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Author | Topic: Science Programs on Radio, TV and Internet | |||||||||||||||||||
NosyNed Member Posts: 9012 From: Canada Joined: |
Home | Quirks & Quarks with Bob McDonald | CBC Radio
February 2, 2008 Shields Up! Dr. Ruth Bamford has made a discovery that will delight avid Star Trek fans. She and her colleagues at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire, England, have developed an experimental version of the kind of space shield used on the USS Enterprise. Dr. Rutherford has been working on ways of protecting astronauts from the deadly effects of solar radiation -- a necessity on extended voyages to Mars. The device works by creating a protective plasma bubble around the space craft, held in place using a magnetic field. Trekkies will recognize this as a bona-fide deflector shield. Dr. Bamford says the laboratory results are promising. The next step is to take it into the final frontier.Kangaroo Burps Listen to or download the audio filemp3 or audio fileOgg files. external site - links will open in a new window (what's ogg?) Western Grey Kangaroo - copyright Sean Mack, GNU Free Documentation License Western Grey Kangaroo - copyright Sean Mack, GNU Free Documentation License Kangaroo BurpsKangaroos and cows have a lot more in common than you might think. Namely, they're both grazers and both depend on microbes in their digestive tract to help them breakdown their high-fibre diet. The difference is that cows produce high amounts of the greenhouse gas, methane, in the process. Kangaroos, on the other hand, produce almost none. Dr. Athol Klieve, a researcher with the Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries in Queensland, Australia, is studying the gut bacteria of certain species of kangaroo, in the hope that they can be transfered into the digestive system of cattle; and, in doing so, significantly cut back the amount of greenhouse gas they produce. Bee Dancing Queen bees mate with many males on their mating flights before they settle down to start a hive and raise larvae. Dr. Heather Mattila, a postdoctoral associate in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior at Cornell University, wondered if the number of matings had any impact on how successful the hive was. She found that they were, but the reason why was surprising. By mating with many males, the queen increased her chances of having a few offspring who were good dancers. Since dancing is how bees communicate where resources like food can be found, having bees in the colony who can cut a mean rug gives the hive a big advantage. Geothermal Energy We're familiar with geothermal energy from mountain hot springs, geysers like Old Faithful in Yellowstone Park, and perhaps from the way Iceland has developed an entire energy system based on volcanic-heated water. However, geothermal energy is still just a niche player in the global energy picture. But that may be changing. Currently, we generate geothermal electricity from places where heat from the Earth's core runs into underground water, which can produce high temperature steam, but these sites are rare. Dr Alan Jessop, who worked for Natural Resources Canada and led the geothermal energy program there, surveyed Canada's resources, but there were relatively few promising natural sites. Several nations, however, are working on new technology to create artificial geothermal reservoirs. These are enhanced geothermal systems in which deep holes are bored and water is pumped in to generate a source of very hot water. Dr. Jeff Tester, a professor of Chemical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Dr. Michal Moore, a Senior Fellow in the Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy at the University of Calgary, helped prepare a report on the potential of enhanced geothermal energy. They think that up to ten percent of the US's electricity could be generated this way in the next fifty years - some 100,000 Megawatts. Extremely hot rock isn't the only way to use geothermal energy, though. You can also get energy from relatively cool ground using a technology called geo-exchange. Currently, thousands of Canadian homes are heated this way using devices called ground-source heat pumps. Gary Poyntz, the Vice President of Clean Energy Developments (CED) in Toronto, installs these systems to replace heating and cooling systems, at an energy savings of 75% or better. Mark Douglas, an engineer at Natural Resources Canada, says that the systems run by extracting the small amount of energy from water circulated through a loop usually buried in the ground, and using that energy to heat the home. Paul Mertes, the President of CED, expects his business to grow immensely in the next few years, as the financial, energy and carbon emission savings from geo-exchange are very large.
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Minnemooseus Member Posts: 3978 From: Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (West end of Lake Superior) Joined: Member Rating: 5.7 |
"Fresh Air" with Terry Gross at National Public Radio (NPR).
Two separate interviews, repeats from about a year ago.
Richard Dawkins: An Argument for Atheism - 28 minutes.
Francis Collins: A Scientist's Case for God - 11 minutes. See "Listen Now" below speaker and title. The entire show can be downloaded as an MP3 here. This may not be available for long. I thought both were quite good. Moose
Added by edit on 3/12/08: The above links are apparently only good until the next "Fresh Air" happens. The MP3 is now gone, but the other feed in now available at Page Not Found : NPR. Edited by Minnemooseus, : Added updated audio link in green block.
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Minnemooseus Member Posts: 3978 From: Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (West end of Lake Superior) Joined: Member Rating: 5.7 |
quote: Fresh Air : NPRClick on "Listen to Tuesday's show" link. The interview runs about 39 minutes. or MP3 download available (entire show, probably only until tomorrows show) at:Fresh Air : NPR Added by edit on 3/12/08: The above links are apparently only good until the next "Fresh Air" happens. The MP3 is now gone, but the other feed in now available at Page Not Found : NPR. Added by edit: The interview includes both U.S. founding politics and current politics. Highly Moose recommended. Moose Added by edit: A couple of blurb pages on the book: Page Not Found | Penguin Random HouseAmazon.com Edited by Minnemooseus, : Added beliefnet.com link. Edited by Minnemooseus, : Touch up subtitle and add "added by edit". Edited by Minnemooseus, : Corrected interview time information. Edited by Minnemooseus, : Added "blurb" links. Edited by Minnemooseus, : Added new audio link in green block.
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Chiroptera Inactive Member |
Thanks, Moose.
I'm about to make a purchase on Amazon -- I was going to include Dawkin's The God Delusion, but maybe I'll go with this one instead. ...Onward to Victory is the last great illusion the Republican Party has left to sell in this country, even to its own followers. They can't sell fiscal responsibility, they can't sell "values," they can't sell competence, they can't sell small government, they can't even sell the economy. -- Matt Taibbi
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Percy Member Posts: 23144 From: New Hampshire Joined: Member Rating: 5.8 |
Chiroptera writes: I'm about to make a purchase on Amazon -- I was going to include Dawkin's The God Delusion, but maybe I'll go with this one instead. I know I tend to be in the minority about The God Delusion, but that book was groaningly bad. I received it for Christmas a year ago, read the first three chapters, then gave it away to the company book swap. Dawkins is intent on giving Atheism an even worse image than it already has, and he's just the guy who can do it. Daniel Dennet isn't far behind. Brights? Brights??? (Hey, I've got a great idea! Scientology had a great idea with clears, why don't we follow their example!) These guys have the publicity equivalent of a death wish. Sorry for the rant. Definitely buy Founding Faith. --Percy
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Percy Member Posts: 23144 From: New Hampshire Joined: Member Rating: 5.8 |
Point of Inquiry's D. J. Grothe interviewed Michael Behe last November. It's well worth a listen because it provides insights into how Behe maintains his unique blend of honesty, insights and delusion. Here's the webpage for that show, it has links to the mp3 and so forth: Michael Behe Interview
--Percy
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Minnemooseus Member Posts: 3978 From: Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (West end of Lake Superior) Joined: Member Rating: 5.7 |
Page Not Found : NPR
quote: Audio available as for previously mentioned "Fresh Air" shows. The MP3 will probably be available no longer that Monday at most. Moose
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Percy Member Posts: 23144 From: New Hampshire Joined: Member Rating: 5.8 |
In this interview with D. J. Grothe, Neil deGrasse Tyson says many of the things we all believe about the nature of scientific inquiry but can never express so clearly or so well. He is, in my opinion, the inheritor of the mantle of Carl Sagan. Tyson relates the story of how they first met, and he includes some sage observations about the creation/evolution controversy. Don't miss this one: Neil deGrasse Tyson Interview
--Percy
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DonExodus Junior Member (Idle past 6144 days) Posts: 3 From: Chapel Hill Joined: |
Hello,
I'm an evolutionary biologist from Chapel Hill, I've made several videos to further the understanding of evolution, and feel you could find many of them useful. I contacted the scientists from DI's "scientists who reject evolution". Nicely exposes the dishonesty and lies surrounding that list.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty1Bo6GmPqM They range from a list of transitional fossilshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4GdZOlPrX8&feature=PlayL... C9&index=0&playnext=1 "Teaching the controversy"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYphna9UTCk Evolutionary Evidencehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1fGkFuHIu0&feature=PlayL... 0F&index=0&playnext=1 to things like Creationist Dishonesty (correspondence with Behe included)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoZW7-3YSns&feature=PlayL... DF&index=0&playnext=1 I enjoy your site, by the way. Regards,DE
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teen4christ Member (Idle past 6117 days) Posts: 238 Joined: |
DonExodus writes
quote:Action is worth a thousand words.
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NosyNed Member Posts: 9012 From: Canada Joined: |
Home | Quirks & Quarks with Bob McDonald | CBC Radio
This Week on Quirks & Quarks: "Our Muddled Messy Minds" We humans like to think we're pretty clever. After all, we have all that grey matter sitting in our skulls, encouraging creative thoughts and brilliant feats of deductive reasoning. If we ever had a reason to sit on our evolutionary laurels, it would have to be thanks to our magnificent cerebral cortex. Or, would it? If our brains really are the epitome of human perfection, then how come we're continually losing our house keys and can't remember what we ate for breakfast last Tuesday?In his new book, Kluge: The Haphazard Construction of the Human Mind, Dr. Gary Marcus argues that the human brain isn't so much a perfectly designed super-computer as it is an evolutionary contraption - bits and pieces that work well enough to get the job done, but far from the ultimate problem-solving machine. Plus - The Lions of London. All that and more on Quirks & Quarks, Saturday right after the noon news on Radio One, or anytime on our web page. Bob McDonaldHost Don't forget to check out our new Quirks blog: Sorry - we can't find that page Or subscribe to our Quirks podcast: Home | Quirks & Quarks with Bob McDonald | CBC Radio
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Percy Member Posts: 23144 From: New Hampshire Joined: Member Rating: 5.8 |
Back in February there was a radio debate between PZ Myers, biologist, and Dr. Geoff Simmons, Discovery Institute Fellow, here's the link:
I'm listening to it now, PZ Myers comes out swinging, Simmons sounds much less shrill, but I'm just in the first 10 minutes or so. --Percy
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Deftil Member (Idle past 4774 days) Posts: 128 From: Virginia, USA Joined: |
Looks like there are some great videos in here. thanks to all who have contributed. I'll be back later to post any links I have that people might find interesting.
Edited by Deftil, : left a word out
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Granny Magda Member (Idle past 356 days) Posts: 2462 From: UK Joined: |
Ben Goldacre's Bad Science is pretty high up my bookmark list, so I was interested to hear this BBC Radio 4 programme on the placebo effect, hosted by Goldacre. It covers some of the fascinating effects of placebo treatments, including actual physiological changes being brought about by placebo and brand-named medicines having an extra placebo effect over generic brands. Interesting stuff and particularly relevant to anyone who has taken part in the recent debate over at the homoeopathy thread.
BBC - 404: Not Found
Mutate and Survive |
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Minnemooseus Member Posts: 3978 From: Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (West end of Lake Superior) Joined: Member Rating: 5.7 |
Some guy named Ken Smith, who shows up occasionally at WFMU to talk politics etc. 1 hour show. I found it interesting.
RealAudio link (permanent):http://wfmu.org/listen.ram?show=28473&archive=45024 MP3 feed link (shorter term availability):http://wfmu.org/listen.m3u?show=28473&archive=45025 Moose Note about "signature" below - Yes I know it's a lot but I only display it on a few of my messages. Professor, geology, Whatsamatta U Evolution - Changes in the environment, caused by the interactions of the components of the environment. "Do not meddle in the affairs of cats, for they are subtle and will piss on your computer." - Bruce Graham "The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness." - John Kenneth Galbraith "As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron." - H.L. Mencken (1880-1956) "Nixon was a professional politician, and I despised everything he stood for ” but if he were running for president this year against the evil Bush-Cheney gang, I would happily vote for him." - Hunter S. Thompson "I know a little about a lot of things, and a lot about a few things, but I'm highly ignorant about everything." - Moose
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