Big Picture Podcast

John and Tracy interview members of the Iboga Quest team of healthcare providers who work to treat opioid addiction and similar ailments using therapy centered on iboga plant material with the hallucinogenic molecule ibogaine as the active agent. A key feature of ibogaine-based therapy is its success in alleviating the craving that comes with opioid addiction as well as providing a renewed sense of self. Duration: 35:12.

John and Tracy interview Rick, an experienced chemical engineer within the fossil fuel industry who walks us through the process of producing gasoline and other petroleum products from crude oil—the raw material extracted from the ground. Along the way, we learn the state of the industry in a time of diminishing reserves, expanding energy demands, alongside increasing environmental awareness. Duration: 1:02.

Chem 101: The Big Picture Podcast

Episode 01

Your hosts: John and Tracy Suchocki

Outline

1. Introduction

Who is the podcast for?

What are our goals?

2. The Back Story

How to Study Effectively

Step 1 / Step 2 Learning

Delayed retrieval

Interleaving

3: Do the Review (Chapter 01)

About Science

About Chemistry

Unit Conversions

From the authors of the “conceptual” line of science textbooks, in this second episode we discuss how cognitive “frames” color our worldview. Recognizing these frames can help us to remain open to new ideas. The yet to be recognized term “collective causation” is used as an example of hypocognition. This is followed by a review of Chapter 2 of Conceptual Chemistry relating to the particulate nature of matter.

From the authors of the “conceptual” line of science textbooks, in this third episode we interview Brian Pritchard an expert in the area of team based activities and human performance. Attention is given to the value of team-based learning in the classroom and beyond. This is followed by a review of Conceptual Chemistry’s foundational Chapter 3, Elements of Chemistry. Topics include physical and chemical changes, the periodic table, elements and compounds, mixtures, and nanotechnology.

We are now publishing the "Back Story" and "Do the Review" segments of each episode as separate podcasts. For this fourth backstory episode we interview Stephanie Blake, a science professor from Ozarks Technical College in Springfield, Missouri. The subject matter: Academic Endurance. Learn from Professor Blake how best to strengthen your academic endurance. It has everything to do with working within a community and enjoying the journey. Duration: 30 min 54 sec.

Here in episode 5 we review the first half of chapter 4 of Conceptual Chemistry. We start by reviewing the conceptual model, which describes how a system behaves. We then explore some of the history behind the discovery of subatomic particles. This episode concludes with a review of the vocabulary associated with subatomic particles, including atomic number and atomic mass number. Duration: 30:55.

This episode features a review of the second half of Chapter 4 of Conceptual Chemistry. It begins with the nature of light followed by the idea that energy itself is quantized, which means it occurs in packets. We then explore the wave nature of electrons and how this explains an element's spectral fingerprint as well as the organization of the periodic table. Duration: 42:25.

For this "Back Story" segment for our nuclear chapter, we visit the site of the former Rocky Flats plutonium facility where from 1952 to 1989 plutonium triggers were produced for the hydrogen bombs in the USA nuclear arsenal. Major anti-nuclear protests were held at this site in the 1980s leading, in part, to its closure. Through decades of operation, much plutonium and other toxic chemicals were released into the local area, which is now a dedicated wild life refuge. Duration: 27:15.

For this "Do the Review" episode we review the first half of the nuclear chapter from your textbook and Conceptual Academy. Topics include the nature of radioactivity, the behavior of the atomic nucleus, transmutation, radioactive half-life, and radioactive dating. Duration: 37:45.