D Peterschmidt is a producer, host of the podcast Universe of Art, and composes music for Science Friday’s podcasts. They’re drawn to stories about art, technology, and the environment.
Before joining the team at Science Friday, D. was a product intern for NPR, where they helped out with podcast content management, social media strategy, and designed promo art.
D grew up in San Diego, where they learned hip slang like “swoll,” “clean,” and “off the flame” to describe muscle definition.
When they’re not working, you might find them playing Super Smash Bros. with their family, making 8-bit covers of TV show theme songs, or playing D&D as a clumsy bard named Chip Chap Chopman.
How Insects Shaped Human Culture Over Millennia
In “The Insect Epiphany,” an entomologist explores the history of insects in art, food, engineering, and more.
6:56
Measuring The Effects Of Early Life Adversity—In Marmots
Scientists used decades of yellow-bellied marmot research to find a way to measure how adverse events affect wild animals’ survival.
16:36
Why Do We Keep Widening Highways If It Doesn’t Reduce Traffic?
Decades of research shows that expanding highways, despite its promise to reduce congestion, actually increases travel times.
16:48
Gender-Affirming Care Is On The Line In This Election
Gender-affirming care is lifesaving treatment for many transgender people. Its availability could drastically change after the election.
Intertwining The Lives Of Moths And Humans Through Music
A pair of musicians wrote a concept album inspired by moths—and found that humans have more in common with the insects than they expected.
12:00
Inside The ‘Creepy’ Procedure That Taps Into Young Blood
To find out how blood affects aging, scientists can surgically connect two animals and let blood circulate between them.
11:56
How Metaphor Has Shaped Science, For Better Or Worse
Metaphors can help us understand complicated scientific concepts. But they can also have a downside.
12:53
Intertwining The Lives Of Moths And Humans Through Music
A pair of musicians wrote a concept album inspired by moths—and found that humans have more in common with the insects than they expected.
Benjamin Franklin And The American Experiment Collide On Stage
In the play “Franklinland,” Benjamin Franklin’s son takes centerstage in an exploration of his father’s life as a scientist, statesperson, and parent.
10:39
Benjamin Franklin And The American Experiment Collide On Stage
In the play “Franklinland,” Benjamin Franklin’s son takes centerstage in an exploration of his father’s life as a scientist, statesperson, and parent.