Professor Dave Debates

There has been a pretty huge public backlash against genetic modification. Not just of crops, but of anything. But what is genetic modification? Is it dangerous? Is it important? What organisms have been modified so far? Let's get into this with Ian Street, a PhD biologist with a background in plant development. He knows his stuff, and after this episode you will too!

Are there any life forms out there, in our galaxy, or beyond? If so, are any of them intelligent and capable of communicating with us? If so, what are they like? And why haven't we heard from them? All of this is encapsulated by the field of astrobiology, and to help us navigate this speculative terrain is postdoctoral researcher and NASA program manager in the department of physics and astronomy at UC Riverside. We will talk about the requirements for abiogenesis, for subsequent evolution, the Drake equation, the Fermi paradox, you name it! This is my absolute favorite thing to talk about, so I hope you'll have as much fun as I did.

We've gotta find some new energy sources. Fossil fuels are in short supply, and they are causing devastating climate change. Renewables like wind and solar are on the rise, but what about nuclear fusion? I dunno, isn't that dangerous? What about all the disasters in the past? Well those were fission plants. What's the difference? What is fusion? How does it work? Are we close to mastering it? All these questions will be answered and more in today's episode! To help us with this is Peter Heuer, a PhD student in the UCLA High Energy Density Plasma group. Let's hear what he has to say!

The history of quantum physics is absolutely fascinating. In the early 20th century, brilliant minds did incredible work to bring about the greatest paradigm shift in the history of science, but they didn't always see eye to eye. Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr were colossal figures in this movement, and they had a number of amicable disagreements about quantum mechanics and what it said about reality. What were these debates all about and who was right? Our guest, Dr. Adam Becker, just published a book about precisely this subject, so let's hear what he has to say. And pick up a copy of "What is Real? The Unfinished Quest for the Meaning of Quantum Physics" wherever books are sold!

There are a lot of ways to teach science, but where does art fit into the mix? Can art be effective in not just inspiring people to learn science, but also in conveying scientific information? The short answer is yes, it definitely can, because that's precisely what Rachel Ignotofsky has done. Rachel is a New York Times best selling author and illustrator, and her books "Women in Science" and "The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth" show precisely how effective art can be in organizing and displaying scientific information in a palatable yet efficient way. Rachel stopped by for a chat regarding her process, as well as the challenges we face as science communicators. Take a listen!

There are various schools of thought when it comes to the treatment of animals. Some believe we shouldn't eat or kill them under any circumstance. Some believe we can eat animals, but should not mistreat them or hunt for sport. Some say screw it all, let's do what we want. How do ethics come into play? Is there any moral high ground when it comes to hunting? Let's hear what wildlife reporter and hunter Jason Goldman has to say about it!

These are tumultuous times! The country is divided, and no one has any idea what's going to happen next. It's not just about the presidency, there's too much money in politics, and a new crisis every week, it seems. In this episode we will ask one simple question: are things getting better, or are they getting worse? Listen in on my discussion with Jack Michelle and Brandon Burkhart so we can get to the bottom of this!

Humans know way too much science! At least in the sense that the public has great difficulty keeping up, and no one in the world can ever hope to know it all. But it's important to have a populace with modest science literacy, so how can we get them this information? What should scientists be doing to communicate their science, so that it's not all left to the Professor Daves of the world? Find out here, with our expert guest, Sarah Mojarad, who works at USC teaching graduate students how to communicate their science!

Whether you live in Southern California like me, or somewhere else, you may be aware of all the fires we keep getting down here. What's the deal with those, and what can we do to prevent them? Are prescribed burns a good idea? In other words, should we deliberately start fires? Let's talk about this with wildfire expert Chris Giesige! There's a lot to learn regarding the history of wildfires, and steps we need to take in the present to work and live with fire. Moderator Alan Peterson joins us, and there is much fun to be had.

Much misunderstanding surrounds mental illness in our society! What does it mean to be mentally ill? Are we all on some kind of spectrum? How do we diagnose and treat mental illness? There is so much to talk about, and talk we shall. Cara Santa Maria is a tremendously experienced science communicator, but she also has a masters degree in neuroscience, and is working on a PhD in psychology, so she has a lot to say on this subject, both from an academic and personal perspective. Moderator Jon Gabrus has some opinions as well, and there are a lot of fun tangents in this episode. But we do manage to make some very important conclusions regarding mental illness that everyone should be aware of!