From NOVA PBS Official.
What do fossilized leaves, an asteroid, and Florida sinkholes have in common? Dr. Kirk Johnson is Sant Director at the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, and has the answers. Kirk oversees one of the largest natural history collections on the planet – and he’s spent his career digging into the story of life on Earth across millions (and billions) of years. In this episode, Hakeem and Kirk explore the science of “deep time,” how fossils actually form, and the surprising origins of Earth’s oceans. Plus, Kirk shares some hot tips on fossil hunting and how to count the number of leaves on a tree … because you never know when you might need these skills.
🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode!
Amazon Music: https://bit.ly/4msqqby
Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Hz8rkI
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/4oB3Ten
📰 Stay up to date on the latest science discoveries, full episodes, articles, videos, and more by signing up for NOVA’s newsletter here: https://to.pbs.org/4brCC7Y
🛍️ Shop official NOVA 50th anniversary merch: https://nova-shop.org/
Follow on social for more NOVA content
Twitter: https://twitter.com/novapbs
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/novapbs
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@novapbs
Dr. Kirk Johnson is a paleobotanist by training, his research explores ancient climates and extinct ecosystems through the study of fossil plants. He has authored more than a dozen books on paleontology and natural history and has traveled extensively in search of fossils on every continent. As a science communicator, Dr. Johnson has brought the natural world to millions through hosting acclaimed NOVA documentaries such as Polar Extremes and Making North America, blending deep scientific expertise with an engaging, accessible storytelling style.
"Particles of Thought" is hosted by Hakeem Oluseyi, an astrophysicist, author, STEM educator, multi-patented inventor, science journalist, TV personality, science communicator, and inspirational speaker. His research is based on "hacking stars" to understand our universe better and develop innovative new technologies. Oluseyi’s work has resulted in 11 patents and more than 100 publications covering contributions to astrophysics, cosmology, and plasma physics and the development of space missions, observatories, focal plane instruments, detectors, semiconductor manufacturing, and ion propulsion.
