Whether we wear a lab coat or haven't seen a test tube since grade school, science is shaping all of our lives. And that means we all have science stories to tell. Every year, we host dozens of live shows all over the country, featuring all kinds of storytellers - researchers, doctors, and engineers… read more
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There are many ways you can ask someone “Are you okay?” In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers navigate the complexities of human connection and how we show concern for those we love.
Part 1: Dave Kalema keeps …
Happy Pi Day! In honor of upcoming Pi Day on March 14, this week’s episode features two stories about the nerdy celebration. Both of our storytellers will whisk you away on a journey filled with equal parts math and …
Wildfires can impact so many things, from ecosystems to the air quality, to even the economy. But in this week’s episode, both of our storytellers take a look at the more personal impacts of forest fires.
Part 1: In …
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI)'s Rare As One Network brings together rare disease patients and advocates in their quest for cures. Both of this week’s stories are from Rare As One grantees who are sharing their …
In honor of Valentine’s Day, this week’s episode features two stories where love finds a way.
Part 1: Scientist Bruce Hungate yearns to find someone who cares about the tiny details as much as he does.
Part 2: Science …
In science, peer review plays a critical role in figuring out if research is good enough, robust enough. In this week’s episode, both of our …
CDC research shows about 1 in 8 women with a recent live birth experience symptoms of postpartum depression. In this week’s episode, our storytellers …
Throughout history, the relationship between faith and science has been complex – a delicate interplay between the spiritual and the empirical, where questions of existence, purpose, and the unknown have often …
In science, failure is as important as success. In this week’s episode, our storytellers share times when they failed at science or science failed them.
Part 1: Samuel Scarpino is convinced that the paper he wrote about …
In this week’s episode, our storytellers delve into their personal encounters with psychedelics—moments where reality became a blur, perceptions began to shift, and the boundaries of consciousness expanded.
Part 1: While …
Happy New Year! In this week’s episode, our storytellers ponder the big questions about life and death.
Part 1: When Shannon Turner’s high school …
As we say goodbye to 2023 and ring in the New Year, this week’s classic episode is all about the novel.
Part 1: Feeling isolated in her new job as a …
Happy Holidays! In this week’s classic episode, both stories explore the miracle of life.
Part 1: An expert in oxytocin, the hormone released during …
Science doesn’t always have to be in fancy labs with million dollar equipment and shiny beakers. Sometimes, science can be a bit more DIY. In this …
In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers strive to be their authentic selves in academia.
Part 1: Raul Fernandez dreamed of going to …
Research participants are sometimes the most important part of science. Without participants there is no data, and without data there are no findings. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers become an active …
Everyone thinks they know the difference between fantasy and reality. But do we? In this week’s episode, our storytellers struggle to keep a firm grasp on the real world.
Part 1: Shawn Musgrave's seizures make him feel …
While some people have straight forward career paths, in this week’s episode, both of our storyteller’s career paths are a little more complex.
Part 1: Witnessing mistakes health care professionals made after her dad …
In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers confront their secret shames and learn to accept themselves, warts and all.
Part 1: Comedian Amy Veltman doesn’t want to acknowledge her embarrassing gastrointestinal …
While many people believe science and politics should be kept separate, politics is deeply ingrained in science. Be it through funding agendas, …
We all have thoughts that can be seemingly absurd or self-contradictory. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers reckon with their conflicting thoughts.
Part 1: After surviving breast cancer, comedian Ophira …
Anyone can feel anxious, but when anxiety starts impacting your life, it can be problematic. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers confront their worries.
Part 1: Devon Kodzis thought they had their anxiety …
Whether it’s a completing a lab, writing up a grant proposal, or just getting through everyday life, everyone needs a little help. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share moments where they lent or …
In science, we’re constantly learning, adapting and evolving. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers need to reckon with a new normal.
Part …
We all know life isn’t perfect, but sometimes we get a do-over. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers get a chance to redeem a part of their past.
Part 1: When Barbara Todd isn’t with her dad when he passes, …
In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers experience the most humbling of human experiences: being embarrassed.
Part 1: Emma Yarbrough feels in …
If you think about it, science is one big act of searching. There's always something to look for, whether it's the answer to a hypothesis or the next …
As famed Iron Chef Alton Brown once said: “Everything in food is science”. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers discover something about themselves through the science of food.
Part 1: Corn researcher Katie …
Matters of the heart aren’t usually associated with science, but in this week’s episode, both of our storytellers turn to science to cope with heartbreak.
Part 1: When Anna Peterson gets dumped she takes a job with two …
People with disabilities are underrepresented in STEM fields, and all too often, they face isolation and ableism in academia. In this week’s episode, …
Searching for a job in science or in another field is often a daunting task with plenty of challenges, both expected and unexpected. In this week’s episode, each of our storytellers embark on a job hunt that is anything …
According to the APA Dictionary of Psychology, burnout is defined as “physical, emotional or mental exhaustion, accompanied by decreased motivation, …
If you’ve ever found yourself thinking about a problem or a situation over and over again, you might be an over-thinker like our storytellers. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers think about something too …
When life throws you into unusual or unfamiliar situations, it’s hard to feel comfortable or confident in your skills. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers grapple with feeling like a fish out of water.
Part …
Confrontation can be scary and speaking up for yourself takes courage. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers find their confidence to fight for themselves.
Part 1: When Luis Melo doesn’t see his name on a …
July is Disability Pride month, which is all about empowerment and visibility for those with disabilities. In honor of Disability Pride month, this …
Whether you’re in the lab or the field, not feeling like yourself sucks. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers find a way to feel like …
Extracurricular activities aren’t just to look good on college applications. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers explore their passions …
In this week’s episode, we take a look at the mysterious and deceptive world of psychics.
Part 1: Rich Tackenberg is skeptical when a psychic tells him there’s something wrong with his car.
Part 2: Science journalist …
In honor of Father’s Day, this week’s episode is an ode to all the dads out there who are doing their best.
Part 1: Pediatrician Ken Haller goes off script when a father comes into the exam room with his young son.
Part …
Science and the natural world offer us opportunities to experience a range of sensations -- some of them deeply unpleasant. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share stories about some less than pleasant …
Many factors can lead to a failed experiment -- human errors, errors in measurement, and sometimes just random errors. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share tales of when their experiments didn’t go as …
Whether it’s a new school or new job, there’s often some sort of “try out” to see if you cut the mustard. In this week’s episode, both of our …
In this week’s episode, we are highlighting two storytellers from The Story Collider's Education Program and the stories they crafted as a result of …
In honor of Mother’s Day, this week we’re sharing stories about the journey to becoming a mom.
Part 1: Discouraged by the medical approach to …
Experts are a dime a dozen, but true expertise is hard to come by. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers – who shared their stories at our annual Proton Prom fundraiser this week – struggle with finding the …
In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share stories about the problems of finding representation of diverse skin tones in science and medicine.
Part 1: While preparing for a lecture, Stacy Vasquez finds a …
In this week’s episode, both of our stories are from CZI's Rare As One Project. CZI’s Rare As One Project brings together rare disease patients and advocates in their quest for cures. Both of this week’s stories are …
You can tell a lot about a person by how they react in the face of danger. In this week’s classic episode, both of our storytellers must find the courage to brave the perils of life and the lab.
Part 1: Neuroscientist …
Making insightful observations is a key component of being a good scientist, or journalist, or filmmaker. Come to think of it, many careers rely on …
In this week’s episode, we get a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to film a wildlife conservation documentary.
Part 1: Documentary producer Mariah Wilson is days into making her film about the endangered Forest …
In science it’s completely normal to wonder what would happen if you altered one variable or another – that’s what you do when you test a hypothesis …
There’s a ton of reasons to lie, but experts have found that lies are most beneficial when they’re not selfish. In this week’s episode, both our storytellers do their best to play along for the sake of others.
Part 1: …
Finding community within science can be a challenge. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers struggle with feeling out of place in science.
Part 1: After his mentor and chemistry teacher uncle is murdered, André …
In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share tales of man’s best friend, more scientifically known as canines.
Part 1: Dog trainer Chris Brown needs to up his skills when he adopts a former bait dog named …
In this week’s episode, we learn all about the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae, the wolverine, and why they’re so special.
Part …
In this week’s classic Story Collider episode, both our stories are about the thrill of exploration and discovering something new.
Part 1: Ecologist …
While it might not have been until the 1940s that social scientists came up with tools to measure love, it is a lot more scientific than you might …
If you've thought that you've ever gone above what is expected in your life, you haven't heard this week's stories. In this week’s episode, both our storytellers give new meaning to going the extra mile.
Part 1: Jack …
In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share times where they got stuck with jobs they never signed up for.
Part 1: Ted Olds finds himself …
In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers explore their ever changing relationships with science over the course of their lives.
Part 1: All throughout his life, Chris Wade has a love-hate relationship with …
To err is human, even if you’re a scientist. In this week’s episode, both storytellers share moments about a time when they got things a bit wrong.
Part 1: As a newly minted postdoc, Eric Jankowski has the perfect …
The new year is the time to try something new and in this week’s episode, both our storytellers approach their scientific problems in the most science-y way possible – through trial and error. It’s also how Story …
In this week’s episode, both our storytellers share stories about the science-y side of sports and physical recreation.
Part 1: Daniel Engber risks derailing his PhD by constant daydreaming, until his neuroscience …
The journey to science is rarely straightforward and clear cut. In this week’s episode, both our storytellers share their tales of how they came to science.
Part 1: With her truck stuck in the mud in the Serengeti, Aerin …
Without plants, we wouldn’t have air to breathe, and we also wouldn’t have these great stories inspired by the leafy green vegetation. This week’s …
In this week’s episode, both our stories are about how we see our bodies and the often complex relationship we have with them.
Part 1: With the looming possibility of a double mastectomy, Connie Henderson considers her …
In the lead up to our special Story Collider All-Star Slam on December 6, 2022, we’re featuring two past stories from our challengers on this week’s …
There’s rarely an expected path in science. This week’s episode, produced in partnership with The Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, …
In this week’s episode, both our storytellers explore the divisions and limits that influence how we understand and operate in the world and in science.
Part 1: César Nufio's childhood experience as a Guatamalan …
Pain is really weird, scientifically speaking. It’s not just a message from injured tissues to be accepted at face value, but a complex experience that can be influenced by your brain. In this week’s episode, both our …
Science isn’t always pretty. In fact, more often than not it’s kinda disgusting. In this week’s episode, both our storytellers share stories of the less glamorous side of science.
Part 1: In order to score extra credit …
Often, the hypotheses scientists make at the start of an experiment turn out to be correct. But sometimes, the results end up as something completely …
When you’re a kid, anything seems possible, whether it’s becoming an astronaut or a princess, or even convincing your parents to get you that puppy. In this week’s episode, both our storytellers set themselves some …
Sometimes a job is just a way to make a living, but for our storytellers it is much more than that. In this week’s episode, our stories are about the …
In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers are scientists struggling to feel like they belong -- in and out of science.
Part 1: Neuroscientist Pardeep Singh feels more than out of place when he ends up as a …
Being in nature can have a powerful effect on our body and mind. It’s like a tonic for our well-being. Research has found that it reduces blood …
This week we’re being the opposite of overachievers and re-running some classic Story Collider stories. In this week’s episode, both our storytellers …
Science is filled with weird and wonderful bonds, like Bubbles the African Elephant and Bella the Black Labrador or potassium and argon. In this …
In this week’s episode, we have not one, but two stories from Story Collider’s board member Latasha Wright. This is her fourth story featured on our …
If someone tells you they’re not afraid of anything, they’re a liar. As the wise Nelson Mandela once said: "The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear." In this week’s episode, both …
Not to get too emo and Simple Plan lyrics on you, but have you ever felt out of place? Like somehow you just don't belong and no one understands you? Well, you’re not alone. In this week’s episode, both our storytellers …
It's almost unbelievable that a change in something as small as a cell or a gene can lead to such big consequences. In this week’s episode, our stories are about rare childhood illnesses from different perspectives.
Part …
While some people can fake it 'til they make it, others find that being taken seriously is a challenge, no matter what they do. In this week’s episode, both our storytellers share stories about trying to get the respect …
En el episodio de esta semana, nuestros dos narradores comparten historias reales y personales sobre la ciencia en español.
Parte 1: Ro Moran nos …
As the great Greek philosopher Epictetus said: “Man is not worried by real problems so much as by his imagined anxieties about real problems”. It’s comforting to know that even in ancient Greece anxiety was a thing. In …
In this week’s episode, both our storytellers set out to do the right thing, but you know what they say about good intentions.
Part 1: During the pandemic, science journalist Maddie Bender signs up to be a contact tracer.
In this week’s episode, both our storytellers will have you on the edge of your seat, shivering with anti…….ci……….PATION as they share stories of …
In this week’s episode, both our storytellers share tales of getting back on their feet, both literally and figuratively.
Part 1: After Natalia Reagan gives up on her dreams of being a scientist, a devastating accident …
The human body is fascinating and sometimes kinda gross. In this week’s episode both our storytellers are sharing tales of their blood, flesh, and bones.
Part 1: When Rachel Gross winds up with a chronic vaginal …
As the great Rocky Balboa once said about life: “it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it.” But in this week’s episode, both our storytellers share stories of their strength of will …
In honor of Father’s Day, this week’s episode features stories about dads. Also in honor of Father’s Day, here’s one of our favorite science Dad …
In this week’s episode we’re sharing some of the stories from our second annual fundraiser Proton Prom.
Part 1: Comedian Josh Gondelman is terrified when he gets a call that his father doesn’t remember there’s an ongoing …
Usually mysteries are reserved for true crime podcasts and cop shows, but in this week’s episode, both our storytellers delve deep into a scientific puzzle in search of answers.
Part 1: Sabrina Imbler encounters strange …
In this week’s episode, both our storytellers strive to realize their full, authentic selves in science.
Part 1: After being bullied for his sexuality …
Science has a way of inspiring obsession. In this week’s episode, both our storytellers spiral deep into a personal all-consuming preoccupation.
Part 1: Curtis Chou becomes dogmatic in his quest to correct a person’s …
In anticipation of our upcoming Proton Prom, this week we’re re-airing the first Story Collider stories from two of the storytellers who will be …
It’s almost magical how a combination of just A, C, T, and G entirely determine who we are. In this week’s episode both our storytellers look at how their genes impact their lives.
Part 1: Kristen Williams unexpectedly …
In this week’s episode both our storytellers struggle to find their place.
Part 1: Heather Galindo studies her lab mates in hopes of understanding what it means to be a scientist.
Part 2: When Rob Ulrich leaves their …
It’s not often people have a brush with death, but in this week’s episode both our storytellers are sharing stories about their near misses.
Part 1: When Abraham Norfleet’s dad asks him to clean an underwater pump on …
In this week’s episode, both our storytellers are assessed and evaluated in ways they never expected.
Part 1: During a visit to her doctor, comedian Angel Yau finds herself answering “always” to every question on the …
In this week's episode, our storytellers' lives and careers in science are shaped by a great loss in their lives.
Part 1: When neuroscientist Macayla Donegan's partner is diagnosed with brain cancer, she's forced to make …
In this week’s episode, both our storytellers share their experience with the autism spectrum. This episode is in honor of World Autism Awareness Day, April 2, which hopes to further people’s understanding and …
In honor of International Transgender Visibility Day on March 31 this week’s episode celebrates storytellers who are transgender and gender nonconforming.
Part 1: Comedian Riley Silverman attempts to use science to …
In this week’s episode both our storytellers are sharing their experience with diabetes. More than 34.2 million Americans have diabetes, however, many people don’t know about the disease or that they even have it. This …
In honor of Pi Day on March 14, this week’s episode features two stories about how a particular number has impacted the live’s of the storytellers.
…
In this week’s episode both our storytellers share their experience of that beautiful and magical moment when new life is brought into this world.
…
In this week’s episode both our storytellers give us a glimpse into how they make a living in science.
Part 1: After a gruelling residency shift, Natalia Khosla starts questioning how medical students are trained.
Part 2:
Wasn’t it Einstein who said: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results”? In this week’s …
When you’re in love with science, it can be as messy and complex as any type of romantic relationship. In this week’s episode both our storytellers grapple with their complicated feelings for their discipline. Oh also, …
In this week’s episode, both our storytellers examine the importance of diversity and representation in science – and not just in their research …
In this week’s episode, both our storytellers are seeking what all scientists are looking for: validity. If you want to check the reliability of this episode though, we suggest listening to it more than once.
Part 1: …
In this week’s episode, both our storytellers experience something that irrevocably alters their lives.
Part 1: Carl Zimmer learns he has a lot in common with bats hibernating in an abandoned mine.
Part 2: In the midst …
In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers had to deal with some minibeasts, AKA insects, and surprisingly neither of them moved or burned the …
This week, both of our storytellers are sharing stories about something that is pretty relatable at the moment — the challenges of leaving the house.
Part 1: As she goes blind due to a progressive eye disease, M. Leona …
In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers experience a magical night that changes everything. Here’s hoping that we all have a similarly magical night tonight, on New Year’s Eve!
Part 1: Growing up in Pakistan, …
In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers are looking for a little help.
Part 1: Jitesh Jaggi keeps his struggle with trichotillomania a secret, until one day his wife catches him in the act.
Part 2: When Devan …
This week, we present two stories about respect in science — how we get it and how we keep it.
Part 1: Meisa Salaita’s brand-new PhD in chemistry isn’t much help as she prepares to teach ninth-grade physics.
Part 2: Early …
In this week’s episode, we share two stories about adventures in sex education.
Part 1: Kate Willet is frustrated by the gaps of information in her abstinence-based sex ed class.
Part 2: Sex ed instructor Charlie Blake …
This week we present two stories of people who struggled fitting in.
Part 1: After switching majors to anthropology, Edith Gonzalez struggles to dress …
This week, we present two stories about the path to becoming a scientist and what makes a scientist a scientist.
Part 1: Andrea Jones-Rooy quits her job as a scientist in order to become a scientist.
Part 2: While …
This week, both of our storytellers are navigating rare disease diagnoses and the feelings of fear, uncertainty, and loneliness that can often come along with them. This episode was produced in partnership with the Chan …
Please note: this episode’s stories contain discussion of suicide and mental illness.
This week, we present two stories about the people in our lives who inspired us not only to love science, but to find our place and …
In this week's stories, both of our storytellers are apprentices to mentors who have profound impacts on how they see the world, though in very …
This week we present two stories of people who had to figure out how to continue life after loss.
Part 1: Lawrence Green wakes up in a hospital room to find that he’s sustained devastating injuries in a motorcycle …
Part 1: In his early twenties, Jonathan Feakins goes above and beyond for his job as a West Nile virus mosquito technician
Part 2: While working as a …
Beauty is often considered a superficial quality, but it has tremendous power over us. This week’s episode, produced in partnership with Grow by Ginkgo, features two stories adapted from Grow's 2020 print issue on …
This week, we conclude our final Stories of COVID-19 series with two stories about the lasting impacts of the pandemic. Both of these stories ask: Where do we go from here?
Part 1: Months after Howard Lieberman contracts …
This week, we bring you two stories about the struggle to find balance during the COVID-19 pandemic, whether it’s as a scientist, a mother, or all of the above.
Part 1: Psychiatrist Xiaosi Gu studies COVID-19’s impact on …
In our fourth installment of this series, love conquers all, even the obstacles presented by COVID-19.
Part 1: Having planned to tie the knot in April 2020, Jared Waters finds himself separated from his fiancée by COVID …
This week, we bring you two stories about negotiating life under the same roof during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Part 1: When Gail Thomas moves in with her family during the pandemic, tensions brew between sisters.
Part 2: …
This week, in our final Stories of COVID-19 series, we bring you stories about managing the fear the pandemic introduced into our lives.
Part 1: A disagreement about COVID-19 precautions drives a wedge between Archy …
This week, we introduce our third and final Stories of COVID-19 series, which will be airing for six weeks. We’ve decided to begin this series in the same way that we started our original Stories of COVID-19 series back …
For the final episode of our Human Nature series, we, appropriately, go back to our roots.
Part 1: After a dangerous incident, Kalā Holiday begins to …
In this week’s installment of Human Nature, our storytellers find humility in the natural world.
Part 1: After working in the Everglades, ecologist …
In this week’s installment of our Human Nature series, two storytellers find resilience on the high seas.
Part 1: Tragedy strikes suddenly while Lindsay Cooper is in the field studying right whales.
Part 2: Rachel …
This week, our Human Nature series continues with stories of hope — something that can sometimes be hard to find when it comes to our relationship with the planet.
Part 1: A U.S. customs agent asks Canadian climate …
This week, as our Human Nature series continues, we’re sharing two stories from scientists whose experiences in the field changed their perspectives.
…
In this week’s installation of our Human Nature series, we’re sharing stories about times the natural world forces us to draw on our courage.
Part 1: Dorothy Tovar faces her fear of nature when she embarks on a …
This week, we present two more stories in our Human Nature series, this time about the nature of earning our stripes.
Part 1: An opportunity to chase a snake in Borneo gives Kasia Majewski a chance to find one in the …
Our new series, “Human Nature,” begins today! Over the next seven weeks, we’ll share stories centered around our relationship with the natural world. In today’s episode, we’ll explore how our storytellers’ experiences …
This week, we’re presenting two stories about incarceration, and its intersections with science.
Part 1: Looking to make an impact with science, Beverly Naigles and her fellow graduate students decide to teach a science …
This week, we’re sharing two stories that were recorded before the pandemic, but that we’ve actually never shared on the podcast before. Both are from women in science, as our title suggests, and each one will bring us …
Today, we’re bring you two stories about feeling trapped -- whether it’s at the border, or in the aftermath of an acid spill. Both of these stories were recorded live at our recent Proton Prom event on June 3.
Part 1: …
Story Collider co-founder Ben Lillie joins us on the podcast today to discuss some of his favorite stories from the past 11 years, and also share one …
This week, in anticipation of our first annual Proton Prom on Thursday, June 3, we’re sharing stories from two of our featured storytellers! Champion …
This week, our host, Erin Barker, is joined on the podcast by the hosts of our online live shows, Gastor Almonte and Paula Croxson, to introduce two …
In celebration of The Story Collider's 11th birthday, we’re sharing two of our most loved stories from years past. Next week, tune in for two more …
In the final installment of this new five-part series of Stories of COVID-19, we present two stories that explore what it means to be a neighbor, or part of a community, during the pandemic.
Part 1: Feeling more and more …
This week’s episode is all about masks -- the many varied reasons we have for wearing them, the uncertainty many of us felt around them in the early days of the pandemic, and most of all, the very real and intense …
During the past year, we’ve all been separated from our normal lives, from our workplaces and colleagues, and worst of all, from the people we love. …
Few professions outside of medicine and research have played as pivotal of a role in the events of the past year as teachers have. In today’s …
This week, we begin sharing Stories of COVID-19 once again, starting with stories about the ways COVID-19 has impacted our working lives.
Part 1: When a bug gets stuck in her ear while she’s in the field tagging …
In this last installment of our “Two Sides” series, we’ll hear stories from a brother and sister, Susan Kay Maller and Dan Boyd. Despite being born 18 years apart, Susan and Dan have similar memories of growing up with …
This week's episode is part two of a special three-part mini-series centered around stories about mental health, told from two different …
This week is the start of a very special three-part mini-series centered around stories about mental health, told from two different perspectives. …
In today’s bonus episode, we bring you two stories on the theme of migration.
Part 1: Ornithologist Dai Shizuka finds himself relating to an unusual …
This week, we’re sharing a very special bonus episode while we’re between series! This episode is titled “Champions,” because our storytellers today are just that. Our first storyteller, Kimberly Chao, was the winner of …
In Part 2 of this episode, we’re sharing two more stories about the powerful love that has sustained us throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. As always, …
Throughout the tragic events of the past few months -- and despite the tragic events still to come -- love still perseveres and flourishes. From an unlikely pandemic wedding to the bond formed between researcher and …
In part 2 of Clarity, we’re sharing two more stories about the ways the pandemic has brought our lives into sharper focus.
In our first story, comedian Freddy G realizes just how much he relies on his wife’s support when …
The starkness and suddenness of the pandemic has forced many of us to stop and reconsider our lifestyles. In this episode, our storytellers will share tales of how their priorities and values have come into focus since …
In Part 2 of this episode, we have THREE more stories about how our storytellers are finding community during the pandemic. Don't forget, you can …
Right now, while we can’t safely gather together, it can be difficult to feel part of a community. When most of our interactions are through a …
In Part 2 of “Home,” we’ll share two more stories about how storytellers are adapting their home lives during social distancing. Our first story is …
Over the past few months, our homes have become workplaces, schools, and the backdrop for the majority of our lives. In this episode, our …
We’re taking a break from our Stories of COVID-19 series until Jan. 8. But in the meantime, we have a fan-favorite story from one of our online live …
In Part 2 of this episode, we’ll share two more stories about the impact of COVID-19 across generations. Our first story is from two storytellers — science communicator Ian Haydon and his mother, retired writer and …
Each generation is experiencing the pandemic differently. For some, the trauma of the 1918 pandemic still echoes. Others worry about how to balance their own health and responsibilities with concerns about the health of …
In Part 2 of Connections, we share two more stories about finding new ways to connect during the pandemic. Our first story is from psychologist …
Note: Apologies for the glitch yesterday! This is an updated version.
By necessity, the pandemic is changing the way that we communicate with each …
In Part 2 of Decisions, we’re sharing two more stories of difficult choices, one from a physician and another from the director of a public health …
In the midst of a pandemic, almost every decision feels high stakes, and impossibly complicated. This episode will explore the difficult decisions …
In part two of this episode, we’ll hear two more stories about adapting to a new normal. Our first story is from bestselling author and champion storyteller Matthew Dicks. When life becomes monotonous during quarantine, …
The pandemic has forced us all to adapt in various ways, for the sake of our physical or mental health. The stories in this week’s episode will focus on the ways in which our storytellers have forged new lives and …
In part 2 of this episode, we’ll explore the theme of cooperation further with two more stories, from a volunteer and an organizer.
Our first story is …
In this episode, we explore the ways in which we’re working together to help one another and get things done, despite the significant obstacles and social-distancing restrictions presented by COVID-19.
Today, in part one …
In part 2 of our first episode, we share two more stories on the theme of Contact.
In our first story, Tracey Segarra is laid off from her corporate job during the pandemic, but finds a new calling as a contact tracer. …
Our series begins in New York City, the center of the early days of the pandemic, with a story from Harvey Katz, one of the hosts and creators of Take Two Storytelling. In this story, Harvey, a brand-new nurse, is …
Introducing our brand-new upcoming series, Stories of COVID-19! Stay tuned for our first episode on Nov. 13, and find out more here: …
A quick announcement from the Story Collider team about changes coming to our podcast! On Friday, November 13th, we will launch our new series, The …
This week we present two more stories from our back catalog about people who experienced epidemics of the past.
Part 1: Journalist Erika Check Hayden …
This week we present two stories from our back catalog of people having to handle previous epidemics.
Part 1: As a pediatrician in the 1980s, Ken Haller comes across a disturbing X-ray.
Part 2: On her first day working in …
This week we present two stories of people who spiraled out of control in their minds.
Part 1: Computer vision researcher Virginie Uhlmann struggles …
This week we present two stories from people who had encounters with ocean animals.
Part 1: Stuck in the lab with buckets of jellyfish, Shreya Yadav must rethink why she's studying what she's studying in the first place.
This week we present two stories from people who had experiences with strangers.
Part 1: Even though he's an excellent student, and later a doctor, Dale Okorodudu finds that strangers perceive him differently.
Part 2: …
This week we present two stories from people who needed a little luck to get by.
Part 1: Studying Marine Biology in Florida, Philadelphian Kory Evans …
This week we present two stories from people who decided to experiment with science when they were still teenagers.
Part 1: In high school, Saad …
This week we present two stories from people who were confronted with what it means to lose family.
Part 1: After leaving class early, Sonia Zárate gets a startling phone call about her daughter.
Part 2: An indoor kid at …
This week we present stories from people who found themselves in sticky situations in the midst of doing research.
Part 1: Erik Vance's first job reporting on scientific research doesn't smell as much like success as it …
This week we present two stories from people who found the improbable.
Part 1:
Part 2:
As a national park ranger, native South Floridian Gary Bremen has spent the past 33 years telling the stories of the places and people …
This week we present two stories from people who got called into action to save an animal they didn’t know they’d be called to save.
Part 1: While running an errand, Andrea Azarian happens upon a lost horse that needs …
This week we present two stories from people who experienced challenges in their travels.
Part 1: Transporting virginal fruit flies from Houston to …
This week we present two stories from people for whom science and love were interconnected.
Part 1: When Saurin Choksi starts dating a neuroscientist, …
This week we present two stories from people who felt shamed by a diagnosis.
Part 1: Jamie Brickhouse's HIV-positive status becomes a point of tension at the dentist's office.
Part 2: Diagnosed with autism spectrum …
This week we present two stories from people for whom science and their family crossed paths.
Part 1: After her mom's version of the sex talk confuses her, Khadija Aweis is determined to make sure her little brother has …
This week we present stories about two people who had to navigate the complicated process of helping their family when they were needed most.
Part 1: When his mother is diagnosed with breast cancer, Ian Anthony has to …
This week we present two stories from people who found adventure when on their own.
Part 1: Shawn Hercules is a successful gospel radio deejay in …
This week we present two stories from Black people who were dealing with the ramifications of our racist systems.
Part 1: As a science teacher, Mamoudou N'Diaye was supposed to have all the answers, but he struggles to …
This week we present two stories about people who sprung to action to help a dad.
Part 1: To cheer up her ailing father, Victoria Ruiz decides to smuggle a turtle into his hospital room.
Part 2: Stacey Bader Curry finally …
This week we present two stories from people who lost loved ones and had to rebuild themselves.
Part 1: Massih Moayedi survives cancer, but the …
This week we present a story from our back-catalogue that speaks to this current moment in time.
As a medical school student Roger Mitchell Jr. sees a …
This week we share two stories from people whose understanding of the use of memory was challenged.
Part 1: Padraic Stanley gets a fresh start when his abusive father gets diagnosed with Alzheimer's dementia.
Part 2: …
This week we present two stories from people who used technology to understand their relationships.
Part 1: Digital consultant Phong Tran navigates …
This week we present four of our favorite stories of all time.
Part 1: Neuroscientist David Carmel tests his own understanding of the brain when his own father suffers a stroke.
Part 2: Ralph Bouquet goes off script …
This week we present two stories from two women who struggled to adopt.
Part 1: Inspired by her work as a parental behavior researcher, Bianca Jones Marlin and her husband decide to become foster parents.
Part 2: Raised …
This week we present two stories from people who needed to decipher themselves.
Part 1: After some unfortunate night-time incidents, Keith Mellnick realizes he needs to better understand his sleepwalking before it starts …
This week we present two stories from people who used to be scientists.
Part 1: Despite loving science, Ivan Decker's first exposure to field work doesn't go as planned.
Part 2: Nathan Min tries to pursue a 'respectable' …
This week we present two stories from people who found themselves without the tools they needed.
Part 1: When Jack Walsh finds out his first child …
This week we present two stories from people who learned something about their childhood later in life.
Part 1: Growing up in the fifties and sixties, Jenice Matias senses there's more to her mother's occupation than she …
This week we present two stories from people who deal with emergencies.
Part 1: As a first-generation pre-med student with no financial aid, Brooke …
This week we present two stories from people who didn’t ask for help until it was too late.
Part 1: Determined to fit in as a PhD student, Aparna Agarwal decides she'll never ask for help -- even if it means fitting in …
This week we present two stories from people who were at the end of their rope.
Part 1: After donating her kidney to a friend, Leah Waters struggles …
This week we present two stories from the math classroom.
Part 1: High school math whiz Tori Ball has always hoped a boy would fall in love with her …
This week we present two stories from people who were faced with barriers to their education.
Part 1: Eager to succeed in her Physical Chemistry class, Shaniece Mosley is thrown off by a professor's attempt at a …
This week we share two stories from people who were confronted with their faith.
Part 1: Feeling like a loser after he fails to graduate on time with his degree in materials science, Len Kruger accepts a dinner …
This week we present two stories of people having to navigate a new world.
Part 1: Sean Bearden has never been interested in education, but when he's incarcerated at the age of 19, he finds a passion for physics.
Part 2: …
Vote for your favorite Story Collider story of all time here: https://airtable.com/shreBxfsM5XYktIT5
This week we present two stories from people who …
Vote for your favorite Story Collider story of all time here: https://airtable.com/shreBxfsM5XYktIT5
This week we present stories from people who …
This week we present two stories from mothers who learned valuable lessons from the sons they birthed.
Part 1: Avi Caspe and his mother, Ariel Detzer, reckon with what the label of "autism" means for their family.
Part 2: …
This week we present two stories of people struggling with what the “right” thing to do is.
Part 1: Catherine Macdonald always wanted to study sharks, but her first time tagging them in the field doesn't go as planned.
…
This week we present two stories about people struggling with their identity.
Part 1: When science journalist Katherine Wu interviews a scientist about a new facial recognition algorithm, the conversation turns more …
This week we present two stories from people who had hypotheses.
Part 1: Teaching sixth grade science becomes much more difficult when Xochitl …
This week we present two stories of people who had to leave home to find a new home.
Part 1: When Ph.D student Ali Mattu's girlfriend tells him she is moving to New York City, he has to make some tough decisions about …
This week we share two stories of people who were inspired by heroes of space.
Part 1: After watching a documentary about the moon landing, Kate Downey comes away with a love of all things Buzz Aldrin.
Part 2: Richard …
This week we present two stories from people who found an intersection between numbers and their sex life.
Part 1: When online dating isn't working out for him, Tristan Attwood decides to analyze the data himself.
Part …
This week we present two stories that give us insight into the birth and life of a scientist.
Part 1: As a 16-year-old, Lily Be gets an unexpected …
This week we present two stories from people who stood up against a system eager to tear them down.
Part 1: After a car crash alters Emily Winn's life forever, she must relive the trauma when she testifies in a …
A sneak peek at our new BONUS podcast for Patreon supporters! Today's episode is the first of our Behind the Scenes series. Liz and Erin are joined …
This week we present two stories from people who owe a debt of gratitude to somebody for their entrance into the science community.
Part 1: A chance meeting with a stranger on an airplane has a huge impact on Melanie …
This week we present stories from two scientists who were confronted with their status as an “outsider.”
Part 1: After getting hit by a car, Ph.D. student Reyhaneh Maktoufi must navigate the recovery and paperwork as an …
This week we present stories from two people finding their boundaries with the wild world of animals.
Part 1: Adam Selbst competes with tigers for the attention of his mother.
Part 2: Weighed down by the burden of …
This week we present two stories about people who discovered a diagnosis late in life.
Part 1: As a child, TC Waisman is told that she is on the …
This week we present two stories from scientists searching for that special someone.
Part 1: Zoology student Devon Kodzis's strategy of attracting …
This week we present two stories from people who let science lead them down a rabbit hole of curses.
Part 1: Science journalist Erik Vance decides to …
This week we present two stories from people who had to become leaders whether they liked it or not.
Part 1: Eager to show off their new job testing water quality, Prof.Ound takes their friends out on a boat for the …
This week we present two stories about the sounds that silence can take on.
Part 1: Kambri Crews attempts to smuggle a gift into prison for her father, who is deaf.
Part 2: As Kristine Lycke enters kindergarten, her …
This week we present two stories from people telling the first time they crossed paths with science.
Part 1: In the third grade, Lylianna Allala finds …
This week we present two stories about being the one who is there when it happens.
Part 1: Journalist Sarah Kaplan normally covers the science beat, but when tragedy strikes in Las Vegas, she takes on an assignment …
In this special BONUS episode, we unveil a brand-new addition to our podcast! To celebrate, we present new versions of classic stories from Story …
This week we present two stories from teachers dealing with wild experiences in the classroom.
Part 1: When his students keep having “accidents" during nap time, kindergarten teacher Alvin Irby investigates
Part 2: In …
This week we present two stories about the the parts of ourselves that we keep under wraps.
Part 1: At 22 years old, Jenn Montooth is accepted to …
This week we present two stories from people who have to prove themselves in science acedemia.
Part 1: When there's an explosion in the chemistry lab, graduate student Chanté Summers springs into action.
Part 2: When …
This week we’re presenting two stories about people trying to become parents.
Part 1: After finally getting together in their forties, Chris Wade and …
This week we present two stories from surgeons who had complications with the knife.
Part 1: A routine procedure with one of the primates in her lab …
The Story Collider is delighted to bring you an extra BONUS episode this week -- thanks to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, a new kind of philanthropy …
This week we present two stories from people who left home for university and discovered something unexpected.
Part 1: After Kenny Kinds begins lying to his parents about his grades, he has to question why he is in …
This week we share two stories from scientists who had to take on a new role with their parents.
Part 1: As the scientist in the family, Steve Scott …
This week we present two stories from people who ran into roadblocks trying to save the world.
Part 1: When pharmacy professor Lindsay Acree …
This week we present two stories about people who had to accept a delay in their personal journeys.
Part 1: Veterinarian Rodrigo Solis thinks he's …
This week we present two stories from people who had disastrous moments with their own genitals.
Part 1: Lonely after her move to New York City, Adrien Behn finds a friend in her copper IUD.
Part 2: While recovering from …
This week we present two stories from people gripped with concern for others.
Part 1: When biologist Andrew Holding's new baby stops feeding, his …
Part 1: After turning down a tenure position, Sarah Brady struggles to adapt to her new life as the spouse of a physician.
Part 2: As he grows up, …
This week we present two stories about people making choices informed by the naïvety of youth.
Part 1: On a dull night in Orlando, young Josh Flaum …
This week we present two stories of scientists having to find a strength within themselves.
Part 1: BiologistH eather Hamlin leaves the safety of the …
This week we share two stories from people who have go on wild goose chases to find their dads.
Part 1: In his last year of medical school in …
This week we present two stories from people who were underwater both literally and metaphorically.
Part 1: Barbara Abernathy has always felt at home in the ocean, but when she undergoes a bone marrow transplant, her …
This week we bring you two stories of people who had to reckon with the fact that their first choice wasn’t available.
Part 1: When the local science museum looks to hire performers, David Nett believes he's the perfect …
This week we present two more stories about people who need help to deal with mental health.
Part 1: Comedian Zack Stovall reevaluates his past battles with his mother in light of a new diagnosis.
Part 2: Audrey Kearns' …
This week we present two stories about people’s struggles with their own mental health.
Part 1: After passing out on the NYC subway, comedian Mike Brown is forced to take a deeper look at his mental health.
Part 2: Emily …
his week we present two stories of scientists becoming mothers.
Part 1: Heather Williams trades in her physicist labcoat for motherhood, and wonders if she can return.
Part 2: Mary Garcia-Cazarin discovers she's pregnant …
This week we present two stories about people finding strength in their own voice.
Part 1: A parent-teacher conference leads Eugenia Duodu to …
This week, for National Pet Parents day, we bring you two stories of our relationships with our cats.
Part 1: In a battle over her apartment's air quality, cat foster mom Tracy Rowland discovers how to use her kitten's …
This week we present two stories of the children we used to be and how they grew up.
Part 1: As a sixth grader, Anna Neu decides she's going to fall in love at science camp.
Part 2: At age nine, Anicca Harriot plans to …
This week we present two stories about scientists who became the face of the scientific community.
Part 1: When conservation scientist Laura Kehoe writes about a surprising chimp behavior, the media takes it wildly out …
The week we present two stories of people being confronted with chaos and looking for peace.
Part 1: Overwhelmed by setbacks as she pursues her …
This week we present two stories about being the new one in a new place.
Part 1: After moving to a brand-new school in the seventh grade, Edith …
This week, we are presenting two stories from people who took to the open ocean.
Part 1: As an irresponsible 17-year-old, Brian D. Bradley volunteers …
Part 1: A power outage on campus leads physics student Zoya Vallari to take a stand against her university's female-only curfew.
Part 2: Firefighter Nick Baskerville is eager to prove himself when he arrives on the scene …
This week we present two stories about times in which everything came full circle.
Part 1: In the middle of a school day, science teacher Brittany …
Part 1: As a brand-new professor of physiology, John Redden is eager to help students, but soon realizes it’s more complicated than he thought.
Part 2:
This week, we’re presenting two stories from scientists about the people and places that inspired them.
Part 1: Just before she leaves for her dream opportunity to teach marine science on the Red Sea, Latasha Wright gets …
This week, we present two stories about people understanding their links to their past.
Part 1: A question that Laura Spink asked her parents as a kid comes up again when her own child begins to ask similar questions.
…
This week, we’re presenting two stories from people who made science their one and only..
Part 1: Parmvir Bahia struggles to appease her parents’ desires for an Indian son-in-law while also satisfying her own desires to …
This week, we’re presenting two stories from scientists who found themselves in potentially life-threatening situations.
Part 1: Ralph Bouquet goes …
This week, we’re presenting stories about the courage to be the person you were meant to be.
Part 1: The lessons that Margaret Rubega learns from her dad about fighting back are put to the test when he becomes the one …
This week, we’re presenting stories about the struggle to find acceptance — whether it’s at Space Camp or in the United States of America.
Part 1: Computer scientist LaShana Lewis’s childhood dream of attending Space …
This week, we’re presenting two stories about stressful situations in science.
Part 1: Due to stress in her personal life, TV writer Joey Slamon …
This week, we’re presenting two stories about age, and what it means to feel either too old or too young to become a scientist.
Part 1: Miserable at …
In our last episode of 2018, we’re presenting two stories about facing challenges head-on and seizing the day.
Part 1: .On the eve of his first big …
This week, we’re presenting stories about unexpected friendships in science, whether they’re formed in the field or at Burning Man.
Part 1: Looking to connect with new people, mathematician Seth Cottrell sets up an ‘Ask …
This week, we’re presenting stories about times when science gets in the way of love — or vice versa.
Part 1: Jacqueline Trumbull is preparing for a …
This week, we’re presenting two stories about times when science got personal and research started to hit home.
Part 1: After years of suffering, Phillip Comella discovers the cause of his “excessive bathroom breaks” …
This week, we’re presenting two stories about pivotal moments in science when everything suddenly becomes clear.
Part 1: When puppeteer Raymond Carr gets the opportunity of a lifetime, to work on a big-budget show about …
This week, in honor of the start of the holiday season, we're presenting stories about parents — and the ways our relationships with them intersect …
It’s that time of year — application season. So this week, we’re presenting two stories about the (literal and figurative) struggle to be accepted.
Part 1: The only thing standing in the way of Jennifer Landa’s dreams of …
In this week’s episode, we’re presenting two stories about the science of pregnancy.
Part 1: An expert in oxytocin, the hormone released during birth, Bianca Jones Marlin is determined to have a natural birth — even as …
This week, we’re presenting stories about our relationships with our bodies, in all their shapes and sizes.
Part 1: Born without a right pectoral …
This week, in honor of Halloween, we're presenting two stories about facing fears for science.
Part 1: As a newly minted PhD student in geology, Erik …
This week, we're presenting stories about times when science comes to the rescue — or not, as the case may be.
Part 1: When science writer Kate Sheridan falls in love with a man who suffers from paralyzing headaches, …
This week, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we're presenting two stories from cancer survivors.
Part 1: Gail Thomas clashes with her …
This week, we're presenting two stories about the power of touch.
Part 1: While working on a book about the sense of touch, science journalist Sushma …
This week, we're presenting stories about times when science is just too much.
Part 1: Fiona Calvert is a crier — but when she starts her PhD, she …
This week, we're presenting stories about passion for science that keeps us going, even in the face of overwhelming struggle.
Part 1: When Cailin …
This week, we're presenting stories about the difficulties of following instructions -- whether it's medical advice or a recipe.
Part 1: Science …
This week, we're presenting stories about what happens when our expectations don't match up with reality.
Part 1: Married neuroscientists Susana Martinez-Conde and Stephen Macknik are surprised by what they learn when …
This week, we're presenting stories from scientists who faced unusually difficult paths to science. We all know it's hard work to become a scientist. …
This week, we're presenting a special two-part bonus episode featuring the stories from our June 2018 show at Caveat in New York City, as part of the Underground Science Festival. Rather than the speeches we typically …
This week, we're presenting a special two-part bonus episode featuring the stories from our June 2018 show in New York City, "Abortion: Stories from …
This week, we're presenting stories about leaving home in pursuit of science.
Part 1: After being raised as a creationist, Jennifer Colbourne falls in …
This week, we’re presenting stories about times when we’re overwhelmed and feeling alone. Sometimes, in science, we need help. Sometimes that help is hard to find. And sometimes it comes from an unexpected place.
Part 1:
This week, we're presenting stories about unconventional solutions and things that seemed like a great idea at the time!
Part 1: Author Kate Greathead …
This week, we're presenting stories about what happens when our own brains keep us from being fully ourselves.
Part 1: When storyteller Sandi Marx …
his week, we're presenting stories about the struggle to find friends. Science can be a lonely job -- but it can also connect us to others in ways …
This week, we're presenting stories about surprising revelations or events in science.
Part 1: When he receives a call from the vet, writer Matthew Dicks is startled to learn that his dog is in surgery -- and that he …
This week at The Story Collider, we're presenting two stories about confronting death.
Part 1: Science communicator Anthony Morgan receives an …
This week, we're presenting two stories about the science behind dating, ranging from a neuroscientist's attempts to use brain scans and personality tests to determine her compatibility with a rapper to a comedian's …
This week, we're presenting two stories about responsibility in science. Whether we're working in a classroom or the White House, we all have some level of responsibility for others. And sometimes we have to ask …
To close out Pride Month this week, we're sharing a special bonus episode featuring stories about coming out in science!
Part 1: Science educator Charlie Cook experiments with coming out to students.
Charlie Cook is a …
In this week's episode, we're presenting stories about venturing into unfamiliar territory, whether it's an isolated community in Alaska or the Costa …
This week, we're celebrating Father's Day by sharing stories about complicated relationships with dads.
Part 1: After her father, a well-known …
This week we're sharing stories about love that stands the test of time, transcending illness, differences, and even death. In other words -- break out that box of tissues, y'all.
Part 1: Writer Alison Smith reconnects …
This week, we're presenting stories about coming of age. Bildungsroman, if you will. (Thank you, eleventh-grade Honors English!) These storytellers will share stories about growing up and finding their identities -- …
This week, we take a journey into science-fiction to find out if aliens can master the science of empathy and zombies can bring a couple closer …
This week, we present two stories about being different, and the ways our differences can become our strengths.
Part 1: Growing up, Amanda Gorman is determined to eliminate her speech impediment.
Part 2: An aspiring …
This week, in honor of Mother's Day, we present two stories about science and moms! Part 1: Marine biologist Jessica Hoey tries to keep her …
This week, we’re presenting stories about identity, whether its an external sense of cultural identity or an internal sense of self.
Part 1: …
This week, we’re presenting stories about overcoming obstacles and breaking down barriers -- whether those barriers are institutional or written into our genetic code.
Part 1: Aletha Maybank's childhood experiences with …
This week, we're presenting stories about scientific ambitions and dreams -- and the ways in which they meet reality.
Part 1: Planetary geologist …
This week, we present two stories about confronting threats -- whether it’s actual physical danger or a threat to your career.
Part 1: Climate scientist Kim Cobb is exploring a cave in Borneo when rocks begin to fall.
…
This week, we present two stories about communicating science, whether it's through journalism or over a fragile Skype connection. Part 1: Science journalist Judith Stone worries about causing conflict when she writes …
This week, we present two stories about fresh starts and new beginnings in science.
Part 1: Mari Provencher's family is rocked by changes -- starting …
This week, in honor of Women's History Month, we're presenting two stories about women in science and the unique challenges they face. Follow us on …
This week, we present two stories about science and wisdom passed down through generations. Part 1: Ted Olds fears he’ll fail to graduate after his …
This week, in honor of Pi Day on March 14, we're presenting two stories from mathematicians.
Part 1: After a reluctant start, mathematician Ken Ono makes an unexpected discovery.
Part 2: Mathematician Piper Harron deals …
This week, we present two stories about original ideas and creative solutions in science -- from a Rube Goldberg machine to using hookworms to treat …
This week, we present two stories about being torn between love of science and a love of art.
Part 1: Saad Sarwana tries to juggle careers in physics and comedy.
Part 2: Jean Zarate is torn between science and music …
This week, we present two stories about dark moments in science.
Part 1: Astrophysicist Jesse Shanahan tries to uncover the mysteries behind both the …
This week, in honor of Valentine's Day, we're presenting two stories about heartbreak in science.
Part 1: Rattled by a recent heartbreak, …
This week, we're presenting stories about the ways we respond and recover to dire situations in science, whether it's cancer or sexual …
This week, we bring you two stories about the science of morality. Or morality in science. Either way you want to look at it.
Part 1: Political …
This week, we bring you two stories about frustrations in the field, whether it's a failure to find dinosaur fossils or a struggle with a painful …
This week we present two stories about the inspiration behind scientists' careers.
Part 1: Kate Marvel's dream of being a genius takes her to Cambridge to study astrophysics.
Part 2: When Joe Normandin begins to …
This week, we present two stories about the struggles "math people" face. Part 1: Lew Lefton tries to succeed as both a math professor and a math comedian. Part 2: Vanessa Vakharia faces her first day as student teacher …
This week, we present two stories about finding community with science.
Part 1: Keoni Mahelona leaves his home in Hawaii in pursuit of science.
Part …
This week, we present two science stories about becoming the people we're meant to be.
Part 1: Research technician Jean Ansolabehere finds herself …
This week, we're presenting two stories about loss and resilience in science.
Please note: Our first story this week contains graphic depictions of …
This week, we present two stories of doubt in science, from a mysterious illness to imposter syndrome.
Part 1: A sudden illness casts doubt on whether Maia Pujara will be able to finish her neuroscience PhD.
Maia …
This week, we present two stories about psychotropic substances, from a study on the impacts of magic mushrooms on cancer surivors to a comedian's spiritual epiphany. Part 1: Actor Gail Thomas is invited to take part in …
This week, we present two stories about the challenges of studying winged wildlife, from bats to honey bees.
Part 1: Cylita Guy finds unexpected adventure when she studies bats in the field.
Part 2: Rachael Bonoan …
This week, we present two stories about the things that make up our sense of self, from our appearance to our memories.
Part 1: On the verge of …
This week, we bring you two stories about science and family, from a biochemist and a neuroscientist.
Part 1: Biochemist Katie Wu is lactose …
This week, we present two stories about the mother-child relationship intersecting with science, from a daughter and a mother. Part 1: Actor and writer Erica Silberman tries to find a place for her mother with …
This week, we present two stories of scientists under professional and academic pressure, both in the field and in the lab.
Part 1: In China, …
This week, we present two stories of adapting to survive, from a cancer survivor's creative solution to the after-effects of his treatment to an …
This week, we bring you two stories of invisibility, from a man looking to escape his identity to a marine biologist who feels invisible to her …
This week, we present two stories from science journalists about the ways the ways we perceive -- or misperceive -- the world around us.
Part 1: When science journalist Eli Chen begins to have doubts in her …
This week, we bring you two stories about long journeys home, from an Iranian-American biologist and a psychologist who survived Chernobyl. Part 1: …
In this week's podcast, two chemists try to balance their love and their science, and a mother must choose her newborn daughter's surgeon.
Part 1: Heather Abbott-Lyon falls in love with another physical chemist, but can …
This week, we present two stories about identity, from a neuroscientist's encounters with racism to an OB-GYN's struggle with her feelings about …
This week, we present two stories about science intersecting with love -- in both fortunate and unfortunate ways.
Part 1: Nothing can come between Lindzi Wessel and her new boyfriend, David -- except maybe herpes.
Part …
In this week's episode, we bring you two stories of scientists experiencing radical change, whether at home or in 1980s Berlin.
Part 1: Nadia Singh decides she doesn’t want children, believing it will detract from her …
This week, we present two stories of exploring new territory, from communicating with chimpanzees to swimming in the Red Sea.
Part 1: While working …
This week, we bring you two stories of scientists reaching points of crisis.
Part 1: Rashawn Ray’s trajectory as a sociologist is forever changed by …
This week, we present two stories of encounters with wild animals, from a seal named Crystal in Antarctica to a flatulent rhino in South Africa. Part …
This week, we present two stories of medical crises, from New York in the 1980s to the present-day opioid epidemic.
Part 1: During his residency training, pediatrician Ken Haller comes across a disturbing X-ray.
Part 2: …
In today's episode, we bring you two stories about attraction, from the neuroscience of prairie voles to a physics love story. Part 1: Neuroscientist …
This week, we present two stories about death in science, from a university lab to a crime lab. Part 1: To make ends meet as a student, Cris Gray takes a high-paying job in a lab… and finds out why it’s so high-paying. …
Part 1: Adam Andis was raised as a creationist, but grows up to become an evolutionary biologist. Part 2: In grade school, Angel Yau excels at …
This week, we bring you two stories of difficult professional relationships in science, whether in the field or in the lab. Part 1: As a young …
This week, we present two stories about young scientists setting off on their own. Part 1: As an undergrad, Frank Stabile lands an exciting summer research position in D.C., but soon he starts to notice something’s not …
This week, we bring you two stories from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, one from a native Louisianian scientist and the other from a fourth-generation Louisiana fisherman. Part 1: Louisianan scientist Estelle …
This week, we present stories of science and fatherhood. Part 1: As a teenager, comedian Gastor Almonte seeks answers about some of the scientific …
This week, we present two stories about working together, whether it's to accomplish a scientific mission or save a life. Part 1: Yael Fitzpatrick and her theater technician friends attempt to save a sea turtle. Part …
This week, we present two stories of learning experiences connected to early childhood, from an expert in maternal and infant health discovering the reality behind her research to a first-grader striving to be one of …
This week, we present two stories of how memory impacts our lives, our families, and the way we see ourselves. Part 1: When Jirard Khalil is twelve …
Part 1: Late one night in the ER, doctor Bess Stillman treats a patient with an interesting dilemma. Part 2: As a teenager, science writer Brendan …
In this week's episode, we present two stories of science and motherhood, just in time for Mother's Day. Part 1: Developmental biologist Pam …
Part 1: When Sarah Demers gets a work-study job working on a particle detector, she has no idea what she's in for. Part 2: After being discouraged from pursuing science, Katy Rodriguez Wimberly searches for her place in …
Part 1: Bryony Tilsley and her husband are planning a local astronomy event when their family undergoes a big change. Part 2: Eclipse chaser David …
Part 1: Environmental engineer Siddhartha Roy is baffled when the state of Michigan insists the water in Flint is safe to drink despite his …
Part 1: Geneticist Sebastian Alvarado reconnects with his love of comic books by attempting to shrink ants. Part 2: Inspired by his favorite novel, third-grade Danny Artese attempts to turn himself into a plant. …
Part 1: Blind athlete Simon Wheatcroft finds a way to run marathons by himself. Part 2: Worried she won't ever be able to commit to one field of study, Dale Markowitz decides to go all in on a neuroscience project. …
Part 1: Neuroscientist Qi Lin struggles to connect with friends and colleagues when she can’t escape her scientific mindset. Part 2: When defense …
Part 1: On an expedition to Antarctica, journalist Alok Jha ends up trapped on the ice for days. Part 2: Neuroscientist Rita Tavares attempts to analyze her romantic problems with science. Alok Jha is a …
Part 1: Ecologist Evon Hekkala travels to Madagascar to help protect a village from a man-eating croc. Part 2: Criminologist Stan Stojkovic receives …
Part 1: As a grad student, Liz Neeley falls in love with the order of science, but when she heads into the field, she’s forced to confront messy …
Part 1: Born and raised in Brooklyn, naturalist Helen Cheng leaves the comfort of the city to venture out into the field. Part 2: Ecologist Thom …
Part 1: Drew Prochaska decides to confront his fear of sharks -- by going swimming with them. Part 2: Attorney Heather Cucolo must navigate the …
Part 1: Mark Pagán combats his phobia of flying in an unusual way. Part 2: Military surgeon Rob Lim must perform surgery in the middle of a sandstorm in Iraq. Mark Pagán is an award-winning storyteller, comedian, …
Part 1: MIT Museum education coordinator Faith Dukes wonders if there’s something wrong with her when she fails to couple up. Part 2: Cara Gael O'Regan is startled when she tests positive for syphilis. Faith Dukes is …
Part 1: As a teenager, Bri Riggio struggles to understand her eating disorder and connect with her psychologist father. Part 2: Seth Baum, an expert …
Part 1: A series of unfortunate events reveals something off about molecular biologist Maryam Zaringhalam’s sense of smell. Part 2: Hillary Savoie’s …
Part 1: Bioethicist Elizabeth Yuko tries to use her science training while reporting her sexual assault. Part 2: Engineering student Selam Gano …
Brian Mackenwells tries to smuggle something onto the vomit comet, and Jess Thom learns the best way to explain her Tourette's to someone new. Brian Mackenwells currently works at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human …
Part 1: Journalist Erika Check Hayden travels to Sierra Leone and sees ebola up close and personal for the first time. Part 2: As a child, …
Though Adam Becker loved science as a kid, he struggled in school -- until he met first-grade teacher Mrs. Brown. Adam Becker is a writer, …
When biologist Mary Ann Allen gets a chance to study Down syndrome, the disorder her dear childhood friend had, she jumps at the chance, but the …
Neuroscientist Rebecca Brachman is working late one night alone in the lab when she accidentally sticks herself with a needle full of deadly toxin. …
When geneticist and science communicator Emily Grossman is invited to discuss women in science on TV, she doesn't know she'll be debating a legendary …
When Amanda Buch's beloved father is diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, it sparks a passion in her for neuroscience. Amanda Buch is a budding neuroscientist and visual artist who draws inspiration from the intersection …
Chemist Matt Hartings is excited -- and a little frantic -- when he receives an unexpected invitation to talk about the science of bacon on The Today Show. Matt Hartings is a chemist who works at American University. …
Italian neuroscientist Chiara Mariottini struggles to fit in when she moves to New York City. Chiara Mariottini has a PhD in Neurophysiology from the …
Standup comedian Wes Hazard's dangerous chronic illness rears its head while he's on stage one night. Wes Hazard is a Boston-based comic & storyteller who was named 1 of '5 Boston Comics to Watch' by the Boston …
Amy Oestreicher is a normal teenage theater nerd... until the day her stomach explodes. Amy Oestreicher is a PTSD peer-to-peer specialist, artist, author, writer for The Huffington Post, speaker for TEDx and RAINN, …
Biologist Jana Watson-Capps struggles with feeling in over her head in her scientific career. Jana Watson-Capps is an Associate Director of the …
Anthropologist Herman Pontzer spends time living among a Hadza hunter-gatherer tribe in order to see if they burn more calories than a typical …
Layne Jackson Hubbard wakes up in a hospital room with a head wound and no memory of how she got there. Layne Jackson Hubbard is a PhD student in …
When comedian Aparna Nancherla's science fair project goes awry, she and her fellow students make some unethical choices. Aparna Nancherla is a standup comedian and writer who has written for “Late Night with Seth …
Patrick Freeman is studying elephants in Namibia when he receives terrible news. Patrick Freeman is a Research Assistant at the Carnegie Institution …
To discover why some survivors of trauma experience PTSD and some don't, scientist Rachel Yehuda must convince a community of Holocaust survivors to …
As a young science reporter at NPR, Science Friday's Ira Flatow accepts a challenge to record what it sounds like to go over Niagara Falls. Award winning science correspondent and TV journalist Ira Flatow is the host of …
While completing a community service requirement in high school, comedian Wyatt Cenac puts a drunk driving simulation to the test. Wyatt Cenac is a …
Neuroscientist Paula Croxson is determined to finish her first open-water swimming race -- despite the dangers. Paula Croxson is a neuroscientist at …
After his grandfather passes away, Ben Lillie learns the surprising truth about his life -- from Wikipedia. Ben is a high-energy particle physicist who left the ivory tower for the wilds of New York's theater district. …
In grade school, Elana Lancaster gets into trouble when he questions his student teacher's science. Elana Lancaster is a health educator and …
Skylar Bayer's dreams of a career in scientific scuba diving are put in jeopardy when her heart begins acting strangely. Skylar Bayer is a PhD candidate studying the secret sex lives of scallops in the great state of …
Aaron Wolfe seeks meaning through labor at a kibbutz dairy farm -- and finds himself tackling some rather unexpected tasks. Aaron Wolfe is a moth …
When comedian Jo Firestone goes to college, she starts to worry she has an STD -- even though she's never had sex.
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While she's 26 weeks pregnant, OB-GYN MaryAnn Wilbur treats a woman who is also 26 weeks pregnant -- and about to go into labor. MaryAnn Wilbur is currently an editorial fellow at the New England Journal of Medicine and …
As a student, Henry Duffy jumps at a chance to do research...on the second most remote island in the world. Henry Duffy is a conservationist with a …
Nathan Boll was an excellent physics student -- up until the day he suddenly dropped out. Nathan Boll is a Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology …
Newborn and premature baby specialist Nitin Ron learns a surprising lesson from one of his young patients. Nitin Ron is a neonatologist (baby doctor) …
In high school, Emily Mullin dreams of becoming a broadcast journalist -- until her voice mysteriously begins to disappear. Emily Mullin is a …
Jeff Sparr finds an unexpected purpose after his life is torn apart... by a case of jock itch. PeaceLove co-founder Jeff Sparr is a man on an …
Neuroscientist Amanda Duffy gets some surprising news about her brain when she volunteers to be a control in an MRI study. Amanda Marie Duffy is a …
In high school, David Russell joins a hospital apprentice program in order to get close to his crush. David Russell is a librarian, bookseller and …
As a PhD student, Rochelle Williams faces barriers to a career in engineering. Rochelle Williams is a Louisiana girl, Spelman woman, and lover of all things football. No stranger to implicit and institutional biases, …
Steve Crabtree gets an unusual start to his career: watching paint dry. Steve Crabtree left school aged 15 in 1985 and started work as a painter …
Brion Randolph's journey to becoming a doctor begins with a box full of kittens. Dr. Brion Randolph is currently the Chief of Medical Oncology at …
While working as a census taker in 2010, Dawn Fraser is taken by surprise when her partner asks her for a favor. Dawn J. Fraser is a storyteller, educator and and nationally acclaimed speaker based out of New York City. …
As a young chemist working for the state crime lab, Bill Harwood is unexpectedly called to a crime scene. Lt. Bill Harwood is the director of the …
A chance conversation gives Nneze Akwiwu a chance to study in the United States. Nneze Akwiwu is currently a senior Biology major at Spelman College. …
After reading about scientific theories of humor, comedian Chris Duffy decides to see if those principles can make his act better. Chris Duffy is a NYC-based comedian who performs across the country. His shows have been …
A young neuroscientist seeks control through an eating disorder. Kia Salehi is a recent graduate of Wellesley College, where she majored in …
Growing up on a cattle ranch, Amanda Stockton dreams of searching for life elsewhere in the universe. Dr. Amanda Stockton is an assistant professor in the Chemistry and Biochemistry department at the Georgia Institute …
To study a dangerous disease, Dan Daneshvar asks families to consider donating their loved one's brains. Dan Daneshvar received an S.B. from the …
A series of incidents propels Joe Palca to a career in sleep research. Joe Palca is a science correspondent for NPR. He comes to journalism from a …
Erika Engelhaupt gets a dream reporting assignment. There's just one problem--she has to take a small prop plane just like the one that she almost crashed in years ago. Erika Engelhaupt is a science writer and editor. …
Maryam Zaringhalam's scheme to cheat her way into the smart class makes clear a huge flaw in the education system. Maryam Zaringhalam is a molecular …
Jonaki Bhattacharyya ventures out into rugged Canadian wilderness to research wild horses — but can does she have what it takes to survive? This story was produced as part of the Springer Storytellers series. Hear and …
While working at a hospital, David Putrino finds a surprise in his own medical records. David is a Physical Therapist with a PhD in Neuroscience. He has worked as a clinician in the US, UK and Australia, studied …
Saad Sarwana is finally about to win a high school award, but in his way is a math problem even the teacher got wrong. Saad Sarwana grew up in …
While being treated after an accident, Rachel Fairbank struggles with not being the researcher. Rachel Fairbank received her bachelor's in biology …
Abhishek Shah takes a simple job to pay for school--toxic waste disposal. Being a biomedical engineer, Abhishek Shah knows everything about physics, …
Brian Kennedy is forced to take a job in his local pharmacy to finance his theater dreams. Brian Kennedy is a writer/storyteller living in NYC. He's written for The Huffington Post and performed improv and sketch comedy …
Physicist Kaća Bradonjić's view of time is shaped by her experience as a war refugee. Originally from the former Yugoslavia, Kaća Bradonjić is a theoretical physicist living and working in Massachusetts. Her research on …
Psychologist Ali Mattu didn't know what he wanted to be as a kid, but his older brother helped him find inspiration in Star Trek. Ali is a clinical …
Anna Nicanarova pretends to be sick to get out of a test, but how far will she take the ruse? Anna Nicanorova is Director of Annalect Labs -- space for experimentation and rapid prototyping within Annalect. Anna is …
Used to the controlled uncertainties of his work, science writer Tom Levenson is forced to confront the dramatic uncertainty of whether he’ll be able …
Adam Foote confronts the problem of obtaining sea urchins in land-locked Pittsburgh...during a polar vortex. Adam recently graduated with a Master's …
When he discovers his milk has been stolen from the dorm fridge, Neer Asherie has to resort to extreme science measures to find the culprit. Neer …
Rachel Pendergrass gets her dream job: talking to visitors in an aquarium, but dealing with the questions are not what she expected. Rachel Pendergrass is a storyteller, writer, actor, and science communicator native to …
Alan Guth is working on a fairly typical research paper, when he accidentally makes a huge discovery about the origin of the universe. Alan H. Guth …
Adam Rogers gets an exciting opportunity to work in a marine biology lab, and see if he really wants to be a biologist. Adam Rogers is articles …
Facing an incredibly important decision, April Salazar is infuriated by way scientific information about reproduction is distorted. April Salazar is a writer and storyteller. She's written for The New York Times and has …
As a musician and writer Jimmy Wohl thought he was the ultimate creative, then he encounters a pharmaceutical marketing campaign. Jimmy Wohl is a …
Erik Vance searches for the real meaning of biology while chasing porcupines. Erik Vance is a native Bay Area writer replanted in Mexico as a …
With her truck stuck in the mud in the Serengeti, Aerin Jacob learns three important lessons. This story was produced as part of the Springer Storytellers series. Hear and read more at www.beforetheabstract.com/ Aerin …
A remote disease comes very close to home for Queens resident Nicole Ferraro. Nicole Ferraro is a writer, editor, and storyteller living in NYC. Her …
A Japanese particle physicist struggles to find his place (and learn English) in the American midwest. Teppei Katori is an experimental particle physicist and a lecturer at Queen Mary University of London. His major …
John Rennie finds it’s great to be editor in chief of Scientific American, but not when all the ingredients of sarin gas are in his office. John Rennie is a science writer, editor, and lecturer based in New York. …
As a mathematician, Adriana Salerno is used to solving problems, but depression is something else entirely. Adriana Salerno is originally from …
Just after beginning a graduate program in neuroscience, Brittany Bushnell gets an unexpected look at her own brain. Brittany Bushnell has a BS in …
A chemistry set is the perfect opportunity for Nate Charles Troisi to connect with his engineer father. Nate Charles Troisi is an award winning …
When reporters call to cover David Moinina Sengeh's work, that should be a good thing, but it depends on what story they want to tell. David Moinina …
Tara Lagu's passion for beating her high school rival in the science fair turns into an unusual medical career. Tara Lagu, M.D., M.P.H, is an …
A surprise email leads a biologist to NASA. Dr Karen James (@kejames on Twitter) is a biologist at the MDI Biological Laboratory, where she combines …
Erica Ferencik's father left his family to pursue his obsession with finding monogamy in the animal kingdom. Award-winning novelist, screenwriter, and essayist Erica Ferencik is the author of the comic novel, Cracks in …
George Church learns a lesson on the power of nature the hard way. George Church is Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School, Director of NIH …
Professor John Dimandja is confused when his class begins snickering on the first day -- until he realizes it's because they weren't expecting him to be black. John Dimandja is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at …
Early in her career researching dolphin intelligence Diana Reiss began wondering, "Who is training who?" Diana Reiss, a cognitive psychologist and a …
At a checkpoint in Iraq, not knowing if she'll get through, Uzma Rizvi reflects on what it means to be an archaeologist. This story was produced as …
For physicist Brian Wecht, his new baby is the perfect opportunity--to do experiments. Brian Wecht studies theoretical particle physics and string …
Ecologist Jessica Henkel finds the keys to her research truck missing, as it's parked on a remote beach with one of the biggest tides of the season …
Not even the truth about Santa Claus and George Washington could prepare Carter Edwards for what happened to Brontosaurus. Carter Edwards' work has …
Rose Eveleth always wanted to be fiercely independent. But sometimes being too independent has its downsides. Rose Eveleth is a writer, producer, and designer based in Brooklyn. She's dabbled in everything from research …
Virendra Singh is responsible for carrying on his family's farm, but he begs his parents to be allowed to go to school. Virendra was born in a …
Sean Carroll gets a fabulous job offer—to work with Stephen Hawking—twice. Sean Carroll is a Research Professor of theoretical physics at the …
When neuroscientist Carl Hart meets with his cousin he wonders about what he now knows about psychiatric medication and society, and whether his own …
A near-fatal accident on a mountain leads exoplanet hunter David Kipping to a new goal. David Kipping is an astronomer based at the …
Geneticist Chris Gunter worries about passing on a rare condition to her son. Chris Gunter is a human geneticist by training, and a science communicator by choice. She earned her Ph.D. at Emory University and then moved …
Bradford Jordan finds there's more to the brain his dad brings to show his class than just how cool it is. Bradford Jordan is an actor, improviser, …
An offhand sexist comment enrages Renee Hlozek, and leads her to dig into how her colleagues really view people who aren't the stereotypical …
A simple interview about a bacon sandwich turns into a national, then international nightmare. Elin Roberts is Head of Public Engagement at the Centre for Life in Newcastle. She is a passionate science communicator …
When Jon Ronson discovers a twitter account pretending to be him, he sets off to find it's creators. Jon Ronson is a British nonfiction author, documentary maker and screenwriter. His books, Them: Adventures with …
A summer job in Yellowstone National Park isn't quite what Molly Payne Wynne had been expecting. Molly is the Monitoring Coordinator for the …
On the first day of grad school for her PhD, a fellow student tells Bianca Jones Marlin that she doesn't really belong there. Bianca Jones Marlin is …
Hillary Rea enjoys her job as a "standard patient" helping to train medical students, until she's asked to sub in on a birth gone quite wrong. Hillary Rea is a Philadelphia dwelling comedian and storyteller, and the …
When Adam Becker realizes a visiting film crew is made up of geocentrists, he has to prevent them from exploiting his adviser's work. Adam Becker is …
Erin Barker's attempt to save a college relationship leads her to a plant biology class where the professor brought an ax to class. Erin Barker is …
Obehi Janice's family struggles to understand a death their doctors can't explain. Obehi Janice is a writer, actress, and comedian. She is a graduate of Georgetown University and has trained with Shakespeare & …
Neuroscientist Indre Viskontas and her friends turn to science to find the right way to date. Indre Viskontas is a neuroscientist and opera singer. She is also the host of Inquiring Minds, an in-depth exploration of the …
Sports writer David Epstein tracks down some surprising health claims circulating in the football world. David Epstein is author of the recent New …
The joys and dangers of getting pregnant for Tara Clancy and her wife. Tara Clancy is a writer and performer. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Paris Review and The Rumpus. She is also a …
Suze Kundu is forced to abandon dancing for materials science, until materials science comes to the rescue. Suze Kundu is a Teaching Fellow at …
Lost after arriving at grad school, Bethany Brookshire is happy to finally find a perfect mentor. Bethany Brookshire has a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. …
Sword swallower Justin Cameron gets an unexpected lesson in anatomy and medicine. Justin is a product manager and mobile app designer who works on search engines and secure email products. Before that, he was an …
Alex Bellos is surprised that people ask him what his favorite number is, so he decides to ask everyone what theirs is. Alex Bellos is the author of …
Ed Yong is ecstatic to get an interview with his hero, Sir David Attenborough, but he's not prepared for a lesson in what having a science hero really means. Ed Yong is an award-winning science writer. His blog Not …
Annalee Newitz comes to terms with grief while exploring the remains of a mysterious ancient city. Annalee Newitz is the editor of io9, and author most recently of Scatter, Adapt, and Remember: How Humans Will Survive a …
Against the odds, animal-loving kid Steve Zimmer attempts to rescue tadpoles in jeopardy. An aging yuppie from the midwest, Steve Zimmer was …
Marine biologist Shayle Matsuda adapts to his new identity as a transgender man while on assignment in the Philippines. Shayle Matsuda researches sea …
Alone in the African rainforest and on the brink of death, entomologist Brian Fisher finds help from an unexpected source. Dr. Brian Fisher is a …
Married young and used to giving up her own dreams, Iranian student Matineh Eybpoosh moves to the U.S. to study civil engineering—and a whole new …
Oceanographer Jeffrey Schell finds himself in a race against time when he encounters swimmers stuck in a dangerous rip current. Jeffrey M. Schell is an associate professor of oceanography with Sea Education Association, …
While teaching a math class, Nisse Greenberg is troubled by his student's name, and his own. Nisse Greenberg is an educator and storyteller who eats mostly vegetarian. Sometimes he eats wings because wings are really …
A panicked day leads Karen Hopkin to wonder if her sperm donor really is the father of her child. Karen Hopkin is a freelance writer and the creator of the Studmuffins of Science calendar. Karen received a PhD in …
As an editor at Scientific American John Rennie delighted in the weird correspondence they received, but then one letter crossed a line. John Rennie is a science writer, editor, and lecturer based in New York. Viewers …
When Edward Frenkel is told he won't be accepted to a Russian university because his father is Jewish, he decides to take the admissions exam anyway. …
Marine scientist Meredith has to navigate a whole new world when she's called upon to testify in front of the Maine legislature in support of a …
Nelson Lugo has a brilliant idea for his grade school talent show -- use chemistry to do a simple magic trick. It did not go over well. Nelson Lugo …
Musician Emily Caudill's life-saving chemotherapy treatment causes her to lose her hearing. Emily Caudill is a songwriter and musician from Louisville, Kentucky. In 2011, while she was working in special education, and …
Erika Engelhaupt is on a road trip out to DC when suddenly they're pulled over and her boyfriend is arrested. She'll need science to vindicate her …
Physicist Stephon Alexander feels overwhelmed until the father of quantum gravity himself helps him find inspiration in his subconscious. Stephon Alexander is the Ernest Everett Just 1907 Professor of Physics and …
At four years old, Daniel Miller became one of the youngest people in the state of Texas ever to testify in court -- against his own mother, for …
Daniel Engber risks derailing his PhD by constant daydreaming, until his neuroscience research gives him a idea that will revolutionize the NBA. …
Cosmologist Eugene Lim is pulled into another world when he goes to help teach after the earthquake in Haiti. One day, Eugene Lim decided to dump his …
Materials scientist Ainissa Ramirez never connected with her brothers' love of football until she unexpectedly ends up writing a book about it. Ainissa G. Ramirez, Ph.D. is a science evangelist, who is passionate about …
A cancer diagnosis is only the start of the collapse for Annalise Kaylor, but she finds support in an unexpected community. Hailing from the …
A relationship bridging the divide between scientists and artists is reflected in a fight over where to store tomatoes. Alison graduated with a BSc in Astrophysics from Newcastle University. Leaving for London to seek …
Jodi Beggs's mother greatly underestimates how well her kindergartener understands economics. Jodi Beggs is an economist and writer whose focus is on making economics accessible and interesting to both students and a …
Science writer Kathleen Raven's unexpected loss of hearing takes her on a journey with modern technology. Kathleen Raven writes for Reuters Health …
When he misses the opportunity to work with one of the most famous patients in neuroscience, Moran Cerf takes an unorthodox approach. Moran Cerf is a neuroscientist at NYU and Northwestern University. Prior to his …
Immunologist Sarah Schlesinger must try to save her mentor's life with his own work in cellular immunity. Sarah J. Schlesinger MD is a clinical …
As a science teacher, Marjorie Winther has both entertaining and troubling times with her students, but when she brings them to the South she …
As a grad student, Margaret Geller is invited to a private island off the coast of Maine by legendary physicist John Wheeler and his wife, for a trip she'll never forget. Margaret Geller is an astrophysicist at the …
Science writer Carl Zimmer grew up loving monster movies, but he never guessed a real monster would show up in his own backyard. Carl Zimmer is a …
Journalist Abby Rabinowitz embarks on a journey through India's burgeoning surrogacy industry in search of a missing baby. Abby Rabinowitz teaches …
In the midst of her search for life on other planets, astrophysicist Sara Seager's own world is shattered when her husband is told he has stage three …
Writer Jack El-Hai worries about his own state of mind when he spends time in the files of the psychiatrist who examined Nazi leaders. Jack El-Hai is the author of The Nazi and the Psychiatrist: Hermann Goring, Dr. …
Doomed to be the waterboy after tearing his ACL, engineering student Baratunde Cola is determined to make it back to his college's football team. …
For years, chemist Nick Hud struggles to share his work with his Catholic mother, until he finds help from a surprising source. Nicholas Hud was born …
After a terrible head injury, Amy Cuddy wakes up in the hospital to find she's a different person. Amy Cuddy is a social psychologist and Harvard …
Shannon Cason turns to science to save his tumultuous marriage. Shannon Cason is a writer and storyteller. He has shared his stories on large stages, …
When anxiety begins to overtake her, biology student Deena Walker begins to worry she'll end up just like her mentally ill sister. Deena Walker is a …
Charles Van Rees desperately pursues a bird through the desert for the sake of data. Charles van Rees is a conservation biologist and PhD student at …
Amy Dixon is passionate about becoming a hospice nurse, but finds she can't fully understand what the families she works with are going …
An accidental revelation causes Rabiah Mayas to question her identity. Rabiah Mayas, PhD, is madly in love with science and driven by life’s questions, large and small. As Director of Science and Integrated Strategies …
Jesse Dunietz wasn't thrilled to be the one assigned to the music portion of his high school science team -- the one part of the team that was …
Marine biologist Skylar Bayer faces her fears to go on a deep-ocean dive aboard the Alvin submersible, and ends up getting more than she expected. …
Tonia Pinheiro is conflicted when her doctor's instructions seem dangerous. Tonia (tone-ya) Pinheiro is a Wake Up! Artist (sm) and founder of Wake Up! Works and ISEEU Theater. She's a diverse and dynamic improvisational …
For a young Brad Lawrence, fears of a nuclear apocalypse are put into perspective by his mother, at first intentionally. Brad Lawrence is a host of And I Am Not Lying, Best In Show, and has also hosted for The Moth. He …
As a chemistry student, Rowena Fletcher-Wood has to reconstruct the structure of chemicals, and a relationship with a friend, by interpreting complex data. Rowena Fletcher-Wood is a keen science communicator and …
When Kishore Hari is hired to run a new science festival he thinks he has the perfect plan, but the reality was much more than he expected. Kishore Hari is the Director of the Bay Area Science Festival, an annual …
After abandoning a love of flying, a former military officer gets behind the controls of a plane for the first time. Growing up in an army family, …
There is one rule more important than any other in an fMRI experiment: no metal. But a stuck piercing makes aspiring neuroscientist Anna Wexler make …
Pakistan-born physicist Saad Sarwana gets a visit from the FBI. Saad Sarwana grew up in Pakistan, and moved first to Canada and then eventually to …
When tragedy strikes his high school friend, David Epstein vows to find out what happened. David Epstein is author of the recent New York Times …
As a woman of color working in science, Danielle N. Lee has always encountered challenges. But she doesn't expect the email she receives one morning, …
Psychologist Pete Etchells' father inspired him -- to hate neurons. Pete Etchells is a lecturer in biological psychology at Bath Spa University, UK, …
While studying bioengineering, Craig Lehocky discovers he's different from the other students. Craig Lehocky's tinkering runs deep. He currently develops surgical robots as an M.D. / Ph.D. student at CMU and University …
The Story Collider needs your help! Our initial funding is coming to an end, and we need your help to keep going. It doesn't take a lot, $1/podcast …
A wrong number to a friend in Sri Lanka leads Saswato Das to the final interview with a famous science fiction writer. Saswato R. Das has written …
Jim O'Grady's attempts to woo his housemate are stymied by the monkey she's training to help quadriplegics. Jim O'Grady is a reporter for WNYC Radio and a Moth GrandSLAM champ. He has worked as a reporter for The New …
At age 7, Deborah Blum starts a mystery when she interrupts her parent's dinner party. So their guest, famed biologist E.O. Wilson, investigates. …
What's the worst that can happen when you let a recent college grad command a $330 million spacecraft? Victor Hwang is a New England born nerd. After …
Science writer Eliza Strickland discovers that in the race to the bottom of the Mariana Trench the most important thing is what they leave behind. Eliza Strickland is an editor for the magazine IEEE Spectrum, where she …
How does a landscape artist become the host of a popular science show on YouTube? For Emily Graslie it started with pictures of a wolf head on …
From a (mostly) successful model rocket launch to a missed opportunity by Richard Feynman, Alan Lightman learns that the equations aren't the whole …
When two residents of her nursing home fell in love, sexual rights advocate Robin Dessel had to decide how the staff would handle their rendezvous. …
Stephanie Nothelle loves volunteering at her local nursing home, but she doesn't know what to do when one of the residents says, "I die today" and …
For her masters thesis in science writing, Aviva Hope Rutkin starts writing about sensory substitution -- a way of swapping in one sense for another. …
Richard Pollack finds himself moderating an uneasy negotiation between Israelis and Jordanians, as part of an international effort to stem a scourge …
After he's named lab safety officer, John Rennie must recover a precious sample from the bottom of a vat of liquid nitrogen. So he reaches in. John Rennie is a science writer, editor, and lecturer based in New York. …
Darcy Burke's mother gave her a book on mountain lions, and it had the effect that every science writer wishes their book will have. Kind of. Every …
As a new, super competitive, graduate student Aditi Nadkarni thinks she has the perfect way to impress her advisor and labmates ... until one night …
Kimberly Rae Miller's family had a secret: her dad was a hoarder. But when she begins digging into the research on hoarding, she finds it's not nearly as simple to fix as she'd hoped. Kimberly Rae Miller is a writer …
Sara Peters has epilepsy, but no drugs seem to help. So she agrees to be hooked up to a machine at the hospital for days, in hopes of inducing the one thing she and her husband, Peter Aguero, dread the most: a seizure. …
When Ben Moskowitz gets to take special classes in elementary school, he's excited at first, but then he starts to realize there might be something …
Science writer Alex Brown's philosophical education becomes very practical when he is diagnosed with meningitis. Every week the Story Collider brings …
Three years after a mysterious illness nearly drove her insane and took her life, Susannah Cahalan visits a patient with the same rare, dangerous …
Elna Baker's grade school reputation faces it's greatest threat: her engineer father's enthusiasm for homework. Every week the Story Collider brings …
A physicist decides that the best way to make progress on his robotics project is to go to Namibia to study termites. Every week the Story Collider …
Science writer Seth Mnookin set out to write a book on whether vaccines were dangerous, but discovered the issue was more complex than he'd thought. …
As grad school for neuroscience wears on, Michael Nitabach feels the pull of law school, and goes. But he had another surprise coming. Every week the …
Esther Perel's career gets an unexpected boost from the Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky scandal. Every week the Story Collider brings you a true, …
As a kid, Mara Wilson is decidedly uninterested in science, but as she grows up she starts to look for answers in new places. Every week the Story …
When Meehan Crist was a child, her mother hit her head. It was only as an adult that she discovered that her mother was covering up something far …
Neuroscientist Daniela Schiller studies the emotional components of memory. In her previous story her research helped her begin to understand her …
Moran Cerf's life is spun around when a computer glitch declares him dead -- but that's nothing compared to what happens when a real funeral comes around.
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When he begins showing strange symptoms on a jog though the mountains, science writer Andrew Revkin discovers just how close to death he is.
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While visiting Guatemala Sarah Everts is bitten by a dog, so she goes looking for a rabies shot. But coming home to Canada is when the real problem started.
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After a career as a theater manager, Stuart Firestein takes a biology class, which leads him to a completely new life, and a lot of salamander noses.
When Paula Croxson began to study memory as a neuroscientist, she also learned a new way of thinking about her grandmother's failing memory.
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Writer Jess Zimmerman discovers the dangers of dating a philosopher of neuroscience who thinks he knows what's really happening in her head.
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Journalist Jon Ronson is excited when he hears about some 'sentient' robots, but when he goes to interview them he finds both less and more than he ever expected.
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André Fenton always wanted to do research at the most fundamental level -- to uncover basic truths about memory and how it works, never mind how …
Robin Marantz Henig and her daughter, Samantha, decided to write a book together about life as a twentysomthing. There was just one problem -- how to handle the bits you don't want to talk about with your mother?
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Colin Jerolmack was floundering in grad school until he found deep insights into human nature... from pigeons.
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Biologist Kelly Smith and comic artist Zach Weiner were having trouble dating, until they met online and realized what they each needed was another …
Anica Rissi realizes the true purpose of her science project: to increase her popularity. But how far is she willing to go?
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Tara Clancy's worry over making bad life choices leads her to think about all the things she doesn't know -- and from there, obviously, to theoretical physics.
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Her grandmother's death forces neuroscientist Heather Berlin to think hard about what she believes, and why.
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Anna Rothschild tells the most adorably gross love story you'll ever hear.
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A neighbor's gift of two baby rabbits leads Robin Abrahams to a new view of, and fascination with, personality. "Do you not understand that I am a …
Having lost his ambition to be a scientist, Lawrence David embarks on one more research project -- to collect and study his poop. Every day. For a …
When her dad is diagnosed with cancer, Abby Pond is sent on a journey home, across the world, and into a new science. "He said, 'Why are you sitting here waiting for me to die. This is dumb.' So he kicked me out."
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Arran Frood is a science writer who specializes in writing about studies of psychedelic drugs, but a routine story turns personal when he finds himself in a study of MDMA and therapy.
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In high school, Adam Wade falls for his lab partner, but is led astray by dreams of golf team greatness.
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When Heather Swain is told she has rabies, that turns out to be the least strange part of her experience. "Who wants to grow up saying their mother …
Questions arise when Steve Mirsky is introduced to his friend's new girlfriend, and he relies on his past experience to help -- specifically his degree in chemistry. "It's almost like you're army buddies.... It's …
As a grad student, Ari Daniel Shapiro has to tag some narwhals to collect data. The problem: it's in the arctic, the devices have never been tested, …
A science writer is challenged when her dog comes down with a case of heartworm -- and then the medication goes wrong. "As I'm leaving, the vet says, 'Oh, by the way: Don't go on the internet. It'll only freak you out.'"
Rory Scholl has to show up on day one to a new job -- with a severe case of Bell's Palsy. "When I said this to one of my co-workers I slurred my …
Christine Gentry's rural, Vietnam vet father rarely talked about important issues, but a series of remarkable moments with animals and nature teach her four lessons she'll never forget. "Lesson number 2: Aint no use …
After turning to a unique field of study -- erections -- Diane Kelly turns to an even more unique source for her research material -- roadkill. "When you open up an animal, there is all kinds of awesome in there."
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A trip to India to work for an environmental program leads Caroline Howe to a new passion: trash. "I was the first to arrive, so obviously I was the …
A late-night excursion to a party turns absurd and then terrifying as Greg Walloch, who has cerebral palsy, can't jump the fence around Tompkins Square Park.
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With her epilepsy medication failing, Sara Peters checks into a hospital with one goal: make the scariest thing in her life happen again.
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As a six-year old, Tim Manley has to go to the hospital with a mysterious illness. Fortunately, he has his superpowers and his trusty sidekick -- his …
We just heard the terrible news that Michelle Dobrawsky passed away last night after a long battle with cancer. Michelle was one of our first storytellers and a great friend of the show and we’re devastated by the loss. …
Margot Leitman faces down doctors, friends and uncertainty when she suddenly loses hearing in one ear. "If I’ve gone deaf, for real, that means the …
In the Indian Ocean, doctor George Lombardi makes use of the most important lesson his mother ever taught him: floating. "Let me give you one of the morals early on: No bonding experiences with somebody you're about to …
Madeline Huberth confronts the imminent death of a classroom goldfish while navigating the dangerous social waters of junior high. "Why could …
After becoming ill during a trip to Ecuador, DARPA researcher Chris Roussi seeks medical advice from a local expert: a shaman. "Here I am, an engineer-scientist, and here's this educated man spouting the worst kind of …
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