Why this lab studies the speed of bug pee and other curiosities

Science Friday | Aug 12

In a lab in the Rocky Mountains, a group of scientists is hard at work trying to find answers across biology, physics, and engineering: They’re looking into things like the hydrodynamics of insect pee and the physics of sheepdog herding, and working to designing robots that resemble squid and hearing aids that only cost a dollar.

These endeavors may seem unrelated, but they’re glued together by bioengineer Saad Bhamla’s philosophy of science driven by curiosity, and how to make the most of the lab’s time. He joins Host Flora Lichtman to talk about what led him to this approach.

Guest:

Dr. Saad Bhamla is an associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com.

 

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