Science Talk

The Football Concussion Crisis, Part 1

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:15:08 -0500

NFL Hall of Famer Harry Carson joins former NBC anchor Stone Phillips and pathologist Bennet Omalu for a discussion of chronic traumatic encephalopathy among football players. Recorded May 12th at the Ensemblestudiotheatre.org, site of the new play Headstrong about the brain injury issue

Killer Chimps and Funny Feet: Report from the AAPA Conference

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 14:27:08 -0500

Scientific American editor Kate Wong talks about the recent conference of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists in Portland, Ore., where subjects included killer chimps, unprecedented fossil sharing among researchers and divergent hominid foot forms

Getting Guinea Worm Gone: Report from the AHCJ Conference

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:16:08 -0500

Scientific American editor Christine Gorman talks about the recent conference of the Association of Health Care Journalists, including Jimmy Carter's efforts against guinea worm and trachoma, and Rosalynn Carter's mental health initiatives

Food Poisoning's Lasting Legacy

Wed, 4 Apr 2012 19:25:08 -0500

Scientific American Science of Health columnist Maryn McKenna talks about the new understanding that food poisoning can have long-lasting negative health effects

Fukushima Anniversary: We Listen Back

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 14:15:08 -0500

Scientific American editor David Biello takes us through newly released audio from the first week of the nuclear meltdown crisis at Fukushima Daiichi

AAAS Report: Fracking, Whale Rights, Higgs Evidence and Twitter Truthiness

Wed, 7 Mar 2012 20:25:08 -0500

Scientific American editors Mark Fischetti and Michael Moyer discuss some of the sessions they attended at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Subjects covered include fracking, cetacean rights, the Higgs boson and Twitter's truthiness

If You're Happy, How You Know It

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:50:08 -0500

Social scientist Roly Russell, of the Sandhill Institute in British Columbia, talked with Scientific American's Mark Fischetti at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science about potentially better measures than GDP of a nation's well-being

The Coming Entanglement: Bill Joy and Danny Hillis

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:20:08 -0500

Digital innovators Bill Joy, co-founder of Sun Microsystems, and Danny Hillis, co-founder of the Long Now Foundation, talk with Scientific American Executive Editor Fred Guterl about the technological "Entanglement" and the attempts to build the other, hardier Internet

More with Maryn: McKenna on Antibiotic Resistance

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 22:10:08 -0500

In part 2 of our conversation with journalist and author Maryn McKenna, she talks about antibiotic resistance in agriculture and human health, MRSA, and offers a brief coda on the subject of fecal transplants

Fecal Transplants: The Straight Poop

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:47:08 -0500

Journalist and author Maryn McKenna talks about fecal transplants, which have proved to be exceptionally effective at restoring a healthy intestinal microbiome and curing C. diff infections, yet remain in regulatory limbo

State of the Union: Research, Technology and Energy

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:00:08 -0500

About six minutes of President Obama's State of the Union address dealt with research, technology and energy

A Second Science Front: Evolution Champions Rise to Climate Science Defense

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:35:08 -0500

Eugenie Scott, executive director of the National Center for Science Education, long the nation's leading defender of evolution education, discusses the NCSE's new initiative to help climate science education

Anna Deavere Smith: Let Me Down Easy

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 11:27:08 -0500

Actor, playwright and journalist Anna Deavere Smith talks about the health care crisis and her play about people dealing with illness, health and the health care system, Let Me Down Easy

Man from Mars: Health and Nutrition Research at Mars, Inc., and Beyond

Thu, 5 Jan 2012 19:02:08 -0500

Hagen Schroeter, the director of fundamental health and nutrition research at Mars, Inc., talks about research on bio-active food compounds and the search for why a healthful diet is good for you

The YouTube SpaceLab Competition

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:01:08 -0500

If you're 14 to 18 years old, you still have until December 14th to prepare a two-minute video of a suggestion for an experiment to be performed at the International Space Station and upload it to youtube.com/spacelab. Winners will see their experiment performed in space

Large Hadron Collider Backgrounder

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 18:10:08 -0500

Thomas LeCompte of Argonne National Lab was the physics coordinator for the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. He talks about the instrument and its future, as we await the December 13th announcement as to whether the LHC has found the Higgs particle

Out of Our Depth: Sea Level on the Rise

Thu, 8 Dec 2011 09:52:08 -0500

Ocean and climate scientist Eelco Rohling talks with Scientific American senior editor Mark Fischetti about updated calculations of sea-level rise as a function of climate change

Brian Greene Talks Faster-Than-Light Neutrinos

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 05:00:08 -0500

Physicist Brian Greene, host of the NOVA series The Fabric of the Cosmos, addresses the question of faster-than-light neutrinos at a Q&A session after the debut of the PBS series

The Mind's Hidden Switches

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 22:48:08 -0500

Eric J. Nestler, director of the Friedman Brain Institute at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, talks about his article in the December issue of Scientific American magazine on epigenetics and human behavior, called "Hidden Switches in the Mind"

The Discovery of Quasicrystals: The 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Wed, 5 Oct 2011 14:27:08 -0500

Listen to the announcement of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, to Daniel Shechtman of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. Then hear comments from the president of the American Chemical Society, Nancy Jackson, of Sandia National Laboratories

An Accelerating Universe: The 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics

Tue, 4 Oct 2011 09:08:08 -0500

Listen to the announcement of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics, to Saul Perlmutter, Brian Schmidt and Adam Reiss, from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Following the formal announcement comes an explanation of the research, which tracked type Ia supernovae to discover that the expansion of the universe was accelerating. And a phone conversation with new Nobel laureate Brian Schmidt

Cancer Vaccines

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 17:30:08 -0500

Eric von Hofe, cancer researcher and president of the biotech company Antigen Express talks about his article in the October issue of Scientific American called "A New Ally against Cancer," about cancer vaccines

Science Legend Christian de Duve

Fri, 9 Sep 2011 17:20:08 -0500

Christian de Duve, 1974 Nobel laureate for physiology or medicine, talks about going from a cell biologist to a theorist on evolution and the origin of life

Carl Zimmer on Rats, Cats, Viruses and Tattoos

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 18:50:08 -0500

In part 2 of our interview, award-winning author Carl Zimmer talks about his latest books, and a new study that shows how Toxoplasma influences the behavior of rats--and maybe of us

Carl Zimmer on Evolution in the Big City

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 22:20:08 -0500

The annual Scientific American September single-topic issue is all about cities. And award-winning author Carl Zimmer recently penned a piece on evolution research in the urban environment for The New York Times. In part 1 of this interview, he talks about urban evolution

The City That Became Safe: What New York Teaches about Urban Crime and Its Control

Tue, 9 Aug 2011 21:14:08 -0500

U.C. Berkeley School of Law professor Franklin Zimring talks about his article, "How New York Beat Crime," in the August issue of Scientific American

Nobel Laureate Avram Hershko: The Orchestra in the Cell

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 20:00:08 -0500

Nobel laureate Avram Hershko, who determined cellular mechanisms for breaking down proteins, talks about his research in a conversation recorded at the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in Lindau, Germany. And Scientific American Editor in Chief Mariette DiChristina discusses the recent inaugural Google Science Fair

Nobel Laureate Peter Agre: From Aquaporins to Lutefisk

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 12:40:08 -0500

Peter Agre, 2003 Chemistry Nobel laureate for his work on aquaporins, the proteins that allow water into and out of cells, talks about his research, his upbringing and why he almost ran for the Senate, in a conversation recorded at the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in Lindau, Germany

Let's Make a Probabilistic Deal: A Fresh Look at the Monty Hall Problem

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 13:10:08 -0500

Scientific American math and physics editor Davide Castelvecchi revisits the Monty Hall problem, so you can know whether you're better off holding on to your original pick or switching when new information presents itself

How Physics Limits Intelligence

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:55:08 -0500

Award-winning author Douglas Fox talks about his cover story in the July issue of Scientific American on The Limits of Intelligence, placed there by the laws of physics

Dying for Science: The 100th Anniversary of the Doomed Scott Antarctic Expedition

Thu, 26 May 2011 18:00:08 -0500

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edward Larson talks about his article "Greater Glory" in the June issue of Scientific American on the forgotten science of the doomed Scott expedition a hundred years ago

Skirting Steak: The Case for Artificial Meat

Tue, 17 May 2011 17:39:08 -0500

Journalist Jeffrey Bartholet talks about his June Scientific American magazine article on the attempts to grow meat in the lab, and Editor in Chief Mariette DiChristina talks about the cover piece in the May issue on radical energy solutions

Astronaut Love: An Interview with Spacewalker Stanley Love

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 14:05:08 -0500

On the eve of the launch of the penultimate space shuttle mission, STS-134, Scientific American astronomy editor George Musser talks to veteran astronaut Stanley Love about being in space and the future of spaceflight

Editors' Roundtable: Science Conference Reports

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 19:25:08 -0500

Scientific American editors Christine Gorman, Robin Lloyd, Michael Moyer and Kate Wong talk about their recent trips to different science conferences: the meetings of the Association for Health Care Journalists, the Paleoanthropology Society, the American Association of Physical Anthropologists and an M.I.T. 150th-anniversary conference called Computation and the Transformation of Practically Everything

Can It Be Bad to Be Too Clean?: The Hygiene Hypothesis

Wed, 6 Apr 2011 20:25:08 -0500

Johns Hopkins School of Medicine researcher Kathleen Barnes talks about the hygiene hypothesis, which raises the possibility that our modern sterile environment may contribute to conditions such as asthma and eczema

Self-Aware Robots?

Wed, 2 Mar 2011 20:00:08 -0500

Journalist Charles Choi talks about work being done to make robots self-aware. Plus, we test your knowledge about some recent science in the news

The Cornucopia Conference: Roundtable on the AAAS Meeting

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 21:35:08 -0500

Podcast host Steve Mirsky talks with Scientific American magazine Editor in Chief Mariette DiChristina, news editor Anna Kuchment, feature editor Mark Fischetti and online news editor Robin Lloyd about various sessions at the recently completed annual conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington, DC.

The Spirit of Innovation: From High School to the Moon

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 14:00:08 -0500

Nancy Conrad, chair of the Conrad Foundation, talks about the Spirit of Innovation competition for high school students, and about her late husband, Pete Conrad, the third man to walk on the moon

What's New with Science News

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 23:12:08 -0500

Former Scientific American editor in chief and current Gleaming Retort blogger John Rennie, blogger and Scientific American blogs network director Bora Zivkovic, and Scientific American online news editor Robin Lloyd talk about the future of science news

Jefferson's Moose: Thomas's Fauna Fight against European Naturalists

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 17:10:08 -0500

Biologist and author Lee Dugatkin talks about his article "Jefferson's Moose" in the February issue of Scientific American, the story of Jefferson's battle against the European theory of American biological degeneracy. Plus, we'll test your knowledge of some recent science in the news

What Is the Watson Jeopardy-Playing Supercomputer, Alex?

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 00:02:08 -0500

Scientific American editor Michael Moyer talks about the sneak preview he caught of IBM's Watson Jeopardy!-playing computer. And ScientificAmerican.com's Larry Greenemeier spoke with Ford's Brad Probert about the new all-electric Focus at the Consumer Electronics Show last week in Las Vegas

Vinod Khosla: Searching for the Radical Solution

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 23:50:08 -0500

Clean technology investor Vinod Khosla, co-founder of Sun Microsystems, talks with Scientific American editor Mark Fischetti about the energy payoffs to be had by reinventing mainstream technologies

How You Gonna Keep Flu Down on the Farm?: Pig Farms and Public Health

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 12:20:08 -0500

Journalist Helen Branswell discusses her January Scientific American article, "Flu Factories," about the attempts to monitor new strains of flu that can originate on pig farms and the difficulties of balancing economic and public health constituencies

Anna Deavere Smith: Let Me Down Easy

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 23:05:08 -0500

Actor, playwright and journalist Anna Deavere Smith talks about the health care crisis and her play about people dealing with illness, health and the health care system, Let Me Down Easy

The Spewings of Titan (and More from the AGU Meeting)

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 21:15:08 -0500

Scientific American editor Davide Castelvecchi joins us from San Francisco to talk about some of the highlights of the meeting of the American Geophysical Union, including volcanoes on Titan, x-rays from lightning, the biota of the Sulawesi Sea, and the connection between light pollution and air pollution. Plus, we'll test your knowledge of some recent science in the news

Let's Talk Stuffing--Your Face

Thu, 25 Nov 2010 00:02:08 -0500

Cornell University's Brian Wansink talks about eating behavior and how mindless eating has us consuming way more calories than we suspect

Let's Talk Turkey!

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 20:38:08 -0500

Turkey scientist Rich Buchholz talks about the turkey on your plate and his own turkey research

Why Do Women Live Longer Than Men?

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 18:06:08 -0500

Scientific American Editor in Chief Mariette DiChristina and podcast host Steve Mirsky talk about longevity differences in the sexes, the importance of music education, the pros and cons of the Kindle, and other content from the November issue. Plus, we test your knowledge about some recent science in the news

Physics Nobel Laureate Steven Weinberg

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 21:00:08 -0500

Nobel physicist Steven Weinberg spoke to an audience of science journalists, and then to podcast host Steve Mirsky

Photograph 51: Rosalind Franklin and the Race For The Double Helix of DNA (Part 2 of 2)

Fri, 5 Nov 2010 21:11:08 -0500

Photograph 51 is a new play about Rosalind Franklin, Watson and Crick, and the race to determine the structure of DNA, at the Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York City, running through November 21st. A panel discussion about the play on November 2nd featured crystallography expert Helen Berman, biologist and Franklin scholar Lynne Osman Elkin, science journalist Nicholas Wade, playwright Anna Ziegler and moderator Stuart Firestein

Photograph 51: Rosalind Franklin and the Race for the Double Helix of DNA, Part 1 of 2

Wed, 3 Nov 2010 22:15:08 -0500

Photograph 51 is a new play about Rosalind Franklin, Watson and Crick, and the race to determine the structure of DNA, at the Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York City, running through November 21st. This November 2nd, a panel discussion about the play and the issues it raises featured crystallography expert Helen Berman; biologist and Franklin scholar Lynne Osman Elkin; science journalist Nicholas Wade; playwright Anna Ziegler; and moderator Stuart Firestein

The Quest for the Giant Pumpkin

Fri, 29 Oct 2010 16:15:08 -0500

Susan Warren, author of the book Backyard Giants, talks about "the passionate, heartbreaking and glorious quest to grow the biggest pumpkin ever." Plus, we'll test your knowledge about some recent science in the news

Not Your Grandfather's Scientific American

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 13:51:08 -0500

Scientific American Editor in Chief Mariette DiChristina talks about the new look and new outlook of Scientific American magazine and of ScientificAmerican.com Plus, we discuss the results of a poll of the readers of Scientific American and Nature

The Harlem Science Renaissance

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 13:52:08 -0500

Molecular geneticist Sat Bhattacharya talks about his creation, the Harlem Children Society, which gets underprivileged kids involved in scientific research. And 13-year-olds Mitchell Haverty and Angus Fung talk about their research on algae as alternative fuel. Plus, we test your knowledge about some recent science in the news

Totally Bogus: The Science Talk Quiz

Fri, 8 Oct 2010 14:09:08 -0500

In this special stand-alone edition, see if you know which of four science news stories is Totally Bogus.

Exactly When Is a Person Dead?

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 19:58:08 -0500

Award-winning science journalist Robin Marantz Henig and podcast host Steve Mirsky discuss Robin's article in the September issue about organ donation and definitions of death. Plus, we test your knowledge about some recent science in the news. Web sites related to this episode include http://bit.ly/ctIDsx; http://bit.ly/9Us1lE

Could Time End?

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 23:55:08 -0500

Scientific American staff editor George Musser joins podcast host Steve Mirsky to discuss his article in the September issue about the possibility of time itself coming to an end

The End: Death, Endings and Things That Should End

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 08:06:08 -0500

Editor in Chief Mariette DiChristina and issue editor Michael Moyer talk with podcast host Steve Mirsky about the September single-topic issue of Scientific American--endings in science. Plus, we test your knowledge of some recent science in the news

Cooking for Geeks: Jeff Potter on Experimenting in the Kitchen

Fri, 3 Sep 2010 18:05:08 -0500

Jeff Potter, author of Cooking for Geeks: Real Science, Great Hacks and Good Food, talks with daily podcast correspondent Cynthia Graber, and podcast host Steve Mirsky tests your knowledge of some recent science in the news. Web sites related to content of this podcast include www.cookingforgeeks.com

Mary Roach Is Packing for Mars, Part 2

Sat, 21 Aug 2010 00:03:08 -0500

Podcast host Steve Mirsky talks with author Mary Roach about her new book "Packing For Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void." Part 2 of 2. (Part 1 is at http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=mary-roach-is-packing-for-mars-10-08-20). Web sites related to content of this podcast include www.maryroach.net.