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Madison Science Mystery Tour

Madison Science Mystery Tour

Written by: WSUM
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On Madison Science Mystery Tour, host Nalina Cherr invites researchers into her spaceship and asks them about what they’d most like to talk about. From the history of animal testing to the riveting details of life as a lab technician, this show offers an insider perspective on campus research, the context needed to understand it, and a dash of good-natured humor and nerdy curiosity.© 2026 WSUM Science
Episodes
  • Bees with Celeste Mezera
    Apr 21 2026

    Research specialist Celeste Mezera wears many hats. Like a beekeeping hat. Or a cute crocheted strawberry. She’s also worked in outreach, and currently works at the Wisconsin Energy Institute, where she keeps a lab running day to day.


    The paper and graphics discussed in this episode are linked here.

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    38 mins
  • Isobutanol and Biofuel with Sam Davison
    Mar 17 2026

    Third year PhD student Sam Davison studies isobutanol, a jet-grade fuel fermented by the same yeast that puts the bubbles in bread and the ethanol in wine. This episode is perfectly on topic as we discuss brewing, gorillas, ocean acidification, and Pokémon.


    To read more about Sam Davison’s work, and the work of other researchers at the Wisconsin Energy Institute, visit the WEI website. His gorilla paper is linked here.


    P.S.: There’s some confusion in this episode about the term “bird focal.” Turns out it probably refers to the practice of choosing bird species representative of the overall ecosystem. Read more about it here.

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    31 mins
  • Mind, Brain, and Education with Edward Hubbard
    Feb 22 2026

    Greetings from the past! This interview with professor and researcher Edward Hubbard was recorded last year, but busting neuromyths is always relevant. Edward works at the intersection of neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and educational policy. He came into the studio with plenty of stories about phonics and hamburgers and even taught me fraction division off the cuff.


    More reading on the topics discussed and information on Professor Hubbard’s labs can be found here.

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    37 mins
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