Podcast Archive
The Dark Past of Yaupon Tea, and What Genetics Can Do To Brighten Its Future
Whether you drink coffee, tea, or both, it’s hard to deny that we live in a caffeine culture. In 2021 alone, Americans drank over 62 billion servings of tea, and over 60% of Americans drink coffee every day. With such high numbers, tea (and especially coffee) industries are straining to keep people’s daily kick on
Structuring the Next Generation of Vaccines
COVID-19. Flu. AIDS. Pathogens like these have had a profound impact on our lives, whether it’s prolonging quarantine or causing annual pandemics that kill thousands of people every year. In response, we’ve developed vaccines against them. Still, how do modern vaccines work? And what’s next in the pipeline? A history of vaccines Vaccines have been
Cooling just got cooler
As we head into Georgia’s hot and humid summers, you might find yourself chilling in an air-conditioned room, or reaching out to your fridge for a cold beverage. But have you ever thought about how these appliances might be heating up our planet? Refrigeration is integral to our modern lives, affecting everything from household food
Ivermectin for COVID-19: silver bullet or snake oil?
At the height of the pandemic, when hospitals were packed with COVID-19 patients and people suffered feelings of isolation due to quarantine, many were desperate for a silver bullet to speed the return to normalcy. This sentiment, along with the rampant spread of misinformation online, fueled the promotion of “miracle cures” people claimed would stop
The Disconnect Between Traditional Chinese Medicine and Conservation, and How We Resolve It
Picture this: you find yourself strolling into a small, crowded shop in downtown Hong Kong. As you cross the threshold, a barrage of strange sights and smells attacks your nose and vision. As you turn your gaze to the walls, you notice shelves upon shelves of animal parts, mysterious fungi, and dubious bunches of dried
Navigating an ADHD diagnosis in graduate school
About two months ago after approaching a mental health professional for what I thought was persistent depression, I was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). I had seen various mental health professionals in my life and ADHD never came up in our conversations. All I actually knew about ADHD is that ADHD stigma exists
Planet 9: Where no man has gone before, if it exists….
What do you mean “if Planet 9 exists?” We know it exists; Pluto is still within our solar system! Well yes, this is true. Though, as of 2006, Pluto was redefined as a dwarf planet instead of a planet, which is how we classify the Earth, Mars, and others within our solar system. Speed Running
The damage of traditional lawns and what you can do to help
When I think about the suburban USA the main image that comes to mind is a bright, prim, proper, and trimmed yard with fresh turf and maybe a berm with a rose bush. However, in recent years, there has been a push to move away from these cookie-cutter landscapes and toward a more natural or
Biting the forbidden fruit
Book banning. Those two words never fail to stir up controversy, and have been especially active in the last few months. From critical race theory to evolution to gender studies to fiction, the topics that have been suggested become entirely erased from school education are wide and varied. It's understandable, though. We, as a whole,
Drifting through cosmic dust into April Lyrid Meteors
People say that April showers bring May flowers, but have you ever considered meteor showers? We are in the midst of the annual Lyrid meteor shower, and it is one of the oldest meteor showers ever observed with sightings dating back to 687 BC. In 2022, the shower is expected to peak on the night
A Night on Sea Turtle Patrol in Costa Rica
I spent last summer far from Athens, Georgia, as an intern at the Caño Palma Biological Station in Costa Rica. A small station nestled in the lush jungle of eastern Costa Rica, Caño Palma conducts a variety of long-term wildlife surveying efforts, with the biggest and longest conservation project studying nesting sea turtles. Volunteers and
Turmeric: The Root of Skincare
When I scroll through Instagram or TikTok, I have a major sense of FOMO. People have wonderful travel visuals with perfect glassy skin all the while having their finances in order. However, to me, nothing seems as important as the absolute urge to get my particular skincare routine right this very instant. Browsing the internet