PlanetGeo: a science podcast
A geoscience professor and his former high school teacher explain how the Earth works, from core principles to interviews with leading researchers.
An educational geoscience podcast that balances foundational lessons with expert interviews. Hosted by a university professor and his former high school teacher, the show translates complex topics—from granite petrology to professional licensure exams—into engaging conversations. It serves as both an introduction to the science for newcomers and a source of deeper insight for those already in the field.
“The host dynamic—a professor and the teacher who inspired his career—creates a uniquely accessible yet authoritative learning environment. Unlike many science shows, PlanetGeo isn't afraid to dedicate entire episodes to technical 'deep dives' on topics like the Fundamentals of Geology exam or the history of granite research.”
Who hosts this show
PlanetGeo is hosted by Dr. Jesse Reimink, a geoscience professor at Penn State, and Chris Bolhuis, the award-winning high school geology teacher who first inspired him. Together, they explore how our planet works, discuss current events, and interview prominent scientists and professionals in the field. The show aims to make geoscience accessible and exciting for a general audience, bridging the gap between academic research and everyday life.
Credentials & credits
- Jesse Reimink: Associate Professor of Geosciences, Penn State University
- Jesse Reimink: Rudy L. Slingerland Early Career Professorship
- Jesse Reimink: PhD, University of Alberta
- Chris Bolhuis: 2013 AAPG National Earth Science Teacher of the Year
- Chris Bolhuis: High school educator, Hudsonville Public Schools
- Chris Bolhuis: Graduate of Grand Valley State University
Other ventures
- CampGeo (mobile learning app)
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01Rocks for the Future - with MIT Prof. Oli JagoutzJun 11, 2026 · 44 min
- 02The Fundamentals of Geology (Exam)May 28, 2026 · 41 min
- 03Granite Wars: The Debates That Built a ScienceMay 21, 2026 · 59 min
- 04What Is a Professional Geologist? — with Keith RappApr 30, 2026 · 1h 04m
- 05Eating Rocks for BreakfastApr 3, 2026 · 37 min
- 06What is a Professional Geologist? An Intro to LicensureMar 26, 2026 · 31 min
- 07Visualizing the Deep Earth - CEO and Founder Christie CapperMar 19, 2026 · 53 min
- 08The Anatomy of Mountain RangesFeb 26, 2026 · 41 min
Notable episodes
- 01Granite Wars: The Debates That Built a Science
Kicks off a technical 'deep-dive' series, showcasing the show's commitment to in-depth content beyond the basics.
- 02The Fundamentals of Geology (Exam)
Highlights the show's other format: a two-host discussion on practical topics relevant to students and professionals, with one host sharing his personal experience taking the exam.
- 03Rocks for the Future - with MIT Prof. Oli Jagoutz
A strong example of their expert interview format, featuring a wide-ranging conversation with a high-profile academic about his career and the future of geoscience.
What you'll be asked on this show
Jesse Reimink typically leads interviews, often opening by asking for the guest's origin story and their path into geology. He serves as an audience proxy, frequently pausing the conversation to ask for clear definitions of technical terms or to confirm his understanding of a complex topic. He guides the discussion from the historical context of a problem to the guest's specific research contributions, before zooming out to ask about the future of the field and its broader societal relevance. His style is collaborative and inquisitive, making the interview feel like a shared lesson.
The show alternates between two-host discussions on specific topics (like professional exams or geological features) and long-form interviews with academic or industry experts. The tone is educational and enthusiastic, with a recurring goal of explaining not just *how* the planet works, but *why* it matters to the listener. Episodes often open with the tagline, "Welcome to Planet Geo, the podcast where we talk about our amazing planet, how it works, and why it matters to you."
Questions the host keeps coming back to
9 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
origin
1- Q.01
“How did you get into geology and what was your early path?”
This is a common opening question to establish the guest's backstory and personal connection to the field.
technique
1- Q.01
“For people who don't know, what is [technical term] and why is it important?”
He frequently asks this to translate jargon and ensure the core concepts are clear to the general audience.
future
1- Q.01
“What are your current thoughts, what's interesting to you now, and what should the geosciences be doing?”
A broad, open-ended question used towards the end to let the guest discuss their current passions and the future of the field.
backstory
1- Q.01
“Why is the history of research in this specific field important?”
This question is used to frame deep-dive episodes, establishing the historical context before getting into modern science.
controversy
1- Q.01
“What did people used to think about this, and what do you think is different?”
He asks this to highlight scientific controversy and clarify the guest's specific contribution to the debate.
process
2- Q.01
“Is my framing of why [concept] is central to geology a good one?”
A collaborative question where the host offers his own take and asks the expert for validation or correction.
- Q.02
“Can you give us the long-form history of this debate?”
A direct prompt used to invite the guest to narrate the historical evolution of a major scientific idea.
mindset
1- Q.01
“Did coming to geology later in life make it more difficult for you?”
A question that probes into a guest's non-traditional career path to explore their personal mindset.
personal
1- Q.01
“Which of these exam topics would you be most scared of?”
A personal, informal question asked to a co-host to highlight the challenges of a topic even for experts.
Signature segments
- · Intro: 'Welcome to Planet Geo, the podcast where we talk about our amazing planet, how it works, and why it matters to you.'
- · Deep-dive series on specific topics (e.g., Granites, Professional Licensure)
- · Promotion of the CampGeo mobile app
- · Co-hosted discussions between Chris and Jesse
- · Interviews with academic and industry experts
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically academic geoscientists, from university professors at institutions like MIT to researchers at the Smithsonian, chosen for their deep expertise in a specific subfield like petrology or planetary science.
- Oli Jagoutzon Rocks for the Future - with MIT Prof. Oli Jagoutz
- Mike Ackersonon Granite Wars: The Debates That Built a Science
- Keith Rappon What Is a Professional Geologist? — with Keith Rapp
- Christie Capperon Visualizing the Deep Earth - CEO and Founder Christie Capper
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast consistently promotes its own educational mobile app, CampGeo, which offers supplementary audio-visual content, courses on national parks, and a 'conversational textbook'.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- Who are the hosts of PlanetGeo?
- The podcast is hosted by Chris Bolhuis, an award-winning high school geology teacher, and Dr. Jesse Reimink, an Associate Professor of Geosciences at Penn State University who was once Chris's student.
- What is the format of the show?
- The show alternates between two main formats: conversations between the two hosts on a specific topic, and long-form interviews with expert guests from academia and industry.
- Is this podcast for beginners or experts?
- It's designed for both. The hosts make complex topics accessible for a general audience but also offer 'deep-dive' series on technical subjects for students and professionals.
- Is the podcast still being produced?
- Yes, new episodes are released on a weekly basis.
- What is the CampGeo app?
- CampGeo is the podcast's own mobile learning app, which provides audio-visual content, transcripts, and courses that supplement the material discussed on the show.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Our Story - PlanetGeo Podcastplanetgeocast.com
- [02]Dr. Jesse Reimink - Personal Pagejessereimink.com
- [03]Jesse Reimink - Penn State Department of Geosciencesgeosc.psu.edu
- [04]PlanetGeo – a science podcast - EGU Blogsblogs.egu.eu
- [05]Jesse Reimink Hudsonville Education Foundation Biohudsonvilleeducationfoundation.org
- [06]CampGeo - PlanetGeo Podcastplanetgeocast.com
- [07]PlanetGeo: The Geology Podcast on Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
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