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Talk of the Nation Science Friday (Science-Technology)

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  • Host: Ira Flatow
  • Each week, we focus on science topics that are in the news and try to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join Ira Flatow to discuss science - and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.
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Can Science Make Psychotherapy More Effective?

Fri, Dec 4 Listen
More rigorous scientific training in clinical psychology graduate programs would turn out more competent clinicians, researchers write in Psychological Science in the Public Interest. But not all psychologists agree.

Bird Feeders Speed Up Evolution, May Split Species

Fri, Dec 4 Listen
Reporting in Current Biology, researchers write of a warbler that has quickly evolved an unorthodox migration path to England to take advantage of backyard bird feeders. Study author Martin Schaefer explains how the clever migrants could become a distinct warbler species.

Paralyzing Worms With Light

Fri, Dec 4 Listen
Feed nematode worms a particular light-sensitive chemical and after the meal, the worms become paralyzed when exposed to UV light. Remarkably, the effects can be reversed under visible light, Neil Branda and colleagues report in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Cataloging Earth's Carbon Content

Fri, Dec 4 Listen
A new project dubbed the "Deep Carbon Observatory" aims to describe the carbon under the Earth's surface. Principal investigator Robert Hazen talks about the project and its relevance to energy supplies, the environment and our understanding of how life on Earth originated.

NASA Works To Free 'Spirit'

Fri, Dec 4 Listen
The Mars exploration rover dubbed "Spirit" has been stuck in sand since April. NASA's project manager for the rovers, John Callas, describes attempts to free Spirit, and explains how the rover might continue to collect data from its present location if those attempts fail.

Particle Smasher Is Fired Up (Again)

Fri, Dec 4 Listen
After being down for more than a year for repairs, the Large Hadron Collider at CERN is running again. Physicist Drew Baden explains what went wrong with the Collider, how it was fixed, and what scientists are hoping to find by smashing beams of particles into each other.

They Might Be Giants Sings About Science

Fri, Nov 27 Listen
In Here Comes Science, the band They Might Be Giants tackles the scientific process, plasma physics, the role of blood in the body and the importance of DNA, all in song. Band members John Linnell and John Flansburgh discuss the album and play some science tunes. Originally broadcast Sept. 25, 2009.

Cheese: Chemistry Rolled Into Every Wheel

Fri, Nov 27 Listen
Can science explain what makes Stilton stinky and goat cheese gooey? Liz Thorpe, vice president of Murray's Cheese in New York and author of the book The Cheese Chronicles, talks about the science and business of making cheese in America. Originally broadcast Aug. 14, 2009.

Ig Nobel Prizes Salute Silly Science

Fri, Nov 27 Listen
The winners of this year's Ig Nobel Prizes include the inventor of underwear that doubles as an emergency gas mask, researchers who created diamonds from tequila, and more. The Igs honor research that "first, makes you laugh, then, makes you think," according to Marc Abrahams, the master of ceremonies and the editor of Annals of Improbable Research.

Real-Life Physics Problems Star On TV

Fri, Nov 20 Listen
The stars of The Big Bang Theory are two fictional Caltech physicists, but the physics problems they study are real. Bill Prady, the program's co-creator and executive producer, talks about including real-world science in the script, from dark matter to magnetic monopoles.

Book Recounts Challenges Of Eradicating Smallpox

Fri, Nov 20 Listen
In Smallpox: The Death of a Disease, Dr. D.A. Henderson recounts the history of the deadly virus, from the development of the first vaccine in the late 18th century to his involvement in the successful global eradication campaign in the 1960s and 70s.

Debating Benefits, Risks Of Routine Mammograms

Fri, Nov 20 Listen
New guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend women start getting routine mammograms at age 50, not 40. Ira Flatow and guests take a closer look at the guidelines and what they mean for women's health.

Talking Turkey About Holiday Stress

Fri, Nov 20 Listen
The holiday season is here and for many that can mean a surge in stress. But what is stress exactly? Science Friday hit the streets of New York City to gauge stress levels and consulted with experts on the effects of stress and strategies for how to cope.

Personalizing Solar Power

Fri, Nov 20 Listen
Researchers are hoping to improve solar energy installations by coupling a solar panel to an efficient hydrolysis unit that splits water into oxygen and hydrogen. Daniel Nocera of MIT says the approach could lead to personal solar power units that could get many houses off the grid.

Rethinking The Human Future In Space

Fri, Nov 20 Listen
With NASA reporting a "significant amount" of water on the lunar surface, is it time to re-examine our priorities regarding living and working in space? Mark Sykes, director of the Planetary Science Institute, talks about why and how people should venture beyond Earth.

Brushing Up On Tropical Diseases

Fri, Nov 20 Listen
Dengue fever, malaria and other tropical diseases took center stage at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene conference. Nathan Seppa of Science News offers details, including a strange story of palm trees, fruit bats and human infection.

One-Woman Show Explores Human Side Of Health Care

Fri, Nov 13 Listen
Actress Anna Deavere Smith traveled across the country interviewing people about their thoughts on health care. From an injured bull rider to a medical school dean, she recounts what she heard through monologues in her latest documentary-style theater production, Let Me Down Easy.

Two Graphic Novels Explain Science, Colorfully

Fri, Nov 13 Listen
Moving beyond traditional superheroes, two new graphic novels recount the epic tales of scientists and the research that made them famous. Ira Flatow talks with authors Michael Keller and Apostolos Doxiadis about their graphic novels on natural selection and logic.

Clone That Smile, Digitally

Fri, Nov 13 Listen
Researchers have figured out how to track the facial expressions of one person and map those movements onto a digital image of another person's face in real time. The result is something like a digital video puppet, which psychologists say may reveal something about human nature.

Therapists Split On Multiple Personalities

Fri, Nov 13 Listen
Can people develop different personalities in response to abuse? Some therapists say up to one percent of the population suffer from dissociative identity disorder. Others say the disease doesn't exist, or is very rare. Two therapists discuss the controversial diagnosis.

Sailing Through Space, On A Starboard Tack

Fri, Nov 13 Listen
In the vacuum of space, photons — not wind — may someday fill the sails of lightweight spacecraft, propelling them without need for engines or fuel. Louis Friedman, executive director of The Planetary Society, discusses the society's plans for a sailing spaceship prototype.

Do Moon Craters Harbor Caches Of Water Ice?

Fri, Nov 13 Listen
A NASA rocket slammed into a lunar crater in October. A second spacecraft followed minutes later, taking inventory of kicked-up debris and sending data to Earth. Scientists have now analyzed those data, which may reveal whether the moon harbors significant quantities of water ice.

Considering Values In The Health Care Debate

Sat, Nov 7 Listen
As health care legislation moves through Congress, bioethicist Thomas H. Murray asks if enough attention is being paid to concepts such as justice, fairness and liberty. Murray and health care economist Len Nichols discuss the role of values in the health care debate.

Giving Athletes A Heads-Up On Concussions

Sat, Nov 7 Listen
Football players take a lot of hits, but when does hard-headed play go too far? New research suggests that head trauma can do lasting damage. Two brain researchers talk about what happens in the brain when a player gets hit, and how athletes can better protect themselves.

Students Build Living Microbial Machines

Sat, Nov 7 Listen
At the 2009 International Genetically Engineered Machine competition, undergraduates from all over the world unveiled the living machines they'd created with snippets of DNA, from bacteria that change color when they detect pollutants to ones that secrete non-toxic superglue.

Can Oceans Survive The Human Appetite For Seafood?

Sat, Nov 7 Listen
Faced with declining fish stocks, many nations are looking for sustainable ways to have their fish — and eat it too. But how much fishing is too much? Oceanographer Sylvia Earle discusses this and other topics in her book The World is Blue: How Our Fate and the Ocean's Are One.

Building A Better Lightbulb

Sat, Nov 7 Listen
The U.S. Department of Energy is offering $10 million to the first individual or company to develop an energy-efficient LED replacement for the standard 60-watt incandescent bulb. DOE lighting program manager James Brodrick discusses the L Prize, and what makes a better bulb.

A Head-Shrinker Studies The Zombie Brain

Fri, Oct 30 Listen
Psychiatrist Steven Schlozman recently expanded his practice from humans to the inhuman. Poring over his library of classic zombie films, he came up with neurobiological explanations for the behavior of the undead, such as lack of a frontal lobe and an overactive amygdala.

Halloween: A Holiday For Gadgets

Fri, Oct 30 Listen
For gadget lovers, Halloween is more geeky than spooky. Mark Frauenfelder, editor-in-chief of Make Magazine, talks about the geekiest do-it-yourself Halloween costumes and decorations, from spray foam guts and singing pumpkins to a fortune-teller costume built on a Segway.

People ... People Who Eat People

Fri, Oct 30 Listen
In her book Dinner With a Cannibal, writer Carole Travis-Henikoff documents the long — and often hidden — history of cannibalism in humans. Travis-Henikoff notes that cannibalism wasn't always taboo, whether it be eating loved ones out of respect or eating enemies out of disdain.

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