The Tardigrade Chronicles

Ep. 107: Blood

On Episode 7 of “The Tardigrade Chronicles”, we explore the critical life-sustaining fluid known as blood.  This dynamic complex fluid is known for volume regulation, sustaining life through carrying oxygen, and being the front-line strategy for lifeforms to respond and communicate immune challenges. We trace the natural evolution of blood and the discoveries and innovations divined from existing lifeforms - such as rapid-clotting materials derived from crab shells and tests for bacterial contaminants made possible by horseshoe crab blood. Humans have pursued blood substitutes throughout history, so we cover the field’s modern innovators and the current challenges still facing them to in produce a cost-efficient unit of artificial blood for transfusion.  Please join us for this fascinating episode of “The Tardigrade Chronicles”.

Ep. 106: Materials, Part 1: Adhesion

In part 1 of our series exploring the material designs inspired by nature and uncovering the innovations driven by an understanding of adhesion at interface of living systems and their environment, we are sticking to adhesion.  From barnacle glue to shark skin and gecko feet, we examine the principles evolved in nature to stick and to prevent sticking, and how we have invented new materials based on these teachings to develop new anti-fouling paints and to create dry adhesives that can be used in tapes and for sticky feet on climbing robots. Please enjoy episode 6 of “The Tardigrade Chronicles” - Materials, Part One: Adhesion.

Ep. 105: Water

Water is so fundamental to life on Earth that it has become one of the primary things we search for beyond our planet. From Mars to the Moon and beyond, the presence of water may tell us whether life (or something like it) could exist elsewhere in the cosmos. In this episode, host Alan S. Rudolph is specifically focusing on extremophiles: organisms capable of surviving conditions that would destroy most known forms of life. From intense heat and freezing temperatures to crushing pressure and even the complete absence of water, these remarkable organisms -including our namesake tardigrade - are reshaping our understanding of the biochemical boundaries of life itself. We also explore how these biological principles are inspiring real-world innovations, from platelet-based freeze-dried hemostatic technologies to the classic childhood “pet,” Sea Monkeys.  Please enjoy this cornerstone episode of "The Tardigrade Chronicles”.

Ep. 104: Brain & Brain-Machine Interfaces

In episode 4 of "The Tardigrade Chronicles", host Alan S. Rudolph is exploring the fascinating history and future of brain-machine interfaces, drawing on his career at DARPA and his own experience working in the laboratories of Dr. Miguel Nicolelis and Dr. John Chapin - and the unforgettable moment he first watched laboratory rats take a drink using only their thoughts. From cochlear implants to Neuralink, we trace the evolution of the field, the breakthroughs that transformed science fiction into reality, and the profound questions that remain unanswered. He also reflects on his experiences at the 2014 World Cup, where brain-machine interface technology scored a goal on a global stage. Please enjoy this episode of "The Tardigrade Chronicles".

Ep. 103: Vision

On the third episode of "The Tardigrade Chronicles", host Alan S. Rudolph turns his focus to vision, and the ongoing efforts that have been made to replicate or improve upon the evolutionary designs of visual systems. From the Cambrian Explosion to today, the power of sight has been one of the most useful biological traits an organism can have, and this episode helps illuminate the myriad of ways humans have been trying - with tools from eyeglasses to neural implants to VR headsets - to recreate the marvel that is the eye, and why that remains such a profound challenge. Produced by Halteres Associates.