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Tiny Matters

Multitude

Science shapes every facet of our lives, but so much of its influence is overlooked or buried in the past. Tiny Matters is an award-winning science podcast about the small science of big things. From the microbes behind deadly diseases to the molecules informing our search for extraterrestrial life, hosts and former scientists Sam Jones and Deboki Chakravarti embrace the awe and messiness of science and its significance both today and in the past, asking questions like, "Can you de-extinct a species?," "Will we ever live on Mars?," and "After decades, why don't we have a cure for HIV?"

Tiny Matters is created by the American Chemical Society, a non-profit scientific organization based in Washington, D.C., and is produced by Multitude. New episodes every Wednesday, wherever you listen to podcasts.

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  • 42 episodes
  • Avg 26 min
  • English

Episodes 42

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  • April 8 · 16 min

    [BONUS] Camel antibodies and colorful Greco-Roman statues: Tiny Show and Tell Us #44

    In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we explore the strange world of camelid antibodies—tiny, heavy-chain-only immune molecules that turned out to be incredibly useful for research and medicine. Then we chat about archaeochemistry and how pristine white Greco-Roman statues were once "garishly" painted. Using modern chemical techniques, scientists are revealing traces of vivid pigments like Egyptian blue. But how definitive are these reconstructions? Drama! Check out Wow if True here or wherever you listen to podcasts! We need your stories — they're what make these bonus episodes possible! Write in to tinymatters@acs.org *or fill out this form* with your favorite science fact or science news story for a chance to be featured. A transcript and references for this episode can be found at acs.org/tinymatters. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  • #106
    April 1 · 42 min

    Stinky white gold, Haber-Bosch, and ‘peecycling’: How fertilizer shapes our world

    Fertilizer… boring? Not on our watch! In this episode of Tiny Matters, we trace the history of fertilizer from the ‘Guano Wars’ to the invention of the Haber-Bosch process, one of the most impactful chemical breakthroughs in human history. Today, scientists and communities are rethinking how we handle nutrients, and asking: could our own urine help close the nutrient loop? We chat with chemist Leila Duman about why nitrogen is so hard to “fix,” how industrial fertilizer feeds billions (while unfortunately polluting waterways), and why the Haber-Bosch process is still essentially perfect. Then we head to Vermont’s Rich Earth Institute, where researchers are turning human urine into safe, effective fertilizer and reimagining waste as a resource. Check out Pale Blue pod! Send us your science facts, news, or other stories for a chance to be featured on an upcoming Tiny Show and Tell Us bonus episode. And, while you're at it, subscribe to our newsletter! All Tiny Matters transcripts and references are available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Showing 41–42 of 42 episodes