Tiny Matters

For over a thousand years, humans have been harnessing wind energy. It may have begun with small, grain‑grinding windmills in ancient Persia, but today you might spot Hoover‑Dam‑sized offshore turbines as you drive along the east coast. How did we get here? In this episode of Tiny Matters, we explore the first electric wind turbines built in the late 1800s, how government policies in the 1970s and ’80s shaped the modern wind industry, and why giant offshore wind farms are suddenly in the news. We also clear up misinformation stemming from a Hollywood blockbuster as well as what we know about the impact of wind farms on whales, birds and bats.
In this episode, we explore the surprising origins and evolution of one of modern medicine’s most important tools: the clinical trial. We follow the development of experimental design across centuries to modern day randomized controlled trials and the debates about their limitations, trying to answer the question, “How do we know whether a treatment truly works?”
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In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we explore a listener’s tip about a new source of tire rubber — the Russian dandelion — and the science behind what makes it such an incredible and sustainable source of natural latex rubber. Then we answer a listener’s question about a vaccine for fentanyl that will stop the drug from reaching the brain, preventing overdose.
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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.

Explore bold ideas and big solutions with Alex Honnold on Planet Visionaries, a podcast in partnership with the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. I have become a regular listener this season and hope you enjoy it too!

Explore bold ideas and big solutions with Alex Honnold on Planet Visionaries, a podcast in partnership with the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. I have become a regular listener this season and hope you enjoy it too!

In 1599, a family in a small French town claimed that their daughter was possessed by a demon called Beelzebub and, despite daily exorcisms, the demon possessing this woman was staying put. So France’s Henri IV set up a royal commission that would try something a little different. The woman would still receive exorcisms, complete with the normal exorcism accoutrements, but with a catch. The priest wouldn’t actually be Catholic, the water in the vessel would be ordinary water, and the Latin used wouldn’t be religious — it would be from Virgil’s famous poem Aeneid. That's because this wasn't actually an exorcism. It was an experiment built on a deceptively simple tool that scientists and doctors still use today to study new medical treatments: a placebo.
In this episode, we explore the surprising origins and evolution of one of modern medicine’s most important tools: the clinical trial. We follow the development of experimental design across centuries to modern day randomized controlled trials and the debates about their limitations, trying to answer the question, “How do we know whether a treatment truly works?”
Send us your science facts, news, or other stories for a chance to be featured on an upcoming Tiny Show and Tell Us bonus episode. And, while you're at it, subscribe to our newsletter!
All Tiny Matters transcripts and references are available here.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.