What crosses the line?

Kicking off with a real-world nerve-agent assassination, this episode takes a closer look at the cell membrane—the thin, dynamic boundary that keeps a cell intact without shutting it off from the world.

We explore how phospholipids, cholesterol, and proteins work together to create a structure that's both flexible and remarkably resilient.

Hosted by Michael McNeil.

Cover art: “Transfer RNA and Gag Protein, 2021” by David S. Goodsell, Scripps Research and RCSB Protein Data Bank. doi: 10.2210/rcsb_pdb/goodsell-gallery-037

Follow Curiosity on Instagram (www.instagram.com/newwaytowonder) and YouTube (youtube.com/@curiosityeducation), and share your thoughts and burning science questions with our host by emailing contact@mdmcneil.com.

0:00 - Introduction

3:52 - Where Does the Cell Begin?

8:06 - A Boundary Under Pressure

14:51 - Phospholipids and the Bilayer

21:00 - Cholesterol and Membrane Fluidity

26:22 - Adapting to Heat and Cold

35:51 - Membrane Proteins

41:45 - The Fluid Mosaic

What's it like to dive into a cell? In Part 2 of our exploration of eukaryotes, we get up close and personal.

Hosted by Michael McNeil.

Guest voices: Tiffany Aleman, Deja Fleming, Adrianna Graulau, Josee Ishimwe, Grace Odondi, and Jordan Reid.

Cover art: "Chloroplast, 2011" by David S. Goodsell. doi: 10.2210/rcsb_pdb/goodsell-gallery-010

To explore the cell even more, check out the work of the Allen Institute at https://alleninstitute.org/division/cell-science/. View David Goodsell's illustrations at https://pdb101.rcsb.org/sci-art/goodsell-gallery.

Follow Curiosity on Instagram (www.instagram.com/newwaytowonder) and YouTube (youtube.com/@curiosityeducation) and share your thoughts and burning science questions with our host by emailing contact@mdmcneil.com.

0:00 - Part 0: Introduction

1:14 - Part 1: The Nucleus, Nucleolus, and Nuclear Bodies

5:28 - Part 2: Ribosomes and Ribosome Biogenesis

8:26 - Part 3: The Endomembrane System (Endoplasmic Reticula, Golgi Bodies, Lysosomes, Vesicles, and Vacuoles)

31:22 - Part 4: The Cytoskeleton (Microtubules, Microfilaments, Intermediate Filaments, Centrosomes, and Transport Proteins)

46:15 - Part 5: Peroxisomes and Reactive Oxygen Species

48:53 - Part 6: Chloroplasts, Mitochondria, and the Endosymbiotic Theory

Welcome to Curiosity Minisodes—where we tackle high-order questions from high-yield topics in 10 minutes or less.

Today, we’re exploring a few features of the four classes of biomolecules.

Hosted by Michael McNeil.

Follow Curiosity on Instagram (www.instagram.com/newwaytowonder) and YouTube (youtube.com/@curiosityeducation) and share your thoughts and burning science questions with our host by emailing contact@mdmcneil.com.