Episode 47: μ: Better Polystyrene Recycling

What do a ruby, a transistor, a blue LED, and a quantum sensor have in common? They all work because of point defects. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the point defect, we sit down with Dr. Mike Scarpulla, a professor at the University of Utah and co-editor of a special MRS ...  Show more

Aluminum may seem like a common metal today, but did you know it was once considered on par with silver? Taylor and Andrew sit down with Marat Latypov, a professor at the University of Arizona, to explore how aluminum went from a precious metal to one of the go-to metals of moder ...  Show more

Recycling hasn't been the magical answer to the plastic waste problem. But new technologies and new materials might just change that. We talk to scientists who are developing new plastics, designers who are reimagining products for recyclability, and innovators who are out to red ...  Show more

How do you invent a new material? On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Gary O’Reilly, and Chuck Nice discuss the science of invention, biomimicry, and answer cosmic queries about materials science from our patrons with professor Dr. Jud Ready. 

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With plastic production set to double by 2050, immediate action is needed to address plastic waste pollution and the inefficiencies of existing recycling systems. Chemical recycling could help process lower-grade feedstocks, significantly upping the amount of plastic that can be ...  Show more