The Biology of Superheroes Podcast

In this episode we take a look at Spiderman's longtime nemesis, Venom. We explore the character's origins, what it would take to survive on an asteroid headed towards earth and the amazing biological phenomena that can result from symbiotic relationships. We interview Dr. Heather Olins, whose research focuses on the biology of marine extremophiles and Dr. John McCutcheon who studies symbiosis in the natural world.  Take a listen and enjoy! Music By The Passion HiFiwww.thepassionhifi.com

Happy Halloween! This episode is one part of a very special 2-part crossover event with This Podcast Will Kill You. We chat with Dr. Erin Welsh and Dr. Erin Allmann-Updyke about death, epidemics and behavior manipulating parasites. How do we diagnose death? What happens in our bodies after we die? Is it possible that parasites could manipulate rotting corpses to feast on the unsuspecting masses? Take a listen and find out!!! Music By The Passion HiFiwww.thepassionhifi.com

We're back!!! In this episode we sit down with Dr. Evan Kingsley, a developmental biologist at Harvard Medical School, to chat about dinosaur sounds. What did dinosaurs sound like and how can we learn about animal sounds from millions of years ago? Take a listen and find out! Music By The Passion HiFiwww.thepassionhifi.com

This episode comes to you live from the historic Roxy Theatre in Missoula, MT as part of the 41st Annual International Wildlife Film Festival. We were able to chat with Dr. Doug Emlen, professor of biology at University of Montana and author of Animal Weapons: The Evolution of Battle. We talk about the parallels between weapons in the comic book multivese and those that have evolved across the tree of life. Camouflage, horns, claws, and human technology - we've got you covered. Enjoy! Music By The Passion HiFiwww.thepassionhifi.com

In this episode we talk about Jurassic Park and the science of de-extinction. We chat with evolutionary biologist and MacArthur Fellow, Dr. Beth Shapiro. She tells us all about the possibilities, complications and ethical dilemmas of bringing back ancient and extinct species. Can we get dino DNA? How would we use it to create a living, breathing animal? What are the dangers of this kind of technology? Check it out! Music By The Passion HiFiwww.thepassionhifi.com

Earth 1's Barry Allen meets Earth 2's Jay Garrick in a classic showdown of speedsters! How did evolution play out on their respective worlds to get such similar results? We talk with Dr. Jonathan Losos, evolutionary biologist and author of Improbable Destinies: Fate, Chance, and the Future of Evolution to get some insights! Check it out! Music By The Passion HiFiwww.thepassionhifi.com  

In this episode we explore Peter Parker as an engineer and try to gain a deeper understanding of the scientific tools he would need to master to become Spiderman. I interview Dr. Jonathan Kluge, Director of Research and Development at Vaxess Tecnologies, who spends his time thinking about cutting edge applications for silk. How does Spiderman produce so much of his web formula? How do his webshooters work? What is silk being used for in the real world? Take a listen and find out! Music By The Passion HiFiwww.thepassionhifi.com

In this episode we discuss the limits of form and function when it comes to Spiderman's webs. I sit down with Dr. Todd Blackledge, who studies the behavior and biomechanics of web building in spiders. What exactly is spider silk? How strong is it? Where in the natural world would Peter Parker go to get inspiration for his custom web formula? We've got you covered. Check it out! Music By The Passion HiFiwww.thepassionhifi.com

Welcome to The Biology of Superheroes Podcast! In this intro we give you a brief taste of who were are and what we're about: comic books, science fiction and forefront of the scientific frontier. I hope you enjoy the preview! Stay Tuned for Episode 1 on December 1st....