samsplaining science

ep 57. red light masks

On this episode, sam-splains red light masks and the science behind why red light may help reduce signs of aging on the skin! Sources: 1. Center for Disease Control. (2024). The Electromagnetic Spectrum. Link: https://www.cdc.gov/radiation-health/about/electromagnetic-spectrum.html [https://www.cdc.gov/radiation-health/about/electromagnetic-spectrum.html]  2. Couturaud V, Le Fur M, Pelletier M, Granotier F. Reverse skin aging signs by red light photobiomodulation. Skin Res Technol. 2023;29:e13391. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/srt.13391 [https://doi.org/10.1111/srt.13391]  3. Bargato EF, Paisano AF, Pavani C, Motta LJ et al, Role of photobiomodulation application frequency in facial rejuvenation: randomized, sham-controlled, double-blind, clinical trial. Lasers in Medical Science. 2025;40:170. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-025-04383-1 [https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-025-04383-1]  Follow the Show: www.instragram.com/samsplainingsci [http://www.instragram.com/samsplainingsci]  www.tiktok.com/@samsplainingsci [https://www.tiktok.com/@samsplainingscience]  samsplainingsci.bsky.social [http://samsplainingsci.bsky.social]  Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@samsplainingsci [https://www.youtube.com/@samsplainingsci]   Ask a Question: www.samsplainingscience.com/ask/ [http://www.samsplainingscience.com/ask/]

ep 56. Black History Month part 2!

Happy Black History Month! In Part 2 of this Month’s series, sam-splains scientific contributions of Drs. Mamie Phipps Clark and Kenneth Clark and Dr. Percy Julian!  Sources: 1. American Psychological Association. (Created 2012). “Featured Psychologists: Mamie Phipps Clark, PhD, and Kenneth Clark, PhD.” Link: https://www.apa.org/pi/oema/resources/ethnicity-health/psychologists/clark#:~:text=Mamie%20Phipps%20Clark%20and%20Kenneth%20Clark%20were,expert%20witnesses%20in%20several%20school%20desegregation%20cases [https://www.apa.org/pi/oema/resources/ethnicity-health/psychologists/clark#:~:text=Mamie%20Phipps%20Clark%20and%20Kenneth%20Clark%20were,expert%20witnesses%20in%20several%20school%20desegregation%20cases].  2. City University of New York Academic Commons. (Accessed 2026). “The Doll Study - The Legacy of Dr. Kenneth Clark.” Link: https://kennethclark.commons.gc.cuny.edu/the-doll-study/#:~:text=Black%20is%20Beautiful:%20The%20Doll%20Study%20and,the%20Court's%20decision%20to%20end%20school%20segregation [https://kennethclark.commons.gc.cuny.edu/the-doll-study/#:~:text=Black%20is%20Beautiful:%20The%20Doll%20Study%20and,the%20Court's%20decision%20to%20end%20school%20segregation].  3. NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (Accessed 2026). “Brown v. Board: The Significance of the Doll Test.” Link: https://www.naacpldf.org/brown-vs-board/significance-doll-test/ [https://www.naacpldf.org/brown-vs-board/significance-doll-test/]  4. DePauw University. (Last updated Aug 2023). “Percy L. Julian, Class of 1920: Biography.” Link: https://libguides.depauw.edu/percyjulian [https://libguides.depauw.edu/percyjulian]  5. Science History Institute: Museum & Library (Accessed 2026). “Percy Lavon Julian”. Link: https://www.sciencehistory.org/education/scientific-biographies/percy-lavon-julian/ [https://www.sciencehistory.org/education/scientific-biographies/percy-lavon-julian/]  Follow the Show: www.instragram.com/samsplainingsci [http://www.instragram.com/samsplainingsci]  www.tiktok.com/@samsplainingsci [https://www.tiktok.com/@samsplainingscience]  samsplainingsci.bsky.social [http://samsplainingsci.bsky.social]  Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@samsplainingsci [https://www.youtube.com/@samsplainingsci]   Ask a Question: www.samsplainingscience.com/ask/ [http://www.samsplainingscience.com/ask/]

ep 55. Black History Month pt 1!

Happy Black History Month! In Part 1 of this Month’s series, sam-splains scientific contributions of Granville T. Woods and Dr. Patricia Bath!  Sources: 1. Biography | Granville T. Woods, Inventor, Induction Telegraph. (Updated 2021). Link: https://www.biography.com/inventors/granville-t-woods [https://www.biography.com/inventors/granville-t-woods]    2. Advancing Physics: APS News. (2023). “November 29, 1887: Granville Woods Patents the Induction Telegraph”. Link: https://www.aps.org/apsnews/2023/10/granville-woods-patents-induction-telegraph [https://www.aps.org/apsnews/2023/10/granville-woods-patents-induction-telegraph]   3. Wilson, TV. How Subways Work. (Accessed 2026). Link: https://science.howstuffworks.com/engineering/civil/subway3.htm [https://science.howstuffworks.com/engineering/civil/subway3.htm]   4. Black Women Physicians: Dr. Patricia Era Bath Inventors Hall of Fame Nomination (Image) Link: https://www.blackwomenphysicians.org/dr-patricia-era-bath [https://www.blackwomenphysicians.org/dr-patricia-era-bath]    5. U.S. National Library of Medicine - Changing the fact of Medicine | Patricia E. Bath (Accessed 2026). Link: https://cfmedicine.nlm.nih.gov/physicians/biography_26.html [https://cfmedicine.nlm.nih.gov/physicians/biography_26.html]  6. Ignotofsky, R. (2016). Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World. Link: https://rachelignotofskydesign.com/women-in-science  7. Cataracts | National Eye Institute. National Institutes of Health. (Accessed 2026). Link: https://www.nei.nih.gov/eye-health-information/eye-conditions-and-diseases/cataracts   8. Cataract Surgery | American Academy of Ophthalmology. (Accessed 2026). Link: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-cataract-surgery  Follow the Show: www.instragram.com/samsplainingsci [http://www.instragram.com/samsplainingsci]  www.tiktok.com/@samsplainingsci [https://www.tiktok.com/@samsplainingscience]  samsplainingsci.bsky.social [http://samsplainingsci.bsky.social]  Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@samsplainingsci [https://www.youtube.com/@samsplainingsci]   Ask a Question: www.samsplainingscience.com/ask/ [http://www.samsplainingscience.com/ask/]

ep 54. i smell snow!

on this episode, sam-splains snow, ice, and why we use rock salt to keep from slipping on sidewalks! (and fair warning - she is sleep deprived and gets spicy lol) Women's Foundation of Minnesota - Immigrant Rapid Response Fund Link: https://www.wfmn.org/funds/immigrant-rapid-response/ [https://www.wfmn.org/funds/immigrant-rapid-response/] Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota - Link: [https://www.wfmn.org/funds/immigrant-rapid-response/]https://www.ilcm.org/donate/ [https://www.ilcm.org/donate/] Sources: [https://www.ilcm.org/donate/] 1. Climate Sci [https://www.ilcm.org/donate/]ence Investigations. Temperature Over Time: Water’s Influence on Temperature. [https://www.wfmn.org/funds/immigrant-rapid-response/]Link: https://www. [https://www.ces.fau.edu/nasa/module-3/why-does-temperature-vary/land-and-water.php]ces.fau.edu/nasa/module-3/wh [https://www.ilcm.org/donate/]y-does-temperature-vary/land-and-water.php [https://www.ces.fau.edu/nasa/module-3/why-does-temperature-vary/land-and-water.php]‍ ‍ 2. Exploring our Fluid Earth: Macroscopic Changes in Liquid Water Volume. Link: https://manoa.hawaii.edu/exploringourfluidearth/physical/density-effects/density-temperature-and-salinity/weird-science-macroscopic-changes-liquid-water-volume [https://manoa.hawaii.edu/exploringourfluidearth/physical/density-effects/density-temperature-and-salinity/weird-science-macroscopic-changes-liquid-water-volume] 3. Libbrecht, K. (2007). “The Formation of Snow Crystals”: American Scientist. 95(1):52. Link: https://www.americanscientist.org/article/the-formation-of-snow-crystals [https://www.americanscientist.org/article/the-formation-of-snow-crystals] 4. Sehgal T and Wright C. “Breaking the Ice: A Scientific Take on the Ice Melting Abilities of Household Salts” (2017). Journal of Emerging Investigators.. Link: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/4dbc/f8d607e223c7b48f0e4edebef9984486e5f2.pdf [https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/4dbc/f8d607e223c7b48f0e4edebef9984486e5f2.pdf]. Follow the Show: www.instragram.com/samsplainingsci [http://www.instragram.com/samsplainingsci] www.tiktok.com/@samsplainingsci [http://www.tiktok.com/@samsplainingsci] samsplainingsci.bsky.social [http://samsplainingsci.bsky.social] Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@samsplainingsci [https://www.youtube.com/@samsplainingsci]‍ ‍ Ask a Question: www.samsplainingscience.com/ask/ [http://www.samsplainingscience.com/ask/]

ep 53. wtf is ai?

On this episode, sam-splains AI! What even is AI? What can it do, and what can’t it do? Is it good or evil? Let’s discuss! Leave your thoughts in the comments or share them on socials @samsplainingsci !! Sources:  1. Ng, A. Coursera: AI for Everyone. Link: https://www.coursera.org/learn/ai-for-everyone [https://www.coursera.org/learn/ai-for-everyone]  2. Commonly Asked Questions about ChatGPT. OpenAI. Updated: 4 months ago. Link: https://help.openai.com/en/articles/6783457-what-is-chatgpt [https://help.openai.com/en/articles/6783457-what-is-chatgpt]  3. Wen J, Wang W. The future of ChatGPT in academic research and publishing: A commentary for clinical and translational medicine. Clin Transl Med. 2023 Mar;13(3):e1207. doi: 10.1002/ctm2.1207. PMID: 36941774; PMCID: PMC10028016. 4. United Nations Environment Programme. “AI has an environmental problem. Here’s what the world can do about that.” 2025 Nov 13. Link: https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/ai-has-environmental-problem-heres-what-world-can-do-about [https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/ai-has-environmental-problem-heres-what-world-can-do-about]  5. Kosmyna, N. et al., (2025). ”Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing Task. ” Arxiv.  Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.08872 [https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.08872] [PRE-PRINT; NOT PEER REVIEWED] Follow the Show: www.instragram.com/samsplainingsci [http://www.instragram.com/samsplainingsci]  www.tiktok.com/@samsplainingsci [https://www.tiktok.com/@samsplainingscience]  samsplainingsci.bsky.social [http://samsplainingsci.bsky.social]  Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@samsplainingsci [https://www.youtube.com/@samsplainingsci]   Ask a Question: www.samsplainingscience.com/ask/ [http://www.samsplainingscience.com/ask/]