The University of Colorado Boulder, where we produce our podcast, has asked all employees to work remotely. We're taking a break while we practice social distancing and mildly obsess over our hand hygiene. We hope to return soon with more episodes that answer the big questions.

Over a quarter of the world’s population is playing video games. What’s the big deal? And where do they go from here? In this episode of the Brainwaves podcast, we check in with professional esports “shoutcaster” Devin “PiraTechnics” Younge, the Media Archaeology Lab at CU Boulder and a professor who made an arcade experience out of being cooped up in the office.

To learn more about Devin "PiraTechnics" Younge:

https://lol.gamepedia.com/PiraTechnics

Questions? Have a big idea for us to explore? Email us at [email protected].

April 10, 2020, will mark 50 years since the Beatles broke up. On this episode of the Brainwaves podcast, a music professor helps us put the breakup into perspective. We talk with the creator of the music storytelling YouTube channel Middle 8 for his take on Beatlemania and how technology is changing the face of music today. And we ask a few twenty-somethings: How many Beatles can you name?

Middle 8 YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfeppgcy70ERp4gQrsYijsg

On this episode of the Brainwaves podcast, we talk with two experts who think artificial intelligence is being held back by our own biases. And the director of cinematography for The New York Times talks with us about the rush to connect weapons systems to AI that can’t tell right from wrong.

If you'd like to let us know what you think or if you have a topic you think we should explore, let us know at [email protected].

From The New York Times

A.I. Is Making It Easier to Kill (You). Here’s How.: https://www.nytimes.com/video/technology/100000006082083/lethal-autonomous-weapons.html?searchResultPosition=1

Killer Robots Aren’t Regulated. Yet.: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/13/technology/autonomous-weapons-video.html?searchResultPosition=2

Media clips from:

CNN Business: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DtyjC0UxTw

NBC News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOk27I2EBac

ABC News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cN8sJz50Ng

Music credits:

Moldy Lotion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSSdXximD7c

Vibe Drive by Podington Bear: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Driving/VibeDrive

“Air Hockey Saloon” by Chris Zabriskie; license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...) Source: http://chriszabriskie.com/vendaface/ Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/ Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/-NEsfl50G7s

Can animals feel complex emotions like grief? How can your pet save your life? How can it be easier when you lose a pet? All that and more on this episode of the Brainwaves podcast.

Music credits:

Water Lily by the 126ers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQm22usqKds

Morning Stroll by Josh Kirsch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jt5YsCsv9Sc

Play by Declan DP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEQ70lCZuec&list=PLzCxunOM5WFLOaTRCzeGrODz8TWaLrbhv&index=14

And we're back! We kick off a new season of the Brainwaves podcast taking a look at movies ahead of the Academy Awards. We'll look at the environmental toll of filmmaking, ways movies can inspire us to be better, and we'll take another look at a longstanding debate: Is the Marvel franchise a hero or villian to American movie culture?

Have a big idea you want us to explore or other feedback? You can now email us at [email protected].

Transcript available here: www.colorado.edu/today/node/37149/

Music tracks:

“Singin’ in the Rain” MGM

“Avatar” 20th Century Fox

“Titanic” Paramount Pictures

“Avengers Suite” Disney/Marvel Studios

We're going on a break. On this episode of the Brainwaves podcast, we take a look back at interviews we've done on politics, concussions and impeachment. We plan to be back early next year with fresh big ideas!

What do changing demographics look like for swing states in 2020? How about candidate demographics? We’ll take a look at that, and a look back at the history of impeachment, in this episode of the Brainwaves podcast. Guests include political scientists Carey Stapleton and Ken Bickers, and gender expert Celeste Montoya.

Two years after #MeToo lit up the internet, the Brainwaves podcast takes a look at where we are with the fight against sexual harassment, as well as where the movement is headed. We talk to Stefanie K. Johnson, a Leeds School of Business researcher, who studies sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace. We also catch up with Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists who broke the Harvey Weinstein story, kicking off the #MeToo era.

Credits:

Stephanie Johnson: https://www.colorado.edu/business/stefanie-johnson

Read about the reporters who exposed Harvey Weinstein: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/13/us/the-reporters-who-exposed-harvey-weinstein.html

“Air Hockey Saloon” by Chris Zabriskie; license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...) Source: http://chriszabriskie.com/vendaface/ Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/ Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/-NEsfl50G7s

Nicholas_Mackin_-_05_-_The_Beginning_or_the_End. – Free Music Archive

“White Hats” - Wayne Jones, You Tube Library

As we get ready to turn our clocks back this fall, new research suggests that switching to daylight saving time in the spring might have a host of negative health effects, including a rise in car accidents. On this episode of Brainwaves, we talk with experts on the health and economic effects of the semi-annual time shift.

Credits:

Celine Vetter: https://www.colorado.edu/iphy/people/professors/celine-vetter

Austin Smith: http://miamioh.edu/fsb/directory/?up=/directory/smitha83

Music:

Air Hockey Saloon by Chris Zabriskie; license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)

“Ticking Clock” http://soundbible.com/1580-Ticking-Clock.html

Zebra by A.A. Aalto

Night Snow by Asher Fulero: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-eEZGun2PM

Underpass by Doug Maxwell and Jimmy Fontanez: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqrCm0V9Qmw

Captive Portal from Adobe Audition Library