What On Earth?! is a podcast about the planet we live on - and the many questions it raises. From fossils and volcanoes to rocks, landscapes, and the forces shaping Earth beneath our feet, each episode breaks down an Earth science topic in a clear and engaging way.
No prior knowledge required: we focus on the ideas, stories, and discoveries that help you understand how Earth works and why it matters. If you’ve ever looked at a rock, a map, or the ground beneath you and thought “what on Earth is going on here?” - this podcast is for you.
S2 E6 What on Earth is… a Volcano That Breaks All the Rules?
What if we told you there’s a volcano where lava flows almost like water, looks black instead of glowing orange, and turns white within days? Welcome to Ol Doinyo Lengai, Tanzania's extraordinary Mountain of God and the only active volcano known to erupt natrocarbonatite lava in historical times. In this episode of What on Earth?!, Weronika takes Tika on a journey to one of the strangest volcanoes on our planet. Together, we explore what makes this volcano so unusual, why its lava behaves unl...
8 Oct 2026
S2 E5 What on earth are Volcanoes?!
Why do some volcanoes quietly pour out rivers of lava, while others explode with enough force to reshape entire landscapes? In this episode of What on Earth?!, we dive into the different types of volcanoes and the magma behind them. From the broad shield volcanoes of Hawaii to towering stratovolcanoes, we explore how magma composition, viscosity and gases control what happens when molten rock reaches the surface. But volcanoes aren't just about lava. We talk pyroclastic flows racing down moun...
24 Sept 2026
S2 E4 What on Earth Are Igneous Rocks?!
In this episode of What on Earth?!, we’re going beneath the surface to find out where igneous rocks actually come from. Is there really a giant layer of magma hiding beneath our feet? If most of Earth’s mantle is solid, where does magma come from? And why can one magma produce gentle lava flows while another feeds explosive volcanoes? Together, we follow the journey from solid mantle to molten magma and, eventually, igneous rock. We explore decompression melting beneath mid-ocean ridges...
9 Sept 2026
What on Earth are Sedimentary rocks?!
What on Earth are sedimentary rocks?! You probably encounter them every day without thinking twice. But how does loose sand, mud, or even the remains of ancient organisms become solid rock? In this episode of What On Earth?!, we dive into the world of sedimentary rocks and explore how they form, what they can tell us about the environments of the past, and why they are so important for understanding Earth’s history. We look at how sediments are produced, transported and deposited before event...
26 Aug 2026
What on Earth Do Earth Scientists do?! Part 2 - Weronika's story
What if a missed opportunity ended up completely changing your career? In this episode of What On Earth?!, we hear Weronika’s story of how she ended up in Earth science almost by accident. Her original plan was to join the military, but when all the female places were filled before she could apply, she had to rethink her plans. What she knew was that she wanted a career that would take her both outside into the field and inside into the lab. Her journey took her from Krakow, where she started...
13 Aug 2026
Ep1S2 - What On Earth Do Earth Scientists Do?
What does a career in Earth Science actually look like? The truth is... there is no single answer. Please remember to follow, like and share! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatonearth_podcast?igsh=Y3MwbjkyNjgwcjVy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Fa7FsnQku/ Careers are rarely a straight line, and Earth Science can take you in more directions than you might expect. Research, fieldwork, industry, environmental work, education, communication… sometimes the path you start on looks...
21 May 2026
What On Earth is Evolution?!
Evolution is everywhere in science and almost nowhere in popular culture is it explained clearly. In this episode of What On Earth?!, we dive into some of the biggest misconceptions about evolution and separate the science from the myths. Is evolution “just a theory”? Did humans really evolve from monkeys? Is evolution completely random? And does evolution explain how life first began? These are questions many people have heard, but the answers are often far more interesting than the misconce...
7 May 2026
Episode 8 What on Earth Is Up with the Moon?!
In this episode of What on Earth?!, we’re taking you on a journey to our closest celestial neighbor, the Moon. Please remember to follow, like and share! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatonearth_podcast?igsh=Y3MwbjkyNjgwcjVy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Fa7FsnQku/ It may look calm and comforting in the night sky, but beneath that peaceful glow lies a history shaped by extreme violence, molten oceans, and relentless impacts. Together, we explore why scientists are so...
16 Apr 2026
Episode 7.2 - What on (Flat) Earth?!
🎧 Flat Earth, Conspiracies & How Our Brain Tricks Us (Part 2) Please remember to follow, like and share! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatonearth_podcast?igsh=Y3MwbjkyNjgwcjVy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Fa7FsnQku/ Sources YouGov, 2018. Most flat earthers consider themselves very religious Psychology of conspiratorial mind study: Bowes, Shauna & Costello, Thomas & Tasimi, Arber. (2023). The Conspiratorial Mind: A Meta-Analytic Review of Motivational and Pers...
9 Apr 2026
Episode 7.1 - What on (Flat) Earth?!
Flat Earth, Conspiracies & the Science of Belief Please remember to follow, like and share! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatonearth_podcast?igsh=Y3MwbjkyNjgwcjVy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Fa7FsnQku/ In this episode of What on Earth, we take on one of the most persistent and fascinating conspiracy theories out there: Flat Earth. We start with a simple question: what on Earth makes people believe the Earth is flat? We explore how long humanity has known that Earth i...
26 Mar 2026
Episode 6 - What on Earth is geological time?! - Proterozoic & Paleozoic
Please remember to follow, like and share! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatonearth_podcast?igsh=Y3MwbjkyNjgwcjVy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Fa7FsnQku/ In this episode of What On Earth?!, we’re diving into geological time. This is Part 1. Ever wondered how scientists make sense of 4.6 billion years of Earth history? How do you even begin to divide that into something understandable? And why do some chapters of Earth’s past end so dramatically? We’re going all the way ba...
12 Mar 2026
Episode 5.2 - What On Earth do rock glaciers tell us about climate change?! - With dr. Melanie Stammler
Please remember to follow, like and share! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatonearth_podcast?igsh=Y3MwbjkyNjgwcjVy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Fa7FsnQku/ In part two of our conversation with Dr. Melanie Stammler, we zoom out to the bigger picture: why rock glaciers matter in a warming world. We explore how these debris–ice landforms, characteristic of periglacial mountain regions, respond to climate change and what their movement and surface changes can tell us abou...
5 Mar 2026
Episode 5.1 - What On Earth are rock glaciers?! - With Dr. Melanie Stammler
Please remember to follow, like and share! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatonearth_podcast?igsh=Y3MwbjkyNjgwcjVy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Fa7FsnQku/ What is it like to study rock glaciers high in the Andes? In this episode of What On Earth?!, we talk with Dr. Melanie Stammler about her research on rock glacier dynamics and permafrost landscapes in the Dry Andes of Argentina. She explains how scientists use field measurements, drones, and photogrammetry to track...
19 Feb 2026
Episode 4.3 - What on Earth is the Solar System?!
If you want to see the photos Tika is describing in this episode, visit our IG page: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatonearth_podcast?igsh=Y3MwbjkyNjgwcjVy Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/share/1Fa7FsnQku/ Remember to follow, like and share! In Part 3 of Episode 4 of What on Earth, we travel beyond the rocky worlds and venture into the outer Solar System - home of the giants: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. We begin with Jupiter, the largest planet in our Solar System. A wo...
12 Feb 2026
Episode 4.2 - What on Earth is the Solar System?!
If you want to see the photos Tika is describing in this episode. Visit our IG page: https://www.instagram.com/whatonearth_podcast?igsh=Y3MwbjkyNjgwcjVy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Fa7FsnQku/ Remember to follow, like and share! In Part 2 of Episode 4 of What on Earth, we leave the Sun behind and begin our journey through the Solar System. Starting with the rocky planets of the inner Solar System: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. Our first stop is Mercury, a small planet wi...
5 Feb 2026
Episode 4.1 - What on Earth is the Solar System?!
Please remember to follow, like and share! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatonearth_podcast?igsh=Y3MwbjkyNjgwcjVy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Fa7FsnQku/ In our fourth episode of What on Earth, we zoom way out - from rocks beneath our feet to the vast, dynamic system we call home: the Solar System. We start with a deceptively simple question: what on Earth is the Solar System? From there, we unpack what actually defines it - not just planets orbiting the Sun, but a ...
22 Jan 2026
Episode 3 - What on Earth are fossils?!
Fossils aren’t just dinosaur bones in museums; they’re one of the main ways we know what life on Earth looked like millions of years ago. In this episode, we dive into what fossils actually are, how they form, and why finding one is such a rare and special event. We explore the different types of fossils, from bones and shells to footprints and burrows, and explain the processes that turn living organisms into stone. You’ll also learn why the fossil record is far from perfect: why some organi...
7 Jan 2026
Episode 2 - What on Earth are rocks and minerals?!
In our second episode of What on Earth, we dive into the building blocks of our planet - minerals and rocks - and clear up some of the most common confusions right from the start. We begin by asking a deceptively simple question: what exactly is a mineral? From there, we walk through the key criteria a substance needs to meet to earn that title - naturally occurring, solid, ordered, and chemical (yes, science does love its rules). Once the minerals are sorted, we zoom out and talk about rocks...
25 Dec 2025
Episode 1 - What on Earth are we talking about?
In our very first episode of What on Earth, we take you on a small journey through the language of science: from the days when Latin ruled academia to how English eventually became the global scientific language we use today. Along the way, we realise that science doesn’t exist in a vacuum - wars, politics, and historical turning points have shaped not only what we study, but also how we communicate it. We also get honest about one of the biggest challenges we face as scientists: explaining c...
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