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Big Biology

Big Biology

By Art Woods, Cam Ghalambor, and Marty Martin

The biggest biology podcast for the biggest science and biology fans. Featuring in-depth discussions with scientists tackling the biggest questions in evolution, genetics, ecology, climate, neuroscience, diseases, the origins of life, psychology and more. If it's biological, groundbreaking, philosophical or mysterious you'll find it here.
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Ep 36: Intentional Evolution

Big BiologyFeb 27, 2020

00:00
01:38:48
 Dog in the Machine (Ep 118)

Dog in the Machine (Ep 118)

How should biologists deal with the massive amounts of population genetic data that are now routinely available? Will AIs make biologists obsolete?

In this episode, we talk with Andy Kern, an Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Oregon. Andy has spent much of his career applying machine learning methods in population genetics. We talk with him about the fundamental questions that population genetics aims to answer and about older theoretical and empirical approaches  We then turn to the promise of machine learning methods, which are increasingly being used to estimate population genetic structure, patterns of  migration, and the geographic origins of trafficked samples. These methods are powerful because they can leverage high dimensional genomic data. Andy also talks about the implications of AI and machine learning for the future of biology research. 

Cover Art by Keating Shahmehri. Find a transcript of this episode at our website.

Mar 21, 202446:03
The time of your life (Ep 117)

The time of your life (Ep 117)

How should we study complex biological networks? How do cells keep time and stay in sync? What does it mean for a network to be resilient?

In this episode, we talk with Rosemary Braun, Associate Professor at Northwestern University in the Department of Molecular Biosciences and a member of the NSF-Simons Center for Quantitative Biology. Rosemary is broadly interested in learning whether “more is different” when it comes to complex molecular networks operating across different temporal and spatial scales. We talk with her about systems approaches to uncovering the “Rules of Life” and about circadian (daily) rhythms. She and her team use machine learning to understand emergent phenomena in networks, with the goal of helping medical professionals target treatments based on an individual patient’s circadian rhythm.

Cover art: Keating Shahmehri. Find a transcript of this episode on our website.

Mar 07, 202457:17
Rewilding biology (Ep 116)

Rewilding biology (Ep 116)

How do biologists strike a productive balance between descriptive natural history and manipulative experiments in the lab or field? Should we bring back species to areas where they’ve gone extinct and what values do we use to make these decisions? What is wildness and how do we cultivate it?

On this episode, we talk with Harry Greene, a herpetologist and adjunct professor of Integrative Biology at the University of Texas at Austin, whose distinguished career has spanned decades. Harry is an E.O. Wilson Award recipient and also received the PEN Literary award for his book, Snakes: The Evolution of Mystery in Nature. In the episode, we talk with Harry about the importance of natural history to biology. We also tackle the topic of rewilding, a type of biological restoration that involves translocating species where they still occur to regions where they no longer are found, in order to restore ecosystem function. Harry talks about how his views on rewilding have changed over time, including how rewilding ourselves could improve our health and happiness


Cover art: Keating Shahmehri. Find a transcript of this episode on our website.

Feb 22, 202401:07:22
Does a porpoise have a purpose? Agency and goals in evolution (Ep 115)

Does a porpoise have a purpose? Agency and goals in evolution (Ep 115)

What is an agent, and does an organism have to be conscious to be one? How does organismal agency affect evolution?

In this episode, we talk with Samir Okasha, a Professor of Philosophy of Science at the University of Bristol. Samir studies fundamental philosophical questions in evolutionary biology, most notably how selection acts on various levels of biological organization. Our discussion focuses on his book “Agents and Goals in Evolution,” in which he unpacks various definitions of agency and outlines their evolutionary implications. We talk about whether genes and groups of individuals can be agents, whether agency is heritable, where variation in agency comes from, and the relationship between agency and adaptation.

Cover art: Keating Shahmehri. Find a transcript of this episode on our website.

Feb 08, 202401:09:43
Follow the data: the search for COVID’s origin (Ep 105)

Follow the data: the search for COVID’s origin (Ep 105)

On this episode, we talk with Alina Chan, postdoc at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and co-author with Matt Ridley of Viral: The Search for the Origin of COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 could have plausibly jumped into humans in Wuhan via one of two paths. The first is zoonotic transfer from wild bats to humans, possibly via an intermediate animal host. The second is some kind of lab accident: researchers working on a SARS-CoV-2-like virus accidentally became infected with it and then transmitted it to others in Wuhan. Although early discussions among virologists reached the consensus that the origin was almost surely zoonotic, more recent discussions have started to take the lab-leak theory seriously. Unfortunately, we still lack conclusive evidence in support of either hypothesis. And, as public leaders have co-opted the investigation for nonscientific reasons, the subject of COVID’s origin has become practically taboo.

Alina’s approach is to “follow the data,” leaving no stone unturned, and we believe that it is our responsibility as scientists to do the same. We talk to Alina about her book, as well as the many new things that have been revealed about COVID’s origins since its 2021 publication. Towards the end of the chat, we discuss the implications of what we’ve learned about SARS-CoV-2 for how we should prepare for and deal with future pandemics.

We hope that this episode inspires you to seek the best possible explanation of COVID origins. Please write to info@bigbiology.org and tell us what you think, and share with friends and family. 

Cover art: Keating Shahmehri

Feb 02, 202401:25:19
Cooperation versus conflict and the path to multicellularity (Ep 107)

Cooperation versus conflict and the path to multicellularity (Ep 107)

How can we reconcile the evolutionary problem of cooperation? What can social amoebae tell us about the origins of multicellularity?

In this episode, we talk to Joan Strassmann and David Queller, professors at Washington University in St. Louis, about the evolution of cooperation and conflict. From social insects to humans, we can find instances of individuals seemingly sacrificing fitness for the good of the group. But, truly altruistic behavior poses a problem for evolutionary biologists because it challenges the assumption that natural selection favors individuals over groups. We talk with Joan and David about their work with the social amoeba, Dictyostelium discoideum. This species is known for its remarkable developmental cycle: when there is no more to eat, the starving amoebae aggregate into a slug-like organism, which then forms a fruiting body that releases spores in hopes of dispersing to a better place. The problem, evolutionarily, is that only a fraction of the cells in the fruiting body get to live on through offspring. This facultative lifestyle and the ability to combine genetically different cells makes D. discoideum a prime study species for understanding how relatedness impacts cooperation and conflict and the possible origins of multicellular organisms.

Towards the end of the episode, we also talk about Joan’s new book Slow Birding: The Art and Science of Enjoying the Birds in Your Own Backyard.

Cover art: Keating Shahmehri. Find a transcript of this episode on ⁠our website⁠.

Feb 02, 202401:11:52
How power explains the history of life (Ep 114)

How power explains the history of life (Ep 114)

If the tape of life were replayed, how recognizable would today’s species and ecosystems be? How and why does power increase over evolutionary time? How have humans unleashed so much power, and what are the consequences of that power for life on Earth? 

In this episode, we talk with Geerat Vermeij, a paleoecologist and evolutionary biologist in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at UC Davis. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, and has published over 200 papers and five books. Our conversation focuses on his most recent book: “The Evolution of Power: A New Understanding of the History of Life.” In it, he asserts that power, the amount of energy an organism can take up or expend per unit time, has increased steadily during the history of life on Earth. On the episode, we discuss the idea of power, how species evolve more power, and how humans have unleashed more power than any other species (and whether we need to work on curbing this power). 


Cover art: Keating Shahmehri. Find a transcript of this episode on our website.

Jan 25, 202457:48
Cephalopods: aliens among us (Ep 113)

Cephalopods: aliens among us (Ep 113)

How are cephalopods like us, but also completely alien? How can they become so intelligent when they have such short lives? How do they coordinate a distributed set of brains?

In this episode, we talk with Danna Staaf, a science communicator and marine biologist with a lifelong love of cephalopods. Danna earned a PhD from Stanford University studying baby squid, and she has written several cephalopod-themed books. Our conversation focuses on Danna’s most recent, The Lives of Octopuses and Their Relatives: A Natural History of Cephalopods, a beautiful exploration of the diversity of these wacky, wonderful creatures. We discuss cephalopod evolution, morphology, and reproduction, focusing on several fun facts that you can pull out at your next dinner party.

Cover art: Keating Shahmehri. Find a transcript of this episode on our website.


Jan 11, 202401:09:22
The Entangled Organism (Ep 112)

The Entangled Organism (Ep 112)

Does biological plasticity have a cost? Are there evolutionary consequences of plasticity and of organisms acting on their environments?

In this episode, we talk with Sonia Sultan, the Alan M. Dachs Professor of Science in the Department of Biology at Wesleyan University. Sonia has spent her career studying the interplay between organisms and their environment. Specifically, she studies how environmental conditions influence the development of organisms, and when and how these developmental trajectories can include niche construction. Sonia refers to this complexity as “entanglement,” genes and environments working together to alter phenotypic expression, but then variation in phenotypic expression feeds back on environments and genes to alter evolution. She put this perspective to the test in a recent paper she coauthored with Mike Wade in the Journal Evolution & Development. In it, Sonia and Mike took a new perspective on the Price equation, finding that niche construction and other forms of organismal agency can change evolutionary outcomes.


Cover art: Keating Shahmehri. Find a transcript of this episode on our website.

Dec 14, 202301:20:46
Evolution of the Invaders (Ep 111)

Evolution of the Invaders (Ep 111)

How do small, founding populations establish and thrive in new places? What is biocontrol, and how is it carried out responsibly?

In this episode, we talk with Ruth Hufbauer, a Professor of Applied Evolutionary Ecology at Colorado State University about the ways that organisms successfully establish new populations in new places. Ruth uses lab experiments on Tribolium flour beetles to understand how evolution facilitates or impedes the founding of populations. In our conversation with Ruth, we discuss range expansions, species invasions, and biocontrol among other topics. Biocontrol is of particular interest to Ruth, as it can be an effective way to control pests, but also comes with some risks that the control agents themselves get out of control. We also explore the genetic paradox of invasion, and talk about many potential mechanisms that could help populations to quickly spread to a new place.


Cover art: Keating Shahmehri. Find a transcript of this episode on our website.

Dec 13, 202301:04:26
Tempest in a barcode: how rapidly can we (and should we) identify new species? (Ep 110)

Tempest in a barcode: how rapidly can we (and should we) identify new species? (Ep 110)

How do biologists categorize species? What’s the best and quickest way to describe millions of unknown species?

On this episode, we talk with Michael Sharkey, an entomologist and taxonomist who spent much of his career at the University of Kentucky, and is now the director of the Hymenoptera Institute. Since its inception, taxonomy has relied on careful morphological analysis of specimens to delineate species. In the past few decades, the COI “barcode” region of the mitochondrial genome has become a key additional piece of genetic evidence used to characterize species. In a much-discussed 2021 paper, Michael and colleagues used barcoding to identify over 400 new species of braconid wasps. The backlash from scientists who adhere to traditional taxonomic methods was swift, and at times harsh, with critics claiming that relying primarily on COI to define species is simply unacceptable. Sharkey, however, remains convinced that taxonomy should embrace molecular tools, especially because millions of species are yet to be discovered and rates of extinction are ramping up. We talk with Michael about how many insect species there are, how barcoding can make taxonomy accessible to more scientists, and what the future of taxonomy might look like. 

Cover art: Keating Shahmehri. Find a transcript of this episode on our website.

Nov 30, 202359:39
Nothing in biology makes sense except through time (Ep 109)

Nothing in biology makes sense except through time (Ep 109)

How do living things exert agency in a world of strict physical and chemical laws? Do humans have free will? 

In this episode, we talk with Kevin Mitchell, an Associate Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin. The question of free will has been debated for decades by thinkers in physics, philosophy, psychology, and, more recently, biology. In his new book, Free Agents: How Evolution Gave Us Free Will, Kevin argues that agency is a fundamental characteristic of living systems and is essential for survival. In the episode, we discuss how agency emerges despite constraints imposed by basic physical and chemical principles, and how agency confers on organisms the power to shape both themselves and their environments. We also discuss practical approaches to studying agency by leveraging new technologies and by seeing through underlying assumptions and traditional reductionism. 

Cover Art: Keating Shahmehri. Find a transcript of this episode on our website.

Nov 02, 202301:11:34
The dialectical biologists: challenges of studying evolution in nature (Ep 108)

The dialectical biologists: challenges of studying evolution in nature (Ep 108)

How has evolutionary biology evolved over time? What does it take to study evolution in natural populations?


On this episode, we talk with Erik Svensson, an evolutionary biologist at Lund University, Sweden. Historically, evolutionary theory has focused largely on population and quantitative genetics, but the complexity of interactions between genetic variation, organisms, and their environments poses challenges to testing the theory in nature. In a recent perspective, Erik revisits a landmark 1983 paper by Russ Lande and Steven Arnold, “The measurement of selection on correlated characters,” that fundamentally altered how evolutionary biologists study evolution in natural populations. Erik digs into that transition and into the ongoing challenges of studying evolution in the wild. Yet, some biologists argue that such approaches fail to capture phenomena such as phenotypic plasticity, niche construction and epigenetic inheritance, and have called for an even broader update to evolutionary theory. We discuss whether it will be possible to develop a single cohesive theory of life, drawing from Erik’s research and from our own conversations with past guests.


Cover art: Keating Shahmehri. Find a transcript of this episode on our website.

Oct 19, 202301:05:55
Long-term experimental evolution in the wild (Ep 106)

Long-term experimental evolution in the wild (Ep 106)

Can we predict evolutionary outcomes if we know starting conditions? Do the products of evolution in nature differ from those studied in well-controlled lab experiments?

On this episode, we talk to Katie Peichel, head of the Division of Evolutionary Ecology at the University of Bern, Switzerland, and Andrew Hendry, professor in the Department of Biology at McGill University, Canada. Katie and Andrew are part of a massive research team working on the evolution of threespine sticklebacks as they are reintroduced into lakes in Alaska. Sticklebacks have been a favorite species for evolutionary biologists since almost the origins of modern evolutionary theory. Traits like spine size and lateral plate armor evolve rapidly when populations colonize new habitats, leading populations to barely resemble one another. Unlike traditional evolutionary experiments, which try to infer what occurred in the past, the Alaska  project is tracking in unparalleled detail changes in the phenotypes and genotypes of fish that went into each lake population. 

We talk to Katie and Andrew about the origins of this incredible project, the pros and cons of different approaches to studying evolution, and the need for long-term experimental studies of evolution in the wild. This is the first of a series of episodes we will be doing on the Alaskan research project, so stay tuned!

Cover art: Keating Shahmehri

Sep 21, 202301:07:54
Big Bio Bonus Episode: We’re Hiring!
Aug 15, 202315:02
Little Biology: Why can’t I regrow my arm?
Jun 29, 202310:09
Sleeping beauties: the mystery of dormant innovations in nature and culture (Ep 104)

Sleeping beauties: the mystery of dormant innovations in nature and culture (Ep 104)

Where does biological innovation come from? Why do some innovations wait millions of years for their spotlight?

Life must constantly innovate for evolution to occur, but many forms of biological innovation often lie dormant, sometimes for millions of years. In this episode, we speak to Andreas Wagner about his recent book, Sleeping Beauties: The Mystery of Dormant Innovations in Nature and Culture. Andreas is a professor at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies at the University of Zurich in Switzerland. In the book, Andreas explains how novel traits sometimes have to wait until the environment changes to become useful, leading to speciation or offering novel solutions to ecological problems. These long fuses are also evident in our own history, namely the life-changing technologies that we invent but don’t fully exploit until the right social or economic context arises.

Cover art by Keating Shahmehri

Jun 15, 202301:11:22
Pest-o, change-o: how culture shapes our view of animal commensals (Ep 103)
Jun 01, 202301:00:01
Inherency in evolution (Ep 102)

Inherency in evolution (Ep 102)

What is inherency? What are the potential flaws with our understanding of biological function?

On this episode, we talk with Stuart Newman, professor at New York Medical College. In his recent paper, “Inherency and agency in the origin and evolution of biological functions,” Stuart argues against the commonly held view that functions of traits necessarily arise from the process of natural selection. He instead advocates for an alternative called inherency, which suggests that groups of cells naturally possess traits that determine their potential morphology, which can then be modified further by natural selection. He supports this idea with examples of extant species - placozoans and sponges - that closely resemble the earliest animals. We discuss Stuart’s provocative paper, the concept of inherency, and its potential role in evolution.

Cover art by Keating Shahmehri. Find a transcript of this episode on ⁠our website⁠.

May 18, 202301:11:45
NEON: The promises and challenges of large-scale ecological research (Ep 101)

NEON: The promises and challenges of large-scale ecological research (Ep 101)

What is NEON? What hopes and concerns do we have for large-scale research projects in ecology?

On this episode of Big Biology, we talk about the challenges of doing…big biology! The National Ecological Observatory Network, or NEON, is a US National Science Foundation-funded project that has started collecting massive amounts of data from terrestrial and freshwater habitats across a network of sites distributed across the United States. Scott Collins, a professor at the University of New Mexico, and Alan Knapp, a professor at Colorado State University, have been involved in developing, promoting, and sometimes criticizing NEON. We discussed with them the successes and potential of NEON and the major challenges and controversies that it has faced.  We also talked about how they believe NEON can have positive impacts in the future.

Cover art by Keating Shahmehri. Find a transcript of this episode on ⁠our website⁠.

May 04, 202301:13:42
A retrospective on agency (Ep 100)
Apr 20, 202301:32:52
Creativity and passion in science communication (Ep 99)

Creativity and passion in science communication (Ep 99)

On this episode, we take a break from the regular format to talk with Itai Yanai and Martin Lercher of The Night Science Podcast, a show that explores the creative side of science with guests from across the globe. Itai is a professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at the NYU School of Medicine, and Martin is a professor in both the Institute for Computer Science and the Department of Biology at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf. We had a great time chatting with them about our respective podcast experiences, trading tips and reflecting on our passion for science communication and the ways that it has impacted our own research.

Cover art by Keating Shahmehri


Donate to our spring fund drive! Or, become a patron! Or both! – hey, we’re not picky!

Apr 06, 202301:03:12
There’s a thousand genes for that! (Ep 98)

There’s a thousand genes for that! (Ep 98)

What is the “infinitesimal model”? How has our understanding of complex traits changed recently?

On this episode, we talk with Nick Barton, an evolutionary quantitative geneticist at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria. Quantitative genetics has changed a lot in the past 30 years, driven by massive advances in DNA sequencing power and by new statistical and computational approaches to harnessing the data flood. Nick works at the forefront of the field, developing and testing new theory, and we discuss both his research and his perspectives on these changes. We end by asking Nick about his advice for early career researchers who want to navigate the complex landscape composed of theory, computation, and data.

Cover art by Keating Shahmehri
Donate to our spring fund drive! Or, become a patron! Or both! – hey, we’re not picky!

Mar 23, 202301:02:15
Mutation bias in evolution: climbing Mount Probable (Ep 97)

Mutation bias in evolution: climbing Mount Probable (Ep 97)

What is mutation bias? How does it affect evolution?

In this episode, we talk with Arlin Stoltzfus, a research fellow at the University of Maryland’s Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research. Arlin studies mutation bias – the idea that some types of mutations occur more often than others – and how these patterns can influence the evolutionary trajectories of populations. In the chat, we contrast this mutation-centric approach to evolution with more standard views in which selection does most of the creative heavy lifting. We center the talk around Arlin’s 2021 book - Mutation, Randomness, and Evolution, which offers a new conception of variation as a difference-maker in evolution. Looking forward, Arlin argues that a better understanding of mutation will make it easier to predict the origins and outcomes of different cancers and the evolution of infectious diseases and crop pests.

Cover art by Keating Shahmehri

Mar 09, 202301:06:42
The network motifs that run the world (Ep 96)

The network motifs that run the world (Ep 96)

What are network motifs, and how and why do they matter to biological networks?

On this episode, we talk with Uri Alon, systems biologist at the Weizmann Institute of Science, about biological networks. In the early 2000s, Uri discovered some of the fundamental characteristics of these networks and, since then, has worked to understand networks across different levels of biological organization. His work shows that, from genes to whole organisms, networks are filled with repeating patterns of connections known as network motifs, such as feedback and feedforward loops. We talk about how the motifs arise and what they mean for the performance and evolution of the systems in which they’re embedded. Moving farther afield, we also talk about how scientists can productively move into new areas, and how Uri teaches early-stage scientists to leap confidently into the unknown. And a bonus: Uri sings and plays guitar for us!

Cover art: Keating Shahmehri

Feb 16, 202301:09:25
Why are we like this? (Ep 95)

Why are we like this? (Ep 95)

Why do humans look so different from one another? Why do we have different types of hair and different skin colors? And what do these traits have to do with the concept of race?

On this episode, we talk with Tina Lasisi, incoming professor at the University of Michigan, about variation in human hair structure and skin color. We talk about why such variation may have evolved, and how biologists are studying it. We also discuss the implications of her work for the concept of race. Tina encourages scientists and the public to be curious about (rather than afraid of) human diversity, as it’s an obvious part of our world that should be understood from multiple perspectives, including biological.

Also be sure to check out the Preprints in Motion podcast here!

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Jan 12, 202301:10:47
Introducing: The Science of Everything

Introducing: The Science of Everything

Happy holidays from the Big Biology team! As a bonus episode this week, we are sharing Art's recent interview with James Fodor on The Science of Everything podcast. Art and James discuss various topics in evolution and genetics, covering material that spans years of Big Bio conversations.

Enjoy, and see you next year!

Dec 29, 202201:02:23
Synthesizing life on the planet (Ep 94)

Synthesizing life on the planet (Ep 94)

What’s the smallest number of genes that cells need to grow and reproduce? Is it possible to synthesize minimal genomes and insert them into cells? What do minimal genomes teach us about life?

In this episode, we talk to John Glass, leader of the Synthetic Biology Group at the J. Craig Venter Institute. Over the past decade, Glass and colleagues developed techniques for manipulating and synthesizing entire bacterial genomes. Starting with Mycoplasma bacteria, which have very small genomes, they determined the minimal number of genes (473!) required to support life. They experimentally confirmed this number by synthesizing genomes from scratch, containing just the essential genes, and putting them into other bacteria whose genomes were removed. Cells in this lineage, called JCVI-syn3.0, grow and divide approximately like wildtype cells do.

We talk with John about how they pulled it off and what this minimal genome tells us about life more generally. We also chat about the functions of essential genes and what so-called non-essential genes may do in the wild. Finally, we touch on what if anything minimal genomes say about the origin of life and on the group’s ongoing efforts to synthesize entire cells – not just genomes! – from scratch.

Cover art by Keating Shahmehri

Dec 15, 202242:01
Assembling life in the universe (Ep 93)

Assembling life in the universe (Ep 93)

How will we find life beyond Earth? Can we use a molecule's complexity to distinguish life from non-life?

A common way to search for extraterrestrial life is to look for signs of complex organic molecules on other moons and planets. One trouble with this approach, though, is that lots of complex molecules can arise from inorganic processes. To be sure that complexity indicates life, we also need to distinguish forms of complexity that could only be produced by information-rich processes – things that must be alive.

On today’s show, we talk with astrobiologist Sara Walker about this idea in relation to a new theory, called assembly theory, that she and colleagues are currently developing. Assembly theory characterizes the complexity of objects, including molecules, by how many steps are required to make them – the more steps, the higher the object’s complexity index. This perspective reorients our attention from the traits of objects that make them complex to the historical sequence of events that must have occurred to create them. Sara proposes that this idea provides natural ways to think about a large set of interesting processes, including how information is manifest and used in living systems, the creative roles of natural selection in evolution, and the ever present problem of understanding levels of selection.

This was Sara’s second appearance on the show, check out her first episode here.

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Dec 01, 202201:15:41
A journey into the brilliant abyss (Ep 92)

A journey into the brilliant abyss (Ep 92)

What hidden life lies at the bottom of the deep ocean? How do so many species survive and even thrive with so little light and food and at such pressure?

In this episode, we talk to Helen Scales, a marine biologist, writer, and broadcaster who has written the essential guidebook to the deep ocean titled “The Brilliant Abyss”. On our way to the bottom of the sea, Helen recounted her journey from academia to writing and shared some of the lessons for others looking to dive into science communication. She also introduced us to some of her favorite species and their unique adaptations for surviving at extreme depths as well as several threats that the deep ocean faces. Technology has not only opened up this ecosystem to exploration but also to exploitation. Helen lays out the current state of ocean conservation and offers some hope and advice to those looking to protect the planet's largest habitat.

Cover art: Keating Shahmehri

Nov 17, 202258:39
How stealth organs make super soldier ants (Ep 91)
Nov 03, 202255:13
Fabricated images threaten the integrity of Alzheimer’s research (Ep 90)

Fabricated images threaten the integrity of Alzheimer’s research (Ep 90)

What happens when potential fraud is detected in research papers on major medical issues?

In this episode, we talk to Charles Piller, an investigative journalist who published a shocking story in Science magazine in July this year laying out compelling evidence for misconduct in multiple journal articles on Alzheimer’s disease. This misconduct appears to have occurred in recent papers involving the experimental drug, simulfilam, as well as older, foundational papers in Alzheimer’s research.

Charles’s story focuses on the sleuthing of Matthew Schrag, a neuroscientist and physician at Vanderbilt University who studies Alzheimer’s disease himself. In an extensive (even heroic) effort, Schrag identified over 100 potentially manipulated images in multiple major research papers. We talk with Charles about the consequences of those seemingly fraudulent images for the field and for public trust in science. We also talk about the potential consequences for whistleblowers like Schrag, and what journals and funding agencies are doing to support integrity in basic research.

Cover art: Keating Shahmehri

Oct 20, 202201:02:19
How one gene determines the fate of a food web (Ep 89)

How one gene determines the fate of a food web (Ep 89)

Can genes in single species act as keystones in ecosystems? What is AOP2, and how does it affect community composition and persistence?

In this episode, we talk to Matt Barbour, a professor at the University of Sherbrooke, about “keystones” in biology. You’re probably familiar with the keystone species concept, but Matt’s research focuses on whether genes can play a similarly fundamental role in an ecosystem. In an incredible set of experiments, Matt and his colleagues used simple experimental food webs to find that the stability of these miniature complex systems was strongly associated to the genotype at one specific locus in the plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, called AOP2. The particular genetic variant led to complete breakdown of community stability, imbuing that gene with a keystone-like function.

We talk to Matt about his recent publication in the journal Science and discuss how results from his simple lab setup relates to keystone effects in natural communities.

Cover art: Keating Shahmehri

Oct 06, 202246:15
How I learned to stop worrying and follow the data (Ep 88)

How I learned to stop worrying and follow the data (Ep 88)

How much coffee should we drink? Is there a scientific way to have a healthy, happy life? And how do we distinguish scientific sense from nonsense?

In this episode, we talk with author and University of Alberta professor Timothy Caulfield about decision making and misinformation in the modern world. A surprising number of “common sense” decisions that people make in their daily lives are not actually backed by strong scientific evidence, and Tim strives to debunk these in his recent book, “Relax, Dammit!: A User's Guide to the Age of Anxiety”.

Among other things, we discuss with Tim how often we should check email, and how risky it really is for kids to walk to school. We also talk about how science communication can be used to curb misinformation, and Tim shares his dos and don’ts for effective scicomm.

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Sep 22, 202254:30
Big Biology Trailer

Big Biology Trailer

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Big Biology covers breaking  research and original thinking regarding evolution, genetics,  physiology, psychology, wildlife, nature, conservation, epidemiology and  more.

Everything biological, anything mysterious, anything philosophical, everything scientific, you'll find it here!

Sep 19, 202202:00
Life in the lab, are model organisms an asset or impediment to biology? (Ep 87)

Life in the lab, are model organisms an asset or impediment to biology? (Ep 87)

What are model organisms? Why have they been so important to biology?

Much of biological research over the past 50 years has relied on model organisms. These species – which include mice, rats, fruit flies, and others – have yielded many insights and led to the development of better molecular tools and a scientific culture centered on sharing. At the same time, the money and effort devoted to model organisms may have undermined work on a broader diversity of species, more representative of life as a whole. In this episode, we talk with Sabina Leonelli and Rachel Ankeny, two philosophers of biology, about the history of model organisms and the positives and negatives of studying them.

Sabina Leonelli is a professor and director of the Exeter Center for the Study of Life Sciences. Rachel Ankeny is a professor in the School of Humanities at the University of Adelaide. They are also authors of the book Model Organisms, a philosophical exploration of the concept of the 'model organism' in contemporary biology.

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Sep 08, 202201:01:09
Introducing Genetics Unzipped
Sep 01, 202241:37
Replaying the MP3 of Life (Episode 21 Re-release)

Replaying the MP3 of Life (Episode 21 Re-release)

Why do some rove beetles look like ants? Why do living things evolve similar solutions to common problems? Is there predictability within the evolutionary process?

On this episode, Art and Marty talk with Joe Parker, an entomologist at Caltech. Joe has been collecting beetles since the age of 16, when he first became amazed by their incredible diversity. He now focuses on rove beetles and studies their evolutionary relationship with ants to understand how different species converge upon similar traits.

Aug 18, 202254:49
Containing Cancer with Squirrel Ecology (Ep 12 Re-release)

Containing Cancer with Squirrel Ecology (Ep 12 Re-release)

Will cancer ever become just another chronic but manageable disease? What can a squirrel biologist teach us about treating cancer?

In this episode, Marty and Art talk with Joel Brown about how to contain cancer using basic ideas from ecology and evolution. To Joel, cells in tumors are like organisms in ecosystems, and fighting cancer means using what we know about species in nature to tilt the playing field against the worst kinds of cancer cells. He and his team at the Moffit Cancer Research Center in Tampa, Florida, are starting to have some remarkable success treating different kinds of cancer.

We interviewed Joel in front of a live audience at Circa 1949 in Tampa, FL—our first live event!

Aug 04, 202253:14
Shrimp Fight Clubs and Basic Science (Ep 6 Re-release)

Shrimp Fight Clubs and Basic Science (Ep 6 Re-release)

How do mantis shrimp punch as fast as a bullet… underwater? How do they break open one of the toughest materials on earth?

Tune into this podcast to hear Art and Marty talk to Sheila Patek about how mantis shrimp pack such a powerful punch and why we should care. For example, mantis shrimp hammers can be used hundreds of thousands of times to break open the tough shells of snails and clams, and this research may help inspire lightweight, heavy duty military armor.

Sheila studies the mechanics of ultrafast movements at Duke University. You may have seen her work featured by Science News (and numerous others) about the rules of animal fight clubs. But we can't talk about those.

Jul 21, 202201:03:32
Bioelectric Computation (Ep 39 Re-release)

Bioelectric Computation (Ep 39 Re-release)

How do animals construct tissues, organs, and limbs in the right places during development? How do some animals manage to regenerate missing body parts?

On this episode of Big Biology, we talk with Michael Levin, a biologist at Tufts University who studies how electric fields inside animals guide cells during development and regeneration. His work shows that electric fields play fundamental roles in structuring body plans and, in some species, can even be inherited across generations.

Jul 07, 202201:07:03
What the flux? The evolution of oxygen cascades (Ep 86)
Jun 23, 202201:14:04
Little Biology: Zombie Parasites

Little Biology: Zombie Parasites

What’s behind the infamous zombie ant story? How does a fungus take control of an insect? Are zombies common in nature? How do biologists study the phenomenon of adaptive manipulation?

Interns RB Smith and Natasha Dhamrait hijack the Big Biology channel to explore their favorite biology horror story, zombie ants! In this Little Biology episode, they dive into the unfortunate fate of these fungus-controlled ants and discuss some of the complicated evolutionary questions surrounding adaptive manipulation.

Written and presented by: Natasha Dhamrait and RB Smith

Cover art: Keating Shahmehri

Jun 16, 202209:11
The rise of the mammals and fall of the dinosaurs (Ep 85)

The rise of the mammals and fall of the dinosaurs (Ep 85)

What makes a mammal a mammal? How did mammals survive the KT event when dinosaurs mostly went extinct? And why did mammals become so dominant?

When we think of the Cretaceous, or the Jurassic, we immediately think of dinosaurs. But mammals were there too! Although they weren’t the mammals you would recognize today. So what is it that makes a mammal a mammal?

On this episode of Big Biology, we talk with Steve Brusatte, professor of Paleontology and Evolution at the University of Edinburgh. Steve is the author of a new book: The Rise and Reign of the Mammals, which charts the evolution of our own mammalian ancestors, from those living in the time of the dinosaurs, through mass extinctions, to the diversity of mammals that dominate Earth today. We also talk to Steve about some of the remarkable people behind the discoveries that comprise what we know today.

In the last half of the show, we talk about Steve’s previous book: The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs, which caught the attention of Colin Trevorrow, director of Jurassic World.  Based on that book, Colin brought Steve on as the scientific advisor for the new film: Jurassic World Dominion. We chat with Steve about his role in the making of the film and what we can expect from the new dinos (spoiler: FEATHERS!)

Cover art: Keating Shahmehri

Jun 09, 202254:07
Immune System: Make Love not War (Ep 8 Re-release)

Immune System: Make Love not War (Ep 8 Re-release)

Is there a constant battle between our immune system and pathogens? Does the fighting ever end? Does the immune system do more than just provide defense against pathogens? 

On this episode, Art and Marty talk to Fred Tauber, a professor emeritus of medicine and philosophy at Boston University, about how the immune system does more than just protect our bodies from pathogens. Fred has published a number of books on immunity and philosophy. In his most recent book, "Immunity: The Evolution of an Idea", he explores the ideas discussed in this episode in greater detail.

May 26, 202259:43
Fractals in the Foliage (Ep 84)

Fractals in the Foliage (Ep 84)

What do plants, animals and even river systems have in common?

Branching networks are a universal element of life on Earth. Networks of veins, roots, xylem, phloem, and nerves – they all have large components that branch, usually repeatedly, into smaller and smaller components. The networks transport energy, materials, and information throughout the bodies in which they occur.

Our guest today, Van Savage, is a professor in the department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and the department of Biomathematics at UCLA. We chat with Van about universal features of branched networks. We discuss how these networks are space filling and how their evolved structures facilitate rapid and energy-efficient transport. We also discuss why networks are fractals – branching structures that are self-similar across scales. You’ve seen the fractal nature of networks if you’ve noticed similarities between branching patterns of rivulets on a muddy bank and river connections viewed from a jet at 20,000 feet. We also discuss how differences in networks among taxa arise from the materials they transport. At the end of the conversation, Van explains how network theory illuminates what we know about metabolic scaling and how understanding branching can improve everything from artificial hearts to urban planning.

Cover art: Keating Shahmehri

May 12, 202259:56
The Amazon in us (Ep 83)

The Amazon in us (Ep 83)

How does one of the most diverse groups on the planet, the ants, interact with the extremely diverse group of microbes that live on and inside them?

On this episode, we talk to Corrie Moreau, a professor of entomology at Cornell University, about the diversity and influence of microbes in ants. For Corrie, these microbes are a sort of internal rainforest, whose presence directly impacts the lives of the ants who carry them. Many ant-microbe relationships have evolved over millions of years, resulting in specialized interactions – from fungus-farming in leaf cutter ants, to insect mind control by the Ophiocordyceps fungus, to distortion of insect reproduction by Wolbachia bacteria. We also chat with Corrie about science communication, and how making biology a welcoming and diverse place will inspire the next generation of researchers and promote greater trust in science by the public.

Cover art: Keating Shahmehri

Apr 28, 202201:01:43
Survival of the systems: The power of persistence (Ep 63 Re-release)

Survival of the systems: The power of persistence (Ep 63 Re-release)

Can selection act on ecosystems, societies, or planets such that some persist and others disappear? Must such systems reproduce to evolve?

On this episode of Big Biology, we talk to Tim Lenton, Director of the Global Systems Institute (@GSI_Exeter) and a Professor of Climate Change and Earth System Science at the University of Exeter. In his 2021 Trends in Ecology & Evolution paper “Survival of the Systems,” Tim outlined his idea that large, complex systems--such as grasslands, coral reefs, and even human economies--are subject to a kind of natural selection based on their ability to persist. Tim argues that systems better able to extract and recycle resources will spread across landscapes and outcompete other such systems.

This episode is produced in collaboration with Trends in Ecology & Evolution (@Trends_Ecol_Evo). TREE, published by Cell Press, is a monthly review journal that contains polished, concise and readable Reviews and Opinions in all areas of ecology and evolutionary science. It aims to keep scientists informed of new developments and ideas across the full range of ecology and evolutionary biology--from the pure to the applied, and from the molecular to the global. Visit: http://www.cell.com/trends/ecology-evolution.

Apr 22, 202201:08:42
Organisms are not machines (Ep 82)

Organisms are not machines (Ep 82)

Why shouldn’t we think of living things as machines? What is and what isn’t an organism?

In this episode, we talk to Dan Nicholson, a philosopher and biologist from George Mason University about his new edited volume, "Everything Flows: Toward a Processual Philosophy of Biology". In it, he and colleagues argue that biological systems more resemble flames and tornadoes and other dynamically stable systems than clocks or other human-designed things. Dan thinks that life is better understood as flows of energy and matter, which means that trying to reduce biological things into smaller parts, a popular practice in biology known as reductionism, will ultimately fail because it misses the stream-like nature of life. In the show today, we discuss these ideas, what Dan calls a processual philosophy for biology, including what it means for evolution, medicine, and more.

Cover art: Keating Shahmehri

Apr 14, 202201:32:09
How staying cool blunts evolution (Ep 81)

How staying cool blunts evolution (Ep 81)

Why are tropical mountain passes ‘higher’ than temperate ones? Why do some organisms regulate their temperature better than others, and what effect does this have on evolution?

On this episode, we talk with Martha Muñoz, a professor in Yale’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. We frame the chat in terms of two big ideas in thermal physiology – Janzen’s hypothesis and the Bogert Effect. Dan Janzen famously predicted that tropical ectotherms, with their relatively narrow thermal performance curves, would have a harder time moving up and over cold mountain passes. For organisms that rely on the environment to regulate their body temperatures, mountain passes appear higher in the tropics. These effectively higher mountains should lead to greater isolation of local populations and potentially greater rates of speciation because dispersal becomes more difficult. Charles Bogert focused on interactions between behavior and thermal evolution in ectotherms. He suggested that species with better capacity for behavioral thermoregulation would evolve more slowly – because thermoregulation shields thermal traits from the brunt of strong selection. We talk with Martha about these two ideas, and about how her work on Anolis lizards illustrates them.

Cover art: Keating Shahmehri

Mar 31, 202201:06:07