Meteorologist Emily Gracey sits down each week with leading scientists, researchers, and experts in weather, climate, earth science, and beyond. Every episode goes deeper than the science itself, uncovering the human stories behind the work and making complex ideas feel relevant, relatable, and real. From hurricanes and severe storms to earthquakes and emerging research, Atmosphere turns complicated ideas into conversations everyone can connect with.
Clouds! The Science, the Wonder & Why NASA Needs You.
What if simply looking up at the clouds could help NASA?
Satellites can observe Earth in extraordinary detail, but there's something they can't do: stand on the ground and look up with the human eye. And that human perspective turns out to be incredibly valuable to scientists.
In this episode of Atmosphere, meteorologist Emily Gracey talks with Dr. Andy Sayer, an atmospheric scientist working with NASA's PACE satellite, and Jessica Taylor from NASA's GLOBE Clouds program about the surprising limitations of satellite technology and how everyday people can help fill in the gaps.
Through NASA's free GLOBE Observer app, anyone with a smartphone can collect cloud observations that contribute to real scientific research. No scientific background required!
But there's another benefit to all this cloud watching. Taking a few minutes to look up can reconnect us with nature, help us appreciate the world around us, and maybe even bring a little peace to our busy lives.
Become a cloud observer:
NASA GLOBE Observer app: https://observer.globe.gov/about/get-the-app (https://observer.globe.gov/about/get-the-app)
PACE Clouds Challenge: https://www.globe.gov/do-globe/measurement-campaigns/field-measurement-campaigns/pace-clouds-challenge (https://www.globe.gov/do-globe/measurement-campaigns/field-measurement-campaigns/pace-clouds-challenge)
Atmosphere is supported by founding sponsor Weather100. Learn more at https://weather100.com (https://weather100.com/) and use code EMILY20 for 20% off your purchase.
15 Oct 2026
BONUS: Kelvin Wave - the '80s Power Ballad
What happens when ocean science meets an '80s power ballad?
Oceanographer and coastal scientist Dr. Greg Dusek created Kelvin Wave, an AI-generated song and music video that tells the story of Kelvin waves, El Niño, coastal flooding, and rising seas.
The project was created by Dr. Dusek using Claude.ai for the lyrics and visuals, Suno for the music, and real NOAA water level data to help tell the scientific story.
It's catchy, dramatic, and packed with real science.
We're sharing the complete song as a special bonus episode of Atmosphere.
Want to understand the science behind the lyrics? Listen to this week's full episode, "Ocean Science Gets an '80s Power Ballad," where meteorologist Emily Gracey talks with Dr. Dusek about how he made the video, what Kelvin waves actually are, and why they matter for coastal flooding and sea level rise.
Created by: Dr. Greg Dusek
AI tools: Claude.ai and Suno
Scientific data: NOAA
Atmosphere is hosted and produced by meteorologist Emily Gracey.
13 Oct 2026
Ocean Science Gets an '80s Power Ballad
What happens when an oceanographer uses artificial intelligence to turn a complicated scientific phenomenon into an '80s power ballad? You get soaring vocals, dramatic lyrics, a saxophone solo... and some surprisingly serious science.
In this episode of Atmosphere, meteorologist Emily Gracey sits down with Dr. Greg Dusek, a coastal scientist and former NOAA oceanographer, to talk about his AI-generated music video, Kelvin Wave. Created in just half a day, the song tells the story of an ocean phenomenon that plays an important role in El Niño and can have major consequences for coastal communities.
Greg breaks down the science behind the lyrics, explaining how Kelvin waves travel across the Pacific, why they matter for sea levels and winter storms, and what they could mean for coastal flooding along the West Coast in the months ahead.
We also explore the creative possibilities of AI in science communication, and how something as unexpected as a power ballad might help people understand the changing world around them.
It's a little rock and roll, a little ocean physics, and a reminder that science doesn't always have to be serious to tell an important story.
Thanks to our founding sponsor, Weather100, for supporting independent science storytelling. Learn more at Weather100 (https://weather100.com) and use code EMILY20 for 20% off.
Watch Greg's full Kelvin Wave music video: https://youtu.be/qAYF63a67MI?si=fBkUUiiYwNHD6_os (https://youtu.be/qAYF63a67MI?si=fBkUUiiYwNHD6_os)
Lyrics and video are by Claude
Music by Suno
Generated by Greg Dusek, with data provided by NOAA
Subscribe to Atmosphere on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts, and find more science stories at Atmosphere on Substack (https://atmospherepodcast.substack.com).
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Spotify
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
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