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Tom's SciCast
Tom's SciCast episodes
- 45. The Relationships Between Sexual Reproduction and Inheritance
Why do we reproduce sexually, why do we look similar to our parents and siblings, but are different? In this episode, I take a close look at the origins of sexual reproduction, how meiosis generates genetic diversity, and Mendel's basic principles of inheritance. One of the major themes in my classes is that biology is complicated, and that goes for genetics so I also discuss extensions to Mendelian genetics. And lastly, I explain several common misconceptions about inheritance.
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1 hr 24 min - 44. Is the outer solar system the best place to find life?
Why is the outer solar system perhaps the best place to look for life? If it is, then where should we look for it? And importantly, what would it mean to find life in our solar system?
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56 min - 43. Is there life on Mars?
For hundreds of years, we have wondered if life is on Mars. I take a close look at the evidence from nearly 50 years of orbiters, landers, rovers, and even Marian rocks found on Earth to answer this question. The evidence is compelling!
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1 hr 10 min - 42. What is life?
Surprisingly, defining life is hard. Listen in as Tom Kennedy takes a broader look at what makes something living.
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31 min - 41. Things you didn't know about the habitable zone
When searching for life, look for liquid water, AKA the habitable zone. But knowing where liquid water on a planet's surface can be difficult. I explain how the characteristics of a star and its planets greatly influences the size of the habitable zone and ultimately the chances of discovering life.
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46 min - 40. What Would Alien Life Look Like?
Could alien life resemble life on Earth, or, would it completely different? Join me as I discuss the importance of convergent evolution and introduce a new concept of biological determinism to speculate about what life might look like from simple microbes to intelligent beings.
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42 min - 39. What's the future of humanity?
What does the future hold for humanity? Join me as I speculate about the prospects of our survival into the future along with the obstacles we must overcome to ensure our survival. There's a lot of fun speculation in this podcast, I'd love to hear your comments!
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40 min - 38. The edge of life: Cell membranes, diffusion, and transport.
Cellular membranes separate life from the outside world. I take a look into the world of membranes explaining how forming a barrier lets cells use their membranes to do many things from storing energy to sending signals.
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1 hr 3 min - 37. Where Did Life Come From?
One of the most biggest mysteries in science is how did life get started. In the past 100 years, several important theories improved our understanding about the origins of life. But each one has its limitations that become clear based on how we define life.
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55 min - 36. What is the science of biology?
Biology is more than just memorizing the parts of cell or dissecting some poor animal in lab, it's a broad field driven by curiosity and imagination grounded in the scientific method.
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57 min
About Tom's SciCast
From the publisher's feed
Let's explore the universe while pushing the limits of what we know with our imaginations, some speculation, and philosophy. A podcast about all things science. Stay Curious!