UnDisciplined
Science & Ideas
About
Each week, UnDisciplined takes a fun, fascinating and accessible dive into the lives of researchers and explorers working across a wide variety of scientific fields.
Episodes
- UnDisciplined: What Animals Know About Us
Scott Simon's book compiles stories about animals and the human connection to them, informed by his extensive career in national public radio storytelling.
- UnDisciplined: Why we ‘reward’ motivated employees with more work
Management scholar Sangah Bae's research indicates that highly motivated employees are often given more tasks, which can negatively affect their performance, satisfaction, and retention. This practice stems from a flawed assumption that th…
- UnDisciplined: The Joy of Polymathy
This episode discusses the concept of being a polymath, featuring insights from a geologist, planetary scientist, NASA mission leader, and team-building expert on the challenges and joys involved.
- UnDisciplined: The Future of Meat Is Clean, Climate-friendly, and Moral
The episode discusses how technological advancements in plant-based and cultivated meat may render industrial animal farming obsolete, shifting the focus from moral arguments to system-level change as global wealth increases.
- UnDisciplined: Return to the Moon
Planetary scientist Jani Radebaugh explores how human presence in deep space changes our perception of celestial bodies, contrasting robotic data with direct observation.
- UnDisciplined: The Climatologist and the Dendrochronologist
Justin DeRose, a dendrochronologist, discusses how tree rings document climate patterns, including wet, dry, and fire years. He explains that increasing frequency of droughts may indicate rapid environmental changes in the West.
- UnDisciplined: What does climate migration really look like?
Jan Freihardt's research in Bangladesh reveals that climate migration is more complex than often assumed. Studying communities affected by floods and erosion, Freihardt found that families consider various options, with distant migration b…
- UnDisciplined: Building a future with climate-conscious architecture
Research spurred by the 2011 Joplin tornado, led by figures like Marc Levitan, has influenced global building codes. These updates aim to enhance preparedness for severe weather events like tornadoes, incorporating climate-conscious archit…
- UnDisciplined: Is climate change funny?
The episode discusses whether climate change, described as humanity's greatest existential threat, is a suitable topic for humor. Aaron Sachs believes it is and that jokes about it are insufficient.
- UnDisciplined: Social inequality on a rapidly heating planet
Climate journalist Jeff Goodell suggests global warming introduces a new dichotomy: the 'cooled' versus the 'cooked,' potentially redefining existing social divides between the advantaged and disadvantaged.
- UnDisciplined: Why do we drink?
Recent research indicates that moderate alcohol consumption is not healthy, challenging previous beliefs. Dr. Charles Knowles's work examines the reasons behind why people drink.
- UnDisciplined: What do we learn from aging?
Ashton Applewhite, author of "This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism," reflects on ten years of living with her argument about ageism. She discusses what she has learned about aging, identity, and the power of adaptation.
- UnDisciplined: Why Do Scientists Attack Other Scientists?
The episode explores why scientists often attack each other, a trend observed throughout history and continuing today, even though society sometimes fails to appreciate revolutionary scientific findings.
- UnDisciplined: The new Disney reality — everyone (rich) is a VIP
Disney's amusement parks are moving away from a universal VIP approach to a tiered service model. Host Daniel Currell discusses the business reasons behind this shift and what it means for the future.
- UnDisciplined: The Patterns of Life, Part 2
This episode discusses recurring patterns observed in diverse life forms across different evolutionary histories. It questions why these patterns, which appear in unrelated species, are often perceived as beautiful.
- UnDisciplined: The Patterns of Life, Part 1
This episode discusses the recurring patterns observed in nature across various creatures and evolutionary histories, and raises the question of why these patterns are often perceived as beautiful.
- UnDisciplined: Under the sea
This episode delves into the fascinating world of underwater light, examining how creatures like jellyfish and shrimp utilize bioluminescence and other light-based strategies for survival and communication.
- UnDisciplined: What do budget cuts mean for NASA's future?
NASA faces a proposed 20% budget cut from the Trump administration, with most reductions targeting the science mission directorate. This episode discusses the implications for the agency's future.
- UnDisciplined: The art and science of political speech
David Shepherd shares insights on crafting effective speeches, particularly relevant in an era of decreasing attention spans and increasingly complex global issues. He notes that his own skill in public speaking was not innate.
- UnDisciplined: How a tragedy at a fundamentalist commune affected one Biblical scholar
On UnDisciplined, Dan McClellan shares his approach to studying the Bible, emphasizing the importance of engaging with the text as it is, even when its content is difficult. He explains his commitment to interpreting the Bible on its own t…
- UnDisciplined: Does the Bible really say it is the Word of God?
This episode of UnDisciplined questions whether the Bible declares itself to be the Word of God, in light of data showing 60% of Americans identify as Christian and only 20% have read the entire Bible.
- UnDisciplined: What does nature look like at night?
Many humans miss out on the natural world at night and may view nocturnal animals negatively. Charles Hood's book encourages setting aside distrust to discover the surprising offerings of nighttime nature.
- UnDisciplined: How are microorganisms changing the way we understand life?
Recent research on microorganisms is challenging our traditional definitions of life, including aspects like respiration, energy, lifespan, and mortality. Karen Lloyd's book "Intraterrestrials" delves into these discoveries, exploring the…
- UnDisciplined: Can holding leaders accountable to truth unlock a climate revolution?
Climate analyst Mike Berners-Lee proposes that holding corporate and political leaders accountable to truth could be the critical shift needed to address climate challenges, as discussed in his new book.
- UnDisciplined: Why aren't we using climate phases to predict crop yields?
The episode discusses the long-standing knowledge of climate cycles like El Niño impacting crop yields and questions why this planetary-scale understanding isn't better integrated into our global food system.
- UnDisciplined: How can we stay connected with plant life through changing seasons?
A new book examines the multifaceted uses of herbs and their profound ability to connect individuals to the earth, foster interpersonal relationships, and facilitate self-discovery.
- UnDisciplined: Americans may soon see a link between climate change and health problems
Rising global temperatures are impacting human health. A survey indicates most Americans have not yet experienced this link personally or in their communities, but this could change in the near future.
- UnDisciplined: What goes into making this show, and how has it evolved over time?
UnDisciplined premiered on July 6, 2018, and has since released 300 episodes over nearly seven years, marking its evolution.
- UnDisciplined: This guy bet his father $10,000 that 10 prophecies wouldn’t come true. Who actually won?
Zach Mack's father became increasingly drawn to conspiracy theories. To counter this, his father bet him $10,000 that ten prophecies would come true by the end of 2024, a bet Zach hoped would bring him back.
- UnDisciplined: Can we really recycle our wastewater?
The episode discusses advanced water purification, also known as water recycling, as a potential solution to drought and water shortages in Arizona. Artist Christy Spackman is using AWT-r Popsicles to help open up conversations about this…
- UnDisciplined: Will the California fires send a shockwave through the economy?
The wildfires in Southern California are on track to be the costliest disaster in U.S. history, with potential to significantly impact the insurance market and spread throughout the economic system.
- UnDisciplined: What will Trump mean for the climate movement?
David Roberts expresses concern about the political climate's impact on environmental issues but points to ongoing positive efforts within the climate movement aimed at mitigating climate change.
- UnDisciplined: How far does grace go?
Kera Birkeland, a representative who has sponsored legislation impacting trans Americans, is advocating for grace. This comes even as her actions have been described as causing fear and anger among trans people, including her electoral opp…
- UnDisciplined: Does DEI training work?
Social psychologist Nilanjana Dasgupta argues that traditional bottom-up DEI training is ineffective. She suggests simple, research-based steps that can genuinely foster more equitable institutions.
- UnDisciplined: The seagull and the snowpocalypse (Part 3)
Part 3 of 'The seagull and the snowpocalypse' discusses the Great Salt Lake's status after a 2023 warning predicted its imminent disappearance. Despite the warning, two subsequent wet winters have averted the worst-case scenario, prompting…
- UnDisciplined: The seagull and the snowpocalypse (Part 2)
A 2023 warning predicted the Great Salt Lake's disappearance in five years. However, two subsequent wet winters have altered this trajectory, suggesting the worst-case scenario will not occur.
- UnDisciplined: The seagull and the snowpocalypse (Part 1)
In early 2023, a dire warning predicted the Great Salt Lake's disappearance within five years. However, two subsequent wet winters have significantly improved the lake's situation, prompting an investigation into what caused this reversal.
- UnDisciplined: We probably can’t prevent forest fires. So what can we do instead?
The episode discusses how a century of wildfire suppression in the US West may not have improved safety. It questions what alternative strategies can be employed now that it's clear suppression isn't always effective.
- UnDisciplined: How are climate communicators getting their information about climate?
This episode of UnDisciplined addresses how climate communicators obtain their information and what they identify as the primary challenges in communicating about climate change, according to Allison Agsten.
- UnDisciplined: Is climate change impacting our health?
The UnDisciplined podcast explores the health impacts of climate change, highlighting risks like heat stress, dehydration, and potential kidney failure. Heidi Honegger Rogers emphasizes the need for greater understanding of these issues.
- UnDisciplined: What are the water solutions we’re not thinking of?
Water attorney Emily Lewis hosts 'The Ripple Effect,' a podcast focused on water solutions for the US West. Her experience highlights collaborative efforts in addressing water challenges.
- UnDisciplined: Is atmospheric water harvesting scalable?
Anjali Mulchandani discusses atmospheric water harvesting as a potential alternative water source for Western North America, which is projected to become drier due to global warming.
- UnDisciplined: Are our internal biases impacting the upcoming election?
Political analysts expressed concern about the Bradley Effect influencing the 2008 election for Obama. Anu Gupta suggests considering its potential impact on Kamala Harris in the current election.
- UnDisciplined: How does mutualism drive ecologies under climate change?
Biologist Jenn Rudgers discusses the role of mutualism, species benefiting one another, in ecologies facing climate change. This contrasts with the traditional focus on competition and predation as drivers of evolution.
- UnDisciplined: How does carbon behave at different elevations and in different biomes?
Marcy Litvak emphasizes the importance of understanding carbon behavior in various global regions. Research projects, such as the New Mexico Elevation Gradient Project, are contributing to this understanding by studying carbon at different…
- UnDisciplined: What do medical blind spots mean for our health?
Dr. Marty Makary discusses how strong, sometimes long-standing beliefs, and groupthink prevalent in medicine can create blind spots, affecting health.
- UnDisciplined: Does hair matter?
Theodore Pappas' book "Combing Through the White House" argues that the hair of American leaders has historically conveyed significant political and symbolic messages, impacting public perception.
- UnDisciplined: Do women think about climate change differently than men?
The episode explores the common assumption that women perceive climate change differently than men. It concludes that while differences may exist, the context of these views is a crucial element.
- UnDisciplined: Have greenhouse gas emissions peaked? Does that mean we’re going to be OK?
The episode discusses the potential peak of global greenhouse gas emissions, suggesting a possible decline after a period of continuous rise. This marks a notable change in climate change trends.
- UnDisciplined: Are wildfires increasing under climate change?
Climate change is contributing to hotter, windier, and drier conditions in the western US, leading to increased wildfire risk and more dangerous fires.