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Behind The Science Podcast

Behind The Science Podcast and The Pod Network Entertainment

148 episodes

Every research paper holds more than just data. It carries years of dedication, sleepless nights, and setbacks. Behind The Science Podcast takes you beyond the published pages and into the real stories of discovery.

More about the show

New episode every Thursday at 7:00 PM.

Hosted by: Paul Caesar M. Flores, DSc

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=6QCdWywAAAAJ&hl=en

Episodes page 1 of 3

  1. Ep145 - Challenges and progress of Lapu-lapu farming in Asia

    · 46 min · Episode 145

    In this episode, we talk with Dr. Cirilo Ybañez Jr. about his review of grouper (lapu-lapu) aquaculture in Asia. Groupers are prized as luxury seafood, and high market demand has driven the growth of grouper farming…

  2. Ep144 - Indigenous perspectives on conserving the Philippine Brown Deer

    · 59 min · Episode 144

    In this episode, we talk with Mr. Jhonnel Villegas about his study examining the conservation of the Philippine brown deer (Rusa marianna Desmarest, 1822) in Davao Oriental with a focus on the perspectives and…

  3. Ep143 - Lava Dome Growth and Collapse of the 2023 Mayon Volcano Eruption

    · 1 h 00 min · Episode 143

    In this episode, we talk with Mr. Aris Paolo Castro, an instructor at the National Institute of Geological Sciences, UP Diliman, about his study tracking how Mayon Volcano's lava dome grew and collapsed during its 2023…

  4. Ep142 - Regional Risks and Policy Responses to Fall Armyworm Invasion in Davao Region

    · 57 min · Episode 142

    In this episode, we talk with Mr. Karl Fritze S. Sampiano, an entomologist and faculty member at Davao Oriental State University, about his study on the risks and policy responses needed for the fall armyworm…

  5. Ep141 - Fishery status of mangrove clams in Davao Region

    · 1 h 00 min · Episode 141

    In this episode, we talk with Mr. Michael Jeriel Bersaldo, a marine biology instructor at SPAMAST, about his study on the fishery status of imbao, the mangrove clam that's one of the most sought-after shellfish in…

  6. Ep140 - Diploma for Sale: Diploma Mills in Higher Education in the Philippines

    · 55 min · Episode 140

    In this episode, we talk with Dr. Karol Mark Yee, Executive Director of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), about the growing problem of diploma mills in Philippine higher education — schools…

  7. Ep139 - Meteorological Research by Jesuit Priests in the Philippines (1860s–1940s)

    · 1 h 03 min · Episode 139

    In this episode, we talk with Dr. Kerby Alvarez, a historian at the Department of History, University of the Philippines Diliman, about his study tracing the history of Philippine meteorology. Long before PAGASA…

  8. Ep138 - Is the Philippines Ready for Nuclear Energy?

    · 1 h 04 min · Episode 138

    In this episode, we talk with Dr. Carlo Arcilla, a geologist and former director of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) and the UP National Institute of Geological Sciences, about whether the Philippines…

  9. Ep137 - Counterfactual analysis of the impact of Project NOAH on disaster risk reduction

    · 47 min · Episode 133

    In this episode, we talk with Mr. Jude Vito Custodio Agapito about his study on whether Project NOAH, the Philippine government's flagship disaster risk reduction program, actually saved lives. Using counterfactual…

  10. Ep136 - Coat of arms, logos, and seals

    · 1 h 04 min · Episode 136

    In this episode, we talk with Ms. Eulah Araullo, Creative Lead at Canva and one of the Philippines' top educational content creators (@eulahexplains), about the design principles behind coats of arms, logos, and seals.…

  11. Ep135 - Serving the Community as a Doctor to the Barrio

    · 1 h 01 min · Episode 135

    In this episode, we talk with Dr. Roy Joshua Gerona about the Doctors To The Barrio (DTTB) Program, what a day in rural healthcare actually looks like, the challenges of serving underserved communities, and why he…

  12. Ep134 - There are 5 species of Lagundi in the Philippines

    · 1 h 03 min · Episode 134

    In this episode, we talk with Dr. Renerio Gentallan Jr. about his study on the taxonomic identity of "lagundi", a group of medicinal shrubs long confused with one another due to decades of conflicting nomenclatural…

  13. Ep133 - Flood and landslide susceptibility mapping in Mati, Davao Oriental

    · 56 min · Episode 133

    In this episode, we talk with Mr. Ramil Ramos about his study on flood and landslide susceptibility mapping in the City of Mati, Davao Oriental. Using a GIS-based Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis integrated with the…

  14. Ep132 - Bakit tumatagal ang mga pasyente sa ospital?

    · 1 h 05 min · Episode 132

    We talk with Dr. John Jefferson Besa and Dr. Ella Mae Masamayor about their study on prolonged hospital stays among internal medicine patients admitted at the Philippine General Hospital. By reviewing the medical…

  15. Ep131 - Memorizing the virtual world

    · 1 h 02 min · Episode 131

    In this episode, we talk with Dr. Nicko Caluya about his study on whether the size of the overlay field of view (OFOV) in head-mounted displays affects a person's ability to memorize spatial locations. OFOV refers to…

  16. Ep130 - May formula ba sa pagpapatawa?

    · 1 h 10 min · Episode 130

    In this episode, we talk with Victor Anastacio, stand-up comedian and host of the podcast Intellectwalwal, about whether there's a formula for making people laugh. A former banker who left the corporate world to pursue…

  17. Ep129 - Learning Intramuros' history with augmented reality

    · 1 h 02 min · Episode 129

    In this episode, we talk with Nicko R. Caluya about his study on the design of Igpaw: Intramuros, a smartphone- and tablet-based augmented reality game that teaches Philippine history through an adventure game format…

  18. Ep128 - Pervasive stunting among children under five in Negros

    · 57 min · Episode 128

    In this episode, we talk with Dr. Janine Patricia G. Robredo about her thesis on stunting among children under five in nutrition aid-recipient communities in the Philippines.

  19. Ep127 - Predicting the scores of university entrance examinees

    · 57 min · Episode 127

    In this episode, we talk with Diether C. Montejo about his study on predicting how university entrants perform in the State University Aptitude and Scholarship Test (SUAST) — the college admission exam of Davao…

  20. Ep126 - Life outside PhD, pagbabanda sa Taiwan

    · 56 min · Episode 126

    In this episode, we talk with Mr. John Fungo about his journey in science, PhD research in Taiwan, and life outside the laboratory. PS. Hindi pala nag save ang video recording kaya audio episode muna tayo.

  21. Ep125 - Sonar mapping of groundwater discharge in coastal areas

    · 1 h 04 min · Episode 125

    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…

  22. Ep124 - Reconstructing 13,000 years of sea ice extent in the Canadian Arctic

    · 1 h 00 min · Episode 124

    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…

  23. Ep123 - Possible existence of gas hydrates in Manila Trench

    · 1 h 01 min · Episode 123

    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…

  24. Ep122 - Viruses in the Arctic Ocean

    · 57 min · Episode 122

    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…

  25. Ep121 - Landslide prediction using machine learning

    · 1 h 01 min · Episode 121

    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…

  26. Lec3 - Rapid mangrove colonization due to high sedimentation from a flood control project

    · 35 min · Episode 3 · Bonus

    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.…

  27. Ep120 - Using computer vision to identify pollen for doubled haploid breeding

    · 1 h 05 min · Episode 120

    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…

  28. Ep119 - How can scientists become better science communicators

    · 1 h 03 min · Episode 119

    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…

  29. Ep118 - Philippine Climate Types Based on Rainfall and Temperature

    · 1 h 01 min · Episode 118

    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…

  30. Ep117 - Women's roles in Philippine agriculture

    · 1 h 01 min · Episode 117

    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…

  31. Ep116 - Fisheries Resources in the Babuyan Channel

    · 1 h 01 min · Episode 116

    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…

  32. Ep115 - Occurrence and stability of veterinary antibiotics in Pampanga River Basin

    · 1 h 15 min · Episode 115

    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…

  33. Ep114 - Measuring CO2 efflux in Philippine mangroves

    · 1 h 04 min · Episode 114

    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…

  34. Ep113 - Urban Heat Island Effect

    · 1 h 06 min · Episode 113

    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,…

  35. Ep112 - The land is sinking: Ground deformation after the 2013 Bohol earthquake

    · 1 h 03 min · Episode 112

    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…

  36. Lec2 - Manila Trench tsunami scenarios

    · 13 min · Episode 2 · Bonus

    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…

  37. Ep111 - Local community participation in coastal resource management of Palaui Island

    · 1 h 14 min · Episode 111

    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…

  38. Lec1 - This island in Lumaniag, Batangas was formed by storms

    · 9:58 · Episode 1 · Bonus

    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…

  39. Ep110 - Urban planning with AI

    · 1 h 11 min · Episode 110

    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…

  40. Ep109 - Fungi as natural pest control

    · 1 h 10 min · Episode 109

    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…

  41. Ep108 - Prioritizing disaster response using social media posts

    · 1 h 06 min · Episode 108

    I talked with Engr. Raymond Lagria about his study on classifying and ranking social media posts to prioritize disaster response. 📚Reference: Lagria, R., et. al. “A Text Mining Framework for the Classification and…

  42. Ep107 - Improving rice seed quality using organic fertilizers

    · 1 h 07 min · Episode 107

    I talked with Ms. Cielo Luz C. Mondejar about practical, low-cost ways to improve rice seed quality using organic fertilizers. 📚Reference: Mondejar CL. 2025. Comparative Effects of Organic-Based Seed Treatments on…

  43. Ep106 - Quantum violation of free-fall motion

    · 1 h 00 min · Episode 106

    What happens when you drop 2 quantum particles of different sizes at the same time? 📚Reference: Flores PCM, Galapon EA. 2019. Quantum free-fall motion and quantum violation of the weak equivalence principle. Physical…

  44. Ep105 - 2 years of Behind The Science Podcast

    · 41 min · Episode 105

    Kwento ko lang paano ito nagsimula hanggang sa kung ano na ito ngayon.

  45. Ep104 - What If Super Typhoons Rolly and Odette Occurred Under Past and Future Climate

    · 57 min · Episode 104

    In this episode, I talked with Dr. Rafaela Jane Delfino about her research on how climate change influences super typhoons in the Philippines. Using high-resolution climate models, her study examines how Super Typhoons…

  46. Ep103 - Splitting light beams using a metal-dielectric interface for precision optics

    · 1 h 08 min · Episode 103

    I talked with Dr. Cherrie May Olaya, a postdoctoral researcher at the RIKEN Center for Advanced Photonics in Japan. She explains her work on how light behaves at metal surfaces, focusing on a phenomenon known as the…

  47. Ep102 - Bakit dumadami ang mga water hyacinth?

    · 1 h 03 min · Episode 102

    Dr. Mary Joy Abit shares their research that examines how nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations can influence the growth of water hyacinths. 📚Reference: Abit MJ, Pilar RF, Ramirez AH. 2025. Influence of Nitrogen and…

  48. Ep101 - Tropical Cyclone Rainfall Forecasting in the Philippines using AI

    · 1 h 03 min · Episode 98

    Dr. Gerry Bagtasa shares their study on developing an AI-based model for forecasting tropical cyclone rainfall in the Philippines using historical data from 1951 to 2015 to train the model. 📚Reference: Mesias CG,…

  49. Ep100 - Developing a Microfluidic Platform for Cell Encapsulation in Alginate Hydrogel Microparticles

    · 1 h 02 min · Episode 100

    In this episode, I talk with Ms. Alexandra Hulog about a new microfluidic method that creates uniform alginate microbeads for cell encapsulation. Traditional batch emulsion techniques often produce beads of uneven…

  50. Ep99 - Threats to small pelagic fisheries and milkfish aquaculture in the Philippines over the next 30 years

    · 1 h 06 min · Episode 99

    Dr. Edison Macusi discusses the most pressing issues facing the small pelagic fisheries and milkfish aquaculture industries in the Philippines over the next 30 years, and the solutions to these problems. 📚Reference:…

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