Journey to the Microcosmos - Season 5
1 - The Dark History of Sea Monkeys
Air Date: August 30, 2021
2 - What Is Mold and Why Does It Love Bread?
Air Date: September 6, 2021
It's time to dive into our collection of spores, molds, and fungus!
3 - Why Do Microbes Explode Under UV Light?
Air Date: September 13, 2021
4 - The Purple Bacteria That Are Afraid of Oxygen
Air Date: September 20, 2021
“But wait!” you might be saying to yourself. “How can an organism be photosynthetic and so afraid of oxygen? Doesn’t photosynthesis create oxygen?” And yes, you would be correct—most of the time...
5 - Slime Tubes in Search of Sunlight
Air Date: October 11, 2021
There are only a few groups of bacteria that do this kind of gliding, but they’re found across a plethora of environments, including ponds, soil, and, surprise, in our own mouths.
6 - Journey Through the Body of a Rotifer
Air Date: October 19, 2021
Rotifers don’t really get a lot of love when it comes to microscopic animals. At least as far as the public imagination goes, the rotifer is overshadowed by its fellow metazoan of the microcosmos: the tardigrade. And we might be part of the problem.
7 - The Fish Sucking Lice That Aren’t Lice
Air Date: October 25, 2021
Arugulus sure know how to get under a fish's skin, literally. Fish will actually throw themselves out of the water to get an Aruglus off of their side.
8 - Tumbling Down Invisible Highways
Air Date: November 2, 2021
When we look at bacteria under a microscope, they appear to be tumbling around chaotically, but over the centuries we realized that their pathways have a purpose.
9 - The Arachnid Whose Poop Is Making You Sneeze
Air Date: November 8, 2021
10 - Dileptus: The Toxic Micro Elephant With an Insatiable Appetite
Air Date: November 15, 2021
11 - Copepods: The Diatom-Devouring King of Plankton
Air Date: November 22, 2021
Scientists have observed some copepods eating over 300,000 diatoms in a single day!
12 - Microbes in Slow Motion
Air Date: November 30, 2021
While our journeys are often enjoyed at a slow pace, when we go just a little bit slower and look a little bit deeper there’s always something new to find.
13 - The Tiny Crustacean With the Oldest Penis
Air Date: December 7, 2021
14 - Looking for Answers in the Skull of a Zebrafish
Air Date: December 13, 2021
15 - Creepy Crawly Close-Ups
Air Date: December 27, 2021
16 - Adventures in Being Eaten
Air Date: January 3, 2022
17 - The Complicated Relationships of the Microcosmos
Air Date: January 11, 2022
18 - The Double Life of a Fake Jellyfish
Air Date: January 17, 2022
19 - The Tiny Worlds Inside of Single-Celled Organisms
Air Date: January 25, 2022
We often focus on the organisms, but what about the even smaller world inside of them?
20 - Microbe Hunting in Antarctica
Air Date: January 31, 2022
21 - Nematodes: The Worm That Sculpted The World
Air Date: February 14, 2022
When it comes to the muses of the animal kingdom, the nematode seems like an unlikely well of inspiration, but over the past century, they’ve become one nonetheless.
22 - Aeolosoma: Polka-Dotted Vacuum Worms
Air Date: February 21, 2022
Worms, despite their seemingly simple bodies, are a diverse bunch. Which is why we thought that for today, it might be fun to visit with a less famous worm, and like one of those relatives you don’t know very much about, but every time you see them, there’s a new, strange story to unpack.
23 - What Even Is A Species?
Air Date: February 28, 2022
If you know about the species Lacrymaria olor, then you know what you’re getting when you see it under a microscope. It has a distinct shape, a distinct way of life—the combination of its own genetics and its surrounding environment.
24 - The Spatula-Shaped Ciliate Family
Air Date: March 7, 2022
The family Spathidiidae is made up of around 20 genera, which encompass around 250 known species. And there’s a lot of variety in the Spathidiid family to sort through.