Don't Panic Geocast
Science & Ideas
About
John Leeman and Shannon Dulin discuss geoscience and technology weekly for your enjoyment! Features include guests, fun paper Friday selections, product reviews, and banter about recent developments. Shannon is a field geologist who tolerates technology and John is a self-proclaimed nerd that tolerates geologists.
Episodes
- 428: Episode 428 - "Pedagogical Gold"
This week we talk about how you should approach an outcrop in the field for the first time. What do you look for? What kind of notes do you take? This and more field camp tips plus a discussion about the rheology of pasta sauce. Fun Paper…
- Episode 427 - "Feeding Tubes Yo!"
This week we help a listener identify their bizarre fossil - and it's a trace fossil! Learn all about it and find out if you'd remember more if we were funnier! Trace Fossil Dictionary Shannon’s Favorite Trackway Asterosoma Fun Paper Frida…
- Episode 426 - "Hard K Sound is Hilarious"
This week, we continue to talk about temperature with a discussion of temperature scales, where they came from, and why there are so many! Fun Paper Friday Kaiser, Caspar, and Andrew J. Oswald. "The scientific value of numerical measures o…
- Episode 425 - "How jiggly are your bits?"
What is temperature? Why do we care? Where did all of these temperature scales come from? This week, we find out! Fun Paper Friday Di Lorenzo, Emilia, et al. "Periodic cooking of eggs." Communications Engineering 4.1 (2025): 1-10. Contact…
- Episode 424 - "Aunt Betty" Liquefaction
This week it's all about liquefaction as we explore why some caskets are above ground and how some cars get half way buried. Flame Structure Sand Boil Quicksand Fun Paper Friday Can creatively shaped pasta fold itself when cooked? Tao, Ye,…
- Episode 423 - "The rumors of our death"
We are back after a very challenging 2025 but don't panic - there is a plan! Fun Paper Friday Taloni, Andrea, Vincenzo Scorcia, and Giuseppe Giannaccare. "Large language model advanced data analysis abuse to create a fake data set in medic…
- Episode 422 - "Melissa"
We're still here - it has just been a very difficult time, but this week we're talking about Hurricane Melissa and Halloween Candy! Hurricane Melissa Video Inside the Hurricane Fun Paper Friday Trick or Treat! Maybe it should be Treat or T…
- Episode 421 - "Come work for you"
This week, we chat about our GEARS workshop that recently wrapped up, how it has evolved, and how it went! GEARS Workshop Fun Paper Friday Hejnol, Andreas, and Mark Q. Martindale. "The mouth, the anus, and the blastopore—open questions abo…
- Episode 420 - "Tourist Destination" Kamchatka Earthquake
This week we are back and discussing the recent large earthquake in Russia! Fun Paper Friday Is that viral video of a fault rupture form a security camera real? This paper checks it out. Kearse, Jesse, and Yoshihiro Kaneko. "Curved Fault S…
- Episode 419 - "Diamonds Everywhere" A States
We're hitting the open road — geologically speaking. This episode kicks off our new state-by-state series covering the most fascinating, scenic, or just plain weird geologic stops in the U.S. We’re going alphabetically (because of course w…
- Episode 418 - "I like the crystal habit"
What makes a mineral a favorite? In this fun and down-to-earth episode, John and Shannon swap stories about the minerals they love most — and why. Along the way, they unpack cool crystal habits, formation environments, fieldwork memories,…
- Episode 417 - "Who are you?"
We're back from summer break - Shannon taught field camp, John travelled for work and got hailed on, and more! John’s Hail Storm Fun Paper Friday How does modern AI stack up against a cognition test designed for humans? Dayan, Roy, Benjami…
- Episode 416 - "Life is a Physics Exam"
This week we talk about how we power our instruments in the field and all of the weird and wonderful ways they fail. Including getting turned into charcoal by lightning! Fun Paper Friday Why does ketchup splatter? Find out! Arstechnica Art…
- Episode 415 - "Fiat 500 Volcanic Bomb"
This week we talk hail, Vesuvius, volcanic bombs, and vitrified brains. Scandone, Roberto, Lisetta Giacomelli, and Mauro Rosi. "Death, Survival and Damage during the 79 AD Eruption of Vesuvius which destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum." J. R…
- Episode 414 - "Closed Because of Landslide"
Shannon's class took a trip to study catestrophic sedimentation... and they found it! John switched back to a Mac after 5 years. Join us for these and other exciting updates! Fun Paper Friday Find out how alcohol and an eye puffer machine…
- Episode 413 - "Waterfalls I Have Loved"
Turner Falls, Oklahoma A rare waterfall that grows outward due to travertine deposition instead of eroding backward. Formed by spring-fed Honey Creek flowing through Ordovician limestone, creating massive travertine deposits. Pe'ePe'e Fall…
- Episode 412 - "Unpopular Flavor of Capri Sun"
This week we talk about snow forecasting as the winter season starts to wrap up and try to figure out if you're really happier in the morning or not! Fun Paper Friday https://mentalhealth.bmj.com/content/28/1/e301418 Contact us: Show Suppo…
- Episode 411 - "TSA Does Not Care About Your Data "
Ever wondered how geologists figure out when a landslide happened? Or how ancient river terraces and glacial deposits get dated? This week, we dive into the detective work behind dating geomorphic features! 🌍🔬 From tree rings to cosmic r…
- Episode 410 - "GEARS OIL UTEP"
We just wrapped up our first-ever on-site GEARS Workshop at UTEP and it was a massive success! 🎉 Tune in as we break down the highlights, what we learned, and how this hands-on geoscience training is evolving for the future. Fun Paper Fri…
- Episode 409 - "Resolutions"
This week, it's time for our 2025 resolutions show, where we see how we can improve this year and discuss everything that's changed in the past year! Fun Paper Friday We are all overloaded with surveys and requests, but can a chocolate bar…
- Episode 408 - "Everywhere there's cottonwood trees"
This week we wrap up our finding faults show started oh so long ago! Learn how to identify faults in the field and then relax with a coffee with a physicist! A perfectly spherical coffee on a frictionless plane that is! Fun Paper Friday Bo…
- Episode 407 - "If you like dragons, that's important to you" Joshua Pearce
This week, we’re thrilled to welcome Joshua Pearce to the show! We dive into the world of open-source hardware for academic labs, the challenges and rewards of open-sourcing projects, and the exciting opportunities it creates for researche…
- Episode 406 - "Taking in all the really interesting things"
Shannon went to AGU and we're updated on the meeting and what cool new science things she saw! Fun Paper Friday He, Yu, et al. "Superionic iron alloys and their seismic velocities in Earth’s inner core." Nature 602.7896 (2022): 258-262. Co…
- Episode 405 - "Getting Tensor"
Faults are fractures in the Earth's crust where movement has occurred, creating features that are critical to understanding geological processes. In this episode, we explore how to recognize fault zones in the field, examine their widths a…
- Episode 404 - "So Many Paperclips"
Lithium, often called "white gold," is a critical resource powering modern technologies like electric vehicles (EVs), renewable energy storage, and more. This week, we explore lithium's geological formation, mining, processing, and its gro…
- Episode 403 - "My Dad Caught my Mom's Pants on Fire"
Gold has been a symbol of wealth, beauty, and power for millennia, but its importance extends far beyond jewelry and currency. From its formation deep in the Earth’s crust to its critical uses in electronics, medicine, and aerospace, this…
- Episode 402 - "Shoes in a dryer on turbo"
Ever wondered how silver journeys from ancient rock formations to the tech in your pocket? In this episode of Don't Panic Geocast, we dig deep into the fascinating world of silver—the metal that's shaped economies, inspired legends, and po…
- Episode 401 - "I fell into a lot of bogs"
This week, we dive into the fascinating world of coal—its origins, types, and the role it has played in shaping economies, past and present. We discuss coal’s formation in ancient swampy environments, the journey from mining to electricity…
- Episode 400 - "Mushroom Cloud of Salt"
Throughout human history, certain minerals have held immense power, shaping economies, societies, and entire civilizations. In this economic rocks series, John and Shannon discuss how essential minerals like salt, gold, and coal influenced…
- Episode 399 - "We would have already sacrificed some people"
In our 400th episode, we take a moment to reflect on some of our favorite past episodes and Fun Paper Fridays that have brought joy, knowledge, and a good laugh to the show. From memorable guests to quirky science papers, this episode is a…
- Episode 398 - "Are you going to take our jobs?"
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making its way into academic research and writing, offering a range of tools that can help streamline workflows, enhance creativity, and improve productivity. In this episode, John and Shannon dive into some…
- Episode 397 - "Terps"
This week, we delve into the fascinating world of the ancient dwelling mounds—terps—of the northern Netherlands. These man-made mounds served as elevated homes for communities living in low-lying, flood-prone areas. Join us as we explore t…
- Episode 396 - "Please Don't Call the FBI" GEARS 2024
This week John and Shannon summarize the GEARS 2024 workshop, lessons learned, and talk about a record air pressure that was just a fluke. Fun Paper Friday Bureau of Meteorology says quality checks reveal air pressure record not broken, mi…
- Episode 395 - "Pressure Finds a Way"
Learn about the explosion at Yellowstone's Biscuit Basin site and what it means for the park. We also talk about drunk fruit flies and what they are teaching us about alcoholism. Fun Paper Friday Heberlein, Ulrike. "Genetics of alcohol-ind…
- Episode 394 - "Gates of Hell" Darvaza Gas Crater
This week we look at a geological oddity in Turkmenistan and see how getting a puppy can give you the blues. Video of the Burning Crater Fun Paper Friday Ståhl, Aada, et al. "Development and validation of the puppy blues scale measuring te…
- Episode 393 - "Fujiwhara Effect!" Twisters Movie Review
We went to watch Twisters and review it from the standpoint of two people who have chased storms professionally. Also what do philosophers have to say about the original movie and its mythological reconsiliations? Fun Paper Friday King, Ge…
- Episode 392 - "Revisions"
This week we talk about when and how things get revised from classes to papers to theories. Also we read a paper about a curious cure for poisoning. Fun Paper Friday Sasanami, Misa, et al. "Oral ethanol treatment for ethylene glycol intoxi…
- Episode 391 - "The Things We Take For Granted"
This week we discuss JMARS and how you can explore the planets at home with just a few clicks of the mouse. Field camp is almost over and we'll be back to our regular shorts soon! JMARS Site Fun Paper Friday What happens when scientists lo…
- Episode 390 - "Stretch Aquarium"
What is a flume and how do sedimentologists used them to understand depositional systems? This and how likely you are to be bitten by a rattlesnake if you step on it in this summer's first Don't Panic Summer Short! emriver St. Anthony Fall…
- Episode 389 - "FieldVolt"
Stop losing power and data in the field. John and Shannon discuss the new FieldVolt open power standard. FieldVolt Standard Fun Paper Friday Dean, Isabelle, and Michael T. Siva-Jothy. "Human fine body hair enhances ectoparasite detection."…
- Episode 388 - "Screaming Eagle"
This week John and Shannon talk about what some of the weird weather radar terms that get thrown around mean and how you can use them to keep up with storms impacting you. Then things get morbid with a mouse experiment that ended in an idi…
- Episode 387 - "Adorable Baby Drilling Rig"
John went to the Geoprobe open house to look at drilling rigs and then we discuss the optimum way to plan a large number of Christmas parties. Earth Day Google Doodle Geoprobe Fun Paper Friday Grüneberg, Reuben. "Hospital Christmas parties…
- Episode 386 - "Rock Colloid"
What's tiny, rocky, and alive? Forams! Learn about forams and what diseases James Bond may get while traveling to study them. Fun Paper Friday Graumans, Wouter, William JR Stone, and Teun Bousema. "No time to die: An in-depth analysis of J…
- Episode 385 - "Father Sky Goes Away"
John and Shannon both traveled to see the great eclipse of 2024 and share their experiences this week as well as talk about one of those rare times when ice is not a mineral. Fun Paper Friday We always talk about ice being a mineral, but w…
- Episode 384 - "Glaciers caused the great lakes, now we have them, the end" Alexis Dahl
This week we interview YouTube science creator, science writer, and communicator Alexis Dahl to learn about the rocks of Michigan's UP and how scientists can do a better job of sharing what they do. Alexis' YouTube Channel Alexis' Website…
- Episode 383 - "Logarithmically Fades Away"
This week we see how scientists break down the Earth into 7 or more spheres and why that is and isn't a good idea. We also explore a fun paper about graphene that is just full of crap. Fun Paper Friday Graphene is an amazing material, but…
- Episode 382 - "A world without attenuation would be unbearably noisy"
What can we get from mining the moon? Should we? Who can do it? Why should we do it? That and more in this week's show! Fun Paper Friday Do we live in 3D? Can you prove it? Morley, Tom. "A simple proof that the world is three-dimensional."…
- Episode 381 - "Desk Sedimentology"
This week we talk about new national parks, sticky notes, and empirical evidence about fly fishing. Fun Paper Friday Britton, B. J., J. Grimley Evans, and J. M. Potter. "Does the fly matter? The CRACKPOT study in evidence based trout fishi…
- Episode 380 - "Flame out like a bolide"
This week we talk about how rocks get magnetic field imparted to them and if scientists are really discovering anything new these days. Fun Paper Friday Park, Michael, Erin Leahey, and Russell J. Funk. "Papers and patents are becoming less…
- Episode 379 - "How would you like to buy Brunton?"
This week we're rejoined by the Heerschaps to learn about how they came to own and run Brunton and what's next for the company that is a staple of the geological, recreational, and military navigation world. Go Get a Brunton! EPISODE 109 -…