Volcanoes. Trees. Drunk butterflies. Mars missions. Slug sex. Death. Beauty standards. Anxiety busters. Beer science. Bee drama. Take away a pocket full of science knowledge and charming, bizarre stories about what fuels these professional -ologists' obsessions. Humorist and science correspondent Alie Ward asks smart people stupid questions and the answers might change your life.
Pomology (APPLES) with Susan K. Brown
Green, yellow, striped, red, shiny, russet. Tart, sweet, sour, crunchy. Big, small, wild, heirloom, cultivated. How will you like them apples? Very much, once you hear all about the fascinating backstory of how an apple got into your lunch with one of the world’s finest pomologists and geneticists, the incredibly knowledgeable and charming Dr. Susan K. Brown, a professor at Cornell University's AgriTech division. Fill your baskets with apple picking tips, genetic mash ups, taste test requirements, DNA trivia, compost treasures, maggot babies, the animal dung that changed history, how to have your own orchard, the sweet taste of science redemption, the loudest apple crunch on record, and what you’re actually tasting when you enjoy this feat of breeding. You’ll forever appreciate this everyday fruit.
View Dr. Susan K. Brown’s publications on ResearchGate
Visit websites for apples developed by Dr. Brown: RubyFrost and SnapDragon
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More episode sources and links
Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes
Other episodes you may enjoy: SPOOKTOBER episodes, Ciderology (DELICIOUS APPLE BEVERAGES), Cucurbitology (PUMPKINS), Dendrology (TREES), Gustology (TASTE), Benthopelagic Nematology (DEEP SEA WORMS), Food Anthropology (FEASTS), Indigenous Cuisinology (NATIVE FOODS), Black American Magirology (FOOD, RACE & CULTURE)
Transcripts and bleeped episodes
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Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions
Transcripts by Emily White of The Wordary
Website by Kelly R. Dwyer
Theme song by Nick Thorburn