Lab Coat Optional
Episodes
The surveillance network you consented to with Rakibul Hasan
29 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We trade data for convenience every day. But at what cost? Rakibul Hasan breaks down how everyday tech became a surveillance network that determines w...
Coding the cosmos with Skylar Grayson
15 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Astrophysicist Skylar Grayson explains how she uses supercomputer simulations to study black holes, how scientists can piece together a picture of phe...
Tackling plastic pollution from coast to coast with Charlie Rolsky
31 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Plastic is everywhere. The same material that makes modern life easier has also become a persistent environmental pollutant.Charlie Rolsky — ASU alu...
Staying human in the age of AI with Andrew Maynard
18 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
As AI and emerging technologies reshape daily life, Andrew Maynard — scientist, author and professor in the Rob Walton College of Global Futures —...
The future of medical research with NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya [BONUS]
06 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Director of the National Institutes of Health Dr. Jay Bhattacharya joins the show to discuss his priorities for the agency, building trust with Tribal...
Our rising energy demand, explained, with Kelly Barr and Gary Dirks
04 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Energy demand is surging. To understand what’s driving it and how we’re going to meet it, I’m joined by energy veterans Kelly Barr and Gary Dirk...
The hidden side of national security — and not stealth planes! with Nadya Bliss
18 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Nadya Bliss — executive director of the Advanced Capabilities for National Security Institute — explains how national security is more than tanks ...
ASU-Science Prize winners talk transforming messy datasets into solutions [BONUS]
17 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus episode!Guest host Dr. Lara Ferry, vice president for research at ASU Knowledge Enterprise, talks with Meha Jain, of the University of Michigan ...
The power — and limits — of labor action with Michael McQuarrie [BONUS]
06 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus episode!You might’ve heard about a “shutdown” last week on January 30. Organizers urged people in the U.S. not to work, go to school or sp...
Why 2026 will decide the future of water in the West, with Rhett Larson
04 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Water law expert Rhett Larson explains why 2026 is a make-or-break year for the 40 million people who depend on the Colorado River for drinking water,...
Get ready for another season!
22 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We're back and bigger than ever! Okay, well, we're exactly the same size, But we are definitely back!!!This time around, we’ll take you on a trip......
A look inside a billion-dollar research engine with Lara Ferry
18 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From grant strategy and infrastructure to indirect costs, university research relies on a complex, fast-moving system to pursue discoveries and delive...
The Jane Austen you didn't meet in English class with Devoney Looser
16 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jane Austen’s enduring legacy is a bit like a lace doily: a frilly decoration that covered over the grime of real life in Regency-era Britain.But it...
AI in the age of information abundance with Joshua Garland
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“Seeing is believing” doesn’t ring as true as it once did. With the advent of generative artificial intelligence, the line between what’s real...
Bridging addiction research with practice and policy with Lani Shiota
19 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Addiction and substance use disorder isn’t simply the result of “bad choices” — it’s caused by brain chemistry, relationships and the enviro...
Tracing China’s narrative influence across Southeast Asia with P.J. Allin
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we examine how stories and narratives can influence global affairs. P.J. Allin explains how China is using narratives to shift the ba...
Water, waste and guts: engineering better health outcomes with Lee Voth-Gaeddert
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How often do you think about where your water comes from? Lee Voth-Gaeddert spends a lot of time doing just that — as well as how clean that water i...
Lessons from the Amazon: the secrets of healthy aging, with Ben Trumble
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the lowlands of Bolivia, there is a hunter-gatherer population living among the headwaters of the Amazon. Despite infrequent access to medical care...
Everyday exposures, lasting effects: how diet and environment may shape dementia, with Ramon Velazquez
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode we’re diving into the science of memory, aging, and what might be quietly shaping the health of aging minds. Guest Ramon Velazquez expl...
Keeping people safe and cool in the hottest city in the U.S., with Patricia Solís and Dr. Nick Staab
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Amidst ever-increasing temperatures, how can we keep people safe from heat-related illness and death?Listen as two experts from Maricopa County — ho...
What evolution can teach us about outsmarting cancer, with Carlo Maley
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Listen as guest Carlo Maley tells us about what biology and evolution can teach us about cancer suppression and all the interesting ways creatures big...