Ask Dr. Universe
Join Dr. Universe and her friends at Washington State University as they investigate science questions from kids around the world. Know a kid with a curious science question? Help them submit it at askDrUniverse.wsu.edu for a chance to be featured on a future episode.
Your Paw-some Question | Do goldfish need 8-12 hours of light?
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Cosmo and I learn that a goldfish's circadian rhythm is tuned by light—and by feeding schedule, thanks to our friend Dr. Nora Hickey
Find out more about the circadian rhythmRead up on the one-eyed worm ancestor that gave you your pineal glandWant to see what the see-through pineal window in a fish's skull looks like—when scientists make it glow? Here's a paper about it (go to figure 1)Check out how zebrafish help researchers unravel hearingAnd discover the (intense) salmon life cycleSound effects courtesy Pixabay
As always, submi...
Your Paw-some Question | How do butterflies taste with their feet?
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Cosmo and I learn about butterfly taste receptors with WSU's Rich Zack.
Watch how entomologists rear caterpilllars with Cornell UniversitySee some clearwing butterflies in 4K from Deep LookFind out how to help butterfliesAs always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
Your Paw-some Question | Would it have been possible to domesticate bears instead of wolves?
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Cosmo and I find out why bears never became pets, with expert input from Alaska wildlife biologist Sean Farley.
Check out the WSU Bear CenterLearn more about canine genes with the SmithsonianFind out about early human hunter-gatherers with Nat GeoThe American Museum of Natural History shows off its cave bearRead about bears' cool reproductive strategies See a baby bear with a Pennsylvania Game Commission biologistSound effects courtesy Zapsplat and Pixabay
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
Tu Pregunta Paw-dre | ¿Qué pasa si te come un tiburón?
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Gracias a mis amigos, Dr. Ornitorrinco y Dra. Nora Hickey, una veterinaria de peces en la Universidad Estatal de Washington, por ayudarme con la pregunta de hoy. Si quieres escuchar en Ingles: What happens if you get eaten by a shark?
Y como siempre, si tienes alguna pregunta de ciencia para mí, puedes mandarla a askdruniverse.wsu.edu. ¡Quién sabe a dónde nos llevarán sus próximas preguntas!
Este podcast producido en colaboración con @bichologo.bugologist @kikokomiks
Effectos sonoros por Pixabay
As alway...
Your Paw-some Question | How did big cats change into house cats?
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Cosmo and I learned about cat evolution, thanks to Haden Kingrey, anthropology graduate student at Washington State University.
Read the Ask Dr. Universe column about this (and see a cute pic of my roommate)Learn about natural selection with the Amoeba SistersCheck out saber-toothed cats with the National Park ServiceSee an African wild cat in action with AnimalogicSee the Smithsonian's exhibit for the first known domesticated catAs always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
How Do You Science | Meet a Black Hole Scientist
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I learned all about black holes from WSU observational astrophysicist Vivienne Baldassare.
Check out Dr. Baldassare's favorite black holeLearn more about galaxies, black holes, and exoplanets from NASAPeep the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in ChileExplore the NASA exoplanet databaseDig into NASA's search for life outside our universeAs always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
Your Paw-some Question | What determines the size and shape of someone's belly button?
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Cosmo and I investigated belly buttons—thanks to WSU nursing professor Cindy Brigham-Althoff.
Learn more about the placenta with Operation Ouch and Scientific AmericanCheck out all the belly buttons with Nat GeoFind out about placental mammalsSee what's living inside your navel with Nat GeoSound effects courtesy Pixabay
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
BONUS EPISODE! Student-led Podcasts | Explore a Cell with Vancouver iTech Preparatory
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Join me and some new friends as we shrink down and travel through a cell, checking out organelles along the way. It's a cell biology adventure!
This episode was written and performed by the 6th graders in Kelsey Starke's classes at Vancouver iTech Preparatory. Thanks to WSU's John Hinz for the expert factcheck.
Can't get enough cell bio?
Check out the National Geographic cell biology collectionEnjoy PBS Learning videos about life sciencesTake a another trip through a cell with Amoeba SistersPeep the National Science Foundation kids' video about...How Do You Science | Meet an Apple Breeder
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WSU apple breeder, Kate Evans, told me all about out how apples work and what it's like to be a scientist who makes new apples—like the Cosmic Crisp®.
See Kate Evans' pollen vial hereLearn more about the Cosmic Crisp® appleSee all these different kinds of apples—and these Washington applesEnjoy these pollinator activitiesUse the Xerces Society pollinator plant lists to find what to plant near youCheck out the apple question Kate Evans helped me answerAs always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us...
Your Paw-some Question | How do cats climb?
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Cosmo and I learned all about cat anatomy and how feline friends like us climb so well. Thanks to WSU vet med's Steve Lampa for the expert info.
Learn more about joints with NemoursFind out about connective tissue with Brittanica KidsCheck out Vox's explainer on the righting reflexSound effects courtesy Pixabay and Zapsplat
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
Your Paw-some Question | Why do we have fingerprints?
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Today Cosmo and I learned all about fingerprints—and how they give primates dexterity and grip.
Learn more about primates from PBSFind out how gecko feet work with ACSCheck out your fingerprints with SciShow Kids—or investigate them with PBSSound effects courtesy Pixabay
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
Your Paw-some Question | Why are giraffes' tongues purple?
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Cosmo and I found out why our tallest animal friends have long, dark tongues—and what melanin does for humans, too. Thanks to Cynthia Cooper, who studies animal pigments at WSU Vancouver.
Find out more about how DNA works with Amoeba SistersRead my answer about how sunscreen worksInvestigate human skin color with PBSCheck out prehensile tongues with Cleveland ZooLearn about Cynthia Cooper's zebrafish labSound effects courtesy Pixabay
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
Your Paw-some Question | What is the life cycle of a ladybug?
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Cosmo and I learn about all kinds of life cycles: holometabolous (big change), hemimetabolous (small change), and ametabolous (no change).
Check out how a caterpillar makes the big change with Deep LookAnd then watch some aphidsPeep inside a cocoon with Insider ScienceLearn more about the history of insect wings, thanks to PBS EonsSound effects: Pixabay
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
How Do You Science | Meet a Planetary Scientist (Will we ever live on Mars? Are aliens real?)
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Today I'm talking with Julie Ménard, a planetary scientist at Washington State University. She told me about the terrestrial planets in our solar system, how we're about to visit Mars—and could even set up a station there someday, and the possibility of life in our solar system and beyond.
See what NASA says about sending humans to marsLearn more about NASA's Gateway, the first space station around the moonCheck out the planets in our solar systemFind out how we're searching for life on other planetsAs always, submit burning ques...
Your Paw-some Question | Will vaccines always hurt?
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Cosmo and I learn about shots—and new technology our friend WSU's Roland Chen is working on to make painless vaccines.
Learn more about microarray patches Find out how vaccines work with the Amoeba Sisters and why we get vaccines with SciShow KidsCheck out how other vaccine technology gets rolled out, from Ted-EdAs always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
Your Paw-some Question | Why do dogs have pads on their feet?
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Today Cosmo and I learned all about dog paws from our friend, WSU veterinarian Dr. Natasha Hottmann.
Learn more about being a veterinarian with Nat Geo KidsFind out how to check your dog's pawsCan dogs communicate? Find out what PBS NewsHour thinksSound effects courtesy Zapsplat and Pixabay
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
Your Paw-some Question | How do cell phones work?
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Cosmo and I learn how cell phones send texts, images and calls from phone to phone—thanks to our friend, electrical engineer Ben Belzer.
Resources you can use:
Learn more about binary code with Crash CourseCheck out this binary code character table to make your own messagesGet more info about pixels from NSU Florida librarySound effects courtesy Zapsplat and Pixabay
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
How Do You Science | Meet an Extension Vegetable Specialist
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Love veggies? Me, too. And so does my friend Tim Waters, regional vegetable specialist at WSU Extension.
In this episode, you'll hear:
What Extension isWhat it was like for Extension agents back in 1918How he solves problems—from insect ID to veggie pathogens to lightning strikes in fieldsOne cool journey from community college all the way to a PhDResources you can use:
Check out WSU Extension yourself (or look up Extension near you)Learn more about WSU research farmsFind out how to a start a veggie garden yo...Your Paw-some Question | Do turtles live inside their shells?
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Today Cosmo and I learn about turtles and how they grow their amazing shells —all thanks to my friend, Ryan Wagner, wildlife biologist at Washington State University (and former turtle pedicurist).
Art and science go hand and hand. Check out Ryan Wagner's website to see his incredible photos 📸🐢
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
Your Paw-some Question | What happens if you get eaten by a shark?
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Dooooo-doo, Dooooo-doo. 🦈 Today Cosmo and I learn about sharks and their rad digestive systems—all thanks to my friend, Dr. Nora Hickey, fish veterinarian at Washington State University.
Want to learn more about fish? Check out Dr. Hickey's Fishkeep & Chill website 🦈
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
How Do You Science | Meet a Wildlife Biologist
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In this episode, I learn all about wildlife biology from my friend, Ryan Wagner. He told me about clipping turtle toenails and bathing froglets—all for science. And he recounted his recent adventure backpacking frogs into a national forest to return them to their former home. If you love amphibians and reptiles or conservation biology, this one's for you.
Hear about:
stressed out turtles and their toenailschytrid fungus and frogsscientists helping Cascade frogs survive climate changehow art makes science even betterResources you can use:
Want to see Ry...Your Paw-some Question | Why do we have germs on our hands?
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Cosmo and I learn about microbes, thanks to Eric Lofrgren, an infectious disease expert at WSU.
Resources you can use:
hear what microbes arewhere they live in the environmenthow some skin bacteria help us outwhat biofilms are...and check out this bellybutton bacteria scientists studyOh, and wash your paws! =^..^=
As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.
How Do You Science | Meet a Pharmacist
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In this episode, I learn all about what it means to be a pharmacist with my friend, Damianne Brand-Eubanks. She's a pharmacist and professor at Washington State University.
Hear about:
different kinds of pharmacistsrad new ways to receive medications or shots (like patches that feel like a cat's tongue and jet injectors like you see on Star Trek)why reading and writing are amazing for pharmacists, scientists and everybodyResources you can use:
Check out this CrashCourse about how scientists make new medicines—called drug discoveryFind out what it...Your Paw-some Question | How are wisdom teeth removed?
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What happens if you need your third molars removed? Cosmo and I find out, after talking to our friend David Carsten. He's a dentist anesthesiologist who studied at Washington State University and now teaches at Oregon Health and Science University.
Find out the real tooth here.
Resources you can use:
Find out what it's like to be a dentist, a dental hygienist or a dental assistant, thanks to Teeth Talk GirlLearn more about early humans' big jaws with Ted-EdGet the official word on wisdom teeth from the American...Your Paw-some Question | Should I be scared of bugs?
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Can Cosmo and I help a cool kid like you face their fear of bugs? Join us—and our friend Paul Strand, psychologist at Washington State University—as we dig into why things freak us out and how to beat-le those fears.
Resources you can use:
See some beautiful bugs and relatives with All Bugs Go to KevinLearn about parts of the brain like the prefrontal cortexFeeling anxious about something? Let's make a planTry a relaxation trick like this color sorting appSound effects courtesy Zapsplat and Pixabay
A...
How Do You Science | Meet a Polar Scientist
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Today I'm talking with Von Walden, an atmospheric scientist at Washington State University.
Hear about Earth's bubble of gases AKA the atmosphereLearn why clouds can be weird in the polar regionsFind out what an expert thinks about climate change—and how optimistic he is about the futureResources You Can Use
Check out AMNH's climate change resourcesWatch these polar bear camsLearn more about the polar regionsFind out more about clouds and make a cloud in a jarAs always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your...
Your Paw-some Question | Why do we have two intestines?
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What up with the small intestine and the large intestine? Join Cosmo and me—and our friend Franck Carbonero, microbiologist at Washington State University—to break down how we break down food.
You'll hear:
how the intestines differ in size and functionall about your gut bacteriathe journey food takes through your digestive tractResources you can use:
American Museum of Natural History's microbiology resourcesFrontiers for Young Minds' explainer on fermentationNational Geographic Kids' info on the human digestive systemSound effects courtesy Zapsplat
As always, submit burni...
Your Paw-some Question | Why is snot green?
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Purr-haps you'd like a new way to get your claws on science questions sent in by kids like you. That's litter-ally my favorite thing.
Today Cosmo and I tackle a question from William, 7, from the United Kingdom: Why is snot green?
You'll hear:
What mucus isWhat protein makes mucus green sometimesHow immune cells trap irritants and stuff that can make you sickResources you can use:
Check out Operation Ouch's Science of SnotLearn about the nursing careerAs always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.e...
Your Paw-some Question | What makes snow sparkle?
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Purr-haps you'd like a new way to get your claws on science questions sent in by kids like you. That's litter-ally my favorite thing.
Today Cosmo and I tackle a question from Hillary's 1st graders in Washington: What makes snow sparkle?
You'll hear:
How snowflakes are hexagonal ice crystalsAbout white light and rainbow colorsWhat reflection and refraction meanResources you can use:
Check out Von Walden's research near the North Pole and South PoleLearn about atmospheric scienceAs always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.e...
How Do You Science | Meet a Biological Anthropologist (who studies skeletons)
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Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world. Today I'm talking to WSU biological anthropologist Thomas Siek.
Hear about all kinds of anthropologyFind out how Dr. Siek studied bones from the Middle Ages in PolandLearn how clues in bones help solve crimes with forensic anthropologyResources You Can Use
Watch this NPR team use forensic anthropology to figure out info about a skeleton from a high school art classSee how fast you can build a human...Your Paw-some Question | Why do bees make honey?
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Purr-haps you'd like a new way to get your claws on science questions sent in by kids like you. That's litter-ally my favorite thing.
Today Cosmo and I tackle a question from Gabby, 9, in Kansas: Why do bees make honey?
You'll hear:
What a bee proboscis is and why bees are so adorably hairyWhy some people call honey "bee barf" and what trophollaxis is How bees make foods like bee bread and honeyResources you can use:
Check out these baby beesLearn how to make homes f...How Do You Science | Meet an Environmental Archeologist
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Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world. Today I'm talking to WSU environmental archeologist John Blong.
Hear what environmental archeology isLearn about fossilized poop—AKAStudent-Led Podcasts | Exploring the Past Universe with PPCS
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Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world.
Today, the 4th graders at Palouse Prairie Charter School take Dr. Universe and her cougar cub friend Cosmo back in time to the formation of the universe.
All sound effects courtesy of Freesound.
Explosion Outdoors Evan BoyermanF16 Takeoff SandermotionsBig boom S...Student-Led Podcasts | Exploring Plate Tectonics with PPCS
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Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world.
Today, the 4th graders at Palouse Prairie Charter School take Dr. Universe and her cougar cub friend Cosmo on an earth science adventure.
All sound effects courtesy of Freesound.
Radio static: eddy15Steps on the sand field: rodrigovazMoving a boulder: BW_ClowesDigging with pick axe: cameronmusicTsunamiBeach: accliv...How Do You Science | Meet an Astronomer
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Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world. Today I'm talking to WSU astronomer Michael Allen.
Learn what an astronomer does and what their day looks likeHear how people who do astronomy as a hobby contribute to the fieldFind out what Dr. Allen thinks about aliensResources You Can Use
Check out Zooniverse to find a research project you can help withFind a robotic telescope to use from MicroObservatory or SkyNetLearn about the Jewett Observa...How Do You Science | Meet a Veterinarian...who does acupuncture!
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Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world. Today I'm talking to WSU veterinarian Jessica Bunch.
Learn what a veterinarian does and funny things that happenHear about how Dr. Bunch gives acupuncture to all kinds of animalsResources You Can Use
Check out ag careers with Future Farmers of America and 4-HBrowse the House Rabbit Society or the Humane SocietySome veterinarians use fear-free methods to keep animals unstressedAs always, submit burning questions at askdru...
How Do You Science | Meet a Nurse Practitioner
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Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world. Today we're talking to nurse practitioner Bevan Briggs.
Warning! This episode very briefly mentions intestines, body fluids, shots, stitches, broken bones, surgery, kids putting on pretend wounds (with intestines!) to help EMTs train, and the fact animals are butchered for food in some homes. If that doesn't sound like something you'd like to hear, I'll catch you on the next one. If you're not sure, ask your gr...
How Do You Science | Meet a Marine Biologist
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Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world.
Today we're talking about birds with Wes Dowd, a marine biologist and environmental physiologist at Washington State University.
Resources You Can Use
Spend some time on the American Museum of Natural History's m...How Do You Science | Meet an Ecologist (for the birds!)
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Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world.
Today we're talking about birds with Jennifer Phillips, an ecologist at Washington State University.
Resources Y...
How Do You Science | Meet a Science Librarian
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Welcome back, young scientists. I’m Dr. Universe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got lots of big questions about our world.
Today we're talking about libraries with David Luftig, a science librarian at Washington State University.
Resources You Can Use
Text, chat, email or tweet at a WSU li...