What makes snakes so special, and how space science can serve all
On this week’s show: Factors that pushed snakes to evolve so many different habitats and lifestyles, and news from the AAAS annual meeting First up on the show this week, news from this year’s annual meeting of AAAS (publisher of Science) in Denver. News intern Sean Cummings talks with Danielle Wood, director of the Space Enabled Research Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, about the sustainable use of orbital space or how space exploration and research can benefit everyone. And Newsletter Editor Christie Wilcox joins host Sarah Crespi with an extravaganza of meeting stories including a chat with some...
Source: Science Magazine Podcast - February 22, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Science Magazine Source Type: podcasts
Brain Science: 17th Annual Review Episode (BS 214)
Ginger Campbell, MD (click to play episode)
This month we celebrate the 17th anniversary of Brain Science with our 17th Annual Review episode. The first episode aired on December 15, 2006. We review the highlights of 2023, which included both new guests and the return of several favorites.Topics included consciousness, free will, molecular biology, emotion, cognition, and the evidence for plant intelligence. We also reviewed neurotransmitters and how to combat misinformation.Guests included Guy Caldwell, Paco Calvo, Luiz Pessoa, Sander van der Linden, Kevin Mitchell and Seth Grant, w...
Source: the Brain Science Podcast and Blog with Dr. Ginger Campbell - December 17, 2023 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Ginger Campbell, MD Source Type: podcasts
Science ’s Breakthrough of the Year, and tracing poached pangolins
Top science from 2023, and a genetic tool for pangolin conservation First up this week, it’s Science’s Breakthrough of the Year with producer Meagan Cantwell and News Editor Greg Miller. But before they get to the tippy-top science find, a few of this year’s runners-up. See all our end-of-year coverage here. Next, Jen Tinsman, a forensic wildlife biologist at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, joins host Sarah Crespi to discuss using genetics to track the illegal pangolin trade. These scaly little guys are the most trafficked mammals in the world, and researchers can now use DNA from their scales to find poaching ...
Source: Science Magazine Podcast - December 14, 2023 Category: Science Authors: Science Magazine Source Type: podcasts
Farm animals show their smarts, and how honeyguide birds lead humans to hives
A look at cognition in livestock, and the coevolution of wild bird–human cooperation This week we have two stories on thinking and learning in animals. First, Online News Editor David Grimm talks with host Sarah Crespi about a reporting trip to the Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology in northern Germany, where scientists are studying cognition in farm animals, including goats, cows, and pigs. And because freelance audio producer Kevin Caners went along, we have lots of sound from the trip—so prepare yourself for moos and more. Voices in this story:Christian NawrothAnnkatrin PahlJan Langbein Next, audio produc...
Source: Science Magazine Podcast - December 7, 2023 Category: Science Authors: Science Magazine Source Type: podcasts
TWiV 1065: Cat coronavirus gains function in Cyprus
TWiV reviews ban on gain-of-function research by the House, chronic wasting disease in Tennessee deer, nOPV2 causing paralysis in children, and an outbreak of feline infectious peritonitis in Cyprus caused by a new recombinant coronavirus. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MicrobeTV Discord Server MicrobeTV store at Cafepress Global Scholar Travel Awards (ASV) Research assistant position in Rosenfeld Lab CBER/FDA (pdf) The New City by Di...
Source: This Week in Virology - MP3 Edition - November 26, 2023 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Source Type: podcasts
Exascale supercomputers amp up science, finally growing dolomite in the lab, and origins of patriarchy
A leap in supercomputing is a leap for science, cracking the dolomite problem, and a book on where patriarchy came from First up on this week’s show, bigger supercomputers help make superscience. Staff Writer Robert F. Service joins host Sarah Crespi to discuss how the first exascale computer is enabling big leaps in scientists’ models of the world. Next, producer Meagan Cantwell talks with the University of Michigan’s Wenhao Sun, professor of materials science and engineering, and graduate student Joonsoo Kim. They discuss solving the centuries-old problem of growing the common mineral dolomite in the lab. Finall...
Source: Science Magazine Podcast - November 23, 2023 Category: Science Authors: Science Magazine Source Type: podcasts
An anti-CRISPR system that helps save viruses from destruction
In this episode:00:47 An RNA-based viral system that mimics bacterial immune defencesTo protect themselves against viral infection, bacteria often use CRISPR-Cas systems to identify and destroy an invading virus’s genetic material. But viruses aren’t helpless and can deploy countermeasures, known as anti-CRISPRs, to neutralise host defences. This week, a team describe a new kind of anti-CRISPR system, based on RNA, which protects viruses by mimicking part of the CRISPR-Cas system. The researchers hope that this discovery could have future biotechnology applications, including making CRISPR-Cas genome editing more preci...
Source: Nature Podcast - October 18, 2023 Category: Science Authors: Springer Nature Limited Source Type: podcasts
Mysterious objects beyond Neptune, and how wildfire pollution behaves indoors
The Kuiper belt might be bigger than we thought, and managing the effects of wildfires on indoor pollution First up on this week’s show, the Kuiper belt—the circular field of icy bodies, including Pluto, that surrounds our Solar System—might be bigger than we thought. Staff Writer Paul Voosen joins host Sarah Crespi to discuss the distant Kuiper belt objects out past Neptune, and how they were identified by telescopes looking for new targets for a visit by the New Horizons spacecraft. Next up on the show, the impact of wildfire smoke indoors. Producer Kevin McLean talks with Delphine Farmer, a chemist at Colorado S...
Source: Science Magazine Podcast - October 13, 2023 Category: Science Authors: Science Magazine Source Type: podcasts
Mysterious objects beyond Neptune, and how wildfire pollution behaves indoors
The Kuiper belt might be bigger than we thought, and managing the effects of wildfires on indoor pollution
First up on this week’s show, the Kuiper belt—the circular field of icy bodies, including Pluto, that surrounds our Solar System—might be bigger than we thought. Staff Writer Paul Voosen joins host Sarah Crespi to discuss the distant Kuiper belt objects out past Neptune, and how they were identified by telescopes looking for new targets for a visit by the New Horizons spacecraft.
Next up on the show, the impact of wildfire smoke indoors. Producer Kevin McLean talks with Delphine Farmer, a chemist at Co...
Source: Science Magazine Podcast - October 12, 2023 Category: Science Authors: Science Magazine Source Type: podcasts
Audio long read: These animals are racing towards extinction. A new home might be their last chance
Australia's swamp tortoise is one of the most endangered species in the world. This species lives in wetlands that are under threat due to rising temperatures and a reduction in rainfall.In an effort to save the tortoise, researchers are trialling a controversial strategy called assisted migration. This approach has seen captive-bred tortoises released in other wetlands some 330 kilometres south of where they are naturally found. The aim is to see whether the animals can tolerate cooler climates, and whether this new habitat might ensure the species’ future as the planet warms.While many conservation biologists and land ...
Source: Nature Podcast - September 29, 2023 Category: Science Authors: Springer Nature Limited Source Type: podcasts
Molecular Biologist Seth Grant (BS 211)
Seth Grant (click image to play episode, right click to download)
This episode of Brain Science features the return of molecular biologist Seth Grant. We briefly review his decades of research into the complexity of the protein structure of the synapse and then we focus on his most recent paper, which describes how the life-span of synapse proteins appears to change as animals age. Grant reflects of the significance of this finding both for animal research and human medicine.This episode is appropriate for listeners of all backgrounds.Seth Grant has previously appeared on Brain Scien...
Source: the Brain Science Podcast and Blog with Dr. Ginger Campbell - August 25, 2023 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Ginger Campbell, MD Tags: Addiction Brain Chemistry dopamine For Newbies Neuroscience Podcast Show Notes Synapses Source Type: podcasts
Fruit flies' ability to sense magnetic fields thrown into doubt
In this episode:00:49 The search for animals’ magnetic sense sufferers a potential setbackExactly how animals sense Earth’s magnetic field has long eluded researchers. To understand it, many have turned to the fly model Drosophila melanogaster, long thought to be able to detect magnetic fields. However, a recent Nature paper has raised questions about this ability, a finding that could have repercussions for scientists’ efforts to understand the mechanism behind magnetic sensing, one of the biggest questions in sensory biology.Research article: Bassetto et al.News & Views: Replication study casts doubt on magneti...
Source: Nature Podcast - August 16, 2023 Category: Science Authors: Springer Nature Limited Source Type: podcasts
Why some trees find one another repulsive, and why we don ’t know how much our hands weigh
First up on this week’s show, we hear about the skewed perception of our own hands, extremely weird giant viruses, champion regenerating flatworms, and more from Newsletter Editor Christie Wilcox. Christie also chats with host Sarah Crespi about her work on a daily newsletter and what it takes to do it 5 days a week. Read more newsletters and sign up for your daily dose of Science and science.
Next on the show, AAAS Intern Andrew Saintsing learns about why trees are repulsive—to one another. Michael Kalyuzhny, a postdoctoral fellow in the department of integrative biology at the University of Texas at Austin, discusse...
Source: Science Magazine Podcast - August 10, 2023 Category: Science Authors: Science Magazine Source Type: podcasts
Why some trees find one another repulsive, and why we don ’t know how much our hands weigh
First up on this week’s show, we hear about the skewed perception of our own hands, extremely weird giant viruses, champion regenerating flatworms, and more from Newsletter Editor Christie Wilcox. Christie also chats with host Sarah Crespi about her work on a daily newsletter and what it takes to do it 5 days a week. Read more newsletters and sign up for your daily dose of Science and science.
Next on the show, AAAS Intern Andrew Saintsing learns about why trees are repulsive—to one another. Michael Kalyuzhny, a postdoctoral fellow in the department of integrative biology at the University of Texas at Austin, discusse...
Source: Science Magazine Podcast - August 10, 2023 Category: Science Authors: Science Magazine Source Type: podcasts
Basics of Neurotransmitters (BS 210)
click image to play episode, right click to download
This episode is our first review of neurotransmitters since episode 8 way back in 2007. We start with some basics of neuron function and brain anatomy, but the meat of the episode is a discussion of neurotransmitters and how they work. The key idea is that a simple molecule, such as dopamine, can have a wide variety of effects because of the existence of multiple receptors.This episode is appropriate for listeners of all backgrounds, but might be a little challenging for new listeners. It will be a review episode for longtime liste...
Source: the Brain Science Podcast and Blog with Dr. Ginger Campbell - July 28, 2023 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Ginger Campbell, MD Tags: Addiction Brain Chemistry dopamine For Newbies Neuroscience Podcast Show Notes Synapses Source Type: podcasts
