Not Impossible

In this episode of the Not Impossible Podcast, host and Not Impossible Labs founder Mick Ebeling sits down with Dr. Bruce Rittmann, one of the world’s most influential environmental engineers, to explore a growing global problem hiding in plain sight: forever chemicals.


Also known as PFAS, these man-made compounds are used in everyday products like non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing, and stain-resistant materials. They are designed to last, but that same durability means they do not naturally break down, allowing them to accumulate in water, food, and the human body.


Dr. Rittmann explains how microorganisms, often overlooked by humans, can become powerful partners in addressing this challenge. By delivering electrons in the right way and using catalytic materials like palladium, his team has developed a process that does more than filter pollution or move it elsewhere. It chemically transforms some of the most persistent contaminants on Earth into compounds that can finally be broken down safely.


Together, Mick and Dr. Rittmann unpack the science behind forever chemicals, the breakthrough moment that made this approach possible, and what it would take to scale this technology in real-world water treatment systems. From contaminated sites to drinking water facilities, this conversation explores how a problem once thought permanent may no longer be forever.

TOPICS COVERED

What forever chemicals are and why they are so difficult to break down

In this episode of the Not Impossible Podcast, host and Not Impossible Labs founder Mick Ebeling sits down with Dr. Warren Booth and Dr. Brenna Levine, the researchers who documented the first-ever confirmed virgin birth in a crocodile — a discovery that challenges one of the oldest assumptions we have about how life begins.
Their work reveals a biological phenomenon called parthenogenesis, where a female animal reproduces without a male — a process found across reptiles, birds, sharks, and even entire species that no longer have males at all.
This conversation unpacks how parthenogenesis works, why it evolves, and what this surprising crocodile case tells us about nature’s flexibility, resilience, and refusal to stay inside our human expectations.


Topics Covered

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About Not Impossible Labs:

Not Impossible Labs is a multi-award-winning innovation lab and production company on a mission to create technology for the sake of humanity. Founded by Mick Ebeling, Not Impossible tackles seemingly impossible challenges - from creating eye-tracking devices for ALS patients to 3D-printing prosthetic arms in war zones. Our philosophy: Help One, Help Many.

In this episode of the Not Impossible Podcast, host and Not Impossible Labs founder Mick Ebeling sits down with Dr. Kimberly Budil, Director of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, who oversaw the first-ever net positive nuclear fusion reaction, a milestone comparable to the Wright brothers’ first flight.
Fusion has long lived in the realm of “someday science.” But as Dr. Budil explains, that someday is suddenly feeling a lot closer. Together, Mick and Dr. Budil unpack how 192 synchronized lasers, a gold cylinder, a diamond fuel capsule, and a tiny peppercorn-sized ball of hydrogen created one of the most important scientific achievements of our generation.
This conversation dives deep into the physics, the story, and the future of fusion energy — and explores what it will take to turn this breakthrough into a real path toward limitless, clean, sustainable power.

Topics Covered

In this episode of the Not Impossible Podcast, host and Not Impossible Labs founder Mick Ebeling sits down with members of the SETI research team, who are exploring one of the most ambitious questions in science: How do you communicate with a mind that isn’t human?

Their work begins here on Earth, decoding the complex songs, social structures, and communication systems of whales. They hope to uncover patterns that might help us someday recognize and understand intelligent life beyond our planet.

This conversation dives into the intersection of biology, linguistics, technology, and imagination, revealing how studying the language of another species could become a blueprint for how humanity reaches out into the cosmos.

Topics Covered

How scientists capture and decode the communication patterns of whales
What whale societies reveal about non-human intelligence
How interspecies communication research informs the search for extraterrestrial life

In this episode of the Not Impossible Podcast, host and Not Impossible Labs founder Mick Ebeling sits down with Dr. Jaimie Henderson, a neurosurgeon and researcher at Stanford, whose work focuses on restoring brain function for people living with neurological conditions.

This conversation explores how the brain learns, adapts, remembers, and sometimes rebuilds pathways once thought gone forever.

Topics Covered

The early history of neurostimulation (including the torpedo fish!)
How brain-computer interfaces decode intention
The emotional impact of restoring agency and independence
The future of neurorehabilitation and motor recovery

What if “forever plastic” didn’t have to last forever?

In this episode of the Not Impossible Podcast, host and Not Impossible Labs founder Mick Ebeling sits down with Dr. Amira Samat, a biologist whose research challenges one of the world’s most stubborn assumptions: that polypropylene, one of our most common plastics, can never truly break down.

Polypropylene is everywhere: pill bottles, takeout containers, carpets, furniture, cars, medical tools. It’s durable, cheap, and efficient… which is exactly why it’s become a global environmental crisis.

But while scientists have long believed polypropylene was essentially indestructible, Amira discovered something remarkable: a natural combination of fungi and bacteria that can break it down significantly in months, not centuries.

This wasn’t supposed to be possible. And yet… here we are.

This conversation dives into:
How Amira discovered plastic-eating microorganisms
The science behind biodegradation (made simple)
Why this breakthrough could reshape ocean cleanup

What if the word “impossible” was just a challenge waiting to be redefined?

In this Not Impossible Podcast episode, host and Not Impossible Labs founder Mick Ebeling sits down with Jessica Cox, the world’s first woman to fly a plane with her feet, to explore what it truly means to live without limits.

Born without arms, Jessica has spent her life defying expectations: earning a black belt in Taekwondo, becoming a licensed pilot, learning to surf and scuba dive, and inspiring millions around the world.

Once considered impossible, her story reminds us that the only real limitations are the ones we place on ourselves. This conversation dives deep into resilience, adaptability, and the mindset that turns obstacles into opportunity.

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What if freezing organs could save countless lives?

In this Not Impossible Podcast episode, host and Not Impossible Labs founder Mick Ebeling sits down with Dr. Greg Fahy, a pioneering cryobiologist whose groundbreaking work in vitrification, the process of freezing organs without damaging them, is set to transform the future of organ transplantation.

Once considered impossible, Dr. Fahy’s discoveries reveal how some of the world’s biggest challenges are just problems waiting for ingenious solutions. This conversation dives deep into the science, the story, and the surprising inspirations behind this medical breakthrough.

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What does it really take to make Mars a future home for humanity?

In this Not Impossible Podcast episode, host and Not Impossible Labs founder Mick Ebeling sits down with Dr. Michael Hecht, NASA's principal investigator for MOXIE - Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization." Together, they explore how MOXIE made history by generating oxygen on Mars, what that means for the future of space travel, and how innovation born from impossibility can change the world – and beyond.

This episode kicks off season 2 of the Not Impossible Podcast, our new chapter of mind blowing conversations with people who use breakthrough technology to make the impossible not impossible.

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