Lab Out Loud

Printing Life: Creating Biomaterials with 3D Printers

Contributed by Lukas

Oscar Castaño Linares is a professor at the University of Barcelona and a researcher at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia in the departme...

The One Science Every Earthling Should be Exposed to

11 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As professor of Environmental Studies and Geosciences at Lawrence University, Marcia Bjornerud knows a lot about rocks. In her new book, Turning to St...

Fighting Wellness Scams with Science

19 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ever feel lost in the world of wellness advice online? Our guest, Dr. Jonathan Stea, has a new book called "Mind the Science" that helps cut through t...

How to Teach Science with Humor

30 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Science comedy writer Sarah Rose Siskind has some ideas. We met Sarah at SXSWedu in the spring of 2024 where she delivered a keynote titled Science Co...

Measure Locally, Think Globally with Vernier Sensors

06 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's spring, and it's a great time to get students outside to do some science. Need some ideas? Science teacher Brian Kaestner (St. Mary's Hall in San...

STEM Learning with the World's Simplest Camera

08 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Video version at: https://youtu.be/7zvYh4XvFVk In 2017, Sam Cornwell launched a successful Kickstarter campaign to make a pinhole camera called the So...

How to Become a Scientific Illustrator

14 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ella Marushchenko joins Lab Out Loud to discuss her job and her journey from a traditional art background to creating scientific illustrations. Stress...

Without Twitter, Where Will Scientists Find Community?

19 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In a recent survey, Nature asked scientists about their use of Twitter, and discovered that many decreased their use of the platform, and some have de...

We Can't Recycle our Way Out of This: The Hidden Cost of Cheap Technology

25 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

To talk to us about the life cycle of our technology, we welcome Lucas Gutterman to the show. As the director of the Design to Last campaign with PIRG...

This Comic Book Shares Secrets of Everyday Hidden Systems

16 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Artist Dan Nott joins Lab Out Loud to tell us about his new graphic nonfiction book called Hidden Systems. With the help of visual metaphors, Dan illu...

The Bald and the Beautiful: Tales from the Nest in Big Bear Valley

05 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Meet the Friends of Big Bear Valley, a group that maintains two solar powered webcams focused on Jackie and Shadow, a pair of bald eagles in Big Bear ...

Revisiting the 1986 Teacher in Space Program

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Announced in 1984 by President Reagan as a way to boost science education, the Teacher in Space program invited teachers to apply to become the first ...

Help! My Physics Tutor is a Robot!

19 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rhett Allain returns to Lab Out Loud for his 5th time to talk about ChatGPT, a novel artificial intelligence chat tool from OpenAI. In the last few mo...

A Closer Look at Snowflakes

29 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Thinking of snow? We first talked to Dr. Kenneth Libbrecht in 2006 when the US Postal Service began featuring his photographs of snowflakes on stamps....

More Science and Technology Videos from Sloan Science and Film

17 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sloan Science and Film is an online publication from the Museum of the Moving Image that examines the intersection of science and film. As curator of ...

Zombie Science Returns

17 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For the last decade, this episode on zombie neurobiology has been a seasonal favorite. Listen to Dr. Steven Schlozman describe how to use zombies to ...

Did you get all of your School Supplies?

26 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Pencils. Notebooks. Glue sticks. Dry erase markers. Safety goggles. Tissues. As students returned to school this fall, they were asked to obtain numer...

A Message About the Future of the Show

29 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After 15 years, the Lab Out Loud podcast is changing. What does this mean? We are incredibly thankful for the support that NSTA has provided for the s...

Fostering Educational Stewardship

23 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Stephen Pompea joins the show to discuss how scientists can support science education in formal and informal settings. Show notes at: https://labout...

Learn Chemistry with Ninjas in Games and Graphic Novels!

09 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Nathan Schreiber returns to the Lab Out Loud podcast to talk about his newest project using a series of graphic novels designed to teach chemistry con...

Bringing Untold Stories to the Surface

25 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The next guest on the Lab Out Loud podcast is National Geographic Explorer and storyteller Tara Roberts. For the last couple of years, Tara has been f...

Addressing Alternative Conceptions when Teaching Science

11 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest this week is Tim Hartelt from the Department of Biology Education at the University of Kassel in Germany. With colleagues Helge Martens and...

How to Cultivate the Next Generation of Science Teachers

21 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

[ This episode is sponsored by Siemens STEM Day Possibility Grant Sweepstakes ]   This week, the Lab Out Loud podcast welcomes Dr. Meenakshi Shar...

Reorganizing the Tree of Life #ScientistOutLoud

07 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this installment of #ScientistOutLoud, the Lab Out Loud podcast welcomes research and teaching professor Prashant Sharma from the University of Wis...

A New Digital First, Learning First Opportunity from NSTA

21 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Trish Shelton joins the Lab Out Loud podcast to highlight a new learning initiative from NSTA called the Professional Learning Unit (PLU). Designed as...

Understanding and Accessing Scientific Research on Learning

07 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

From the Learning Scientists podcast, cognitive psychologist Megan Sumeracki joins the Lab Out Loud podcast to talk about the science of learning. Wit...

Using Art to Bring Science Out of the Lab

17 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For over a decade, the Bioart Scientific Image and Video Competition has provided an artistic vehicle for biological scientists to share their researc...

The Growing Importance of Science Communication #ScientistOutLoud

03 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this installment of the #ScientistOutLoud series, Dr. Carly Anne York joins the Lab Out Loud podcast to talk about the importance of science commun...

Using Phenomena to Help Students Explain the World

13 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What are phenomena and how can science teachers use these events to engage students in science? Professor of Science Education Todd Campbell joins the...

Code Breaking, Spy Hunting and Other Stories of Women in STEM

29 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Laurie Wallmark returns to the Lab Out Loud podcast to share two new stories celebrating women in STEM: Code Breaker, Spy Hunter about Elizabeth Fried...

A Novel Discovery in Condor Reproduction #ScientistOutLoud

15 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes surprising discoveries happen when scientists aren't looking for them. While analyzing biological samples from California Condors as part of...

Evolution Education Resources, Support from TIES

01 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Teacher Institute for Evolutionary Science (TIES) was founded to provide teachers with content and engaging resources to teach evolution in an eff...

Pumpkin Science, Facts and Surprises

18 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

To answer their questions about pumpkins, the Lab Out Loud podcast connects with a pumpkin expert. From the University of Rhode Island, Dr. Rebecca Br...

A Good Game is More Than a Pile of Facts

04 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Can all games provide learning activities? Is there a connection between scientific models and games? How can educators evaluate games and simulators ...

A Greater Call to Connect with Scientists

20 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As schools transitioned to online learning in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Skype a Scientist saw a increased demand for their service. Boasting ...

Equity and Evidence: a Vision for NSTA from Erika Shugart

06 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Erika Shugart joins the Lab Out Loud podcast for their 250th episode to discuss her role as NSTA Executive Director, share how the association can pro...

Bad Things Done in the Name of Science

23 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when scientists abandon ethical standards in the pursuit of science? Can we trust scientific discoveries learned with fraudulent practice...

So What Have We Learned? #COVID-19

07 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

To close out season 14, the Lab Out Loud podcast reflects on experiences educating and learning through a pandemic. Co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Bas...

Smelling Your Ants and Other Tips from a Myremocologist #ScientistOutLoud

24 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the latest installment of their Scientist Out Loud series, Dr. Terry McGlynn joins the Lab Out Loud podcast to discuss his research with ants and o...

Explore Sound Online with Listening to Waves

10 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In an attempt to help students make visible connections between science and sound, Dr. Victor Minces and his team have created Listening to Waves - a ...

The Impact of Pop Culture and Video Creation in Science Education

26 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

With a shift to online learning during the pandemic, students have relied on watching and creating more videos. But how has that impacted science educ...

Bringing science home with Science Buddies

12 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As schooling has expanded into our homes during the pandemic, it's no surprise that online resources geared towards learning at home have been extrem...

What Students can Learn from Perseverance

22 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Lab Out Loud's exploration into distance learning takes on new meaning this week, as they discover what's next from the Perseverance rover that recent...

Igniting Science Curiosity Across Africa

08 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Igniting Science Curiosity Across Africa As the Lab Out Loud Podcast continues to explore how science education has adapted during the pandemic, a new...

The Show Must Go On: Learning Science Through Tragedy

22 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the Lab Out Loud podcast talks with Mallory Wills, a biology and earth science teacher at George Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, Io...

Learning Science, Finding Joy at Home with Plants

08 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the Lab Out Loud podcast talks with India Carlson, a botany and environmental horticulture teacher at Ballard High School in Seattle, Washi...

Dr. Steffania Kapsetaki, Searching for Cancer in Chimerism #ScientistOutLoud

18 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Lab Out Loud's guest this week is Dr. Steffania Kapsetaki, a postdoctoral research fellow at Arizona State University at the Arizona Cancer & Evolutio...

Exploring real world issues, research and developing STEAM identities with Meet the Lab

04 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the Lab Out Loud podcast explores Meet The Lab, a new educational resource from PBS Wisconsin Education designed for middle school science ...

Dr. Rachel Hale, Filling Her Invertebrate Bucket List #ScientistOutLoud

21 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The guest for the Lab Out Loud podcast this week is Dr. Rachel Hale. As a self-proclaimed invertebrate advocate, Rachel's personal interests in worms ...

We Believe in Dinosaurs: Exploring America's Relationship with Science

07 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

To conclude their segment on video in science education, The Lab Out Loud podcast is joined this week by filmmakers Clayton Brown and Monica Long from...

Tangled Bank Studios: Bringing Science to Life with Film

23 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the Lab Out Loud podcast welcomes Jared Lipworth to the show. As Executive Producer and head of Outreach and Impact at HHMI Tangled Bank St...

Making Compelling Short Format Films

09 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As the Lab Out Loud podcast continues to explore the use of video in science education, they turn their attention to the use and creation of short for...

A Photographer's Time Capsule from the Anthropocene

19 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Continuing their exploration into science documentaries, the Lab Out Loud podcast welcomes environmental photographer James Balog to the show. For alm...

Fighting Misinformation with Science Documentaries

04 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The guest for the Lab Out Loud podcast this week is director, writer and producer Scott Hamilton Kennedy. At the 2019 NSTA Conference in St. Louis, Ke...

Free Virtual Conferences with ScIC (Science is Cool)

21 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the Lab Out Loud podcast talks with Dave Bakker, co-founder and COO of PocketLab. In March, Dave and some of his colleagues were looking fo...

Read about Lindsey, the GIS Specialist, in a free eBook

07 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the Lab Out Loud podcast features GIS Specialist and author Tyler Danielson. As part of his work with civil engineering firm Bolton & Menk,...

A Discussion about Lab Safety during the Pandemic #Covid-19

24 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As some schools are returning to in-person learning this fall, science teachers will need to address virus mitigation both in the traditional classroo...

How Inventions have Shaped Us, and Our Role in Shaping Them

08 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

To wrap up season 13, the Lab Out Loud podcast welcomes Ainissa Ramirez back to the show. As science teachers are building their reading lists for the...

Connect Students to NASA’s #LaunchAmerica with Online Resources and Activities

25 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Lab Out Loud's guest this week is Kris Brown from the Office of STEM Engagement at NASA. As a NASA engineer, Kris used to work with critical hardware ...

"There's a Lot you Can Do with Birds in a Wind Tunnel" and Other Stories with Dr. Alex Evans #ScientistOutLoud

11 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Lab Out Loud podcast welcomes Dr. Alex Evans to the show. From a young age, Alex developed a love for science that eventually led to a career as a...

Recognizing and Combating Loneliness #COVID19

27 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Lab Out Loud podcast guest this week is Dawn Fallik, reporter and associate professor at the University of Delaware. As a medical reporter, Dawn w...

Teaching, Parenting and Science Outreach in the Pandemic #COVID19

13 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Lab Out Loud's guest this week is Joanne O'Meara, a physics professor from the University of Guelph. In an effort to help educators right now, the Gue...

Learning Science at Home with Online Resources #COVID19

23 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As our students continue their science instruction online and at home, we wanted to take some time to share some free resources from NSTA and beyond. ...

"A Lot of my Research Involves Poo" and Other Stories from the Field with Dr. Cassandra Raby #ScientistOutLoud

09 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Joining the Lab Out Loud podcast this week is Dr. Cassandra Raby, a research fellow at Leeds University Business School looking at diversity and inclu...

Discovery vs. Exploration: Learning Science with Evidence-Based Argumentation

17 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the Lab Out Loud podcast welcomes Dr. J. Bryan Henderson to the show. As an assistant professor at Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Ariz...

Strategies for Gender Inclusivity in Teaching Biology

03 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Picking up from their conversation with Jamie Kubiak last year (episode 206: Affirming and Representing LGBTQIA+ Students in Science), the Lab Out Lou...

From Psychology to Animal Research, a Discussion with Postdoc Lauren Robinson #ScientistOutLoud

20 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Continuing their series on #ScientistOutLoud, the Lab Out Loud podcast welcomes Dr. Lauren Robinson to the show. As a postdoc at the University of Vet...

Making Sense of Science and Religion: Strategies for Science Teaching

06 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kicking off a new decade, Lab Out Loud is happy to welcome Joe Shane (Shippensburg University) and Lee Meadows (the University of Alabama at Birmingha...

The Path to Science Research: Susanna Harris Shares her Journey #ScientistOutLoud

16 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Continuing their #ScientistOutLoud series, Lab Out Loud welcomes Susanna L. Harris to the show. As a Ph. D. candidate at the University of North Carol...

Questions and Answers about Christmas Trees

02 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

To answer some questions about Christmas trees, Lab Out Loud decided to connect with some experts. Tree farmers Neil Krueger (from Kreuger's Christmas...

The 2019 Engineering Gift Guide

18 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Returning for a second year, Lab Out Loud is happy to welcome Dr. Elizabeth Gajdzik and Dr. Tamara Moore back to the show to showcase the 2019 Enginee...

Adjusting science language and technology for culturally relevant STEM education

04 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As a former science teacher and now professor of education at Stanford, Dr. Bryan A. Brown is keenly interested in improving science teaching and lear...

Investigating Circadian Rhythms and Sleep #ScientistOutLoud

21 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week Lab Out Loud welcomes Katherine Hatcher to the show. As a fifth year Neuroscience PhD Candidate at University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaig...

XKCD: Using comics to teach science

07 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week Lab Out Loud welcomes Randall Munroe to the show. As creator of the webcomic XKCD, Munroe often features aspects of technology, math, comput...

Investigating Continental Size Problems #ScientistsOutLoud

23 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week Lab Out Loud welcomes glaciologist Mike MacFerrin to the show. As a researcher from the University of Colorado Boulder, Mike studies ice she...

Requiring Peer Reviewed Science in the Science Classroom: New Legislation in Massachusetts

09 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As a science teacher at Curry College in Massachusetts, Abby Hafer is a staunch advocate of teaching peer-reviewed, scientifically accurate content in...

Science Beyond the Classroom with NSTA President Dennis Schatz

26 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

To kick off season 13, Lab Out Loud is proud to welcome NSTA President Dennis Schatz to the show. As senior advisor at Pacific Science Center and fiel...

Teaching STEM Though Crash Safety with IIHS in the Classroom

03 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As teachers prepare for the summer months ahead, Lab Out Loud welcomes Griff Jones back to the show to close out season 12. Working with Griff, the In...

Why Most Teachers Don't Teach Climate Change

20 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

An NPR poll recently discovered that most teachers don't teach climate change, yet parents wish they did. To find out more about these findings, Lab O...

Reflections from the 2019 NSTA Conference in St. Louis

22 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

While still in St. Louis, Lab Out Loud reflects on the NSTA 2019 National Conference on Science Education. Listen to the show to hear co-hosts Brian B...

Learn about Simple Machines with a Graphic Novel

08 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Nathan Schreiber returns to Lab Out Loud to talk about his newest project using a graphic novel to teach physics concepts. In Big Trouble with Simple ...

Invite a Scientist into your Classroom with SKYPE a Scientist

18 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Lab Out Loud's guest this week is Sarah McAnulty, squid biologist and founder of Skype a Scientist. Using SKYPE or other video chat tools, SKYPE a Sci...

Women in STEM Picture Book Biographies

04 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week Lab Out Loud welcomes Laurie Wallmark to the show. As a computer science teacher and award-winning children's author, Laurie has been writin...

What is Life? A Podcast Series from Carl Zimmer

18 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week Lab Out Loud welcomes science writer Carl Zimmer to the show. As Zimmer often writes about life, he has been wondering about the concept of ...

4000 Exoplanets and Counting

04 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

For their 200th episode, Lab Out Loud welcomes Phil Plait (The Bad Astronomer) back to the show. Phil joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to d...

Are Insects Disappearing from your Biology Textbook?

21 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Are you noticing less insects in your biology textbook? You're not alone. Jennifer Landin, with student and co-author Kiran Gangwani, recently decided...

Learn the Science, Live the Book with STEM Read

07 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Gillian King-Cargile and Dr. Kristin Brynteson join co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler this week to talk about STEM Read - a program from Northern ...

Engineering Thinking and Design in STEM Toys and Books

09 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week, listen to Lab Out Loud discuss STEM gifts with Monica Cardella and Elizabeth Gajdzik from Purdue’s INSPIRE Research Institute. Each year,...

STEM Learning with the Misty II Advanced Personal Robot

26 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler talk with Tim Enwall, CEO of Misty Robotics. A spin-off company from Sphero, Inc., Misty Robotics is f...

Learning With Your Feet and Other Ways to Improve Your Timefulness

12 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week Lab Out Loud talks about time. Extensive time. Time that grounds geologic thinking as a way to unlock the earth's past. Marcia Bjornerud, Pr...

STEM Learning and Other Resources from the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture

29 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

To learn about STEM resources and other learning opportunities within ag science, co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler welcome Leah Gibson to the sho...

Learning Science with Ephemeral Art

15 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week Lab Out Loud talks about science in art that can be done with some of our youngest learners. To talk about their experiences with preschoole...

A New NSTA Position Statement on the Teaching Climate Science

01 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

For this week's episode, Lab Out Loud invites Eric Pyle to the show to discuss NSTA’s recent adoption of a position statement on the teaching of cli...

The Bioethics of CRISPR for Students #sciencecareers

17 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Recognizing that CRISPR and other genome editing technologies have rapidly outpaced standard textbook knowledge, Lab Out Loud reached out to R. Alta C...

NSTA Podcast Crossover with Blick on Flicks

03 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

NSTA members will probably recognize our guest as the man behind Blick on Flicks: Jacob Clark Blickenstaff. As we both podcast for NSTA, we thought it...

Science Education for Incarcerated Youth

20 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

To kick off season 12, Lab Out Loud looks for inspiration in science education from an unlikely classroom setting - within the juvenile justice system...

Supporting Science Education with Out of Pocket Teacher Expenses

03 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

As science teachers are preparing for the summer, many will be planning lessons and purchasing supplies for their classes next year. But just how much...

Learn Chemistry with Valence - a Board Game with Ninjas!

14 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever had a good idea for a game where kids can learn science? Lab Out Loud's guest this week has, and he has even made those ideas into a rea...

Original Research from Emerging Student Investigators

30 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Do you have middle and high school students doing original research? Consider connecting them with the open-access Journal of Emerging Investigators f...

Place-Based Education: An Ecology Unit

16 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

For the third episode in a three-part series on place-based education in science, Lab Out Loud welcomes Chris Wyland to the show. Chris is a middle sc...