WonderLabs with Chris Richardson

Dr Maeva Techer is a biologist looking at Varroa mites, a global parasite of honeybees with an important role in colony collapse disorder. Dr Techer uses genome sequencing to understand how the parasite has been able to jump between hosts so successfully.

In this episode we talk about the Varroa mite, the deadly viruses it carries, its impact on beekeeping - and what honeybees might do to defend themselves. We talk about life in the field (getting Italian bees drunk and high on sugar), some unexpected pollinator friends, and an exciting new project cleverly using honeybees to save coral reefs…

To see more from Dr Techer and the rest of her team, including research papers and laboratory protocols, head to homologo.us.

Enjoy!

Professor Chris Davis is a linguist, semanticist, and pragmatician at the University of the Ryukyus who looks at how languages convey meaning and how people use them. He also looks at Yaeyaman, one of the “endangered” Ryukyuan languages spoken in Okinawa Prefecture.

In this episode we talk about his work in Okinawa, the scientific and cultural value in understanding languages, and some considerations for ethical fieldwork. We also discuss broader linguistics topics including political correctness, freedom of speech, implicit meanings, some dubious animal language acquisition studies, and a fun new field called Pokémonastics.

To see more from Professor Davis, including his recent papers and fieldwork videos, visit cmdavis.org. To find out more about Pokémonastics visit 1stpokemonastics.wordpress.com. 

Enjoy!

Nadine Wirkuttis is a cognitive neuroroboticist using humanoid robots to understand human social interaction. She is not building social robots(!), but rather using robots as a tool to understand how higher cognitive functions arise during critical learning periods.

In this episode we discuss Nadine’s work on robot-robot interaction, and what it can teach us about ourselves. We also look at algorithms as black boxes, the challenge of explainability once we start deploying these technologies, and some present and future applications including patient care. Oh, and we also consider the implications of robots learning how to lie.

To see Nadine’s robots in action, head over to the movies section at groups.oist.jp/cnru, where you can also explore recent publications and other projects.

Enjoy!

Collin Stecker is a researcher exploring next generation solar materials for solar panels. He is currently studying a class of materials called perovskites, a rising star in the world of photovoltaics that could challenge silicon’s market dominance.

In this episode we get a quick primer on photovoltaics, a history of solar panels, and a deep-dive into perovskite technology. We then look at the interplay of solar science and climate policy, including some case studies involving pricing strategy and reclaiming the power grid, and discuss the fundamental tensions between capital and climate.

If you’d like to find out more about Collin's group's efforts to support the global energy demand, visit groups.oist.jp/emssu.

Enjoy!

Rob Campbell is a researcher broadly interested in structure. He’s currently working on the assembly of spider silk to further our understanding in materials science and evolutionary biology. But also for novel applications in bioinspired materials engineering. 

In this episode we explore spider silk, its many forms and functions, and how it is being used in bioinspired design. We then have a broader discussion on biomimicry and bioinspired design, combining nature with human ingenuity. Rob once worked on the infamous zombie ants, so we also dive into the gruesome case of phorid flies. 

If you’d like to catch up with Rob to talk structure, silk, and global community building, find him on Twitter @rob10c or head over to rob10campbell.wix.com/research.

Enjoy!

Maggi Brisbin is a marine ecologist specializing in plankton, their community dynamics, and how they influence nutrient cycles. Her current focus is a marine algae called Phaeocystis, which lives freely, forms colonies, and also lives as a symbiont inside another marine organism.

In this episode we explore the different lifestyles adopted by Phaeocystis, and its role in regulating processes associated with climate change. We also have a broader discussion on success in biology, including the potential manipulation of humans by wheat (yes, you read that correctly!). Finally, we talk about some of Maggi’s recent ocean activism efforts here in Japan.

To catch up with Maggi about all things ocean related, including her #TinyPrettyTuesday photo sharing session, you can find her on Twitter @MargaretBrisbin.

Enjoy!

Tom Burns is a computational neuroscientist who uses artificial neural networks to simulate the human brain and understand how it makes sense of the world. His research focus includes spiking neural networks, the so-called third generation models taking on deep learning.

In this episode we cover some basic neuroscience before moving into the realm of the artificial, looking at how neural networks have evolved since the early days, and how they might be applied to real world problems. We also talk about the importance of philosophy in science, and what this research can reveal about the nature of our own minds. 

To find out more about Tom’s research, including a selection of projects, papers, and presentations, head over to tfburns.com.

Enjoy!

Dr Nick Friedman is a biologist interested in the origins of biodiversity. He is part of the OKinawa Environmental Observation Network, OKEON, a team that monitors the terrestrial environment of Okinawa. As part of their work they use sound to understand how biodiversity varies across the island.

In this episode we talk about OKEON’s acoustic monitoring project, and how supercomputers, sound, and citizen science combine to answer questions on biodiversity. We also head into the forest to hear some "soundscapes" in action, before discussing the impact of noise pollution on humans and animals living in cities.

To find out more about OKEON, including links to a selection of Okinawa soundscapes, visit okeon.unit.oist.jp. 

Enjoy!

Professor Yasha Neiman is the head of the Quantum Gravity Unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST). He spends his time thinking about how gravity and quantum mechanics can coexist in a universe that is expanding at an accelerating rate.

In this episode we cover the standard model of particle physics, how limits in the model led to research on quantum gravity, and the approaches now being taken by physicists to understand the laws of nature. We also touch on the failed promises of physics, and its role in capturing imaginations.

If you haven't yet listened to our conversation with Joanna Huang from the ATLAS experiment at CERN, that episode also provides useful context on particle physics.

To find out more about Professor Neiman's work, including his lectures and lively TED talk, head over to groups.oist.jp/qgu.

Enjoy!

Dr Andrew Gallimore is a neurobiologist, chemist, and pharmacologist with a particular interest in the psychedelic compound DMT. He's written a new book that he calls "a textbook from the future" outlining how DMT can be used to access a higher-dimensional intelligence.

In this episode we cover DMT's pharmacology and what makes it unusual versus other psychedelics, the thesis of his new book, and some of his earlier works published with psychiatrist Rick Strassman. We also touch on string theory, the simulation argument, and the predictive power of sci-fi.

If you haven't yet listened to our conversation with Imperial College London's Center for Psychedelic Research, or the bonus documentary Harmonics of Mind, go ahead and check those out, too.

To find out more about Dr Gallimore's work including videos, papers, and his new book, head over to buildingalienworlds.com.

Enjoy!