Technical Tea

Technical Tea

By Nicole Ackermans, Huyen Tue DaoSociety & CultureScienceTechnology
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Technical Tea episodes

  • Tech Vampires and Science Zombies!

    In our Halloween episode, a French zombie and a Vampire Witch experience Leech Mania talking about Hirudo Medicinalis, spring-loaded lancets, and fancy leech jars. We like to keep the humor(s) high around here: black bile and phglegm specifically. What form will the Zombiepocalypse take? Is it rabies (rabid whales, what?), prion disease (legit terrifying), or cordyceps (coming for the last of us)? Our listeners share their eponym experiences. Niki slaps on some anti-AI-slop stickers. Huyen is still an otaku (and a brimmed cap).


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    03:16 Tech Vampires!

    35:56 Patron Thanks

    36:48 Science Zombies!

    55:36 Listener Feedback

    59:12 Something We Enjoyed This Month

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 hr 10 min
  • Eponyms: the Good, the Bad, the Birds and the Bee-tles.

    Why do we name birds, beetles, telescopes, and principles after people? The good, the bad, the weird. Is there Death of the Author for Eponyms? Why infinitely optimizing (and going 5mph over the speed limit) may not work. Why, we would love to stop adding exclamation points to our emails! Never have I ever been an apothecary.


    [0:23] Eponym

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eponym


    ▶ Eponyms in Biology

    [1:26] Carl Linnaeus

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Linnaeus

    [1:42] Aptostichus barackobamai

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aptostichus_barackobamai

    [2:18] Eponyms have no place in 21st-century biological nomenclature

    https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:d418aae4-a28c-43e9-8713-91cb3139b9e2/files/spc289k55v

    [2:45] Anophthalmus hitleri

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anophthalmus_hitleri

    [4:17] Agathidium vaderi Miller, K. B. & Q. D. Wheeler, 2005

    https://www.gbif.org/taxon/65QRM

    [4:48] Paramesonephric duct

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paramesonephric_duct

    [4:53] Johannes Peter Müller

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johannes_Peter_M%C3%BCller

    [4:55] Golgi apparatus

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golgi_apparatus

    [4:58] Camillo Golgi

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camillo_Golgi

    [5:01] Fallopian tube

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallopian_tube

    [5:02] G-spot

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-spot

    [5:51] De-eponymising anatomical terminology

    https://litfl.com/de-eponymising-anatomical-terminology/

    [6:29] Where are all the Women?

    https://litfl.com/where-are-all-the-women/

    [8:37] Bird Names for Birds

    https://birdnamesforbirds.wordpress.com


    ▶ Eponyms in Technology

    [20:22] Amdahl's law

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amdahl%27s_law

    [27:33] Amdahl's Law for AI coding

    https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BrPB-j6ObY0

    [30:06] The Mythical Man-Month

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mythical_Man-Month

    [31:29] Liskov substitution principle

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liskov_substitution_principle

    [31:40] Object-oriented programming

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Object-oriented_programming

    [31:56] Liskov substitution principle - Architectural Patterns

    https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/architectural-patterns/9781787287495/cf7feec3-2c90-43f7-a3e5-19148eb48cd3.xhtml

    [32:39] Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

    https://science.nasa.gov/mission/roman-space-telescope/

    [32:41] Who Is Nancy Grace Roman?

    https://science.nasa.gov/mission/roman-space-telescope/who-is-nancy-grace-roman/

    [34:58] Nancy Grace Roman with the James Webb Space Telescope

    https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nancy_Grace_Roman_with_the_James_Webb_Space_Telescope_(42127816211).jpg

    [36:26] NASA once again declines to rename the James Webb Space Telescope

    https://www.npr.org/2022/11/18/1137762508/nasa-declines-rename-james-webb-space-telescope-report

    [36:37] Lavender Scare

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavender_Scare

    [37:40] NASA policy discourages naming missions after individuals

    https://spacenews.com/nasa-policy-discourages-naming-missions-after-individuals/


    ▶ Something We Enjoyed This Month

    [50:47] Never Have I Ever: Stories by Isabel Yap

    https://isabelyap.com/never-have-i-ever

    [53:58] The Apothecary Diaries

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Apothecary_Diaries


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    Hosted by Nicole Ackermans and Huyen Tue Dao

    ▶ Follow us:

    Website: https://technicaltea.show

    Patreon: https://patreon.com/technicalteashow

    Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/technicaltea.show

    Instagram: https://instagram.com/technicalteashow

    Twitch: https://twitch.tv/technicalteashow


    ▶ Follow Niki:

    Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/nicoleackermans.com

    Website: https://nicoleackermans.com


    ▶ Follow Huyen:

    Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/queencodemonkey.dev

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/queencodemonkey

    Website: https://randomlytyping.com


    ▶ Intro/Outro, Music from “Strangers In The Night (Acapella)” by Vocalista: https://uppbeat.io/music/tracks/vocalista/strangers-in-the-night-acapella

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    59 min
  • Tea time! - Office hours with Technical Tea

    We recorded office hours and, as we do, had a chat full of tangents while we figured out how to set up our livestream. Take a peak behind the scenes! This episode is free for all, however in the future, office hours will be provided to patrons only.


    Support the show at https://www.patreon.com/cw/TechnicalTeaShow

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    Hosted by Nicole Ackermans and Huyen Tue Dao

    Edited by Anthony Lemos

    ▶ Follow us:

    • Website: https://technicaltea.show
    • Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/technicaltea.show
    • Instagram: https://instagram.com/technicalteashow
    • Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TechnicalTeaShow
    • Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/technicalteashow


    ▶ Follow Niki:

    • Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/nicoleackermans.com
    • Website: https://nicoleackermans.com


    ▶ Follow Huyen:

    • Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/queencodemonkey.dev
    • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/queencodemonkey/
    • Website: https://randomlytyping.com


    ▶ Follow Daily Tech News Show:

    • YouTube: https://youtube.com/dailytechnewsshow
    • Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/dailytechnewsshow
    • Website: http://dailytechnewsshow.com

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 hr 15 min
  • Make-up, but not how you think

    Welcome to the very first episode of Technical Tea! Our theme this month is make-up, but not how you think!

    What is CV Dazzle and will it empower Niki to roller derby vs. a hundred duck-sized horses or one horse-sized duck? Would Huyen prefer Vibranium Breasts over Super Speed and would either be the ideal superpower with which to build a dream Omni-tool Cyberdeck?



    Show NotesNiki's Topic

    CV dazzle https://adam.harvey.studio/cvdazzle



    Huyen's Topic

    Cyberdecks on the rise: https://www.wired.com/story/cyberdecks-tiktok-ube-boobey-diy-computer-gadget/


    • The clam phone from 'It Follows': I’m Still Thinking About the Clam Phone in ‘It Follows’

    Niki's recommendations
    • Happy Snacking, Don't Die by Alexis Nicole
    • Dr. Niki's goat research featured by Science Magazine
    • Ologies' menopause episodes
    • JIMOTHY: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimothy_(raccoon)



    Huyen's recommendations
    • Brick: https://getbrick.com/
    • Dungeon Crawler Carl (and just reading a real book): https://mattdinniman.com/books/dungeon-crawler-carl/



    Listener Feedback

    If you have feedback, questions, or anything you want to share with us, send us an email at

    [email protected] or use the contact form on our website



    Credits

    Thanks to Amos for editing and Tom Merritt, our Executive Barista


    Hosted by Nicole Ackermans and Huyen Tue Dao

    ▶ Follow Technical Tea:

    Website: https://technicaltea.show

    Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/technicaltea.show

    Instagram: https://instagram.com/technicalteashow


    Support the show on Patreon and get ad-free episodes!

    https://www.patreon.com/cw/TechnicalTeaShow


    ▶ Follow Niki:

    Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/nicoleackermans.com

    Website: https://nicoleackermans.com

    “Headbutting goats self-inflict traumatic brain injury”: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.06.26.734585v1

    “Goats love to bash heads—but it might give them brain damage”: https://www.science.org/content/article/goats-love-bash-heads-it-might-give-them-brain-damage


    ▶ Follow Huyen:

    Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/queencodemonkey.dev

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/queencodemonkey

    Website: https://randomlytyping.com


    ▶ Follow Daily Tech News Show:

    YouTube: https://youtube.com/dailytechnewsshow

    Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/dailytechnewsshow

    Website: http://dailytechnewsshow.com


    ▶ Intro/Outro, Music from #uppbeat, “Strangers In The Night (Acapella)” by Vocalista

    https://uppbeat.io/music/tracks/vocalista/strangers-in-the-night-acapella

    License code: NZDVYWGLVBIFPAMN

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 hr 10 min
  • Technical Tea - Trailer

    Come find Technical Tea wherever podcasts are found!


    website: https://www.technicaltea.show/

    ans @TechnicalTea.Show on Instagram and Bsky

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 min
  • Pilot - DTNS Experiment Week

    This is the pilot episode of Technical Tea before we came up with a name for it! We tested it out during Experiment Week on DTNS and your feedback was good enough that it is now becoming a real show!


    Show Notes


    Intro

    DTNS Live, Nerdtacular 2026: Science vs. Tech | https://www.youtube.com/live/o_UmCyk1oKU


    Niki Topic/Stories

    - A blood test that screens for multiple types of cancer? It may be available soon | https://www.npr.org/2026/06/21/nx-s1-5858691/blood-test-multi-cancer-early-detection-mced


    Huyen Topic/StoriesRetro Tech
    • ONE35 V2 Camera | https://joinflashback.co/en-us/products/flashback-one35-v2-camera
    • The Commodore Callback 8020 Is a Digital Detox Phone That Isn't Dumb | https://www.wired.com/story/commodore-callback-8020-is-a-digital-detox-phone-that-isnt-dumb
    Meaning and purpose in the age of AI
    • Mission / purpose in the age of AI for software engineers: Why Software Engineers Are Grieving | https://dev.jimgrey.net/2026/06/25/why-software-engineers-are-grieving
    • What It Means to Be a Mathematician When AI Does the Math | https://spectrum.ieee.org/ai-in-mathematics


    Other Links
    • HMD Barbie™ Phone 4G | https://www.hmd.com/en_int/hmd-barbie-phone?sku=1GF030APC1L01



    Niki's recommendations:
    • iNaturalist | https://www.inaturalist.org
    • Merlin Bird ID | https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org


    Poem by Joesph Fasano

    https://poets.org/poem/student-who-used-ai-write-paper


    Credits


    Thanks to Amos for editing and Roger Change for Producing, and to the whole DTNS family for letting us test out the show!


    Hosted by Nicole Ackermans and Huyen Tue Dao

    ▶ Follow us:

    Website: https://technicaltea.show

    Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/technicaltea.show

    Instagram: https://instagram.com/technicalteashow


    ▶ Follow Niki:

    Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/nicoleackermans.com

    Website: https://nicoleackermans.com

    “Headbutting goats self-inflict traumatic brain injury”: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.06.26.734585v1

    “Goats love to bash heads—but it might give them brain damage”: https://www.science.org/content/article/goats-love-bash-heads-it-might-give-them-brain-damage


    ▶ Follow Huyen:

    Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/queencodemonkey.dev

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/queencodemonkey

    Website: https://randomlytyping.com


    ▶ Follow Daily Tech News Show:

    YouTube: https://youtube.com/dailytechnewsshow

    Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/dailytechnewsshow

    Website: http://dailytechnewsshow.com


    ▶ Intro/Outro, Music from #uppbeat, “Strangers In The Night (Acapella)” by Vocalista

    https://uppbeat.io/music/tracks/vocalista/strangers-in-the-night-acapella

    License code: NZDVYWGLVBIFPAMN

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    31 min

About Technical Tea

From the publisher's feed

Have you just had a long shift at the STEM factory? Come to the cafe and pull up a chair, have a chat with your science and tech besties. Huyen and Niki are here to spill the Technical…