As Science Friday’s video producer, Luke is tasked with writing, filming, directing, editing, animating, narrating, and promoting many of the short films you’ll find on this here website. Every other week, he becomes obsessed with the research he films until his video is complete or his colleagues show him a shiny new study to play with. Luke also wrangles a stable of equally enthusiastic freelance filmmakers, helping them to produce and promote their own stories.
Prior to being domesticated by Science Friday, Luke worked at the Wildlife Conservation Society, where he profiled a wide cast of characters, both two- and four-legged. The experience provided hands-on training in storytelling, as well as some invaluable lessons in wildlife filmmaking, such as “Lemurs enjoy scent marking. Everything.” And, “Never let a baby walrus sit on you.”
Despite his snobby film school education at SUNY Purchase and his devotion to Werner Herzog, his favorite film remains The Bear. He doesn’t care that it is a “kiddie film” that anthropomorphizes animals—he cries every time and isn’t ashamed of it.
Teaching Ancient Nautilus New Tricks
A series of experiments involving fish juice, blue lights, and mazes dispels the notion that the ancient Nautilus is incapable of basic learning and memory.
#CephalopodWeek: Celebrating All Things Tentacled
They’re the amazing cephalopods, and Science Friday, public radio’s source for news and entertaining stories about science, celebrates them with Cephalopod Week.
Smarty Pants: Testing the Quality of Textiles
Confidence in our clothing shouldn’t be taken for granted. It owes much to an oft-overlooked the field of study-textile quality assurance.
3:51
The Goat Brigade
A herd of ‘elite’ brush-clearing goats demonstrate why they are a versatile tool to shield against wildfires in Southern California.
The Goat Brigade: Preventing Wildfires in Southern California
A herd of “elite” brush-clearing goats demonstrate why they are a versatile tool to shield against wildfires in Southern California.
Foraging with Tama Matsuoka Wong
Guided by professional forager and author, Tama Matsuoka Wong, Science Friday toured western New Jersey’s meadows and forested trails to discover the native plants and invasive weeds that are used as culinary delicacies.
7:21
Nothing To Sneeze At
Sneezes and coughs generate gas clouds that can spread germs farther than previously imagined.
Nothing to Sneeze At
Sneezes and coughs generate gas clouds which can spread germs farther than previously imagined.
12:12
The Sticky Science Behind Maple Syrup
Plant physiologist Abby van den Berg traces how maple sap flows through trees and onto your plate.
Suckers for Sap
By vacuum-sucking sap directly from the cut tops of juvenile maple trees, the researchers may revolutionize the maple syrup industry.