Science at AMNH

Science at AMNH episodes:

• 06.20.2019

  SciCafe: The Future of Our Oceans with Jeremy Jackson

  The worlds’ oceans have changed dramatically in the 50+ years that marine ecologist Jeremy Jackson has been studying them. Overfishing, pollution, and climate change have converted once-thriving ecosystems like coral reefs and mangrove forests into slime-covered wastelands. But Dr. Jackson...

  
• 05.23.2019

  SciCafe: Why Dinosaurs Matter with Diego Pol

  The Titanosaur, Patagotitan mayorum, is the largest-known dinosaur to ever walk the Earth—weighing more than 10 African elephants. How did it get so big? How did it dominate the prehistoric landscape for millions of years? And what can this extinct...

  
• 05.09.2019

  How Policy Can Help Us Fight Climate Change

  Climate change may be affecting populations around the world in different ways, but the sobering state of our shared environment should worry everyone. How can we as a global community make changes to our economic, leadership, and policy models to...

  
• 04.18.2019

  SciCafe: Microbial Worlds of the Deep Sea with Jeffrey Marlowe

  Only a fraction of the oceans’ floors has been explored, yet scientists already know that microbial communities are thriving in the extreme and often bizarre landscapes of the deep sea. Harvard University geobiologist Jeffrey Marlowe shares findings from his expeditions...

  
• 04.04.2019

  The Biology of Bias and Future of Our Species

  What can science reveal about bias in our education, healthcare, and other social systems? It turns out, quite a bit. This series of short talks from experts in the fields of medicine, law, education, and business explores where bias comes...

  
• 03.21.2019

  SciCafe: The Raw Truth About Cooking with Rachel Carmody

  For most humans, foods that have been cooked or otherwise processed are a part of everyday life. But what happens on a molecular level when you chop, mash, and sautee your meal? How has cooking given humans an evolutionary edge?...

  
• 03.07.2019

  Probing Asteroids in Space with Harold C. Connolly Jr.

  Asteroids can teach us a lot about the origin of our solar system—but they can also pose a potential threat if they come too close to Earth. Join Harold C. Connolly Jr. for an overview of the OSIRIS-REx and Hyabusa2...

  
• 02.14.2019

  SciCafe: Science Of Love with Bianca Jones Marlin

  Oxytocin, the so-called “love drug,” has been the subject of ongoing debate surrounding its impact on the human brain—but what does the latest science show? Bianca Jones Marlin, a neuroscientist and postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University, looks at the brains...

  
• 01.24.2019

  SciCafe: Teaming Up with Robots with Julie Shah

  Imagine a robot that knows without being told which tool to hand to an autoworker, or how to match hospital patients with the most appropriate medical staff. The next generation of robotics may be capable of complex tasks like these—able...

  
• 12.20.2018

  SciCafe: End of the Megafauna with Ross MacPhee

  Woolly mammoths and giant ground sloths are just a few of the strange animals that once roamed Earth, living on every habitable continent. But about 50,000 years ago, these “megafauna” began to disappear. What factors contributed to their disappearance? Why...

  
• 11.21.2018

  SciCafe: Technology Inspired by Nature with Tak-Sing Wong

  What does a carnivorous plant have in common with the design for a water-saving toilet? What about a hungry cell with surgical equipment? It may be surprising to learn that engineers still turn to the natural world for inspiration. For...

  
• 10.25.2018

  The Milky Way as You’ve Never Seen It Before with Jackie Faherty – AMNH SciCafe

  In April 2018, the Gaia space telescope released its second catalog of over 1.3 billion stellar distances, helping astronomers map the Milky Way like never before. Astrophysicist Jackie Faherty takes us on a tour through her current work using Gaia...

  
• 08.08.2018

  Jaguar: An Indomitable Beast with Alan Rabinowitz

  In celebration of International Cat Day and to honor the legacy of zoologist and conservationist Alan Rabinowitz who died August 5, we’re re-publishing a talk he gave at the Museum in 2014. Rabinowitz shares his journey to conserve the jaguar,...

  
• 08.02.2018

  Science Throwdown: Sea vs. Land

  The world under the waves or the wilds of the land? Which creatures—marine or terrestrial—are the most compelling, intriguing, and inspiring? Comedian and journalist Faith Salie leads two teams of scientific luminaries in this tongue-in-cheek “debate,” featuring categories like “Next...

  
• 06.28.2018

  Planetary Origin Stories with Alycia Weinberger

  Swirling disks of dust and gas surround young stars, and these disks contain the building blocks for new planets. It would take 100 million years to see a planet fully form, but luckily there are plenty of planetary systems in...

  
• 06.21.2018

  SciCafe—Orangutans, Obesity, and Human Evolution with Erin Vogel

  While wild orangutans in the rainforests of Borneo feed on a remarkable variety of plant life, they also endure unpredictable cycles of feast and famine. Erin Vogel of Rutgers University explains how research on these primates’ diet and health may...

  
• 05.31.2018

  Visualizing Planets with Radio Telescopes with Meredith Hughes

  Astronomers have discovered thousands of planets in our galaxy, but how much do we understand about how they are formed? Why, for example, are some planets rocky like ours, while others like Jupiter and Saturn are gaseous? Astrophysicist Meredith Hughes...

  
• 05.24.2018

  SciCafe: Ocean Locomotion with Frank Fish

  How can studying ocean life help us to create more efficient technologies? Frank Fish, professor of biology at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, explores how the elegant movements of manta rays and humpback whales are inspiring new and better approaches...

  
• 05.17.2018

  Astrophysicist Jackie Faherty Breaks Down New Data from the ESA’s Gaia Mission

  On April 25th, 2018, the European Space Agency’s Gaia observatory released its second data catalog, which includes the distances to a staggering 1.4 billion stars. Museum Astrophysicist Jackie Faherty explains why these new findings are important to astronomers, and how...

  
• 04.30.2018

  SciCafe: Seeing is Believing with Marisa Carrasco

  How do our brains make sense of the world our eyes see? How does attention affect our perception? And how is it possible to miss things even if they are right in front of us? In her recent SciCafe talk,...

  
• 04.24.2018

  Hubble Space Telescope’s 28 Years of Exploration, with Astrophysics Curator Michael Shara

  On April 24, 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope was launched into low Earth orbit. Over its 28- year career, Hubble has helped scientists make incredible discoveries, from evidence of dark energy in the early universe to comets whizzing into our...

  
• 03.29.2018

  Fishes That Glow: Exploring Biofluorescence and Bioluminescence in the Sea

  To celebrate our new exhibition, Unseen Oceans, we’re “re-surfacing” earlier podcast episodes about our planet’s last frontier: the oceans. In this SciCafe from 2014, John Sparks, curator in the Department of Ichthyology at the Museum and curator of Unseen Oceans,...

  
• 03.22.2018

  The Dolphin in the Mirror

  What does a dolphin see when it looks in the mirror? Cognitive psychologist and marine mammal scientist Diana Reiss of Hunter College explains what we already know about bottlenose dolphin intelligence and communication, and describes her teams’ efforts to unlock...

  
• 03.14.2018

  What is Relativity, and Why Should You Care?

  In honor of Albert Einstein’s birthday on March 14, we’re re-publishing this podcast primer on his theories of General and Special Relativity—ideas that most people have heard of but few truly understand. Astrophysicist and educator Jeffrey Bennett breaks down the...

  
• 03.08.2018

  Strange New Worlds With Elizabeth Tasker

  Scientists have only just begun to detect exoplanets—planets orbiting stars other than our Sun—but already these alien worlds have upended the rules previously believed to govern planetary systems. Astrophysicist Elizabeth Tasker takes us on a journey through the surprising diversity...

  
• 02.27.2018

  SciCafe: Trilobite Takedown

  Although they’ve been extinct for about 252 million years, trilobites still manage to fascinate us today. These fossil arthropods were among the first animals to appear in large numbers, and they lived for almost 300 million years before going extinct....

  
• 02.15.2018

  2018 Isaac Asimov Memorial Debate: Artificial Intelligence

  Isaac Asimov’s famous Three Laws of Robotics might be seen as early safeguards for our reliance on artificial intelligence, but as Alexa guides our homes and automated cars replace human drivers, are those Three Laws enough? In this podcast, listen in...

  
• 02.08.2018

  Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence with Max Tegmark and Neil deGrasse Tyson

  Artificial intelligence is growing at an astounding rate, but are we ready for the consequences? Cosmologist and MIT physics professor Max Tegmark guides us through the state of artificial intelligence today and the many paths we might take in further...

  
• 02.02.2018

  SciCafe: The Science Behind Football (2018)

  Just in time for the Super Bowl this weekend, we’re republishing a podcast about the science behind football. Author Ainissa Ramirez, who spoke at the Museum’s SciCafe a few weeks before the New England Patriots faced off against the Seattle...

  
• 01.30.2018

  2018 Super Blue Blood Moon: Facts and Tips with Astrophysicist Jackie Faherty

  On January 31, 2018, a trifecta of lunar events will cause what’s being dubbed a “Super Blue Blood Moon.” Museum astrophysicist Jackie Faherty explains what causes this phenomenon, provides us some with some viewing tips, and tells us about other...

  
• 01.29.2018

  SciCafe: The Power of Poop

  Did you know that some of the bacteria living inside us are essential for our health? Gastroenterologist Ari Grinspan delves into the complex world of the microbiome in the human digestive system. He explains how transplanting bacteria from healthy people to...

  
• 01.11.2018

  Frontiers Lecture: Demystifying Black Holes with Steven Gubser and Frans Pretorius

  Black holes may be among the most mysterious phenomena in the universe, but innovations in astrophysics are bringing scientists ever closer to unlocking their secrets. Princeton University physics professors Steven Gubser and Frans Pretorius review Einstein’s theories of relativity and...

  
• 12.27.2017

  SciCafe-The Sixth Extinction: Biodiversity Under Threat

  Earth is currently experiencing an unprecedented loss of biodiversity, and it has changed dramatically in recent decades. Museum curator Joel Cracraft presents evidence that the Sixth Extinction is here. Join him as he explains where the planet’s future is heading if we...

  
• 12.07.2017

  Frontiers Lecture: The Zoomable Universe with Caleb Scharf

  From the farthest edge of the observable universe to the tiniest measurement of the subatomic realm, reality as we experience it is defined by scale. Astrobiologist Caleb Scharf leads a tour through the scale of the universe, and explains how...

  
• 11.29.2017

  SciCafe: Are We Alone in the Universe?

  Who can look out into space and not ask the age-old question: Are we alone in the universe? Astronomers have already identified dozens of planets beyond the edges of our solar system which could be like our own Earth. Join astrophysicist...

  
• 11.09.2017

  Frontiers Lecture: Neil deGrasse Tyson and Astronaut Scott Kelly on Life in Space

  Scott Kelly is a former Navy fighter pilot and test pilot, an engineer, and a retired NASA astronaut who over four space flights accumulated 520 days living in space, a record at the time in 2015. Talking with Hayden Planetarium Director Neil deGrasse...

  
• 11.02.2017

  Joining Forces To Address Wildlife Trafficking with Conservation Biologist Mary Blair

  Some animals may be too popular for their own good—whether it’s doe-eyed slow lorises, nocturnal primates often sold as pets, or pangolins prized for meat or medicine. Despite increased enforcement, a profitable market continues to threaten these and other endangered...

  
• 10.26.2017

  SciCafe: Humans And Conflicts With Bears, Oh My!

  Anyone who has ever surprised a black bear in their own backyard is already keenly aware of the overlap between human communities and bear habitats. Rae Wynn-Grant, a conservation biologist at the Museum, offered insights into black bear behavior and...

  
• 10.16.2017

  A Smashup of Neutron Stars & Einstein’s Theory of Relativity with Astrophysics Curator Michael Shara

  Today, scientists announced that they have detected a spectacular collision of two neutron stars some 130 million light years away. The method of discovery is also making news: this was the first time ever that a cosmic event was perceived...

  
• 10.12.2017

  Frontiers Lecture: Why? What Makes Us Curious with Mario Livio

  Just listen to little kids pester their parents, “But why?” and you know how ingrained human curiosity is. And a good thing too—it drives scientific research, inspires creativity in art and technology, and is a necessary ingredient in every...

  
• 10.05.2017

  Sputnik: Sixty Years Later with Astrophysicist Michael Shara

  On October 4, 1957, radio operators picked up beeping sounds from the first man-made satellite ever to orbit the Earth—Sputnik, launched by the Soviet Union. The never-before heard signals ushered in the space age and changed life in space—and on...

  
• 08.24.2017

  Neil deGrasse Tyson and Carolyn Porco on Voyager and Space Exploration

  Have you ever pondered that picture of earth as a pale blue dot seen from space? Then you already know something of the work of the space craft Voyager I. In 2012, that same space craft became the first man-made...

  
• 08.15.2017

  2017 Solar Eclipse Facts and Tips

  On August 21st, 2017, most of North America will experience a solar eclipse, with a select area experiencing a total solar eclipse. To learn more about what an eclipse is, and how to safely view this event, we spoke with...

  
• 06.28.2017

  SciCafe: Exercise Your Brain

  Need some extra motivation to get to the gym? Neuroscientist and exercise enthusiast Wendy A. Suzuki explains how physical aerobic activity can change your brain. Dr. Suzuki gives an overview of her research into how exercise can improve cognitive function...

  
• 05.31.2017

  Scicafe: Snakes of Madagascar

  In this podcast, join herpetologist Frank Burbrink on a journey to the remote forests of Madagascar, where his team recently discovered several new species of reptiles. Hear tales of life in the field and discover how DNA analysis helps identify new species...

  
• 05.25.2017

  Science Throwdown: Sea vs. Space

  Into the deep or over the Moon—which is more important, intriguing, and inspiring? Explore the merits of sea vs. space across a range of judging categories with aquanauts Fabien Cousteau and Liz Bentley Magee, and astronauts Mike Massimino and Don...

  
• 05.12.2017

  Frontiers Lecture: Our Path to a New Home in the Planets

  While the public is fascinated by the idea of Earth-like planets outside of our solar system, there may be some opportunities even closer to home. In this podcast, planetary scientist Amanda Hendrix and science writer Charles Wohlforth highlight the developments...

  
• 04.23.2017

  SciCafe: Stress and Human Evolution

  How do trauma, poverty, and racial discrimination influence our health? What about our evolutionary history causes our bodies to respond in this way? Biological anthropologist Zaneta Thayer explores the biological mechanisms through which early life stress influences biology and health...

  
• 04.20.2017

  Cuba: Threads of Change

  Cuba’s political relationship with the United States is changing, and with it, potentially it’s biodiversity. In this podcast, conservation biologist and co-curator of the exhibition ¡Cuba! , Ana Luz Porzecanski, moderates a panel on contemporary Cuba, its people, identity,...

  
• 04.13.2017

  Frontiers Lecture: The Greatest Story Ever Told So Far with Lawrence Krauss

  The fundamental laws of the universe are not what we think or perceive—they are weird, wild, and counterintuitive. We all experience the world in a way that is shielded from the deeper realities underlying everyday phenomena. The story of scientist’s...