Journey to the Microcosmos (Season 5)

The Dark History of Sea Monkeys (Episode 1)

Air date: 2021-08-30

Runtime: 11 min

What Is Mold and Why Does It Love Bread? (Episode 2)

Air date: 2021-09-06

Runtime: 9 min

Overview: It's time to dive into our collection of spores, molds, and fungus!

Why Do Microbes Explode Under UV Light? (Episode 3)

Air date: 2021-09-13

Runtime: 11 min

The Purple Bacteria That Are Afraid of Oxygen (Episode 4)

Air date: 2021-09-20

Runtime: 10 min

Overview: “But wait!” you might be saying to yourself. “How can an organism be photosynthetic and so afraid of oxygen? Doesn’t photosynthesis create oxygen?” And yes, you would be correct—most of the time...

Slime Tubes in Search of Sunlight (Episode 5)

Air date: 2021-10-11

Runtime: 10 min

Overview: There are only a few groups of bacteria that do this kind of gliding, but they’re found across a plethora of environments, including ponds, soil, and, surprise, in our own mouths.

Journey Through the Body of a Rotifer (Episode 6)

Air date: 2021-10-19

Runtime: 11 min

Overview: Rotifers don’t really get a lot of love when it comes to microscopic animals. At least as far as the public imagination goes, the rotifer is overshadowed by its fellow metazoan of the microcosmos: the tardigrade. And we might be part of the problem.

The Fish Sucking Lice That Aren’t Lice (Episode 7)

Air date: 2021-10-25

Runtime: 8 min

Overview: Arugulus sure know how to get under a fish's skin, literally. Fish will actually throw themselves out of the water to get an Aruglus off of their side.

Tumbling Down Invisible Highways (Episode 8)

Air date: 2021-11-02

Runtime: 10 min

Overview: When we look at bacteria under a microscope, they appear to be tumbling around chaotically, but over the centuries we realized that their pathways have a purpose.

The Arachnid Whose Poop Is Making You Sneeze (Episode 9)

Air date: 2021-11-08

Runtime: 11 min

Dileptus: The Toxic Micro Elephant With an Insatiable Appetite (Episode 10)

Air date: 2021-11-15

Runtime: 10 min

Copepods: The Diatom-Devouring King of Plankton (Episode 11)

Air date: 2021-11-22

Runtime: 10 min

Overview: Scientists have observed some copepods eating over 300,000 diatoms in a single day!

Microbes in Slow Motion (Episode 12)

Air date: 2021-11-30

Runtime: 10 min

Overview: While our journeys are often enjoyed at a slow pace, when we go just a little bit slower and look a little bit deeper there’s always something new to find.

The Tiny Crustacean With the Oldest Penis (Episode 13)

Air date: 2021-12-07

Runtime: 10 min

Looking for Answers in the Skull of a Zebrafish (Episode 14)

Air date: 2021-12-13

Runtime: 10 min

Creepy Crawly Close-Ups (Episode 15)

Air date: 2021-12-27

Runtime: 10 min

Adventures in Being Eaten (Episode 16)

Air date: 2022-01-03

Runtime: 10 min

The Complicated Relationships of the Microcosmos (Episode 17)

Air date: 2022-01-11

Runtime: 10 min

The Double Life of a Fake Jellyfish (Episode 18)

Air date: 2022-01-17

Runtime: 10 min

The Tiny Worlds Inside of Single-Celled Organisms (Episode 19)

Air date: 2022-01-25

Runtime: 10 min

Overview: We often focus on the organisms, but what about the even smaller world inside of them?

Microbe Hunting in Antarctica (Episode 20)

Air date: 2022-01-31

Runtime: 10 min

Nematodes: The Worm That Sculpted The World (Episode 21)

Air date: 2022-02-14

Runtime: 10 min

Overview: When it comes to the muses of the animal kingdom, the nematode seems like an unlikely well of inspiration, but over the past century, they’ve become one nonetheless.

Aeolosoma: Polka-Dotted Vacuum Worms (Episode 22)

Air date: 2022-02-21

Runtime: 10 min

Overview: Worms, despite their seemingly simple bodies, are a diverse bunch. Which is why we thought that for today, it might be fun to visit with a less famous worm, and like one of those relatives you don’t know very much about, but every time you see them, there’s a new, strange story to unpack.

What Even Is A Species? (Episode 23)

Air date: 2022-02-28

Runtime: 10 min

Overview: If you know about the species Lacrymaria olor, then you know what you’re getting when you see it under a microscope. It has a distinct shape, a distinct way of life—the combination of its own genetics and its surrounding environment.

The Spatula-Shaped Ciliate Family (Episode 24)

Air date: 2022-03-07

Runtime: 10 min

Overview: The family Spathidiidae is made up of around 20 genera, which encompass around 250 known species. And there’s a lot of variety in the Spathidiid family to sort through.