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Winner of the 2026 Science Podcast of the Year (American Writing Awards) and the 2026 PopCon Podcast Award for Science and Technology, Whimsical Wavelengths is a science podcast hosted by volcanologist Dr. Jeffrey Zurek dedicated to the "how" and "why" of discovery.
Eschewing the trend of bite-sized science, the show offers a deep, honest look at how science actually works, focusing on messy data, imperfect models, and the human personalities behind the research. From geophysics and planetary discovery to the history of scientific paradoxes, the focus is always on the process: how evidence is gathered, how ideas evolve over centuries, and why uncertainty is a fundamental feature of science rather than a flaw.
Because science is conducted by people, Whimsical Wavelengths does not ignore the human element. I weave together mathematical rigor and historical context with reflections on the realities of building a scientific career and what it truly means to belong in STEM. Whether it is a solo narrative exploration or a conversation with a working researcher, the goal is clarity without oversimplification.
The tone is thoughtful and curious, anchored by real-world field experience and the occasional groan-worthy dad joke, because while the science is serious, the pursuit of it is a human adventure. This is for listeners who want to understand the machinery of the natural world and the people who spend their lives trying to take it apart.
New episodes are released every two weeks.
Research the host and the show:
| Episode | Date |
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Bottoms Up: Decoding Kilauea’s Deep Magma Supply
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May 25, 2026 |
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Of Cows and Cures: Reconstructing the Logic of Vaccination
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May 11, 2026 |
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Inclusive Fieldwork: How Accessibility is Changing the Future of Geosciences
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Apr 27, 2026 |
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Strepsiptera: A Real Xenomorph? Evolution and Life Cycle of Twisted-Winged Parasites
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Apr 13, 2026 |
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Maars on Mars: Mapping Volcanic Water Interactions on the Red Planet
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Mar 30, 2026 |
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The Chemical Language of Black Widows: Pheromones and Deception in Spider Silk
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Mar 16, 2026 |
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The Artificial Geologist: Using Machine Learning & Neural Networks to Find Gold
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Mar 02, 2026 |
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The Science Behind Lunar Permanently Shadowed Regions: Ice and Resources for Future Missions
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Feb 16, 2026 |
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From Canada’s Largest Landslide to Modern Flood Hazards: Mt. Meager’s Volcano‑Driven Sediment Story
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Feb 02, 2026 |
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Mount Meager: Canada’s Most Dangerous Volcano? Cascadia, Landslides, and Hidden Risk
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Jan 19, 2026 |
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ENCORE Nikola Tesla- The man, the myth, the legend Pt1 - Back story and accomplishments
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Jan 05, 2026 |
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Wandering Stars: How We Found the Planets, Lost Pluto, and Learned How Science Really Works
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Dec 22, 2025 |
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Who Becomes a Scientist? Exploring STEM Pathways and Identity in Astronomy with Dr. Zachary Richards
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Dec 08, 2025 |
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Machine Learning Meets Geophysics: Image Segmentation and Inversion Tools with Johnathan Kuttai
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Nov 24, 2025 |
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A New Species of Pterosaur Unearthed in Australia with Adele Pentland
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Nov 10, 2025 |
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The Science of Plastic: Environmental Trade-Offs and Sustainability with an Industrial Scientist
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Oct 27, 2025 |
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Modeling Supermassive Black Holes and Accretion Disks with Dr James Chan – New Research Insights
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Oct 13, 2025 |
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The Science of Ice Cream - fat networks, sugar, temperature, air and temperature with Dr. Abigail Thiel!
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Sep 29, 2025 |
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Understanding Masaya Volcano – The Science Behind Its Basaltic Plinian Eruptions
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Sep 15, 2025 |
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Encore: The whimsical sounds of the Birds, Ornithology and why birds sing, territory and more with Miranda Zammarelli
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Sep 01, 2025 |
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Encore: Paleontology & Theropods PT2! Dinosaur behaviour from fossils - With Dr François Therrien
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Aug 18, 2025 |
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Encore: Dinosaurs and the mammal longevity gap, Evolutionary Biology - with Associate Professor Molly Burke
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Aug 04, 2025 |
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The Age of the Earth & The Fall of Leaded Gasoline: Clair Patterson
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Jul 21, 2025 |
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Scientific and Historical look at The rise Leaded Gasoline - When industry poisoned the world
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Jul 07, 2025 |
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Sierra Negra volcano's internal dynamics through gravity and deformation with Dr Antonina Calahorrano-Di Patre
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Jun 23, 2025 |
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Insects breathe?! An inside look at insect evolution through respiration with Dr Hollister Herhold
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Jun 09, 2025 |
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Modeling dwarf galaxies to probe the early universe with Dr. Eric Andersson
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May 26, 2025 |
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A tale of disappearing Seas, The Mediterranean sea basically drys up! - The Messinian Salinity Crisis
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May 12, 2025 |
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Gravitational Lensing Part 2! Strong Lensing, modeling and so much more!
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Apr 28, 2025 |
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Gravitational Lensing - Micro, weak, and Strong Oh MY! with Dr Georgios Vernardos
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Apr 14, 2025 |
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Umami, taste and Kitchen Chemistry of food ingredients! Delicious with guest Dr Bryan Le
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Mar 31, 2025 |
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The whimsical sounds of the Birds, Ornithology and why birds sing, territory and more with Miranda Zammarelli
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Mar 17, 2025 |
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Climate Change - weather, climate & science communications. Frank discussion with Research Meteorologist Jared Rennie
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Mar 03, 2025 |
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Investigating the Southwest Rift Zone of Mauna Loa Volcano using gravity: what created the Ninole Hills?
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Feb 17, 2025 |
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Paleontology & Theropods PART2! Soooo good it needed a sequel - With Dr François Therrien
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Feb 03, 2025 |
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Jurassic Park 30 years of Paleontology & T-Rex (Theropods) - With Dr François Therrien
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Jan 20, 2025 |
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Nikola Tesla - Pt2, Free Energy, and the Physics of Conspiracy
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Jan 06, 2025 |
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Nikola Tesla- The man, the myth, the legend Pt1 - Back story and accomplishments
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Dec 23, 2024 |
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Dinosaurs and the mammal longevity gap, Evolutionary Biology - Guest Associate Professor Molly Burke
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Dec 09, 2024 |
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NASA's Lucky Peanuts - Interview with JPL's Dr Morgan Cable
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Nov 25, 2024 |
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What is High-Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) and it's conspiracies?
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Nov 11, 2024 |
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The predicted impending Nova from T Coronae Borealis! An interview with Dr David Zurek
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Oct 28, 2024 |
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Dante's Peak Pt2 - ballistics, lava and earthquakes Oh my! with SFU's Volcanology Group
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Oct 14, 2024 |
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Dante's Peak Part 1 a Primer
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Sep 30, 2024 |
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Introduction and a short history of wavelengths
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Sep 16, 2024 |