The Western Black Widow (Latrodectus hesperus) is a master of invisible chemistry. 2026 Science Podcast of the Year winner Dr. Jeffrey Zurek joins Dr. Andy Fisher (Greifswald University) to untangle the chemical love letters hidden in spider silk.

We explore how "virtually blind" predators use smell & electrostatic charges to communicate. Discover the "stinky cheese" pheromone, why males destroy female webs during courtship, and the scandalous truth about "cheating" widows who lie about their age and fitness to attract a mate.

Topics Covered

• Podcast of the Year: Celebrating 2026 American Writing Awards win.
• Chemical Languages: How smell and taste dominate the "dark taxa."
• Explore the sausage-making of science, & how chemical ecology replaces toxic pesticides
• The "Gym Sock" Signal: Identifying butyric acid in widow webs
• Honest vs. Deceptive Signals: How starved spiders "cheat" the system
• New Anatomy: Hot-off-the-press research on how spiders smell with their legs.

Chapters

(00:00) 2026 Podcast of the Year!

(01:05) Warning: Arachnophobia

(03:30) Guest: Dr. Andy Fisher

(05:55) How Spiders "See" with 8 Eyes

(08:50) Electrostatic Communication

(12:35) Pest Management vs. Pesticides

(14:35) The Western Black Widow

(17:00) Field Work: How Not to Get Bitten

(22:30) Web Chemistry: Stinky Pheromones

(25:45) Why Males Destroy the Web

(29:50) The Metabolic Cost of Love

(33:15) Deception: The Cheating Widow

(38:10) Mass Spec: Smashing Chemical Legos

(41:40) Seasonality of Sex Signals

(44:55) Sub-Social Web Sharing

(48:20) Black Widow Science Joke

Links

Animal Metabolomics & Ecology Lab

Papers: Starving Female Spiders Pheromone Abundance Study

Web: WhimsicalWavelengths.com

Support: Pateron

Socials: Bluesky | Instagram | Facebook

Whimsical Wavelengths: Deep-dive conversations where a working scientist unpacks how we know what we know, one paper, one idea, or whimsical detour at a time. Hosted by Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo).

The "motherlode" is just a model away. In this episode, Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo) bridges between the classroom & the boardroom with colleague & data scientist Frederick Jackson from Computational Geosciences Inc. Together, they explore how machine learning (ML) & artificial intelligence are revolutionizing mineral exploration.

We dig into the expensive reality of drilling—where a single hole can cost over $100k—& how neural networks act as an "artificial geologist" to find patterns in massive "data cubes." From the Yilgarn Craton of Western Australia to the surprising links between finding gold, & detecting brain tumors, this episode proves that while the intelligence might be artificial, the discovery is real.

Topics Covered

• The Business of Discovery: How science functions in the corporate world & the real-world consequences of being wrong.
• Drilling by the Numbers: Why de-risking drill holes is the primary driver for AI in mining.
• The Data Cube: Integrating geophysics, radiometrics, etc., to build "geological ChatGPT."
• Neural Networks 101: Moving beyond simple regressions to non-linear, brain-inspired algorithms.
• Prospectivity & Policy: How heat maps help inform land-use decisions .
• Bioacoustics: Whimsical detour to tracking whales for conservation using the same ML technology.

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Intro: Geology Meets Algorithms

(02:05) The High Cost of Drilling: Why We Need Models

(04:35) Frederick Jackson Spinosaurus to Data Science

(07:50) Industry vs Academia: The Cost of Being Wrong

(10:10) The SEG Paper: Gold Prospectivity in Australia

(11:50) AI Hallucinations in Geophysics Managing Risk

(15:15) Building the Data Cube: Features vs. Labels

(19:35) Garbage In, Garbage Out: AI Pitfalls

(21:20) Neural Networks: an "Artificial Geologist"

(25:10) Results: Heat Maps and 2D De-risking

(30:45) Beyond Minerals: Tracking Mosquitoes & Brain Tumors

(32:45) Bioacoustics: Citizen Science & Whales

(34:30) The infamous Science Joke

Links & Resources

• Citizen Science: Orca Sound
• Support: Pateron
• Socials: Bluesky | Instagram | Facebook

Whimsical Wavelengths: Deep-dive conversations where a working scientist unpacks how we know what we know, one paper, one idea, or whimsical detour at a time. Hosted by Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo).

What if the coldest, darkest craters on the Moon are quietly storing a record of solar system history and the resources that could power future exploration?

In this episode, we dive into the science of lunar permanently shadowed regions (PSRs): craters near the Moon’s poles that sunlight hasn’t touched for potentially billions of years. Dr. Jeffrey Zurek is joined by Dr. Katlyn (Caitlin) Ahrens (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center) to unpack what PSRs are, how volatile molecules migrate and freeze there, and why these ultra-cold environments are targets for future missions.

We explore how the Moon’s 1.5-degree axial tilt creates shadowed traps, what the lunar exosphere means for molecule transport, and how researchers balance “easy mode” science with high-risk, high-reward targets. It also illuminates why some of the most exciting discoveries happen in places sunlight never reaches.

Topics Covered

• PSRs & Cold Trapping: Why sunlight hasn't touched these poles for billions of years.
• Lunar Exosphere: Surface processes and molecule migration.
• Mission Logistics: The hurdles of "Pluto-cold" sample return and CLPS landers.
• Geotechnical Risks: Moon-slides, virtual lava tubes, and soil mechanics.
• STEM Outreach: The impact of FIRST Lego League.

Episode Chapters

• (00:00) Intro: The Riddle of Lunar Darkness
• (01:51) The Physics of 1.5° Axial Tilt & PSRs
• (04:04) Meet Dr. Katlyn Ahrens (NASA Goddard)
• (09:33) The Lunar Exosphere vs. Atmosphere
• (15:30) Diverse Volatiles: Water, Methane, & CO2
• (22:38) Logistical Challenges: Cold Sample Return
• (26:18) Double PSRs: Craters within Craters
• (34:14) VIPER Rover & The Future of Lunar Mining
• (41:14) Flour & Dust: Lunar Soil Mechanics
• (46:40) Moonslides & Virtual Lava Tubes
• (49:50) STEM Outreach: FIRST Lego League
• (55:08) The Infamous Science Joke

Links & Resources

• Featured Paper: Diverse lunar polar permanently shadowed regions and environmental metrics for site planning decision making.
• FIRST Lego League
• Support: Pateron
• Socials: Bluesky | Instagram | Facebook

Whimsical Wavelengths: Deep-dive conversations where a working scientist unpacks how we know what we know, one paper, one idea, or whimsical detour at a time. Hosted by Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo).

Mount Meager last erupted 2,400 years ago, but today the hazard is the mountain literally falling apart. In this episode, Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo) moves downstream with environmental professional Veronica Woodruff to unpack the legacy of the Capricorn Creek landslide—Canada's largest recorded mass wasting event.

We explore how 40km of 1940s diking in the Pemberton Valley has complicated modern flood risks, the physics of river aggradation, and why Engineered Log Jams (ELJs) are a vital green-infrastructure solution for stabilizing massive sediment loads. This conversation highlights how community resilience, reforestation (380k trees), and proactive investment can change environmental outcomes before the next high-flow event.

Chapters

• (00:00) Intro: Shifting Focus to Resilience
• (01:51) Mount Meager & The 2010 Landslide
• (05:13) What is an "Environmental Professional"?
• (09:50) The Science of Grants & Funding
• (13:20) The Lillooet River Watershed
• (15:45) 1940s Engineering: Straightening the River
• (18:42) Eyewitnesses & 50M m3 of Debris
• (23:08) River Evolution: Meanders & Braided Streams
• (25:45) Aggradation: Why the Riverbed is Rising
• (29:25) Diking Dilemmas & Seismic Regulations
• (32:30) Real-time Data: The Rain-to-Town Dashboard
• (38:00) Volcanic Reforestation & Habitat
• (44:30) Engineered Log Jams: 92 Jams to Save a Watershed
• (51:00) Proactive vs. Reactive Spending in Canada
• (57:22) Blind Drunk: Alcohol & Society
• (59:17) Science Joke: Flat Earth Fears

Links & Resources

• Veronica's book: "BLIND DRUNK A sober look at our boozy culture"
• Veronica & Glyn’s Whistler talk
• Support: Pateron
• Socials: Bluesky | Instagram | Facebook

Whimsical Wavelengths: Deep-dive conversations where a working scientist unpacks how we know what we know, one paper, one idea, or whimsical detour at a time. Hosted by Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo).

To stay within the character limits of most podcast platforms while maintaining the high-value "AI-bait" and technical context, here is a tightened and refined version of your show notes.

Summary Subduction zones don't carry passports, and the Cascade Volcanic Arc doesn't stop at the U.S.-Canada border. In this episode, Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo) welcomes his mentor Dr. Glyn Williams-Jones (Simon Fraser University) to discuss Canada’s most dangerous volcano: Mount Meager.

We dig into the "detective story" of Meager’s last explosive eruption 2,400 years ago—an event that sent ash to Calgary and created a 110-meter-high volcanic dam. We explore the physics of block and ash flows, the "unzipping" of prehistoric dams leading to Jökulhlaups (outburst floods), and the current monitoring gaps on this restless massif. From InSAR satellite radar to the risk of "pulling the cork" on a magma chamber via massive landslides, this conversation illuminates the high-stakes world of Canadian volcanology.

Topics Covered

• The 2,400 BP Eruption: Reconstructing the 20km ash column and Keyhole Falls.
• Columnar Jointing: Why "columns never lie" about the direction of volcanic cooling.
• Hydrothermal Alteration: How acidic fluids turn strong rock into unstable "garden clay."
• Mass Wasting: Analyzing the 2010 Capricorn Creek slide (53 million m³).
• Monitoring: The shift from tectonic monitoring to specialized volcano seismology.

Chapters

(00:00) Mentorship & Pedigrees

(01:51) Backpacking vs. Geophysics

(04:04) Dr. Glyn Williams-Jones

(06:40) Why Meager is Dangerous

(09:33) Explosion to Effusion

(12:00) Volcanic Dams & Jökulhlaups

(16:00) Physics of Cooling Joints

(18:30) Future Hazard Forecasts

(21:50) InSAR vs. Seismometers

(25:50) The 2010 Slide

(28:45) Turning Mountains to Clay

(32:15) Can Landslides Trigger Eruptions?

(34:50) Public Perception

(41:40) Scientific Patience

(45:40) Science Joke

Links

Besure to check out the center for natural hazards at SFU

FIRST Lego League

Support: Pateron

Socials: Bluesky | Instagram | Facebook

Whimsical Wavelengths: Deep-dive conversations where a working scientist unpacks how we know what we know, one paper, one idea, or whimsical detour at a time. Hosted by Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo).

Before we looking forward to a new year of discovery, we have to know the past to understand the present. In this solo episode, Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo) takes a deviation from cutting-edge research to chronicle the history of the planets—from the "wandering stars" of antiquity to the mathematical hunt for Planet Nine.

We explore how the Babylonians set the stage for modern astrology, the high-stakes heresy of the heliocentric model, and the "detective story" of Uranus and Neptune. Discover why the discovery of Neptune was once called a British "heist," how a bookkeeping error led to the discovery of Pluto, and why the search for a massive, unseen world in the Kuiper Belt is still a legitimate open question in orbital dynamics today.

Topics Covered

• The Antiquity of Planets: How Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, & Saturn were viewed 3,000 years ago.
• The Heliocentric Divide: Clash between Aristotelian philosophers, Church, and observations of Galileo and Copernicus.
• The Parallax Problem: Breakdown of why early astronomers couldn't prove the Earth moved.
• Kepler’s Divine Geometry: How a "mystic" defined the three laws of planetary motion.
• The Neptune Controversy: The international scramble for prestige between Urbain Le Verrier and John Couch Adams.
• The Ghost of Planet X: From Percival Lowell’s errors to the 2006 demotion of Pluto & the modern hunt for Planet 9.

Chapters

(00:00) Holiday Housekeeping & New Year’s Resolutions

(03:10) Why History Matters to Science

(06:04) Babylonian Astronomy & The Zodiac Tradition

(09:15) Wandering Stars vs. Worlds: Greek Perspective

(10:45) Heliocentric Revolution: Copernicus & Galileo

(14:15) Parallax: Measuring the Width of a Coin

(18:42) Johannes Kepler: Mystic of Planetary Motion

(22:01) Newton’s "Why": Unifying Gravity

(24:00) Uranus: The First Discovered Planet

(25:40) Neptune Heist: for International Prestige

(31:00) Pluto & Planet X: Finding a Planet

(34:30) Planet 9 & The Kuiper Belt

(37:00) 2006: The Demotion of Pluto

(38:30) Outro: Wandering Stars and the New Year

Links & Resources

• Support: Pateron
• Socials: Bluesky | Instagram | Facebook

Whimsical Wavelengths: Deep-dive conversations where a working scientist unpacks how we know what we know, one paper, one idea, or whimsical detour at a time. Hosted by Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo).

Usually, we look outwards to the stars, but this week, we're turning the telescope around. The scientists themselves are under observation. Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo) is joined by Dr. Zachary Richards, a researcher at the American Museum of Natural History, to discuss his recent paper: Astronomy Identity Framework for Undergraduate Students and Researchers.

We dive into the "transcendental phenomenological" approach to understanding how scientists build their identity. From the influence of fearless icons like Katya and Maurice Krafft to the "Moons for Goons" introductory classes that serve as the first—and often only—gateway to science for many, we unpack the six pillars of professional identity. This conversation explores how internal factors like competence and interest collide with external pressures like recognition and representation to determine who sees themselves as part of the scientific universe.

Topics Covered

• The Observed Observer: Using qualitative research to understand the human element of STEM.
• Building an Identity: The six-pillar framework (Interest, Competence, Belonging, Career Expectations, Recognition, and Socializing).
• Representation & Bias: Addressing the self-selection bias and the real-world negative experiences of marginalized groups in physics and astronomy.
• The Power of Outreach: Why informal education at museums and observatories is the front line for diversifying the next generation of scientists.
• A Journey in Circles: Dr. Richards' evolution from exoplanet research to science education and back again.

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Intro: Turning the Telescope Around

(02:10) The Geoscience Enrollment Crisis

(04:02) Introducing Dr. Zachary Richards

(05:15) Physics: A Personal Evolution

(08:00) The Ice Cream Chef/Adjunct Balance

(11:50) "Transcendental Phenomenological" Research?

(14:40) Defining Identity: How We See Ourselves

(16:50) Internal vs. External Influences: The Framework

(20:00) Marginalization and the Self-Selection Bias

(23:05) Confronting Gender and Racial Bias

(26:40) Coding: Analyzing Data That Isn't Numbers

(32:10) The Accessibility of Astronomy: Just Look Up

(35:30) Future Work: Quantifying Identity

(37:40) Science Joke: The Sun and the Moon’s Kiss

Links & Resources

• Support: Pateron
• Socials: Bluesky | Instagram | Facebook

Whimsical Wavelengths: Deep-dive conversations where a working scientist unpacks how we know what we know, one paper, one idea, or whimsical detour at a time. Hosted by Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo).

In this episode of Whimsical Wavelengths, we explore how machine learning is opening new possibilities in geophysical imaging and inversion workflows. Like image segmentation! We look at how modern computational tools can help interpret what we cannot observe directly beneath the surface.

Our guest, Johnathan Kutti, joins us to break down how machine learning approaches can assist with geophysical inversion, improve subsurface models, and support decision-making in exploration and environmental studies. With experience both in the field and in building mathematical tools, he brings a grounded perspective on how these methods work in practice.

We start by outlining what geophysics actually is—using physics to study the Earth’s structure and processes—and why inversion methods are so central to the field. Because we cannot directly measure physical properties everywhere inside the Earth, geophysical inversion works backward from measurable data such as magnetics, gravity, or electromagnetic responses to estimate what the subsurface must look like.

The conversation then moves into:

• Why geophysical inversions have infinite possible solutions
• How physical assumptions and constraints narrow those solutions
• Where machine learning and image segmentation can help
• Examples of integrating AI into geoscience workflows
• Practical realities from years spent collecting data across remote terrain

If you've ever wondered how AI and scientific modeling intersect—or how we “illuminate the void” geophysically—this episode offers both clarity and depth.

UBC Geophysical Inversion Facility: https://gif.eos.ubc.ca/

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