Science for the People

This week, we’re taking a closer look at the code that runs our computers, and permeates so much of our lives. Desiree Schell talks to Stephen Gold, Vice President of Watson Solutions at IBM Software Group, about new healthcare applications for cognitive computing technology. Guest host Rachelle Saunders talks to Sergei Maslov, a researcher in computational biology at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, to learn about the similarities between computer code and genetic information. And we’re joined by software professional Mark Bennett, to discuss his passion for programming, and coding as a career or as a hobby.

This week, we’re looking at birds, and what the study of their behavior and anatomy can tell us about ourselves. We’ll talk to Dr. John Marzluff, professor of Avian social ecology and demography at the University of Washington, about his book Gifts of the Crow: How Perception, Emotion, and Thought Allow Smart Birds to Behave Like Humans. And we’ll speak to artist and illustrator Katrina van Grouw about The Unfeathered Bird, her book that looks at bird anatomy below the feathery surface.

This week, Skeptically Speaking looks to the stars that light up the night sky, and fuse hydrogen and helium into the elements that make life possible. Science writer Jennifer Ouellette examines the possible evidence of ancient supernovae in bacterial fossils. Astrophysicist Ethan Siegel explains the controversy surrounding the so-called black hole firewall paradox. And astronomer Pamela Gay of CosmoQuest discusses the impact of U.S. sequester budget cuts on her research and outreach.

This week, we’re looking at the explosive geology of volcanoes, and how they shape our world both physically and politically. We’ll speak to climate researcher Nicholas Klingaman, about his book The Year Without Summer: 1816 and the Volcano That Darkened the World and Changed History. And we’re joined by geologist Jacob Lowenstern, Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, about the massive volcano that drives the geologic activity of the Yellowstone Caldera.

This week, we take a sobering look at infectious diseases in animals, and the scary things that happen when those infections spread to humans. Guest host Marie-Claire Shanahan talk to journalist David Quammen about his book Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic. And science journalist Maryn McKenna returns to give as an update on the H7N9 bird flu, and how it’s being reported by the media.

This week, we're looking at the science and the history of the water that makes life and society possible. We'll speak to law and environment professor James Salzman, about his book Drinking Water: A History. And we're joined by Juewen Liu, chemistry professor at the University of Waterloo, to talk about his work using DNA to detect water-borne impurities that could make water unsafe.

This week, we’re learning about the brain, and the fascinating – and devastating – things that can happen when its functions are disrupted. We’ll speak with journalist Susannah Cahalan, about her bestselling memoir Brain On Fire: My Month of Madness. And we’re joined by Dr. Rob Tarzwell, to talk about neurological disorders that mimic psychiatric conditions.

This week, we’re taking a look at the past, present and future of food, and what science has to say about some popular health trends. We’re joined by biology professor Marlene Zuk, to talk about her new book Paleofantasy: What Evolution Really Tells Us about Sex, Diet, and How We Live. And guest host Rachelle Saunders talks to Koert Van Mensvoort, director of the Next Nature Network, about the cultural implications of lab-grown meat products.

This week, we’re looking at how biotechnology is super-charging the toolkit for customizing our pets, affecting the use of animals in medicine and livestock, and changing our relationship with the animal world. We’re joined by science writer Emily Anthes, to talk about her book Frankenstein’s Cat: Cuddling Up to Biotech’s Brave New Beasts. And guest host Rachelle Saunders talks to futurist George Dvorsky, Director of the Rights of Non-Human Persons program at The Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies, about legal and scientific efforts to expand basic rights to animals other than humans.

This week, we’re looking at invasive predators, changing ecosystems, and the ethical questions raised by killing one species to save another. We’ll speak to science journalist Will Stolzenburg, about his book Rat Island: Predators in Paradise and the World’s Greatest Wildlife Rescue. And researcher and blogger Bug Girl returns to educate us about insect conservation.