Breaking Bad Science

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We talked last week about the wonders and possibilities of traveling among the stars and visiting other planets via warp drives. While discussing it, we mentioned the incredible amount of power required to make something like that a reality. So what would that kind of power look like? How can it be achieved on a scale to even make it feasible? What exactly is Fusion...besides that thing that makes Gotenks? Join hosts Shanti and Danny as they discuss the wonders of nuclear power and the possibility of fusion energy. 

1. Encyclopedia Britannica; Atomic Bomb, Fission Device. Encyclopedia Britannica. 20-Dec-2021. https://www.britannica.com/technology/atomic-bomb
2. Encyclopedia Britannica; Thermonuclear Bomb, Fusion Device. Encyclopedia Britannica. 22-Oct-221. https://www.britannica.com/technology/thermonuclear-bomb
3. Irfan, U.; Fusion Energy is a Reason to Be Excited About the Future. Vox.com. 06-Jan-2022. https://www.vox.com/22801265/fusion-energy-electricity-power-climate-change-research-iter
4. Gamillo, E.; China’s Artificial Sun Just Broke a Record for Longest Sustained Nuclear Fusion. Smithsonian Magazine. 10-Jan-2022. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chinas-artificial-sun-reactor-broke-record-for-nuclear-fusion-180979336/
5. Clifford, C.; A National Lab Just Achieved a ‘Wright Brothers Moment’ in Nuclear Fusion. CNBC. 17-Aug-2021. https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2021/08/17/lawrence-livermore-lab-makes-significant-achievement-in-fusion.html
6. Blain, L.; Chinese Tokamak Keeps Plasma 2.6 Times as Hot as the Sun for 17 Minutes. New Atlas. 04-Jan-2022. https://newatlas.com/energy/asipp-east-tokamak-plasma-record/

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When it comes to the idea of faster than light travel, as Scotty famously said, we just don’t have the power. The question is, is that all? Does anything we know of move faster than the speed of light? Is it theoretically possible? Most importantly, could a warp drive ever truly exist? Join hosts Shanti and Danny as we discuss these drives and the idea of faster than light, what it means, and if we think it could ever be achievable. 

References

1. Siegel, E.; There’s Only One Way to Beat the Speed of Light. Forbes. 12-May-2021. https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2021/05/12/theres-only-one-way-to-beat-the-speed-of-light/?sh=24c3069583af
2. Williams, M.; Scientists Are Starting to Take Warp Drives Seriously, Especially This One Concep. ScienceAlert. 01-Mar-2020. https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-are-starting-to-take-warp-drives-seriously-especially-this-one-concept
3. Collura, S.; Star Trek’s Warp Drive Could Really Happen Someday…. Ign. 18-Sep-2012. https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/09/18/star-treks-warp-drive-could-really-happen
4. Ankers, A.; Scientists Take a Step Towards Building a Rea-Life Warp Drive…By Accident. Ign. 31-Dec-2021. https://www.ign.com/articles/warp-bubble-discovery-real-life-warp-drive-by-accident
5. White, H., et. al.; Worldline Numerics Applied to Custom Casimir Geometry Generates Unanticipated Intersection with Alcubierre Warp Metric. The European Physical Journal. 31-Jul-2021. 81: 677. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-021-09484-z

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This week we learned something. Not just about science, not just about the research people are doing, but human nature and how good intentions don't always translate to good results. Mostly though, we came to the realization that the nut jobs we rail so hard against on this podcast, the David Ickes and Alex Joneses of the world, really aren't what should concern us. What should, are those that pursue science with the desire to do something worthwhile, to change the world for the better, and eventually realize that dream might not be in the cards. Join hosts Shanti and Danny as they discuss Dr. Sinclair and his anti-aging miracle, and how sometimes when it’s not in the cards, you stack the deck. 

References

1. Dr. Sinclair; The Sinclair Lab Blavatnik Institute - Genetics. Harvard Medical School. https://sinclair.hms.harvard.edu/people/david-sinclair
2. Wallace, B.; An MIT Scientist Claims That This Pill is the Fountain of Youth. New York Magazine. 22-Aug-2016. https://www.thecut.com/2016/08/is-elysium-healths-basis-the-fountain-of-youth.html
3. Duncan, D.; The Enthusiast - A Controversial Biologist at Harvard Claims He Can Extend Life Span and Treat Diseases of Aging. He May be Right. 15-Aug-2007. MIT Technology Review. https://www.technologyreview.com/2007/08/15/224308/the-enthusiast/
4. Fahy, G., et. al.; Reversal of Epigenetic Aging and Immunosenescent Trends in Humans. Aging Cell. 08-Sep-2019. 6:18. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.13028

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If you've played SimCity you know that if you don't have resources readily available, your only residential area is overlooking the beach, or you put your housing next to a coal refinery the frequency with which everyone just moves out is a little too high. Worse yet, with the latter, maybe the whole place burns down. So how does city planning work, why is it a thing, and how do the nuances of it sometimes cause more issues than they solve? Join hosts Shanti and Danny as we discuss what goes into city planning and how it can affect you and those around you.

References 

1. Ahrend, R., Cho, J.; Where SimCity Gets Zoning Right and Where Not. Cogito. 28-Jul-2021. https://oecdcogito.blog/2021/07/28/where-simcity-gets-zoning-right-and-where-not/

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If spongebob taught us anything it's that seafaring creatures are…not intelligent at all. Fortunately, we have science and it turns out cephalopods and even decapods have a type of intelligence that we're only beginning to understand. Join hosts Shanti and Danny as we discuss the fascinating creatures we know as cephalopods and why their intelligence is or ever was really in question.

References

1. Vendetti, J.; The Cephalopoda. Berkeley. 2006. https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/taxa/inverts/mollusca/cephalopoda.php
2. Seabrook, A.; The Story of an Octopus Named Otto. NPR. 02-Nov-2008. https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96476905
3. Davis, H.; Resting and Action Potential of Squid Giant Axons Intracellularly Perfused with Sodium-Rich Solutions. PNAS. 31-Jul-1963. 50 (619 - 626). https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/50/4/619.full.pdf
4. Birch, J., et. al.; Review of the Evidence of Sentience in Cephalopod Molluscs and Decapod Crustaceans. London School of Economics and Political Science. Nov-2021. https://www.lse.ac.uk/News/News-Assets/PDFs/2021/Sentience-in-Cephalopod-Molluscs-and-Decapod-Crustaceans-Final-Report-November-2021.pdf

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The human body is incredibly resilient; especially with advancements such as modern medicine. We can survive and come out relatively unscathed from some pretty horrific looking issues. So why then are we so adept at permanently modifying said meat suit? Why is it that we can make changes that don't just fade into nothing? Join hosts Shanti and Danny as we discuss body modifications, the changes we humans make, and why they work.

References

1. Tadokoro, T., et. al.; Mechanisms of Skin Tanning in Different Racial/Ethnic Groups in Response to Ultraviolet Radiation. Journal of Investigative Dermatology. Jun-2005. 124:6 (1326 - 1332). Doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0022-202X.2005.23760.x
2. Taahashi, T., Nakamura, K.; A Study of the Photolightening Mechanism of Blond Hair with Visible and Ultraviolet Light. Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists. May-2004. 55:3 (291 - 305). Doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-2494.2004.00233_5.x
3. Berry, J.; What Causes a Piercing Rejection to Occur?. Medical News Today. 11-May-2018. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321770
4. Kim, H., et. atl.; Autologous Fat Graft in the Reconstructed Breast: Fat Absorption Rate and Safety Based on Sonographic Identification. Archives of Plastic Surgery. 03-Nov-2014. 41:6 (740 - 747). Doi: https://doi.org/10.5999/aps.2014.41.6.740
5. Naga, L., Alster, T.; Laser Tattoo Removal: An Update. American Journal of Clinical Dermatology. 08-Oct-2016. 18 (59 - 65). Doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s40257-016-0227-z

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It's unclear at this point if the regular research and looking into the most recent science is the reason or if this information hit everyone at the same time, but the question for us the last couple of weeks has been how close are we to Skynet? Is Arnie himself about to walk through the door? I speak of course about the recent articles claiming self-replicating robots have been produced. Fear the scary self-replicating robots. Join hosts Shanti and Danny as we talk about what they are, what they can do, and what is even considered a robot in this day and age.

References

1. Neuman, S.; Living Robots Made in a Lab Have Found a New Way to Self-Replicate, Researchers Say. NPR. 01-Dec-2021. https://www.npr.org/2021/12/01/1060027395/robots-xenobots-living-self-replicating-copy
2. Kriegman, S., et. al.; Kinematic Self-Replication in Reconfigurable Organisms. PNAS. 07-Dec-2021. 118:49. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2112672118

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In the continuation of last week's episode, we talk more rocket science and the incredible feats of Jordan Slavish's high school students.
NASA Student Launch is a program designed to test High School and University rocketry students, and give them the opportunity to evaluate their understanding in real life situations. Jordan Slavish is a teacher in Oregon and our podcast’s go-to person for rocket information and expertise. Dr. Jonathan McDowell, also featured in this episode, is an astrophysicist and a fountain of knowledge on rocket launches since as early as the Apollo missions. He is here to answer the questions of the students involved in this challenge from Jordan's class. Join hosts Shanti and Danny for part 2 while we learn more about astrophysics and rocketry from Dr McDowell, Jordan, and his class.

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NASA Student Launch is a program designed to test High School and University rocketry students, and give them the opportunity to evaluate their understanding in real life situations. Jordan Slavish is a teacher in Oregon and our podcast’s go-to person for rocket information and expertise. Dr. Jonathan McDowell, also featured in this episode, is an astrophysicist and a fountain of knowledge on rocket launches since as early as the Apollo missions. He is here to answer the questions of the students involved in this challenge from Jordan's class. Join hosts Shanti and Danny while we learn more about astrophysics and rocketry from Dr McDowell, Jordan, and his class. 

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1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21 - The Fibonacci sequence and Binet’s formula also known as the Golden Ratio. What are they? What would you think if we said they’re how science defines beauty? Would you be surprised to find science even tries to define beauty much less successfully? Join hosts Shanti and Danny as we define beauty in nature and how it all revolves around the Fibonacci spiral and the golden ratio.

References

1. Saini, A.; The Code of Cuteness. BBCEarth. https://www.bbcearth.com/news/the-code-for-cuteness
2. Horowitz, K.; 6 Surprising Facts About Quokkas. Mental Floss. 16-Jun-2014. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/57159/6-things-know-about-super-cute-quokka
3. Wu, K.; Love, Actually: The Science Behind Lust, Attraction, and Companionship. Harvard University. 14-Feb-2017. https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2017/love-actually-science-behind-lust-attraction-companionship/
4. Bourne, M.; The Math Behind the Beauty. Inmath. https://www.intmath.com/numbers/math-of-beauty.php
5. Livio, M.; The Golden Ratio: The World’s Most Astonishing Number. Broadway Books. 12-Nov-2008. ISBN 0-7679-0816-3.

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