Spark Science

Do you like Sci-Fi and Fantasy? Then you like Speculative Fiction and so do we.   Dr. Lysa Rivera joins us again, after being one of Spark Science’s first guests, to talk about the history of Black and Brown voices in this genre and to also share some great recommendations, beyond Octavia Butler. However we of course talk about her too.  At WWU, Dr. Rivera specializes in Chicano/a/x and African American literature and has an extremely popular class focused on this field. She also currently serves on the editorial board for Femspec, an interdisciplinary and peer-reviewed journal devoted to the study of speculative fiction within feminist contexts.

Why do people believe false stories on social media? Who is most susceptible to misinformation or to the more malicious version, disinformation?   In this episode, we speak with Ph.D. candidate in Cognitive Psychology at Northwestern Nikita Salovich. Her research on how “fake news” grows and how we can slow or stop the spread.   Spark Science encourages our listeners to get vaccinated and to use the information in this episode to have discussions with hesitant family and friends to get vaccinated as well. Another great resource is the Debunking Handbook.

“Which one did you get, Pfizer or Moderna?” This was the big question at the start of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout but how do these vaccines work? Why do they have to be kept at ultracold temperatures? What is mRNA?   These questions are answers in this episode featuring WWU Biology professor and RNA researcher, Dr. Suzanne Lee. Lastly, if you haven’t already, Spark Science would like to encourage you to get any COVID-19 Vaccine available, mRNA or not.

It has been a year since we have talked with Infectious Disease Specialist, Dr. Vijai Bhola. He is now our go-to regular medical doctor to answer our questions about the pandemic one year in.   We discuss the various vaccines, the socioeconomic impact of the pandemic on different populations, and predictions for the future.   One takeaway that Dr. Bhola would like to convey is to “not let your guard down”. We are not out of this pandemic yet so keep those masks on and those interactions outside your home circle limited. Check out https://www.cdc.gov/   Image credit: CDC/ Alissa Eckert, MS; Dan Higgins, MAM

What is “Mars Time”? Are you excited about machines flying on another planet? Or Martian rock coming back to Earth?   If you are curious about spacecraft on the Red Planet then check out our Season 7 Premiere featuring one of the best communicators in town, NASA Scientist and Western Washington University Geophysicist, Dr. Melissa Rice.   We reference her Op-Ed “A Wright Brothers moment on Mars will expand our cosmic perspective” published in the Seattle Times in this episode. You can check it out here. https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/a-wright-brothers-moment-on-mars-will-expand-our-cosmic-perspective/   Image credit: NASA -- Artist rendition of the helicopter Ingenuity flying next to the Perseverance Rover.