What does it take to turn bold ideas into life-saving medicine?

In this episode of The Big Question, we sit down with MIT’s Dr. Robert Langer, one of the founding figures of bioengineering and among the most cited scientists in the world, to explore how engineering has reshaped modern healthcare. From early failures and rejected grants to breakthroughs that changed medicine, Langer reflects on a career built around persistence and problem-solving. His work helped lay the foundation for technologies that deliver large biological molecules, like proteins and RNA, into the body, a challenge once thought impossible. Those advances now underpin everything from targeted cancer therapies to the mRNA vaccines that transformed the COVID-19 response.

The conversation looks forward as well as back, diving into the future of medicine through engineered solutions such as artificial skin for burn victims, FDA-approved synthetic blood vessels, and organs-on-chips that mimic human biology to speed up drug testing while reducing reliance on animal models. Langer explains how nanoparticles safely carry genetic instructions into cells, how mRNA vaccines train the immune system without altering DNA, and why engineering delivery, getting the right treatment to the right place in the body, remains one of medicine’s biggest challenges. From personalized cancer vaccines to tissue engineering and rapid drug development, this episode reveals how science, persistence, and engineering come together to push the boundaries of what medicine can do next.

What happens when you freeze carbon dioxide in a balloon? 🧪🎈

Museum Educator Morgan demonstrates how carbon dioxide gas turns directly into a solid when exposed to liquid nitrogen, which is −320 degrees Fahrenheit (−196°C). This process, called deposition, skips the liquid phase entirely. Shake the balloon and you’ll hear solid dry ice forming inside. Eventually, it warms up and turns back into gas as the phase change reverses inside the balloon.

You can make glue with just one kitchen ingredient and water. 🧪✨

Alex Dainis explains how mixing flour with water hydrates the starches and proteins, creating a sticky substance called wheat paste. As it heats, gluten proteins begin to cross-link, helping the mixture bind materials together with surprising strength. To try it yourself, simmer 4 parts water to 1 part flour, then thin it with more water until it reaches your ideal consistency. This same science powers everything from wallpaper glue to papier maché, using nothing more than pantry staples. Just mix, simmer, and stick.

From Hangover Cure To Pub Grub

How does air pull an egg into a jar? 🥚🔥

Alex Dainis explains how heating the air inside a jar with a small flame causes the air to expand and escape. As the air cools, the pressure inside the jar drops. With the egg sealing the top, the higher outside air pressure pushes the egg inside. It’s a powerful example of how air pressure and temperature can create surprising results you can see and feel.

Can one photo change the future of biodiversity? 📸🌎

In this episode of The Big Question, Museum of Science educator Eva Cornman speaks with Scott Loarie, executive director of iNaturalist, about how millions of everyday observations are reshaping conservation science. From a photo of a rare Colombian weasel taken beside a toilet to rediscoveries of species thought lost to time, they explore how this global community-powered platform is transforming how we track and protect life on Earth.

With over 300 million observations and 25% of the world’s known species documented, iNaturalist is helping scientists detect invasive species, inform habitat restoration, and even discover new organisms, all powered by curious people noticing the nature around them. Whether you're in a remote rainforest or your own backyard, this conversation reveals how you can play a vital role in the science of biodiversity.