Madison Science Mystery Tour Transistor (https://transistor.fm) https://feeds.transistor.fm/madisonsciencemysterytour On Madison Science Mystery Tour, host Nalina Cherr invites researchers into her spaceship and asks them about what they’d most like to talk about. From the history of animal testing to the riveting details of life as a lab technician, this show offers an insider perspective on campus research, the context needed to understand it, and a dash of good-natured humor and nerdy curiosity. © 2026 WSUM 9e0dab87-1df8-5825-95bc-980ac16d05f3 yes en Tue, 17 Mar 2026 08:54:00 -0700 Tue, 17 Mar 2026 08:54:36 -0700 https://img.transistorcdn.com/ZVuy1jjP9-WhwbkeGT1SHTaUlPK4UgN9Rv6inJYNzcY/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS82ZWZi/MDI4YjRiNzg0NDYz/NDhkYjMzNzEyYTAz/NTg1OC5wbmc.jpg Madison Science Mystery Tour episodic WSUM On Madison Science Mystery Tour, host Nalina Cherr invites researchers into her spaceship and asks them about what they’d most like to talk about. From the history of animal testing to the riveting details of life as a lab technician, this show offers an insider perspective on campus research, the context needed to understand it, and a dash of good-natured humor and nerdy curiosity. On Madison Science Mystery Tour, host Nalina Cherr invites researchers into her spaceship and asks them about what they’d most like to talk about. science, wsum, wisconsin, nalina cherr WSUM No No Isobutanol and Biofuel with Sam Davison 8 8 Isobutanol and Biofuel with Sam Davison full f5a46272-c450-42bb-8392-5b8b8ab66aca https://share.transistor.fm/s/eee1e8f2 Third year PhD student Sam Davison studies isobutanol, a jet-grade fuel fermented by the same yeast that puts the bubbles in bread and the ethanol in wine. This episode is perfectly on topic as we discuss brewing, gorillas, ocean acidification, and Pokémon.


To read more about Sam Davison’s work, and the work of other researchers at the Wisconsin Energy Institute, visit the WEI website. His gorilla paper is linked here. 


P.S.: There’s some confusion in this episode about the term “bird focal.” Turns out it probably refers to the practice of choosing bird species representative of the overall ecosystem. Read more about it here.

]]> Third year PhD student Sam Davison studies isobutanol, a jet-grade fuel fermented by the same yeast that puts the bubbles in bread and the ethanol in wine. This episode is perfectly on topic as we discuss brewing, gorillas, ocean acidification, and Pokémon.


To read more about Sam Davison’s work, and the work of other researchers at the Wisconsin Energy Institute, visit the WEI website. His gorilla paper is linked here. 


P.S.: There’s some confusion in this episode about the term “bird focal.” Turns out it probably refers to the practice of choosing bird species representative of the overall ecosystem. Read more about it here.

]]> Tue, 17 Mar 2026 08:53:57 -0700 WSUM WSUM 1847 Third year PhD student Sam Davison studies isobutanol, a jet-grade fuel fermented by the same yeast that puts the bubbles in bread and the ethanol in wine. This episode is perfectly on topic as we discuss brewing, gorillas, ocean acidification, and Pokémon.


To read more about Sam Davison’s work, and the work of other researchers at the Wisconsin Energy Institute, visit the WEI website. His gorilla paper is linked here. 


P.S.: There’s some confusion in this episode about the term “bird focal.” Turns out it probably refers to the practice of choosing bird species representative of the overall ecosystem. Read more about it here.

]]> science, wsum, wisconsin, nalina cherr No Nalina Cherr Mind, Brain, and Education with Edward Hubbard 7 7 Mind, Brain, and Education with Edward Hubbard full e6d519a2-668d-4e3d-ac3a-c01990e764ad https://share.transistor.fm/s/92d96f40 Greetings from the past! This interview with professor and researcher Edward Hubbard was recorded last year, but busting neuromyths is always relevant. Edward works at the intersection of neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and educational policy. He came into the studio with plenty of stories about phonics and hamburgers and even taught me fraction division off the cuff.


More reading on the topics discussed and information on Professor Hubbard’s labs can be found here.

]]> Greetings from the past! This interview with professor and researcher Edward Hubbard was recorded last year, but busting neuromyths is always relevant. Edward works at the intersection of neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and educational policy. He came into the studio with plenty of stories about phonics and hamburgers and even taught me fraction division off the cuff.


More reading on the topics discussed and information on Professor Hubbard’s labs can be found here.

]]> Sun, 22 Feb 2026 11:03:32 -0800 WSUM WSUM 2201 Greetings from the past! This interview with professor and researcher Edward Hubbard was recorded last year, but busting neuromyths is always relevant. Edward works at the intersection of neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and educational policy. He came into the studio with plenty of stories about phonics and hamburgers and even taught me fraction division off the cuff.


More reading on the topics discussed and information on Professor Hubbard’s labs can be found here.

]]> science, wsum, wisconsin, nalina cherr No Nalina Cherr Urban Ecological Futurism with Devin Guthrie 6 6 Urban Ecological Futurism with Devin Guthrie full 7d3741de-e1c1-4414-9d8d-6a09bc8b9091 https://share.transistor.fm/s/ab9cbf6b Welcome to 2026! We’re ringing in the new year with an episode featuring environmental science undergraduate Devin Guthrie. Devin’s full of ideas about collaborative world building and scientific solutions designed with and for the communities they’re implemented in. His passion for urban ecology and environmental science has led him to watch pollinators amongst the hydrangeas of Chicago, operate telescopes, start a science fiction club, and do much, much, MUCH more.

]]> Welcome to 2026! We’re ringing in the new year with an episode featuring environmental science undergraduate Devin Guthrie. Devin’s full of ideas about collaborative world building and scientific solutions designed with and for the communities they’re implemented in. His passion for urban ecology and environmental science has led him to watch pollinators amongst the hydrangeas of Chicago, operate telescopes, start a science fiction club, and do much, much, MUCH more.

]]> Tue, 20 Jan 2026 10:28:06 -0800 WSUM WSUM 2433 Welcome to 2026! We’re ringing in the new year with an episode featuring environmental science undergraduate Devin Guthrie. Devin’s full of ideas about collaborative world building and scientific solutions designed with and for the communities they’re implemented in. His passion for urban ecology and environmental science has led him to watch pollinators amongst the hydrangeas of Chicago, operate telescopes, start a science fiction club, and do much, much, MUCH more.

]]> science, wsum, wisconsin, nalina cherr No Nalina Cherr Opioids with Nick Burgraff 5 5 Opioids with Nick Burgraff full 1d1515b9-6967-4700-89e1-550b08ddfefa https://share.transistor.fm/s/40eeafdd Researcher, assistant professor, and host of the Neuro Network podcast Nick Burgraff studies opioid overdoses and how to prevent them. He’s here to answer all our host’s questions about naloxone (brand name: Narcan), the autonomic nervous system, and goat treats. He might even walk away with the prize for best science name mentioned before the year is over (hint: it’s a region of the brain a bunch of scientists named over a bottle of wine).


If you want to know what things were used to research this episode, a list of sources can be found here.

]]> Researcher, assistant professor, and host of the Neuro Network podcast Nick Burgraff studies opioid overdoses and how to prevent them. He’s here to answer all our host’s questions about naloxone (brand name: Narcan), the autonomic nervous system, and goat treats. He might even walk away with the prize for best science name mentioned before the year is over (hint: it’s a region of the brain a bunch of scientists named over a bottle of wine).


If you want to know what things were used to research this episode, a list of sources can be found here.

]]> Mon, 08 Dec 2025 10:20:18 -0800 WSUM WSUM 1964 Researcher, assistant professor, and host of the Neuro Network podcast Nick Burgraff studies opioid overdoses and how to prevent them. He’s here to answer all our host’s questions about naloxone (brand name: Narcan), the autonomic nervous system, and goat treats. He might even walk away with the prize for best science name mentioned before the year is over (hint: it’s a region of the brain a bunch of scientists named over a bottle of wine).


If you want to know what things were used to research this episode, a list of sources can be found here.

]]> science, wsum, wisconsin, nalina cherr No Nalina Cherr SSRIs and Pregnancy with McKenna Crossen 4 4 SSRIs and Pregnancy with McKenna Crossen full 5e32593e-31c9-44d8-85b0-1db9a194bb3d https://share.transistor.fm/s/dc245e27 Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly used to treat depression and other brain chemical imbalances, but how does that affect the other 90% of serotonin floating around the body? What about a developing body? PhD student McKenna Crossen talks about her work studying different ways SSRIs might affect placental and fetal development in mice.


If you want to know what things were used to research this episode, a list of sources can be found here.


For more information on the Hernandez lab where McKenna works, visit this website.

]]> Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly used to treat depression and other brain chemical imbalances, but how does that affect the other 90% of serotonin floating around the body? What about a developing body? PhD student McKenna Crossen talks about her work studying different ways SSRIs might affect placental and fetal development in mice.


If you want to know what things were used to research this episode, a list of sources can be found here.


For more information on the Hernandez lab where McKenna works, visit this website.

]]> Thu, 20 Nov 2025 15:37:51 -0800 WSUM WSUM 1205 Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly used to treat depression and other brain chemical imbalances, but how does that affect the other 90% of serotonin floating around the body? What about a developing body? PhD student McKenna Crossen talks about her work studying different ways SSRIs might affect placental and fetal development in mice.


If you want to know what things were used to research this episode, a list of sources can be found here.


For more information on the Hernandez lab where McKenna works, visit this website.

]]> science, wsum, wisconsin, nalina cherr No Nalina Cherr Surprise Halloween Episode: Bones with Samantha Weaver 3 3 Surprise Halloween Episode: Bones with Samantha Weaver full dc1adb6c-b955-439d-90cd-df7d0074fdfb https://share.transistor.fm/s/e55a963b Spooky scary skeletons send shivers down your spine and regulate your blood calcium levels. Professor and Principal Investigator of the Weaver lab Samantha Weaver answers all the questions you didn’t know you had about dairy cows, pac man, and osteoporosis


The background for this episode was all taken from my biocore unit on the endocrine system taught by Professor Weaver herself. 


If Professor Weaver’s work intrigues you, please read up all about it on her lab website.

]]> Spooky scary skeletons send shivers down your spine and regulate your blood calcium levels. Professor and Principal Investigator of the Weaver lab Samantha Weaver answers all the questions you didn’t know you had about dairy cows, pac man, and osteoporosis


The background for this episode was all taken from my biocore unit on the endocrine system taught by Professor Weaver herself. 


If Professor Weaver’s work intrigues you, please read up all about it on her lab website.

]]> Wed, 05 Nov 2025 12:19:35 -0800 WSUM WSUM 1862 Spooky scary skeletons send shivers down your spine and regulate your blood calcium levels. Professor and Principal Investigator of the Weaver lab Samantha Weaver answers all the questions you didn’t know you had about dairy cows, pac man, and osteoporosis


The background for this episode was all taken from my biocore unit on the endocrine system taught by Professor Weaver herself. 


If Professor Weaver’s work intrigues you, please read up all about it on her lab website.

]]> science, wsum, wisconsin, nalina cherr No Nalina Cherr Alzheimer's with Matteo Meyer 2 2 Alzheimer's with Matteo Meyer full a57cae6c-9870-4402-844a-410f1fb4eb0f https://share.transistor.fm/s/66eaab9a All Alzheimer’s is dementia, but not all dementia is Alzheimer’s. Nalina Cherr and biochemical major Matteo Meyer attempt to unravel the tangle of neurons and brain glue that causes this neurological disease.

For more on the Pehar lab, where Matteo works, you can visit the lab website here.

If you want to know what things were used to research this episode, a list of sources can be found here.

]]> All Alzheimer’s is dementia, but not all dementia is Alzheimer’s. Nalina Cherr and biochemical major Matteo Meyer attempt to unravel the tangle of neurons and brain glue that causes this neurological disease.

For more on the Pehar lab, where Matteo works, you can visit the lab website here.

If you want to know what things were used to research this episode, a list of sources can be found here.

]]> Mon, 20 Oct 2025 10:18:46 -0700 WSUM WSUM 1466 All Alzheimer’s is dementia, but not all dementia is Alzheimer’s. Nalina Cherr and biochemical major Matteo Meyer attempt to unravel the tangle of neurons and brain glue that causes this neurological disease.

For more on the Pehar lab, where Matteo works, you can visit the lab website here.

If you want to know what things were used to research this episode, a list of sources can be found here.

]]> science, wsum, wisconsin, nalina cherr No Nalina Cherr Episode 1: Jumping Worms with Claire Foote 1 1 Episode 1: Jumping Worms with Claire Foote full f66011eb-45f2-4008-b6d4-f4d42c8ae86d https://share.transistor.fm/s/c969601a From dog guts to flower gardens, worms are everywhere. But how did they get there? Should they even be there? Host Nalina Cherr and biological systems engineering undergraduate student Claire Foote discuss the biology of worms, invasive worms, and whether worms can live underwater.

For more on Claire’s mentor, Bradley Herrick, and further readings on jumping worms, you can find a list of his publications on the subject here.

If you want to know what things were used to research this episode, a list of sources can be found here.

]]> From dog guts to flower gardens, worms are everywhere. But how did they get there? Should they even be there? Host Nalina Cherr and biological systems engineering undergraduate student Claire Foote discuss the biology of worms, invasive worms, and whether worms can live underwater.

For more on Claire’s mentor, Bradley Herrick, and further readings on jumping worms, you can find a list of his publications on the subject here.

If you want to know what things were used to research this episode, a list of sources can be found here.

]]> Wed, 01 Oct 2025 12:24:27 -0700 WSUM WSUM 1670 From dog guts to flower gardens, worms are everywhere. But how did they get there? Should they even be there? Host Nalina Cherr and biological systems engineering undergraduate student Claire Foote discuss the biology of worms, invasive worms, and whether worms can live underwater.

For more on Claire’s mentor, Bradley Herrick, and further readings on jumping worms, you can find a list of his publications on the subject here.

If you want to know what things were used to research this episode, a list of sources can be found here.

]]> science, wsum, wisconsin, nalina cherr No Nalina Cherr