Periodic Round Table

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A podcast by two STEM graduate students that brings sometimes incomprehensible science into an easy-to-digest package and combats misconceptions plaguing our current economic, political, and social landscape.

Brittany Bonnett and Joel Serrano

  • Oct 28, 2020 LATEST EPISODE
  • every other week NEW EPISODES
  • 37m AVG DURATION
  • 38 EPISODES


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Latest episodes from Periodic Round Table

S3E6: Glitch in the Matrix

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2020 28:18


Have you ever experienced something so strange that you were convinced you were dreaming, crazy, or even living in a simulation? Did you think Nelson Mandela died in prison in the 1980s? Do you think that we all died in a cataclysm and our consciousness transferred to an alternate dimension? This is the episode for you! We discuss the science behind the weird "glitches in the matrix" that can cause us to question our reality, as well as discuss some real experiments that show us how weird reality really is.

S3E5: Who Is the True Monster?

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2020 24:05


Monsters are a part of every culture in the world, but how can we link them to discoveries in science, and how do they evolve based on these discoveries? We talk about this, as well as play a monster game, in today's episode.

S3E4: Give Up the Ghost

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2020 19:53


Ghosts are a supernatural phenomenon that has captured the imagination -- and fear -- of people for millennia. But are there scientific explanations for the creepy, shadowy figures that plague our peripheral vision? Continuing our series of spooky episodes, we talk about the science behind what we can interpret as ghosts!

S3E3: All We Want To Do Is Eat Your Brains

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2020 28:10


We kick off our spooky science series starting with everyone's favorite flesh-eating ghouls, zombies! Did you know that there are lots of real examples in science that relate to these festering fiends? We talk about zombie-like cases including disease, mental illness, and parasites.

S3E2: Tick Tock, On The Clock

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2020 15:16


We are currently 100 seconds from midnight in 2020, but what exactly does that mean? In this episode, we talk about the Doomsday Clock, invented by scientists during the height of the nuclear arms race. How close is humanity to wiping itself out? How much time do we have left? Have we become death, destroyer of worlds? So much doom!

S3E1: Boom Goes the Dino-mite

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2020 28:27


Dinosaurs fascinated all of us as children, but did you know how many connections are found between these giant ancient lizards and creatures of lore and mythology? Join us as we discuss our fine, ferocious feathered friends and their links to thunderbirds, griffins, and dragons!

S2E12: Don't Fear the Reaper

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2020 25:41


We sit down with Trevor Motley to discuss organ and tissue recovery (or is it harvesting? Farming? Mining?), how tissues are recovered, and the organ donation process. We also discuss some common myths about being an organ donor. Neither of us woke up in a bathtub full of ice with no kidneys following recording, so we'll call it a win!

S2E11: I Hate You, Don't Leave Me

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2020 43:20


We finish up our two-parter on personality disorders by discussing Cluster B, such as narcissistic and borderline personality disorders, and Cluster C, such as dependent personality disorder. Joel also discovers a new type, known as puppy personality disorder. It's a real thing, and we're real scientists.

S2E10: The Cult of Personality

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2020 24:54


In the first of our two-part series on personality disorders, we discuss the differences between mood, psychotic, and personality disorders, the clusters of personality disorders, and also go over Cluster A types.

S2E9: Do It Like They Do On The Discovery Channel

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2020 41:10


Reproduction: a favorite pastime for many creatures. We talk about the various forms of reproduction, including self-love (aka asexual reproduction), the crazy world of animal sexual behaviors, and some interesting mating rituals.

S2E8: Bring Me That Event Horizon

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2020 41:56


Black holes are one of the most mysterious and strangest objects in all of space. Once purely theoretical according to general relativity, astronomers now have compelling observational evidence, including direct imaging of the accretion disk around a black hole. In this episode, we’ll get into what a black hole is, how they’re formed, how scientists detect them, and some of the strange physics behind them.

S2E7: A COVID-19 Update

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2020 2:25


A quick update on the Periodic Round Table concerning COVID-19.

S2E6: Bug Out with Your Mug Out

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2020 48:51


We interview entomology graduate student Mika Pagani about the creepy-crawlies of our world, and talk about everything from their effects on agriculture to what the coolest bugs undoubtedly are.

S2E5: I Feel the Nafety for Safety

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2020 57:11


We're all focused on being safe right now with the threat of a pandemic bearing down upon us. But what about lab safety? We sit down with Dr. Brian Tissue to discuss safety in research, academic, and industrial settings.

S2E4: Tech In Spec

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2020 40:45


With a bit of a delay thanks to our favorite pandemic virus COVID-19, we bring you today's episode with Lee Mason on investing in technology. What are the fastest-growing tech industries and which investment opportunities are the highest risk (or even lowest risk), but highest reward?

S2E3: Making Amends with Pathogens

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2020 49:52


Why does it take so long to get a drug from the research phase to clinical trials to on the market? Why are we losing our fight against bacteria despite the use of antibiotics and hand sanitizers? How can we use microbes to do all of our drug research grunt work for us? Dr. Andrew Lowell answers all of these questions and more on today's episode!

S2E2: No Reservations About Conservation

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2020 55:59


What are the solutions to our growing energy crisis? Where are we heading in both best- and worst-case scenarios in terms of energy, climate change, and conservation efforts? What needs to change? We sit down with Dr. Joe Merola, chemistry professor at Virginia Tech, to talk about sustainable energy, both in the present and future.

S2E1: I Can Teach You, But I'd Have to Charge

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2020 49:05


We're back for Season 2 with more interviews! Today, we talk with plasma physicist Petr Cagas about fusion energy, spacecraft thrusters, and the history of plasma physics.

S2E0: The Second Season, Like It Or Not, We're Back Again

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2020 1:56


We're back for a second season! More interviews from experts! Better equipment! And most importantly, more segments!

Episode 18: Pour Some Soil On Me

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2019 35:53


We talk about the dirty truth of soil conservation with Bill Keith, including composting, no-till farming, and the price of organics.

Episode 17: Echolocation, Tequila, and Barbed Penises, Oh My!

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2019 47:16


We talk with biologist Sam Freeze about the cutest flying death on the planet: bats! We learn about their behavior, their interesting courting styles, and how important bats are to the ecosystem.

Episode 16: Making Cents Makes Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2019 64:37


We talk with Thomas Reilly about a topic sometimes considered a science, but sometimes considered an art -- finance -- and learn that the only real solution is to overthrow the system, eat the rich, and start our own religion/bank.

Episode 15: Tracking Down the Truth

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2019 33:44


We speak with tracking expert Rob Speiden of the Search & Rescue Tracking Institute, Cybertracker Conservation, and Natural Awareness Tracking School, LLC, about the science of tracking both animals and humans.

Episode 14: Bee My Aunt, But Wasp Yourself

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2019 55:45


Insects are cool. What more do you need? Completely different structures of society and different goals, the variety of these small creatures make them the masters of the world than us. Let’s take a look into the dark holes of the world and see what crawls around.

Episode 13: You Fold Me Right Round

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2019 43:24


Ebola virus? Weak. Influenza? Child’s play. The plague? Small potatoes. At least, compared to one of the most terrifying categories of diseases known to man: prions. These ruthless misfolded proteins are unstoppable killing machines, responsible for such epidemics as Mad Cow Disease. In this episode, we discuss what prions actually are, how they spread, and go over some examples of prion diseases.

Episode 12: I've Got Hungry Assassins in Wet Places

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2019 47:33


In this episode, we talk carnivorous plants. There’s more than one way to lure in sweet tasty treats. And what makes you more complete than traps to collect them all. Like a green still siren, we can look at the nectar that’s too deadly to not eat. The ultimate snack attack!

Episode 11: Static on the Radio

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2019 48:40


Where is everyone in the search for intelligent extraterrestrial life? We talk the Fermi paradox and a few of its solutions, the Drake equation, and radio telescopy. In addition, we travel to Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia to speak with scientist Ryan Lynch about his work with radio telescopy and pulsars, as well as clear up some common misconceptions about the field.

Episode 10: Thunder Clap from Down Under

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2019 36:11


In part 2 of our series on the science of fitness, we get into the effects of nutrition on performance including macronutrient balance and caloric intake. We also seek to debunk some bro-science myths that you may have heard around the gym, as well as get into an almost lustful discussion on potatoes and other carbs.

Episode 9: Body and Soul Getting Swole

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2019 37:35


Exercise: a lot of people hate it, some people love it, and a few are crazily obsessive about it. In Part 1 of this two-part series, we discuss how cardio and strength-training affect physiology and mental and physical health, as well as the science behind the fitness-building process and why lactic acid milkshakes are a bad idea.

Episode 8: Ozone in the Sky with Methane

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2019 49:04


The proof is there: the Earth is on fire and we’re causing it. But what can we do to help slow it down or even stop it? Can small, insignificant individuals make a difference? In this episode, we discuss what each of us can do to help save the planet, the biggest contributors to climate change, what we can't change, and our inevitable future consisting of roving bands of pirate ships searching for the fabled Everest Isle.

Episode 7: The Climes They Are A-Changin'

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2019 36:31


In Part 2 of our climate change series, we look into some scientific articles and case studies of the effects global warming and carbon dioxide emissions are having on our planet. From ocean acidification, ice cap melt, and sea level rise, to intense weather patterns and mass extinctions, and even a bit of introductory discussion on the worst movie ever made, we can conclude one thing: things aren’t looking so good.

Episode 6: Ice, Ice Maybe

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2019 38:48


Scientists have been warning the general public about climate change for many years, and only recently are people starting to take heed. However, there are still many opponents that decry climate change as “fake news.” In the first episode of our climate change series, we hope to educate you on the effects humans are having on not only the average global temperature, but also weather patterns, extinctions, and the overall health of the planet.

Episode 5: Ghosts in the Machine

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2019 46:16


Artificial intelligence has its steady role in sci-fi as the villainous mastermind that destroys the human race, but what are its real-life applications, both in the present and the future? We delve into the history of AI, how it works, and where it’s heading. Will AI bring humans to utopia, or will it take all of our jobs, wipe out our economy, and destroy the foundations of humanity? Wow, what a depressing thought. Alexa, play Despacito.

Episode 4: Doping Up on Dopamine

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2019 38:47


Everyone is familiar with addiction, but why do we get addicted to things? Why can we experience addiction with not only substances such as drugs, alcohol, and caffeine, but activities such as video games or shopping? We go into the psychology and chemical mechanisms of addiction, the pharmacological criteria for addiction, brain chemistry, and if it’s possible to be addicted to being naked in a river.

Episode 3: Space is Dark and Full of Terra

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 9, 2019 41:21


Everyone knows humans are destroying the Earth at a rapid pace, so why not go find another cozy planet until all of this blows over? In this episode, we talk Earth-like planets: what they are, how astronomers detect them, and the possibilities of us ever even reaching these planets. In addition, we discuss some requirements for life and a biosphere, terraforming our closest rocky neighbors, and whether we would ever undergo this multi-lightyear journey ourselves.

Episode 2: Insomniac Heart Attack

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2019 47:45


We talk about why all creatures with a psyche need sleep and the stages of non-REM and REM sleep. We touch upon dreaming, the psychological and physiological effects of sleep deprivation, and discuss some sleep disorders that are perhaps a little more poorly understood. Somehow, gremlins and leprechauns make a mention here, but don’t worry, it’s totally relevant.

Episode 1: Getting Deep in the Blue

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2019 48:40


In our first episode, we discuss terrifying creatures of the abyss, the Kraken, the Leviathan, and sea serpents, and their ties to real-life cuddly deep-sea critters. We also clear up some misconceptions about abyssal life such as the colossal squid, and are joined by marine biologist Leah Gaines Sewell, in which she answers some burning questions about animals of the deep.

Episode 00

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2019 1:39


An introduction to the Periodic Round Table.

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