Podcast
Whimsical Wavelengths - A Science Podcast
Hosted by Volcanologist & Geophysicist: Jeffrey Mark Zurek, PhD, PGeo | Science Communicator · EN
Winner of the 2026 Science Podcast of the Year (American Writing Awards) and the 2026 PopCon Podcast Award for Science and Technology, Whimsical Wavelengths is a science podcast hosted by volcanologist Dr. Jeffrey Zurek dedicated to the "how" and "why" of discovery.
Eschewing the trend of bite-sized science, the show offers a deep, honest look at how science actually works, focusing on messy data, imperfect models, and the human personalities behind the research. From geophysics and planetary discovery to the history of scientific paradoxes, the focus is always on the process: how evidence is gathered, how ideas evolve over centuries, and why uncertainty is a fundamental feature of science rather than a flaw.
Because science is conducted by people, Whimsical Wavelengths does not ignore the human element. I weave together mathematical rigor and historical context with reflections on the realities of building a scientific career and what it truly means to belong in STEM. Whether it is a solo narrative exploration or a conversation with a working researcher, the goal is clarity without oversimplification.
The tone is thoughtful and curious, anchored by real-world field experience and the occasional groan-worthy dad joke, because while the science is serious, the pursuit of it is a human adventure. This is for listeners who want to understand the machinery of the natural world and the people who spend their lives trying to take it apart.
New episodes are released every two weeks.
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19episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Chemical Language of Black Widows: Pheromones and Deception in Spider Silk
Mar 1600:50:49Tap to summarizeThe Western Black Widow (Latrodectus hesperus) is a master of invisible chemistry. 2026 Science Podcast of the Year winner Dr. Jeffrey Zurek joins Dr. Andy Fisher (Greifswald University) to untangle the chemical love letters hidden in spider silk.We explore how "virtually blind" predators use smell & electrostatic charges to communicate. Discover the "stinky cheese" pheromone, why males destroy female webs during courtship, and the scandalous truth about "cheating" widows who lie about their age and fitness to attract a mate.Topics CoveredPodcast of the Year: Celebrating 2026 American Writing Awards win.Chemical Languages: How smell and taste dominate the "dark taxa."Explore the sausage-making of science, & how chemical ecology replaces toxic pesticidesThe "Gym Sock" Signal: Identifying butyric acid in widow websHonest vs. Deceptive Signals: How starved spiders "cheat" the systemNew Anatomy: Hot-off-the-press research on how spiders smell with their legs.Chapters(00:00) 2026 Podcast of the Year!(01:05) Warning: Arachnophobia(03:30) Guest: Dr. Andy Fisher(05:55) How Spiders "See" with 8 Eyes(08:50) Electrostatic Communication(12:35) Pest Management vs. Pesticides(14:35) The Western Black Widow(17:00) Field Work: How Not to Get Bitten(22:30) Web Chemistry: Stinky Pheromones(25:45) Why Males Destroy the Web(29:50) The Metabolic Cost of Love(33:15) Deception: The Cheating Widow(38:10) Mass Spec: Smashing Chemical Legos(41:40) Seasonality of Sex Signals(44:55) Sub-Social Web Sharing(48:20) Black Widow Science JokeLinksAnimal Metabolomics & Ecology LabPapers: Starving Female Spiders Pheromone Abundance StudyWeb: WhimsicalWavelengths.comSupport: PateronSocials: Bluesky | Instagram | FacebookWhimsical Wavelengths: Deep-dive conversations where a working scientist unpacks how we know what we know, one paper, one idea, or whimsical detour at a time. Hosted by Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo).
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The Artificial Geologist: Using Machine Learning & Neural Networks to Find Gold
Mar 200:37:13Tap to summarizeThe "motherlode" is just a model away. In this episode, Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo) bridges between the classroom & the boardroom with colleague & data scientist Frederick Jackson from Computational Geosciences Inc. Together, they explore how machine learning (ML) & artificial intelligence are revolutionizing mineral exploration.We dig into the expensive reality of drilling—where a single hole can cost over $100k—& how neural networks act as an "artificial geologist" to find patterns in massive "data cubes." From the Yilgarn Craton of Western Australia to the surprising links between finding gold, & detecting brain tumors, this episode proves that while the intelligence might be artificial, the discovery is real.Topics CoveredThe Business of Discovery: How science functions in the corporate world & the real-world consequences of being wrong.Drilling by the Numbers: Why de-risking drill holes is the primary driver for AI in mining.The Data Cube: Integrating geophysics, radiometrics, etc., to build "geological ChatGPT."Neural Networks 101: Moving beyond simple regressions to non-linear, brain-inspired algorithms.Prospectivity & Policy: How heat maps help inform land-use decisions .Bioacoustics: Whimsical detour to tracking whales for conservation using the same ML technology.Episode Chapters(00:00) Intro: Geology Meets Algorithms(02:05) The High Cost of Drilling: Why We Need Models(04:35) Frederick Jackson Spinosaurus to Data Science(07:50) Industry vs Academia: The Cost of Being Wrong(10:10) The SEG Paper: Gold Prospectivity in Australia(11:50) AI Hallucinations in Geophysics Managing Risk(15:15) Building the Data Cube: Features vs. Labels(19:35) Garbage In, Garbage Out: AI Pitfalls (21:20) Neural Networks: an "Artificial Geologist"(25:10) Results: Heat Maps and 2D De-risking(30:45) Beyond Minerals: Tracking Mosquitoes & Brain Tumors(32:45) Bioacoustics: Citizen Science & Whales(34:30) The infamous Science JokeLinks & ResourcesCitizen Science: Orca SoundSupport: PateronSocials: Bluesky | Instagram | FacebookWhimsical Wavelengths: Deep-dive conversations where a working scientist unpacks how we know what we know, one paper, one idea, or whimsical detour at a time. Hosted by Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo).
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The Science Behind Lunar Permanently Shadowed Regions: Ice and Resources for Future Missions
Feb 1600:57:42Tap to summarizeWhat if the coldest, darkest craters on the Moon are quietly storing a record of solar system history and the resources that could power future exploration?In this episode, we dive into the science of lunar permanently shadowed regions (PSRs): craters near the Moon’s poles that sunlight hasn’t touched for potentially billions of years. Dr. Jeffrey Zurek is joined by Dr. Katlyn (Caitlin) Ahrens (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center) to unpack what PSRs are, how volatile molecules migrate and freeze there, and why these ultra-cold environments are targets for future missions.We explore how the Moon’s 1.5-degree axial tilt creates shadowed traps, what the lunar exosphere means for molecule transport, and how researchers balance “easy mode” science with high-risk, high-reward targets. It also illuminates why some of the most exciting discoveries happen in places sunlight never reaches.Topics CoveredPSRs & Cold Trapping: Why sunlight hasn't touched these poles for billions of years.Lunar Exosphere: Surface processes and molecule migration.Mission Logistics: The hurdles of "Pluto-cold" sample return and CLPS landers.Geotechnical Risks: Moon-slides, virtual lava tubes, and soil mechanics.STEM Outreach: The impact of FIRST Lego League.Episode Chapters(00:00) Intro: The Riddle of Lunar Darkness(01:51) The Physics of 1.5° Axial Tilt & PSRs(04:04) Meet Dr. Katlyn Ahrens (NASA Goddard)(09:33) The Lunar Exosphere vs. Atmosphere(15:30) Diverse Volatiles: Water, Methane, & CO2(22:38) Logistical Challenges: Cold Sample Return(26:18) Double PSRs: Craters within Craters(34:14) VIPER Rover & The Future of Lunar Mining(41:14) Flour & Dust: Lunar Soil Mechanics(46:40) Moonslides & Virtual Lava Tubes(49:50) STEM Outreach: FIRST Lego League(55:08) The Infamous Science JokeLinks & ResourcesFeatured Paper: Diverse lunar polar permanently shadowed regions and environmental metrics for site planning decision making. FIRST Lego LeagueSupport: PateronSocials: Bluesky | Instagram | FacebookWhimsical Wavelengths: Deep-dive conversations where a working scientist unpacks how we know what we know, one paper, one idea, or whimsical detour at a time. Hosted by Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo).
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From Canada’s Largest Landslide to Modern Flood Hazards: Mt. Meager’s Volcano‑Driven Sediment Story
Feb 201:02:02Tap to summarizeMount Meager last erupted 2,400 years ago, but today the hazard is the mountain literally falling apart. In this episode, Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo) moves downstream with environmental professional Veronica Woodruff to unpack the legacy of the Capricorn Creek landslide—Canada's largest recorded mass wasting event.We explore how 40km of 1940s diking in the Pemberton Valley has complicated modern flood risks, the physics of river aggradation, and why Engineered Log Jams (ELJs) are a vital green-infrastructure solution for stabilizing massive sediment loads. This conversation highlights how community resilience, reforestation (380k trees), and proactive investment can change environmental outcomes before the next high-flow event.Chapters(00:00) Intro: Shifting Focus to Resilience(01:51) Mount Meager & The 2010 Landslide(05:13) What is an "Environmental Professional"?(09:50) The Science of Grants & Funding(13:20) The Lillooet River Watershed(15:45) 1940s Engineering: Straightening the River(18:42) Eyewitnesses & 50M m3 of Debris(23:08) River Evolution: Meanders & Braided Streams(25:45) Aggradation: Why the Riverbed is Rising(29:25) Diking Dilemmas & Seismic Regulations(32:30) Real-time Data: The Rain-to-Town Dashboard(38:00) Volcanic Reforestation & Habitat(44:30) Engineered Log Jams: 92 Jams to Save a Watershed(51:00) Proactive vs. Reactive Spending in Canada(57:22) Blind Drunk: Alcohol & Society(59:17) Science Joke: Flat Earth FearsLinks & ResourcesVeronica's book: "BLIND DRUNK A sober look at our boozy culture"Veronica & Glyn’s Whistler talkSupport: PateronSocials: Bluesky | Instagram | FacebookWhimsical Wavelengths: Deep-dive conversations where a working scientist unpacks how we know what we know, one paper, one idea, or whimsical detour at a time. Hosted by Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo).
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Mount Meager: Canada’s Most Dangerous Volcano? Cascadia, Landslides, and Hidden Risk
Jan 1900:48:50Tap to summarizeSummary Subduction zones don't carry passports, and the Cascade Volcanic Arc doesn't stop at the U.S.-Canada border. In this episode, Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo) welcomes his mentor Dr. Glyn Williams-Jones (Simon Fraser University) to discuss Canada’s most dangerous volcano: Mount Meager.We dig into the "detective story" of Meager’s last explosive eruption 2,400 years ago—an event that sent ash to Calgary and created a 110-meter-high volcanic dam. We explore the physics of block and ash flows, the "unzipping" of prehistoric dams leading to Jökulhlaups (outburst floods), and the current monitoring gaps on this restless massif. From InSAR satellite radar to the risk of "pulling the cork" on a magma chamber via massive landslides, this conversation illuminates the high-stakes world of Canadian volcanology.Topics CoveredThe 2,400 BP Eruption: Reconstructing the 20km ash column and Keyhole Falls.Columnar Jointing: Why "columns never lie" about the direction of volcanic cooling.Hydrothermal Alteration: How acidic fluids turn strong rock into unstable "garden clay."Mass Wasting: Analyzing the 2010 Capricorn Creek slide (53 million m³).Monitoring: The shift from tectonic monitoring to specialized volcano seismology.Chapters(00:00) Mentorship & Pedigrees(01:51) Backpacking vs. Geophysics(04:04) Dr. Glyn Williams-Jones(06:40) Why Meager is Dangerous(09:33) Explosion to Effusion(12:00) Volcanic Dams & Jökulhlaups(16:00) Physics of Cooling Joints(18:30) Future Hazard Forecasts(21:50) InSAR vs. Seismometers(25:50) The 2010 Slide(28:45) Turning Mountains to Clay(32:15) Can Landslides Trigger Eruptions?(34:50) Public Perception(41:40) Scientific Patience(45:40) Science JokeLinksBesure to check out the center for natural hazards at SFUFIRST Lego LeagueSupport: PateronSocials: Bluesky | Instagram | FacebookWhimsical Wavelengths: Deep-dive conversations where a working scientist unpacks how we know what we know, one paper, one idea, or whimsical detour at a time. Hosted by Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo).
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ENCORE Nikola Tesla- The man, the myth, the legend Pt1 - Back story and accomplishments
Jan 500:27:24Tap to summarizeNikola Tesla has been credited with large leaps forward like AC current and wireless transmission. Including things that are conspiratorial or not feasible like a death ray and limitless free power. Ya his legacy is complicated. So fire up the device and lets get going with this episode!Here is a demo for a Tesla Coil by me! :https://youtu.be/DQK1zZ87Gko?si=yw4C0AABspUCNTYsSome of the stuff I read to gather information. There was more but I forgot to write it down while doing my normal life.BooksMy inventions by Nikola TeslaWizard, the Life and Times of Nikola Tesla is a biography of Nikola Tesla by Marc J. Seifer published in 1996.Websites and Newspapershttps://www.pbs.org/tesla/ll/ll_early.htmlhttps://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/a44197280/did-the-us-government-steal-nikola-teslas-research/https://www.nytimes.com/1915/10/03/archives/nikola-tesla-sees-a-wireless-vision-thinks-his-world-system-will.html https://www.nytimes.com/1934/07/11/archives/tesla-at-78-bares-new-deathbeam-invention-powerful-enough-to.htmlLinks for Whimsical Wavelengths:Bluesky: @whimsicallambda.bsky.socialwww.facebook.com/WhimsicalWavelengthsinstagram: @whimsical.wavelengthsEmail: whimsical.wavelengths@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/WhimsicalWavelengths
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Wandering Stars: How We Found the Planets, Lost Pluto, and Learned How Science Really Works
Dec 2200:40:12Tap to summarizeBefore we looking forward to a new year of discovery, we have to know the past to understand the present. In this solo episode, Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo) takes a deviation from cutting-edge research to chronicle the history of the planets—from the "wandering stars" of antiquity to the mathematical hunt for Planet Nine.We explore how the Babylonians set the stage for modern astrology, the high-stakes heresy of the heliocentric model, and the "detective story" of Uranus and Neptune. Discover why the discovery of Neptune was once called a British "heist," how a bookkeeping error led to the discovery of Pluto, and why the search for a massive, unseen world in the Kuiper Belt is still a legitimate open question in orbital dynamics today. Topics CoveredThe Antiquity of Planets: How Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, & Saturn were viewed 3,000 years ago.The Heliocentric Divide: Clash between Aristotelian philosophers, Church, and observations of Galileo and Copernicus.The Parallax Problem: Breakdown of why early astronomers couldn't prove the Earth moved.Kepler’s Divine Geometry: How a "mystic" defined the three laws of planetary motion.The Neptune Controversy: The international scramble for prestige between Urbain Le Verrier and John Couch Adams.The Ghost of Planet X: From Percival Lowell’s errors to the 2006 demotion of Pluto & the modern hunt for Planet 9.Chapters(00:00) Holiday Housekeeping & New Year’s Resolutions(03:10) Why History Matters to Science(06:04) Babylonian Astronomy & The Zodiac Tradition(09:15) Wandering Stars vs. Worlds: Greek Perspective(10:45) Heliocentric Revolution: Copernicus & Galileo(14:15) Parallax: Measuring the Width of a Coin(18:42) Johannes Kepler: Mystic of Planetary Motion(22:01) Newton’s "Why": Unifying Gravity(24:00) Uranus: The First Discovered Planet(25:40) Neptune Heist: for International Prestige(31:00) Pluto & Planet X: Finding a Planet(34:30) Planet 9 & The Kuiper Belt(37:00) 2006: The Demotion of Pluto(38:30) Outro: Wandering Stars and the New YearLinks & ResourcesSupport: PateronSocials: Bluesky | Instagram | FacebookWhimsical Wavelengths: Deep-dive conversations where a working scientist unpacks how we know what we know, one paper, one idea, or whimsical detour at a time. Hosted by Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo).
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Dante's Peak Pt2 - ballistics, lava and earthquakes Oh my! with SFU's Volcanology Group
Oct 14, 2024Tap to summarizeWelcome back to the podcast that talks scientifically about disaster movies? Yes it has been two weeks so here is the next installment of Whimsical Wavelengths! This time we join some colleagues, from Simon Fraser University's Volcanology Group, to watch the best(?) volcano movie ever made by "Hollywood". Dante's Peak. James bond becomes a volcanologist.We tackle the science and the volcanic activity over beers. Learn about volcanic activity, a few stories from the field and a bit more about how decisions are made in a crisis. We use our own examples from volcanoes around world. There is even a Monty Python reference. What more could you want in an episode!Simon Fraser University's Volcanology Group: https://www.sfu.ca/volcanology.htmlIDBD for Dante's Peak: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118928/Links for Whimsical Wavelengths:www.facebook.com/WhimsicalWavelengthsinstagram: @whimsical.wavelengthsEmail: whimsical.wavelengths@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/WhimsicalWavelengths
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Dante's Peak Part 1 a Primer
Sep 30, 2024Tap to summarizeEpisode 2 is here! Setting up some background for hopefully understanding the discussion when a handful of fellow volcanologists watch Dante's Peak together! Yes that's right this is Whimsical Wavelengths where we over explain disaster movies! And attempt to show you igneous is bliss! Where Mt St Helens gets it's magma? What are the signs of a long dormant volcano becoming active? Ever wonder how a stereotypical volcanic crisis unfolds? Then you are in the right place!Links for Whimsical Wavelengths: www.facebook.com/WhimsicalWavelengths instagram: @whimsical.wavelengths Email: whimsical.wavelengths@gmail.comPatreon: patreon.com/WhimsicalWavelengths
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