Behind The Science Podcast

Ep125 - Sonar mapping of groundwater discharge in coastal areas 04.06.2026 1j 3mnt

In this episode, we talk with Mary Rose P. Gabuyo about her study on using low-cost fish finders — the kind used for recreational sport fishing — to detect and map submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) in coastal waters. SGD refers to all direct discharge of subsurface fluids across the seafloor, including fresh groundwater, recirculated seawater, and gases like CO₂ and methane. Despite its ecological significance, mapping SGD remains a challenge because conventional methods are costly, tedious, and require specialized equipment. This study tested whether recreational-grade echosounders could do the job — and they did.📚Reference: Gabuyo MRP, Siringan FP. 2022. Utility of low-cost recreational-grade echosounders in imaging and characterizing bubbly coastal submarine groundwater discharge. Journal of Hydrology X. 14:100118.

Ep124 - Reconstructing 13,000 years of sea ice extent in the Canadian Arctic 28.05.2026 1j

In this episode, we talk with Madeleine Santos about her study on how sea ice in the Canadian Arctic has changed over the past 13,000 years and what it tells us about where the Arctic is headed. By analyzing lipid biomarkers — chemical compounds preserved in seafloor sediments that serve as fingerprints of past environmental conditions — from two sediment cores collected from the Beaufort Sea, the study reconstructed sea ice cover, sea surface temperatures, salinity, and terrestrial input throughout the Holocene.📚Reference: Santos M, Bröder L, O'Regan M, Hernández-Almeida I, Tesi T, Bigler L, Haghipour N, Nelson DB, Fritz M, Lattaud J. 2026. Holocene sea ice and paleoenvironment conditions in the Beaufort Sea (Canadian Arctic) reconstructed with lipid biomarkers. Climate of the Past. 22:187–203.

Ep123 - Possible existence of gas hydrates in Manila Trench 21.05.2026 1j

In this episode, we talk with Elisha Jane M. Maglalang about her study on the possible occurrence of gas hydrates in offshore western Luzon — the first of its kind in the Philippines. Gas hydrates are ice-like substances that trap methane gas within their molecular structure and form naturally on the seafloor under high pressure and low temperature. They are of significant interest both as a potential alternative energy resource and as a geologic hazard. Their dissociation can release large amounts of methane into the atmosphere and trigger underwater landslides. By reinterpreting existing multi-channel seismic reflection data from the Manila Trench, the study identified bottom simulating reflectors, which is the primary seismic signature of gas hydrate presence, across a total area of approximately 15,400 km² in the Manila Trench forearc region.📚Reference: Maglalang EJM, Armada LT, Santos MC, Sayen KF, Dimalanta CB, Hsu S-K, Yumul GP Jr. 2023. Bottom simulating reflectors in the Manila Trench forearc and its implications on the occurrence of gas hydrates in the region. Marine and Petroleum Geology. 158:106538.🤝Behind The Science Podcast is in partnership with the UP Resilience Institute

Ep122 - Viruses in the Arctic Ocean 14.05.2026 56mnt

In this episode, we talk with Alyzza Calayag about her study on the diversity, seasonality, and global distribution of viruses in the Arctic Ocean. Viruses play critical roles in ocean ecosystems but very little is known about viral communities in polar waters. Using water samples collected monthly for four years, the study identified 5,662 viral groups, found that viral abundance is 8-fold higher in summer than the rest of the year, and discovered that 42% of these Arctic viruses also peak in abundance in high-latitude regions of the Southern Ocean📚Reference: Calayag AM, Priest T, Oldenburg E, Muschiol J, Popa O, Wietz M, Needham DM. 2025. Arctic Ocean virus communities and their seasonality, bipolarity, and prokaryotic associations. Nature Communications. 16:6427.🤝Behind The Science Podcast is in partnership with the UP Resilience Institute

Ep121 - Landslide prediction using machine learning 07.05.2026 1j 1mnt

In this episode, we talk with Ms. Jamila B. Abuda about her study on using machine learning to predict when landslides are likely to occur along a mountain highway in Benguet, Philippines. Being able to predict when landslides will happen is critical for early warning systems. The study tested five machine learning algorithms using only rainfall data and documented landslide events, and found that grouping landslide occurrences by rock type or lithology before training the models significantly improved prediction accuracy. 📚Reference: Abuda JB, Saturay RM Jr., Catane SG, Guevarra I. 2026. Lithologically-constrained, machine learning-based temporal landslide prediction models using rainfall time series for the Benguet First Engineering District, Philippines. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment. 85:156.🤝Behind The Science Podcast is in partnership with the UP Resilience Institute.

Lec3 - Rapid mangrove colonization due to high sedimentation from a flood control project 23.04.2026 35mnt

Reuploading this lecture about the rapid mangrove colonization in Iloilo City because of high sedimentation from a flood control project. I also shared how this study developed from a class project to 2 publications.📚References: [1] Flores, P. C. M., & Siringan, F. P. (2020). Shoreline change in response to the construction of a flood canal in Jaro, Iloilo City, Philippines. IEEE India Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (InGARSS), 2020, 134–137. [2] Flores, P. C. M., David, L. T., & Siringan, F. P. (2020). Mangrove forest cover change (1947–2018) at the River Mouth Section of The Jaro Floodway, Iloilo City, Philippines. IEEE India Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (InGARSS), 2020, 246–249. 🤝Behind The Science Podcast is in partnership with the UP Resilience Institute

Ep120 - Using computer vision to identify pollen for doubled haploid breeding 16.04.2026 1j 4mnt

In this episode, we talk with John Albert M. Caraan about his study on Sporesight — an AI-powered computer vision tool that can automatically identify pollen developmental stages in eggplant in real time. Knowing the exact developmental stage of pollen is critical in doubled haploid technology, where microspores at the right stage are cultured in vitro to rapidly produce purebred plant lines. 📚Reference: Caraan JAM, Bautista AM, Lamorin JBV, Madrid VRM. 2026. Sporesight: A real-time computer vision-driven inference tool for pollen development stage classification in eggplant. SciEnggJ. 19(Supplement):015–022. 🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Ep119 - How can scientists become better science communicators 09.04.2026 1j 3mnt

In this episode, we are joined by Mikael Angelo Francisco — an award-winning science journalist, the co-founder and editor-in-chief of FlipScience.ph, host of the Ask Theory Podcast, and a leading voice in Philippine science media — for an in-depth conversation on the evolving landscape of science communication in the Philippines. We discussed the strategic value of podcasting, the common errors scientists make when addressing non-specialist audiences, and the shared responsibility of journalists and researchers in combating misquotation and misinformation.🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Ep118 - Philippine Climate Types Based on Rainfall and Temperature 02.04.2026 1j

Dr. Lyndon Olaguera discusses their study challenging the existing four-type Philippine climate classification by incorporating temperature alongside rainfall data from 1979 to 2015.📚Reference: Olaguera LMP, Badua EK, Llorin AGA, Cruz FAT, Villarin JRT, Manalo JA, Villafuerte MQ II, Matsumoto J. 2025. Rainfall and temperature-based Philippine climate zones using Self-Organizing Maps. Scientific Online Letters on the Atmosphere. 21C:10–20. 🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Ep117 - Women's roles in Philippine agriculture 26.03.2026 1j

To cap off our March episode and celebrate Women’s Month, Ms. Gemmalyn Trespalacio shares their study examining women’s roles in Philippine agriculture in the context of climate change through a meta-synthesis using a gender analysis framework.🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Ep116 - Fisheries Resources in the Babuyan Channel 23.03.2026 1j 1mnt

Dr. Angel Encarnacion discusses their study assessing the fisheries resources of the Babuyan Channel in Northern Philippines, uncovering fluctuating fish production trends and high fishing pressure on commercially important species like shortfin scad, mahi-mahi, and largehead hairtail from 2009 to 2013.📚Reference: Calicdan MA, Gumiran E, Encarnacion AB, Ayson JP. 2018. Assessment of fisheries resources in the Babuyan Channel. The Philippine Journal of Fisheries. 25(1):14–24. 🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Ep115 - Occurrence and stability of veterinary antibiotics in Pampanga River Basin 19.03.2026 1j 14mnt

Mr. Gerardo Ilagan investigated the presence and fate of seven veterinary antibiotics, namely, amoxicillin, ampicillin, penicillin G, tetracycline, oxytetracycline, sulfamethazine, and sulfamethoxazole in the surface waters of the Upper Pampanga River and its tributaries in Nueva Ecija. 📚Reference: Ilagan G, Dimzon IK, Guidote Jr. A. 2026. Occurrence and stability of veterinary antibiotics in Upper Pampanga River Basin located in Nueva Ecija, Philippines. SciEnggJ. 19(1):79–88.‌🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Ep114 - Measuring CO2 efflux in Philippine mangroves 16.03.2026 1j 4mnt

Mr. Sean Manalo shares a low-cost method to measure the carbon dioxide efflux in Philippine mangrove forests.📚Reference: Manalo SP, Salmo SI. 2025. Exploring the potential of low-cost portable CO2 meter in the assessment of soil CO2 efflux in Philippine mangroves. SciEnggJ. 18(2):347–355.🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Ep113 - Urban Heat Island Effect 12.03.2026 1j 5mnt

Dr. John Manalo discussed their study on how urbanization has driven temperature changes across the Philippines from 1951 to 2018 using 34 meteorological stations.📚Reference: Manalo JA, Matsumoto J, Takahashi HG, Villafuerte MQ, Olaguera LMP, Ren G, Cinco TA. 2022. The effect of urbanization on temperature indices in the Philippines. International Journal of Climatology. 42(2):850–867.🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Ep112 - The land is sinking: Ground deformation after the 2013 Bohol earthquake 05.03.2026 1j 3mnt

Engr. Angela Bauzon discusses her Master's thesis on ground deformation in Bohol following the devastating 2013 Mw 7.2 earthquake. Her study analyzes post-earthquake land movement along the coastal areas of Loon and Maribojoc using Sentinel-1 satellite imagery and remote sensing techniques like shoreline change analysis and persistent scatterer interferometric synthetic aperture radar📚Reference: Bauzon, M.D.A., Reyes, R.B., Blanco, A.C. et al. Ground deformation analysis caused by post-2013 earthquake in Bohol, Philippines. Spat. Inf. Res. 30, 791–807 (2022).🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Lec2 - Manila Trench tsunami scenarios 01.03.2026 12mnt

Reuploading this old lecture I made...Numerical modeling of tsunamis from the Manila Trench provides startling insights into the many countries and people who would be affected by such a catastrophic event. This video explains the modeling results and demonstrates just how devastating the effects of a powerful tsunami from the Manila Trench could be.📚References: Megawati K, Shaw F, Sieh K, Huang Z, Wu T-R, Lin Y, Tan SK, Pan T-C. 2009. Tsunami hazard from the subduction megathrust of the South China Sea: Part I. Source characterization and the resulting tsunami. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences. 36(1):13–20. doi:10.1016/j.jseaes.2008.11.012.Qiu Q, Li L, Hsu Y-J, Wang Y, Chan C-H, Switzer AD. 2019. Revised earthquake sources along the Manila trench for tsunami hazard assessment in the South China Sea. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences. 19(7):1565–1583. doi:10.5194/nhess-19-1565-2019.

Ep111 - Local community participation in coastal resource management of Palaui Island 26.02.2026 1j 13mnt

In this episode, Dr. Ballad discussed her study on Palaui Island Protected Landscape and Seascape (PIPLS) where she explores how ecotourism serves as an alternative livelihood for local communities and how it influences their participation in coastal resource management. 📚Reference: Ballad E, Morooka Y, Shinbo T. 2021. Impact of ecotourism on local community's participation in coastal resource management: case of Palaui Island Protected Landscape and Seascape (PIPLS) in Northern Luzon, Philippines. The Philippine Journal of Fisheries. 28(2):168–180. 🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Lec1 - This island in Lumaniag, Batangas was formed by storms 23.02.2026 9mnt

Reuploading this old lecture I made...Tsunami or typhoon? Which one built the mysterious island off the coast of Lumaniag village in Batangas? That's the question researchers from UP Diliman set out to answer.In this episode, we dive into how researchers from UP Diliman solved this coastal detective story. By combining field measurements, uranium-thorium dating of coral boulders, historical typhoon records, and interviews with village elders to piece together how typhoons in the 1960s and 70s built an entire island from scratch. Here's the twist: that storm-built island is now protecting the very community it once threatened.📚Reference: Gallentes AT, Manglicmot MT, Gong SY, Hu HM, Shen CC, Siringan FP. 2021. Coral boulder transport and gravel bar formation by storms in Lumaniag village, Batangas, northwestern Philippines. Geomorphology. 376:107554. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2020.107554.🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Ep110 - Urban planning with AI 19.02.2026 1j 10mnt

What does a livable city really look like and who gets to decide? In this episode, Enzo Campomanes explains how he developed AI models called "AI-voters" trained on satellite imagery and community input to map urban livability. 📚Reference: Campomanes V, F., Abascal, A., Oliveira, L.T. et al. Whose city is it? Mapping perceived urban livability with citizen-guided AI. npj Urban Sustain 6, 16 (2026).🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Ep109 - Fungi as natural pest control 12.02.2026 1j 9mnt

How can a fungus help control one of the Philippines’ most destructive crop pests? In this episode of Behind the Science Podcast, Marcela M. Navasero and Melissa P. Montecalvo of UPLB’s National Crop Protection Center share how Metarhizium rileyi is being studied as a biological control agent against fall armyworm, along with the real-world challenges of turning lab research into sustainable pest management solutions.📚Reference: Valeros JME, Garcia TAP, Sabino NG, Navasero MM, and Montecalvo MP. 2025. Effect of Successive Subculturing on Virulence, Growth, and Germination of Fungus Metarhizium rileyi for Biological Control of Fall Armyworm. The Philippine Agricultural Scientist. 108(4):406–412. ‌🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.