Daily Discoveries

Follow Daily Discoveries
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

Daily Discoveries is a weekly podcast from the science section. Each week Science Editor Thelonious Goerz and Writer Rhea John re-cap the material in the science section in one distilled episode.

The Daily


    • May 10, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 22m AVG DURATION
    • 79 EPISODES


    More podcasts from The Daily

    Search for episodes from Daily Discoveries with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from Daily Discoveries

    RF Diffusion and Protein Design

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2023 38:52


    On this episode, Oskar, Sanjana, and Hayden interview David Juergens and Joe Watson from David Baker's lab about their recent publication “Broadly applicable and accurate protein design by integrating structure prediction networks and diffusion generative models.” Using the same principles underlying the image-generating software DALL-E, the Baker lab has been able to create software that […]

    Assessing Binding Capabilities of s.pneumoniae

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2023 17:26


    Daily Discoveries is starting off this quarter with an episode about a recent article that discusses how the structure of capsular polysaccharides on bacteria allow them to bind to human cells and cause infection.

    Manipulating Microbiomes

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2023 14:32


    In this episode, Hayden and Sanjana discuss recent advancements in CRISPR-Cas technology that allows for the specific enrichment or depletion of a single bacterial strain in a complex microbial community.

    Human Cortical Organoids

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2023 21:09


    This week Sanjana, Oskar, and Hayden discuss a study where an imaging technology was created in order to observe a mouse brain implant over time without disturbing the mouse or the implant.

    oskar cortical organoids
    Potential Hair Loss Treatment

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 23, 2023 20:03


    In this episode, Hayden, Sanjana, and Oskar discuss a paper that explores potential alopecia treatments using machine learning.

    Sweet New Discoveries

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2023 17:33


    Sanjana, Hayden, and Oskar dive into how scientists are turning to the natural world to discover new non-caloric sweeteners

    Nobel Prize Recap

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2023 26:07


    This week on Daily Discoveries, Oskar, Sanjana, and Hayden discuss the winners of the 2022 Nobel Prize, and what their discoveries mean for both their fields and science as a whole.

    Growing Soft Robots

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2022 14:13


    Oskar, Sanjana, and Hayden discuss a new innovation that allows for soft robots to grow by themselves.

    oskar soft robots
    Cell-based Meat

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2022 30:00


    In this week's episode, Sanjana, Oskar, and Hayden explain a study where meat was grown from just a couple of cells, and discuss whether they think it is a solution to eating meat more sustainably.

    Engineering Sustainability

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2022 20:17


    This week Sanjana, Hayden, and Oskar discuss a recent cross-disciplinary study transforming CO2 into bioplastics through electrical and biological chemistry.

    Tackling Antibiotic Resistance

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2022 33:20


    Oskar, Sanjana, and Hayden discuss new advancements in combating antimicrobial resistance, from computational approaches to nanozymes.

    Innovations in Nanotechnology

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2022 23:44


    Oskar, Sanjana, and new host Hayden kick off the year by discussing three articles on recent developments in medical technology, using nanobots.

    Undergraduate Research Symposium

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2022 12:30


    Sanjana and Oskar discuss the Undergraduate Research Symposium and their own experiences presenting, as well as The Daily's coverage of the event by contributing writers Asma Masude, Evan Waara and Laura Schladetzky.

    Parasite Research at UW

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2022 23:51


    Oskar and Sanjana discuss the ins and outs of parasites, and the research done by Dr. Wood at the University of Washington in collaboration with the Burke Museum.

    Dissolving Computer Mouse

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2022 19:59


    In this week's episode we discuss how we can transition from producing tons of e-waste to more sustainable electronic devices. A creative project done by UW engineering students and staff in order to tackle e-waste sparks our discussion.

    Sand and Rejuvenation

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2022 14:54


    Sanjana and Oskar discuss a new process that allows for the creation of a sand replacement from mining waste and new research that rejuvenates old skin cells to make them younger.

    Preventing Cardiac Arrest

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2022 16:14


    In this week’s episode, Sanjana and Oskar explore three different research studies on how computers and diet can help prevent or predict future cardiac arrest.

    Sleeping Strategies

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2022 13:46


    Sanjana and Oskar discuss a strategy that helps you recall your thoughts before you fall asleep and the science behind functioning with a shorter night's rest.

    Gene Therapy

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2022 11:16


    In this episode, Sanjana and Oskar discuss the complicated yet fascinating history of gene therapy. They discuss the dangers of gene therapies in the past, how far it has come in recent years, and how it is expected to impact the future.

    Memories and MRIs

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2022 11:57


    Sanjana and Oskar discuss the science behind memories, singing, and how MRIs can improve breast cancer screening.

    Energy and Creativity

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2022 17:28


    In this week’s episode, Oskar and Sanjana discuss how humans spend energy and what it means to be creative.

    New Innovations in Medicine

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2022 17:57


    Sanjana and Oskar discuss new innovations in the field of medicine such as a new blood clotting test and a gene therapy for sickle cell disease.

    Microbes and Their Importance

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2022 15:52


    Microbes are often looked down upon and underestimated. However, this week Sanjana and Oskar discuss how microbes are affecting us right now globally, and how they may help us in the future by storing atmospheric carbon in the ground.

    History of Materials

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2022 12:29


    Sanjana and Oskar discuss the history of the materials that make up the objects we use today.

    Two Year Pandemic Anniversary

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2022 7:36


    As omicron surges in the U.S. and many other countries, Oskar and Sanjana discuss some updates on the current COVID-19 situation, as well as an interesting link between COVID-19 and diabetes.

    Ancient Soil DNA, CRISPR, and Protein Structures

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2022 12:33


    Sanjana and Oskar discuss some of the runner-ups and breakthroughs of the year in Science Magazine's People's Choice Awards 2021.

    Genetically Modified Organisms

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2022 14:01


    This week Sanjana and Oskar are back with Daily Discoveries discussing different ways scientists in the past year have used gene editing to improve health care, food, and disease control.

    New Climate Mapping Model and Electric Vehicles

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2022 8:35


    Sanjana and Oskar discuss a new climate mapping model created by a team at the University of Arizona and how electric vehicles are affecting the climate.

    UW Coronavirus Study, New Variant, and More

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2021 12:07


    Sanjana and Oskar are back this week to discuss University studies relating to COVID-19 vaccines, as well as different COVID-19 variants. (Note: Per CNBC, while omicron was “first identified” in South Africa, its exact origins are still being debated)

    The Science Behind COVID-19 Tests

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2021 11:36


    Sanjana and Oskar discuss the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine for children and the differences between PCR and rapid response COVID-19 tests.

    How Genetically Modified Plants Can Help Clean Our Air

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2021 14:14


    Daily Discoveries is back for week seven where Oskar and Sanjana discuss how a group from the University of Washington have genetically modified a houseplant that is capable of cleaning polluted indoor air.

    James Webb Space Telescope

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2021 14:12


    Sanjana and Oskar discuss the new James Webb Space Telescope and the expectations scientists have, as well as comparing the Webb to the Hubble Space Telescope.

    Pig to Human Kidney Transplant

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2021 11:05


    This week on Daily Discoveries Oskar and Sanjana discuss the first successful xenotransplantation on a human, and the research and ethical discussions behind it.

    Nature and Mental Health

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2021 11:34


    Sanjana and Oskar discuss the science behind stress and the relationship between mental health and nature.

    COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Trials at UW Medical Center

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2021 13:40


    Sanjana and Oskar are back to discuss more COVID-19 related information. On this episode, they discuss a study being done at UW Medical Center on Booster Vaccines, before transitioning into general opinions on the COVID vaccine right now.

    Record-breaking Pacific Northwest Heatwave

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2021 15:38


    Sanjana and Oskar discuss and share their own experiences with the Pacific Northwest Heatwave that occurred this summer and its implications for the future.

    Returning to Campus during the Pandemic

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2021 19:15


    Daily Discoveries returns with a discussion of thoughts and feelings from students and faculty about in-person schooling and UW's current health and safety measures.

    Series Finale

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2021 29:34


    Thelonious and Rhea check-in for the last time. They take a trip down memory lane and discuss their favorite articles and podcast episodes during their time recording. 

    COVID Deaths Double Previous Estimates

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2021 34:53


    Rhea and Thelonious discuss an IHME study showing that actual global deaths from COVID-19 are likely double what has been previously reported by other organizations and governments.

    Deepfakes and Maps

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2021 18:08


    Rhea and Thelonious discuss a UW geography study analyzing AI manipulation of geospatial data. They discuss the study’s call for data literacy, and the real world impacts that falsified data can have.

    Vaccines: UW, King County, & Breakthrough Cases

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2021 21:09


    Rhea and Thelonious discuss UW popup vaccine clinics, King County’s COVID rates, boosters, and breakthrough cases (vaccinated people who still contract COVID). 

    In Person Learning and Vaccination Requirements

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2021 23:22


    Rhea and Thelonious discuss the implications of the recent announcement that UW is planning for a mostly in person fall quarter, and that students who return will be required to be vaccinated.

    Claim Daily Discoveries

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel