Tiny Matters

We tend to think of space as vast and mostly empty, yet the region just above Earth is far from it. In this episode, we explore the surprising congestion of low Earth orbit, where tens of thousands of satellites and millions of pieces of debris are hurtling around at incredible speeds. From a major satellite collision in 2009 to the looming threat of the Kessler Effect — where Earth’s orbit becomes so densely packed that collisions set off an unstoppable chain reaction — we unpack how even tiny fragments can cause massive damage to spacecraft, disrupt critical services, and potentially put astronauts and even us Earth dwellers at risk. We talk with scientists about creative solutions that could help tackle this growing problem, including space lasers, and we ask an important question: who is responsible for keeping space clean?
Check out American Medieval here or wherever you listen to podcasts!
A transcript and references for this episode can be found at acs.org/tinymatters.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we unpack a tragic NASA accident in 1981 when technicians, preparing for the maiden voyage of Space Shuttle Columbia, were accidentally poisoned by nitrogen gas. Then guest Mischa Stanton takes us deep inside the human ear. We talk about how vibrations turn into thoughts via the cochlea and basilar membrane and dive into the fascinating world of logarithmic perception.
Find Mischa at mischastanton.com.
We need your stories — they're what make these bonus episodes possible! Write in to tinymatters@acs.org *or fill out this form* with your favorite science fact or science news story for a chance to be featured.
A transcript and references for this episode can be found at acs.org/tinymatters.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you want to cut through all the noise from viral health trends to DIY medicine hacks you see on social media, check out the all new Health vs Hype podcast from the American Medical Association. It explains what’s actually real, what’s risky, and what’s backed by science. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

When Artemis II lifted off this past April, marking humanity’s return to the Moon, people across the world were captivated. It was a triumph decades in the making, but also shaped by painful loss. In this episode of Tiny Matters, we trace the legacy of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster on its 40th anniversary, unpacking what went wrong both scientifically and organizationally, and how the event necessarily helped reshape NASA’s safety culture. We hear firsthand from astronaut Terry Hart, who flew on Challenger less than two years before the accident, and from NASA’s acting Chief of Safety and Mission Assurance, Nathan Vassberg, about how Challenger — and later, Columbia — reshaped the way NASA thinks about risk, and how those lessons were applied to Artemis II. We also hear from Vanessa Bentley, professor of applied ethics who teaches a course dissecting the conflict between managers and engineers that led to the tragedy.
Send us your science facts, news, or other stories for a chance to be featured on an upcoming Tiny Show and Tell Us bonus episode. And, while you're at it, subscribe to our newsletter!
All Tiny Matters transcripts and references are available here.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you want to cut through all the noise from viral health trends to DIY medicine hacks you see on social media, check out the all new Health vs Hype podcast from the American Medical Association. It explains what’s actually real, what’s risky, and what’s backed by science. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.