Podcast Summary: "These little microbes may help solve our big problems"

Podcast: Short Wave (NPR)
Host: Emily Kwong
Guest: Ari Daniel (science reporter), Braden Tierney (Harvard Medical School microbiologist), Doug Edmondson (Mineral Springs Foundation), James Henriksen (Colorado State University), Lisa Stein (University of Alberta)
Air Date: January 12, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of Short Wave explores the hidden world of microbes—tiny organisms that thrive in unexpected and extreme environments—and their potential to help solve some of humanity’s biggest environmental challenges, including climate change and pollution. Science reporter Ari Daniel joins Emily Kwong to visit Colorado’s Iron Spring, meet microbial prospectors, and discuss how looking for unusual bacteria—from volcanic vents to home pipes—could spark innovative solutions for the future.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Discovering “Rust Microbes” at Iron Spring

[00:33–02:53]

• Scene Setting: Ari Daniel describes visiting Iron Spring near Manitou Springs, Colorado, where iron-rich mineral water bursts from the ground, leaving behind bright orange rust.
• Chemical vs. Biological Rust: While most know rust as a chemical reaction, Doug Edmondson (Mineral Springs Foundation) notes, “Sometimes it’s not chemistry that’s forming that rust, it’s biology. An entire world of unexplored and undiscovered microbes.” (01:52)
• Sampling Microbes: Environmental microbiologist James Henriksen from Colorado State University collects rust samples, emphasizing that certain microbes create rust as a byproduct of their survival.

2. Microbes as Environmental Problem-Solvers

[02:53–07:23]

• Microbial Treasure Hunt: Ari Daniel proposes, “What if solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, like climate change, cleaning up hazardous waste, and growing crops in hostile environments, could be found inside some of the smallest creatures on Earth?” (02:57)
• Microbes' Superpowers: Braden Tierney (Harvard Medical School) calls them “nature’s alchemists... capable of taking just about any chemical and turning it into something else to survive.” (04:54)
• The Two Frontiers Project: Tierney and Henriksen co-founded this nonprofit to search for microbes that can help with carbon capture, coral reef health, and agriculture. They travel globally—to the Red Sea, Mojave Desert, Colorado springs, and even volcanic vents off Sicily—in search of unique species.
• Chonkus the Super Microbe: One volcanic vent sample yielded a microbe nicknamed “Chonkus.” As Tierney explains, “To put it very simply, it grows fast and it sinks.” (06:24) Its rapid growth and efficient CO2 absorption makes it a promising candidate for future carbon sequestration technologies.
• Diversity of Solutions: “We’ve already isolated microbes with a wide range of physiologies that are similarly unique and useful.” (07:02) Some fix carbon; others produce antibiotics that could help save coral reefs.

3. Microbe Prospecting in Unexpected Places—Our Homes

[07:23–09:49]

• Turning to Domestic Microbes: After scouring exotic locations, the team realizes homes are also microbe havens. “You run into slimes and goobs everywhere in my profession,” says Chris Bure, referencing maintenance jobs and the discovery of microbial sludge in pipes. (07:48)
• The Showerhead Tentacle Incident: A paper on “slimy tentacles that kept growing back out of their shower head” launches a new project focus: collecting domestic sludge for study. “Horrifying for the person and hilarious for the scientists.” (08:31)
• Potential Silver Lining: Not all household sludge is bad. Microbes living in hostile spots like water heaters and dishwashers may have evolved unique carbon capture abilities that could inform environmental tech.
• Community Science: Rebecca Espinosa, a Loveland, CO, resident, allows the team to collect samples from her house. “It looks really gross, but to a microbiologist, it’s very exciting.” (10:12)
• Public Participation: The project received over 70 home samples (“curious snots and brews”) from volunteers before wrapping up.

4. Scientific & Practical Challenges to Microbial Solutions

[10:44–12:20]

• Technological Hurdles: Lisa Stein (University of Alberta) notes that researchers have searched for helpful microbes for decades, but scaling up to industry is tough. “Can we get their processes into a system that’s economically competitive, that we can scale and deploy?” (10:49)
• Innovation in Homes: Stein adds she’s never seen a citizen science project target domestic plumbing like this—calling it “pretty innovative.” (11:18)
• Realistic Expectations: Ari Daniel stresses, “The best way to bring down CO2 level probably won’t be found in your shower head, but rather by reducing emissions.”
• Microbial Innovation Takes Time: Doug Edmondson warns, “We have to be focused on things that can work in the real world, not just discovering organisms that are interesting for their own sake.” (12:04)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Surprising Sources of Innovation:

  • “Sometimes it’s not chemistry that’s forming that rust, it’s biology. An entire world of unexplored and undiscovered microbes.” — Doug Edmondson (01:52)
  • “Microbes are nature’s alchemists, so they are capable of taking just about any chemical and turning it into something else to survive.” — Braden Tierney (04:54)
  • “It looks really gross, but to a microbiologist, it’s very exciting.” — Braden Tierney (10:12)

• On Citizen-Science:

  • “Kudos to them for having that idea. Like, not all heroes wear capes, and they could be living in our houses.” — Emily Kwong (11:18)

• On Caveats and Real World Impact:

  • “The best way to bring down CO2 level probably won’t be found in your shower head, but rather by reducing emissions, the largest of which remains transportation.” — Ari Daniel (11:35)
  • “We have to be focused on things that can work in the real world, not just discovering organisms that are interesting for their own sake.” — Doug Edmondson (12:04)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:33] – Introduction to Iron Spring and rust as a habitat
• [01:52] – Rust as biological, not just chemical, phenomenon
• [02:57] – Framing the episode’s “treasure hunt” for useful microbes
• [04:54] – Microbes described as “nature’s alchemists”
• [06:24–06:56] – Introduction of “Chonkus,” the CO2-sinking microbe
• [07:23–09:49] – Microbial prospecting moves into homes; showerhead sludge stories
• [10:12] – Sampling household sludge
• [10:49, 11:18] – Challenges scaling microbial solutions; citizen science praised
• [12:04] – Importance of real-world viability for microbial tech

Episode Tone & Style

Short Wave delivers science with a friendly, curious, and occasionally humorous approach. Emily Kwong’s and Ari Daniel’s banter keeps the episode lively and accessible, emphasizing that science is happening everywhere—even in our own pipes and drains. Listeners are encouraged to see microbes not as gross hazards, but as potential heroes in the fight against climate change.

For more details, and to get involved or find related episodes, check the show notes linked in the podcast.