Looking Forward ... and Back: Podcast Updates

July 11, 2016 • by Marc Airhart

In case you missed it, here are some Point of Discovery podcast highlights from the past year, plus a preview of new episodes coming soon

Logo with a microscope in front of an abstract blue background and the words "Point of Discovery"

This summer, we're celebrating a milestone: one year of telling you science stories from the frontlines here at the University of Texas at Austin on the Point of Discovery Podcast.

We're also gearing up for a brand new round of stories that you'll definitely want to check out: we'll find out how scientists harnessed the raw power of evolution -- shrunk it down and sped it up – to produce a drug that knocks out the deadly toxins produced by anthrax. We'll talk to Alan Stern, who heads up NASA's New Horizons mission to Pluto, which flew by the icy minor planet last summer and is still sending back jaw-dropping data. We'll also learn some ancient history about the microbes living in our guts.

In the meantime, how about a quick recap of the past year?

Last fall, we got the inside scoop on the race to solve the biggest mystery in astrophysics right now – namely, what the heck is dark energy?

"And so we call it dark energy, but we really don't know, to be glib, whether it's dark or whether it's energy. We have no clue what it is." - Gary Hill

As spring arrived, we found out how to transport 100,000 bees across the country in a mini-van …

"Yeah, if you make a sudden stop, the whole thing comes open and a volcano of bees comes out. I said if that happens, just get out, close the door and run." - Nancy Moran

And before heading out to theaters for that first summer blockbuster, we learned how scientists help create the computer-generated images you see in the movies …

"So I'm going to reveal a dirty secret about how hair is actually done in movies. …" - Etienne Vouga

If you missed those episodes or any of our first 10, summer is a great time to go back and give them a listen.

And another great thing happened in the past year. We were thrilled to be featured on the iTunes podcast page in May and June. Maybe you started listening then. If so, welcome aboard. We hope you like what you hear.

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