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Tiny Matters — Life Sciences
Tiny Matters

Science shapes every facet of our lives, but so much of its influence is overlooked or buried in the past. Tiny Matters is an award-winning science podcast about the small science of big things. From the microbes behind deadly diseases to the molecules informing our search for extraterrestrial life, hosts and former scientists Sam Jones and Deboki Chakravarti embrace the awe and messiness of science and its significance both today and in the past, asking questions like, “how was IVF invented?,” “what do glaciers tell us about Earth’s ancient past?,” and “why is smallpox the only human infectious disease we’ve eradicated?”

Tiny Matters is created by the American Chemical Society, a non-profit scientific organization based in Washington, D.C., and is produced by Multitude. New episodes every Wednesday, wherever you listen to podcasts.

Copyright: © 2025 American Chemical Society

Latest Episodes:

Foraminifera: The one-celled predators that shaped our planet (and kept the receipts) Sep 02, 2026

Show notes

Single-celled marine organisms called foraminifera may be microscopic, but they've had a massive impact on life on Earth. They also leave behind intricate shells that have become part of a fossil record stretching back more than 500 million years. Today, they're one of the most powerful tools scientists have for reconstructing Earth's past climates, helping us put the current (alarming) state of our warming planet into context.

Learn more about CALM here.

Check out Pale Blue pod here or wherever you listen to podcasts!

A transcript and references for this episode can be found at acs.org/tinymatters.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

[BONUS] Dangerously tiny frequencies, endometriosis tests, and cookies made from ... plastic?: Tiny Show and Tell Us #54 Aug 26, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we discuss new blood tests and research into blood biomarkers that could make diagnosing endometriosis faster and less invasive. Next, we unpack subsynchronous resonance, a phenomenon that can damage power infrastructure, and is gaining new attention with so many AI data centers being built across the country. Then we hear from guest Emily Schneider who shares some delicious (maybe? You be the judge!) new research where scientists have engineered yeast to convert plastic waste and agricultural leftovers into cookies.

We need your stories — they're what make these bonus episodes possible! Write in to tinymatters@acs.org or fill out this form with your favorite science fact or science news story for a chance to be featured.

A transcript and references for this episode can be found at acs.org/tinymatters.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Giant viruses: How these amoeba-infecting behemoths are rewriting the rules of virology Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

Scientists spent decades searching for viruses by filtering out anything too large to be one. That strategy seemed to work well... until it didn't. When researchers discovered a microbe living inside an amoeba that looked like a bacterium but behaved like something else entirely, they uncovered a hidden world of giant viruses with massive genomes, unusual genes, and even their own viral parasites. In this episode, we dive into the discoveries that forced scientists to rethink what viruses are, how they evolve, and whether the rules historically used to define them still hold up.

Check out Dreaming Against the Machine here or wherever you listen to podcasts!

A transcript and references for this episode can be found at acs.org/tinymatters.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

[BONUS] Fairy tale evolution and the 400(ish) year old elusive Greenland shark: Tiny Show and Tell Us #53 Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we explore how scientists are using evolutionary methods to reconstruct the history of folktales like Little Red Riding Hood, Beauty and the Beast, and Jack and the Beanstalk. Then guest Matt Gabriele, professor of medieval studies and host of the podcast American Medieval, shares his fascination with Greenland sharks, leading us into the science of radiocarbon dating, longevity genetics, and the ongoing debate over whether these elusive deep-sea predators truly live for 400 years or more.

We need your stories — they're what make these bonus episodes possible! Write in to tinymatters@acs.org or fill out this form with your favorite science fact or science news story for a chance to be featured.

A transcript and references for this episode can be found at acs.org/tinymatters.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From cow’s milk to blood banks: The surprising evolution of blood transfusions Aug 05, 2026

Show notes

Before modern blood transfusions, doctors tried some odd alternatives, including cow's milk. In this episode, we trace the fascinating history of blood transfusions, from risky animal experiments and failed milk injections to the discovery of blood types and disease screening. You'll hear how blood transfusions became one of medicine's safest procedures, why researchers are still debating exactly when patients need them, and what innovations could make blood easier to store, transport, and use in emergency situations including the military battlefield.

Check out Dreaming Against the Machine here or wherever you listen to podcasts!

A transcript and references for this episode can be found at acs.org/tinymatters.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

[BONUS] Bread clip taxonomy and power poles on fire: Tiny Show and Tell Us #52 Jul 29, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we dive into the surprisingly elaborate world of occlupanids: the humble plastic bread bag clips that have inspired an entire taxonomy complete with Latin names, species classifications, and a community of collectors. Then, we investigate a strange power outage in central Texas, where power poles caught fire after a light drizzle. We unpack the science behind pole-top fires, the "Goldilocks" weather conditions that fuel them, and the surprising technologies being used to inspect and maintain power grids across the world.

We need your stories — they're what make these bonus episodes possible! Write in to tinymatters@acs.org *or fill out this form* with your favorite science fact or science news story for a chance to be featured.

A transcript and references for this episode can be found at acs.org/tinymatters.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Placebo: Why ‘fake’ treatments can have real power Jul 22, 2026

Show notes

A sugar pill shouldn't work as well as a real drug ... except sometimes it does. In this episode, we explore the fascinating science of the placebo effect and how expectations can shape biological outcomes. From open-label placebos and AI healthcare chatbots to the nocebo effect, we unpack what scientists know, what they still don't understand, and why the placebo response is still largely mysterious.

Check out Spirits here or wherever you listen to podcasts!

A transcript and references for this episode can be found at acs.org/tinymatters.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

[BONUS] A pathology lab, a sausage duel, and the fascinating lives of yeast: Tiny Show and Tell Us #51 Jul 15, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Tiny Matters, a listener who works in a pathology lab explains how even the ickiest specimens become ho-hum with time, sending Sam and Deboki down a rabbit hole of pathology history and the bizarre life of Rudolf Virchow, the “father of pathology” who was also rumored to have brought worm-filled sausages to a duel. Then, a listener's sourdough experiments spark a conversation about yeast and how these microscopic organisms are the chemists behind tasty bread, beer, wine, and more.

We need your stories — they're what make these bonus episodes possible! Write in to tinymatters@acs.org *or fill out this form* with your favorite science fact or science news story for a chance to be featured.

A transcript and references for this episode can be found at acs.org/tinymatters.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Fireworks over millennia: From battlefields and royal displays to sustainable spectacles Jul 08, 2026

Show notes

In medieval Europe, people who worked with early cannons and gunpowder were viewed as untrustworthy, boorish outsiders. But just a few centuries later, as they began creating elaborate fireworks displays for royalty, they went from outcasts to artists. From black powder to modern low-smoke pyrotechnics, in this episode of Tiny Matters we look at the chemistry, engineering, and artistry behind one of humanity's favorite forms of celebration. We also learn how scientists are reinventing pyrotechnics with cleaner-burning compounds that deliver brighter colors and fewer emissions. And check out this video from our friends at Headline Science to get a behind the scenes tour of the Science History Institute’s new exhibit: Flash! Bang! Boom! A History of Fireworks.

Check out Simple and Clean here or wherever you listen to podcasts!

A transcript and references for this episode can be found at acs.org/tinymatters.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

[BONUS] The ‘elite neutralizers’ immune to HIV and why galaxies ‘FART’: Tiny Show and Tell Us #50 Jul 01, 2026

Show notes

This week on Tiny Show and Tell Us, a listener introduces us to "FARTs" — a silly acronym for galactic gas outflows — and sends us down a rabbit hole of dying stars and recycled cosmic gas in the early universe. Then we discuss the decades-long search for broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) that can target many HIV strains at once. One bNAb that looks promising is in clinical trials right now!

We need your stories — they're what make these bonus episodes possible! Write in to tinymatters@acs.org *or fill out this form* with your favorite science fact or science news story for a chance to be featured.

A transcript and references for this episode can be found at acs.org/tinymatters.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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