Best Engineering And Technology Magazine Podcasts (2025)

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The evolutionary price we pay for longer lives; the asteroid coming VERY close to Earth; how dinosaurs shaped the ecosystem 32:59

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5d ago32:59

32:59

Episode 321 Humans live a lot longer than other primates - and much of that is down to our immune system. But there’s a price we pay for the capacity to fight off infections: inflammation. Chronic inflammation is to blame for a range of health issues, especially those related to older age. And now research has revealed exactly why inflammation is g…

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Protecting newborns from an invisible killer, the rise of drones for farming, and a Druid mystery 35:00

6d ago35:00

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First up on the podcast, freelance science journalist Leslie Roberts joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about the long journey to a vaccine for group B streptococcus, a microbe that sickens 400,000 babies a year and kills at least 91,000. Next on the show, there are about 250,000 agricultural drones employed on farms in China. Countries such as South …

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Why we can't announce life on Mars (yet); The Romans' impact on the British economy; Link between exercise and your microbiome 29:59

12d ago29:59

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Episode 320 Was Mars once home to alien life? The evidence is stronger than ever, since NASA’s discovery of rocks marked by patterns similar to those made by microbes on Earth. Found in an area now named Bright Angel, these rocks give us a tantalising insight into Mars’ ancient past - but just how definitive is this finding? It’s long been thought …

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An aggressive cancer’s loophole, and a massive field of hydrogen beneath the ocean floor 35:14

13d ago35:14

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First up on the podcast, aggressive tumors have a secret cache of DNA that may help them beat current drug treatments. Freelance journalist Elie Dolgin joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about targeting so-called extrachromosomal DNA—little gene-bearing loops of DNA—that help difficult-to-treat cancers break the laws of inheritance. Next on the show, …

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First complete map of brain activity; Queen ant lays eggs of another species; The perils of scrolling while on the toilet 31:10

19d ago31:10

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Episode 319 Scientists have created the first complete activity map of a mouse’s brain. Combining brain images from multiple mice, researchers recorded more than 650,000 neurons while these mice manipulated little Lego steering wheels in a driving game. This complex behaviour has allowed scientists to examine the interplay between various parts of …

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Finding HIV’s last bastion in the body, and playing the violin like a cricket 32:57

20d ago32:57

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First up on the podcast, despite so many advances in treatment, HIV drugs can suppress the virus but can’t cure the infection. Where does suppressed HIV hide within the body? Staff Writer Jon Cohen joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about the Last Gift Study, in which people with HIV donate their bodies for rapid autopsy to help find the last reservoi…

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Scientists discovered a 100,000-year-old organism; Breakthrough brain implant uses AI to treat pain; How climate change leads to revolutions 25:50

26d ago25:50

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Episode 318 An ancient organism has been discovered that has been alive for at least 100,000 years. Found in the Siberian permafrost, this lifeform doesn’t appear to have just remained dormant - but instead has actually been growing extremely slowly. Our understanding of life is already quite fuzzy, and this finding adds to the idea that life itsel…

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More on... Adhesives 15:09

26d ago15:09

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In this episode we will be delving into the topic of adhesives. How have adhesives developed over recent years? Are adhesives replacing mechanical fasteners? Does that depend on the industry they’re used in? To answer these questions we have Ricardo Soto, senior design and application engineer at Avery Dennison, who highlights the benefits of using…

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A mother lode of Mexican mammoths, how water pollution enters the air, and a book on playing dead 55:07

27d ago55:07

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First up on the podcast, Staff Writer Rodrigo Pérez Ortega joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about a megafauna megafind that rivals the La Brea Tar Pits. In addition to revealing tens of thousands of bones from everything from dire wolves to an ancient human, the site has yielded the first DNA from ammoths that lived in a warm climate. Next on the sh…

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EP#85 - THE NEXT GENERATION OF STEM with Summer 2025 STEM Crew Magazine Cover Features 29:57

28d ago29:57

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In this episode, I talk about The Next Generation of STEM and why it’s so important to highlight young innovators who are already making a difference in science, technology, engineering, and math. I’m joined by the Summer 2025 STEM Crew Magazine Cover Features: ✨ Sean Atitsogbe – Sean the Science Kid ✨ Bandana Kaur – Security Research Engineer, API…

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Could we end winter illness?; Cold fusion’s comeback; The delicious microbiome of chocolate 20:41

1M ago20:41

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Episode 317 Winter bugs are notoriously hard to vaccinate against. But as cold, flu and covid season is about to descend on us once more, one group researchers are working on an entirely new solution to the misery. A team out of Columbia University has been testing an mRNA-based treatment that could prime our immune systems to fight against any kin…

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New insights into endometriosis, and mapping dengue in Latin America 32:07

1M ago32:07

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First up on the podcast, Staff Writer Meredith Wadman joins host Sarah Crespi to discuss recent advances in understanding endometriosis—a disease where tissue that resembles the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus, causing pain and other health effects. The pair talk about how investigating the role of the immune system in this disease is…

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Climate special: How to fix the climate crisis with Tim Lenton and Kate Marvel 44:25

1M ago44:25

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Episode 316 “All of the other planets out there are just complete garbage. The Earth is the only good place.” – Kate Marvel The climate crisis can leave many of us feeling hopeless and overwhelmed. But, as climate scientists Kate Marvel and Tim Lenton say, there are many reasons to be optimistic.Both have new books out that hope to reframe the way …

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Why chatbots lie, and can synthetic organs and AI replace animal testing? 31:53

1M ago31:53

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First up on the podcast, producer Meagan Cantwell and Contributing Correspondent Sara Reardon discuss alternative approaches to animal testing, from a heart on a chip to a miniorgan in a dish. Next on the show, Expert Voices columnist Melanie Mitchell and host Sarah Crespi dig into AI lies. Why do chatbots fabricate answers and pretend to do math? …

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Why anteaters keep evolving, and how giant whales get enough food to live 28:08

2M ago28:08

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First up on the podcast, Online News Editor David Grimm brings stories on peacock feathers’ ability to emit laser light, how anteaters have evolved at least 12 times, and why we should be thanking ketchup for our French fries. Next on the show, rorqual whales, such as the massive blue whale, use a lunging strategy to fill their monster maws with se…

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80 years since Hiroshima: Forgotten victims of the atomic bomb 34:06

2M ago34:06

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Episode 315 It’s been 80 years since the first and only use of nuclear weapons in war - events that altered the course of history. The consequences of the widespread destruction, deaths and nuclear fallout are still being dealt with today. On 6th August 1945, a bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in Japan, and three days later Nagasaki was also bombed. T…

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Ozempic and Wegovy slow down biological ageing; creation of synthetic bacterium; geology of the Russian earthquake 28:24

2M ago28:24

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Episode 314 Weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy have been shown to slow down - or even reverse - the ageing process. In a trial of 84 people taking semaglutide, their biological age dropped by 3.1 years on average, with some organs becoming almost 5 years younger. Based on this new research, this finding could make these some of the most impactful…

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Wartime science in Ukraine, what Neanderthals really ate, and visiting the city of the dead 51:33

2M ago51:33

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First up on the podcast, Contributing Correspondent Richard Stone joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about the toll of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and how researchers have been mobilized to help the war effort. In June, Stone visited the basement labs where Ukrainian students modify off-the-shelf drones for war fighting and the facilities where bi…

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More on... Sustainability 41:38

2M ago41:38

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In this episode we will be exploring sustainability trends within the fastener and fixing industry and getting some first-hand accounts of how different companies are approaching the topic. To do this, we speak to Andrea Constantini, group executive vice-president at Agrati, who discusses the Group's many methods of reducing its environmental impac…

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AI wins first gold at maths Olympic games; How mitochondria are linked to sleep; Famous psychology trick works on octopuses too 28:48

2M ago28:48

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Episode 313 AI has won gold at the world’s hardest maths event. For the first time, AI programs that use entirely natural language like ChatGPT, have used general reasoning to solve incredibly difficult tests at the International Maths Olympiad in Australia. Humans are still in the lead…for now. But could this be a big leap forward in the quest for…

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Robots that eat other robots, and an ancient hot spot of early human relatives 34:45

2M ago34:45

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First up on the podcast, South Africa’s Cradle of Humankind is home to the world’s greatest concentration of ancestral human remains, including our own genus, Homo, Australopithecus, and a more robust hominin called Paranthropus. Proving they were there at the same time is challenging, but new fossil evidence seems to point to coexistence. Producer…

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Scientists test engineered microbes to fight disease; Has 1.5 degrees failed?; New theory why we’ve not found aliens 30:23

2M ago30:23

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Episode 312 People have been given genetically engineered microbes to prevent a common health condition - and it worked. The gut microbiome is now known to be associated with many health conditions - and in this case, the team managed to treat 9 people who get recurring kidney stones. With the gut’s links to mental health, cancer and more, could en…

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Studying a shark-haunted island, and upgrading our microbiomes with engineered bacteria 36:50

2M ago36:50

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First up on the podcast, Réunion Island had a shark attack crisis in2011 and closed its beaches for more than a decade. Former News Intern Alexa Robles-Gil joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about how researchers have used that time to study the island’s shark populations and test techniques for preventing attacks, in the hopes of protecting lives and…

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How geoengineering could save us from climate disaster; Have we broken mathematics?; Why exercise reduces cancer risk 33:02

3M ago33:02

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Episode 311 Geoengineering could be the best way to avoid catastrophic climate disaster - but there’s a big catch. In the recent Global Tipping Points Conference in the UK, scientists discussed growing concerns that the AMOC may be on the verge of collapsing. This is a system of ocean currents that plays a crucial role in regulating global climate.…

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A tardi party for the ScienceAdviser newsletter, and sled dog genomes 25:52

3M ago25:52

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First up on the podcast, Newsletter Editor Christie Wilcox joins host Sarah Crespi to celebrate the 2-year anniversary of ScienceAdviser with many stories about the amazing water bear. They also discuss links between climate change, melting glaciers, and earthquakes in the Alps, as well as what is probably the first edible laser. Next on the show, …

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First full genome of Ancient Egyptian sequenced; Wild killer whales offer gifts to humans; First demonstration of interstellar navigation 29:31

3M ago29:31

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Episode 310 An ancient Egyptian's complete genome has been read for the first time. The DNA of a man who lived in Egypt over 4500 years ago offers a new window into the ancient society and hints at surprising genetic connections with Mesopotamia. Based on forensic analysis of the man's skeleton and preserved images of different Egyptian occupations…

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Losing years of progress against HIV, and farming plastic on Mars 31:12

3M ago31:12

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First up on the podcast, U.S. aid helped two African countries rein in HIV. Then came President Donald Trump. Senior News Correspondent Jon Cohen talks with producer Kevin McLean about how in Lesotho and Eswatini, treatment and prevention cutbacks are hitting pregnant people, children, and teens especially hard. This story is part of a series about…

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Mice with two dads; perfect your sleep with science; how lizards survived dinosaur-killing asteroid 30:17

3M ago30:17

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Ep 309 A groundbreaking experiment in reproductive biology has resulted in mice being born from two biological fathers. By fusing sperm and putting them into an emptied egg cell, researchers in China have produced healthy and fertile offspring from two male mice. While it’s early days and the technique requires hundreds of embryos to get results, i…

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Will your family turn you into a chatbot after you die? Plus, synthetic squid skin, and the sway of matriarchs in ancient Anatolia 44:57

3M ago44:57

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First up on the podcast, Contributing Correspondent Andrew Curry joins host Sarah Crespi to discuss a pair of Science papers on kinship and culture in Neolithic Anatolia. The researchers used ancient DNA and isotopes from 8000 to 9000 years ago to show how maternal lines were important in Çatalhöyük culture. ● E. Yüncü et al., Female lineages and c…

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PODCAST: Military sustainment reform, obsolescence, aftermarket trends, and more. 24:20

3M ago24:20

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Military platforms often last for decades, long past the life spans of modern computing components and boards. System designers for these aging platforms must rely on a variety of solutions from lifetime buys of components when they go end of life to working with aftermarket suppliers, who buy obsolete product lines and keep producing them for cust…

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First skull of mysterious human ancestor; Decoding whale language; Heatwaves 20x more likely to happen 36:18

3M ago36:18

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Episode 308 An ancient skull discovered in China has been confirmed to belong to a Denisovan. It’s been tough to study this mysterious human ancestor, as we’ve only ever found a finger and jaw bone - so this new discovery could reshape our understanding of them. After being kept secret for decades, the “dragon man” skull is opening up a new window …

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How effective are plastic bag bans? And a whole new way to do astronomy 37:25

3M ago37:25

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First up on the podcast, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory is just coming online, and once fully operational, it will take a snapshot of the entire southern sky every 3 days. Producer Meagan Cantwell guides us through Staff Writer Daniel Clery’s trip to the site of the largest camera ever made for astronomy. Next on the show, probing the impact of plas…

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More on... Sustainable regulations 22:45

3M ago22:45

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In this episode we will be once again focusing on the ongoing challenges of regulations, especially when it comes to sustainability. To do this we have Bettina Mertgen, tax lawyer, certified tax advisor, certified advisor for customs and excise taxes, as well as partner at GvW Graf von Westphalen, who discusses some of the main regulations impactin…

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Is this the first step to cyborg brains? How drones are reshaping warfare forever; New Vera Rubin observatory goes live 31:23

3M ago31:23

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Episode 307 Using new “ultrasoft” electronics, researchers at Harvard have effectively created tadpole cyborgs. A soft bioelectronic device has been implanted into their brains - one which grows with them as they develop into frogs. This neural implant is a first step in helping us better understand the inner workings of the brain. But could this w…

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Why peanut allergy is so common and hot forests as test beds for climate change 37:22

3M ago37:22

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First up on the podcast, Staff Writer Erik Stokstad talks with host Sarah Crespi about how scientists are probing the world’s hottest forests to better understand how plants will cope with climate change. His storyis part of a special issue on plants and heat, which includes reviews and perspectives on the fate of plants in a warming world. Next on…