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Artwork for The Best of Our Knowledge

The Best of Our Knowledge

Lucas Willard
Climate Change
Artificial Intelligence
Higher Education
Covid-19
Wildfires
Dinosaurs
Long COVID
Education
Neuroscience
PFAS
Pygmy Seahorse
Kenya
Public Health
Vampyr
Sharks
Olo
Stone Tools
Pliocene Epoch
Anthropology
Evolution

Throughout the world, new discoveries are being made every day that shape our ways of thinking and redefine our understanding of today’s information-driven society. "The Best of Our Knowledge" highlights those breakthroughs across multiple disciplines and across the globe, putting you in touch with the men and women at the forefront of their fields. Each week, host Lucas Willard examines some of t... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes44Founded10 years ago
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ScienceSociety & Culture

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Artwork for The Best of Our Knowledge

Latest Episodes

The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education, and research.Scientists investigating the origins of life on Earth have made new discoveries about the earliest split in the tree of life.And we’ll learn about common backyard birds ch... more

The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education, and research.New research links pesky mosquitoes that thrive in urban areas to invasive plants.And scientists have confirmed an atmosphere on a distant planet in what’s called a habita... more

The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education, and research.You may have been told when you were a kid, “If you keep watching that TV, you’ll rot your brain!”There might be some truth to that.And we’ll learn about a transmissible c... more

The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education, and research.Tuberculosis is one of the deadliest diseases faced by humans. A team of researchers is using AI to potentially find more reliable treatments. And, as we listen for extrat... more

The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education, and research.We’ll learn how researchers are using a video game to identify people experiencing depression.And a new study reveals human DNA can survive for thousands of years in under... more

The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education, and research.As prospective students weigh the cost and demands of achieving a college degree, the first three-year bachelor’s degree programs in Massachusetts are preparing for launch... more

The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education, and research.A very common houseplant is revealing the secret math of plants.And scientists estimate an underground network of tiny fungal filaments would, if placed end-to-end, span 1... more

The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education, and research.A new study finds that fish are similar to humans in how they sleep.And researchers used a drone to track honey bees. They found the insects have surprisingly precise flig... more

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Recent Guests

Natalia Murnivetz
Biologist at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
Episode: Understanding life’s origins and cheating chickadees
Carrie Branch
Assistant professor at Western University (Ontario)
Western University
Episode: Understanding life’s origins and cheating chickadees
Shannon Ledoux
Disease ecologist
Carey Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY
Episode: Urban mosquitos and a distant atmosphere
Colin Cherubim
NASA Hubble Fellow
University of Chicago
Episode: Urban mosquitos and a distant atmosphere
Julie Dragon
Associate professor at the University of Vermont's Larner College of Medicine
University of Vermont
Episode: Too much TV and cancerous catfish
Anna Green
Assistant Professor of Computer Science at UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
Episode: PAC-MAN and signals from space
Sloan Segrist
Associate Professor of Microbiology at UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst
Episode: PAC-MAN and signals from space
Vishal Gujjar
Researcher at the SETI Institute
SETI Institute
Episode: PAC-MAN and signals from space
Alba Blossom's Mesa
Doctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Episode: Diagnostic gaming and ancient DNA

Host

Lucas Willard
Host of The Best of Our Knowledge

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Too much TV and cancerous catfish
Q: What are the next steps in your research?
We aim to understand the mechanisms behind the relationship between the cancer in these fish and their environment, including how transmission occurs and how different factors like spawning behavior contribute to spread, to better model and potentially prevent similar phenomena in other species.
Too much TV and cancerous catfish
Q: Is this something that is maybe not uncommon? Has this been observed before, where there's actually a cancer cell that can be transmissible?
It has been observed before in other species but is quite rare; this is only the fourth animal with a transmissible cancer, with the broader implication that such cancers can occur and spread under certain ecological conditions.
A new kind of bachelor’s degree
Q: If a student completes a 96 credit degree, how will they pursue a traditional master's program, and will there be a pathway to bridge that gap?
Institutions are required to provide a pathway back to the traditional 120-hour degree for students who choose the program, and there may be bridging coursework or other arrangements to acknowledge prior learning when pursuing graduate study.
A new kind of bachelor’s degree
Q: So, how will the state be tracking progress on these two pilot programs before the decision is made to welcome applications from other colleges and universities?
The state will monitor the pilots annually, with follow-up conversations and a formal evaluation plan over roughly three years, and then extend evaluation to a total of five years to assess employability, persistence to graduate programs, and other outcomes.
Hidden math and a massive fungal network
Q: What is a Voronoi diagram, and how does it relate to the plant's venation patterns?
A Voronoi diagram partitions space so that each location belongs to the nearest center, and the researchers observed that the plant's leaf veins and hydathodes form a similar, self-organizing boundary structure suggesting a natural, bottom-up computation.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Best of Our Knowledge

What is The Best of Our Knowledge about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This series spotlights cutting-edge research across science, technology, and higher education, often blending lab biology, computational methods, anthropology, and policy with real-world implications for campuses and society. Episodes typically feature researchers and educators explaining their work, paired with broader context on how findings may influence medicine, AI, sustainability, or higher-ed strategy. A standout pattern is the mix of hands-on scientific discussion with interviews about institutional dynamics, publishing practices, and public communication, making it particularly relevant for audiences involved in academia, research administration, and STEM outreach. The show tends to highlight methodological innovations, cross-disci... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Best of Our Knowledge?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Best of Our Knowledge:

1. Wonder Cabinet
2. Science Friday
3. Radiolab
4. The New Yorker Radio Hour
5. Fresh Air

How many episodes of The Best of Our Knowledge are there?

The Best of Our Knowledge launched 10 years ago and published 44 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 The Best of Our Knowledge?

Recent guests on The Best of Our Knowledge include:

1. Natalia Murnivetz
2. Carrie Branch
3. Shannon Ledoux
4. Colin Cherubim
5. Julie Dragon
6. Anna Green
7. Sloan Segrist
8. Vishal Gujjar

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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