April 30th, 2026
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:16:20 — 73.2MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
This Week: Bye-Bye Science Board, Fluoride, Coffee, Bees Love Viruses, Sexist Birds, Yawns, Melatonin, 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!!!
We know that we need to be nice
if we want to have this conversation.
But, sometimes we just feel so frustrated
at what appears to be a choice on your part
to ignore valuable evidence
in favor of a story
you heard from Aunt Mabel.
Now, Aunt Mabel did have an experience,
And wow, did it change her mind.
But, Mabel is just one person
when the tens of thousands in clinical trials
are mighty.
But, we know you don’t know them.
You only know who know.
We only wish you would trust us
when we tell you what we know.
So, we’ll take a breath,
and take a step back.
We aren’t here to change your mind
with just one conversation this week.
But, maybe you’ll enjoy the banter.
Maybe you’ll find some fun.
And, maybe you come back every week
to join people who want to talk with you
here on This Week in Science.
HELP TWIS GROW! GET FRIENDS TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
Quick Science News!
Bye-Bye Science Board
Last Saturday, President Trump fired all the members of the National Science Board with a brief email.
Fluoride Is Fine!
If the evidence doesn’t matter, this story means nothing.
Shocking Coffee
It’s the electrochemical profile of that cup that matters…
3D-MIND
It’s a three-dimensional brain in a dish that is wired up for computation!
Bees Love Viruses
Why do they prefer food containing viruses?
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
Kiki’s Animal Corner!
Sexist City Birds?
Do birds really prefer human males over females?
DON’T FORGET TO GET FRIENDS TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
More Science with Kiki!
Yawns Are Good
What could a yawn possibly do for you?
Get Sleepy
How does melatonin work? Apparently, by inhibiting the effects of sensory stimulation.
Support Science Talk 2026!
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 Black Start, Bird Flu, Zoo Life, Blonde Beer, Anti-Microbiotic, Hippie Spiders, Real Pokemon, NIH, Musically Speaking, Screaming Trees, Electrome Eclipse, and Much More!
This week 10 years ago TWIS Interview with Dr. Cat Lutz from the Jackson Lab, Stabby Animals, Needy Nightshade, Alien Oceanography, Brain Thesaurus, Addictive Genes, Antibiotic Progress, Fragile X Memory, Soil Bacteria, Dirty Wine, Corvids Are Smart, A New Moon, Old Climate Records, 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, 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, anthropology, biology, birds, cell biology, clinical trials, cognitive science, end of the world, genetics, global warming, insects, mammals, marine biology, medicine, neuroscience, physics, science, science and politics, sexuality, space, therapies, Women in Science, z-Broadcasts | 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?
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TWIS SHIRTS, MUGS, OR OTHER ITEM OF TWIS MERCHANDISE, CLICK ON THE ZAZZLE LINK TO BROWSE OUR STORE
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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 is the earth actually worth!?!?)! 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 an Interview W/Natan Shahar, Carbon Capturing, Gator Biting, Fur Babies, Cow Burps, Climate Change Cost, Canceling Women Studies, Life in Spce, Deathbots, And Much More Science!
This week 10 years ago TWIS we discussed Bad Bleaching Down Under, Earth Day Plus, Dutch Decisions, Moving Forward, Stinky Lemurs, Mice On Ice, Panamanian Primate, CRISPR Mushrooms, CRISPR Advances, Iron Eaters, Ant Rafts, Interview w/ Jess Pelaez from Blueprint Earth, 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, 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, Archaeogenetics, artificial intelligence, astronauts, astronomy, biology, biotechnology, botany, civilian space travel, cognitive science, computer science, conservationism, deep space, Dendrology, ecology, emergent behavior, end of the world, endangered animals, energy, exploration, fish, genetics, geology, information technology, meteorology, molecular biology, NASA, physics, podcast, psychology, science, science and politics, Science Education, science history, sexy scientists, space, z-Broadcasts, z-Science-Videos | No Comments »
April 17th, 2026
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:44:01 — 102.2MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
This Week: Physics, Solar Wood, Motherhood Kills, Sunbirds Suck, Octopi, Limb Regeneration, Chatty Cetaceans, Ai is Bad, Hearing The Universe, 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!!!
Until things become taken for granted,
we say, “Granted, it could be better.”
Or, “granted, it’s expensive.”
But, do we push for things to be the best they can be
before they are here to stay?
Why wait for the day when you no longer have a say
to voice your opinion
to cast a vote?
to make a different choice that could bring a better future?
The future doesn’t happen despite us.
It happens because of us.
Let’s think about that together
Here on
This Week in Science!
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Quick Science News!
Physics Making Progress
It’s the little details that matter when it comes to making progress at understanding the universe.
Solar Wood
Is it still wood when the woodiness is removed?
Motherhood kills
But is it worth it? For birds, probably…
Sunbirds Suck
Unlike Hummingbirds, Sunbirds actually use their tongue as a straw.
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!
Octopuses protect what matters most to them
Their specialized mating arm, of course!
Could the secret to limb regeneration be low oxygen?
Honestly, that probably isn’t why amphibians can and we can’t, but it might lead to some interesting interventions…
DON’T FORGET TO GET FRIENDS TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
Science with Kiki!
Chatty Cetaceans
Sperm whale clicks have similarities with human speech.
AI is Bad
For your health, if you are asking medical & health-related questions.
The Universe As Never Heard Before
More accurate parameters have allowed researchers to create the most accurate model of universe formation yet.
Support Science Talk 2026!
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, how can you defang a myth)! 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 This Week: Scalable Meat, Marriage, Gorillas, Crpws, Gowanus Canal, Fiddler Crabs, Bird Song, Cats, Healthcare, Sensory, and Much More Science you can trust!
This week 10 years ago TWIS discussed Breakthrough Starshot, Spaceship Bouncy House, Space X Win!, Clouds Need Ice, Bearcat Or Popcorn, Moths To Flame, Y No Meanders, LSD For Brains, Cure For Paralysis?, Vikings, Tilt-A-Whirl Earth, White Nose Hope, Immoral Scientists?, 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, education, 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 amphibians, animal behavior, animals, artificial intelligence, biology, birds, Blair's Animal Corner, cell biology, Cetaceans, cognitive science, computer science, CRISPR, deep space, energy, evolution, exploration, genetics, mammals, Medical technology, NASA, neuroscience, oceanography, physicists, physics, podcast, science, science and politics, Science Education, sexy scientists, solar power, space, space exploration, technology, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
March 26th, 2026
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:58:08 — 116.0MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
This Week: Hot Plants, Blair’s Animal Oopsie, Sounds About Right, In-infinite Cloning, Male Fruit Fly Flirting, Platypodes, Control Factors Mouse Vision, and Much More Sciencer!
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!!!
This lovely show has been going for a long, long time
So long in fact, that some facts are no longer facts
More than 1000 episodes and more than 25 years means science has continued to progress
And so we have some fresh, new science
That is not so slightly contradictory to previous reporting
to explore and learn about together
…on this week in science!
HELP TWIS GROW! GET FRIENDS TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
Quick Science News!
Hot Plants
What happens to flowering mountain meadows when they get hot?
Blair’s Animal Oopsie
The beauty of doing this show for so long means that we can correct our misconceptions in real time. Rattlesnakes are not as deadly as babies, turns out…
Sounds About Right
Do humans agree with other animals about what sounds nice in nature?
Cloning isn’t infinite for mammals
So, back to the drawing board for my immortality quest.
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!
Male fruit flies take an interesting approach to competition.
“Did I tell you how handsome you look tonight?” Does male courtship of other males diffuse tension?
Platypodes – still finding ways to be weird, hundreds of years later
Their fur defies previous expectations for hair pigmentation. And no one can figure out why…
DON’T FORGET TO GET FRIENDS TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
Science with Kiki!
Control Factors
Who’s driving this thing? Does it matter?
Mouse Vision
What does it look like?
Support Science Talk 2026!
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, how can you defang a myth)! 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 Pig Livers, Planet Power, Meme Coin, Grabby Glucose, Genomic Bottleneck, Lithium Mining, Baby Brains, Shark Sounds, And Much More Science!
This week 10 years ago TWIS discussed Venter’s Back!, Saturn’s Moons, Geysers of Enceladus, Hobbit Floresiensis Update, Out Of Africa, Blood-thirsty Prairie Dogs, Smart Skuas, Ant Antennae, Puppy Transplants, Cure For Aging, Stem Cells For Spines, Fridge Lasers, 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, 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, biology, cell biology, Cloning, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, endangered animals, etymology, genetics, insects, mammals, medicine, molecular biology, neuroscience, physics, podcast, psychology, science, technology, Women in Science, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
March 12th, 2026
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:51 — 52.0MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
This Week: European Ignobel, NIH, Tamper-Free Viruses, Origami Vaccines, Garbled Messages, Brain Cell Centers, Gnawing Need, and Much More Science to Gnaw on!
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!!!
With everything going on right now,
It’s a privilege to take time for curiosity & wonder
To talk about science & discovery
With friends like you
Here on This Week in Science!
HELP TWIS GNAW! GET YOUR FRIENDS TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
Quick Science News!
Making Moves
… to Europe. Why is the IgNobel award ceremony crossing the pond?
For Freedom
How is highlighting fringe ideas from non-scientists helping the image of the NIH?
Tamper-free Viruses
A new study adds strength to the idea that COVID wasn’t made in a lab.
Origami Vaccines
Will these new vaccines work better than the mRNA vaccines?
Garbled Messages
Could space weather be hindering our attempts to detect alien messages?
Human Centered
Are human brain cell-based data centers a good idea?
Gnawing Need
Chewing is more than mechanical. It might be a motivated behavior.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TWIS SHIRTS, MUGS, OR OTHER ITEM OF TWIS MERCHANDISE TO GNAW ON, CLICK ON THE ZAZZLE LINK TO BROWSE OUR STORE
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This Week in Science Questions!
Do you have questions that you want us to answer? Send us your questions (Like, when do we know enough!?!?)! 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 Space, Space, and More Space!, Plastic Plant Problems, Bigger Cells, Democracy & Murder?, East Asian Lineage, Alzheimer’s, It’s All in Your Head, And Much More Science Knowledge!
This week 10 years ago TWIS we discussed Snow-capped Pluvian Mountaintops, About Those Clouds, Adding To Antibiotics, Ant Brains, It’s Not The Sperm, Same Sex Power Play, Pump Water For Climytia, Magnetic Mind Control, World Robot Domination, Neat Bees, Zika Brains, 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, Kirsten Sanford, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science policy, science radio, STEM, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in animals, bioethics, biology, biotechnology, cell biology, Chronic disease, cognitive science, genetics, infectious diseases, mammals, Medical technology, medicine, microbiology, molecular biology, neuroscience, pharmacology, podcast, psychology, science, science and politics, technology, therapies, Vaccine, Women in Science, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
March 6th, 2026
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 53:11 — 53.9MB)
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
This Week: Animal Science, Bats, Caribou, Dogs, Fish, 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!!!
Do not adjust your sets!
This week, there will be no astronomy, no brains, no anthropology, no physics.
No, this week it’s all about the wild, wacky, wonderful world of all things zoological!
So polish your scales, blink your many eyes. Brush your fur, sharpen those claws, and prepare yourself for…
This Week in Science! Blair’s Animal Corner Edition!
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Blair’s Animal Corner!
Bat cronching sounds!
How long do bats eat? And how big are their meals? Microphone backpacks can tell us!
Caribou horns aren’t just for the boys,
But why??
Sniffer dogs are at it again!
But a quick air injection can assist
Fish use more energy staying put
Same girl, same…
DON’T FORGET TO GET FRIENDS TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
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, how often can we get an animal corner episode?? (Such a treat!))! 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 Firefly & Astronauts, Weekends and Surgeries, Narwhal Tooth, Fusion Update, Heart Health Watch, Sound Spring, Sharks, Rat Sommeliers, Processed Foods, Mediterranean Diet, AI, Synthetic Intelligence, Love Types, And Much More Time for Science!
This week 10 years ago TWIS discussed Sponge Life, Giant Viral CRISPR, All For One, Far Flying Fies, Biodiversity Rules, WORLD WILDLIFE DAY!!!, Fairy Wren Affairs, First Land Life, More Moles Good, Defeating AutoImmune Disease, Zombie Frogs Are Sexier?, Smart Lady Spiders, 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 Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science policy, science radio, STEM, talk, technology, This Week in Science
Posted in animal behavior, animals, biology, Blair's Animal Corner, ecology, emergent behavior, endangered animals, fish, information technology, mammals, podcast, science, Science Education, sexy scientists, technology, Women in Science, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
February 27th, 2026
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:13:34 — 71.3MB)
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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!
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!!!
The state of all things is fine
Just sign on the dotted line
Watch what you get
and never forget
That This Week in Science is coming up next…
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, 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.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TWIS SHIRTS, MUGS, OR OTHER ITEM OF TWIS MERCHANDISE, CLICK ON THE ZAZZLE LINK TO BROWSE OUR STORE
DON’T FORGET TO GET FRIENDS TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
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, when do we know enough!?!?)! 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 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!
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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
Posted in animal behavior, animals, biology, birds, cell biology, Chronic disease, cognitive science, exploration, information technology, mammals, Medical technology, medicine, microbiology, NASA, neuroscience, physiology, podcast, psychobiology, psychology, science, sexy scientists, space, technology, therapies, Women in Science, z-Broadcasts, z-Science-Videos | No Comments »
February 20th, 2026
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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?
This Week: Life on Mars, Interstellar Water, Snakes, PFAS, Wind Farms, Sea Silk, Frogs, Zebra Finches, Organoids, Brain Training, Alzheimer’s, and Much More Science to Know!
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Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
When can we say that we know enough
to make a decision,
to make a claim,
to stop asking questions?
Will there ever be a moment
where we step back
and say,
“I think I’ve had enough as of today.”?
Well, you should know that
That moment will never arrive
Here on This Week in Science.
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Quick Science News!
Life On Mars???
It’s still a maybe that life did or does exist on Mars, but the latest analysis suggests that we don’t have any better explanation at the moment.
Interstellar Water
Why is Comet 3I/Atlas releasing so much water into our solar system?
Hate snakes? Blame society.
Kindergarteners like snakes, so it’s our fault adults don’t…
PFAS From The Sky
You’ll never guess where the latest PFAS source originates.
Wind Farm Disruption
Do offshore wind farms disrupt the wind?
Saving Sea Silk
Will we be wearing ancient Roman silk once again?
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Blair’s Animal Corner!
Temperature affects frog calls…. riiiiiibit.
Warmer means, well.. hotter for lady frogs. What does that mean with climate change?
Zebra finches show strong color preferences
Are you particular about your colors? Would a researcher call you stubborn??
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Science stories with Kiki!
Measuring Organoids
What is the best way to listen to brain organoid neuron activity?
Speed Train Your Brain?
It couldn’t hurt, and might help with aging.
An Exposed Life
What are the habits that lead to a longer, healthier life?
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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 Interview W/Annalee Newitz, Fish, Fruit Flies, Not So Sweetner, Anti-bacterial Anti-depressants, And Much More!
This week 10 years ago TWIS we discussed Gravitation Makes Waves, Beating Cancer, We Did It, Selective Elective?, Whooping Whoops?, Rabbit Bye-Bye, Birdie Blood Cell, Your Bacterial Home, Print And Grow, Virgin Mouse Preferences, 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: Blair Bazdarich, Blair's Animal Corner, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kiki Sanford, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, 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 amphibians, animal behavior, animals, biology, birds, Blair's Animal Corner, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, computer science, deep sky, deep space, ecology, energy, evolution, exploration, marine biology, Medical technology, medicine, mollusks, NASA, neuroscience, pharmacology, physics, planets, podcast, psychobiology, psychology, reptiles, science, space, technology, therapies, wind power, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
