Strange Chemical on Pluto and Titan; Black Hole Simulation

Strange Chemical on Pluto and Titan; Black Hole Simulation

Astrophysics professor ⁠Jesse Rogerson⁠ [https://www.jesserogerson.com/about] brings us science news with the following: * The same unknown chemical signature has been detected on Pluto and Titan⁠ [https://www.sciencealert.com/an-unknown-chemical-signature-has-been-detected-on-pluto-and-titan]; * Physicists simulated a black hole in a lab, and then it started to evaporate⁠ [https://www.sciencealert.com/physicists-simulated-a-black-hole-in-a-lab-then-it-started-to-evaporate]; * Inside Chernobyl, a fungus has been quietly feasting on radiation⁠ [https://www.sciencealert.com/this-chernobyl-fungus-seems-to-have-evolved-an-incredible-ability]; * Alzheimer's has been killing brain cells in a way scientists have never understood until now⁠ [https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-think-theyve-finally-identified-how-alzheimers-kills-brain-cells]; and * Scientists ranked 258 spider species by speed and the fastest can outrun you⁠ [https://www.sciencealert.com/the-worlds-fastest-spider-has-been-identified-and-it-can-can-outrun-a-human]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Who Gets You in a Breakup?

For Therapy Thursdays on a Wednesday, social worker and therapist ⁠Gary Direnfeld⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/GaryDirenfeldSocialWorker/] talks about who gets whom in a romantic breakup: specifically with kids and custody, as well as friends within social groups. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Eat Well, Kill Bugs, Help Plants: A Fungus Story

Fungi expert and entomology professor ⁠Raymond St. Leger⁠ [https://entomology.umd.edu/people/raymond-st-leger] educates us about ⁠an amazing fungus whose broad diet enables it to better kill insects and help plants⁠ [https://phys.org/news/2026-07-broader-fungus-diet-insects.htmlk]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

How Athletes Deal With Stress and Cope

Motivated by the World Cup, sport and exercise psychology professor ⁠Catherine Sabiston⁠ [https://kpe.utoronto.ca/faculty/sabiston-catherine] goes over stress and coping among athletes in must-win situations, and the superstitions, rituals, and routines of players (and fans). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

FULL EPISODE: Radioactive Fungi, Assassin Fungi - July 8, 2026

Astrophysics professor Jesse Rogerson [https://www.jesserogerson.com/about] brings us science news with the following: The same unknown chemical signature has been detected on Pluto and Titan [https://www.sciencealert.com/an-unknown-chemical-signature-has-been-detected-on-pluto-and-titan]; Physicists simulated a black hole in a lab, and then it started to evaporate [https://www.sciencealert.com/physicists-simulated-a-black-hole-in-a-lab-then-it-started-to-evaporate]; Inside Chernobyl, a fungus has been quietly feasting on radiation [https://www.sciencealert.com/this-chernobyl-fungus-seems-to-have-evolved-an-incredible-ability]; Alzheimer's has been killing brain cells in a way scientists have never understood until now [https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-think-theyve-finally-identified-how-alzheimers-kills-brain-cells]; and Scientists ranked 258 spider species by speed and the fastest can outrun you [https://www.sciencealert.com/the-worlds-fastest-spider-has-been-identified-and-it-can-can-outrun-a-human]. Motivated by the World Cup, sport and exercise psychology professor Catherine Sabiston [https://kpe.utoronto.ca/faculty/sabiston-catherine] goes over stress and coping among athletes in must-win situations, and the superstitions, rituals, and routines of players (and fans). Fungi expert and entomology professor Raymond St. Leger [https://entomology.umd.edu/people/raymond-st-leger] educates us about an amazing fungus whose broad diet enables it to better kill insects and help plants [https://phys.org/news/2026-07-broader-fungus-diet-insects.htmlk]. For Therapy Thursdays on a Wednesday, social worker and therapist Gary Direnfeld [https://www.facebook.com/GaryDirenfeldSocialWorker/] talks about who gets whom in a romantic breakup: specifically with kids and custody, as well as friends within social groups. Research fellow in law Temitope Lawal [https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/our-staff/l/temitope-lawal/] discusses AI in policing and why the safeguards in place can't keep up [https://phys.org/news/2026-06-ai-policing-safeguards.html]. Mathematician Emma Zajdela [https://sites.northwestern.edu/emmazajdela/] goes over the mathematics of poker and how bluffing is an essential part of a winning strategy [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0025570X.2021.1908785]. Segments: * (00:00) Introduction * (00:59) Jesse Rogerson pt. 1 * (10:00) Jesse Rogerson pt. 2 * (20:00) Catherine Sabiston * (30:00) Raymond St. Leger * (39:50) Gary Direnfeld pt. 1 * (49:50) Gary Direnfeld pt. 2 * (59:50) Temitope Lawal * (1:09:50) Emma Zajdela * (1:19:09) Sign-off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]