Early Bird Science

By Kristen Ruka

A podcast for morning people who want a little science to start their day... more

5

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FAQs about Early Bird Science:

How many episodes does Early Bird Science have?

The podcast currently has 26 episodes available.

Early Bird Science episodes:

March 30, 2020Take Care of Yourself
Kristen discusses mental health during the pandemic. Wash your hands and be well. <3

In the United States, "If you, or someone you care about, are feeling overwhelmed with emotions like sadness, depression, or anxiety, or feel like you want to harm yourself or others call

911

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA's) Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746. (TTY 1-800-846-8517)"

References and Resources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Stress and Coping during COVID-19

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html

Taking Care of Your Emotional Health

https://emergency.cdc.gov/coping/selfcare.asp

Related Episode

Coronavirus [Episode 13]: https://www.earlybirdscience.com/episodes/13

Connect - Leave comments, suggest topics, and ask science questions!

Website: earlybirdscience.com

Twitter: @EarlyBirdSci

Instagram: @EarlyBirdScience

Facebook: @EarlyBirdScience

Check out Kristen's other show, Headshake, a stream-of-consciousness science podcast (EXPLICIT CONTENT):

headshake.show

Disclaimer

Early Bird Science is a podcast meant for entertainment and education only. While Kristen has a doctorate (Ph.D.), she is not a medical doctor. Please consult with your physician before making decisions about your health.
...more
17min
March 16, 2020 Early Bird Pseudoscience: "N-Rays"
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

Yes, Kristen has had a busy couple of weeks and couldn't find time to record an episode of Early Bird Science for this morning.

However, her Headshake co-host Nathan A. Libby has offered to take over the program (with Kristen's blessing, of course) and change the content over from real science to proven NON-science.

Kristen will be back in two weeks with another regular episode of Early Bird Science, but for now, please enjoy some nonsense.

Connect - Leave comments, suggest topics, and ask science questions!

Website: earlybirdscience.com

Twitter: @EarlyBirdSci

Instagram: @EarlyBirdScience

Facebook: @EarlyBirdScience

Check out Headshake, a stream-of-consciousness science podcast (EXPLICIT CONTENT):

headshake.show
...more
16min
March 02, 2020Coronavirus
The coronavirus-caused disease COVID-19 has the potential to spread to pandemic levels. What are the facts?

References and Resources

World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

Situation Report Feb 26, 2020: https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200226-sitrep-37-covid-19.pdf

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US:

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the U.S. (Updated Feb 26, 2020) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Summary (Accessed Feb 25, 2020) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/summary.html

What to Do If You Are Sick With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (Accessed February 27, 2020) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/steps-when-sick.html

U.S. Influenza (Data Feb 7-15, 2020) https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm

Articles

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/new-coronavirus-outbreak-your-most-pressing-questions-answered

https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/25/health/coronavirus-us-american-cases/index.html

https://nypost.com/2020/02/25/fourth-passenger-on-coronavirus-plagued-diamond-princess-cruise-dies/

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/02/26/809650625/a-guide-how-to-prepare-your-home-for-coronavirus

Connect - Leave comments, suggest topics, and ask science questions!

Website: earlybirdscience.com

Twitter: @EarlyBirdSci

Instagram: @EarlyBirdScience

Facebook: @EarlyBirdScience

Check out Kristen's other show, Headshake, a stream-of-consciousness science podcast (EXPLICIT CONTENT):

headshake.show

Disclaimer

Early Bird Science is a podcast meant for entertainment and education only. While Kristen has a doctorate (Ph.D.), she is not a medical doctor. Please consult with your physician before making decisions about your health.
...more
25min
February 17, 2020Calculating the Limits of Human Endurance
Studying long-term energy expenditure of athletes in sporting events ranging from 0.5 to 140 days long, researchers have calculated the limits of human endurance. Based on this research, it also turns out pregnant women are endurance masters! Kristen's Headshake co-host Nathan A. Libby pays a visit.

Check out the trailer for the new podcast Headshake, set to premiere February 24!

https://headshake.show/episodes/0

References and Resources

Article: Ultimate limit of human endurance found

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-48527798

Primary Research: Extreme events reveal an alimentary limit on sustained maximal human energy expenditure

https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/5/6/eaaw0341

Textbook: Vander's Human Physiology 13th Edition

Connect - Leave comments, suggest topics, and ask science questions!

Website: earlybirdscience.com

Twitter: @EarlyBirdSci

Instagram: @EarlyBirdScience

Facebook: @EarlyBirdScience
...more
19min
February 03, 2020Ancient Stardust in an Old Meteorite - PLUS a Special Announcement!
An ancient meteorite contains the oldest solid material ever found on Earth. Kristen makes an exciting announcement about an upcoming project!

References and Resources

Article

"Meteorite contains the oldest material on Earth: 7-billion-year-old stardust"

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/01/200113153306.htm

Primary Literature

"Lifetimes of interstellar dust from cosmic ray exposure ages of presolar silicon carbide"

https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2020/01/07/1904573117

Connect - Leave comments, suggest topics, and ask science questions!

Website: earlybirdscience.com

Twitter: @EarlyBirdSci

Instagram: @EarlyBirdScience

Facebook: @EarlyBirdScience
...more
18min
January 20, 2020Flex Those Muscles
The types of muscles you pump up at the gym are just one of three different muscle types in your body. Kristen introduces the muscle types skeletal, cardiac, and smooth, and discusses their differences in appearance, location, control, and contraction. She also explains why calcium is so important for you.

References and Resources

Textbook: Vander's Human Physiology 13th Edition

Calcium info

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/calcium-and-milk/calcium-full-story/

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional/

Related Episodes

EKGs

https://www.earlybirdscience.com/episodes/2

https://www.earlybirdscience.com/episodes/3

Connect - Leave comments, suggest topics, and ask science questions!

Website: earlybirdscience.com

Twitter: @EarlyBirdSci

Instagram: @EarlyBirdScience

Facebook: @EarlyBirdScience
...more
19min
January 06, 2020How Do Computers Work? With Steven Gago
Happy new year 2020!

Steven Gago is the first human guest on Early Bird Science! He is an experienced software and firmware engineer, with a background in electrical and electronic engineering. Oh, yeah, he is also Kristen's spouse. :-) He joins Kristen for this special, double-length episode to talk about how computers work.

Concepts covered:

Steve is NOT a morning person

Ancient computers

Processors

Transistors

Logic gates

Boolean algebra, 1s and 0s

John Von Neumann

Fetch-execute cycle

RAM

Computer "mouses" vs. "mice"

Analog vs. digital

Quantum computing

References and Resources from Steve

Documentary on Antikythera Mechanism

https://youtu.be/jSQNEPbQOiI

John Von Neumann

https://medium.com/cantors-paradise/the-unparalleled-genius-of-john-von-neumann-791bb9f42a2d

Connect - Leave comments, suggest topics, and ask science questions!

Website: earlybirdscience.com

Leave questions for Steve in the comments on this episode's webpage

Twitter: @EarlyBirdSci

Instagram: @EarlyBirdScience

Facebook: @EarlyBirdScience
...more
42min
December 23, 2019Evergreen for the Holidays
Evergreen trees keep their green leaves all year long. What benefits and challenges do they experience as a result? Kristen discusses this topic and wraps up 2019, the Year of the Periodic Table. Happy holidays!

Episode References and Resources

Why do evergreens stay green in the winter?

Article written by a Biology professor: https://theconversation.com/why-dont-evergreens-change-color-and-drop-their-leaves-every-fall-123744

Even evergreens take a break from photosynthesis in the winter: "Photoprotective Strategies of Overwintering Evergreens" https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/54/1/41/234579

How non-evergreen trees lose their leaves in the winter: https://www.childrensmuseum.org/blog/why-do-leaves-fall-off-trees

BONUS LINKS! Happy birthday (sesquicentennial) to the periodic table!

Periodic Table song: https://youtu.be/rz4Dd1I_fX0

https://iypt2019.org/

https://www.rsc.org/iypt/

https://www.rsc.org/periodic-table

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/brasilia/about-this-office/prizes-and-celebrations/2019-international-year-of-the-periodic-table-of-chemical-elements/

https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/whatischemistry/periodictable.html

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/periodic-table-history-chemical-elements-150-anniversary

Connect - Leave comments, suggest topics, and ask science questions!

Website: earlybirdscience.com

Twitter: @EarlyBirdSci

Instagram: @EarlyBirdScience

Facebook: @EarlyBirdScience
...more
23min
December 09, 2019Is Blood Blue?
Kristen addresses the argument over whether human blood is blue. She talks about common misconceptions and what gives blood its color. As a bonus, she also talks about the variations in colors of blood in other animals.

CORRECTION: In this episode, Kristen says "octopi" to indicate the plural of "octopus." Because "octopus" originated from Greek and not Latin (which does use "i" to pluralize words) and because "octopus" has been a word in English for a long time, Kristen would have preferred to pluralize the word using English rules: "octopuses."

Correction references and other neat facts about octopuses:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/ten-curious-facts-about-octopuses-7625828/

https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/the-many-plurals-of-octopus-octopi-octopuses-octopodes

Episode References and Resources

Textbook: Vander's Human Physiology 13th Edition

Blog on why veins appear blue: https://scienceblogs.com/scientificactivist/2008/04/17/why-are-veins-blue

Primary publication from 1996: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/22db/3b06a1abb585cb4c0683dd03a806800c1c28.pdf

Animal Blood Comes in a Rainbow of Colors: https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/03/150312-blood-antarctica-octopus-animals-science-colors/

Connect - Leave comments, suggest topics, and ask science questions!

Website: earlybirdscience.com

Twitter: @EarlyBirdSci

Instagram: @EarlyBirdScience

Facebook: @EarlyBirdScience
...more
14min
November 25, 2019Self-driving Cars and Motion Sickness
Self-driving, or autonomous, cars are an appealing technology with tons of transportation potential, but one major barrier that may afflict many future drivers-turned-passengers is motion sickness. Kristen discusses this challenge, as well as early-stage research from University of Michigan's Mcity Test Facility that is working to address it.

References and Resources

News article and white paper

https://news.umich.edu/measuring-motion-sickness-in-driverless-cars/

https://mcity.umich.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/mcity-whitepaper-motion-v6.pdf

Mcity: https://mcity.umich.edu/our-work/mcity-test-facility/

Motion Sickness: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/12782-motion-sickness

Connect - Leave comments, suggest topics, and ask science questions!

Website: earlybirdscience.com

Twitter: @EarlyBirdSci

Instagram: @EarlyBirdScience

Facebook: @EarlyBirdScience
...more
20min

FAQs about Early Bird Science:

How many episodes does Early Bird Science have?

The podcast currently has 26 episodes available.