WesternU Science

Did you know that some humans can sing two different pitches at once? Or that tree crickets invented speakers long before we did? What about how some species have ears in their mouths and on their feet? 

Dr. Natasha Mhatre, from the Department of Biology, is a foremost authority on auditory reception across species. This week on the Western Science Speaks podcast we discuss the variety of auditory receptors across species in nature. Come for the fascinating factoids about how hearing differs across our bizarre world, stay for the insight on how you can protect your precious ears. 

The end of the year is a time to reflect, and Western Science Speaks is looking back at some of the incredible science research we’ve had the privilege of bringing you. Focusing on health research, our Holiday Wrap Up comprises four interviews with Western researchers, Amanda Moehring, Geoff Wild, Lyle Muller, Dan Lizotte, and Brent Davis. This episode features some of our best conversations discussing the underlying indicators that determine the success of mating, the evolutionary benefits of being nice, how to better understand your own fears, and how we use social media to offer drug abusers assistance. 

What happens when you combine computer scientists, evolutionary biologists, and a global pandemic? A game-changing classification tool. A collaborative team, co-led by Dr. Kathleen Hill and have determined the genomic signature of Covid-19 utilizing a new machine learning program that will allow researchers to easily classify any newfound deadly virus. 

Dr. Chris Guglielmo studies the process of migration in birds. However, while most researchers heavily focus on the flight, Chris focuses on the pit stops. Those pivotal breaks between long flights where birds are against the clock, in desperate need of a refuel. His research reveals birds as a dexterous athlete, capable of overcoming environmental and biological adversity. Chris joined the show to detail how migration is more like a prime-time sport than you think. 

Paul Mensink, a marine ecologist from Western's Department of Biology, tracks sharks that have strayed far away from their natural habitats in order to cope with unsustainable conditions – usually brought forth by humans. As Western's resident shark aficionado, Dr. Mensink stops by to explain human-marine interactions, why the monstrous depiction of sharks in popular media isn't a bad thing, and how we can #SaveTheSharks.

Our Halloween Special of Western Science Speaks includes Western University researchers Dr. Liana Zanette, Dr. Yolanda Hedberg, and Dr. Lyle Muller. Our guests join the show to talk about how fear evolved, varies across species, and how it stays with us. We also reveal the chemistry of candy and everything you need to know before biting into your Halloween haul. Don't be scared, tune in to hear fright night explained!

Radars keep us informed - whether it be day-to-day, allowing us to predict the weather, or warning us of potentially catastrophic large-scale threats looming out in space. Western University Physics and Astronomy Researcher Wayne Hocking has spent his career operating radars at every point in their lifespan — from design, to research, and eventually leading to an environmentally friendly clean up. Listen to learn about the challenges of producing radars all around the world, the surprising singularity of Ontario’s geography, and how radars evolved in our culture.  

When Western Earth Sciences professor Patricia Corcoran takes time off from discovering new plastic forms on the shorelines of our beaches and lakes, she chooses to educate and explain why the plastic epidemic is worse than our eyes tell us. On this episode of Western Science Speaks, we discuss how toxic plastic-nature hybrids are formed, the invisible killers on our beaches, and how we can be better plastic citizens. Hope isn't lost in winning the fight against debris and plastic and listening to Patricia is the perfect place to start.

Precious metals don’t just exist in Lord of the Rings. Western University researcher Martin J. Stillman joins the show to detail how antibiotics are able to morph themselves into the perfect puzzle piece in someone's body, the chemical bonds required for photographs, and the issues surrounding mass solar cell implementation in neighborhoods just like yours.

Dr. Bob Linnen, an economic geologist from the Department of Earth Sciences, joins the show to discuss the state of mining in Canada, the tech-building materials that are prompting a modern gold rush, and why are countries re-evaluating their own natural resources.