Periodic Round Table

Artificial intelligence has its steady role in sci-fi as the villainous mastermind that destroys the human race, but what are its real-life applications, both in the present and the future? We delve into the history of AI, how it works, and where it’s heading. Will AI bring humans to utopia, or will it take all of our jobs, wipe out our economy, and destroy the foundations of humanity? Wow, what a depressing thought. Alexa, play Despacito.

Everyone is familiar with addiction, but why do we get addicted to things? Why can we experience addiction with not only substances such as drugs, alcohol, and caffeine, but activities such as video games or shopping? We go into the psychology and chemical mechanisms of addiction, the pharmacological criteria for addiction, brain chemistry, and if it’s possible to be addicted to being naked in a river.

Everyone knows humans are destroying the Earth at a rapid pace, so why not go find another cozy planet until all of this blows over? In this episode, we talk Earth-like planets: what they are, how astronomers detect them, and the possibilities of us ever even reaching these planets. In addition, we discuss some requirements for life and a biosphere, terraforming our closest rocky neighbors, and whether we would ever undergo this multi-lightyear journey ourselves.

We talk about why all creatures with a psyche need sleep and the stages of non-REM and REM sleep. We touch upon dreaming, the psychological and physiological effects of sleep deprivation, and discuss some sleep disorders that are perhaps a little more poorly understood. Somehow, gremlins and leprechauns make a mention here, but don’t worry, it’s totally relevant.

In our first episode, we discuss terrifying creatures of the abyss, the Kraken, the Leviathan, and sea serpents, and their ties to real-life cuddly deep-sea critters. We also clear up some misconceptions about abyssal life such as the colossal squid, and are joined by marine biologist Leah Gaines Sewell, in which she answers some burning questions about animals of the deep.

An introduction to the Periodic Round Table.