Best Trackside Science Podcasts (2025)

1
(54) Where do ideas come from? 55:27

Play Pause

1d ago55:27

55:27

Where do ideas come from? Rob describes his Big A Eureka Moment. 2025 Jeff wants to tell 2000’s Jeff to suck it up and stop complaining. We both love people who are generous with their ideas. Email: [email protected] Instagram & Bluesky: Tracksidescience Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tracksidescience Alcohol Jeff: Primary: When Lava Flo…

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Philatelic Science (53) 1:01:56

13d ago1:01:56

1:01:56

Philatelic Science! Rob’s box of stamps generates some science ideas! Wisconsin has indicted a DNA sequence. Jeff is suddenly bro-ing all the time. Email - [email protected] Bluesky - @tracksidescience.bsky.social Instagram - tracksidescience Alcohol Jeff - 1800 Tequila & Cointreau - Bing’s AI tells me this is a Conintreau Margartia. Thank…

1
Science Firings part 2 (EXPLICIT) 1:00:09

4M ago1:00:09

1:00:09

The moronic, mean-spirited and illegal assault on US government scientists continues.

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(52) Salute to Government Scientists 49:45

6M ago49:45

49:45

To those recently, and illegally, fired. Contains some strong language, because that is 100% appropriate.

1
(51) Science from Australia! 44:13

8M ago44:13

44:13

Episode 51 - Our Down Under connection! In 2021 we got an email from a listener from New Zealand working in Australia as a Physics Science Communicator. It took years to get over the shock that someone we didn't already know was actually listening to us, but we did and now he is here! Drinks Jeff - Folgers Rob - Austin Eastciders Errol - Hop Nation…

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(50) International Podcast Day 51:44

11M ago51:44

51:44

Remember how you waited anxiously as a kid for it to come? Not having to go to school on that day? Family from all over pulling into the driveway with gifts and food for the International Podcast Day celebration? Yah, we don’t either. #internationalpodcastday Alcohol Jeff - Southern Tier Brewing Imperial Pumking Ale Rob - Canada Dry Black Cherry Sp…

1
Impromptu Science (49) 59:21

12M ago59:21

59:21

No plan or pre-recording preparation whatsoever…the difference between dentists & endodontists… old microscopes… Rob’s home office inspection… regulation of medical data.. college graduation in state prisons.. pubpeer.com… problematic paper screener … (https://www.irit.fr/~Guillaume.Cabanac/problematic-paper-screener)... Jeff’s anxiety about teachi…

1
(48) Science Video Game - PhD Simulator 56:31

1+ y ago56:31

56:31

We relive the highs and lows of graduate school through a spot-on video game. PhD Simulator - A Text-Based Game by Mianzhi Wang (wmz.ninja) Email: [email protected] Instagram: Tracksidescience Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tracksidescience Alcohol Jeff - Dekalb County’s fine tap water Rob - Shark Jumper IPA Night Shift Brewing Sounds & …

1
(47) What connects you to science? 55:51

1+ y ago55:51

55:51

Episode 47 - What connects you to science? Rob’s a conference guy, he likes interacting with people. Jeff’s a reading-papers-in-a-quiet-house kind of guy. Rob likes the cutting edge while Jeff gravitates towards the arcane. Rob’s beer is bigger than Jeff’s. Email: [email protected] Instagram: Tracksidescience Patreon: https://www.patreon.c…

1
(46) ChatGPT: good for a fart joke? 54:01

1+ y ago54:01

54:01

Is it a Promethean kind of thing? An end of the world thing? It’s definitely a protecting people with Fecal Incontinence kind of thing. It’s definitely not able to cite it’s sources. Email: [email protected] Instagram: Tracksidescience Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tracksidescience Alcohol Rob - Be Hoppy Indian Pale Ale Wormtown Brewery…

1
Not a secret Chinese bioweapons facility 16:17

2y ago16:17

16:17

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(45) Has Money Destroyed Science? 52:59

2y ago52:59

52:59

Should we pay scientists to speak? What do people in prison think about paid experts? Is the United Federation of Planets communist? Does getting paid fat stax help your work/life balance? Email: [email protected] Instagram: Tracksidescience Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tracksidescience Alcohol Jeff - Dragon’s Milk Rob - Fifty Million …

1
Virus: Reading Promedmail - Polish Cats & Bird Flu 14:10

2y ago14:10

14:10

If you are at all interested in stuff like this, take a look at https://promedmail.org/

1
(44) Is it a calling, or just a job? 57:52

2+ y ago57:52

57:52

In August of 2022 we had special guest Dr. Peter Haugen on to talk about work identity. By the end, we are just sappy Dads who miss our kids being little. Email: [email protected] Instagram: Tracksidescience Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tracksidescience Alcohol Dr. Haugen - Gin & Tonic Rob - Equilibrium Brewing - Strata Outta the Labor…

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(43) We were burned out Spring 2021 48:25

2+ y ago48:25

48:25

This one was recorded during the Spring Semester of 2021 and sat on my hard drive for a while. Email: [email protected] Instagram: Tracksidescience Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tracksidescience Alcohol Bearded Flannel Cat India Pale Ale - Sunken Silo Big F’in Stout - Scofflaw Sounds Effects (all from FreeSound) wanderful.flac by Timbre…

1
(42) Citizen Science Tools for Bioinformatics (that are free!) 1:11:00

2+ y ago1:11:00

1:11:00

Both of us have done a bit of citizen science over the years, and here are some very high-tech freely available tools that you can use too! We are serious about our offer to show anyone how to use these, just email us at [email protected]. Enjoy! Music & Sounds Freight Train Crossing.wav by Sailor55 (Freesound.org) Night Train, The Mad Cap…

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(41) Hereditary Periodic Fever Syndromes 33:07

3y ago33:07

33:07

An interview with the acclaimed geneticist Dr Robert Pyatt about a set of diseases that is coming up in acclaimed educator Dr Jeff Mahr's class.

1
(40) Eight Science Books 48:20

3y ago48:20

48:20

Email: [email protected] Twitter: @TracksideScien1 Instagram: Tracksidescience Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tracksidescience Booze: Chocolate Moon Pie Stout, Naked River Brewing La Grange Point India Pale Ale, Flounder’s Brewing Books: The Last Stargazers, by Emily Levesque Sister, Maiden, Monster, by Lucy Snyder Rise and Fall of the D…

1
(39) Stiff Science 3 39:45

3y ago39:45

39:45

Because everyone is constantly dying. Also,we suck at virtual rochambeau. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @TracksideScien1 Instagram: Tracksidescience Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tracksidescience Rex Golliath - Cabernet Sauvignon Redrum Double Milk Stout (couldn’t find the brewery) Richard Lewonton (Mar 29, 1929 – Jul 4, 2021) - Gen…

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(38) Free Fireworks - Science Research 37:38

3y ago37:38

37:38

Can two words in the title change the number of downloads of an episode? We discuss downloads, podcast ratings and then decide to try a little experiment. Errol, I am eternally sorry that I forgot your name! Email: [email protected] Twitter: @TracksideScien1 Instagram: Tracksidescience Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tracksidescience Alco…

1
(37) Science Writing 1:03:21

3y ago1:03:21

1:03:21

Rob hates it, Jeff loves it, and no one should publish their research in Hustler. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @TracksideScien1 Instagram: Tracksidescience Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tracksidescience Alcohol: Rob - Hop Valley Bubblestash IPAwith CryoHops Jeff - Rex Goliath Cabernet Savignon Sounds: Front bumper - 8 Bit Circus Mu…

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(36) Welcome Back 42:43

3y ago42:43

42:43

Rob & Jeff return to talk scientifically about their old man health problems. Plus, what happened to 2021?

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Science Fairs (35) 31:53

4y ago31:53

31:53

Episode 35 - Science Fairs (Rob hates them) This episode sat on my hard drive for a year, I apologize. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @TracksideScien1 Instagram: Tracksidescience Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tracksidescience Alcohol: Neshaminy Creek Brewing Cheap Box Wine - unidentified, but I’m sure you can find some on your own So…

1
Virus Questions (5) - UK variant - more infectious, more severe 6:18

4+ y ago6:18

6:18

Email: [email protected] Twitter: @TracksideScien1 Instagram: Tracksidescience Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tracksidescience This Week in Virology (link) NERVTAG paper (link) English Robot Text-to-speech engine (link)

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(34) The state of journalism with Lou Harry 1:00:39

4+ y ago1:00:39

1:00:39

Lou is a writer and journalist who works with the Society of Professional Journalists and gives some of the most insightful and interesting analysis of journalism today. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @TracksideScien1 Instagram: Tracksidescience Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tracksidescience Links: Lou Harry’s website (here) Society …

1
Virus Questions (4) Is the mutant coronavirus more dangerous? 12:47

4+ y ago12:47

12:47

Probably not, but that shouldn't change what you are doing now. Nextstrain Twitter (here) This Week in Virology (here)

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(33) The COVID-19 Vaccines 55:17

4+ y ago55:17

55:17

What's in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine and why is a third of the population fatigued? Ethanol: Dragon’s Milk, New Holland (here) Eye of the Storm Sitra, Jersey Cyclone Brewing (here) 1798 Brewery Okracoke (here) Science: Pfizer FDA EUA briefing document (here) Moderna FDA EUA briefing document (here) Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (here) …

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Virus special - Does the vaccine prevent infection? 17:10

4+ y ago17:10

17:10

The answer might surprise us. Pfizer FDA EUA briefing document: link Pfizer FDA EUA meeting: link Moderna FDA EUA briefing document: link Moderna FDA EUA meeting: link VAERS: link

1
(32) Back in the Saddle? 25:31

4+ y ago25:31

25:31

Just a short little episode to let you know we are back. We think. An Exploration of the Structure of Effective Apologies (link) - Paywall.... sorry?

1
Virus special - -Is COVID-19 more like 1918 flu or 1957 flu? 1:00:21

5y ago1:00:21

1:00:21

Email: [email protected] Twitter: @TracksideScien1 Instagram: Tracksidescience Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tracksidescience

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(32) COVID-19 vaccine will be available at 12:32AM on Aug 17 2021 46:52

5y ago46:52

46:52

Wherein Rob and Jeff do an experiment to see how quickly beer and red wine will degrade vaccine knowledge. Jeff uses disabled squirrels and broken-down cars as analogies for attenuated virus vaccines. Rob tries to pin Jeff down on SARSCoV2 vaccine predictions for 2020. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @TracksideScien1 Instagram: Trackside…

1
Virus Questions (3) - Cheaper, less sensitive virus tests? 7:47

5y ago7:47

7:47

Email your virus questions to [email protected] Links: This Week in Virology episode #640 (here) Abbot ID Now (here) English robot generator (here)

1
(31) Science Dads 44:39

5y ago44:39

44:39

Here’s to all the Dads out there. And their jokes Email: [email protected] Twitter: @TracksideScien1 Instagram: Tracksidescience Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tracksidescience Sounds (Freesound.org) Baddum Tish - Comedy Rimshot by rodincoil Cricket Chirp by Sojan musical saw ascending UFO bu JohnsonBrandEditing…

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Virus Questions (2) Antibody tests - difference between qualitative & quantitative? 5:12

5y ago5:12

5:12

Email your virus questions to [email protected] Links: US FDA approved SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests (7/22/2020) (link) Types of tests - Chemiluminescent Microbead Immunoassay (Youtube) Lateral flow Immunoassay (Youtube) ELISA (Youtube) Sounds: https://lingojam.com/RobotVoiceGenerator

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A new series! Virus Questions (1) - What is threshold cycle? 5:57

5y ago5:57

5:57

Email your virus questions to [email protected] Links: This Week in Virology > https://www.microbe.tv/twiv/twiv-641/ COVID-19 PCR testing > https://youtu.be/Vd38iS_W7ww Note - I didn’t mention the “RT” part because… concision! The RT step just turns the viruses RNA into DNA and then the PCR starts on THAT. Sounds: https://lingojam.com/RobotV…

1
(30) A Fresh Perspective on Science 53:12

5y ago53:12

53:12

Sydni is working on an amoeba that *farms* a bacteria! Sydni’s amazing art: SciDotArt Email: [email protected] Twitter: @TracksideScien1 Instagram: Tracksidescience Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tracksidescience The Menu: Mango White Claw Peter Vella Vineyards Cab Sav Terrapin Hopsecutioner…

1
(29) Viral Movie Reviews part 2 56:46

5y ago56:46

56:46

Rob & Jeff again pick two very different movies Southern Tier Brewing Double IPA (here) Liberty Creek Cabernet Sauvignon (here) Osmosis Jones (IMDb) The Satan Bug (IMDb) sound effects Freesound.org: Night Traffic by Oneirophile Archive.org: KTLA 5 - Movie Theater - 1986 - Theme Song

1
Virus (8) Listeriaphage P100 18:56

5y ago18:56

18:56

Email: [email protected] Twitter: @TracksideScien1 Instagram: Tracksidescience Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tracksidescience References: Muniesa et al Microb Biotechnol. 2011 Nov; 4(6): 725–734. Carlton et al (Loessner) 2005 Reg. Tox. & Pharm Loessner 1991 App & Env Micro Zink & Loessner 1992 App & Env Micro Sounds (all from Freesound.…

1
Epidemic Film Reviews (28) 57:24

5+ y ago57:24

57:24

Episode 28 - Epidemic Movie Reviews Skeleton on Horse 1937 (link) Quarantine 2008 (link) Partners in Health (link) Alcohol: Naked Grape Cabernet Sauvignon Cloudwalker Hazy Juice IPA Email: [email protected] Twitter: @TracksideScien1 Instagram: Tracksidescience Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tracksidescience Music: Night Train, The Mad Ca…

1
Can we mask coronavirus? 47:53

5+ y ago47:53

47:53

Email: [email protected] Twitter: @TracksideScien1 Instagram: Tracksidescience Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tracksidescience Music & Sounds: Night Train, The Mad Caps (1952), Archive.org STE-013 train and bell.wav by tim.kahn (Freesound.or) Darth Vader Breathing.wav by 18hiltc (Freesound.org)…

1
Virus (update) - Coronavirus 3 hours in the air? (no) 11:42

5+ y ago11:42

11:42

Email: [email protected] Twitter: @TracksideScien1 Instagram: Tracksidescience Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tracksidescience References Original coronavirus study: 2020 van Doremalen et al (MedRxiv link) Goldberg drum: Golberg et al. 1958 American Journal of Epidemiology (link) Ebolavirus and Goldberg drum: 2016 Fischer et al Journal o…

1
Coronavirus episode 2 51:42

5+ y ago51:42

51:42

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Virus (7) - A short history of coronaviruses 9:50

5+ y ago9:50

9:50

1
Coronavirus outbreak 1:01:50

5+ y ago1:01:50

1:01:50

1
Changing jobs in science (24?) 1:00:49

5+ y ago1:00:49

1:00:49

1
Virus (6) Myxomavirus - Part 1 31:24

5+ y ago31:24

31:24

1
Interview with John L Rudolph 57:56

5+ y ago57:56

57:56

I interview science teacher and author of "How We Teach Science, What's Changed, and why it matters". John's book --> link here (It's at Harvard University Press if the link isn't working) A Private Universe --> here

1
Stiff Science 2 47:52

6y ago47:52

47:52

Jerry Merryman (killer of the slide rule) June 1932 – February 27, 2019 (obituary) Sidney Brenner (cell biology & genetics) January 1927 – April 5, 2019 (obituary) Owen Garriot (engineer, scientist, astronaut) November 1930 – April 15, 2019 (obituary) Gerald Berenson (cardiologist) September 1922 – November 22, 2018 (obituary) Lamia Al-Gailani Werr…

1
Apollo 11 50th Anniversary with special guest host Pete! 1:01:43

6y ago1:01:43

1:01:43

Coming out on the 50th anniversary of the launch of Apollo 11, we talk about what we know about the mission, how it affected culture in the United States and how conflicted we would feel if Trump's desire for flashiness actually got us back to the moon. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @TracksideScien1 Instagram: Tracksidescience Patreon:…

1
Science Communication thru Radios 1:00:06

6y ago1:00:06

1:00:06

Rob & Jeff interview Dan Mushalko, General Manager, host and alpha-Geek at WCBE in Columbus Ohio. Listen to how his science education show The Amazing Science Emporium was born from Hurricane Gloria and about his efforts while at NASA to convince America that Skylab wasn’t going to fall on their head. Drinks: Rex Goliath Cabernet Sauvignon Fernson …