Description (podcaster-provided):
Whimsical Wavelengths is a science podcast hosted by volcanologist and geophysicist Dr. Jeffrey Zurek, exploring how science actually works—messy data, imperfect models, human personalities, and all. The show spans topics across the physical sciences, including volcanology, astronomy, geophysics, planetary science, physics, food science, and the history of scientific discovery.
Most episodes feature conversations with working scientists and researches discussing their research, methods, and career paths. Others are solo, narrative-driven explorations that trace how we came to understand the natural world. Episode topics vary from wandering stars and volcanoes to black holes, ice cream, and the occasional scientific paradox. Throughout, the focus is less on headlines and more on process: how evidence is gathered, how ideas change, and why uncertainty is a feature of science rather than a flaw.
Whimsical Wavelengths is rooted in science communication and teaching, with an emphasis on clarity without oversimplification. Mathematical rigor, historical context, and real-world field experience are woven together to show how different scientific disciplines intersect and inform one another. Along the way, there are reflections on mentorship, belonging in science, and what it means to pursue curiosity as a career.
The tone is thoughtful, curious, and occasionally irreverent—expect the odd terrible science dad joke, but never at the expense of the science itself. This is a podcast for listeners who enjoy learning how we know what we know, whether they come from a scientific background or simply want a deeper, more honest look at the process of discovery.
New episodes are released every two weeks.
Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ science process, uncertainty, research methods • volcanology hazards, monitoring, landslides • astronomy/cosmology: planets, black holes, lensing, novae, galaxies • geophysics, inversion, machine learning • paleontology, evolution • climate science • food chemistry • science history, conspiracies, STEM identity/mentorship
This podcast uses a mix of scientist interviews and solo, narrative episodes to examine how knowledge is built across the physical sciences and adjacent fields. Hosted by a volcanologist and geophysicist, it often foregrounds the mechanics of inquiry—how observations are collected, how models are constructed and tested, and how uncertainty and competing interpretations shape what becomes accepted.
A major thread is Earth science and natural hazards, with detailed attention to volcano behavior, eruption styles, and monitoring methods such as seismicity, deformation, gravity, and satellite observations. The discussions emphasize that volcanic risk can include secondary processes like landslides and flooding, and they connect field realities to decision-making, preparedness, and communication.
Space and planetary science form another core pillar, ranging from historical accounts of how planetary models evolved to contemporary astrophysics topics like black holes, accretion disks, galaxy evolution, gravitational lensing, and stellar outbursts. These episodes frequently highlight indirect inference—using mathematics, timing signals, or light-bending effects to learn about systems that can’t be directly sampled.
The podcast also explores tools and methods that cut across disciplines, including inverse problems in geophysics and the use of machine learning for imaging and interpretation. Alongside technical content, there is recurring interest in the human side of science: how people become scientists, the role of mentorship and identity, and how institutions and communities influence who stays in STEM.
Additional episodes branch into paleontology and evolutionary biology (including fossils, prehistoric ecosystems, and hypotheses about aging), biology and ecology (such as insect respiration and bird behavior), and applied science topics like plastics and sustainability. Food science appears as well, using familiar examples (taste chemistry and ice cream structure) to explain material properties and sensory perception. Interspersed are examinations of scientific controversies and conspiracy claims, used as case studies in evidence, communication, and the limits of what technologies can actually do.
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Episodes:
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Mount Meager: Canada’s Most Dangerous Volcano? Cascadia, Landslides, and Hidden Risk
2026-Jan-19
48 minutes
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Wandering Stars: How We Found the Planets, Lost Pluto, and Learned How Science Really Works
2025-Dec-22
40 minutes
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Who Becomes a Scientist? Exploring STEM Pathways and Identity in Astronomy with Dr. Zachary Richards
2025-Dec-08
40 minutes
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Machine Learning Meets Geophysics: Image Segmentation and Inversion Tools with Johnathan Kuttai
2025-Nov-24
54 minutes
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A New Species of Pterosaur Unearthed in Australia with Adele Pentland
2025-Nov-10
73 minutes
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The Science of Plastic: Environmental Trade-Offs and Sustainability with an Industrial Scientist
2025-Oct-27
59 minutes
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Modeling Supermassive Black Holes and Accretion Disks with Dr James Chan – New Research Insights
2025-Oct-13
44 minutes
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The Science of Ice Cream - fat networks, sugar, temperature, air and temperature with Dr. Abigail Thiel!
2025-Sep-29
50 minutes
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Understanding Masaya Volcano – The Science Behind Its Basaltic Plinian Eruptions
2025-Sep-15
41 minutes
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How the work of one researcher, Dr Clair Patterson, brought the fall of leaded gasoline and discovered the age of the Earth!
2025-Jul-21
31 minutes
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Scientific and Historical look at The rise Leaded Gasoline - When industry poisoned the world
2025-Jul-07
40 minutes
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Sierra Negra volcano's internal dynamics through gravity and deformation with Dr Antonina Calahorrano-Di Patre
2025-Jun-23
77 minutes
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Insects breathe?! An inside look at insect evolution through respiration with Dr Hollister Herhold
2025-Jun-09
53 minutes
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Modeling dwarf galaxies to probe the early universe with Dr. Eric Andersson
2025-May-26
57 minutes
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A tale of disappearing Seas, The Mediterranean sea basically drys up! - The Messinian Salinity Crisis
2025-May-12
35 minutes
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Gravitational Lensing Part 2! Strong Lensing, modeling and so much more!
2025-Apr-28
61 minutes
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Gravitational Lensing - Micro, weak, and Strong Oh MY! with Dr Georgios Vernardos
2025-Apr-14
54 minutes
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Umami, taste and Kitchen Chemistry of food ingredients! Delicious with guest Dr Bryan Le
2025-Mar-31
49 minutes
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The whimsical sounds of the Birds, Ornithology and why birds sing, territory and more with Miranda Zammarelli
2025-Mar-17
36 minutes
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Climate Change - weather, climate & science communications. Frank discussion with Research Meteorologist Jared Rennie
2025-Mar-03
54 minutes
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Investigating the Southwest Rift Zone of Mauna Loa Volcano using gravity: what created the Ninole Hills?
2025-Feb-17
33 minutes
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Paleontology & Theropods PART2! Soooo good it needed a sequel - With Dr François Therrien
2025-Feb-03
42 minutes
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Jurassic Park 30 years of Paleontology & T-Rex (Theropods) - With Dr François Therrien
2025-Jan-20
43 minutes
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Nikola Tesla - Pt2, Free Energy, and the Physics of Conspiracy
2025-Jan-06
27 minutes
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Nikola Tesla- The man, the myth, the legend Pt1 - Back story and accomplishments
2024-Dec-23
27 minutes
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Dinosaurs and the mammal longevity gap, Evolutionary Biology - Guest Associate Professor Molly Burke
2024-Dec-09
39 minutes
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NASA's Lucky Peanuts - Interview with JPL's Dr Morgan Cable
2024-Nov-25
39 minutes
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What is High-Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) and it's conspiracies?
2024-Nov-11
24 minutes
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The predicted impending Nova from T Coronae Borealis! An interview with Dr David Zurek
2024-Oct-28
47 minutes
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Dante's Peak Pt2 - ballistics, lava and earthquakes Oh my! with SFU's Volcanology Group
2024-Oct-14
53 minutes
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Dante's Peak Part 1 a Primer
2024-Sep-30
25 minutes
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Introduction and a short history of wavelengths
2024-Sep-16
15 minutes
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Encore: The whimsical sounds of the Birds, Ornithology and why birds sing, territory and more with Miranda Zammarelli
2025-Sep-01
36 minutes
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Encore: Paleontology & Theropods PT2! Dinosaur behaviour from fossils - With Dr François Therrien
2025-Aug-18
42 minutes
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Encore: Dinosaurs and the mammal longevity gap, Evolutionary Biology - with Associate Professor Molly Burke
2025-Aug-04
39 minutes
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ENCORE Nikola Tesla- The man, the myth, the legend Pt1 - Back story and accomplishments
2026-Jan-05
27 minutes
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