Sing for Science

Laurie Anderson: O Superman (Nuclear Disarmament Science with Zia Mian)

Laurie Anderson joins us live from NYC’s Poster House Museum in conversation with Dr. Zia Mian (Princeton physicist & nuclear policy expert). We explore her iconic 1982 hit “O Superman” and its album Big Science—how it anticipated many of the tensions of the nuclear age and still resonates powerfully in today’s disarmament debates. Together, they challenge the logic of deterrence, unpack how nuclear weapons work, and consider how networks—rather than traditional institutions—might better enact change. Also: the rifts within scientific communities, the role of “Big Science,” and more. Bonus content features producer and radio host Elia Einhorn joining to premiere Kronos Quartet’s Nobel Prize Committee commissioned rendition of “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall” featuring Laurie, Willie Nelson and a host of others.

Noah Cyrus: I Want My Loved Ones To Go With Me (Afterlife Science with Kim Penberthy)

Singer-songwriter Noah Cyrus talks about her haunting new album inspired by a hymn written by her great-grandfather, and her deepest fear—not death itself, but being separated from her loved ones. She also opens up about her near-death experience and the profound losses that shaped her experience with love and grief. Joining her is Dr. Kim Penberthy of UVA’s Division of Perceptual Studies, whose research into near-death experiences and after-death communication offers a fascinating look at what may await us beyond life.

(UNCUT) Jonathan Davis (Korn): Dead Bodies Everywhere (Mortuary Science with Mary Roach)

WARNING: This episode contains content related to mortuary science that some listeners may find disturbing. Korn frontman Jonathan Davis delves into his past as a mortician with popular science bestselling author, Mary Roach. Mary wrote the hit book Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers and the two have no shortage of gory details to discuss. We talk about the biology of human corpse decomposition and preservation, embalming techniques (including but not limited to anal suturing), Elvis’s autopsy, and more!

LABS: Neko Case and Rebecca McMackin on Ecological Horticulture

Recorded live at Boston’s Museum of Science on July 31, 2025. Visionary singer-songwriter Neko Case joins ecological horticulturist and Brooklyn Bridge Park garden designer Rebecca McMackin for a wide-ranging conversation about land stewardship, biodiversity, and the joys of gardening. From Neko’s epic Vermont garden to Rebecca’s work creating pollinator-friendly urban habitats, the two share practical advice for beginning and urban gardeners alike, discuss the symbiosis between plants and wildlife, and explore how cultivating green spaces can nurture both ecosystems and the human spirit.

Microscopes: Madison McFerrin on Baking Science

Join acclaimed singer-songwriter and Tiny Desk phenom Madison McFerrin as she bakes chocolate chip cookies live and chats with host Matt Whyte in the first Microscopes episode of Sing For Science. Madison shares how baking and music serve as parallel creative outlets—both shaped by improvisation, intuition, and love. They dig into the science of baking, from emulsification and leavening to the Maillard reaction, while Madison reflects on the influence of her family, how ADHD plays a role in her process, and why adding flaky salt is always a must.