In the summer of 2011, paleontologist and science writer Riley Black was on a mission. Walking through the Montana desert, she was on the lookout for a Tyrannosaurus rex. But that day, she wasn’t having any luck. Sitting atop a rock, she pulled out a geological hammer, sometimes called a rock pick, to dislodge a little piece and try to discern its composition. What she saw was a leaf, but upon closer inspection realized it was in fact the fossil of a leaf. As it turned out, finding it likely provided so much more information than if she had come across the dinosaur. In this episode of Tiny Matters, we explore the complex and essential relationship between plants and animals across evolution and some of the pivotal moments that allowed humans to exist and that led to the world we live in today. 

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In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we consider if bacteriophages could become our biggest allies in the fight against antibiotic resistance. Then we cover the historical role of "night soil men" and how some sewage treatment systems today are setting the standard for sustainable management of human excrement while also making sure we don't get sick. 

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In 1893, Belgian paleontologist Louis Dollo suggested that evolution can’t go backwards in the exact same way that it proceeded. This became known as “Dollo’s Law,” and came under a lot of scrutiny. But, more recently, Dollo’s Law was co-opted into the idea that traits, once they gain a certain amount of complexity, can’t return to a simpler state. In this episode of Tiny Matters, we explore two exciting examples where scientists have found that not to be the case. 

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In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we cover a species of armadillo that, as it turns out, is actually four species. Then we discuss what researchers know about if pregnant people have a better sense of smell.

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The 1940s were a pivotal time for the world. In the United States, as men went to fight in World War II, women became essential additions to the US workforce. And when the war ended, many of those women wanted to continue working. But having more children than they wanted or could care for was a huge barrier to making that a reality. When the oral birth control pill became available in 1960, it was a massive deal because it gave women control over when and if they wanted to have children. Today the pill is widely accepted, comes in a number of formulations, and is considered so safe that now you can buy it over the counter. But setting the groundwork for what we have available today took time, and experimentation. The history of the pill was also shaped by racism in an era where discrimination was not just state-sanctioned, but backed by many scientific institutions. In this episode of Tiny Matters, we cover the science and development of the oral birth control pill and, importantly, the lack of ethics in its testing, particularly in the trials that began in Puerto Rico in 1955.

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We’re always on the lookout for Tiny Show and Tell Us submissions and we thought, why not provide a little incentive? The first 40 listeners within the United States who send us their science facts or some cool news they’ve come across or even a fun science story from their childhood will be sent a Tiny Matters coffee mug with our original logo! You can submit at this link or email [email protected]. 

Ready, set, go!

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In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we cover an aurora-like phenomenon — STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement) — and how citizen science led to its discovery and unforgettable name. Then we talk about convergent evolution in tenrecs, a fascinating family of animals endemic to Madagascar. Some look identical to hedgehogs, some are similar to opossums, and others look like moles.

We need your stories — they're what make these bonus episodes possible! Write in to [email protected] *or fill out this form* with your favorite science fact or science news story for a chance to be featured in a future episode and win a Tiny Matters mug!

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On April 26, 1986, the Soviet Union’s Chornobyl Power Complex nuclear reactor 4 exploded, releasing a massive amount of highly radioactive material. People living near the power plant were forced to evacuate, and the area was deemed uninhabitable. But today, many animals — some the descendants of pets left behind — have made this region their home. In this episode, we chat with researchers who have spent a lot of time in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone studying the animals that live there, trying to understand how constant low levels of radiation impact their health. What they’re learning could inform plans to repopulate areas that suffered past nuclear disasters, including Fukushima, and help with the development of methods that protect astronauts from radioactivity in space.

To support the care of the dogs at the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone: https://clean-futures-fund.myshopify.com/products/dogs-of-chernobyl-sticker-series-7-dog-collection

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Happy 2025! Join us as we reflect back on 2024 and share exciting episode topics and podcast plans for 2025.

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In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we cover a study where a researcher stepped on 116 snakes over 40,000 times for science (don’t worry, the ‘steps’ were more like touches, no snakes were harmed in the process). Then we get into why a pollen allergy might trigger an allergy to some of your favorite fruits.

We need your stories — they're what make these bonus episodes possible! Write in to [email protected] *or fill out this form* with your favorite science fact or science news story for a chance to be featured in a future episode and win a Tiny Matters mug!

A transcript and references for this episode can be found at acs.org/tinymatters.

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