Topic: Research interviews

Lin Ma discusses the development of batteries for electricity grids, including the promise and limitations of sodium-ion systems. The conversation considers safety, materials choices and the role of storage in electricity systems that depend increasingly on renewable generation.

Ethan Meitz and Jerry Wang discuss molecular simulation, heat transfer and the conversations that have shaped Meitz’s doctoral research. The episode connects computational methods with collaboration and mentoring, offering a practical view of research supported by the DOE Computational Science Graduate Fellowship.

Susanne Renner and Alan Cohen reflect on Bob Ricklefs’s contributions to ecology and evolutionary biology. The discussion considers biogeography, life-history research and the value of sustained, careful scientific work. Ricklefs is the subject of the tribute, rather than a participant in this recording.

C&EN journalists examine the chemistry behind sustaining human activity beyond Earth. Topics include obtaining useful resources, designing materials and understanding the practical constraints of living and working in space. The episode connects chemical research with planetary resources and engineering.

The Supermassive team revisits an interview with Meg Schwamb about the Kuiper Belt and the small bodies beyond Neptune. The conversation explores what these distant objects can reveal about the Solar System’s formation and evolution. This is the explicitly labelled revisited edition published in September 2026.

Ellen Zapata-Webborn discusses how mathematical research can help predict household energy use. The episode connects patterns in smart-meter data, human behaviour and the demands of electricity systems, illustrating how quantitative models can inform practical energy questions.

Justin Johnson joins Sam Charrington to discuss world models and spatial artificial intelligence. Topics include representations of three-dimensional environments, simulation and the role of such models in enabling systems to reason about and act within the physical world.

Brian Wernicke explains lithospheric extension and the origins of the Basin and Range Province. The discussion explores how geologists reconstruct large-scale stretching of the crust and what these observations reveal about deformation and continental evolution.

Clio Karageorgiou discusses structural variation and the research brought together in a Heredity special issue. The episode provides a focused introduction to changes in genome structure and their importance for understanding genetic diversity.

Max Welling discusses how ideas from physics may inform the next generation of artificial intelligence. The conversation examines physical structure, generative modelling and the relationship between learning systems and scientific discovery.

The hosts discuss research linking bacterial signatures to colon-cancer recurrence and a separate study of bacteriophage-derived proteins that trigger bacterial pilus detachment. The episode works through the scientific papers and experimental questions; the cancer findings concern an association rather than proof of causation.

David George Haskell discusses the evolution and ecological importance of flowering plants. The conversation follows the innovations that enabled their diversification and their relationships with animals and ecosystems.

James Fergusson discusses artificial intelligence and data-intensive science, including how mathematical and computational approaches help researchers learn from complex datasets. The conversation connects research practice with the training needed to work across scientific disciplines.

This bonus crossover from Inflection Point examines carbon-capture approaches, their history and the limits of their contribution to climate mitigation. The discussion includes ocean-based approaches and the chemical processes involved. It is the publisher’s syndicated episode in the Stereo Chemistry feed, rather than a separate new recording.

The hosts discuss nitrogen fixation in a marine alga and the evidence for a nitrogen-fixing organelle. Related topics include plastic pollution, antimicrobial resistance and the rumen microbiome. The episode links microbial evolution and physiology with marine nutrient cycling.

Ulrich Sperhake and Seppe Staelens explain hypothetical boson stars and how researchers use mathematical modelling to investigate them. The discussion connects these unusual compact objects to black holes, gravity and gravitational-wave observations.

Holly Krieger discusses arithmetic dynamics: how repeatedly applying simple mathematical rules connects number theory with dynamical systems. The conversation explores the patterns and difficult questions that arise when numbers and iteration meet, providing an accessible route into an active area of mathematical research.

Portia Wong and Paolo Momigliano discuss population-genetic research on pangolins and its relevance to the illegal wildlife trade. The episode connects genomic evidence with conservation questions and the challenges of tracing threatened wildlife populations.

Daniel Simberloff discusses biological invasions, ecological theory and evidence from field experiments. The conversation explores how introduced species alter communities and ecosystems, and how long-running research informs conservation and management decisions.

Nachum Ulanovsky discusses studying nervous systems during natural behaviour. The conversation considers what researchers gain from observing animals in ecologically meaningful conditions and how new methods can connect neuroscience with evolution and ecology.