What do swamps have to do with Will O’ The Wisps — and why are they some of the most important ecosystems on Earth?

In Part 2 of our Will O’ The Wisp series, Lauren and PJ shift from folklore to the fascinating science of swamps. We explore how swamps form, what makes them unique ecosystems, and why anaerobic decay plays a critical role in producing the gases historically linked to mysterious glowing lights.

Along the way, we break down wetland ecology, decomposition without oxygen, methane production, and why these often-overlooked environments are vital for biodiversity, flood control, and climate regulation.

Plus, PJ debuts an original parody song, “Anaerobic Decay,” a science-themed twist inspired by “Party in the CIA” by Weird Al (which itself parodies “Party in the USA." Its like, Inception or something). It’s educational. It’s ecological. It’s unexpectedly catchy.

If you’ve ever wondered what’s really happening beneath the surface of a swamp — this episode gets into the mud.

#WillOTheWisp

#SwampScience

#WetlandEcology

#AnaerobicDecay

#SciencePodcast

#EducationalPodcast

#EnvironmentalScience

What is a Will O’ The Wisps — folklore, illusion, or explainable science?

In this episode, Lauren and PJ explore the history, mythology, and scientific explanations behind the mysterious lights known as Will O’ The Wisps. We break down where the legends came from, why people across cultures reported seeing them, and how modern science explains the phenomenon through chemistry, environmental conditions, and human perception.

Before diving into the main topic, PJ shares a quick story about his recent cruise to the Bahamas — which, despite expectations, took place during some of the coldest weather the islands have ever experienced, because his luck is well… unfortunately consistent.

In this episode, we try to separate myth from reality so you can decide if its a paranormal phenomenon or something with a perfectly good scientific explanation.

#WillOTheWisp

#Science

#Folklore

#STEM

The glow-up continues.

In Part 2 of our bioluminescence series, Lauren and PJ Do Science dive into the weird, wonderful, and sometimes downright adorable creatures that produce their own light. From the deep sea to the forest floor, we explore how and why animals glow, what bioluminescence is used for in the wild, and why evolution keeps reaching for light as a solution.

This episode also features the premiere of “Luminating,” an original song inspired by bioluminescence — because sometimes the best way to understand science is to sing about it.

If you like science that’s curious, cozy, a little musical, and very glowy, this one’s for you.

#Bioluminescence

#SciencePodcast

#Biology

#NatureScience

#STEM

Why do jellyfish glow? How do fireflies light up the night? And what exactly is happening at the molecular level when organisms make their own light?

In this episode of Lauren and PJ Do Science, we kick off our glow-up era with Part 1 of a deep dive into bioluminescence — the chemistry, biology, and evolutionary “why” behind one of nature’s coolest party tricks. We talk about luciferins, luciferase, energy transfer, and why glowing can be a survival strategy rather than just a flex. We also discover that Lauren may or may not have a slight obsession with Nicolas Cage.

This is the first half of our bioluminescence series, setting the stage for how light-producing biology shows up in the ocean, on land, and in modern science and medicine.

✨ Bonus: Check out the companion playlist for this episode — songs that glow, shimmer, and scientifically radiate the right vibe while you listen or study.
🎧 Companion Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/03GHaqZRuSwXf4AgvZwghM?si=2lKDSdqPSgu_tKb0VHJJAA

#Bioluminescence#SciencePodcast

#Biology

#STEM

#ScienceExplained

In this episode Lauren talks about the American Geophysical Union conference held down in New Orleans.

The American Geophysical Union (AGU) is a 501(c) nonprofit organization of Earth, atmospheric ocean, hydrologic, space, and planetary scientists and enthusiasts. For more information, visit ⁠https://www.agu.org/

Don't forget to like, comment and subscribe so you can be notified of new episodes!

In this most righteous episode, Lauren and PJ get severely sidetracked, PJ shares his desire to be one of the X-Men, Star Wars is or is not a documentary... oh and they also talk more about mRNA and its applications (once they finally focus).

Lauren tells us about a great piece by hbomber guy about vaccines and austim on YouTube https://youtu.be/8BIcAZxFfrc?si=U3eB_r2q5LmuGSMi (Spotify link below as well)

PJ also premiers the song he wrote called "Everybody Wants to Code the Gene"

Don't forget to subscribe and comment! We're starting a listener mailbag so if you've got questions about the episode, send them along in the comment section or laurenandpjdoscience@gmail.com and maybe we'll answer yours on air!

Its here! Its finally here! The long awaited first episode of Lauren and PJ Do Science!

In this first series, we tackle something that has been something of a hot and controversial topic these last few years, mRNA.

This episode is the first building block in explaining mRNA but to understand how mRNA works and its many functions and uses, we first need to learn how all those protein, amino acids, and other big fancy science words that PJ can't pronounce or spell, build DNA.

As promised, the setlist we're building: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3smaVXKS6sDHrBSnXKtfeq?si=4ax4ddfJQ-SM5QZs1YyypQ

If there's anything you think we should add, let us know in the comments.

Also, we're new! We're very much growing, and we need your help. Like, comment, subscribe, tell your friends, families, coworkers, everyone you can think of and don't forget shower guy over on Tik Tok, @showerguyadvice.

It would appear introductions are in order. After all, it would be most rude of us to continue without you knowing who we were. This episode you'll learn and little more about your hosts, Lauren and PJ, as well as Shower Guy as we embark on this bold new endeavor of podcasting.

Let us know who you are and where you're from in the comments!