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Explore every episode of the podcast Don't Panic Geocast

Dive into the complete episode list for Don't Panic Geocast. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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1–50 of 434

TitlePub. DateDuration
Episode 432 - "Like walking around inside someone's mouth"28 août 202601:09:16

This week we recap the GEARS 2026 workshop, our return from summer break, how hot it has been, and chat about floods of the 1300's in Europe.

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 431 - Philippines Earthquake26 juin 202600:32:53

There was a very large earthquake in the Philippines - John and Shannon break down what you need to know. We also explore the question - what's the deal with birds?

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 430 - "I am being ambushed"05 juin 202601:02:47

This week John and Shannon discuss the book "Slow Productivity", our other summer reading lists, and if swearing makes your exercise sessions better.

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 429 - "Summer Shorts" GPR29 mai 202600:48:52

This week we talk about GPR or ground penetrating radar as Shannon considers buying one and asks what to look for.

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

428: Episode 428 - "Pedagogical Gold"15 mai 202600:56:42

This week we talk about how you should approach an outcrop in the field for the first time. What do you look for? What kind of notes do you take? This and more field camp tips plus a discussion about the rheology of pasta sauce.

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 427 - "Feeding Tubes Yo!"28 mars 202600:58:49

This week we help a listener identify their bizarre fossil - and it's a trace fossil! Learn all about it and find out if you'd remember more if we were funnier!

Fun Paper Friday
Episode 426 - "Hard K Sound is Hilarious"13 mars 202600:42:27

This week, we continue to talk about temperature with a discussion of temperature scales, where they came from, and why there are so many!

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 425 - "How jiggly are your bits?"06 févr. 202600:58:48

What is temperature? Why do we care? Where did all of these temperature scales come from? This week, we find out!

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 424 - "Aunt Betty" Liquefaction30 janv. 202600:46:32

This week it's all about liquefaction as we explore why some caskets are above ground and how some cars get half way buried.

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 423 - "The rumors of our death"10 janv. 202601:01:13

We are back after a very challenging 2025 but don't panic - there is a plan!

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 422 - "Melissa"07 nov. 202500:46:02

We're still here - it has just been a very difficult time, but this week we're talking about Hurricane Melissa and Halloween Candy!

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 421 - "Come work for you"19 sept. 202501:06:26

This week, we chat about our GEARS workshop that recently wrapped up, how it has evolved, and how it went!

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 420 - "Tourist Destination" Kamchatka Earthquake06 sept. 202500:46:03

This week we are back and discussing the recent large earthquake in Russia!

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 419 - "Diamonds Everywhere" A States08 août 202500:48:19

We're hitting the open road — geologically speaking. This episode kicks off our new state-by-state series covering the most fascinating, scenic, or just plain weird geologic stops in the U.S. We’re going alphabetically (because of course we are), starting with Alabama, Alaska, and Arkansas. Some sites we've visited, others are firmly on our dream list, but every pick is guaranteed to bring a bit of science to your next adventure.

Alabama
  • Cheaha Mountain
  • Cathedral Caverns
Alaska
  • Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
  • Mendenhall Glacier
Arkansas
  • Crater of Diamonds State Park
  • Blanchard Springs Caverns
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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 418 - "I like the crystal habit"01 août 202500:50:55

What makes a mineral a favorite? In this fun and down-to-earth episode, John and Shannon swap stories about the minerals they love most — and why. Along the way, they unpack cool crystal habits, formation environments, fieldwork memories, and the aesthetic appeal of minerals from museum specimens to muddy boots.

Shannon shares her appreciation for:

Hematite – With its metallic luster and planetary significance.
Goethite – A subtle but important iron oxide-hydroxide.
Smithsonite – Beautiful colors and a fascinating history in ore geology.

John counters with:
Ulexite – “TV rock,” with fiber-optic properties that never fail to wow.
Uraninite – A dense, radioactive reminder of geologic power and energy.
Tourmaline – A colorful, complex favorite of mineral collectors and scientists alike.

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 417 - "Who are you?"11 juil. 202501:04:56

We're back from summer break - Shannon taught field camp, John travelled for work and got hailed on, and more!

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 416 - "Life is a Physics Exam"16 mai 202500:54:59

This week we talk about how we power our instruments in the field and all of the weird and wonderful ways they fail. Including getting turned into charcoal by lightning!

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 415 - "Fiat 500 Volcanic Bomb"25 avr. 202500:48:12

This week we talk hail, Vesuvius, volcanic bombs, and vitrified brains.

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 414 - "Closed Because of Landslide"18 avr. 202501:05:01

Shannon's class took a trip to study catestrophic sedimentation... and they found it! John switched back to a Mac after 5 years. Join us for these and other exciting updates!

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 413 - "Waterfalls I Have Loved"04 avr. 202500:57:30

  • Turner Falls, Oklahoma

    • A rare waterfall that grows outward due to travertine deposition instead of eroding backward.
    • Formed by spring-fed Honey Creek flowing through Ordovician limestone, creating massive travertine deposits.

  • Pe'ePe'e Falls, Hawai'i (Big Island)

    • ~80 ft falls in downtown Hilo, part of the Wailuku River flowing between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.
    • Carved into 10,000-year-old lava flows with subsequent flows creating the Boiling Pots — vertical and horizontal lava tubes.
    • Extremely dangerous, especially after storms — known as the deadliest water in Hawai'i.

  • Cataratas do Iguaçu, Brazil/Argentina

    • Largest waterfall system in the world, spanning the Argentina-Brazil border.
    • Name means "Big Water" in Guarani.
    • Upstream from the Itaipu Dam, which generates most of Paraguay’s electricity.
    • Itaipu — the 3rd largest hydroelectric plant globally and 2nd in power output.

  • Bonus Waterfalls Mentioned:

    • Cascata delle Marmore, Italy – Ancient Roman-engineered waterfall.
    • Natural Falls - West Siloam Springs, OK
    • Devil’s Kettle, Minnesota – Mysterious waterfall where water seems to disappear underground.
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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 412 - "Unpopular Flavor of Capri Sun"08 mars 202500:48:42

This week we talk about snow forecasting as the winter season starts to wrap up and try to figure out if you're really happier in the morning or not!

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 411 - "TSA Does Not Care About Your Data "14 févr. 202500:45:27

Ever wondered how geologists figure out when a landslide happened? Or how ancient river terraces and glacial deposits get dated? This week, we dive into the detective work behind dating geomorphic features! 🌍🔬 From tree rings to cosmic rays, we explore the fascinating methods geologists use to reconstruct Earth’s history and assess natural hazards.

  • Why Dating Landslides and Other Features is Hard

    • Landslides can reactivate multiple times, fluvial deposits get reworked, and glacial features have complex histories.
    • What are we really dating—the event, the material, or the last exposure?

  • Dating Techniques in Geology

    • Dendrochronology 🌲 – Tree rings reveal landslides, floods, and debris flows.
    • Radiocarbon Dating 💀 – Organic material like charcoal and buried soil horizons provide time markers.
    • Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) 🌞 – Measures when quartz grains were last exposed to sunlight.
    • Cosmogenic Nuclide Dating ☄️ – Tracks surface exposure using cosmic rays.
    • Other Methods – Lichen growth, volcanic ash layers, and earthquake trenching.
Fun Paper Friday

  • Ever wondered if your favorite neon-orange snack has hidden superpowers? This study explores how strongly absorbing molecules, like those found in food dyes, can reduce light scattering in biological tissues—making them temporarily more transparent! Researchers applied tartrazine (a common food coloring) to live mice and were able to see internal structures like blood vessels without invasive procedures. The discovery could improve biomedical imaging, but we’re mostly just fascinated that Dorito dust might have unexpected side effects!

  • Ou, Zihao, et al. "Achieving optical transparency in live animals with absorbing molecules." Science 385.6713 (2024): eadm6869.

Contact us:

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 410 - "GEARS OIL UTEP"07 févr. 202500:48:18

We just wrapped up our first-ever on-site GEARS Workshop at UTEP and it was a massive success! 🎉 Tune in as we break down the highlights, what we learned, and how this hands-on geoscience training is evolving for the future.

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 409 - "Resolutions"24 janv. 202501:07:10

This week, it's time for our 2025 resolutions show, where we see how we can improve this year and discuss everything that's changed in the past year!

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 408 - "Everywhere there's cottonwood trees"17 janv. 202500:41:23

This week we wrap up our finding faults show started oh so long ago! Learn how to identify faults in the field and then relax with a coffee with a physicist! A perfectly spherical coffee on a frictionless plane that is!

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 407 - "If you like dragons, that's important to you" Joshua Pearce27 déc. 202401:12:22

This week, we’re thrilled to welcome Joshua Pearce to the show! We dive into the world of open-source hardware for academic labs, the challenges and rewards of open-sourcing projects, and the exciting opportunities it creates for researchers and the general public alike. Tune in for a fascinating discussion about innovation, making, and the future of accessible technology!

Joshua Pearce Fun Paper Friday Contact us:

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 406 - "Taking in all the really interesting things"21 déc. 202400:57:26

Shannon went to AGU and we're updated on the meeting and what cool new science things she saw!

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 405 - "Getting Tensor"07 déc. 202400:56:20

Faults are fractures in the Earth's crust where movement has occurred, creating features that are critical to understanding geological processes. In this episode, we explore how to recognize fault zones in the field, examine their widths at different depths, and analyze the breakage patterns and deformation features that define them.

Fun Paper Friday

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 404 - "So Many Paperclips"29 nov. 202400:50:22

Lithium, often called "white gold," is a critical resource powering modern technologies like electric vehicles (EVs), renewable energy storage, and more. This week, we explore lithium's geological formation, mining, processing, and its growing importance in the energy revolution. We also dive into exciting developments in Arkansas, which could make the U.S. a major player in domestic lithium production.

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 403 - "My Dad Caught my Mom's Pants on Fire"22 nov. 202400:50:12

Gold has been a symbol of wealth, beauty, and power for millennia, but its importance extends far beyond jewelry and currency. From its formation deep in the Earth’s crust to its critical uses in electronics, medicine, and aerospace, this episode explores the fascinating journey of gold and why it continues to captivate us today.

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 402 - "Shoes in a dryer on turbo"15 nov. 202400:44:58

Ever wondered how silver journeys from ancient rock formations to the tech in your pocket? In this episode of Don't Panic Geocast, we dig deep into the fascinating world of silver—the metal that's shaped economies, inspired legends, and powers modern technology. From its formation in Earth’s crust to the precise science of extraction and refining, we’ll explore how silver’s unique properties make it indispensable in everything from solar panels to medical tools. Tune in to learn why this shiny element is more valuable—and more complicated—than you might think!

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 401 - "I fell into a lot of bogs"08 nov. 202400:58:05

This week, we dive into the fascinating world of coal—its origins, types, and the role it has played in shaping economies, past and present. We discuss coal’s formation in ancient swampy environments, the journey from mining to electricity generation, and the transition we’re witnessing as the world moves toward renewable energy sources. We wrap up with a Fun Paper Friday that challenges the classic "Infinite Monkeys Theorem"—could monkeys really type out Shakespeare if given enough time?

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 400 - "Mushroom Cloud of Salt"01 nov. 202400:36:58

Throughout human history, certain minerals have held immense power, shaping economies, societies, and entire civilizations. In this economic rocks series, John and Shannon discuss how essential minerals like salt, gold, and coal influenced historical events and continue to impact modern geopolitics. This week we start with salt and how it is essential to many aspects of our day to day.

Learn More
  • History of Salt in Ancient Civilizations - Learn how salt became an essential part of trade, diet, and religion in ancient China, Egypt, and Rome​:contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}.
  • The Role of Salt in the Roman Empire - Discover how the Roman Empire used salt as currency and a political tool to control its territories​:contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}.
  • The Impact of the Salt Trade in West Africa - Learn how salt was traded for gold and helped build the Ghana and Mali empires, creating a network of trade routes that shaped the region’s history​:contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}.
Fun Paper Friday

This week's Fun Paper Friday features a study on the leaf-mimicking abilities of Boquila trifoliolata. The vine is capable of changing the shape and size of its leaves to resemble those of neighboring plants, potentially as a form of camouflage against herbivores. But the most surprising part? It can even mimic artificial plastic leaves. This finding challenges existing theories that leaf mimicry is driven solely by chemical signaling or genetic exchange between plants, suggesting instead that Boquila may possess a form of plant vision through specialized light-sensitive cells called “plant ocelli.” This discovery opens new possibilities for understanding plant sensory and adaptive behaviors.

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 399 - "We would have already sacrificed some people" 18 oct. 202400:59:22

In our 400th episode, we take a moment to reflect on some of our favorite past episodes and Fun Paper Fridays that have brought joy, knowledge, and a good laugh to the show. From memorable guests to quirky science papers, this episode is a tribute to everything that makes the Don't Panic Geocast special. Join us for this nostalgia-packed episode where we look back at the highlights of 399 episodes!

Highlighted Episodes Top Titles Favorite Fun Papers Contact us:

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 398 - "Are you going to take our jobs?"11 oct. 202401:00:40

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making its way into academic research and writing, offering a range of tools that can help streamline workflows, enhance creativity, and improve productivity. In this episode, John and Shannon dive into some of the AI tools they’ve been experimenting with and discuss broader questions about fairness, disclosure, and the evolving role of AI in academia.

Fun Paper Friday Summary:

So if AI takes over the world, what would it take to destory it? A solar flare should do it, and maybe us, in.

Episode 397 - "Terps"04 oct. 202400:49:40

This week, we delve into the fascinating world of the ancient dwelling mounds—terps—of the northern Netherlands. These man-made mounds served as elevated homes for communities living in low-lying, flood-prone areas. Join us as we explore the geology of these mounds, why they were essential for survival, and how modern technology is used to monitor soil subsidence and preserve these unique archaeological sites.

Learn More: Fun Paper Friday Summary:

In this episode’s Fun Paper Friday, we discuss B.F. Skinner’s “Pigeons in a Pelican.” The paper recounts the story of "Project Pigeon," a World War II experiment that explored using pigeons to guide missiles by pecking at visual targets. Though the project faced skepticism and was never implemented in combat, it highlighted the potential of animal training and laid a foundation for behaviorist research. The study is a testament to how creative ideas can push the boundaries of science, even if they seem outlandish at first.

Skinner, B. F. (1960). Pigeons in a Pelican.

Episode 396 - "Please Don't Call the FBI" GEARS 202406 sept. 202400:53:34

This week John and Shannon summarize the GEARS 2024 workshop, lessons learned, and talk about a record air pressure that was just a fluke.

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 395 - "Pressure Finds a Way"23 août 202400:39:47

Learn about the explosion at Yellowstone's Biscuit Basin site and what it means for the park. We also talk about drunk fruit flies and what they are teaching us about alcoholism.

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 394 - "Gates of Hell" Darvaza Gas Crater17 août 202400:43:52

This week we look at a geological oddity in Turkmenistan and see how getting a puppy can give you the blues.

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 393 - "Fujiwhara Effect!" Twisters Movie Review26 juil. 202401:10:57

We went to watch Twisters and review it from the standpoint of two people who have chased storms professionally. Also what do philosophers have to say about the original movie and its mythological reconsiliations?

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 392 - "Revisions"13 juil. 202400:44:42

This week we talk about when and how things get revised from classes to papers to theories. Also we read a paper about a curious cure for poisoning.

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 391 - "The Things We Take For Granted"29 juin 202400:32:06

This week we discuss JMARS and how you can explore the planets at home with just a few clicks of the mouse. Field camp is almost over and we'll be back to our regular shorts soon!

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 390 - "Stretch Aquarium"25 mai 202400:30:06

What is a flume and how do sedimentologists used them to understand depositional systems? This and how likely you are to be bitten by a rattlesnake if you step on it in this summer's first Don't Panic Summer Short!

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 389 - "FieldVolt"18 mai 202400:52:40

Stop losing power and data in the field. John and Shannon discuss the new FieldVolt open power standard.

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 388 - "Screaming Eagle"03 mai 202401:09:26

This week John and Shannon talk about what some of the weird weather radar terms that get thrown around mean and how you can use them to keep up with storms impacting you. Then things get morbid with a mouse experiment that ended in an idiocrasy style extinction.

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 387 - "Adorable Baby Drilling Rig"26 avr. 202400:46:55

John went to the Geoprobe open house to look at drilling rigs and then we discuss the optimum way to plan a large number of Christmas parties.

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 386 - "Rock Colloid"20 avr. 202400:55:46

What's tiny, rocky, and alive? Forams! Learn about forams and what diseases James Bond may get while traveling to study them.

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 385 - "Father Sky Goes Away"12 avr. 202400:51:01

John and Shannon both traveled to see the great eclipse of 2024 and share their experiences this week as well as talk about one of those rare times when ice is not a mineral.

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 384 - "Glaciers caused the great lakes, now we have them, the end" Alexis Dahl05 avr. 202400:57:44

This week we interview YouTube science creator, science writer, and communicator Alexis Dahl to learn about the rocks of Michigan's UP and how scientists can do a better job of sharing what they do.

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

Episode 383 - "Logarithmically Fades Away"29 mars 202400:46:26

This week we see how scientists break down the Earth into 7 or more spheres and why that is and isn't a good idea. We also explore a fun paper about graphene that is just full of crap.

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John Leeman

Shannon Dulin

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