currents
Is our biggest climate disaster movie fear coming true?
Hard Freeze
Frost or Freeze? Why and when? Does how we talk about it matter?
It’s All Connected
Does the forest have an internet of sorts?
Plant Lives
Are plants really listening to the world around them?
Cocaine Salmon
What is all our cocaine doing to fish?
This Is New
Did we just find a new DNA replication process?
Mars Stuff
What do these organic molecules mean?
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February 27th, 2026
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
This Week: Interview W/Nicola Allen PhD., Stabilizing The Brain, Space Alerts, Artemis, Bouba Kiki, Birder Brains, Drunken Apes, and Much More Science!
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The Interview!
We’re starting the show off with an interview tonight.
Our guest, Dr. Nicola Allen, is a neuroscientist & professor in the Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory at the Salk Institute. She investigates how the brain normally forms and functions, and how it goes awry in diseases, like autism and Alzheimer’s disease, by asking how non-neuronal cells in the brain regulate neuronal function. Dr. Allen and her colleagues recently published a study in Nature establishing the stabilizing role of one cell type, called astrocytes, in the adult brain. And she is here tonight to talk with us about her work and its implications.
Allen studies how astrocytes regulate the formation, function and stability of neuronal connections called synapses. Astrocytes closely interact with neurons and synapses via thousands of fine processes, putting them in a position to regulate these connections. Synapses are essential points of information transfer within neuronal circuits and change throughout life. In the young brain trillions of synapses form, in the adult brain synapses are stabilized, and in the aging brain synapses become less functional and are eliminated. Further, in most neurological disorders, no matter the stage of life, synaptic dysfunction is a key component. This includes autism during youth, schizophrenia in adulthood and Alzheimer’s disease in aging. Allen is investigating if life stage-specific properties of synapses are being regulated by the astrocytes the neurons interact with, to identify new therapeutic targets for repairing synapses in the disorders where they are dysfunctional.
This is a brainy and fascinating interview you’ll want to listen to again and again!
Quick Science News!
First Alerts For Space
How will near-real time information of changes in space impact astronomy?
Artemis Rollback
It’s back to the hangar for Artemis II for repairs. No launch should be expected until after March.
Bouba Kiki Effect
Is it really universal?
Birder Brains
How does birding change your brain?
Drunken Apes
Yes, chimpanzees consume alcohol.
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This Week in Science Questions!
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Remember, everyone, we need you to write in with your questions!
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Take a blast into the past…
What were we discussing at this time last year? This time last year We discussed The Stellarator!, Animal Emotions AI, Islet Surgery, Stressed Monkeys, Animal Awareness, Oxygen Pill, More Memory, Melatonin, And Much More Science!
This week 10 years ago TWIS we discussed Rapidly Rising Waters, Cutting Out HIV, Probiotics For Cancer, Mama’s Little Helper, Fear for Forests, Dodo Brains, Climate For Change, Tracking Sleep Genes, Spider Webs!, And Much More!
If you know and love TWIS, and all the science news we present each week, please consider making a donation to the This Week in Science podcast.
Tags: Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kiki Sanford, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, Interview, Kirsten Sanford, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science radio, STEM, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
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