The Poetry of Science
Arts
Science
Sam Illingworth
Join Dr Sam Illingworth as he provides insight into new scientific research via the medium of poetry.
Episode 227: Dissolving Depths
This episode explores new research, which has found that ocean acidification in the Mediterranean is already affecting the calcification of marine plankton.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘[Ocean which I pushed up]’ by Joshua Beckman here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
X: @samillingworth
06:2520/11/2023
Episode 226: The Butterfly’s Gaze
This episode explores new research, which has investigated how butterflies can help scientists to detect cancer.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Vision’ by Marjorie Pickthall here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
X: @samillingworth
06:5313/11/2023
Episode 225: Between sky and sand
This episode explores new research, which has used Cold War spy satellite imagery to reveal Ancient Roman forts.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Searching for Satellites’ by Roberto Harrison here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
X: @samillingworth
08:0606/11/2023
Episode 224: Soiled Stowaways
This episode explores new research, which has found that soil carried on sea freight is loaded with dangerous pests and diseases.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘This Soil’ by Alice Corbin Henderson here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
X: @samillingworth
06:1030/10/2023
Episode 223: After the Flames
This episode explores new research, which has found that wildfire smoke may linger in homes long after the initial blaze.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Smoke’ by Théophile Gautier here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
07:2523/10/2023
Episode 222: Fragrant Hues
This episode explores new research, which has found that our sense of smell changes the colours we see.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Smell Is the Last Memory to Go’ by Fatimah Asghar here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
06:5416/10/2023
Episode 221: Flukes and Floats
This episode explores new research, which has found that reducing fishing gear could save whales with low impacts to California’s fishing industry.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Humpback’ by Robert Bernard Hass here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
07:5409/10/2023
Episode 220: Mnemic Medusae
This episode explores new research, which has found that jellyfish can learn from past experiences.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read 'Moon Jellyfish’ by Jennifer Martelli here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
07:0302/10/2023
Episode 219: Distilling a Galaxy
This episode explores new research, which has found that supermassive black holes alter galactic chemistry.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read 'The Black Hole’ by Michael Ryan here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
07:0225/09/2023
Episode 218: Below Brittle Blades
This episode explores new research, , which has investigated how climate change will affect decomposition.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read 'I know that all beneath the moon decays' by William Drummond of Hawthornden here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
06:5418/09/2023
Episode 217: Death’s Dirty Hands
This episode explores new research, which has found that air pollution has decreased across the US, but health burdens remain unequal among racial groups.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read 'Hiking' by Abigail Wender here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
06:0711/09/2023
Episode 216: The Heat is On
This episode explores new research, which has found that heatwaves are becoming more frequent and more deadly.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Heatwave’ by Ted Hughes here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
06:1904/09/2023
Episode 215: Climate’s Ledger
This episode explores new research, which has found that America’s wealthiest 10% is responsible for 40% of US greenhouse gas emissions.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read 'Vespers ["Once I believed in you..."]' by Louise Glück here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
07:3228/08/2023
Episode 214: The Storms of Saturn
This episode explores new research, which has found that mega-storms leave marks on Saturn’s atmosphere for centuries.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read 'Saturn' by Stefanie Marlis here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
06:5621/08/2023
Episode 213: The Giraffes of Bénoué
This episode explores new research, which has found that Kordofan giraffes face local extinction if poaching continues.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘The Giraffe’ by Ronald Lee Perry here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
06:4114/08/2023
Episode 212: Dormant Disease
This episode explores new research, which has found that ancient pathogens emerging from melting ice and permafrost risk eroding ecosystems.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Yeast’ by Roddy Lumsden here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
07:1507/08/2023
Episode 211: Greening Strips of Change
This episode explores new research, which has found that the Pacific slope of Peru is greening, and that this is not good news.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Prophecy’ by Jules Supervielle here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
07:1331/07/2023
Episode 210: Echoes from the Deep
This episode explores new research, which has found that ocean animals vacate areas both around and outside deep-sea mining operations.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Sea Floor’ by Edward Weismiller here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
08:1024/07/2023
Episode 209: Feathering their Nests
This episode explores new research, which has found that human-made materials in nests can bring both risks and benefits for birds.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Nests in Elms’ by Michael Field here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
07:0817/07/2023
Episode 208: Sprung too Soon
This episode explores new research, which has found that birds raise fewer young when spring arrives earlier in a warming world.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Spring’ by Gerard Manley Hopkins here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
08:1010/07/2023
Episode 207: Diminishing Depths
This episode explores new research, which has found that global reservoirs are becoming emptier.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘The Reservoir’ by Mei-Mei Berssenbrugge here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
07:3903/07/2023
Episode 206: Toxic Flickers
This episode explores new research, which has found that combustion from gas stoves can raise indoor levels of the toxic chemical benzene.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘In Praise of Old Stoves’ by Paul Petrie here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
06:5326/06/2023
Episode 205: Symphony of the Stone Age
This episode explores new research, which has found evidence of the first prehistoric wind instruments.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Incantation to an Age of Stone’ by V R lang here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
07:2819/06/2023
Episode 204: Blossom at Night
This episode explores new research, which has found that night-time pollinators such as moths may visit just as many plants as bees.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Moths’ by Caleb Klaces here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
06:2212/06/2023
Episode 203: Empty Echoes of Rain
This episode explores new research, which has found that global flash droughts are expected to increase in a warming climate.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Dear Drought’ by Amy Beeder here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
06:4705/06/2023
Episode 202: Blood on the Grasslands
This episode explores new research, which has found that current measures to protect grasslands in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau are damaging the ecosystem and should be stopped.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘On the Plains’ by David Wagoner here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
08:0329/05/2023
Episode 201: Spawning Shadows
This episode explores new research, which has found that coastal lights trick coral reefs into spawning earlier than they should.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Night in Day’ by Joseph Stroud here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
06:3222/05/2023
Episode 200: Wings of Change
This episode explores new research, which has found that bird species body size may predict the rate of climate change.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Confession of a Bird Watcher’ by Chard Deniord here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
06:5715/05/2023
Episode 199: Pollution’s Rhythm
This episode explores new research, which has found that air pollution exposure is associated with an increased risk of irregular heartbeat.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Arrhythmia’ by Hailey Leithauser here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
06:5408/05/2023
Episode 198: Passing Arsenic
This episode explores new research, which has found that water arsenic is linked to higher urinary arsenic totals among the US population.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Water Route’ by Barry Sternlieb here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
07:0601/05/2023
Episode 197: Beneath Shifting Canopies
This episode explores new research, which has found that the diversity of present tree species is shaped by climate change in the last 21,000 years.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Native Trees’ by W.S. Merwin here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
06:5224/04/2023
Episode 196: Artificial Bites at Night
This episode explores new research, which has found that light pollution may extend the mosquito biting season.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Mosquitos’ by Katherine Hauth here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
06:0017/04/2023
Episode 195: Lost in Time
This episode explores new research, which has found that jet lag’s harmful health impacts are caused by biological clock misalignment.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Reunion’ by Megan Fernandes here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
06:5010/04/2023
Episode 194: The Unseen Heart
This episode explores new research, which has found that blind people sense their heartbeats better than sighted people.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘A Blind Woman’ by Ted Kooser here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
05:4503/04/2023
Episode 193: Weeding the Knots
This episode explores new research, which has looked at the long-term environmental impact of different methods to control Japanese knotweed.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Autumn’ by Sydney Lea here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
07:3627/03/2023
Episode 192: Storms of Extinction
This episode explores new research, which has found that entire populations of Antarctic seabirds fail to breed due to extreme, climate-change-related snowstorms.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘The Sea Bird to the Wave’ by Padraic Colum here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
06:4720/03/2023
Episode 191: Making Beelines
This episode explores new research, which has found that bees follow linear landmarks to find their way home.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Bees, so many bees’ by Anna Jackson here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
06:5313/03/2023
Episode 190: Dirty Hearts
This episode explores new research, which has found that long-term exposure to air pollution is tied to an increased risk of having a heart attack or dying from heart disease.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Heart Valve’ by Elizabeth Arnold here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
06:5706/03/2023
Episode 189: Tasting Geckos
This episode explores new research, which has found that geckos can use their tongue to differentiate their own odour from that of other members of their species.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘A Lizard in Spanish Valley’ by Wendy Videlock here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
06:2127/02/2023
Episode 188: Exotic Dangers in the Urban Forest
This episode explores new research, which has found that small perching birds, such as blue and great tits, avoid breeding in urban areas where there are many non-native trees.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘The Birds’ by Linda Pastan here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
06:3220/02/2023
Episode 187: Vanishing Stripes
This episode explores new research, which has investigated the rapid behavioural responses of endangered tigers to major roads during COVID-19 lockdown.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Tiger on the Shoulder’ by Janet McAdams here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
07:1913/02/2023
Episode 186: Cut out the Fireworks
This episode explores new research, which has found that instead of using traditional fireworks, cleaner alternatives like drone and laser light shows should be used to prevent harm to wildlife, household pets, and the environment.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘State Fair Fireworks, Labor Day’ by Maryann Corbett here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
06:5306/02/2023
Episode 185: Gardeners of the Forest
This episode explores new research, which has found that elephant extinction could have a major impact on atmospheric carbon levels.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘The Elephant’ by Dan Chiasson here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
07:3330/01/2023
Episode 184: Unnecessary Deaths by Fire
This episode explores new research, which has found that human-initiated wildfire smoke is responsible for around 20,000 premature deaths per year in the United States.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘SMOKE’ by Philip Levine here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
08:4023/01/2023
Episode 183: A Lungful of Flying Lead
This episode explores new research, which has found that children near airports may be exposed to dangerous levels of lead.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Sparrow Trapped in the Airport’ by Averill Curdy here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
06:5316/01/2023
Episode 182: Sunburnt Algae
This episode explores new research, which has found that climate change threatens endangered marimo algae balls with extinction through deadly sunburn.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read 'Hearsay Song' by John Yau here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
07:0809/01/2023
Episode 181: Deep-sea Soot
This episode explores new research, which has found that up to one a half million tonnes of carbon, soot, and other particles from combustion end up in deep-sea trenches every year.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read 'Ocean of Earth' by Guillaume Apollinaire here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
07:0504/01/2023
Episode 180: A Lethal Climate
This episode explores new research, which has found that hotter days brought about by climate change have been linked to an increased risk of shootings in the United States.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘My Mother Contemplating Her Gun’ by Nick Flynn here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
07:1126/12/2022
Episode 179: Breathing Plastic
This episode explores new research, which has found that the microplastics in Auckland’s air is equal to 3 million plastic bottles every year.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Plastic Bag from Corner Store Laments the Self’ by Aliyah Cotton here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
07:1719/12/2022
Episode 178: Risky Resilience
This episode explores new research, which has found that in the Western United States, an increase in forest resilience is linked with a higher mortality risk for trees.
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Read this episode’s science poem here.
Read the scientific study that inspired it here.
Read ‘Eastern Forests’ by Charlie Smith here.
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Music by Rufus Beckett.
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Follow Sam on social media and send in any questions or comments for the podcast:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @samillingworth
06:5412/12/2022