Dré, Lauren, and Aidan ask, What is comfort? What does it mean to be comfortable? When can comfort be bad for us? If comfort shouldn't be the goal, what should we aim for? And more.

Website & Newsletter | https://commonscientists.com

Support Us | https://patreon.com/commonscientists

REFERENCES

The Comfort Crisis | Michael Easter | https://amzn.to/3xWgBtm

Why comfort will ruin your life | Bill Eckstrom | TEDxUniversityofNevada | https://bit.ly/3wM0T2t

DNA | Kendrick Lamar | https://bit.ly/3Bj2FM4

Prevalence-induced concept change in human judgment | Levari et al. 2018 | https://bit.ly/3kzKKej

PODCAST INFO

Podcast Website | https://commonscientists.com/common-science/

Apple Podcasts | https://apple.co/2KDjQCK

Spotify | https://spoti.fi/3pTK821

TAGS

#Storytelling #Science #Society #Culture #Learning

Dré, Lauren, and Aidan ask, Who’s Isaac Asimov? How’d he become a larger than life science fiction author capable of writing or editing more than 500 books? What controversy surrounds him? What can we learn from his story? What influence did he have in society? Which of his predictions proved true? And more.

Website, Email Newsletter: commonscientists.com | Support Us: patreon.com/commonscientists

Resources:

Isaac Asimov: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Asimov

Mary Shelley: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Shelley

I, Robot Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Dlo-VB0-HI

Biographics Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClnDI2sdehVm1zm_LmUHsjQ

Foundation series: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundation_series

Eiichiro Oda: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiichiro_Oda

Deep Work: https://amzn.to/34dM25n

David Brooks - New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/column/david-brooks

Dré, Lauren, and Aidan ask, Where did electric cars come from? What challenges have electric cars faced in going mainstream? What is the future of transportation? Are electric cars actually more expensive? And more.

Website, Email Newsletter: commonscientists.com | Support Us: patreon.com/commonscientists

Resources:

Electric car: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_car

Phase-out of fossil fuel vehicles: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase-out_of_fossil_fuel_vehicles

U.S. Energy Information Administration - Energy use for transportation: https://bit.ly/3hgylK8

Consumers Reports - EVs offer big savings over gas-powered cars: https://bit.ly/3jK2UcC

BBC - France moves to ban short-haul domestic flights: https://bbc.in/3xqhWIQ

First passengers traveled safely on a hyperloop: https://virginhyperloop.com/

Teleportation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teleportation

A laptop today is 96% cheaper than a 1994 model and 1,000X better: https://bit.ly/36iYfXn

James Neher, student at the Illinois College of Optometry, shares his story, early memories of Brazil, England, soccer (a.k.a. football), his windy path to becoming an eye doctor, and his passion for people and photography with his brother and host Aidan.

Website, Email Newsletter: commonscientists.com | Support Us: patreon.com/commonscientists

Resources:

Campinas, Brazil: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campinas

Fila Brasileiro (or Brazilian Mastiff): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fila_Brasileiro

Arapaima Fish: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arapaima

Shedd Aquarium: https://www.sheddaquarium.org/

Manchester United: https://www.manutd.com/

Will Corcoran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wcorcoran/

El Capitan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Capitan

Free Solo (Documentary): https://films.nationalgeographic.com/free-solo

Carleton College: https://www.carleton.edu/

Spaced Repetition: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaced_repetition

Endless Forms Most Beautiful by Sean B. Carroll: https://amzn.to/35EPiqW

Biochemistry - A Short Course by John L. Tymoczko: https://amzn.to/35IikWT

James’ Favorite Photography YouTubers: Josh Katz, Hayden Pederson, and Willem Verbeek

Read this if you want to take better photos (Book): https://amzn.to/2SQeqIJ

Understanding Exposure (Book): https://amzn.to/3qli35A

Dré, Lauren, and Aidan ask, Where did we come from? What does it mean to be human? Are there good humans, or bad humans? Should we strive to be more, or less human? and more.

Website, Email Newsletter: commonscientists.com | Support Us: patreon.com/commonscientists

Resources:

Human: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human

Genetics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetics

Why Humans Like to Cry by Michael Trimble: https://amzn.to/3cZzJOS

Emergence: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergence

Printing Press: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Printing_press

Taxonomy (Classification of Living Organisms): https://bit.ly/3cZKuRa

The Blind Watchmaker by Richard Dawkins: https://amzn.to/3gKO04f

Endless Forms Most Beautiful by Sean B. Carroll: https://amzn.to/35EPiqW

Embryo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embryo

Vestigial Features of the Human Body: https://bit.ly/35G4fZI

Altruism Among Relatives And Non-Relatives: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.beproc.2008.06.002

Dré, Lauren, and Aidan ask, When were you first stressed about standardized tests? What’s the troubled past of standardized tests? What can the United States learn from other countries? Might we fix standardized tests, or are they broken beyond repair? and more.

Website, Email Newsletter: commonscientists.com | Support Us: patreon.com/commonscientists

Resources:

Statewide Testing (Minnesota Department of Education): https://education.mn.gov/mde/fam/tests/

Intelligence Quotient (IQ): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligence_quotient

Emperor Yang of Sui: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Yang_of_Sui

Eugenics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugenics

Carl Brigham: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Brigham

Virginia Sterilization Act of 1924: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Sterilization_Act_of_1924

The SAT: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAT

How Science Created Morons (Science Vs Podcast): https://spoti.fi/3zqxX2K

World Population Review’s Education Rankings by Country: https://bit.ly/2SywgQb

America’s Not the Greatest Country: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fTkA3dvpPM

Education in Finland: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Finland

Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences: https://www.simplypsychology.org/multiple-intelligences.html

Multiple Intelligences Test: https://bit.ly/3gifdeg

Are These Birds Better Than Humans/Computers at Predicting Hurricane Seasons?: https://bit.ly/35h4PNw

Dré, Lauren, and Aidan ask, When did you first think about breath? Why care for your breath? How have some mastered the skill of breathing to push the limits of what’s possible? What are the connections between breath/breathing, religion, philosophy, and science? And more.

Website, Email Newsletter: commonscientists.com | Support Us: patreon.com/commonscientists

Resources:

Breath/Breathing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breathing

James Nestor’s book Breath: https://www.mrjamesnestor.com/breath

Yoga: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga

Yoga with Adrienne: https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene

How to make a model of the lungs: https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-make-a-lung-model-373319

Wim Hof: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wim_Hof

Guided Wim Hof Breathing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tybOi4hjZFQ

Freediving: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freediving

The name Yahweh: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahweh

The Stoic pneuma: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneuma_(Stoic)

Dré, Lauren, and Aidan ask, Who’s George Washington Carver? Why’s he not just the peanut guy but the Black Leonardo DaVinci? How does he reconcile faith and science? What role did adversity play in his genius? And more.

Website, Email Newsletter: commonscientists.com | Support Us: patreon.com/commonscientists

Resources:

George Washington Carver: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_Carver

Agricultural Science: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_science

Crop Rotation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crop_rotation

Who invented peanut butter? https://bit.ly/3v0MG1R

The ‘Black Leonardo’: https://bit.ly/3ynZLnN

Carver’s favorite poem “Equipment” by Edgar A. Guest: https://bit.ly/3os5gNQ

Faith as Inspiration for George Washington Carver: https://bit.ly/2S8odck

Successful children who lost a parent - Why are there so many of them?: https://n.pr/3v2ZEfg

Gladwell’s “eminent orphans” is described in David and Goliath: https://amzn.to/3uX2keq

Viktor Frankl: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viktor_Frankl

James Le is a machine learning researcher turned data journalist, writer, and podcaster. He shares his story starting in Vietnam, leaving for the United States at 16, finding community in the liberal arts, learning about American and Scandinavian culture, working deeply, and becoming a data advocate passionate about helping data science teams work better with Aidan.

Website, Email Newsletter: commonscientists.com | Support Us: patreon.com/commonscientists

Resources:

James Le (About, Blog, Datacast Podcast): https://jameskle.com/

Vietnam: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam

Liberal arts education: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_arts_education

James Le's "Top 10 liberal arts skills you need to succeed in tech": https://jameskle.com/writes/top-10-liberal-arts-skills

Deep Work by Cal Newport: https://amzn.to/34dM25n

Todoist: https://todoist.com/

Effective Altruism: https://www.effectivealtruism.org/

DIS - Study abroad in Scandinavia: https://disabroad.org/

James Le's study abroad vlog site: https://jamesatkobenhavn.tumblr.com/

Architecture of Copenhagen, Denmark: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architecture_of_Copenhagen

Hygge, Fika and How Getting Cozy Can Lead to Happiness: https://dailyburn.com/life/lifestyle/hygge-fika-cozy-happiness/

Superb AI, Inc.: https://www.superb-ai.com/

Dré, Lauren, and Aidan ask, What’s nuclear energy? Why might it help save us from climate change? How else might we find sustainability? and more.

Website, Email Newsletter: commonscientists.com | Support Us: patreon.com/commonscientists

Resources:

Nuclear energy/power: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_power

Conservation of energy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation_of_energy

Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki

Fukushima Daiichi Accident: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_Daiichi_nuclear_disaster

Nuclear fuel energy density: https://www.nei.org/fundamentals/nuclear-fuel

Scientific consensus on climate change: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_consensus_on_climate_change

Chernobyl: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_disaster

3 reasons why nuclear is clean and sustainable: https://bit.ly/3w9vJCn

Merchants of Doubt by Naomi Oreskes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchants_of_Doubt

Our consumption factor imperils us all: https://www.international.ucla.edu/ccs/article/87722

The sharing economy promotes sustainable societies: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-09260-4