Scattered across Singapore are 255 registered Heritage Trees—remarkable for their majesty, cultural value, and the histories these green landmarks are rooted in. While some are native, many aren’t. So how did our heritage trees end up here, and what makes them worth conserving? In this episode, tropical forest ecologist Dr. Shawn Lum walks us through the hidden world of our heritage trees, the work that goes into conserving them, and why they matter more than we might think.

Episode Highlights

• The meaning behind Heritage Tree status - how trees earn this prestigious designation through their botanical value and cultural significance

• The extensive work that goes into conserving our natural heritage, from expert arborist inspections to lightning protection installation

• The journey of Singapore's most common Heritage Tree species, the Rain Tree, from South America to Southeast Asia

• Discovering century-old majestic trees in the Changi area that still stand as living witnesses to Singapore's changing landscape

• How everyday citizens can contribute to forest conservation, from nominating potential Heritage Trees to participating in the One Million Trees movement

Timestamps

00:00 Intro

00:59 Definition and Criteria for Heritage Trees

02:29 Nomination Process for Heritage Trees

04:27 Non-Native Species and Globalisation

07:34 Maintenance of Heritage Trees

10:44 Dr. Lum’s Favourite Heritage Trees

13:44 What You Can Do to Help Our Forests

15:14 Outro

Guest Bio: Dr. Shawn Lum joined the NTU Asian School of the Environment in January 2016 after spending more than twenty years as a Lecturer at the National Institute of Education. He joined NIE upon completion of his PhD at the University of California, Berkeley. Shawn is a product of islands - he was born in Tokyo, raised in Honolulu, and has spent his working career in Singapore. Shawn's teaching has centered upon plant diversity, forest ecology, and conservation. In addition to his teaching and academic work, he works closely with local environment and nature-related agencies and is also active in nature conservation NGOs and civil society. [From NTU]

Read the full transcript and show notes at https://voiddeck.science.edu.sg/s2e4-ecology

According to a study by IMH, about 1 in 3 Singaporeans aged 15 - 65 are reported to have problematic amounts of smartphone usage in their daily lives. But what happens when we’re seeing our peers on their 5th couples trip to Japan on Instagram? Does it make us more “kiasu” about our own lives? Can our brains get so overloaded with digital content to the point of “brain rot?” What can we do to develop healthier relationships with our devices? Behavioural scientist Dr. Jean Liu shares her insights.

Episode Highlights

• How the “fear of missing out” (FOMO) drives problematic social media use—people who fear missing out are most vulnerable to excessive platform engagement and its negative effects, especially on social networking sites

• Why the pop science concept of social media providing "dopamine hits" might be oversimplified and what neuroscience actually tells us about our brains on screens

• The truth about "brain rot" and why consuming "mindless" content isn't necessarily harmful

• How our phones are changing the way we remember and behave, from search-engine-oriented memory patterns to the psychological impact of "phubbing" (phone snubbing)

• Practical strategies for digital wellness including the concept of "digital minimalism" that focuses on aligning device use with life goals rather than arbitrary screen time limits

Timestamps

00:00 Intro

00:52 What is Kiasu?

01:39 FOMO and Social Media

03:06 Why is Social Media So Addictive?

04:51 Debunking the Dopamine Hit

06:42 Brain Rot

09:10 Effects of Screentime on the Brain

11:03 Healthier Relationships with Devices

13:25 Being Present for Others

14:37 Final Thoughts: Is Your Phone Making You More Kiasu?

15:12 Outro

Guest Bio: Dr Jean Liu is a Director at the Centre for Evidence and Implementation, and adjunct Assistant Professor at Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School and the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. [Note: Since recording this episode, Dr. Jean Liu has been appointed as an Associate Professor of Psychology at Singapore Institute of Technology.] Her primary research area focuses on how digital devices impact our health and social relationships. To date, she has published >30 research papers on topics such as: how individuals use their phones during meals, how social media relates to mental health, how WhatsApp users transmit health messages, and whether following Taylor Swift predicts better mental health outcomes.

In recognition of her expertise, Dr Liu has served as consultant to the World Health Organisation, assisting with the roll-out of a new mental health framework for the Western Pacific Region. She is also a Council Member for the Agency for Care Effectiveness, expert panelist for the Health Promotion Board, and board member for several non-profit organisations. Her research insights have been discussed in parliament, and she speaks frequently in the media.

Read the full transcript and show notes at https://voiddeck.science.edu.sg/s2e3-psychology/

Durian is a beloved staple in Singapore, with over 12 million consumed annually. But what happens to the durian seeds and husks after it is consumed? As the nation strives for sustainability and a circular economy, how can we better manage the food waste we generate? Using the King of Fruits as an example, food technologist Prof. William Chen shows us how we can transform trash into treasure, from durian-derived antibacterial bandages, biodegradable food wraps, and natural food stabilisers.

Episode Highlights

• How scientists are transforming discarded durian husks into unexpected innovations from antimicrobial hydrogel bandages that soothe skin conditions to biodegradable food packaging

• Why the scale of Singapore's food waste problem – 700,000 tonnes of annual food waste (equivalent to two bowls per person daily) is driving creative solutions in food science and technology

• The fascinating potential of traditional culinary practices like fermentation in creating a circular food economy

• How Singapore's unique position as a small, nimble city-state with expertise in biomedical science, AI, and engineering is helping pioneer urban food solutions that could benefit cities worldwide

Timestamps

00:00 Intro

00:46 Upcycling Discarded Durians

06:28 Using Fermentation to Reduce Food Waste

11:12 Singapore's Potential for Food Science & Technology

13:46 Outro

Guest Bio: William Chen received his undergraduate and graduate education from l’Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium. He is the Michael Fam Endowed Professor and Director of Food Science & Technology Programme at Nanyang Technological University Singapore. He is concurrently Director of Singapore Future Ready Food Safety Hub (FRESH), and also Director of Singapore Agri-food Innovation Lab (SAIL).

Professor Chen is active in securing and leading large competitive research grants from major government agencies as well as leading international food companies. His team’s food technology innovations in food waste upcycling towards the food circular economy have been extensively attracting global attention. In addition to publishing regularly in top food science journals, his team works closely with food industry to translate innovations into consumer products. His team’s food tech innovations and his views on food safety and food security have been regularly featured in major local and international media outlets. He is also advisor/consultant to overseas universities, Singapore government agencies, food industry, and international organizations (ADB, FAO, WEF, WHO among others).

Read the full transcript and show notes at https://voiddeck.science.edu.sg/s2e2-foodtech/

The achievements of Singapore’s elite athletes like Joseph Schooling and Shanti Pereira have long captivated and inspired Singaporeans. What kinds of interesting or unexpected technologies are used to train top athletes? How can biomechanics provide a competitive edge? Sport biomechanist Dr. Marcus Lee shares fascinating and surprising stories of how devices from 3D motion capture systems to simple cameras are applied to help Team Singapore athletes perform their best.

Episode Highlights

• How Dr. Marcus Lee translates biomechanics into a "4S model" (Structure, Strength, Skill, Strategy) to support Team Singapore athletes
• The surprising range of tools used in high-performance sports training: from core temperature monitoring pills to eye trackers and more
• The fascinating story of how 3D motion capture and magnetic gates helped identify and improve Shanti Pereira's sprint start technique
• How a simple camera and mathematical calculations helped support the race strategy for Joseph Schooling's historic Olympic gold medal win
• How Singaporeans can use everyday technologies to improve personal fitness

Timestamps

00:00 Intro

00:35 Understanding Biomechanics

02:03 Role of a Sport Scientist

03:19 Interesting Sport Technologies

04:54 Case Study: Shanti Pereira

08:28 Case Study: Joseph Schooling

12:02 Using Technology for Personal Fitness

13:45 Outro

Guest Biography

Dr. Marcus Lee is Director of Special Projects at the National Youth Council and also serves as Director and Principal Sport Biomechanist at the High Performance Sport Institute, Sport Singapore. A former Head of Sport Science and Medicine, Marcus has led teams behind the scenes to support Team Singapore athletes across various sports at major competitions like the Olympics, Asian Games and World Championships—making sure they’re not just ready to compete, but ready to thrive.

Drawing from biomechanics, physiology, nutrition, psychology and medicine, he and his team work closely with coaches and athletes to improve performance, reduce injury risks, and fine-tune every detail—from strength and movement, to recovery and mental prep. As a sport biomechanist, Marcus is especially curious about how the human body moves and performs under pressure, and how to equip athletes with the right strength, skill, and strategies to succeed.

A father of two and passionate advocate for youth development, Marcus believes science should serve people—helping athletes not only win, but grow with purpose and resilience.

Correction

The episode misgeneralises that "distance over time is velocity or speed." While this may serve as a practical shorthand in the sporting context, strictly scientifically speaking, the two terms are not interchangeable. Distance over time is speed, not velocity. Speed is the rate at which an object covers distance, while velocity is the rate at which an object changes its position in a specific direction.

Read the full transcript & show notes at https://voiddeck.science.edu.sg/s2e1-sport-science/

In a world where AI is rapidly transforming industries, Singapore is positioning itself as a global AI hub. But what does this mean for our daily lives and jobs? We debug the complex code of artificial intelligence with Dr. Ayesha Khanna, co-founder and CEO of Addo AI and a globally recognized AI expert based in Singapore. Dr. Khanna shares insights on how AI is revolutionising businesses, the impact of AI in the classroom, why seeing AI as adding to and not replacing human talent is crucial in the future of work. Plus, we hear whether sci-fi films like The Terminator showing a robot uprising are onto something.

Episode Highlights

• Decipher how generative AI works - from Shakespeare to FIFA, discover how generative AI mixes and matches vast amounts of data to create something new
• Explore the concept of "AI friends" and why they might be both wonderful and dangerous - it's not just about chatbots anymore!
• Hear whether there’s any truth to popular science fiction movies–will AI take over the world?
• Be warned about "AI hallucinations" and why you shouldn't trust everything ChatGPT tells you (especially in court!)
• Get the scoop on why naming your robot something cute might be the key to embracing how AI can be for you

Timestamps

00:00 Preview

00:39 Intro

01:40 Dr. Khanna’s educational background

03:35 How Dr. Khanna got into AI

07:41 Dr. Khanna's work at Addo AI

10:13 AI applications in healthcare, insurance, customer service

13:46 What jobs are at risk of being replaced by AI?

16:55 [Mid-roll Ad] Smart Nation Playscape at Science Centre Singapore

17:29 Is the next generation at a disadvantage if they become reliant on AI?

20:42 The dangers and wonders of AI friends

23:21 Paiseh question: will robots/AI take over the world?

26:35 Paiseh question: How does generative AI really work?

30:07 Word Association Game

34:35 Outro

Guest Bio: Dr. Ayesha Khanna, co-founder and CEO of Addo, is a leading AI expert and Forbes-recognized entrepreneur with 20+ years of experience in digital transformation. Holding degrees from Harvard, Columbia, and the London School of Economics, and having spent over a decade on Wall Street, she advises CEOs on AI and data transformations and serves on boards such as Johnson Controls, NEOM Tonomus, and L'Oreal's scientific advisory board. A passionate advocate for inclusivity and diversity, Dr. Khanna provides AI education scholarships to girls and mid-career women through her education company, Amplify.

Read the full transcript & show notes at https://voiddeck.science.edu.sg/decoding-ai/

Singapore may be known as the Little Red Dot, but its ambitions are astronomical. In this episode, we explore how this tiny island nation is becoming an unexpected player in the space industry, with homegrown spacetech companies reaching for the stars. We chat with Dr. Christopher Luwanga, the CEO and founder of Galamad Aerospace, a space start-up based in Singapore. We discuss his journey growing up in Malawi to completing his engineering PhD at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Along the way, Christopher talks about the awe-inspiring vastness of the universe, the importance of reuseable satellites, and his vision of the future of space exploration.

Episode Highlights

• Discover how Dr. Christopher Luwanga went from reading Shakespeare at age 9 in Malawi to founding a spacetech company in Singapore
• Learn about PROSat, Galamad Aerospace’s programmable and reusable satellite that could be part of the expected 50,000 satellites orbiting Earth in the near future
• Find out why Singapore, despite its small geographical size, is an ideal base for space start-ups
• Explore the challenges of implementing AI systems in satellites, including creating synthetic space environments for training
• Hear first-hand about fascinating developments in the space industry, such as the fact that since 2019, more satellites have been launched than in the entire period from the 1950s to 2019 combined!
• Get mind-blowing insights into the sheer scale of the universe: when you look at the sun, you're seeing the sun as it was roughly 8 minutes ago due to the time it takes light to travel!

Timestamps

00:00 Preview

00:27 Intro

01:31 Growing up in Malawi and early interest in literature

04:18 From Shakespeare to space: realising the immense scale of the universe

07:11 Founding Galamad Aerospace

09:28 Why Singapore is an ideal base for Galamad Aerospace

10:45 PROSat, Galamad Aerospace’s spacecraft, and the state of current satellites

14:24 How do satellites avoid hitting each other?

16:36 Implementing AI systems with satellites

20:07 Managing operations across Asia and Africa

21:31 Creating opportunities in Africa

23:37 [Mid-roll Ad] Space Explorers: THE INFINITE at Science Centre Singapore

24:25 Paiseh question: Does Singapore have astronauts?

26:19 Advice to Singaporeans interested in the space industry

27:32 Word Association Game

33:10 Outro

Guest Bio: Dr. Christopher Luwanga is a space engineer and physicist based in Singapore, and originally from Malawi, Africa. As founder of Galamad Aerospace, he is leading a team of designers, engineers, and builders of spacecraft for the new age of consumer applications that are built around space technologies. One of the most exciting applications is that of broadband connectivity from and via outer space. This extension into space not only creates a powerful, resilient complement to our existing terrestrial network infrastructure but in some places is the only practical means to connect people to the internet. Galamad Aerospace is also specifically developing the PROSat, a programmable, reuseable, and highly manoeuvrable spacecraft that will ultimately enable smart constellations that do not unnecessarily crowd or pollute the space environment.

Read the full transcript & show notes at https://voiddeck.science.edu.sg/exploring-spacetech/

We all know Singapore as a Garden City, but what about seeing Singapore as an island country? We dive into the lesser-known marine elements of Singapore's tropical environments with Dr. Siti Maryam Yaakub, Senior Director of the International Blue Carbon Institute. We talk about her passion for unsung underwater heroes like seagrass, her journey to becoming a marine ecologist, and what makes mangroves and coastal habitats so important in the fight against climate change.

Episode Highlights

• The surprising fact that Singapore has more seagrass species than the entire United States
• How blue carbon ecosystems like mangroves and seagrass are secret superheroes in the fight against climate change
• The fascinating world of seagrass - not to be confused with seaweed or seagrapes!
• Why corals bleach, and how seagrass produces its own natural “sunscreen”
• The crucial link between dugongs and seagrass, and why protecting one means saving the other
• How everyone, from chefs to economists, can contribute to marine conservation using their unique skills

Timestamps

00:00 Preview

00:36 Intro

01:52 What is blue carbon, and what are mangroves?

05:31 Seagrass vs. seaweed vs. seagrapes

07:14 Interesting fieldwork and overseas experiences

10:17 Misconceptions about marine ecologists

11:40 Does Singapore have a lot of native seagrass?

12:41 Dr. Siti’s career path

17:20 International Blue Carbon Institute’s contributions and COP29

20:37 Advice on taking climate action

23:39 Mid-roll ad: Climate Changed exhibition at Science Centre Singapore

24:07 Paiseh question: how bad is the state of our marine environments, really?

25:28 Effects of heat stress on marine life, e.g. coral bleaching

29:55 Word association game

33:07 Outro

Guest Bio

Dr. Siti Maryam Yaakub, Senior Director of the International Blue Carbon Institute at Conservation International, leads the institute's global efforts in translating blue carbon science into tools and methodologies for climate mitigation and adaptation. Based in Singapore, she spearheads initiatives aimed at fostering multidisciplinary expertise and cultivating a resource hub for knowledge exchange. Siti is a marine ecologist and works across tropical marine and coastal habitats. Her work and research interests broadly lie in the areas of ecosystem restoration and nature-based solutions for adaptation and mitigation in marine environments. Within this, she is specifically interested in using seagrass habitats as a model system for understanding ecological thresholds to stress, ecosystem resilience, and the effects of human activities and climate change on the marine environment.

Read the full transcript & show notes at https://voiddeck.science.edu.sg/marineecology

You've probably seen those vibrant Peranakan shophouses in Joo Chiat – but how did this unique mixed-heritage community come to be in Singapore? To discover more, we speak with Prof. Roger Foo, the first Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Professor of Medicine at the National University of Singapore. Prof. Foo was one of the researchers behind the Singapore Peranakan Genome Project. We unravel some mind-blowing research about DNA, genetics, and the human heart. We also hear a bit about Prof. Foo's personal journey to becoming a doctor (hint: involves a hit medical TV drama).

Episode Highlights

• Whether the science stacks up to legends about the origins of Peranakans in Singapore
• The sheer volume of data each of us possess in our genome (enough to stretch for 9000 km and fill up several thousand Bibles if written out)!
• How you (yes, you!) could likely be a descendant of famous historical figures like Genghis Khan
• The mysteries of species evolution, or, is the fish in the wet market your distant cousin?
• How cells 'sing' different songs from the same DNA, leading to diverse bodily functions
• Groundbreaking current research on rewiring heart cells and the potential future of regenerative medicine

Timestamps

00:00 Preview

00:24 Intro

01:27 Prof. Foo's personal journey to becoming a doctor

06:56 Inception and findings of the Singapore Peranakan Genome Project

15:32 Genghis Khan and genetic isopoints

18:48 Is your 185th million grandfather a fish?

21:02 [Mid-roll ad] Bioethics: We could, but should we? at Science Centre Singapore

21:26 Paiseh question: what is DNA?

23:58 Epigenetics and heart health

28:02 Word association game

31:08 Outro

Guest Bio

Roger Foo is Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Professor at the NUS School of Medicine, Vice Dean of Research, Director NUHS Cardiovascular Metabolic Disease Translational Research Programme, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Advisor to the NUHS Clinician Scientist Academy, and Senior Consultant Cardiologist, National University Heart Centre. He is an NUS med school graduate, and spent 20 years abroad on specialist training before returning to Singapore in 2013. His training was undertaken at Kings College Hospital, London, and Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge. He was Wellcome Trust Fellow at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, and returned to Cambridge to start a group as British Heart Foundation Fellow and Consultant Physician, before eventually returning to Singapore. His lab was the first to publish an epigenomic map of the failing human heart. More recently, he has published an in-depth analysis of the human cardiac chromatin 3D organisation, elucidating its changes during the heart disease response. The lab deep dives into the heart epigenome in continuing aspirations to discover mechanisms of disease for new therapies or biomarkers. Today, he spends a lot of time mentoring young scientist, alongside growing research on heart disease prevention and targets for new drug development.

Correction

The episode misstates the number of Peranakans whole-genome sequenced by the Singapore Peranakan Genome Project. The study collected blood samples from 177 self-declared Singapore Peranakan volunteers, not 700. Thanks Colin Chee for spotting!

Read the full transcript & show notes at https://voiddeck.science.edu.sg/peranakan-ancestry/

Launching Science Centre Singapore's first-ever podcast, taking you from Jurong to Jupiter and beyond. Explore the online publication and podcast at voiddeck.science.edu.sg.