In this episode, we talk about the significance of the new James Webb Space Telescope (and why it should have a different name) - how it works, why it's important, and what people are going to do with it. Also stay to hear the story of how Tessa proposed to her wife, which is extremely dorky and pretty sweet. 

A transcript and show notes for this episode are available on our website: https://asabpodcast.com/2022/08/16/episode-54/

The show is on Twitter @ASABpod, Charles @cockroacharles, and Tessa @spacermase. 

Our intro music is by Nicole Petkovich. 

Thank you for listening!

In this episode we're joined by MD-PhD student Laurel Hiatt, whose work focuses on somatic mosaicism, or the differences between individual cells, specifically in the human colon. We talk about genetic mosaicism, cancer risk, why the colon causes so many problems, and how Laurel's work will (hopefully) help develop tools to improve screening and colorectal disease prevention. 

You can find Laurel on Twitter @laurel_hiatt. 

A transcript and show notes for this episode are available on our website: https://asabpodcast.com/2022/07/13/episode-53/

The show is on Twitter @ASABpod, Charles @cockroacharles, and Tessa @spacermase. 

Our intro music is by Nicole Petkovich. 

Thank you for listening!

In this special holiday episode, we talked about Syngnathidae (the family of ray-finned fishes including pipefish, seahorses, and sea dragons), particularly Hippocampus spp. (seahorses) and their unusual reproductive strategy of male pregnancy. We talk about the physiology of seahorses' pregnancy, with tangents about the complexity of biological sex and reproductive strategies, other fish, evolution, and philosophy of biology. 

A transcript and show notes are available on our website here: https://asabpodcast.com/2022/06/20/episode-52/

The show is on Twitter @ASABpod, Charles @cockroacharles, and Tessa @spacermase. 

Our intro music is by Nicole Petkovich. 

Thank you for listening!

In this episode we're joined by geneticist and artist Robin Aguilar to talk about their research using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) to visualize DNA, brush up on some basic genetics, and discuss a new episode-ending question, of which era of geologic time we'd travel to if we somehow got a trip in a time machine. We also touch on Robin's advocacy work in science, particularly with Genome Sciences Association for the Inclusion of Marginalized Students (GSAIMS). 

Robin can be found on Twitter @seesmallthings or their website here. 

A transcript and show notes are available on our website here: https://asabpodcast.com/2022/06/09/episode-51/

The show is on Twitter @ASABpod, Charles @cockroacharles, and Tessa @spacermase. 

Our intro music is by Nicole Petkovich. 

Thank you for listening!

This week we're joined by quantum physics student Lyra Cronin. We talk about the meaning of quantum physics, Lyra's work with nitrogen vacancy centers in diamonds, the possibilities of quantum computing, and when to become (and die as) a robot. 

We don't mention it in the episode, but Lyra can be found on Twitter @Seranyx. 

A transcript and show notes are available on our website here: https://asabpodcast.com/2022/05/23/episode-50/

The show is on Twitter @ASABpod, Charles @cockroacharles, and Tessa @spacermase. 

Our intro music is by Nicole Petkovich. 

Thank you for listening!

Like most gay people, we have now watched the HBO series Our Flag Means Death (full season 1 available now!). Unlike most gay people, Charles is a PhD candidate in history and philosophy of biology. In this episode, we touch on several topics in history of science touched on in the show: Linnaean taxonomy and binomial nomenclature, phrenology, and scurvy (caused by humans' inability to synthesize our own Vitamin C, setting us apart from most vertebrates). 

A transcript and show notes are available on our website here: https://asabpodcast.com/2022/05/09/episode-49/

The show is on Twitter @ASABpod, Charles @cockroacharles, and Tessa @spacermase. 

Our intro music is by Nicole Petkovich. 

Thank you for listening!

In this episode we're joined by science superstar (pun intended) Lucianne Walkowicz to talk about their research, who space belongs to (including whether it can "belong" to anyone), and how gay space is. Charles also defends leeches (they probably won't give you diseases!), the animal, but not leeches, metaphor for the capitalist class. 

Lucianne is all over, but can be found on Twitter @RocketToLulu

Show notes (including sources) and a transcript are at our website here: https://asabpodcast.com/2022/04/23/episode-48/

The show is on Twitter @ASABpod, Charles @cockroacharles, and Tessa @spacermase. 

Our intro music is by Nicole Petkovich. 

Thank you for listening!

Warning for this episode that we are talking at length about reproductive anatomy and genitals, the effect of testosterone and genital reconstruction of the clitorophallus. 

The second in our two-part series on genitals medical transition, in this one we talk about the history and procedures of metoidioplasty and phalloplasty, as well as possibilities for the future. 

Show notes (including sources) and a transcript are at our website here: https://asabpodcast.com/2022/03/31/episode-47/

The show is on Twitter @ASABpod, Charles @cockroacharles, and Tessa @spacermase. 

Our intro music is by Nicole Petkovich. 

Thank you for listening!

Warning for this episode that we are talking at length about reproductive anatomy and genitals, particularly vaginoplasty as a gender-affirming surgery. This episode includes frank discussion of vaginoplasty as a procedure, as well as Tessa's personal experience. 

The first in a two-part series on trans people and genitals, this episode focuses on vaginoplasty, with an explanation of embryonic sexual differentiation, a brief history of vaginoplasty in the 20th century as part of medical transition, and the primary method used up to the present day. 

Show notes (including sources) and a transcript are at our website here: https://asabpodcast.com/2022/03/27/episode-46/

The show is on Twitter @ASABpod, Charles @cockroacharles, and Tessa @spacermase. 

Our intro music is by Nicole Petkovich. 

Thank you for listening!

In this episode we spoke with nature photographer Lee Jaszlics about their experience of "detransition." Lee is nonbinary and took testosterone before choosing to end use, and reverse some of its effects. We talk about their experience of gender and transitioning, and also tapeworms. 

Lee is on Twitter @taenia and has their wonderful photographer at Woodfern Studio. 

Show notes and transcript are available on our website here: https://asabpodcast.com/2022/03/20/episode-45/

The show is on Twitter @ASABpod, Charles @cockroacharles, and Tessa @spacermase. 

Our intro music is by Nicole Petkovich. 

Thank you for listening!