Hey everyone! I've officially been making Gross Science for one whole year.
So to commemorate the anniversary
I wanted to answer two of my most frequently asked questions
Why did I start Gross Science and what's my background?
The nice thing is that those two questions really go together
but, to answer them, we'll have to go all the way back
to my childhood.
So I first fell in love with science while doing kind of gross experiments as a kid.
I remember loving a school activity where we dissected owl pellets
which are basically like coughed-up balls of undigested food
to see what an owl had eaten.
And I was crazy about this slime chemistry set that my parents got me.
I loved making and playing with slime
and as we all know
[It's so cool.]
not a lot has changed.
In fact, that slime chemistry set was so important to me
that I made this timeline of my life at around the same age
in which over the course of eight years
I'd get my Ph.D. in chemistry from MIT
cure AIDS, and win a Nobel Prize.
I'm a little behind schedule.
Anyway, that love of science and also the grotesque stayed with me through adulthood.
I got a summer fellowship in college, working in a lab at the American Museum of Natural History
studying of all things, malaria and lizards.
And it was amazing.
In the end, I made that work my college thesis
and graduated with a degree in biology.
After graduation, I got a full-time job as
a research assistant at the Museum of Natural History in New York
doing, um, conservation genetics work
and that basically means that you look at organisms' genes
to help protect them and maintain their diversity.
And I totally loved that job
but after a couple years I realized that
what I loved most about it
was talking about all the amazing work being done in the lab
rather than actually doing it myself.
So I switched gears, and went to graduate school for science journalism.
I learned about crafting stories, interviewing scientists, fact checking,
and also a bit about video production
which I especially adored.
When I graduated I got a job at NOVA
which is the long running science show on PBS
and my role was to make their web videos
and when the opportunity arose to pitch my own original series
I knew exactly what I wanted it to be.
You guessed it: Gross Science
So why Gross Science?
Well, here are the reasons I think about most often
though there are definitely others too.
First of all, gross stuff is what set me down the path of science in the first place
and I know I'm not the only one with a love for the grotesque
even if for many people
it's more of a secret love.
There's something inherently gross about just being alive.
When you really think about it
we're essentially just bones, and tissues,
and lots, and lots of weird fluids.
Part of being a socially acceptable human
is trying to hide that side of ourselves
For example, we learn from an early age to try not to fart or drool in public
so studying the gross side of nature, or medicine, or technology
is almost this voyeuristic relief.
It allows us to experience a side of life we don't typically allow ourselves to engage with
Secondly,
I wanted to make the show to discuss gross or taboo issues
that we don't usually talk about publicly.
Things like periods, or gastrointestinal health, or sex
are all parts of the human condition.
Now I'm not saying we should scream about them at the top of our lungs
though if you wanna do so, that's totally your right
but in order to be healthy
we should at least feel comfortable asking questions
about the more awkward parts of being alive
even if that conversation is one you only have with a doctor.
And talking about gross stuff is important for another reason too.
Scientists can't tackle a painful condition
if they don't even know it exists.
Finally, slime.
Did I mention how much I love slime?
That's probably the biggest reason I wanted to make Gross Science.
All that said, this show grows and changes all the time
largely in response to your feedback
so thank you all so much for the most wonderful year.
I'm deeply grateful for the fabulous episode ideas
and smart insightful comments that you write every week.
And I'm so excited to begin year two with you.
It's gonna be weird.
Ew.
Hey, everyone. One more quick thing
PBS Digital Studios is conducting a survey to figure out what you like to watch and do online
so they can provide more great content for you.
So if you have a few minutes, please check it out.
The link is in the description.
And as a bonus, you may get one of these cool t-shirts.
And if you don't already, please subscribe to Gross Science.
Alright, I'll see you next week.
(crunch)
(laughter)