Science Friday (Science)
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- Listen locally on KPCC 89.3 Fri, Sep 12 at 8pm (Pacific)
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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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Questionnaire Distills Candidates' Health Policies
Fri, Sep 5
A health research advocacy group recently sent a questionnaire to both campaigns asking for policy details on issues such as health care coverage, stem cell research, the Medicare prescription drug benefit, and funding for NIH, FDA and CDC. Mary Woolley, president of Research!America, talks about the candidates' responses.
Voting Technology Evolves In Electronic World
Fri, Sep 5
Officials in many states are concerned about the reliability of electronic voting and are now moving toward systems that can provide a voter-verified paper trail. Larry Norden, author of The Machinery of Democracy, discusses the latest advances in voting technology.
Can New Orleans Weather Another Storm?
Fri, Sep 5
The levees of New Orleans held fast against Hurricane Gustav but several more storms — including Hanna, Ike and Josephine — are now forming. Hurricane expert Ivor van Heerden discusses the levee reconstruction project and how New Orleans will fare during what is expected to be an active hurricane season.
Google Launches 'Chrome' Web Browser
Fri, Sep 5
Internet search giant Google unveiled Chrome, a new piece of Web browser software on Tuesday. Danny Sullivan, editor-in-chief of SearchEngineLand.com, explains what Google's open-source browser can do, and why a search engine leader wants to get into the Web software market.
Tuna: A Favorite Fish Faces Dangerous Depletion
Fri, Sep 5
One of the biggest, fastest and warmest fish in the sea is also one of the most sought after, and one of the most threatened. Can bluefin tuna stocks around the world be saved? Experts explain the history of the tuna, and discuss tracking methods that might help preserve the fish.
Tracking Developments In Diabetes Research
Fri, Aug 29
Scientists report that they have been able to selectively kill the defective autoimmune cells that were destroying insulin-producing islets in samples of human blood. Denise Faustman, director of immunobiology at Massachusetts General Hospital East, describes the latest diabetes research.
Parents Protest Increase In Required Vaccinations
Fri, Aug 29
State and local governments across the country are requiring a growing list of vaccinations for children entering school. Public health advocates say that the vaccines are well-tested and serve a vital role in preventing disease outbreaks, but some parents still have concerns.
Massive Particle Accelerator Is Ready To Go
Fri, Aug 29
The massive Large Hadron Collider at CERN is just a few weeks away from startup. The particle accelerator has passed several key performance tests, and is on track to send the first beam of particles through the ring of the accelerator on Sept. 10.
Why Is It So Hard To Swat A Fly?
Fri, Aug 29
Bioengineering researcher Michael Dickinson used superslow-motion video cameras to study how flies are so effective at avoiding swatters. He found that flies perform an elegant ballet with their legs — responding to threats in less than 1/10 of a second.
Did You Have a Scientific Summer Vacation?
Fri, Aug 29
Callers share their scientific triumphs from the summer months. Did you find a fossil? Outfit your house with solar power? Grow a prize-winning pumpkin? Tell us about it.
GeoEye-1 Will Be A High-Res Eye In The Sky
Fri, Aug 29
The GeoEye-1 satellite will be capable of making out details on Earth just 16 inches across. It will be the highest resolution satellite run by a private company; it's images will be marketed to a range of governments and private customers.
Nano Heating
Fri, Aug 22
Developers have created flexible sheets of 'nanoantennas' that could aid in getting energy from solar energy or from other heat sources. The sheets could harvest up to 80 percent of the infrared light that falls upon them and the researchers say the material could cost just pennies a yard.
The Science of Getting A 'Yes'
Fri, Aug 22
Is persuasion an art or a science? We talk to Robert Cialdini, a social psychologist, who thinks a little psychology can improve your shot at getting what you want.
Reading The Undecided Voter
Fri, Aug 22
New research published this week in the journal Science looks at "automatic mental associations" and finds that they can be good predictors of which way an undecided voter will sway.
Chemistry News Roundup
Fri, Aug 22
We bring you a roundup of research being presented at this week's American Chemical Society meeting in Philadelphia.
Hollywood and Technology
Fri, Aug 22
We look at how Hollywood became a driving force in the invention of new technologies — from Technicolor to the rise of digital special effects — and how new ideas and technologies, such as the Internet, are still shaping the movie industry today.
Allowing Components to Self Assemble Nanoscale Patterns
Fri, Aug 15
Using a technique known as self assembly, researchers have found a way to create high-quality repeating patterns with features just ten nanometers across.
Harvesting Geothermal Energy
Fri, Aug 15
As part of our ongoing series on alternative energy sources, we'll take a look at methods to harvest energy from the heat beneath the surface of the Earth.
Ethanol Power for the People
Fri, Aug 15
Biofuel advocate David Blume talks about common misconceptions about the use of ethanol for fuel, and about his vision for decentralized, community supported ethanol production in the United States.
What Made Chili Peppers So Spicy?
Fri, Aug 15
New research indicates chili pepper plants may have developed their signature heat as a way to fight off fungal infections caused by insects.
Are We Headed Toward Extinction?
Fri, Aug 15
Scientists studying many different parts of the planet's ecosystems are warning that Earth may be on the verge of a sixth major mass extinction event.
The Possibility Of An Invisibility Cloak
Fri, Aug 15
Researchers report they've created an artificial material that bends some wavelengths of light differently. If they're able to expand the work to a wider range of wavelengths, the material could provide an unprecedented level of control over the way light moves, perhaps even making a "cloak of invisibility" possible.
Phoenix Finds A Salt Compound On Mars
Fri, Aug 8
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander has detected a salt found on Earth on the surface of Mars. The salt, called perchlorate, is used in fireworks and rocket fuel. The news follows the recent confirmation of the presence of water on the Red Planet.
What Makes Our Solar System Special?
Fri, Aug 8
Researchers say that if the conditions had been slightly different for our solar system, planets could have careened into the sun or been expelled into deep space. Also: A volunteer astronomer spots a strange gaseous object some are calling a "cosmic ghost."
Researcher Finds Doping Tests To Be Flawed
Fri, Aug 8
Cyclist Floyd Landis was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France title after he tested positive for synthetic testosterone. Donald Berry, a statistician at the University of Texas, doesn't buy it. Berry explains how drug testing could be more scientific.
'Kiss My Math' Tries To Make Pre-Algebra Cool
Fri, Aug 8
Actress and mathematician Danica McKellar is on a mission to get middle-school girls to stop hating math. In her new book Kiss My Math, — a follow-up to Math Doesn't Suck — McKellar breaks math into easy-to-digest concepts so girls can "show pre-algebra who's boss."
What Your Driving Habits Say About You
Fri, Aug 8
Tom Vanderbilt, author of Traffic, talks about the psychology of driving and the engineering of roadways. He explains some contradictory traffic truths: why roundabouts are safer than intersections and how slower can actually be faster.
How Is Congress Addressing The Energy Crisis?
Fri, Aug 1
Americans are driving less and switching to more fuel-efficient cars. Can legislators on opposite sides of the aisle collaborate to help the nation deal with the energy crisis? Senators John Warner (R-VA) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) discuss offshore drilling, alternative energy and lowering the speed limit.
Experimental Drug Focuses On Alzheimer's 'Tangles'
Fri, Aug 1
An experimental drug that aims to unknot the "tangles" that characterize the brains of people with Alzheimer's has shown some promise. Guests discuss recent Alzheimer's findings and the search for new treatments, including statin drugs, often used to treat high cholesterol.
Rx Meds, Alcohol/Drugs Make Deadly Combination
Fri, Aug 1
A study reveals that domestic fatalities caused by combining prescription medication with alcohol and/or street drugs increased by 3,196 percent between 1983 to 2004. David Phillips, one of the researchers, explains the findings, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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