Tiny Matters

In the early hours of January 7, 2022, David Bennett was out of options. At just 57 years old, he was bedridden, on life support, and in desperate need of a heart transplant for which he was ineligible. Yet Bennett would go on to live for two more months — not with a human heart, but with a heart from a pig. David Bennett was the first case of a pig heart being transplanted into a human, an example of xenotransplantation — when the cells, tissues or organs from one species are transplanted into another. In the United States, over 100,000 kids and adults are currently on the national transplant waiting list, and every day around 17 people on that list die while waiting. In today's episode, we cover the science and historical research that made Bennett’s transplant possible, and what doctors learned from him that helped the next heart xenotransplant recipient, Lawrence Faucette, live even longer. We also get into some of the ethics conversations surrounding xenotransplantation work — not just questions about the use of animals like pigs and baboons, but experiments with recently deceased, i.e. brain dead, people.Check out Jyoti Madhusoodanan's Undark story, "The Allure and Dangers of Experimenting With Brain-Dead Bodies" here. Her JAMA story we mention, also on xenotransplantion, is here.Send us your science stories/factoids/news for a chance to be featured on an upcoming Tiny Show and Tell Us episode and to be entered to win a Tiny Matters coffee mug! And, while you're at it, subscribe to our newsletter at bit.ly/tinymattersnewsletter.Links to the Tiny Show & Tell stories are here and here. Pick up a Tiny Matters mug here! All Tiny Matters transcripts 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.

Anne Hilden, a chemistry enthusiast and scriptwriter for Headline Science, joins the discussion. They unveil the exciting discovery of nitroplasts, organelles with the potential to transform agriculture. The conversation takes a whimsical turn as they explore 1930s poetry by chemists, even those inspired by a few drinks! Additionally, they delve into a historical chemical map of North America, celebrating its role in revealing the origins of medicinal ingredients. It's a delightful blend of science and creativity that you won't want to miss!

In this enlightening discussion, Alex Danis, a science communicator and video producer, teams up with Beth Connerty, a regional innovation officer specializing in fermentation technologies. They delve into the world of precision fermentation, showcasing how microbes are revolutionizing food and medication production. From dairy-free milk to insulin, they explore the potential of these tiny factories. The duo also tackles the critical role of public perception and effective communication in fostering acceptance of these innovative products. Discover how framing can reshape our views on sustainability versus naturalness!

Could dark energy be more dynamic than we thought? In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we cover a recent dark energy discovery that has us contemplating what the end of the universe might look like, and then we delve into if hydrangeas can actually absorb water through their petals (ahem, sepals).We need your stories — they're what make these episodes possible! Write in to tinymatters@acs.org *or fill out this form* with your favorite science fact or science news story you found captivating for a chance to be featured in a future episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics is two short days away. As over 10,000 athletes gather in Paris, France, anticipation builds. But that anticipation is not just for the next 19 days of fierce competition, it’s also for the Seine. The Seine River is set to host events including the 10 kilometer marathon swim and the triathlon, but as the Games approached, much of the testing showed that the Seine was still teeming with dangerous levels of E. coli and other bacteria. And a lot of people are asking, "why is this river so dirty?" In today’s episode, we’re going to get into the interesting history of how people have dealt with sewage, from Mesopotamia times to today, and how the Seine, as well as a river Sam knows well — the Potomac — are trying to clean up their acts. We'll dive into questions like, 'Will it ever be legal to swim in the Potomac?' 'Did Thomas Crapper actually invent the cra... um, toilet?' 'How do you clean up dilapidated old mines that are poisoning a river?' and more. Send us your science stories/factoids/news here for a chance to be featured on an upcoming Tiny Show and Tell Us episode and to be entered to win a Tiny Matters coffee mug!Subscribe to our newsletter at bit.ly/tinymattersnewsletterLinks to the Tiny Show & Tell stories are here and here. Pick up a Tiny Matters mug here! All Tiny Matters transcripts 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.

In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we cover a recent story about how spending time outdoors can help keep kids from becoming nearsighted and the mysterious absence of skeletons at the site of the Battle of Waterloo despite over 10,000 soldiers dying (and how the beet sugar industry may have played a gruesome role).Here's a link to 'Bones of contention: the industrial exploitation of human bones in the modern age' by Bernard Wilkin and Robin Schäfer.We need your stories — they're what make these episodes possible! Write in to tinymatters@acs.org *or fill out this form* with your favorite science fact or science news story you found captivating for a chance to be featured in a future episode and WIN a Tiny Matters coffee mug!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

John Rogers, a professor at Northwestern University, discusses cutting-edge sweat monitoring technology that optimizes hydration for athletes. Christine Yu, a journalist and author, emphasizes the historical neglect of women in sports science. They explore how improved gear design, including a new bike saddle for female athletes, addresses long-standing issues. This includes tackling discomfort that led many to undergo labiaplasties. The conversation highlights the importance of data-driven innovations in enhancing athletic performance and health.

We have exciting news! This Wednesday, July 10th, Tiny Matters is launching a newsletter! It will come out every 2 weeks, so about twice a month. We will not spam you, promise. You can subscribe at bit.ly/tinymattersnewsletter.So what will be in this newsletter you may ask? Well, it will of course alert you to the latest episodes, providing you some additional details here and there. We'll also share fun Tiny Matters video clips, tell you about recent science discoveries we can't stop thinking about, provide future episode teasers, get your input, let you know about any upcoming mug raffles, maybe share a pet photo or two... and really just have fun interacting with this community. We (Sam and Deboki) want to get to know you all better and we want you to get to know us!Every subscription we get means a lot to us. We spend a lot of time on this podcast and all of the content surrounding it, and knowing that we're reaching our listeners is the best feeling!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Discover how parrotfish contribute to sandy beaches with their unique feeding habits and poop, maintaining a humorous vibe. Dive into the fascinating science behind how our bodies adjust to high altitudes, thanks to a molecule called 2,3-BPG, which helps improve oxygen delivery. Uncover the intricate adaptations humans undergo during pregnancy and exercise, as well as the impacts of oxygen regulation on athletic performance. Listeners are encouraged to share their own science stories to be featured!

Standard reference materials — or SRMs — at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) serve as standards for many food, beverage, health, industrial and other products. There are over a thousand SRMs including peanut butter, house dust, dry cat food, soy milk, blueberries, stainless steel, fertilizer, and a DNA profiling standard. SRMs help make products safer and ensure that consumers are getting what they think they’re getting. But how do they work exactly?In this episode of Tiny Matters, Sam and Deboki cover SRMs that are helping us accurately detect toxic substances like lead and pesticides in our house dust, fight seafood fraud, and keep PFAS out of our meat. Sam also travels to the NIST headquarters outside of Washington, DC to get a behind the scenes tour of how SRMs are made. She even gets a chance to snoop around the warehouse where SRMs are stored.Email us your science stories/factoids/news that you want to share at tinymatters@acs.org for a chance to be featured on Tiny Show and Tell Us!Tiny Matters has a YouTube channel! Full-length audio episodes can be found here. And to see video of Sam, Deboki, and episode guests, check out Tiny Matters YouTube shorts here. A video showing 'beef snow' and a bunch of other SRMs is here.Links to the Tiny Show & Tell stories are here and here. Pick up a Tiny Matters mug here! All Tiny Matters transcripts 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.