Buffs Talk Science

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From space missions to minuscule microbes, Science Buffs covers STEM research at the University of Colorado Boulder and beyond.

Science Buffs

  • Dec 11, 2020 LATEST EPISODE
  • every other week NEW EPISODES
  • 53m AVG DURATION
  • 71 EPISODES


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Latest episodes from Buffs Talk Science

Episode 66: Worminizer

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2020 57:26


Graycen and Alison, in their last episode, talk about the Arecibo telescope, a fishy mystery, a pollinator mystery, and crabification.

Episode 65: Here’s Something About Thanksgiving

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2020 59:08


Graycen and Alison talk about some Thanksgiving-themed stories, including stories about seed banks, rats, football, and a Thanksgiving NASA disaster.

Episode 64: Lair On A Log

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2020 51:40


Graycen and Alison talk about some science stories of the week, including stories about window-like wood, moth-like glass, composting human remains, and baby beetles.

Episode 63: Crayfish Respector

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2020 57:34


Graycen and Alison talk about some science stories from the past few weeks! This week: mail-in voting, crabs (whoops, we mean crayfish), and wacky tube men.

Episode 62: A Toilet Built to Withstand God

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2020 59:55


Graycen and Alison are back to talk about some science stories from the past few weeks. This week they talk about wild bees, space toilets, and scarlet fever.

Episode 61: I Love My Large Adult Squid

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2020 56:30


Graycen and Kelsie talk about some science stories from the past few weeks! They're on Zoom this week, so the audio will sound a little different than usual.

Episode 60: I didn't know there was murder!

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2020 65:30


This week a new host while Alison takes some time off! Graycen and Kelsie talk about some recent science stories in the news.

Episode 59: This Is An Anti-Grasshopper Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2020 55:08


This week Graycen and Alison talk about bricks, urban heat islands, stink chemistry, and parasite conservation.

Episode 58: In The Passing Lane

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2020 63:59


Graycen and Alison talk about plagues of locusts, frogs, and flies (well, beetles). They also talk about how we describe bodies in literature, and biologists' problem with Microsoft Excel.

Episode 57: Mathe-meat-ical Model

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2020 51:52


Graycen and Alison talk about meat twice, and also Stonehenge. They almost talked about pottery, but it got eaten by technical incompetence.

Episode 56: The Fowl Ward

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2020 64:23


Graycen and Alison talk about the databases that can make AI racist, and about why it was a bad idea to have sex in London in the 18th century. Then they interview astrophysicist Jimmy Negus about the scale model of our solar system on CU Boulder's campus, and why it's due for an upgrade.

Episode 55: Ancient Roman Plastic

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2020 52:47


This episode Graycen and Alison talk about interesting space sounds, millennials, underground cities, and chestnut trees!

Episode 54: The Old Eel and The Sea

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2020 57:46


This week Graycen and Alison talk about the mysteries of eels and the perils of publishing. After the break they talk to author David Parrish about his book, The Gyroscope of Life.

Episode 53: Defund The Police

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2020 31:48


This week, in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, Graycen and Alison share some ways to donate money, recommend some podcasts by Black creators, recommend some books and poetry from Black writers, and finally share an older science story about whether active policing actually reduces crime. Stay safe & do good!

Episode 52: The Scream Can Get It

Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2020 57:32


This week, Graycen and Alison talk about The Scream by Edvard Munch, spheres tied in knots, chins, and snakes.

Episode 51: Another Of The World's Horrors

Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2020 39:48


This week, Graycen and Alison talk about corals, mosquitos, constipated lizards, and shy eels.

Episode 50: The Panopticon Got Me!

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2020 48:58


This week Graycen and Alison talk about some science stories from the last two weeks, including: a space salvation, a Portuguese plant, a sea surprise, and a religious riddle.

Episode 49: NOT comfortable. UN-comfortable.

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2020 39:59


Graycen and Alison talk about migrating deep sea fish and a magical science toilet. Possibly needs a gross out warning?

Episode 48: Doin' a Poke

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2020 57:30


Graycen and Alison avoid the topic of COVID-19 and instead talk about alcoholics anonymous, space lettuce, undertaker bees, and vaccine delivery.

Episode 47: A Running Tally of Neurotic Behaviors

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2020 55:28


Graycen and Alison talk about bee probiotics, Twitter personality tests, and where cats hang out. Basically, a super on-brand episode.

Episode 46: The Blurst of Times

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2020 63:41


Graycen and Alison talk about the danger of daylight savings, the 2019 coronavirus, sustainable fashion, and youtube apologies.

Episode 45: Heeehhhhh

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2020 37:54


This week Graycen and Alison talk about fungi, snails, spooky orchids, and a talking mummy. How do you feel about Nesayamun's voice? Tweet at us!

Episode 44: Tell That To My Gout

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2020 60:16


Graycen and Alison talk about some science stories they read this week, including stories about body temperature, tractors, 23AndMe, and frog cell robots.

Episode 43: Data Storage Wars

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2019 58:41


This week, Graycen and Alison talk about new methods of data storage (using DNA), calculator monopolies, roadkill, and children's television. No interview this week!

Episode 42: Remind Me Not To Get On One Of Your Planes

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2019 57:10


No interview this week! Instead, Graycen and Alison talk about data storing glass, nail salon chemicals, self-feeding bacteria, and safe airplane seats.

Episode 41: I'll Drink Any Milk

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2019 58:07


Graycen and Alison talk about a fight in the field of sexual health and addiction, and about a story in which picky eaters and socioeconomics collide. Then they talk to Jess Smith, a PhD student in the department of Information Science, about her field and research questions.

Episode 40: Still Really Into Skeletons

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2019 54:16


Graycen and Alison talk about artificial intelligence playing Starcraft 2 (the trilogy), artificial intelligence learning handwriting, early career failure, and nonradioactive metals. No interview this week, but it's somehow just as long as usual.

Episode 39: Nano Abomination

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2019 54:59


Graycen and Alison talk about The Blob, bird song inception, and rats on wheels! After the break, they talk to CU Boulder chemist Kristina Vrouwenvelder about her work on quantum dots, nano rods, and more.

Episode 38: I'm a 'bleed me dry slowly' person

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2019 57:25


Graycen and Alison talk about two stories involving soil microbes and earthquakes, and one story involving face masks and pollution. After the break they speak to Giancarlo Bruni about his research on bacterial electrophysiology.

Episode 37: Zinc-fortified Bacon

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2019 52:54


Graycen and Alison talk about information transfer, bacteria-cow hybrids, and the effects of mouthwash on our blood pressure. After the break, they talk to CU Boulder scientist and friend of the pod Kelsie Anson about how zinc helps us do our cellular biochemistry.

Episode 36: I Wish I Was A Banana Scientist

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2019 57:35


Graycen and Alison talk about bananas, the genetics of sexual orientation, and bee brains! After the break they talk to Tom Rivas, a biochemist studying how herpes viruses hijack cellular machinery during infection.

Episode 35: No-one is anti-telescope

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2019 55:23


Graycen and Alison talk about ancient bread, lorge telescopes, and a paper on endometriosis that made them both quite angry. After the break, they talked to Science Buff Max Levy about his research on drug-resistant bacteria and nanoparticles.

Episode 34: For The Greater Bad

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2019 58:23


Sorry the episode is a little late this week, folks! Graycen and Alison talk about cat allergies, chem trails, and polluted lakes. After the break they talk to Jeff Cameron about the biochemistry of bacteria and the life of plants and animals.

Episode 33: Wow, Special Beings

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2019 59:34


Graycen and Alison talk about toxoplasma in mice, ticks in the United States, and energy drinks in teens. After the break, they interview CU scientists Daniel Palken and Joep van Dijk about finding political solutions to climate change.

Episode 32: I've Never Met A Young Person

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2019 61:06


Graycen and Alison talk space mold, big algae, devilish millennials, and bugs! Then they talk to Lindsay Diamond, vaccine advocate superstar, about vaccine hesitancy and her non-profit, among other things. Note: the sound is a little worse than usual in the first half of this episode, but we fixed it for next time-- bear with us this week!

Episode 31: This has nothing to do with hats

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2019 59:55


This week, Alison takes a break, so Graycen is joined by Max Levy! They talk about vampire birds, the persistence of Dr. Sarah Stewart, comedic computers, and raccoon dogs. After the break, they talk to some of the co-authors of Yes She Can: 10 Stories of Hope and Change from Young Female Staffers of the Obama White House about coroners, trauma-informed care, and the need for scientists in government.

Episode 30: The Marinara Trench

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2019 57:52


This week, Graycen and Alison talk about plastic, aliens, and stressed out dogs! After the break, they interview Atma Ivancevic about viruses that got stuck in our DNA a long time ago and are still wreaking havoc.

Episode 29: Sorry, Madagascar

Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2019 55:48


Graycen and Alison start off with some science stories from the last few weeks, including stories about birds, fake!Bacteria, bones, and snakes. Sorry about the fun new background hum! It won't be there next episode, we promise. After the break, we talk to Charli Fant about her experience advocating for science in Washington, D.C. and how she helped stop a fracking company from fracking up her dog park.

Episode 28: Classic, Standard Wolves

Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2019 58:34


Graycen and Alison talk about some recent science stories, including stories about pokémon, Beowolf, regular wolves, and bees. After the break they speak with Ed Yong, staff writer at the Atlantic and author of I Contain Multitudes.

Episode 27: Chunky Bubbles

Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2019 59:56


This week, Graycen and Alison talk about twins, billboards, trash, and quakes -- but TWIST: they're all in space! For this space-themed episode we also interview Abhi Boppana about his work on space suits.

Episode 26: A Cat Called 'Ugh'

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2019 59:56


It's our one year anniversary! To celebrate, Graycen and Alison talk about cats who know their names, mosquitos who don't like Skrillex, and fungi that don't respond to drugs. Then we interview Beth Gardiner about her new book, Choked: Life and Breath in the Age of Air Pollution.

Episode 25: The Mermaids Are Still Safe

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2019 58:52


Graycen and Alison talk about some science stories they enjoyed this week, including stories about refrigeration, natural painkillers, and the frog-pocalypse. Next they interview Kaitlin McCreery, a Science Buff and mechanical engineer.

Episode 24: Stuff Inside Other Stuff, a Buffs Talk Science game show!

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2019 46:29


Graycen hosts a science game show for Alison, Max, and newcomer Erin! For each round, she lists two true facts and one false statement. Can you figure out which is the fake fact? In the process you'll learn about boobs, bees, and buffalo!

Episode 23: Everybody's Special In Their Bones!

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2019 59:32


Graycen and Alison talk about some recent science stories, including stories about tampons, Alzheimer's, and parchment! After the break, they interview CU professor Justin Brumbaugh about his new lab and his work with stem cells.

Episode 22: French Kissing A Butterfly

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2019 59:17


Graycen and Alison talk about mosquitos on diets, blood on shrouds, and germs on tissues. Next they interview Dr. Paula Cushing, an evolutionary biologist who studies arachnids (spiders and similar creatures) at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.

Episode 21: Dropping Baguette

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2019 55:03


This week, Graycen and Alison talk about poaching, the pill, and particle physics. It's P soup! After the break, we air an interview that was conducted over Skype with Dr. Arjun Raj. Arjun talks about why he thinks cells might have free will, about the importance of effective communication, and much more. The sound quality isn't quite up to our usual snuff, but we think you'll find it interesting regardless!

Episode 20: Tooth Tartare

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 23, 2019 54:14


Graycen and Alison talk about cricket terrorists, magnets (how do they work?), blue teeth, and weird injections. After the break they interview Dr. Jorge Nicolas Hernandez Charpak, creator of Latino Labs, and his fellow host Andrea Marton Menendez.

Episode 19 - He Didn't Even TAKE The Picture!

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2019 37:55


No interview this week! Graycen and Alison just talk about some science stories they found interesting, including stories about space babies, fire ants, cheating robots, and James Watson, sigh.

Bonus: Learning Science Communication from President Trump

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2018 15:23


Here's a blast from the past: the original, previously unaired pilot for Buffs Talk Science. This episode is about how science communicators could take a few leaves out of Donald Trump's book on communication, regardless of how you feel about his politics. We'll be back on schedule in two weeks-- until then, happy holidays!

Episode 18: Kind Of Gross In The Face

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2018 58:18


Graycen and Alison talk about cute aggression, eavesdropping viruses, and plants on wheels! (Sorry, there are some strange transitions this week.) After the break they interview Ryan Harp about how the weather affects violent crime.

Episode 17: Something Something Temperature Regulation

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2018 56:53


Graycen and Alison finally get to talk about the CRISPR babies! They also talk about the evolution of birth canals, so it's a baby-heavy episode. Then they interview Dr. Orit Peleg, a research at CU Boulder who studies how small animals make big decisions.

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