Episodes Archive
An Epidemic of Rumors (REBROADCAST) #286
October 10, 2014
This week, we're revisiting an episode about the power of stories and innuendo to shape the public perception of science. We'll speak to author Jon Lee about his book "An Epidemic of Rumors: How Stories Shape Our Perceptions of Disease." And we're joined by Dr. Paul A. Offit, Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases and the Director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, to get the scientific perspective of the safety and effectiveness of vaccinations. Read More
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High Price #285
October 03, 2014
This week we're looking at the science and policy of treating drug addiction. We're joined by psychology professor and researcher Carl Hart to talk about his book "High Price: A Neuroscientist's Journey of Self-Discovery That Challenges Everything You Know About Drugs and Society." And we'll speak to Donald MacPherson, Director of the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, about harm reduction strategies to reduce the negative consequences of drug use. Read More
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Edible #284
September 26, 2014
This week, we're looking at the environmental impact of foods we eat, and others that we should. We'll speak to Daniella Martin, host of the insect cooking/travel show "Girl Meets Bug," about her book "Edible: An Adventure into the World of Eating Insects and the Last Great Hope to Save the Planet." And we'll talk about the environmental effects of salmon farming with Peter Bridson, Aquaculture Research Manager for the Seafood Watch program at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Read More
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Mental Illness Myths #283
September 19, 2014
This week, we're listening to "Mental Illness Myths," a panel discussion about public perceptions of mental health at CONvergence 2014. Panelists Megan Press, Miri Mogilevsky, Julia Burke and Olivia James discuss misconceptions about diagnosis, treatment and symptoms, and the harm that stigma does to individuals affected by mental illness. Read More
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Cities of the Future #282
September 12, 2014
This week, we're listening to "Cities of The Future," a panel discussion about the future of human living spaces recorded live at CONvergence 2014. Panelists Jamie Bernstein, Ryan Consell and Shawn Lawrence Otto discuss how cities can adapt to accommodate the changing demographics, economics, and environment of a warming planet. Read More
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Getting Away With Murder #281
September 05, 2014
This week, we're listening to "Getting Away With Murder," a panel discussion about forensic science and pop culture recorded live at CONvergence 2014. Panelists Amanda Leinbaugh, Emily Finke, Bug Girl Gwen Pearson, and Raychelle "Dr. Rubidium" Burks discuss the Hollywood treatment of forensic investigations, and the way crime scene security, DNA analysis, and pattern evidence work in the real world. Read More
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Hypatia and Women in STEM (REBROADCAST) #280
August 29, 2014
This week, we're revisiting an episode looking back in history and to the modern day, to discuss women who defend and advance science and learning. We speak to author Faith Justice, about her book "Hypatia: Her Life and Times," which examines the literary myths and primary sources on the life of the famous philosopher. And we're joined by Professor Zahra Hazari, to discuss her work on gender issues in science education. Read More
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Starlight Detectives #279
August 22, 2014
This week, we're exploring the night sky and the history of astronomy. Physics professor Alan Hirshfeld joins us to talk about his book "Starlight Detectives: How Astronomers, Inventors, and Eccentrics Discovered the Modern Universe." And we'll speak to stargazer Chris Beckett about amateur astronomy, and his work with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. Read More
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Garden of Marvels #278
August 15, 2014
This week we're learning about botany and the colorful science of gardening. Author Ruth Kassinger joins us to discuss her book "A Garden of Marvels: How We Discovered that Flowers Have Sex, Leaves Eat Air, and Other Secrets of the Way Plants Work." And we'll speak to NASA researcher Gioia Massa about her work to solve the technical challenges of gardening in space. Read More
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Science and Politics #277
August 08, 2014
This week we're talking about science and evidence in the political process. We'll talk to Dan Kahan, Professor of Law and Professor of Psychology at Yale Law School, about the Cultural Cognition Project, which studies group values and perceptions of risk in science communication. We'll speak to Shane Trimmer, Executive Director of Franklin's List, about their work to elect pro-science candidates. And biologist Katie Gibbs returns with an update on Evidence for Democracy, which advocates for the transparent use of evidence in Canadian government policy. Read More
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Game Change #276
August 01, 2014
This week we're looking at the math and science of business decisions. We'll speak to David McAdams, Duke University Professor of Business Administration and Economics, about his book "Game-Changer: Game Theory and the Art of Transforming Strategic Situations." And we'll talk to Vassar College Economics Professor Benjamin Ho about his economic analysis of apologies. Read More
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Perv (REBROADCAST) #275
July 25, 2014
This week, we're listening back to a discussion of taboo sexual practices, and whether they're really as unusual as we think. Psychologist and author Jesse Bering talks about his book, "Perv: The Sexual Deviant in All of Us." And we'll speak to Nicole Prause, Principal Investigator at UCLA's Sexual Psychophysiology and Affective Neuroscience (SPAN) Laboratory, on her neurological perspective that raises doubts about self-reported sex addiction. Read More
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Coffee and Cigarettes #274
July 18, 2014
This week we're learning about some of the legal chemicals that regulate the moods of millions of people every day. Journalist Murray Carpenter joins us to talk about his book "Caffeinated - How Our Daily Habit Helps, Hurts and Hooks Us." And science blogger Dr. David Gorski explains the state of research on the effects of e-cigarettes. Read More
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The V-Word #273
July 11, 2014
This week, we're looking at the social and biological science of female sex organs. We'll talk to Dr. Anthony Atala, director of the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center Institute for Regenerative Medicine, about the creation and use of lab-grown vaginas. Biology professor Marie Herberstein exposes the bias against female genitalia in scientific studies. And science writer Emily Anthes tells us about the history and promising future of female condoms. Read More
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Science and the Death Penalty #272
July 04, 2014
This week, we're looking at the science of the ultimate criminal punishment. Pharmacologist and science writer David Kroll joins us to discuss the chemistry of the drugs used in lethal injections. We'll talk to law professor Samuel Gross, editor of the National Registry of Exonerations, about the rates of false convictions in death penalty cases. And we'll speak to Johns Hopkins University psychiatrist Dr. James Harris about the complex issues at the intersection of capital punishment and intellectual disability. Read More
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Mother Nature is Trying to Kill You #271
June 27, 2014
This week, we're learning how deadly and delightful our planet and its ecosystem can be. We're joined by biologist Dan Riskin, co-host of Discovery Canada's Daily Planet, to talk about his book "Mother Nature Is Trying to Kill You: a Lively Tour Through the Dark Side of the Natural World." And we'll talk to astronomer and author Phil Plait about Science Getaways, his company that offers educational vacation experiences for science lovers. Read More
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Environmental Debt #270
June 20, 2014
This week, we're looking at how worldwide environmental challenges interact with our increasingly global economy. We'll speak to Amy Larkin, founder of Nature Means Business, about her book "Environmental Debt: The Hidden Costs of a Changing Global Economy." Journalist Ken Silverstein joins us to explain the way climate change is dividing the insurance and energy industries. And we'll talk to Arjen Hoekstra, professor of Water Management at the University of Twente, about the effects of water scarcity on business. Read More
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Sonic Wonderland #269
June 13, 2014
This week, we're exploring the science of sound and hearing. We'll talk to Trevor Cox, Professor of Acoustic Engineering at the University of Salford, about his book "Sonic Wonderland: A Scientific Odyssey of Sound." And we'll speak to Andrew Wise, Senior Research Fellow at Bionics Institute, about a gene therapy technique to enhance the function of cochlear implants. Read More
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Extreme Medicine #268
June 06, 2014
This week, we're on the frontiers of medicine, from the fabulous to the foolhardy. We'll talk to Dr. Kevin Fong, co-director of the Centre for Aviation Space and Extreme Environment Medicine at University College London, about his book "Extreme Medicine: How Exploration Transformed Medicine in the Twentieth Century." And we're joined by Dr. Sydnee and Justin McElroy, hosts of the podcast "Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine." Read More
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Ephemeral Particles #267
May 30, 2014
This week we're learning about some of the many invisible particles that surround us. We'll speak to astrophysicist Ray Jayawardhana about his book "Neutrino Hunters: The Thrilling Chase for a Ghostly Particle to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe." And we'll talk to ecology professor Donald Canfield about his book "Oxygen: A Four Billion Year History." Read More
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