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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.

• Join our intrepid science team as they explore the Big Bang
• Hear about how the sun works
• Learn about the Chicxulub asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs

All sound effects courtesy of Freesound.

• Explosion Outdoors Evan Boyerman
• F16 Takeoff Sandermotions
• Big boom SamsterBirdies
• Dramatic evil music Humanoid9000
• Snr_whoosh aishabag23
• Bing bong Timbre
• Asteroid toxicnun
• Radio static: eddy15
• Whoosh.spaceship newlocknew
• Dynamite explosion in the mountain felix.blume
• Dramatic acoustic guitar music LolaMoore

Want to make a podcast episode with your class or group? Ping me at [email protected]

As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.

Send us a text

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.

• Join our intrepid science team as they dig for fossils
• Hear about the supercontinent Pangea
• Learn about volcanoes and earthquakes

All sound effects courtesy of Freesound.

• Radio static: eddy15
• Steps on the sand field: rodrigovaz
• Moving a boulder: BW_Clowes
• Digging with pick axe: cameronmusic
• TsunamiBeach: acclivity
• Landslide: bikesandbassboi
• Volcanoexplosion: craigsmith
• Flagstones scraping: Metzik

Want to make a podcast episode with your class or group? Ping me at [email protected]

As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.

Send us a text

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 like
• Hear how people who do astronomy as a hobby contribute to the field
• Find out what Dr. Allen thinks about aliens

Resources You Can Use

• Check out Zooniverse to find a research project you can help with
• Find a robotic telescope to use from MicroObservatory or SkyNet
• Learn about the Jewett Observatory at WSU

As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.

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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 happen
• Hear about how Dr. Bunch gives acupuncture to all kinds of animals 

Resources You Can Use

• Check out ag careers with Future Farmers of America and 4-H
• Browse the House Rabbit Society or the Humane Society
• Some veterinarians use fear-free methods to keep animals unstressed

As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.

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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 grownup to preview the audio or transcript. (I used italics in the transcript for anything that might be a little bit gross so it's easier to scan.) =^..^=

• Learn what a nurse practitioner does
• Hear about seeing surgery for the first time and wearing pretend wounds to help train EMTs on ambulances when he was a kid
• Discover what nursing school and nurse practitioner school are like

Resources You Can Use

• Do this body parts word search or labeling game
• Check out weird body stuff: how dogs detect things in your breath, why gross stuff makes us squeamish, and how scientists study viruses

As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.

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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. 

• Learn about tiny crustaceans called copepods, which are a type of plankton— and rock out to this song about zooplankton
• Check out ocean mussels and their freshwater cousins
• Discover how to explore tide pools gently

Resources You Can Use

• Spend some time on the American Museum of Natural History's marine biology page
• Learn more about ocean plankton with Black in Marine Science

As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.

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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. 

• Learn about sensory pollution and the difference between a phenotype and a genotype
• Find out how birds get tagged and measured—and how it's a little bit like an alien abduction
• Hear Dr. Phillips' journey to be a scientist, her favorite bird fact and how being a scientist is like being a spy

Resources You Can Use

• Check out this video that shows how a cardinal's syrinx makes two sounds at once
• Did you know there's a poisonous bird? Meet the Pitohui
• Learn all about birds with Audubon for Kids
• Enjoy these spy activities from the Spy Museum

As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.

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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. 

• Find out what a science librarian is and how to become one
• Learn how the resources at WSU's Owen Science and Engineering Library and Holland and Terrell Libraries are there for everyone in Washington
• Hear how everyone is a scientist—including you

Resources You Can Use

• Text, chat, email or tweet at a WSU librarian—or schedule a time to work together one-on-one
• Look at this cool taxidermy bear that lives in the science library
• Browse vintage photos and digital media from Washington and  the Palouse
• Check out some of the rare books and collections at WSU

As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.

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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 learning with Kira Carbonneau, an educational psychologist at Washington State University. 

• Find out what educational psychologist is and how Dr. Carbonneau became one
• Learn the difference between quantitative research and qualitative research
• Hear Dr. Carbonneau's advice for being a good learner—and what it has to do with the movie Sing

Resources You Can Use

• See the What Works Clearinghouse yourself
• Check out what Dr. Carbonneau taught me about having a growth mindset

As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.

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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 babies with Masha Gartstein, a psychologist who studies infant temperament at Washington State University. 

• Learn about the individual differences that make up a baby's temperament and how scientists study it in the lab with real babies (Hint: It involves Halloween masks!)
• Hear about Dr. Gartstein's job and her advice for kids who want to be scientists

Resources You Can Use

• Check out the Gartstein Infant Temperament Lab to learn more about Dr. Gartstein's work and see adorable photos of babies in the lab
• Watch the trailer for Babies, Season 2 (Netflix). Dr. Gartstein is on the episode called "Nature and Nurture." Some episodes from the first season are available on YouTube.

As always, submit burning questions at askdruniverse.wsu.edu. Who knows where your questions will take us next.