science
Hosted by Julia Van Etten · science · EN · 28 episodes
Tiny Living Beings is a weekly podcast where listeners get to know a scientist, a weird microorganism they like, and why they think it's interesting. Our planet is full of billions of different microscopic organisms, most of which are still unknown to science. The ones we do know are diverse and strange. Microbiology knowledge is often gatekept by scientists who discuss this information in exclusive professional circles, but more of these topics need to be shared with the public! Although generally upbeat and fun, conversations often tangentially address frustrations with society or become existential, which, because of the time we are living through, is inherently connected to any discussion of topical scientific information. Content is geared toward all ages and backgrounds, anyone who is scientifically curious.
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Contact path
Verified email
Booking probability
20%
Guest openness
Selective
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Signup to Generate a PitchTiny Living Beings is a weekly podcast where listeners get to know a scientist, a weird microorganism they like, and why they think it's interesting. Our planet is full of billions of different microscopic organisms, most of which are still unknown to science. The ones we do know are diverse and strange.
Tiny Living Beings is hosted by Julia Van Etten. The show has published 28 episodes to date.
Recent episodes include "Protist Parasites of Corals and Fish - With Anthony Bonacolta" (12 October 2026, 71 minutes), "Giant Algal Viruses with The J Van Ettens" (21 September 2026, 91 minutes), and "Introducing the Fire Amoeba - with Angela Oliverio and Beryl Rappaport" (22 December 2025, 65 minutes).
Tiny Living Beings publishes roughly every two weeks, with episodes averaging 59 minutes across 28 episodes.
Booking probability for Tiny Living Beings is 20%, and the host is rated Selective on guests. Tiny Living Beings requires a Pod Score of 80 or higher. Tiny Living Beings's contact route on record: verified email.
The strongest fits for Tiny Living Beings are Scientific Research & Development. Tiny Living Beings has a science audience.
Julia Van Etten hosts Tiny Living Beings, a science show with 28 episodes published.
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Episode #3
We might not all know the term "Apicomplexa" but there are some famous apicomplexan parasites (protists) that infect humans, like those that cause malaria and cyclosporiasis, the latter of which dominated the news this...
Episode #2
Giant viruses changed what biologists thought a virus could be. This week, I interview Dr. James Van Etten, whose lab discovered chloroviruses 45 years ago. These are "giant", DNA-based viruses that infect...
Episode #1
<p>Eukaryotes are "complex" organisms with nuclei and membrane-bound organelles: plants, animals, fungi, and protists. Protists include many understudied lineages of fascinating organisms that challenge our...
Episode #8
<p>Microbes are everywhere, including inside our pets! This week, Ben Alverson comes on to give us a crash course in veterinary parasitology. He discusses the variety of worms and protists that can live inside mammals...
Episode #8
<p>Ben Alverson</p><p></p><p> Ben's textbook recommendation: Diagnostic Parasitology for Veterinary Technicians</p><p>(I posted the link from the publisher but I recommend looking for it used or free...
Episode #7
<p>American science has been under attack since this Trump administration began. Tens of thousands of scientists and federal workers have lost their jobs and the effects are starting to permeate through society. This...
Episode #6
<p>If you tuned in last week, you'll know that diatoms produce one quarter of the air we breathe (and they produced this podcast's logo), but did you know that they can also be used to solve crimes???! Rather than...
Episode #5
<p>Diatoms are beautiful (and weird). Dinoflagellates are weird (and beautiful). They are completely different organisms but both are protists that can both support whole ecosystems or cause devastating environmental...
Episode #4
<p>Did you know that some organisms, from protists to sea slugs, steal photosynthesis? This week Dr. Matt Johnson is on the podcast to talk about his work on kleptoplasty, the process by which organisms steal plastids...
Episode #3
<p>Newsflash! Urine is not sterile! This week we have Owen Hale on the podcast to talk about the urinary tract microbiome, which is really understudied. We discuss which bacteria live inside us, what they do, why so...
Episode #2
<p>Bryophytes are an ancient group of plants that include hornworts, liverworts, and mosses. They are the evolutionary link between land plants and the green algal ancestors that plants evolved from. But bryophytes are...
Episode #1
<p>Did you know the continents move at the same rate as your fingernails grow? Welcome BACK to Tiny Living Beings after a couple years off! For the first episode of the new season, I have Dr. Bolton Howes on to give a...
Episode #18
Dr. Ursula Goodenough has a scientific career that spans six decades, numerous accolades, and is a writer of both textbook and popular science books. But her crowning achievement is being a guest on this podcast. This...
Episode #17
<p>Choanoflagellates are unicellular protists but they also happen to be the closest living relatives to animals. This week, David Booth discusses what choanoflagellates are, where you can find them, and the connection...
Episode #16
Do you ever walk past an old building or a tree or a big rock and notice splotchy green or orange or yellow blobs growing all over it? Well, these are probably lichens! Lichens aren't plants and they aren't even...
Episode #15
<p>Is fungi everywhere? Is it on our eyeballs and in our nose hairs? Yes, yes, and yes! This week I talk to Dr. Kristen aka Kaydubs about fungi in general and forest fungi in particular. We discuss what these organisms...
Episode #14
<p>Tardigrades aka water bears aka moss piglets are extremely popular! This is due to their tolerance of harsh environments and because of their perceived "cuteness". This week, I speak with Chloé Savard (@tardibabe)...
Episode #13
<p>What are the microbes in our gut up to? And how does their life affect our lives? This week, Dr. Haley Hallowell teaches us all about the gut microbiome and virome, that is, how microbes and viruses inside us affect...
Episode #12
<p>Did you know there are microbes living in holes in glaciers? What are they doing there and what can we learn from them? Quite a lot actually! This week, Dr. Jaz Millar and I talk all about cryoconite holes which...
Episode #11
<p>How do we know what the Earth was like billions of years ago? And where did all the oxygen come from? Spoiler alert: it's microbes! This week I speak with Dr. John Encarnacion about the Great Oxygenation Event (GOE)...
Recent guests on Tiny Living Beings. Study who booked and why before you pitch.
Johns Hopkins psychiatry and behavioural sciences professor, Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University
assistant professor at University, Combat Veterans to Careers
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Saint Louis University
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