SUBSTANCE  
Stories about the stuff that shapes our world.

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Latest Episode: Clay

Clay is one of the oldest materials humans have ever used, from early pottery to the walls of homes. In this episode, host Joe Hanson explores how this ancient material can inspire new solutions for an increasingly warming world. 

Dr. Frank Reuter, Business Manager Cavipor^® at BASF, presents a breathable clay-foam insulation material that can be injected into wall cavities in existing buildings without invasive retrofitting. Cavipor insulates against heat and cold, dampens noise, and is flame-retardant. For older homes in particular, it offers a way to improve comfort and energy efficiency while preserving the building’s original structure.

Brook Kennedy, Design Professor at Virginia Tech in the United States, explains how traditional technologies can offer valuable starting points for contemporary design. Inspired by passive cooling methods such as wind towers and water jars, he and his team are developing 3D-printed clay partitions that use evaporative cooling.

Listen now!

Our guest: Dr. Frank Reuter

Frank Reuter is business manager Cavipor^® at BASF since 2022. In this role, he contributed to the development of Cavipor: An innovative mineral-based in-situ foam system for sustainable insulation. It aims at the energy-efficient renovation of double-wall masonry and opens new possibilities for the construction industry.

Reuter started at BASF in 2011 as a lab team leader. He has a PhD in Chemistry from University Mainz, Germany, complemented by an international study experience at the University of Bourgogne in Dijon, France.

Our guest: Professor Brook Kennedy

Brook Kennedy is professor for Design at Virginia Tech in the US. He is a designer, researcher and inventor with more than twenty years of diverse professional experience. He was the winner of the Green Good Design Award in 2025, along with numerous other accolades over many years including the Red Dot Best of the Best Award in 2011. In 2024 he was awarded the Global Visiting Professorship at the Technical University of Munich, Germany. Kennedy has commercialized more than 70 mass produced products, many which continue to be successful after years on the market. Today, in addition to serving in advising roles with companies, startups and NGOs, he also leads sponsored research initiiatives exploring circular material alternatives for consumer products and furniture.

Kennedy was educated at Reed College in Portland, USA and earned a Master of Fine Arts in Design at Stanford University, USA.

Our host: Joe Hanson, PhD 

Joe Hanson is an internationally recognized science communicator. Before working in science media and education, he researched genetic engineering and cancer biology, obtaining a PhD in biology from the University of Texas.

He is the creator, host, and head writer of Be Smart, a YouTube science education show with more than 5 million subscribers on YouTube.
Hanson has won Webby and Telly Awards and the Kavli Science Journalism Award for his work. 

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