Stanford SciCast

The Stanford SciCast is an undergraduate produced podcast bringing cardinal research news from Stanford scientists to you.

Last refreshed: July 10th, 2025 at 6:33 AM ⓘ

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Episodes

SSC #22: Stanford’s Entanglement with Fossil Fuel Divestment by Ruby Gates and Vrinda Suresh

Stanford University knows it needs to take bold action on environmental issues—it’s creating a new school focused on sustainability and climate change, it has plans to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050… So, why is it so hesitant to cut ties with the fossil fuel industry? In this episode of the Stanford SciCast, your hosts Ruby Gates and Vrinda Suresh unpack Stanford’s sustainability commitments, and its resistance to fossil fuel divestment, through conversations with student organizers and expe...

Sep 15, 2021•59 min

SSC #21: The Sixth Mass Extinction by Trevor Cambron and Keren Perla

Does it really matter if we're in the sixth mass extinction? Short answer: no. But it’s actually a little more complicated. In this episode of the Stanford SciCast, Trevor Cambron and Keren Perla discuss the debate about whether or not we are currently in the sixth mass extinction, and what it would mean to be in one. We talk to Stanford’s own Dr. Jonathan Payne, paleobiologist in the Department of Geological Sciences, about what the geologic record tells us about our current loss of biodiversit...

Sep 08, 2021•33 min

SSC #20: Fake Meat Real Solution by Citlali and Ismael

With the world’s population expected to reach about 10 billion people by 2050, many are wondering what is the most sustainable way to feed the world. Also, as we are currently going through the worst pandemic in 100 years, many people are wondering what can be done to prevent the threat of another large pandemic. Surprisingly, a solution for both these problems, amongst others, may lie at our fingertips. It can be switching to a mostly plant based diet. However, getting people on board is a chal...

Sep 01, 2021•25 min

SSC #19: Exploring Protein Design: the Next Frontier of Biomedicine by Foster Birnbaum and Jack Ryan

Our bodies are powered by proteins. They convert the food we eat into energy, convert that energy into motion, and keep our cells, and therefore ourselves, alive and healthy. Proteins can also pose a danger to our wellbeing -- the proteins surrounding the SARS-CoV-2 virus are particularly well suited to recognize and bind to human cells, allowing the virus to infect us. Given that proteins underlie so many biological processes, researchers have been attempting to create new proteins that accompl...

Aug 25, 2021•32 min

SSC #18: Marine Heat Waves Threaten Kelp Forests by Erin Cole and May Aye

We’re all familiar with heat waves on land, but did you know they can happen in the ocean as well? Marine heat waves, where ocean temperatures spike unusually high for a period of time, are becoming more frequent and intense as a result of climate change. They can impact a range of ecosystems, including kelp forests—beautiful, biodiverse, productive ecosystems that are often overlooked in discussions about climate change’s effect on the ocean. In this episode of the Stanford SciCast, the hosts, ...

Aug 18, 2021•26 min

SSC Season 4 Preview

New episodes of the Stanford Science Podcast will be released starting Wednesday, July 28 and continuing every week through September 15th. These podcasts are reported, written, and produced by students taking a course offered by the Program in Writing and Rhetoric at Stanford University. Music credit: Basketliner by Blue Dot Sessions

Jul 26, 2021•1 min

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