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Punk Rock Professor Talks Anarchy And Evolution
October 15, 2024 1:42 pm | by Science Friday Podcast Podcasts CommentsAt the same time Greg Graffin was starting the legendary punk rock band Bad Religion, he was becoming fascinated by evolutionary biology. Both would become lifelong pursuits. He talks about the connection in his new book, Anarchy Evolution: Faith, Science, and Bad Religion in a World Without God.
Study Finds Elephants In Zoos Live Shorter Lives
October 14, 2024 12:42 pm | by Science Friday Podcast Podcasts CommentsA study comparing over 4,500 elephants revealed that zoo life may be harmful to elephant health. Georgia J. Mason, professor at University of Guelph in Ontario and lead researcher on the Science study, explains the findings and discusses what zoos can do to keep elephants healthy.
Examining An Amnesiac's Brain
October 14, 2024 12:42 pm | by Science Friday Podcast Podcasts CommentsThe much-observed brain of amnesiac "H.M." will be sectioned and preserved for scientists to study. Jacopo Annese, director of The Brain Observatory at University of California, San Diego and the neuroscientist in charge of the procedure, explains what researchers hope to learn.
Cooler Than Fruitcake: Fruit With Fizz
October 14, 2024 12:42 pm | by Science Friday Podcast Podcasts CommentsLooking for ways to jazz up that holiday party? Patrick Buckley, co-author of The Hungry Scientist Handbook, demonstrates how to make carbonated fruit. Materials required: fruit (the firmer the better), a pressure cooker and a handful of dry ice cubes.
Finding A Formula For Movie and Music Preferences
October 14, 2024 12:42 pm | by Science Friday Podcast Podcasts CommentsThere may be a way of accounting for taste, after all. Tim Westergren, founder of Internet radio service Pandora, and Reed Hastings, founder and CEO of Netflix, explain how their companies are trying to develop algorithms that predict whether someone will like a song or film.
Understanding The Science Of Shopping
October 14, 2024 12:42 pm | by Science Friday Podcast Podcasts CommentsWhat makes a shopper spend at one store and not others? Paco Underhill, founder and CEO of Envirosell and author of Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping, explains how he sizes up a shop for its selling potential. Also: why spending may not slow even in a slumping economy.
The Biggest Science Stories of 2008
October 14, 2024 12:42 pm | by Science Friday Podcast Podcasts CommentsWhat were the most important scientific discoveries this year? From the discovery of ice in Martian soil, to the creation of the first synthetic genome, to learning of new exoplanets, Ira Flatow and guests discuss the science stories that captured the headlines and why.
More Evidence That Eggnog Goes Better With Booze
October 14, 2024 12:42 pm | by Science Friday Podcast Podcasts CommentsIt's a question that many people have on their minds this season: Does spiking the homemade eggnog safeguard it against salmonella? Eggnog expert and microbiologist Vince Fischetti of The Rockefeller University in New York runs some tests to find out.
Study Shines Light On Existence of Dark Energy
October 14, 2024 12:42 pm | by Science Friday Podcast Podcasts CommentsAstronomers using the Chandra X-Ray Observatory have corroborated the presence of dark energy — a mysterious force pushing the universe outward. William Forman, an astrophysicist with the project, says the findings help explain how the universe evolved — and how it may end.
Tim O'Reilly On The Future Of Social Media
October 14, 2024 12:42 pm | by Science Friday Podcast Podcasts CommentsFrom Flickr to Facebook, Twitter to MySpace, social media sites help people follow the news and, in some cases, become part of the story. Tim O'Reilly, founder and CEO of O'Reilly Media, looks back at the role of social media in 2008 and gives predictions for the future.
Citation Kings: Hottest Scientific Papers of 2008
October 14, 2024 12:42 pm | by Science Friday Podcast Podcasts CommentsWhat do graphene and autophagy have in common? They were two of the hottest topics in scientific literature this year. David Pendlebury, citation analyst with Thomson-Reuters, looks at the most-cited scientific papers of 2008, and explains why the research was so noteworthy.
A Fizzy Ocean May Lie Beneath Enceladus' Icy Crust
October 8, 2024 2:43 pm | by Science Friday Podcast Podcasts CommentsThe Cassini spacecraft spotted icy plumes jetting from Saturn's moon Enceladus in 2005. Now researchers say a carbonated ocean may fuel the plumes. Science News reporter Ron Cowen talks about this and other news from a meeting of the American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences.
Graphene: A Sandbox For Physicists, 1 Atom Thick
October 8, 2024 2:43 pm | by Science Friday Podcast Podcasts CommentsTwo Russian scientists won the Nobel Prize in physics this week for their work on graphene, a chicken-wire-like lattice of carbon atoms. Joseph Stroscio, of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, talks about why physicists are so fascinated by the material.
Few Americans Finish Their Vegetables
October 8, 2024 2:43 pm | by Science Friday Podcast Podcasts CommentsA recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says two-thirds of Americans don't get the recommended two servings of fruit a day; three-quarters miss the target for vegetables. Ira Flatow and guests discuss ways Americans might be persuaded to eat more fresh produce.
Take A Spin In An Electric Car
October 8, 2024 2:43 pm | by Science Friday Podcast Podcasts CommentsIra Flatow took Nissan's new electric-powered Leaf for a drive around New York City. This car runs on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery -- no oil or gas -- and with a new battery, the car can go between 60 and 130 miles on a charge. The car is set to go into production in the next few...
