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Tiny Matters

Latest episodes

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Apr 2, 2025 • 28min

How 18th and 19th century 'race science' still has deadly medical consequences today

In the 1700s and early 1800s scientists from Europe and the Americas were studying what they called "race science," a pseudoscientific field of study promoting the idea that humans could be divided into separate and unequal races. Biases stemming from race science have influenced medicine for hundreds of years, and still have deadly consequences today. In this episode of Tiny Matters, we tackle some of these consequences, where they get their roots, and what people like our guest — physician and science communicator Joel Bervell — are doing to raise awareness and incite change.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!Link to the Tiny Show & Tell stories are here and here. 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.
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Mar 26, 2025 • 13min

[BONUS] Crocheted wasp nests and sewage in reefs: Tiny Show and Tell Us #19

In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we discuss if a crocheted wasp nest could actually attract wasps and keep them from invading your property. Then we talk about how sewage is impacting the resilience of coral reefs.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Mar 19, 2025 • 31min

The rape kit: From controversial 1970s invention to ending the backlog today

In the 1970s, the rape kit began as a simple box with some envelopes, a comb, nail clippers, and a few other basic tools. The contents of the kit have evolved somewhat since then, but the technology to analyze samples has evolved astronomically. And, through and through, the rape kit has stood for the idea that every survivor has the right to go to a hospital, get a full forensic exam, and have their evidence taken seriously. On today's episode, we talk about how the rape kit became a reality and the woman who championed the rape kit into the tool it is today. We also discuss what the future of the rape kit could look like, how the rape kit backlog has grown of out control in some states, and what activists are doing about it.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!Link to the Tiny Show & Tell stories are here and here. 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.
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Mar 12, 2025 • 11min

[BONUS] Double rainbows and mysterious chromosomes: Tiny Show and Tell Us #18

In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we cover the science of rainbows and why double rainbows are always mirror images. Then we talk about mysterious, yet super common, chromosomes called Robertsonian chromosomes that seem to have a significant impact on human health.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Mar 5, 2025 • 34min

Not just a ‘royal disease’: Hemophilia’s devastating past to recent advances

Hemophilia is a rare bleeding disorder caused by a deficiency in clotting factors in the blood, which can cause permanent damage to joints and, in some cases, life threatening bleeding, both externally and internally. Today, people with hemophilia can live generally long, healthy lives, but in previous generations, the future wasn’t so bright. In fact, less than a century ago the life expectancy for someone with hemophilia hovered around just 10 years. It doesn’t receive much attention, and when it does, what you hear might not be all that accurate. In today’s episode, we cover the history of hemophilia and the science behind treatments over the decades, including the devastating impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on hemophilia patients. We’ll also clear up several misconceptions, including one that seems to show up a lot in popular culture: that hemophilia is a "royal disease.” 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!Link to the Tiny Show & Tell stories are here and here. 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.
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Feb 26, 2025 • 15min

[BONUS] Fungus farming ants and disappointing orange juice: Tiny Show and Tell Us #17

In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we cover the incredible world of fungus farming ants and how it really needs to be a Pixar movie. Then we talk about what makes fresh squeezed juice taste so much better than the mass produced processed juices you pick up in the grocery store. 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.
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Feb 19, 2025 • 28min

How plants shaped our world: Rising oxygen, blocky bones, and other pivotal moments in evolution

In the summer of 2011, paleontologist and science writer Riley Black was on a mission. Walking through the Montana desert, she was on the lookout for a Tyrannosaurus rex. But that day, she wasn’t having any luck. Sitting atop a rock, she pulled out a geological hammer, sometimes called a rock pick, to dislodge a little piece and try to discern its composition. What she saw was a leaf, but upon closer inspection realized it was in fact the fossil of a leaf. As it turned out, finding it likely provided so much more information than if she had come across the dinosaur. In this episode of Tiny Matters, we explore the complex and essential relationship between plants and animals across evolution and some of the pivotal moments that allowed humans to exist and that led to the world we live in today. 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!Link to the Tiny Show & Tell stories are here and here. 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.
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Feb 12, 2025 • 16min

[BONUS] 'Night soil' recycling and could viruses be the new antibiotics?: Tiny Show and Tell Us #16

In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we consider if bacteriophages could become our biggest allies in the fight against antibiotic resistance. Then we cover the historical role of "night soil men" and how some sewage treatment systems today are setting the standard for sustainable management of human excrement while also making sure we don't get sick. 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.
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Feb 5, 2025 • 30min

Can evolution go backwards?

In 1893, Belgian paleontologist Louis Dollo suggested that evolution can’t go backwards in the exact same way that it proceeded. This became known as “Dollo’s Law,” and came under a lot of scrutiny. But, more recently, Dollo’s Law was co-opted into the idea that traits, once they gain a certain amount of complexity, can’t return to a simpler state. In this episode of Tiny Matters, we explore two exciting examples where scientists have found that not to be the case. 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!Link to the Tiny Show & Tell story is here. 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.
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Jan 29, 2025 • 16min

[BONUS] Four armadillos in a trench coat and does pregnancy boost your sense of smell?: Tiny Show and Tell Us #15

In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we cover a species of armadillo that, as it turns out, is actually four species. Then we discuss what researchers know about if pregnant people have a better sense of smell.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.

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