American elections are secure, extensively scrutinized and protected by layers of safeguards. So why is public trust in them declining? Bill Gates, director of Arizona State University’s Mechanics of Democracy Laboratory and former Maricopa County Supervisor, explains how elections actually work, what makes them secure and why understanding the process may be key to rebuilding trust.

Learn more about:

• Mechanics of Democracy Laboratory at ASU
• MIT Election Data and Science Lab

Become a poll worker in Maricopa County… or elsewhere in Arizona… or somewhere else in the U.S.!

Lab Coat Optional is a production of the Strategic Marketing and Communications team at Arizona State University’s Knowledge Enterprise. Learn more about research and discovery at ASU on Instagram and LinkedIn or visit us at research.asu.edu.

Love the show? Give us a five star review on the podcast app of your choice!

Get in touch with us at ke.podcast@asu.edu.

Episode credits

Special thanks to Alejandra Espinoza at the Maricopa County Elections Department

Executive produced by Kate Howells

Produced by Alexander Chapin and Pete Zrioka

Hosted and reported by Pete Zrioka

Shot by Alexander Chapin

Edited by Quinton Kendall

Original music from Patrick Cheung

Motion graphics by Andy Ramos

Art by Andy Keena and Sophia Franz

Editorial support from Diane Boudreau

Social media management by Lauren Hebing and Kyler Litson

Disclosure:

Opinions expressed on this show reflect the views of the individuals only, not the policy or opinion of Arizona State University.

Teen AI use goes far beyond homework. Young people are increasingly turning to chatbots with deeply personal questions about love, relationships and body image. So what happens when teenagers start turning to machines for the advice they once sought from other people?

Arizona State University developmental psychologist Thao Ha explains why adolescence is such an important period for learning healthy relationship skills and explores the potential dangers of replacing messy human interactions with artificial ones.

Learn more about Thao's work:

• Check out the HEART Lab on Instagram
• Participate in the CIELO Study

Learn more about the Department of Psychology and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at ASU.

Lab Coat Optional is a production of the Strategic Marketing and Communications team at Arizona State University’s Knowledge Enterprise. Learn more about research and discovery at ASU on Instagram and LinkedIn or visit us at research.asu.edu.

Love the show? Give us a five star review on the podcast app of your choice!

Get in touch with us at ke.podcast@asu.edu.

Episode credits

Executive produced by Kate Howells

Produced by Alexander Chapin and Pete Zrioka

Hosted and reported by Pete Zrioka

Shot and edited by Alexander Chapin

Original music from Patrick Cheung

Motion graphics by Andy Ramos

Art by Andy Keena and Sophia Franz

Editorial support from Diane Boudreau

Social media management by Lauren Hebing and Kyler Litson

Disclosure:

Lab Coat Optional is intended for general knowledge and informational purposes only, and does not constitute medical advice. This show does not create a doctor-patient relationship, and the information provided is not a substitute for professional medical diagnosis or treatment. Consult with a qualified healthcare professional for any health concerns or before making any decisions related to your health. In case of a medical emergency, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Opinions expressed on this show reflect the views of the individuals only, not the policy or opinion of Arizona State University.

ASU computer scientist Hannah Kerner explains how the combination of machine learning and satellite data help map farms, monitor disasters and understand climate impacts — turning decades of Earth observation data into tools.

Further listening and reading:

• Listen to Hannah on the Satellite and Deep Learning podcast with Robin Cole
• Check out Applied Geospatial by Christopher Ren
• Read Empire of AI by Karen Hao

Learn more about the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University.

Lab Coat Optional is a production of the Strategic Marketing and Communications team at Arizona State University’s Knowledge Enterprise. Learn more about research and discovery at ASU on Instagram, LinkedIn and Bluesky or visit us at research.asu.edu.

Love the show? Give us a five star review on the podcast app of your choice!

Get in touch with us at ke.podcast@asu.edu.

Episode credits

Hosted and reported by Pete Zrioka

Executive produced by Kate Howells

Produced by Alexander Chapin and Pete Zrioka

Shot by Alexander Chapin

Edited by Alexander Chapin and Quinton Kendall

Original music from Patrick Cheung

Motion graphics by Andy Ramos

Art by Andy Keena

Editorial support from Diane Boudreau

Reporting from Kelly DeVos and Gary Werner was foundational to this episode

Social media management by Lauren Hebing and Kyler Litson

What does sound feel like? Music theorist Lindsey Reymore explores timbre — the “color” of sound — and why the way we describe music might be more shared than subjective.

Further reading and listening:

• Learn more about the ACTOR project at McGill University and the Timbre and Orchestration Resource

• Listen to Peter and the Wolf!

Learn more about:

The School of Music, Dance and Theatre at the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University.

The Institute for Social Science Research at ASU, which is funding Lindsey’s upcoming timbre study in different languages.

Special thanks to the Ocotillo Winds from ASU’s School of Music, Dance and Theatre.

Bass clarinet: Assistant Professor Jeff Anderle

Flute: Professor Elizabeth Buck

Alto saxophone: Professor Christopher Creviston

Oboe: Assistant Professor Jonathan Davis

Clarinet: Associate Professor Josh Gardner

Bassoon: Professor Albie Micklich

Lab Coat Optional is a production of the Strategic Marketing and Communications team at Arizona State University’s Knowledge Enterprise. Learn more about research and discovery at ASU on Instagram, LinkedIn and Bluesky or visit us at research.asu.edu.

Love the show? Give us a five star review on the podcast app of your choice!

Get in touch with us at ke.podcast@asu.edu.

Episode credits

Executive produced by Kate Howells

Produced by Alexander Chapin and Pete Zrioka

Hosted and reported by Pete Zrioka

Shot by Alexander Chapin and Christian Van Bebber

Edited by Alexander Chapin and Patrick Cheung

Music composed by Patrick Cheung

Motion graphics by Andy Ramos

Art by Andy Keena

Editorial support from Diane Boudreau

Social media management by Lauren Hebing and Kyler Litson

We trade data for convenience every day. But at what cost? Rakibul Hasan breaks down how everyday tech became a surveillance network that determines what we see, what we pay — and maybe even what we think.

Resources

• Try Brave or Duck Duck Go as a browser
• Try the Start Page search engine

Further reading and watching:

• Privacy Is Power by Carissa Veliz
• LOST GENERATION
• The Social Dilemma from Netflix

Learn more about the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University.

Lab Coat Optional is a production of the Strategic Marketing and Communications team at Arizona State University’s Knowledge Enterprise. Learn more about research and discovery at ASU on Instagram, LinkedIn and Bluesky or visit us at research.asu.edu.

Love the show? Give us a five star review on the podcast app of your choice!

Get in touch with us at ke.podcast@asu.edu.

Special thanks to our No. 1 fan Meg Hebing for her cameo

Episode credits

Executive produced by Kate Howells

Produced by Alexander Chapin and Pete Zrioka

Hosted and reported by Pete Zrioka

Shot by Alexander Chapin

Edited by Alexander Chapin and Quinton Kendall

Original music from Patrick Cheung

Motion graphics by Andy Ramos

Art by Andy Keena and Sophia Franz

Editorial support from Diane Boudreau

Social media management by Lauren Hebing and Kyler Litson

Disclosure:

Opinions expressed on this show reflect the views of the individuals only, not the policy or opinion of Arizona State University.

Astrophysicist Skylar Grayson explains how she uses supercomputer simulations to study black holes, how scientists can piece together a picture of phenomena billions of light years away and why communicating science clearly matters just as much as discovering it.

Find Skylar on:

• YouTube
• Tiktok
• Instagram

Further reading:

• Read The End of Everything by Katie Mack
• Check out Starts with a Bang by Ethan Siegal

Learn more about the School of Earth and Space Exploration at Arizona State University.

Lab Coat Optional is a production of the Strategic Marketing and Communications team at Arizona State University’s Knowledge Enterprise. Learn more about research and discovery at ASU on Instagram, LinkedIn and Bluesky or visit us at research.asu.edu.

Love the show? Give us a five star review on the podcast app of your choice!

Support our friends!

Check out AskABiologist wherever you get your podcasts!

Special thanks to Kaden Ryback for suggesting this episode!

Do you have an idea for an episode, or just want to torture the host with facts about dark matter? Get in touch at ke.podcast@asu.edu!

Episode credits

Executive produced by Kate Howells

Produced by Alexander Chapin and Pete Zrioka

Hosted and reported by Pete Zrioka

Shot by Alexander Chapin

Edited by Alexander Chapin and Quinton Kendall

Original music from Patrick Cheung

Motion graphics by Andy Ramos

Art by Andy Keena and Sophia Franz

Editorial support from Diane Boudreau

Social media management by Lauren Hebing and Kyler Litson

Plastic is everywhere. The same material that makes modern life easier has also become a persistent environmental pollutant.

Charlie Rolsky — ASU alumnus and executive director of the Shaw Institute in Blue Hill, Maine — explores how microplastics move through our environment and into our bodies, what we do and don’t know about their impacts, and why “biodegradable” often doesn’t mean what we think. He also reflects on his journey from ASU to Maine — and how scientists balance urgency with responsible communication.

Learn more about

• The Shaw Institute (and their free touch tank!)
• Dirigo Sea Farm

Further listening

• Listen to Science Vs!

Lab Coat Optional is a production of the Strategic Marketing and Communications team at Arizona State University’s Knowledge Enterprise. Learn more about research and discovery at ASU on Instagram, LinkedIn and Bluesky or visit us at research.asu.edu.

Please give us a five star review on the podcast app of your choice! It helps other listeners find us.

Got an idea for us? Get in touch at ke.podcast@asu.edu.

Episode credits

Executive produced by Kate Howells

Produced by Alexander Chapin and Pete Zrioka

Hosted and reported by Pete Zrioka

Shot by Alexander Chapin

Edited by Alexander Chapin and Quinton Kendall

Original music from Patrick Cheung

Motion graphics by Andy Ramos

Art by Andy Keena and Sophia Franz

Social media management by Lauren Hebing and Kyler Litson

Disclosure:

Lab Coat Optional is intended for general knowledge and informational purposes only, and does not constitute medical advice. This show does not create a doctor-patient relationship, and the information provided is not a substitute for professional medical diagnosis or treatment. Consult with a qualified healthcare professional for any health concerns or before making any decisions related to your health. In case of a medical emergency, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Opinions expressed on this show reflect the views of the individuals only, not the policy or opinion of Arizona State University.

As AI and emerging technologies reshape daily life, Andrew Maynard — scientist, author and professor in the Rob Walton College of Global Futures — discusses how we navigate disruptive innovation responsibly — and how we can hold onto our humanity in a rapidly changing world.

Further reading:

• Andrew’s Substack
• AI and the Art of Being Human
• Future Rising

Listen to Andrew’s show, Modem Futura wherever you get your podcasts.

Learn more about Andrew’s Future of Being Human Initiative, and the Rob Walton College of Global Futures, part of the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at ASU.

Lab Coat Optional is a production of the Strategic Marketing and Communications team at Arizona State University’s Knowledge Enterprise. Learn more about research and discovery at ASU on Instagram, LinkedIn and Bluesky or visit us at research.asu.edu.

Love the show? Give us a five star review on the podcast app of your choice!

Get in touch with us at ke.podcast@asu.edu.

Episode credits

Executive produced by Kate Howells

Produced by Alexander Chapin and Pete Zrioka

Hosted and reported by Pete Zrioka

Shot and edited by Alexander Chapin

Original music from Patrick Cheung

Motion graphics by Andy Ramos

Art by Andy Keena and Sophia Franz

Editorial support from Diane Boudreau

Social media management by Lauren Hebing and Kyler Litson