Cool Science Radio

Lee Billings, the senior science editor for Scientific American, talks about the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in northern Chile that has recently released its first images of the southern sky. Then, demographic planner Dean Spears talks about the science of depopulation, the possible start of a global population decline in the next 50 years, and it potential for detrimental effects.

As the polar ice melts, biologist and paleontologist Neil Shubin explores the contents within and uncovers mysteries in his book, "Ends of the Earth: Journeys to the Polar Regions in Search of Life, the Cosmos, and Our Future." Then, science journalist Olivia Campbell shares how four women physicists escaped Nazi Germany and made scientific history in her new book, "Sisters in Science."

Animal behaviorist and physiologist Carly Anne York shows how unappreciated, overlooked, and simply curiosity-driven science has led to breakthroughs big and small. Then, Sai Krupa Das, a senior scientist in nutrition and aging at Tufts University, and Reyna Gobel, a nutritionist and science journalist, discuss precision medicine and nutrition and an 8,000-person study by the Nutrition for Precision Health that examines how individuals respond to different foods.

Author Richard Simon, who went all-in to discover what would happen without his smartphone, for a whole year, shares his story of digital detox in his new book, "Unplug: How to Break Up with Your Phone and Reclaim Your Life." Then, researchers have found that most spring runoff heading to our reservoirs is actually several years old, indicating that most mountain snowfall has a years-long invisible journey as groundwater before it leaves the mountains. Paul Brooks, a professor of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Utah, tells us more about this study and our water’s trajectory.

Wisdom 2.0 founder Soren Gordhamer talks about bridging modern technology with ancient wisdom. He writes on the topic in his new book, "The Essential: Discovering What Really Matters in an Age of Distraction." Then, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Safa Kassab highlights a new augmented reality device that's making total knee replacements more precise and accurate.

Willem Marx, author of a new article in Scientific American titled “Suddenly Miners Are Tearing Up the Seafloor for Critical Metals,” talks about the ramifications of seafloor mining. Then, McKenzie Skiles, director of the Snow HydRO Lab at the University of Utah, talks about the effects of dust on mountain snowpack melting rates and how the increased runoff is reshaping the future of water in the Southwest.

Writer and broadcaster Ed Conway discusses his book "Material World: The Six Raw Materials That Shape Modern Civilization," which explores the critical role of six raw materials — salt, iron, copper, oil, lithium and silicon— in shaping modern civilization. Then, science journalist Humberto Basilio talks about the relative stability or instability of the system of ocean currents called the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, AMOC, which is a system of ocean currents that circulates water within the Atlantic Ocean.

Jamie Farrell, chief seismologist at the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, shares a recent study of the Yellowstone caldera which provides crucial information about the potential threats of this massive volcanic system. Spoiler: It’s good news for all of us! Then, Keegan Melstrom, assistant professor at the University of Central Oklahoma, talks about recent studies into understanding how crocodiles and alligators have survived for over 250 million years, and how it could help other species survive the current mass extinction event.

Carrie Bearden, a professor of psychiatry, biobehavioral sciences, and psychology at UCLA, explores the mounting evidence that regular cannabis use predicts an increased risk of schizophrenia and psychotic symptoms among teens. Then, surgeon Gabriel Weston takes a scientific look at the wonder, mystery and misconceptions of our anatomy, from guts to genitals, from brain to reproductive organs.

Author and entrepreneur Steve Lucas highlights actual, doable uses of AI and the potential benefits for small business in his new book "Digital Impact: The Human Element of AI-Driven Transformation." Then, one-time local, Peter Rizzo, talks about his time as the station doctor for the 77th Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition and what it’s like to live and work in Antarctica.