logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2023
22m 17s

The Hidden Histories of Plant Science

Tumble Media
About this episode

A Black botanist is on a mission to discover the hidden stories of Black plant scientists throughout history. Shawn Abrahams shares how Black people are responsible for vanilla cupcakes, and the microscopes you use in science class! Plus, hear how Shawn started their own journey to becoming a botanist and historian, with the help of Wikipedia.

Hear more stories from Black scientists featured on Tumble! Check out our blog post for a list of episodes.

Learn more about how Shawn became a botanist on our bonus interview episode, available to Patrons who pledge $1/month on Patreon.com/tumblepodcast.

Dig deeper into the stories of Black botanists on the blog on our website at sciencepodcastforkids.com.

Want to hear science stories in Spanish? Listen to our Spanish show, Tumble en Español! Hosted by Nuria Net and Alvaro Ramos.

Up next
Jun 27
The Volcanic Eruption Adventure
Would you fly to the top of a volcano that’s about to erupt at any moment? Volcanologist Helena Buurman did, and survived to tell the tale! In 2008, Helena was monitoring Mount Redoubt in Alaska, when the ground beneath the volcano began to shake. What follows is a tale of volcan ... Show More
19m 34s
Jun 6
The Plastic Pollution Patrol
What if you found out that there was a tiny, nearly invisible type of plastic pollution that’s found nearly everywhere… but you’d never heard of it! That’s what happened to environmental scientist Jace Tunnell several years ago, and he’s been on a great nurdle hunt ever since! Th ... Show More
21 m
May 23
Did Dinosaurs Burp?
To support the Tumble Joke-ha-thon and win awesome prizes, go here! “Did dinosaurs burp?” Tune into our Season 9 premiere to find out the answer to this stinky question. We’ll hear about dino gasses from returning guest Jessica Whiteside and their potential ecological impact from ... Show More
26m 8s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2023
Honoring The 'Hidden Figures' Of Black Gardening
When Abra Lee became the landscape manager at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, she sought some advice about how to best do the job. The answer: study the history of gardening. That led to her uncovering how Black involvement in horticulture in the U.S. bursts wit ... Show More
14m 48s
Feb 2022
Tracing A Fraught And Amazing History Of American Horticulture
When Abra Lee became the landscape manager at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, she sought some advice about how to best do the job. The answer: study the history of gardening. That led to her uncovering how Black involvement in horticulture in the U.S. bursts wit ... Show More
14m 48s
Aug 2022
Story Collider En Español: Historias científicas en español
En el episodio de esta semana, nuestros dos narradores comparten historias reales y personales sobre la ciencia en español. Parte 1: Ro Moran nos cuenta de un tiempo cuando él se hizo cargo de la vida de un animal y los corazones de sus compañeros de clase. Parte 2: En su primer ... Show More
35m 19s
May 2019
Rosalyn LaPier, "Invisible Reality: Storytellers, Storytakers, and the Supernatural World of the Blackfeet" (U Nebraska Press, 2017)
In Invisible Reality: Storytellers, Storytakers, and the Supernatural World of the Blackfeet(University of Nebraska Press, 2017), author Rosalyn LaPier, an associate professor in environmental studies at the University of Montana, complicates several narratives about Native peopl ... Show More
58m 49s
Jan 2024
Stories, Science and Secrets Interview
We talk to our friends Matthew and Elaine Sweetapple, the Creators of Lost on Infinity by Rockford's Rock Opera, and we play the first episode of their story which now features in their Stories, Science and Secrets Podcast. The musical story of a dog called Rockford who travels t ... Show More
16m 53s
Sep 2022
Terrestrials: The Mastermind
Lulu Miller, intrepid host and fearless mother of two, went off on her own and put together a little something for kids. All kids: hers, yours, and the one still living inside us all.  Radiolab for Kids Presents: Terrestrials And it’s spellbinding. So much so, that we wanted to p ... Show More
29m 46s
Mar 2023
Road Not Taken: Stories about what could have been
In science it’s completely normal to wonder what would happen if you altered one variable or another – that’s what you do when you test a hypothesis – but when it comes to the choices we make in our lives, there will always be unanswered questions. In this week’s episode, both ou ... Show More
30m 15s
Feb 2024
Black History Month: Tales of Triumph and Courage
Ready to continue the journey through the culture and inspiring stories of the Black community? 🌍 In this episode of Stories for Kids, you will hear the fascinating tales of Byron Scott, a basketball star 🏀, Jessica Nabongo, a globe-trotting adventurer ✈️, and Corina Newsome, a ... Show More
10m 9s
Feb 2021
Bonus Episode: In Conversation: Reframing Black History and Culture
For the past year, Overheard has explored the journeys of photographers and scientists who are focusing a new lens on history. National Geographic presents In Conversation, a special podcast episode featuring explorer Tara Roberts, computer scientist Gloria Washington, and photog ... Show More
42m 25s