Alexa Lim was a senior producer for the Science Friday radio production team, which means you could find her on the phone researching stories throughout the week and at a heightened level of anxiety every Friday between 2-4 p.m. E.T. A few of her favorite interviews have involved orchestrating a live physics game show, sound-checking with the International Space Station, and learning how to ask where the bathroom is in Dothraki.
After brief stints in an oncology lab and in the exotic world of science textbook publishing, she found her way into public radio through an internship at StoryCorps. Before joining Science Friday, she produced Jazz at Lincoln Center Radio and for the JazzStories podcast, where she discovered that the jazz harp is an underrated instrument.
Alexa grew up in San Antonio, Texas and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in biology. She can confirm that there is no basement in the Alamo.
12:07
You Are ‘When’ You Eat
In mice, eating within an 8-12 hour window helped to prevent and even reverse obesity and type 2 diabetes.
11:47
The First Touchdown On A Comet
The European Space Agency’s Philae lander is the first probe to touch down on a comet.
16:53
Horns, Claws, and Teeth: The Animal Weapons Arms Race
Doug Emlen, author of “Animal Weapons,” unpacks the evolutionary arms race that pushes horns, claws, teeth and other animal defenses to the extreme.
17:48
Opening Up the Synthetic Biology Toolkit
Synthetic biologist Christopher Voigt and biotechnologist Stephen Streatfield discuss current trends in synthetic biology.
17:17
Spilling Our Guts: Decreased Diversity in the Human Microbiome
How can hospital stays and the evolution from apes to humans change the diversity of our microbiome?
11:33
Doctors ‘Unwrap’ a 3,000-Year-Old Mummy
Radiologists use CT scans to piece together the life, and death, of Egyptian mummies.
17:05
Behind the Monster Music: Why Some Tunes Scare Us
Neuroscientist Daniel Levitin and Sound Opinions co-host Jim DeRogatis discuss the neuroscience of spooky songs.
8:41
Making a Meal From a Mouthful of Seawater
A manta ray can filter 240 gallons of seawater per minute.
11:43
Rooting Out the Plant Microbiome
Scientists are uncovering the importance of the plant microbiome for fighting off pathogens and increasing crop yields.
16:44
Forensic Entomologists Hunt Down Insects to Help Catch Criminals
To help piece together a crime scene, forensic entomologists examine the insects found in the area.