Choosing Science: Stories of Perseverance, Humanity, and Success

About Choosing Science: Stories of Perseverance, Humanity, and Success

Finding inspiration and a will to persevere might be challenging at times, especially when you have been prevented by outside forces, in a way or another, to achieve your goals. Although actions speak louder than words, stories of people that succeeded despite opposition can have the power to put wind into someones deflated sails and perhaps also fight against the impostor syndrome so many of us experience . Here I hope you will find such stories, which are mostly focused on scientific figures maybe less popular, but who greatly contributed to the development of science and in the process showed perseverance through obstacles. I will also highlight each individual's humanity, struggles and strength, and break the coldness that I feel exists between science/ scientists and the general public. Be prepared for sarcasm and a bit of fooling around sometimes, because what's life but empty without humour. Enjoy!

Publisher

Ana-Maria Zamfirescu

Category

science · science · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

3 Oct 2021

Latest episode

9 Aug 2025

Latest episodes

4 of 12 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   9 Aug 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Tiny flies, but big discoveries! How the fruitfly changed humanity's course

   Send us a text Fruit flies, scientifically known as Drosophila melanogaster, may appear as common pests, but they have been indispensable to biological research for over a century. These small insects have significantly advanced our understanding of genetics, development, and disease. This discussion explores why Drosophila is a key model organism, highlights its contributions to science, and examines the creative gene names that reflect the ingenuity of researchers. First, let’s clarify: wha...

2. 

   26 Jul 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Prof. Dr. Mario Capecchi or how to go from being a homeless child to Nobel Prize winner

   Send us a text Mario Capecchi was one of the 3 scientists who were awarded the Nobel prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2007 “for their discoveries of principles for introducing specific gene modifications in mice by the use of embryonic stem cells”. However, him winning the most prestigious prize in science was not the most impressive thing he did in his life. For reference in terms of level of difficulty, it is somewhere above winning a Nobel prize and below surviving academic politics. He ...

3. 

   28 Apr 2024TRANSCRIPT

   Mice as discovery driver or how to be small, but help achieve great things

   Mice (17th century- current) Some find them cute, some find them repulsive, and science finds them useful. Mice have been a model organism for a bit over a century and is by far the most used nowadays. Let’s find out what these little creatures did for scientific discoveries and learn cool facts about them at the same time. Resources: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-021-00849-x (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-021-00849-x) https://www.labome.com/method/Laboratory-Mice-and-Rats.html (https://www.labome.com/method/Laboratory-Mice-and-Rats.html) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128165737000067 (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128165737000067) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3790571/ (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3790571/) Cool facts: https://www.yourgenome.org/facts/why-use-the-mouse-in-research (https://www.yourgenome.org/facts/why-use-the-mouse-in-research) Video: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/25/science/optogenetics-brain-social-behavior.html (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/25/science/optogenetics-brain-social-behavior.html) Example failed animal trial: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2964774/ (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2964774/) Micronucleus test: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micronucleus_test (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micronucleus_test) Support the Show. (https://www.buzzsprout.com/1864043/support) Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Twitter: @LivesToRemember Survey of your opinion on the podcast: Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW #LivesToRemember #Science #Biography #Inspiration

4. 

   20 Apr 2024TRANSCRIPT

   Prof. Rita Levi-Montalcini or how to create a completely new science field in one's bedroom

   Professor Rita Levi-Montalcini (1909-2012) A developmental biologist who left an indelible mark on the field of neuroscience through her groundbreaking discoveries and unwavering dedication to scientific inquiry, despite being forced at one point to conduct her research from the confinements of her bedroom in Turin. From her pioneering research on nerve growth factor (NGF) (which was found to also be involved memory and learning, physical and mental illnesses, and led to antibody based therapies decades after its discovery),   to her advocacy for gender equality in academia, Rtia’s contributions continue to inspire generations of scientists worldwide. References https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1302413110 (https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1302413110) https://dilemaveche.ro/sectiune/la-fata-timpului/rita-levi-montalcini-o-artista-a-stiintei-2311088.html (https://dilemaveche.ro/sectiune/la-fata-timpului/rita-levi-montalcini-o-artista-a-stiintei-2311088.html) “Rita Levi-Montalcini and the discovery of NGf, the first nerve cell growth factor” - Luigi ALOE, Archives Italiennes de Biologie, 149: 175-181, 2011. DOI: 10.4449/aib.v149i2.1377 (https://doi.org/10.4449/aib.v149i2.1377)http://www.architalbiol.org/index.php/aib/article/view/149175/21701989 (http://www.architalbiol.org/index.php/aib/article/view/149175/21701989) In praise of imperfection : my life and work. Levi-Montalcini, Rita. 1988 https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1986/levi-montalcini/lecture/ (https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1986/levi-montalcini/lecture/) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3612637/ (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3612637/) Support the Show. (https://www.buzzsprout.com/1864043/support) Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Twitter: @LivesToRemember Survey of your opinion on the podcast: Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW #LivesToRemember #Science #Biography #Inspiration

5. 

   2 Jul 2023

   Williamina Paton Fleming or how to go from being a maid to changing astronomy forever

   Fleming, Williamina Paton (1857–1911) A single mum, deserted by her husband in a time when women were second class citizens and weren’t allowed to get a higher education, Williamina Paton Fleming rose from the humble position of maid to one of the most famous astronomers in history. She supervised the cataloging of hundreds of thousands of stars, refined the star hunting method and changed the face of astronomy forever. This is the story of an immigrant woman that beat her circumstances and the system by choosing science. Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Instagram: choosing.science Twitter: @LivesToRemember Survey of your opinion on the podcast: Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW #LivesToRemember #Science #Biography #Inspiration Support the Show. (https://www.buzzsprout.com/1864043/support) Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Twitter: @LivesToRemember Survey of your opinion on the podcast: Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW #LivesToRemember #Science #Biography #Inspiration

6. 

   12 Mar 2023

   Prof. Dr. Frits Zernike or how the Nazis did something good by mistake

   Frits Zernike Although he spent his whole life from birth to retirement in the cities of Amsterdam and then Groningen, his life was far from ordinary. Incredibly intelligent and gifted, having the rare combination of simultaneously being a fine theoretician and skilled experimentalist, Frits Zernike started his scientific journey in astronomy and then applied his findings in microscopy. Before his discovery was recognised and awarded a Nobel prize, the Nazis were the first to see the potential in Zernike’s achievement and popularized it, altough it was made public for more than a decade. This is the story of the man that made it possible to see what couldn’t be seen ever before. Support the Show. (https://www.buzzsprout.com/1864043/support) Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Twitter: @LivesToRemember Survey of your opinion on the podcast: Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW #LivesToRemember #Science #Biography #Inspiration

7. 

   19 Dec 2022

   Prof. Dr. Lynn Margulis or how to be so good you get to use swearwords in your scientific titles

   Although now Lynn Margulis is as the historian Jan Sapp (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Sapp) has said "as synonymous with symbiosis as Charles Darwin (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Darwin)'s is with evolution", she faced intense criticism in her lifetime. At the beginning her ideas elicited responses such as, "Your research is crap. Don't ever bother to apply again" and has been intitally rejected by 15 journals, in the end her passion and stubbornness prevailed. Strong in her opinions and unbothered by other people's vitriolic attitudes, she was also soft at heart and left a lasting mark on many lives. Lynn lived on one speed only, trailblazing and revolutionizing science and how modern scientist think about the basic biological unit of the eukaryotic cell and its origins. May we all have half of the fate she had in her ideas! Resources: https://www.sciencealert.com/10-inspiring-women-in-science (https://www.sciencealert.com/10-inspiring-women-in-science) https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/discover-interview-lynn-margulis-says-shes-not-controversial-shes-right (https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/discover-interview-lynn-margulis-says-shes-not-controversial-shes-right) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlhW12dGfFk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlhW12dGfFk) https://www.thoughtco.com/about-lynn-margulis-1224847 (https://www.thoughtco.com/about-lynn-margulis-1224847) https://www.nature.com/articles/480458a (https://www.nature.com/articles/480458a) https://www.edge.org/conversation/lynn_margulis-lynn-margulis-1938-2011-gaia-is-a-tough-bitch (https://www.edge.org/conversation/lynn_margulis-lynn-margulis-1938-2011-gaia-is-a-tough-bitch) Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Instagram: choosing.science Twitter: @LivesToRemember Survey of your opinion on the podcast: Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW #LivesToRemember #Science #Biography #Inspiration Support the Show. (https://www.buzzsprout.com/1864043/support) Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Twitter: @LivesToRemember Survey of your opinion on the podcast: Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW #LivesToRemember #Science #Biography #Inspiration

8. 

   19 Jun 2022

   Dr. Walle Nauta or how to stick it to the Nazis while revolutionising neuroscience

   Dr. Walle Nauta was not only a brilliant neuroanatomist and scientist of the 20th century, but also a selfless, brave soul. He revolutionised research tools in neuroscience, making it possible to better understand one of the biggest mysteries of humankind, our brain. Exigent, but kind, intuitive, but rigorous, and most of all, humble, he lived a life to remember. List of interesting people: John Boren, Joseph Brady, Boyd Campbell, Sven Ebbesson, Ford Ebner, Michael Fuortes, Robert Galambos, William Hodos, David Hubel, Harvey Karten, JacSue Kehoe, John Mason, William Mehler, James Petras, George Moushegian, Enrique Ramón- Moliner, Felix Strumwasser, and Eliot Valenstein. Resources: Lecture- https://infinite.mit.edu/video/walle-j-h-nauta-gross-anatomy-human-brain%E2%80%9D-brain-dissection-course-mit-department-psychology (https://infinite.mit.edu/video/walle-j-h-nauta-gross-anatomy-human-brain%E2%80%9D-brain-dissection-course-mit-department-psychology) https://www.nap.edu/read/11807/chapter/16 (https://www.nap.edu/read/11807/chapter/16) http://www.nasonline.org/publications/biographical-memoirs/memoir-pdfs/nauta-walle-j-h.pdf (http://www.nasonline.org/publications/biographical-memoirs/memoir-pdfs/nauta-walle-j-h.pdf) https://righteous.yadvashem.org/?searchType=righteous_only&language=en&itemId=6748569&ind=NaN (https://righteous.yadvashem.org/?searchType=righteous_only&language=en&itemId=6748569&ind=NaN) Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Instagram: choosing.science Twitter: @LivesToRemember Survey of your opinion on the podcast: Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW #LivesToRemember #Science #Biography #Inspiration Support the Show. (https://www.buzzsprout.com/1864043/support) Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Twitter: @LivesToRemember Survey of your opinion on the podcast: Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW #LivesToRemember #Science #Biography #Inspiration

9. 

   1 Apr 2022

   Dr. Hilde Mangold or how to live your life on fast forward

   The short but fruitful life of Hilde Mangold produced one of the few doctoral dissertation that has ever been directly linked to a Nobel prize. Hilde performed transplantations of cells from one darker newt embryo (type of amphibian) into a receiver lighter embryo in order to see if the transplanted cells will trigger the formation of parallel body axis that can be distinguished between them by colour. After hundreds of such delicate and complex transplantations, she managed to obtain such animals, proving the fact that thise specific cells were behind the rearrangement and fate specification of the rest of the cells in the embryo. These cells were coined as the "Spemann-Mangold organizer" after Hilde and her supervisor. These were remarkable findings that changed the trajectory of the modern developmental biology. Eleven years later this discovery was awarded the Nobel prize. Unfortunately, Hilde did not get to see this day coming. If you want to listen to the whole story of this gifted and determined woman, take a peak! Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Instagram: choosing.science Twitter: @LivesToRemember Survey of your opinion on the podcast: Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW 1.       https://embryo.asu.edu/pages/hilde-mangold-1898-1924 (https://embryo.asu.edu/pages/hilde-mangold-1898-1924) 2.       https://www.jax.org/news-and-insights/jax-blog/2016/october/women-in-science-hilde-mangold# (https://www.jax.org/news-and-insights/jax-blog/2016/october/women-in-science-hilde-mangold) 3.       https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1935/spemann/lecture/ (https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1935/spemann/lecture/) 4.       Hilde Mangold (1898-1924) and Spemann's organizer: achievement and tragedy Peter E. Fiissler*, Klaus Sander Institut ftir Biologie I (Zoologie) der Albert-Ludwigs-Universit~it, Albertstrasse 21 a, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany 5.       Hilde Mangold, Co-Discoverer of the Organizer VIKTOR HAMBURGER 6.       https://veteriankey.com/development-of-important-model-species-ii-vertebrates/ (https://veteriankey.com/development-of-important-model-species-ii-vertebrates/) Support the Show. (https://www.buzzsprout.com/1864043/support) Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Twitter: @LivesToRemember Survey of your opinion on the podcast: Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW #LivesToRemember #Science #Biography #Inspiration

10. 

    30 Jan 2022

    Dr. George Washington Carver or how to have God as your lab assistant

    Born just as slavery was abolished, Dr. George Washington Carver has managed to change the agricultural landscape of America through pure empiricism and perseverance and was one of the first African-American  pioneers and inventors who rose all by himself to popularity and international recognition. Take a listen to te biography of a man that has touched many lives only by being his humble but eccentric self and through his geniune admiration of all God's creation.  A man who was driven by pure curiosity and gratitude, who approched research as a way of being. Maybe his life will inspire you to look at every day as an oportunity to be in awe (of how beautiful nature is, of course, you little cynic).   #LivesToRemember A few resources 1.       Biography “The Man who talked with the flowers”  by Glenn Clark 2.       https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-Washington-Carver (https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-Washington-Carver) 3.       https://blackiowa.org/?s=carver (https://blackiowa.org/?s=carver) 4.       https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/famous-inventors/george-washington-carvers-inventions.htm (https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/famous-inventors/george-washington-carvers-inventions.htm) Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Twitter: @LivesToRemember Survey of your opinion on the podcast: Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW Support the Show. (https://www.buzzsprout.com/1864043/support) Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Twitter: @LivesToRemember Survey of your opinion on the podcast: Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW #LivesToRemember #Science #Biography #Inspiration

11. 

    14 Nov 2021

    Dr. Eng. Eliza Leonida-Zamfirescu (or how to crush your oposition with an ungodly amount of patience and work)

    Have you ever asked yourself who were the first women that had the courage to go against society's expectations and pursue "unfeminine" careers such as engineering?  (the only answer accepted here is "yes", sorry). Then you might be interested in finding out more about one of the first womn engineer, Eliza Leonida-Zamfirescu, a courageous woman who chose science in a time when following such interests were unheard of and frowned upon. She wasn't only gifted with a sharp mind and curiosity, but also with a kind and tender heart that determined her to serve as a nurse in WWI for her country and later on to donate her retirement money. Techniques and chemical synthesis methods developed by her are still valuable to this day, more than a hundred years later. I hope you'll enjoy this episode and please don't hesitate to leave me some feedback through my email or filling in the short survey, it'll help me tremendously! Thanks a lot! More info: https://www.europeana.eu/de/exhibitions/pioneers/elisa-leonida-zamfirescu (https://www.europeana.eu/de/exhibitions/pioneers/elisa-leonida-zamfirescu) Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW Support the Show. (https://www.buzzsprout.com/1864043/support) Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Twitter: @LivesToRemember Survey of your opinion on the podcast: Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW #LivesToRemember #Science #Biography #Inspiration

12. 

    3 Oct 2021

    Sir John Bertrand Gurdon (or how to succeed at proving people wrong)

    For the pilot episode of Choosing Science, we are going to learn about a Nobel Prize winner in Medicine who by all accounts of his school teachers shouldn't have even be able to pass a science test. He is a great example of inspiring rebellion and wholesome self acceptance, combined with pure curiosity and scientific passion. I recommend watching the full interview given by Sir Gurdon at the Nobel Prize ceremony: https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2012/gurdon/interview/ Support the Show. (https://www.buzzsprout.com/1864043/support) Email: choosingscience@gmail.com Twitter: @LivesToRemember Survey of your opinion on the podcast: Survey: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/LZDNHDW #LivesToRemember #Science #Biography #Inspiration

Inside a recent episode

Tiny flies, but big discoveries! How the fruitfly changed humanity's course

Published 9 Aug 2025 · Transcript excerpt

[…] In the 1980s Christian Newsline Forthart and Eric Vishau studied fly embryos to identify genes by direct development discovering homebugs or hogs genes that determine where body parts like wings or legs form. This work which earned them the 1995 Nobel Prize show that humans also have hogs genes highlighting shared developmental mechanisms. Trosophila also aids disease research as about 75 % of human disease -related genes have equivalents in flies which is amazing. Scientists manipulate fly genes to model conditions like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, or even cancer such as by studying the rest oncogene. […]

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