Episode 6.4 of Science Basement:

Inside Muscle Recovery: The Science Behind Repair, Strength, and Ageing

Have you ever wondered what actually happens inside your muscles after a workout? Why does recovery feel different over time, and what changes as we age?

In this episode of The Science Basement, we sit down with Swetha Gopalakrishnan to explore the biology of skeletal muscle and the stem cells that drive its repair and regeneration. From understanding different muscle types to uncovering how “dormant” stem cells activate and make decisions, we dive into the cellular mechanisms that shape muscle function.

We also discuss how metabolism influences stem cell behaviour, what happens during muscle injury and recovery, and whether exercise can influence stem cell populations. Beyond the science, Swetha shares insights from her journey from academia into entrepreneurship, and how research can be translated into real-world impact.

Swetha Gopalakrishnan is a senior scientist working with Prof. Pekka Katajisto at the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences. Her research focuses on skeletal muscle stem cells, their regulation, and their role in tissue regeneration.

Hosts: Aarti Venkatesan and Ernesta Nesta

Guest: Swetha Gopalakrishnan

Sound editing: Ernesta Nesta

Episode cover: Aarti Venkatesan

TSB podcast logo by Tomás Garnier Artínano

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Have you ever wondered what actually makes a conversation flow or fall apart? Why do some interactions feel effortless, while others feel awkward or draining?

In Episode 6.3 of The Science Basement, we sit down with Ville Harjunen from the Interaction Analysis Lab to explore the hidden science of human conversations. From subtle cues like nodding and backchanneling to brain activity and attention, Ville’s research uncovers the moment-to-moment dynamics that shape how we connect with others. We also explore how factors like personality, culture, and even video calls influence the way we communicate, listen, and respond.

Ville Harjunen is a researcher at the University of Helsinki whose work focuses on understanding social interaction through a combination of behavioral analysis, psychophysiology, and neuroscience.

Recent publications:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451958825000351

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167876025000236

https://sciety.org/articles/activity/10.31235/osf.io/hd6jw_v1

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.06.686308v2

Hosts: Rhiannon Newman and Emmi

Guest: Ville Harjunen

Sound editing: Touqeer Gill

Episode cover: Aarti Venkatesan

TSB podcast logo by Tomás Garnier Artínano.

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Episode 6.2 of Science Basement: The ghost-like particle: What are neutrinos and why are the so elusive?

Have you ever wondered what a neutrino really is? How does it fit in with protons, neutrons and electrons? And why is it so ghost-like? In episode 6.2 of The Science Basement podcast we sit down with Dr. Timo Kärkkäinen, a particle physicist currently based at the University of Helsinki, to talk about his favourite particle: the neutrino! Join us to learn all about Timo’s research into testing new theories of the standard model of physics and why the neutrino might hold the key to the Universe.

Dr. Timo Kärkkäinen has held postdoctoral positions in Hungary and Estonia and is currently a visiting researcher at the University of Helsinki. He is also writing a popular science book on neutrinos in Finnish.

Your hosts for this episode are Aarti Venkatesan and Rhiannon Newman.

Editing by Ernesta Nesta.

Episode cover by Aarti Venkatesan.

TSB podcast logo by Tomás Garnier Artínano.

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Episode 6.1 opens Season 6 of Science Basement with a roundtable discussion reflecting on the year 2025 in science. The hosts share their favourite scientific discoveries, influential papers, emerging research trends, and personal highlights from the past year. The conversation also looks ahead to 2026, discussing the questions, ideas, and developments that the team is most excited to follow in the coming year.

This episode offers a reflective and forward-looking perspective on science beyond headlines, grounded in curiosity, context, and conversation.

Hosts:

Aarti Venkatesan

Rhiannon Newman

Sujai Banerji

Touqeer Gill

Sound editing: Ernesta Nesta

Episode cover: Aarti Venkatesan

Welcome to the last episode of this season! We dive beneath the flat maps of Antarctic sea ice and ask a deeper question: how thick is the ice—and why does that matter? As Antarctic sea ice reaches record lows, we explore why ice extent alone cannot capture the real state of the system. Joined by cryosphere scientist Dr. Shreya Trivedi, we unpack how satellites use radar and lasers to estimate sea-ice thickness, why winter remains the toughest season to observe, and how ice volume shapes climate, weather, ocean circulation, and polar ecosystems. A clear, engaging conversation on why thickness is the missing dimension in understanding Antarctic change.

The guest for this episode were:

Dr. Shreya Trivedi, Postdoctoral Program Fellow, at the Goddard Space Flight Centre, NASA (US)

Hosts: Sujai Banerji & Touqeer Gill

Editing by Touqeer Gill

Episode cover by Anubhuti Bhatnagar

TSB podcast logo by Tomás Garnier Artínano

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Are you wondering what your next career step is and if academia is for you? Join us for our live podcast event for the 2nd HiLIFE science days where we explore the dynamic career path of three newly established principal investigators: Heli Mönttinen, Nidal Karagic, and Veijo Salo. Our guests share their personal experiences in the world of research, offering an inside look at the challenges, triumphs, and pivotal moments that shaped their careers. We discuss key topics including securing funding, building a team, and the key differences from PhD to Postdoc to PI. You'll gain practical advice and inspiration, whether you're a student, a postdoctoral fellow, or a researcher at any stage of your career.

The guests for this episode were:

Dr. Veijo Salo, Postdoctoral Researcher, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg (DE)

Dr. Heli Mönttinen, Senior Researcher, University of Helsinki (FI)

Dr. Nidal Karagic, Academy Research Fellow, University of Helsinki (FI)

Editing by Kerttu Kalander

Episode cover by Aarti Venkatesan

TSB podcast logo by Tomás Garnier Artínano

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In Episode 5.7, we journey into the hidden world of particles that shape the sky. We speak with Zoé Brasseur, who studies the rare ice nucleating particles drifting from boreal forests into clouds, and Matthew Boyer, who traces how distant penguin colonies in Antarctica release gases that spark the birth of new aerosol particles, tiny seeds of clouds.

Together we travel from forest towers in Finland to the drifting ice of the Arctic and the frozen stations of Antarctica. We hear how these almost invisible specks decide when clouds freeze, rain, or snow, and how life on the ground can ripple upward to influence the climate above.

Join us for a conversation that blends fieldwork adventure with discovery, revealing how the smallest of particles can shape the vastness of the atmosphere.

Zoé Brasseur is a Scientific Integration and Data Officer at the Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System and has a doctorate from Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR), University of Helsinki, Finland

Matthew Boyer is a Post-doctoral Researcher at INAR, where he also received his doctoral degree.

Read their amazing open access paper here: Penguin guano is an important source of climate-relevant aerosol particles in Antarctica (https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02312-2)

Your hosts for this episode are Sujai Banerji & Touqeer Gill

Editing by Touqeer Gill

Episode cover by Anubhuti Bhatnagar

TSB podcast logo by Tomás Garnier Artínano

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Have you ever wondered what fossils really are? And how can looking into the past tell us anything about our future? In this episode of The Science Basement, we talk with Professor David Polly, a palaeontologist based at Indiana University, who studies ancient carnivores and the environments that shaped them. Join us to unpack what fossils are (and aren’t), how they record evolution, and how fossils can be used to predict future landscapes and the effects of climate change.

Prof David Polly is the Chair of the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Indiana University, Bloomington and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS)

Your hosts for this episode are Emmi Olkkonen and Rhiannon Newman.

Editing by Kerttu Kalander.

Episode cover by Anubhuti Bhatnagar.

TSB podcast logo by Tomás Garnier Artínano.

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How do you know if you should pursue an advanced degree in science—and once you do, how do you set yourself up for success?

In this episode of The Science Basement, we sit down with Dr. Victor Oria, to explore the real challenges and rewards of life in research.

From growing up in rural Kenya to conducting research across the UK, Germany, the USA, and now Denmark, Victor shares his inspiring journey through academia, and opens up about:

🔹 Navigating self-doubt in academia

🔹 Building resilience through failure

🔹 Why work-life balance is essential to scientific creativity

He says “Research can be tough, but if it was easy, everyone would do it.”

This episode is especially valuable for early-career researchers and students starting their scientific journey. Tune in for honest reflections and practical tips for traversing your scientific path.

Dr. Victor Oria is an Assistant Professor at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Your host for this episode is Roselydiah Makunja with help in pre-production from Emmi Olkkonen.

Editing by Kerttu Kalander.

Episode cover by Anubhuti Bhatnagar.

TSB podcast logo by Tomás Garnier Artínano.

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Have you ever wondered why breastfeeding is so highly recommended for newborns? What makes breast milk truly special compared to formula? In this episode of the Science Basement podcast, we sit down with Dr. Dollwin Matharu, who specializes in the infant gut microbiome. Dr. Matharu shares her findings about human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs)—the unique sugars found only in breast milk—and explains how these molecules support babies’ immune systems and overall development.

She also highlights how her research connects HMOs with the developing infant microbiome, helping us understand the early foundations of long-term health.

Dr. Dollwin Matharu is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Helsinki.

Your hosts for this episode are Roselydiah Makunja & Rhiannon Newman.

Editing by Touqeer Gill.

Episode cover by Anubhuti Bhatnagar.

TSB podcast logo by Tomás Garnier Artínano.

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