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Albert Einstein married his cousin and Marie Curie had a pet tiger. What else did the science textbooks miss?! Join Aarati and Arpita as they dig up the tea on scientists and inventors throughout history!

Aarati & Arpita

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    • May 21, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 53m AVG DURATION
    • 35 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Smart Tea

    Gustaf Dalén: Illuminating Lighthouses

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2025 61:37 Transcription Available


    Send us a textFor someone who was literally blinded by science, Gustaf remained optimistic. And why shouldn't he have been? He saved countless lives and won the Nobel prize by improving lighthouses. And he set a new standard in home cooking!Support the showFor more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Kristian Birkeland: The Aurora Borealis Adventurer

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2025 64:13 Transcription Available


    Send us a textMeet the scientist whose discoveries led to him almost winning the Nobel Prize SEVEN times. From the Aurora Borealis, to electromagnetic cannons, to fertilizer, the impact Kristian Birkeland had on science cannot be overstated.Support the showFor more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    adventurers aurora borealis kristian birkeland
    Dr. William Dement: The Sleep Doctor

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2025 59:27


    Send us a textWe spend about 33% of our lives sleeping but during that time, our brain is still incredibly active. In this episode, we talk about Dr. William Dement, the Stanford professor who set up the first sleep clinics to study what is goes on while we are dreaming.Support the showFor more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Roxie Laybourne: The Feather Inspector

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2025 62:36


    Any pilot will tell you, bird strikes are unfortunately a common occurrence. But thanks to Roxie's work, the skies are less dangerous for airplanes and our flying feathered friends. Aarati tells her story and introduces Maria, the new podcast co-host!For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Dr. Santiago Ramon y Cajal: The Artistic Neuroscientist

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2025 66:31 Transcription Available


    From wild child to a Nobel laureate! Aarati tells the story of the artistic scientist whose beautifully intricate drawings unraveled the secrets of the brain.For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    An Announcement! + Dr. José Manuel Rodríguez Delgado: The Mind Controller

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2025 61:06 Transcription Available


    Mind control is more than science fiction! Arpita tells the story of a scientist who could make charging bulls stop dead in their tracks and cats lick at invisible bowls of milk. For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Dr. Elmer S. Imes: The Quantum Spectroscopist

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2025 53:09 Transcription Available


    What causes a quantum jump? Aarati tells the story of Dr. Elmer Imes, a Harlem Renaissance man who proved that the rotation and vibration of molecules is quantized. For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Jacques Piccard: The Deep Sea Diver

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2025 54:20 Transcription Available


    The Mariana Trench is the deepest and least explored part of our oceans. Hold your breath while Arpita tells the story of the first scientist to make the harrowing journey into the deep. For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Dr. Charles Richter: Measuring Earthquakes

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2025 59:18 Transcription Available


    From tiny tremors to catastrophic disasters, earthquakes are a difficult phenomenon to measure. Aarati tells the story of Charles Richter, a man who wanted to study the stars, but ended up studying the literal earth instead.For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Jack Parsons: The Troubled Rocket Scientist

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2025 61:21 Transcription Available


    Happy new year! We're starting 2025 with an EXPLOSIVE episode! Arpita tells the story of Jack Parsons, the founder of JPL, who had some dark and unexpected interests. For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Wilson Bentley: The Snowflake Man

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2024 34:07 Transcription Available


    Taking photographs of microscopic snow crystals is an art. Aarati tells the story of the man who braved blizzards in his obsession to capture the beauty of snowflakes.For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Dr. Brigitte Askonas: The Mother of Immunology

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2024 50:14 Transcription Available


    From antibodies to killer T cells, there isn't a part of the immune system Brigitte didn't study. Aarati tells the story of a true pioneer in immunology.For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Dr. Harvey Washington Wiley: Founder of the FDA

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2024 44:48 Transcription Available


    Would you drink embalmed milk?! Arpita tells the story of the scientist who cracked down on harmful preservatives and additives in food and started the FDA.For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Dr. Wilhelm Röntgen: Discovering X-rays

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2024 47:58 Transcription Available


    As soon as X-rays were discovered, scientists realized the potential they had to revolutionize healthcare. Aarati tells the story of the very first physicist who won the Nobel Prize.For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Dr. Bennet Omalu: The NFL Whistleblower

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2024 52:46 Transcription Available


    It's football season! Arpita tells the story of a pathologist who publicized some of the dangers facing NFL players. Come for the football, stay for Dr. Omalu's surprising motives. For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Dr. John B. Watson: The Fear Psychologist

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2024 54:59 Transcription Available


    Are rats and spiders actually scary or have you just been conditioned to think so? Aarati tells the story of a controversial psychologist whose "Little Albert" experiment on fear went a bit too far. For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Svetlana Mosjov: The Unsung Ozempic Hero

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2024 55:54 Transcription Available


    Ozempic and Wegovy are everywhere, but there is one scientist who has been left out of all the news articles. Arpita tells the story of a female immigrant scientist whose discoveries were the key in creating these wonder drugs. For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Percy Spencer: Microwaves and Magnetrons

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2024 51:36 Transcription Available


    One person's curiosity can change the world! Aarati tells the story of a grade school dropout whose drive to learn how things work resulted in the invention of the microwave oven. For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Dr. Alexander "Sasha" Shulgin: Psychedelic Pioneer

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2024 61:34 Transcription Available


    Arpita is back with another story in the series on psychedelics. MDMA has an interesting history, but could it have a future in mental health treatment as well? For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Dr. Charles Drew: The Blood Banker

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2024 52:51 Transcription Available


    Blood transfusions were a risky business until this athlete turned surgeon came along. Aarati tells the story of a literal bloody genius!For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Ettore Majorana: The Case of the Missing Physicist

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2024 53:05 Transcription Available


    Arpita tells the story of a brilliant physicist who disappeared under mysterious circumstances. True crime, anyone?!For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Stephanie Kwolek: The Queen of Kevlar

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2024 52:50 Transcription Available


    You don't need to be a doctor to save lives! Aarati goes into the life of a headstrong fashion designer-turned-chemist, who created polymer based fabrics like spandex, polyester, and Kevlar.For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    kevlar stephanie kwolek
    Albert Hofmann: The Science and Culture of LSD

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2024 70:01 Transcription Available


    An unlikely chemist makes an even unlikelier discovery. Arpita tells the story of how Albert Hofmann brought LSD (and a very memorable bicycle ride) to the western world. For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Wilbur Scoville: The Spicy Pharmacist

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2024 60:52 Transcription Available


    We're heating things up! Aarati tells the story of the pharmacist who created a scale to rate the spiciness of chili peppers. For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Dmitri Belyaev: Taming Silver Foxes

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2024 68:13 Transcription Available


    How did dogs become our best friends? For our 10th episode, Aarati tells the story of Dmitri Belyaev, a Soviet scientist who used foxes to uncover the mysteries of domestication.For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Guy Callendar: How Humans Affect the Climate

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2024 62:40 Transcription Available


    Who says you need a fancy lab to do science? Aarati tells the story of the man who showed human activity was influencing the climate from the comfort of his own home. For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Hedy Lamarr: The Avant-Garde Starlet

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2024 48:50 Transcription Available


    Arpita tells the story of one of the most glamorous movie stars of the early 20th century whose invention changed the way we communicate and laid the foundation for Wi-Fi.  For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Emmy Noether: The Power of Symmetry

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2024 60:11 Transcription Available


    Meet the female mathematician who Einstein thought was a genius! Aarati takes a stab at explaining Noether's Theorem and the underlying mathematical symmetries of our universe.For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Élie Metchnikoff: The Quest for Immortality

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2024 43:58 Transcription Available


    Is there a way to stay forever young? Arpita tells the story of a Nobel Prize winning scientist who uncovered the truth about our immune system and chased immortality. For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Alice Ball: Extracting a Treatment for Leprosy

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2024 46:11 Transcription Available


    Description: HERstory prevailed! Aarati tells the story of a young chemist who extracted a treatment for leprosy and only received credit for her achievement decades after her mysterious death. For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

    Dr. Patricia Bath: Eye Doctor Extraordinaire

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2024 44:32 Transcription Available


    Arpita tells the story of a scientist and inventor who kept her EYES on the prize! She crashed through glass ceilings while staying true to her roots. For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com. 

    Lord Joseph Lister: The Sanitary Surgeon

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2024 56:15 Transcription Available


    DON'T break a leg... especially in the Victorian Era. Aarati tells the story of the surgeon who changed medical care forever with his antiseptic method. For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com. 

    William Buckland: The First Dinosaur Fossil

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2024 48:11 Transcription Available


    Hyenas and dinosaurs and bears, oh my! Arpita tells the story of the eccentric clergyman who wrote the first account of a dinosaur fossil and laid the foundations of geology and paleontology.For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com. 

    Alfred Nobel: An Explosive Innovator

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2023 45:53 Transcription Available


    We're starting out with a BANG! In our very first episode, Aarati tells the story of the man who invented dynamite and used the fortune he made to found the Nobel Prizes. For more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com. 

    Smart Tea Trailer

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2023 1:03 Transcription Available


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