Call off the search for the new kale: we’ve found it, and it’s called kelp! In this episode of Gastropod, we explore the science behind the new wave of seaweed farms springing up off the New England coast, and discover seaweed’s starring role in the peopling of the Americas.
The story of seaweed will take us from a medicine hut in southern Chile to a high-t ... Show More
Jul 21
Where There's Smoke, There's...Whiskey, Fish, and Barbecue!
As anyone who’s spent time by a crackling campfire or a barbecue pit can attest, the scent of smoke is unmistakable—and surprisingly mysterious. Smoke clings to clothing but vanishes in the breeze. You see it, but you can’t hold it. It’s fantastic in whiskey and terrible in toast ... Show More
51m 5s
Jun 23
Bringing Home the Bacon: From Shakespeare to the Baconator
For many Americans, bacon is an essential element of the perfect breakfast—not to mention a welcome addition to everything from cheeseburgers to doughnuts. But bacon hasn't always been beloved. Ancient Egyptians elites looked down on pork, Judaism and Islam banned it entirely, an ... Show More
48m 10s
Jun 2023
An unexpected forest in the ocean
Salomé Buglass discovered an unexpected kelp forest while studying underwater mountains in the Galapagos. Kelp—a type of seaweed—usually grows in shallower, cooler areas. So why was an entire kelp forest growing in these deeper, tropical waters? Today on the show, Salomé talks to ... Show More
12m 16s
Jul 2024
Why You Might Be Eating More Seaweed in the Future
To hear proponents talk about it, seaweed could solve a whole lot of problems. It could feed people, restore polluted habitats and be an economic boost for fishermen. Though seaweed aquaculture has grown in the U.S. in recent years, the country produced less than 1% of the global ... Show More
15m 10s
Sep 2021
Is Africa ready for a seaweed revolution?
What’s not to like about seaweed? It’s nutritious, good for the environment, and – as it turns out – surprisingly profitable. Farmers say this could be the crop of the future, and that seaweed farms could soon become a feature of Africa’s vast coastline. So, what’s holding them b ... Show More
12m 59s
Jun 2025
Macrophycology (SEAWEED) with Patrick Martone, Charles Yarish, Danielle McHaskell, Angela Jones, and Becky Swerida
<p>Moonlit seaweeds. Dreamy underwater forests. Mounds of beach debris. Not plants. Let’s talk about where seaweed grows and whether or not it will save us all. Macrophycology means “big-ass algae” so let’s join five dazzling seaweed enthusiasts: guest-in-chief Dr. Patrick Marton ... Show More
1h 30m
<p>Nels and Vincent explain how deep genomics of macroalgae illuminate multiple paths to aquatic, photosynthetic multicellularity.</p> <p>Hosts: <a href="http://cellvolution.org/">Nels Elde</a> and <a href= "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_Racaniello">Vincent Racaniello</a>< ... Show More