Best Two Scientists Walk Into A Bar Podcasts (2025)

1
S6E02: AI and the Quest for New Antibiotics 36:02

6d ago36:02

36:02

We published our first episode on the threat of antibiotic resistance in 2016, and nearly a decade later, it remains one of the world’s most pressing health crises. Today, with advances in artificial intelligence (AI), the race to develop new antibiotics is evolving. In this episode, co-host Danielle Mandikian sits down with guests Tommaso Biancala…

1
A Metamorphosis Behind Bars 38:20

5m ago38:20

38:20

Sign up for ⁠Nature's newsletter⁠: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/newsletter/Carolina Landa's story begins in the orchards of Quincy, Washington and takes a transformative turn within the walls of an Oregon prison. Raised in a Mexican-American immigrant family, Carolina's curiosity and passion for science led her to champion sustainability initiat…

1
Nature: The Cure for Ed Yong's Burnout? 45:22

6d ago45:22

45:22

Sign up for Nature's newsletter: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/newsletter/ As a science journalist, Ed Yong spends a lot of time writing about nature without actually being immersed in it. After three years of covering the COVID pandemic, Ed found himself anxious, depressed, and in need of a change - despite winning the Pulitzer Prize. He took a …

1
Fossil Hunting in Conflict Zones 41:17

13d ago41:17

41:17

Sign up for Nature's newsletter: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/newsletter/ Ella Al-Shamahi grew up a creationist, but her perspective shifted when she studied evolution at university. Today, she’s a paleoanthropologist who hunts fossils in unstable territories to uncover the overlooked stories of human evolution. Ella is a fierce advocate for con…

1
Fighting Violence Against the Lubicon Cree Land with Melina Laboucan-Massimo 45:59

24d ago45:59

45:59

Sign up for NATURE's Newsletter here: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/newsletter/ Growing up in her Lubicon Cree community in northern Alberta, Melina Laboucan-Massimo witnessed the destruction of her once-pristine boreal forests for oil. A massive oil spill in Melina’s community became the catalyst to launch an initiative that would bring not only…

1
From Foraging to Fame: How Alexis Nikole Nelson Became @blackforager 45:44

27d ago45:44

45:44

For more NATURE, sign up for our newsletter: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/newsletter/ Alexis Nikole Nelson, better known to her millions of fans as @blackforager, was raised by a mother who is an avid gardener and a father who loves to cook. Foraging allowed Alexis to fuse her love for wild plants and food from a very young age. But before Alexi…

1
Season Four is Here! 1:59

1M ago1:59

1:59

Welcome back to Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn Grant, a different kind of nature show about the human drama of saving animals. This season, we're talking to all sorts of nature advocates. From a paleoanthropologist who hunts fossils in conflict zones to someone who helped save an endangered species while in prison. We will hear from real-life heroes …

1
S6E01: Digging Deeper into Obesity 39:25

1M ago39:25

39:25

As we kick off season six, we’re diving deeper into one of our most popular topics from last season – our evolving understanding of obesity. In this episode, co-host Maria Wilson unpacks the latest in obesity biology and management with Manu Chakravarthy, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism Product Developm…

1
Season Six Teaser 2:15

2M ago2:15

2:15

Join Danielle Mandikian and Maria Wilson as they kick off season six of Two Scientists Walk Into A Bar. Hear what they’ve been up to in the past few months and enjoy a sneak preview of the exciting topics ahead. This season, we’re focusing on unmet needs and will dive deeper into lung diseases, regenerative medicine, and cell therapies. We’ll also …

1
S5E09: AI and The Future of Medicine 40:33

6M ago40:33

40:33

Machine learning and generative AI are transforming the ways we live and work, but how do these tools fit into the landscape of drug discovery? In our season 5 finale, co-host Danielle Mandikian is joined by Rich Bonneau, Vice President of Machine Learning, Drug Discovery, to break down the fast-paced, expansive – and sometimes perplexing – world o…

1
S5E08: A Deep Dive into Drug Modalities 31:06

7M ago31:06

31:06

Small molecules, antibodies, gene therapies – there are so many types of medicines scientists can consider when developing a new treatment for a disease. In this episode, Karin Briner, Senior Vice President and Head of Drug Discovery, joins co-host Maria Wilson to break down different therapeutic modalities, or types of treatments. Together, they c…

1
S5E07: Organoids: From Dish to Discovery 39:44

8M ago39:44

39:44

Did you know that scientists can grow three-dimensional, miniature versions of human organs in a dish? These tiny in vitro models, known as organoids, are helping scientists to better understand human disease and to test new treatments. In this episode, co-host Danielle Mandikian sits down with Kim Homan, Senior Director and Distinguished Scientist…

1
S5E06: Cancer Conversations: Early Detection and Potent Solutions 29:39

9M ago29:39

29:39

To defeat cancer, we need to understand it better. How does it grow? How do we detect it early? And most importantly, how do we treat it? In this episode, co-host Maria Wilson chats with oncology expert Louis Vermeulen, VP and Senior Fellow, Discovery Oncology, about what’s new and exciting in cancer research. Together, they explore the importance …

1
S5E05: The Streets and Deets of Obesity 38:29

10M ago38:29

38:29

What drives metabolic conditions like obesity? In this special episode, co-host and cardiovascular disease expert Maria Wilson, gRED Executive Director and Cardiovascular and Metabolism Research Head, takes the hot seat with fellow host Danielle Mandikian, gRED Senior Principal Scientist, to discuss the complex world of obesity. Tune in to hear abo…

1
S5E04: Engineering Therapeutic Antibodies 29:27

11M ago29:27

29:27

Antibodies are proteins produced by our immune system that neutralize or help destroy abnormal cells and foreign agents, like bacteria and viruses. However, their utility extends beyond our bodies’ defense system. Antibodies can also be engineered in the lab to be used as therapies. Today, over 170 antibodies have been approved as medicines to trea…

1
S5E03: No Delivery, No Drug 35:22

12M ago35:22

35:22

Many health conditions require medicines that can be delivered to specific parts of the body. For instance, someone with asthma requires medication that targets the lungs, while someone with a neurodegenerative disease needs therapeutics that can penetrate the blood-brain barrier. But how do scientists create medicines that not only reach their int…

1
S5E02: Seeing Clearly: The Past, Present and Future of Eye Treatment 36:43

1y ago36:43

36:43

Imagine the eyes as cameras, where the cornea acts as the lens and the retina as the film. As with a camera, if something goes wrong in the eye, it needs to be fixed to address the specific problem and restore function. While some visual impairments can be corrected with glasses or surgery, some conditions require medicines – like those that slow o…

1
S5E01: Merging Minds and Machines: The Future of Drug Discovery 36:50

1y ago36:50

36:50

Computational approaches have revolutionized how we interpret data. With the advent of genomic sequencing, scientists can derive significant conclusions from sequence data. For example, through transcriptomics – the study of genes and their expression in different cells – researchers have made groundbreaking discoveries in fields like developmental…

1
Season Five Teaser 4:35

1+ y ago4:35

4:35

Join Danielle Mandikian and Maria Wilson as they kick off season five of Two Scientists Walk Into a Bar. Hear about their recent lab adventures and enjoy a sneak preview of exciting topics for our new season. From demystifying the impact of AI and machine learning in drug development to exploring diverse modalities for treating diseases, we've got …

1
Is Water Alive? 41:22

1+ y ago41:22

41:22

As a climate solutions advocate, Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson is often asked “What are some small things people can do to reduce climate change that don’t require sacrifices?” But the truth is electric cars and solar panels won’t be enough. Climate success will require us to change our relationship with the natural world. We must not view nature as …

1
The Untold Story of California's Mighty Predator 47:00

1+ y ago47:00

47:00

In a city that loves celebrities, one mountain lion became the mascot for conservation efforts that eventually led to the creation of California’s first wildlife corridor. But one wildlife corridor, even if it’s the largest in the world, isn’t enough. Some populations of mountain lions in Southern California are struggling to survive — threatened b…

1
Meet "The Manatee Man" 44:19

1+ y ago44:19

44:19

In 2016, Hurricane Earl devastated Belize, causing over $100 million worth of damage and displacing thousands of Belizeans across the country. But humans were not the only victims of the storm. Deep in the mangroves, an infant manatee was separated from her mother and washed onto the mainland. She was so tiny when Jamal Galves found her, with her u…

1
Fight And Flight: Christian Cooper's Story 40:09

1+ y ago40:09

40:09

Long before the infamous Central Park incident went viral (where a white woman called the cops on him during a birdwatching outing), Christian Cooper had been obsessed with birds. It was a love nurtured through his involvement in The Audubon Society, an environmental organization dedicated to bird conservation. But recently, Christian’s dedication …

1
Is This the Bug to End All Bees? 52:02

1+ y ago52:02

52:02

When Samuel Ramsey was a child, he was afraid of bugs. But a trip to the library with his mother changed everything and led him to become a bee entomologist. He grew up gay in a non-affirming religious community, he was the only Black entomologist in his Doctoral program, and today he’s both a Christian AND a scientist in a world that often asks hi…

1
The Invisible Organism That’s Saving the Planet 37:12

1+ y ago37:12

37:12

In a remote part of the Amazon rainforest in Peru, there’s a river with water so hot, it actually boils. In fact, it's so extreme and so remote that for a long time people thought the river was a myth. Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza risked life and limb journeying to this boiling river, called Shanay-Timpishka or La Bomba, to explore some of the smalles…

1
Season 3 is Here! 1:40

2y ago1:40

1:40

Welcome back to Going Wild, a podcast about the human drama behind saving animals. This season, on top of stories about animals, we’re going to take a journey through the entire ecological web — from the tiniest of life forms to apex predators. We’ll be guided by one central question: How can we, humans, look at our relationship to nature different…

1
Black Women in Cinema: From "The Class of 1989" 30:16

2y ago30:16

30:16

Hi everyone! We’re still a little ways away from the next season of Going Wild, but today we're sharing an episode of a great new podcast called The Class of 1989. In this episode, Len and Vincent talk about the representation of Black women in the films of 1989 — and how Black women directors would help transform the film world throughout the 1990…

1
Women Who Travel Podcast: Hiking Patagonia, Life in ‘Cold Hawaii,’ and More 29:39

2+ y ago29:39

29:39

It's been a challenging couple of years during the pandemic but we are starting to travel again. Host Lale Arikoglu determines that she needs to challenge herself and goes hiking in Chilean Patagonia in a misty, rainy, and isolated landscape. Closer to home she’s trying to stay upright on a surfboard at New York’s Rockaway beach even though she’s s…

1
What Is the Most Successful Species on Earth? From NHPR: Outside/In 31:28

2+ y ago31:28

31:28

This week we're sharing a riveting episode from NHPR's show, Outside/In. Take a listen and let us know what you think! A debate about evolutionary “success.” Who should wear the crown of GSOAT (greatest species of all time), and are humans even in the running? Humans have had an impressive run thus far; we’ve explored most of the planet (the parts …

1
S4E08: Learning from Vaccines: Training our Immune System to Fight Cancer 44:55

2+ y ago44:55

44:55

When we consider how a vaccine works, we typically think about vaccines that prevent infectious disease like flu or measles. But another type, known as therapeutic vaccines, may be able to treat diseases even after they’ve taken hold in the body – including cancer and viral infections. Similar to preventative vaccines, these therapeutic cancer vacc…

1
Together For Conservation: WCS Wild Audio Season 2 Premiere 9:09

2+ y ago9:09

9:09

This week, we're sharing an episode from our friends at the Wildlife Conservation Society. Take a listen and let us know what you think! Their second season launches in conversation with Mariana Varese, the Peru-based director of WCS’s Amazon Landscapes Program. Mariana describes a new initiative, “Together for Conservation,” that seeks to conserve…

1
Highs, Lows and Lowland Gorillas 38:38

2+ y ago38:38

38:38

*Content warning: this episode briefly mentions the topic of suicide.* From the kitchen floor to the remote jungles of the Congo, Rae grapples with divorce and single-motherhood on an international trip to study lowland gorillas. For the last episode of season 2, Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant talks about a career-changing opportunity to track down one of the …

1
A Chicken Saved My Life 27:10

2+ y ago27:10

27:10

Ornithologist (bird scientist), poet, and author Drew Lanham was recently awarded the Macarthur Genius Grant—$800,000 with no strings attached. But despite his deep love for birds he almost never studied the creatures at all. As a young man, he won a full-ride scholarship to any school he wanted, only this award did have strings attached. Drew woul…

1
The Lizard Lassoer 36:03

2+ y ago36:03

36:03

*Content warning: this episode contains descriptions of violence that might be disturbing to some listeners.* Herpetologists do a lot of unique things while studying lizards—cut their toes, pump their stomachs, and capture them by lassoing their necks. That one small word, “lasso,'' wasn't always the word used in the discipline. Herpetologist Earyn…

1
It's a Shark-Eat-Shark World 34:03

2+ y ago34:03

34:03

Jasmin Graham loves sharks. I mean, really loves sharks. And she always dreamed of becoming a university professor to encourage other people of color interested in shark science. But then, something happened to Jasmin in grad school that caused her to give up her dream. So what does she do when she realizes she has nothing left to lose? Listen to m…

1
Death in the Animal (Caretaker) Kingdom 36:55

2+ y ago36:55

36:55

*Content warning: this conversation contains mentions of animal injuries, death, and the topic of suicide.* Veterinarians deal with death so frequently that they have some of the highest suicide rates of any occupation. Dr. Hollis Stewart has worked with many animals – from domesticated pets in New York City and Fez, Morocco, to wild animals in the…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Two Scientists Walk Into A Bar Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen