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The Science of Life with Dr. Raven Baxter®

Fun science facts. Raw social truths.

The Science of Life with Dr. Raven Baxter podcast cover art
Dr. Raven Baxter, host of The Science of Life
Raven Baxter, Ph.D.
About the host

What if everyday life is filled with fascinating secrets? I'm Dr. Raven Baxter, a molecular biologist, and on The Science of Life, we explore the intersection of life science and the science of living life. We ask questions about science through that hard, technical lens, then look at it through that flexible, soft, societal lens, to understand life, not just our human lives, but animal lives, bacteria lives, plant life, and beyond. This is your ticket to the science party. I call it the smarty party. Tune in now and join in on the science shenanigans!

Listen nowLatest episode
Dr. Raven Baxter and Dr. Tiara Moore in the studio, episode 3
Dr. Belinda Cheeseboro and Dr. Raven Baxter in the studio
Dr. Amy Proal and Dr. Raven Baxter recording episode 5
Dr. Jim Rogers in the studio, episode 11
Dr. Raven Baxter in the studio
Dr. Anastasia Shavrova and Dr. Raven Baxter recording episode 1
Dr. Raven Baxter in the studio
Dr. Raven Baxter and Naia Butler-Craig recording episode 7
Dr. Belinda Cheeseboro in the studio
Dr. Tiara Moore in the studio, episode 3
Dr. Raven Baxter and Dr. Ben Rein recording episode 10
Dr. Ronald Gamble, Jr. and Dr. Raven Baxter in the studio
Dr. Raven Baxter and Dr. Jim Rogers in the studio, episode 11
Dr. Olivia Judson recording episode 9
Dr. Ronald Gamble, Jr. in the studio, episode 4
Dr. Raven Baxter recording episode 10
Anastasia Shavrova, Ph.D.Sexual conflict researcherDan Baldassarre, Ph.D.OrnithologistTiara Moore, Ph.D.Marine ecologistRonald Gamble, Jr., Ph.D.Theoretical astrophysicistAmy Proal, Ph.D.MicrobiologistHeather Spence, Ph.D.Marine biologist and musicianNaia Butler-Craig, Ph.D.Aerospace engineerMike Mahgerefteh, M.D.PsychiatristOlivia Judson, D.Phil.Evolutionary biologistBen Rein, Ph.D.NeuroscientistJim Rogers, Ph.D.Head of Product Safety Testing, Consumer Reports

Support on Patreon

Knowledge is power and this podcast is meant to be not only free knowledge, but free laughs, free smiles, and free game. Supporting on Patreon supports the creatives that bring this work to life.

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Be my guest

I'm always looking for people whose work makes life make more sense, scientists, clinicians, artists, and builders. Pitch yourself, or someone brilliant you know. Tell me who you are, what you'd love to talk about, and where I can see or hear your work.

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The Science of Life sits inside the Science Maven platform and its 650K+ combined following across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and beyond. Sponsorships are host-read, for products I trust. Write me.

Episodes

  1. Jim Rogers, Ph.D.The Dangers of Synthetic Braiding Hair with Dr. Jim RogersJim Rogers, Ph.D., of Consumer Reports describes how Black mothers put synthetic braiding hair at the top of their testing list. His team found benzene in three of 10 products and lead in nine, and we talk about FDA labeling and banana fiber hair.Episode 11 · April 8, 2025 · 54 min
  2. Ben Rein, Ph.D.Neuroscience and Science Communication with Dr. Ben ReinNeuroscientist Ben Rein, Ph.D., found that MDMA boosts empathy in mice through serotonin release in one brain area. We also cover the genetics of autism, why people feel less empathy for those unlike them, and debunking misinformation online.Episode 10 · January 17, 2025 · 1 hr 16 min
  3. Olivia Judson, D.Phil.The Mysterious Origins of Life with Evolutionary Biologist Dr. Olivia JudsonEvolutionary biologist Olivia Judson, D.Phil., shares why scientists still disagree on what counts as life and why she rejects the primordial soup idea. We get into oxygen from cyanobacteria, the cell fusion behind eukaryotes, why viruses are not alive, and bacteria that make magnets.Episode 09 · December 17, 2024 · 59 min
  4. Mike Mahgerefteh, M.D.My psychiatrist, Dr. Mike MahgereftehMy psychiatrist, Mike Mahgerefteh, M.D., explains how a psychiatrist differs from a therapist and why low thyroid levels can feel like depression. We also talk about the stigma around mental health medication and new depression treatments like ketamine.Episode 08 · November 24, 2024 · 43 min
  5. Naia Butler-Craig, Ph.D.It is rocket science, with Naia Butler-CraigAerospace engineer Naia Butler-Craig, Ph.D., teaches us how Hall effect thrusters move spacecraft by speeding up charged gas atoms called ions. We talk about rocket launches affecting bird migration and the mental health stigma that makes flight students and astronaut hopefuls afraid to seek therapy.Episode 07 · July 31, 2024 · 1 hr 18 min
  6. Heather Spence, Ph.D.Ultimate dolphin shenanigans, with Dr. Heather SpenceMarine biologist and musician Heather Spence, Ph.D., explains how snapping shrimp make noise by popping vacuum bubbles and how dolphins see with sound. We cover dolphin mating habits, regional dialects, and how the dolphin voice on Flipper came from a sped-up kookaburra call.Episode 06 · July 10, 2024 · 1 hr 34 min
  7. Amy Proal, Ph.D.The microbes that live inside and on us, with Dr. Amy ProalMicrobiologist Amy Proal, Ph.D., studies how bacteria and viruses can stay in our tissue and cause chronic illness like long COVID. We get into amyloid plaque as a trap for viruses in Alzheimer's disease and tick-borne infections beyond Lyme, like Babesia and Bartonella.Episode 05 · June 25, 2024 · 49 min
  8. Ronald Gamble, Jr., Ph.D.Astrophysics chit chat, with Dr. Ronald Gamble, Jr.In this short episode, NASA theoretical astrophysicist Ronald Gamble, Jr., Ph.D., explains why black holes are spheres and not funnels. He also covers blazars, which are black hole jets pointed straight at Earth, and why sound cannot travel through space.Episode 04 · May 21, 2024 · 19 min
  9. Tiara Moore, Ph.D.Dolphins do WHAT? Trailblazing in marine science, with Dr. Tiara MooreTiara Moore, Ph.D., tells how a 2020 tweet became Black in Marine Science, which now has over 500 members in 32 countries. We also get into environmental DNA pulled from water and air, free therapy at its first conference, and dolphin mating habits.Episode 03 · April 30, 2024 · 1 hr 11 min
  10. Dan Baldassarre, Ph.D.Just like a white-winged dove: birds, with Dr. Dan BaldassarreBird behavior expert Dan Baldassarre, Ph.D., talks about fairy wrens, where up to 80 percent of chicks are fathered by a neighbor. We also get into lyrebirds that shake plants like a tambourine, why birds are living dinosaurs, and how keeping cats indoors saves birds.Episode 02 · April 23, 2024 · 1 hr 6 min
  11. Anastasia Shavrova, Ph.D.Naughty by nature: mating in the animal kingdom, with Dr. Anastasia ShavrovaAnastasia Shavrova, Ph.D., studies sexual conflict, including why female spiders eat males that fail to impress them. We get into male spiders that hold the female's jaws open, female bed bugs with a dead-end body cavity, and clownfish that change sex.Episode 01 · April 16, 2024 · 1 hr 1 min

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