Tiny Matters
Episodes
Biofilms: The sticky, slimy communities behind some of medicine's toughest infections
Hosts Deboki and Sam explore biofilms, the sticky microbial communities that form on surfaces from sinks to the International Space Station.
[BONUS] ‘Drinking Grandma,’ digital cadavers and debunking a grave robbing myth: Tiny Show and Tell Us #55
This episode of Tiny Matters explores the history and science of embalming, tracing its evolution from ancient mummification to modern formaldehyde use.
Introducing What Could Go Right?
This episode of Tiny Matters recommends the podcast *What Could Go Right* from the Progress Network, which counters news pessimism by highlighting global progress.
The Turin Shroud: American Medieval x Tiny Matters crossover episode
In this crossover episode, Tiny Matters hosts Sam and Deboki join American Medieval host Matt Gabriel to discuss new scientific research on the Shroud of Turin.
Introducing What Could Go Right?
This episode recommends the podcast "What Could Go Right" from the Progress Network, which counters news pessimism by highlighting global progress.
Foraminifera: The one-celled predators that shaped our planet (and kept the receipts)
Hosts Sam Jones and Deboki Chakravarti explore foraminifera, single-celled organisms whose fossilized shells help scientists reconstruct Earth’s climate history and understand past sea-level changes.
Introducing What Could Go Right?
This episode recommends the podcast "What Could Go Right" from The Progress Network, hosted by Zachary Carababel and Emma Varvalucus.
[BONUS] Dangerously tiny frequencies, endometriosis tests, and cookies made from ... plastic?: Tiny Show and Tell Us #53
Hosts Sam Jones and Deboki Chakravarti are joined by guest Emily Schneider to discuss listener-submitted science topics.
Giant viruses: How these amoeba-infecting behemoths are rewriting the rules of virology
This episode explores giant viruses, which challenge traditional definitions of viral simplicity and size.
[BONUS] Fairy tale evolution and the 400(ish) year old elusive Greenland shark: Tiny Show and Tell Us #53
Hosts Sam Jones and Deboki Chakravarti are joined by historian Matt Gabriel to discuss using phylogenetic analysis to trace the evolution of folktales like Little Red Riding Hood.
From cow’s milk to blood banks: The surprising evolution of blood transfusions
Hosts Sam Jones and Deboki Chakravarti explore the bizarre history of medical treatments, from 19th-century milk injections to modern blood transfusion science.
[BONUS] Bread clip taxonomy and power poles on fire: Tiny Show and Tell Us #52
Hosts Sam Jones and Deboki Chakravarti explore listener-submitted science topics, starting with the humorous taxonomy of bread bag clips, or…
Placebo: Why ‘fake’ treatments can have real power
Hosts Duboki Chakravarti and Sam Jones explore the placebo effect with guests Catherine Hall and Charlotte Blee, discussing how expectations influence clinical trial outcomes and patient care.
[BONUS] A pathology lab, a sausage duel, and the fascinating lives of yeast: Tiny Show and Tell Us #51
Hosts Sam Jones and Dipoki Chakravarty explore listener-submitted science topics, starting with the habituation of disgust in surgical pathology.
Fireworks over millennia: From battlefields and royal displays to sustainable spectacles
Hosts Sam Jones and Deboki Chakravarti explore the history and chemistry of fireworks, tracing their evolution from military tools to artistic displays.