Best The National Academies Of Sciences Engineering And Medicine Podcasts (2025)

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71. The interaction between complex chronic disease and mental health 32:28

20h ago32:28

32:28

In this podcast, we talk with Dr. Eleanor Stein. Dr. Stein is a medical doctor and psychiatrist. The course of her career in academic medicine took a sudden turn when she developed myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and environmental sensitivities in 1989 during her psychiatry residency. She experienced the same lack o…

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70. Lilian Dart on tick safety, education, and the prevention of Lyme disease 19:27

15d ago19:27

19:27

In this episode, we talk with Lilian Dart, a PhD student at the University of Toronto. Lilian is an environmental geographer who researches the complex relationship between humans and their environment, focusing on how this relationship shapes behaviour, participation, and environmental decision-making in Canada, with particular attention to issues…

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Classic Episode: If I Get Called Resilient One More Time... 51:13

21d ago51:13

51:13

This August marks twenty years since Hurricane Katrina. Today, we are bringing you a story we first aired in 2023. It’s about a word heard everywhere after Hurricane Katrina. And people across the Gulf Coast have strong and complicated feelings about it. The word is resilient. A special thanks to Rob Verchick, author of The Octopus in the Parking G…

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69. Exploring new research in Lyme prevention with Dr. Nicoletta Faraone 23:20

29d ago23:20

23:20

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Nicoletta Faraone, a chemical ecologist and natural product chemist Dr. Faraone is an associate professor in the chemistry department at Acadia University where she teaches biochemistry and natural product chemistry. Her research focuses on how ticks detect odours from hosts and how they respond to repellants. She …

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The Unlikely Hero of El Bosque 33:40

1M ago33:40

33:40

El Bosque, Mexico, a tiny fishing village on Mexico’s Gulf Coast, is quickly vanishing into the sea. In this episode, we journey to El Bosque to meet the town’s unlikely hero—one woman determined to fight for a future for her community as her neighbors flee the encroaching waves. This episode was reported by Alvaro Céspedes. It was hosted by Carlyl…

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68. New chronic Lyme research from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 36:39

1M ago36:39

36:39

Hello, and welcome to season six of Looking at Lyme! We’re thrilled to be kicking off this season talking with contributors of an important new research report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, which studied current gaps in research and treatments for Lyme Infection-Associated Chronic Illnesses. Dr. Kent Kester is b…

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Some Like It Hot, Especially Bull Sharks 29:13

2M ago29:13

29:13

Climate change is bad news for almost everyone. Emphasis on almost, because believe it or not, one marine species is absolutely thriving as the Gulf warms: Bull sharks! Get ready for some shark science as we learn why bull sharks are increasing in numbers across the Gulf and getting hungrier. This episode was hosted by Carlyle Calhoun and Katelyn H…

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What Does a Cormorant Feel? 28:40

2M ago28:40

28:40

People know that their pets are unique individuals. Each dog has his or her own quirks, likes, and dislikes. But what about cormorants? Research reveals that wild animals are just as uniquely individual as our pets. Rats show empathy. Crows can hold grudges. Even termites have different personalities. What would it mean if society took animal intel…

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Between Land and Water: Tribal Relocation and Resistance 35:45

2M ago35:45

35:45

Climate change is altering the land we live on, and Indigenous communities are on the frontline. In this episode, we bring you to Alaska, where rapid permafrost thaw is threatening the Native village of Nunapitchuk. Then, we head to Louisiana, where the Pointe-Au-Chien Indian Tribe is watching their land disappear underwater due to sea level rise. …

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Neil Chilson Helps Turn Knowledge into Benefits for Humanity 26:25

2M ago26:25

26:25

Think tanks are a vital part of the policy ecosystem, but what do they do? In this installment of Science Policy IRL, host Jason Lloyd talks to Neil Chilson, head of AI policy at the Abundance Institute. He has been involved in science and technology policy for his whole career, previously practicing telecommunications law and serving as the Federa…

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Saving Sharks to Slave Trade Shipwrecks 39:01

2M ago39:01

39:01

If you’ve ever dreamed of what it would be like to be a marine biologist or marine ecologist, days spent scuba diving and swimming alongside sea turtles, all to better understand and protect our ocean, well then, you’re about to meet one of your heroes. Today, we are bringing you an episode of the podcast Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant. It’s an…

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How ADHD Affects Adults 39:24

3M ago39:24

39:24

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was once thought of as a condition that affects only children. The belief was that children would grow out of it, but research has shown that the condition often persists throughout life. In fact, ADHD is the second most prevalent psychiatric disorder in adults, but many misconceptions still exist abo…

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The True Cost of Fertilizer 34:56

3M ago34:56

34:56

The chemical industry is big business in Louisiana. Companies here manufacture plastics, fuels, pesticides, and cleaning products. But one part of the chemical industry that’s often overlooked is the fertilizer business. Today, you’re going to hear the story of modern fertilizer, and how this powerful concoction of chemicals has radically reshaped …

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Announcing season six of Looking at Lyme 1:05

3M ago1:05

1:05

We’re excited to announce season six of the Looking at Lyme podcast! New conversations with scientists, advocates, experts, and others will bring you interesting and fresh perspectives from across Canada and around the world. The more we learn, the better equipped we’ll be to create positive change. Building Lyme literacy that places the patient fi…

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Kelvin Droegemeier Articulates a Vision for American Science 36:54

3M ago36:54

36:54

Kelvin Droegemeier, a longtime leader in science policy, joins host Megan Nicholson for this installment of Science Policy IRL. Droegemeier began his career as a research meteorologist and went on to serve in many different leadership roles in state and federal government. He directed the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy from 201…

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Sea Change Live! Music & the Wetlands 50:22

3M ago50:22

50:22

Last week, we hosted a Sea Change live event at the New Orleans Jazz Museum. We wanted to talk about the science behind the massive land loss crisis we are experiencing, what it means to live in a vanishing landscape, and importantly, what we can do about it. But this is New Orleans, so we also wanted to celebrate! Celebrate the culture and joy of …

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Using Storytelling to Investigate Scientific Questions 25:25

4M ago25:25

25:25

Fiction can be an important tool to explore complex science and technology questions: Would our legal system be more equitable if an AI delivered verdicts rather than judges and juries? What will happen to future climate refugees? Is human consciousness just another algorithm? That’s why Issues has partnered with ASU’s Center for Science and the Im…

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Predicting the Ocean's Future 22:46

4M ago22:46

22:46

We are all affected by ocean conditions, and we're talking about huge things like global food security and human health, to fisheries we depend on, to the transport of a whopping 90% of the world's goods. So it's vitally important to understand ocean conditions. What can the fascinating field of ocean forecasting tell us about the future for us on …

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Taylor Spicer Empowers Scientists and Engineers to Engage Locally 38:10

4M ago38:10

38:10

On Science Policy IRL, we talk to people in science policy about what they do and how they got there. We’ve shared stories of how people have found their way into science policy careers at places like the White House, Congress, and federal agencies. In this episode, we’re exploring a different way into science policy: getting involved with your loc…

1
Leaving the Island 41:42

4M ago41:42

41:42

Like much of coastal Louisiana, Isle de Jean Charles is rapidly disappearing into the Gulf because of coastal erosion and sea level rise. Scientists predict the island will be completely underwater by 2050. Almost a decade ago, the federal government awarded the state of Louisiana $48 million dollar to resettle members of the Jean Charles Choctaw N…

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Music and Health: Your Brain on Music 41:47

4M ago41:47

41:47

What happens in your brain when you hear your favorite song? In our Music and Health podcast miniseries, we’re exploring how music affects our minds, bodies, and communities. On this episode, host J. D. Talasek is joined by Sweta Adatia, a neurologist practicing in Dubai, and Fred Johnson, a community engagement specialist and artist in residence a…

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The Rise of Deadly Fungal Pathogens 20:30

5M ago20:30

20:30

Fungi are ubiquitous in nature—in fact, you’re likely breathing in fungal spores as you read this. Most fungi are harmless to healthy people. But changes in the global climate, in human settlement patterns, and even in our own body temperatures have made fungal pathogens an increasing health threat. On this episode, host Jason Lloyd interviews Ange…

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Fueling Knowledge: Part Two 34:27

5M ago34:27

34:27

Last time, we learned about the nearly century-old bond between the oil and gas industry and one university — LSU. In the second and final episode of our series, "Fueling Knowledge," we look at how much money is flowing into universities and what the industry may hope to get in return. This relationship comes with big benefits: student mentors, sch…

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Fueling Knowledge: Part One 34:01

5M ago34:01

34:01

Universities have grown increasingly close with the fossil fuel industry. Oil and gas money is flowing into universities around the world, shaping everything from students’ careers to climate research that can influence global energy policy. Some professors and students are sounding the alarm. They worry this influx of fossil fuel money could compr…

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Minimizing Cannabis' Harms to Public Health 37:22

5M ago37:22

37:22

More than half of US states have legalized cannabis for recreational or medical use. Regulations on cultivation, production, and marketing vary from state to state, and most of these policies were developed without a robust public health strategy. Because it is not federally legal, Washington has provided only limited guidance to states on how to c…

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Keep Expanding Your Blue Mind 26:14

6M ago26:14

26:14

There’s this conversation from one of our early Sea Change episodes, and it's about our relationship with the ocean--with water. How being in or near water changes us for the better. The marine biologist Wallace J Nichols has said: “It is true that oceans give us life, but our planet’s wild places also make life worth living and help heal us when w…

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Music and Health: Dancing Together 40:59

6M ago40:59

40:59

“People always say, ‘Well, if I could only do one art form, what would it be?’ And I always say dance.” —Susan Magsamen In our podcast miniseries Music and Health, we’re exploring how music impacts our minds, bodies, and communities. In this installment, we’re learning about the power of dance. Host J. D. Talasek is joined by David Leventhal and Co…

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The Disconnect: Power, Politics, and the Texas Blackout 32:41

6M ago32:41

32:41

In February 2021, power went out for 4.5 million households across Texas. The blackout killed hundreds. And people wondered: “How could this happen in the energy capital of the U.S.?” Today, we bring you part of that fascinating backstory, and it starts with an East Texas con artist who inadvertently kicked off the biggest oil boom in US history. R…

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How Do You Solve a Problem Like Misinformation? 30:41

6M ago30:41

30:41

Vaccines, oil spills, genetic engineering, and stem cells—anywhere there’s science, there’s also misinformation. It muddies our ability to make good decisions, ranging from far-reaching ones like creating policy to simple ones like what to buy at the grocery store. Misinformation also undermines trust in scientific institutions and across society. …

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Rising Water, Rising Risk 34:41

7M ago34:41

34:41

More and more Americans face the threat of flooding. And as a country, we are woefully unprepared. Cities like Charleston and Miami already see routine coastal flooding. Hurricane Helene recently hammered many inland communities with flooding. And the risk is only rising. FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) sells about 90% of the nation'…

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Music and Health: The Creative Arts and Healing 36:27

7M ago36:27

36:27

From lullabies to movie soundtracks to workout playlists, music has the capacity to change how we feel. But what is the evidence that music’s effects can transform physical health? On our new podcast miniseries, Music and Health, we’ll explore the power of music to heal our minds, bodies, and even communities. On the first episode of this series, h…

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Elevate or Relocate: FEMA's Dreaded Rule 26:25

7M ago26:25

26:25

Flooding is the most common natural disaster — by far. As more and more towns are devastated by floods, people are facing the tough question of how to rebuild — or even if they can. In this episode, we travel to two towns to discover how one obscure federal policy designed to stop the cycle of flood damage is leading to opposite destinies. Thanks f…

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The Power of Hope 30:30

8M ago30:30

30:30

As 2024 comes to a close, we are taking this time to focus on hope. While this year has been rough for the climate and the environment in many ways, there is also so much good happening out there. There are wins to celebrate and reasons for optimism. Today, Sea Change sits down with an expert on hope, and learn why evidence-based hope is essential …

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All Gassed Up - 1 Hour Special 52:12

8M ago52:12

52:12

There’s a lot going on in the world of liquified natural gas, or LNG. And we are here to tell you about it! The Department of Energy just released its big report on whether exporting more LNG is in the public interest…spoiler alert: it’s not. One of the largest LNG facilities in the world, located just south of New Orleans, recently began productio…

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The Bridge to Nowhere 26:21

8M ago26:21

26:21

We kicked off this season of Sea Change with a globetrotting journey. A quest to understand a booming new industry on the Gulf Coast: liquified natural gas, or LNG. In a historic move, the Biden Administration froze any decisions on new gas export projects…until it could study how shipping so much American gas overseas could affect the economy, hea…

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Season 6 coming soon 1:31

8M ago1:31

1:31

We hope you enjoyed season 5 of Looking at Lyme. We're very grateful to Catherine Kinsella for leading the many interesting conversations with scientists, advocates, experts, and more. Thank you, Catherine. We're excited to announce that season 6 of Looking at Lyme will be coming in the new year. We would also like to welcome Kim Cairns, who will b…

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Reindeer! 42:38

8M ago42:38

42:38

In Alaska, reindeer are much more real than the fantasy animals that pull Santa’s sleigh. Introduced to Alaska from Siberia by the US government in the 1890s, reindeer were part of a strategy to solve food shortages among the Native peoples after the gold rush. Today, reindeer provide food security and economic opportunities for the Alaskan Native …

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Sacred and Submerged 23:55

9M ago23:55

23:55

The Lemon Tree Mound is a sacred place for the Atakapa/Ishak-Chawasha tribe. And it's disappearing under the rising waters of the Gulf of Mexico. In this episode, we travel out into the bayous of South Louisiana to understand what this one small sacred place means for the Land Back Movement and climate justice, and why efforts to save our coast mat…

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A Cutting-Edge Bureaucracy 37:27

9M ago37:27

37:27

The word "bureaucracy" conjures up images of red tape and long lines at the DMV, not cutting-edge innovation. But some of the most significant scientific and health innovations of the past century have actually come from scientist-bureaucrats at government research institutes. On this episode, host Jason Lloyd is joined by Natalie Aviles, an assist…

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Introducing: Hazard NJ "First a Miracle, Then a Curse" 29:52

9M ago29:52

29:52

They are called PFAS or “forever chemicals.” They originated in New Jersey decades ago with a promise of a future made easier by science. They’ve spread into countless products and polluted countless places throughout the world. Now, they are even in our blood. Today we are bringing you the first episode of Hazard NJ's new season that dives into th…

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Classic Episode: Salty Chefs 39:13

9M ago39:13

39:13

This is a time of celebrating food and giving thanks to the people who grow it, catch it, and prepare it. That’s why today we are bringing you an episode we first aired back in May of 2023. Food connects us to our past, to our memories, to each other, and to the world around us. It’s powerful. But food systems–from how we grow or catch things to ho…

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The Hidden Engineering that Makes New York Tick 32:18

9M ago32:18

32:18

New York City is the perfect place to understand the importance of modern engineering, but the most valuable lessons won’t be found at the Empire State Building or in Central Park. To truly discover what makes modern life tick, you have to look at the unloved, uncelebrated elements of New York: its sewers, bridges, and elevators. On this episode, h…

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From Sea to Rising Sea 36:14

9M ago36:14

36:14

Sea level rise is this big, scary reality. We’re always hearing predictions from scientists that the oceans will swallow islands, flood major cities, and wipe out huge stretches of coastline. The longer we burn fossil fuels, the bigger the surge. It sounds apocalyptic on this huge, global scale. But also totally abstract – it’s hard to picture. Wha…

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Ending Inequities in Health Care 30:29

10M ago30:29

30:29

The United States spends more on healthcare than any other high-income country, yet we have some of the worst population health outcomes. Our health care system is designed in such a way that racial and ethnic disparities are inevitable, and the differences are extreme: the life expectancy difference between white women and black men is over a deca…

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Lights, Camera, Action: Climate Change in Hollywood 34:45

10M ago34:45

34:45

Hollywood has been cold on climate change, mostly relegating the issue to documentaries. We talk to two people who are trying to change that. We first talk to David Sirota, who co-wrote the Blockbuster hit, "Don't Look Up" with Adam McKay, and then we talk to Anna Jane Joyner, the founder of Good Energy, a nonprofit that supports TV and film creato…

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67. Treating emerging infections with Dr. Jack Lambert 24:44

10M ago24:44

24:44

Clinician-researcher Dr. Jack Lambert shares his experience working on emerging infectious diseases and his approach to treating Lyme disease. In this episode we speak with Dr. Jack Lambert, an infectious disease consultant at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital in Dublin, Ireland, and professor at the University College Dublin School of Me…

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Uncovering Hidden Bias in Clinical Research 34:08

10M ago34:08

34:08

Check the end of any recent study, and there will be a list of study funders and disclosures about competing interests. It’s important to know about potential biases in research, but this kind of transparency was not always the norm. Understanding bias in research and helping policymakers use the most reliable evidence to guide their decisions is a…

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Fish to Fork: Bonus Interview with Chef Jim Smith 15:12

10M ago15:12

15:12

Want to know even more about sustainable seafood on the Gulf Coast? Listen to this bonus episode for an extended conversation with Chef Jim Smith of The Hummingbird Way Oyster Bar in Mobile, Alabama. We talk with Chef Smith about threats facing both fishers and fisheries on the Gulf Coast and how we, as consumers, can make a difference...and of cou…

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Fish to Fork 26:42

10M ago26:42

26:42

Your expert guide to sustainable seafood is here! Get ready to feel the salt spray, and tuck into a wide-ranging conversation about what's on your plate and the future of our ocean. Seafood has been called our "last wild food." Humans have been enjoying seafood for a long time—over 2 million years. But in recent decades, how we catch and eat fish a…

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66. Advocating for change with Donna Lugar 22:08

10M ago22:08

22:08

In this episode, we speak with Nova Scotia Lyme disease advocate Donna Lugar. She currently runs the Nova Scotia Lyme Support Group, the Nova Scotia Lyme Advocacy Group, and is working to develop the Nova Scotia Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases Association. She also writes a Lyme disease blog, Shining the Lyme Light. We spoke with Donna about her exper…

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