Science at AMNH

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 Earth—forever. In this podcast marking the sixtieth anniversary of the launch of Sputnik, Museum Astrophysicist Michael Shara discusses the outsized impact of that beach-ball-sized satellite and those beeps heard ’round world.

For a full transcript of this podcast, please visit: https://www.amnh.org/explore/news-blogs/podcasts/sputnik-sixty-years-later

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 object to leave our solar system and enter interstellar space. Voyager I and its twin Voyager II have continued to gather data from deep space forty years after their launch in 1977.

On August 23rd, 2017, PBS aired a documentary–The Farthest–Voyager in Space–that tells the story of these dogged explorers. Two weeks before, on Wednesday, August 9th, the Museum hosted a special preview screening. After which, Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson sat down with Carolyn Porco, a planetary scientist and Voyager team member. This podcast brings you their conversation.

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 museum astrophysicist Jackie Faherty.

A full transcript of this podcast is available here: http://www.amnh.org/explore/news-blogs/podcasts/2017-solar-eclipse-facts-and-tips

To learn more about eclipses and the upcoming event, watch a video of a recent panel discussion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzkVU3obUkI

To see the path of totality, and more information on the eclipse, visit eclipse2017.NASA.gov.

If you liked this episode, subscribe to Science at AMNH and rate us on iTunes, Soundcloud, or wherever you get your podcasts. To listen to our archive of podcasts, visit AMNH.org/podcasts.

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 and even demonstrates a routine you can follow along at home.

This SciCafe lecture took place at the Museum on June 7, 2017.

To learn about upcoming SciCafe events, visit amnh.org/scicafe. For a full transcript of this podcast, visit: http://www.amnh.org/explore/news-blogs/podcasts/scicafe-exercise-your-brain

Watch a video version of this lecture here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5UuBVAfZJw

The SciCafe series is proudly sponsored by Judy and Josh Weston.

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 in the lab.

This SciCafe lecture took place at the Museum on May 3rd, 2017.

This lecture included many original photographs, which can be seen in the video version by visiting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyfFSpEZ-vE

To learn about upcoming SciCafe events, visit amnh.org/scicafe. For a full transcript of this podcast, visithttp://www.amnh.org/explore/news-blogs/podcasts/scicafe-snakes-of-madagascar

The SciCafe series is proudly sponsored by Judy and Josh Weston.

SciCafe: Ghost Snake Stories in Madagascar, and related activities are generously supported by the Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) program of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

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 Pettit. Hosted by comedian and journalist Faith Salie.

This event took place at the Museum on April 13, 2017.

For a full transcript of this podcast, visit:

http://www.amnh.org/explore/news-blogs/podcasts/science-throwdown-sea-vs.-space

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 and initiatives that have transformed the dream of space colonization into something that could become reality. The duo discuss groundbreaking research and make the case that Saturn’s moon Titan offers the most realistic prospect for life without support from Earth.

This lecture took place at the Hayden Planetarium on April 3, 2017.

Support for Hayden Planetarium Programs is provided by the Horace W. Goldsmith Endowment Fund.

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 later on.

This lecture took place at the Museum on April 5, 2017.

To learn about upcoming SciCafe events, visit amnh.org/scicafe. For a full transcript of this podcast, visit: http://www.amnh.org/explore/news-blogs/podcasts/scicafe-stress-and-human-evolution

Watch a video version of this lecture here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbgFb0QP2ys

The SciCafe series is proudly sponsored by Judy and Josh Weston.

This SciCafe event is presented in collaboration with The Leakey Foundation.

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, and biodiversity. You will hear from historian and policy expert Julia Sweig, anthropologist Ruth Behar, environmental lawyer Dan Whittle, and Museum herpetologist and co-curator of ¡Cuba! Chris Raxworthy.

This event took place at the Museum on March 9, 2017.

¡Cuba! was developed in collaboration with the Cuban National Museum of Natural History.

Major funding for ¡Cuba! has been provided by the Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Endowment Fund.

Significant support for ¡Cuba! has been provided by the Ford Foundation.

Generous support for ¡Cuba! has been provided by the Dalio Ocean Initiative.

¡Cuba! is proudly supported by JetBlue.

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 efforts to uncover these hidden realities involves the greatest intellectual journey ever taken by humans. A tale ripe with drama and surprise, it has implications for our understanding of space and time, our origins, and our future, ultimately addressing that fundamental question: Why are we here?

Join famed theoretical physicist Lawrence Krauss for a journey through the unexpected fabric of reality, where fact is often stranger than fiction.

This lecture took place at the Hayden Planetarium on March 23, 2017.

Support for Hayden Planetarium Programs is provided by the Horace W. Goldsmith Endowment Fund.