People Behind the Science Podcast Stories from Scientists about Science, Life, Research, and Science Careers

Dr. Marie McNeely, featuring top scientists speaking about their life and c

Climate Change

Cancer

Neuroscience

Ecology

Evolutionary Biology

Mentorship

Cancer Research

Regenerative Medicine

3D Printing

Paleontology

Personalized Medicine

Conservation

Cancer Biofabrication

Amphibians

Infectious Diseases

Biodiversity

Science Communication

Alzheimer's Disease

Evolution

Materials Science

Are you searching for great stories to ignite your curiosity, teach you to perform better in life and career, inspire your mind, and make you laugh along the way? In this science podcast, Dr. Marie McNeely introduces you to the brilliant researchers behind the latest scientific discoveries. Join us as they share their greatest failures, most staggering successes, candid career advice, and what dri... more

358 ratings

Publishes	Weekly	Episodes	836	Founded	12 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	CareersBusiness

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Latest Episodes

875: Investigating How Disruptions in the Gut Microbiome Impact Intestinal Epithelial Cells and Lead to Disease - Dr. Mariana Byndloss

Dr. Mariana Byndloss is Assistant Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Research in Mariana's lab investigates how the bacteria that live inside our gut can affect our health. She is interested i... more

Yesterday • 36 min

YouTube

874: Searching for Signs of Life on Mars and Beyond - Dr. Amy Williams

Dr. Amy Williams is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geological Sciences and Assistant Director of the Astraeus Space Institute at the University of Florida. She is an astrobiologist who builds instruments and analyzes data from other worl... more

20 Jul 2026 • 47 min

YouTube

873: Finding Out How the Brain Controls Movement in Moths During Flight - Dr. Simon Sponberg

Dr. Simon Sponberg is Dunn Family Professor and Assistant Professor in the School of Physics and the School of Biological Sciences, as well as Adjunct Assistant Professor in Biomedical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)... more

13 Jul 2026 • 54 min • Most popular

YouTube

872: Uncovering the Mechanisms Underlying Uneven Rates of Evolution Across Organisms - Dr. Martha Muñoz

Dr. Martha Muñoz is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale University. Martha is an evolutionary biologist who is working to better understand how and why evolution proceeds unevenly across the tree of li... more

6 Jul 2026 • 52 min

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Dr. Simon Sponberg

Dunn Family Professor and Assistant Professor in the School of Physics and the School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology; Adjunct Assistant Professor in Biomedical Engineering

Georgia Tech

Episode: 873: Finding Out How the Brain Controls Movement in Moths During Flight - Dr. Simon Sponberg

Dr. Martha Muñoz

Evolutionary biologist

Yale University

Episode: 872: Uncovering the Mechanisms Underlying Uneven Rates of Evolution Across Organisms - Dr. Martha Muñoz

Steve Platt

Wildlife biologist focused on crocodiles and turtles with WCS

Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)

Episode: 871: Committed to Conserving and Reintroducing Crocodile and Turtle Species - Dr. Steven Platt

Dr. Sharlene Santana

Integrator of functional biology and evolutionary studies; Associate Professor and Curator of Mammals at UW

University of Washington

Episode: 870: Determining the Drivers of Diversity in Bats and Other Mammals - Dr. Sharlene Santana

Ashok Shetty

University Distinguished Professor, Texas A&M University College of Medicine

Texas A&M University

Episode: 869: Developing Extracellular Vesicle Treatments to Address Brain Aging and Inflammation - Dr. Ashok Shetty

Dr. Ayse Turak

Associate Professor, Engineering Physics at McMaster University

McMaster University

Episode: 868: Engineering Affordable Organic Electronics to Power and Light the World - Dr. Ayse Turak

Dr. Sydney Glassman

Associate Professor in Microbiology and Plant Science at UC Riverside

University of California, Riverside

Episode: 867: Examining How Fungi and Soil Microbes Drive Ecosystem Recovery After Wildfires - Dr. Sydney Glassman

Ted Bergin

Astrochemist, Professor and Chair of Astronomy at the University of Michigan

University of Michigan, Astronomy

Episode: 866: Astrochemist Studying the Elements of Planet and Star Formation - Dr. Ted Bergin

Cori Richards-Zawacki

Associate Professor, Director of the Pymatuning Lab of Ecology, University of Pittsburgh

University of Pittsburgh

Episode: 865: Investigating How Frogs are Impacted by Climate Change, Fungal Disease, and Selection Pressures - Dr. Cori Richards-Zawacki

Host

Dr. Marie McNeely

Host of the show and podcast focused on sharing scientists' stories and journeys; guides interviews and introduces guests.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 358 ratings

Boring
Talk about science and not about how brilliant your guest are.
Apple Podcasts
3
johnfivethousand
United States2 months ago
scientists talk about t their research and careers. interesting behind the scenes look at science 🔭🧪
Audible
5
Mike Green
United States2 years ago
fascinating stories from interesting people
scientists talk about t their research and careers. interesting behind the scenes look at science 🔭🧪
Audible
5
Mike Green
United States2 years ago
Voyage through the cosmos. 🌌
Dr. Marie McNeely introduces scientists and their stories to the public in a unique and profound manner, she has a logical approach towards crucial conversations. “Einstein was urging us to tear down the walls around science that have excluded and intimidated so many of us — to translate scientific insights from the jargon of its priesthood into the spoken language shared by us all, so that we may take these insights to heart and be changed by a personal encounter with the wonders they reveal.” ... more
Apple Podcasts
5
Sinai.Coons
United States4 years ago
Voyage through the cosmos. 🌌
Dr. Marie McNeely introduces scientists and their stories to the public in a unique and profound manner, she has a logical approach toward crucial conversations. “Einstein was urging us to tear down the walls around science that have excluded and intimidated so many of us — to translate scientific insights from the jargon of its priesthood into the spoken language shared by us all, so that we may take these insights to heart and be changed by a personal encounter with the wonders they reveal.”
—... more
Apple Podcasts
5
Sinai.Coons
United States5 years ago

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Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Fans appreciate personal stories and career guidance intertwined with scientific discussion.

Listeners praise the host for a calm, clear interviewing style that makes complex science accessible.

Feedback highlights the depth and variety of guests, from academia to industry.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts	#43	South Korea/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts	#118	India/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts	#120	Norway/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts	#129	Sweden/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts	#188	Philippines/Business/Careers

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

873: Finding Out How the Brain Controls Movement in Moths During Flight - Dr. Simon Sponberg

Q: What's the best advice you've ever been given?

Vote with your career—invest time and energy in the problems you find most challenging and meaningful, and cultivate an environment that inspires you to pursue those questions.

873: Finding Out How the Brain Controls Movement in Moths During Flight - Dr. Simon Sponberg

Q: What has been one of the most pivotal moments or discoveries in your career so far?

Developing a method to record nearly complete muscle activity in a moth, revealing that all muscles participate in maneuvers and that precise spike timing, not just increased firing, drives movement.

873: Finding Out How the Brain Controls Movement in Moths During Flight - Dr. Simon Sponberg

Q: Simon, can you talk a little about what first sparked your interest in science and where it went from there?

He describes a winding path from a dislike of insects to discovering biophysics, influenced by a key conversation about combining biology with physics, and a growing awareness of organismal biology as an interface with physics.

872: Uncovering the Mechanisms Underlying Uneven Rates of Evolution Across Organisms - Dr. Martha Muñoz

Q: Do you remember your memory of when you first got interested in science or the natural world, and how that path started for you?

Growing up in Queens, New York, I explored nature primarily through museums and field experiences; the pivotal shift came in college when I met a supportive mentor who showed me that being a scientist was possible, which redirected my path from wildlife medicine toward evolutionary biology.

872: Uncovering the Mechanisms Underlying Uneven Rates of Evolution Across Organisms - Dr. Martha Muñoz

Q: So Martha, we want to get to know you as a scientist, but also as a person. What was it like meeting Rosemary and Peter Grant, and why were they important to your career?

Meeting Rosemary and Peter Grant was an out-of-body experience; they were incredibly accomplished and kind, and the interaction helped crystallize the value of patient, long-term natural history observation as a way to answer big questions in evolution.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show profiles scientists from academia and industry, focusing on their career journeys, research impact, and the human side of scientific work. Episodes weave personal milestones with deep dives into topics across biology, chemistry, environmental engineering, neuroscience, and more, often highlighting mentorship, resilience, and ways to communicate complex science to broad audiences. A standout trait is the host's calm, thoughtful interviewing style that makes technical subjects accessible while preserving the guests' expertise, which can be especially appealing to listeners who want practical career guidance and inspiration from real-world scientific paths.

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Which podcasts are similar to this podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science
2. NPR News Now
3. The Daily
4. Big Picture Science
5. Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 12 years ago and published 836 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Dr. Simon Sponberg
2. Dr. Martha Muñoz
3. Steve Platt
4. Dr. Sharlene Santana
5. Ashok Shetty
6. Dr. Ayse Turak
7. Dr. Sydney Glassman
8. Ted Bergin

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