Podcasts
Doctors Seek Compromise On Female Genital Cutting
May 14, 2010 2:40 pm | CommentsIn a new policy statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics says a "ritual nick" to the genitals of newborn females might "save some girls from undergoing disfiguring and life-threatening procedures in their native countries." Law Professor Dena Davis explains the policy.
Behind the Piles: A Look At Why People Hoard
May 14, 2010 2:40 pm | CommentsThe new book Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things looks at the nature of hoarders, and the reasons why some people hoard. Co-author and professor of psychology Randy Frost describes his work, and explains why changing a hoarder's behavior is difficult.
Can MRIs Help Solve Crimes?
May 14, 2010 2:40 pm | CommentsWhat if police could scan a suspect's brain to see if he was lying? Some companies claim the technology works, and it should be allowed as evidence at trial. Law professor Hank Greely explains the state of the technology and the ethical questions surrounding its use.
Dr. Bryan Norton - Ethics and Sustainable Development - an Adaptive Approach to Environmental Choice - 03.03.10
May 13, 2010 7:50 am | CommentsDr. Bryan Norton DIstinguished Professor of Philosophy at Georgia Institute of Technology Ethics and Sustainable Development - an Adaptive Approach to Environmental Choice March 3, 2010
Futures in Biotech 56: New Antiviral Strategies With Karla Kirkegaard
May 13, 2010 7:50 am | CommentsHosts: Marc Pelletier and Vincent Racaniello A look into RNA viruses and more. Guest: Dr. Karla Kirkegaard, professor and chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Stanford University School of Medicine Show notes Comments and suggestions on Futures in Biotech. For a...
Futures in Biotech 57: Mechanisms Of Non-Mendelian Inheritance In Evolution
May 13, 2010 7:50 am | CommentsHosts: Marc Pelletier and George W. Farr, Ph.D., vice president of biochemistry and biophysics at Aeromics and adjunct professor of physiology and biophysics at Case Western Reserve University How prion proteins can act in non-mendelian inheritance, or evolution without DNA. Guests:...
Futures in Biotech 58: Vertical Farms and much more with Dick Despommier
May 13, 2010 7:50 am | CommentsHosts: Marc Pelletier and Vincent Racaniello, Ph.D., Professor of Microbiology & Host of This Week in Virology, Host of This Week in Parasitism, Columbia University, New York, NY. Feeding the world with indoor vertical farming. Guest: Dickson D. Despommier, Ph.D., Professor of...
Podcast 13- Cranial Nerves part 4
May 13, 2010 7:50 am | CommentsPodcast 13 is the fourth in our series about the cranial nerves - see www.instantanatomy.net for more details
Offshore Wind Farm Gets Government Go-Ahead
May 13, 2010 7:50 am | CommentsAfter years of delay, the Interior Department has given Cape Wind Associates the go-ahead to develop a 130-turbine wind farm off the coast of Massachusetts. Ira Flatow and guests discuss the project and what it might mean for wind farm development in other parts of the country.
Why Laughter May Be Medicinal
May 13, 2010 7:50 am | CommentsA new study of 14 people finds that the body's response to laughter is similar in some ways to its response to repetitive exercise. For example, watching humorous videos lowered blood pressures, the researchers report. Preventive care expert Lee Berk explains the findings.
Finding The Notes Among Us
May 13, 2010 7:50 am | CommentsThe honk of a horn and the rumble of a truck sound like noise to most people. But to Lucy Fitz Gibbon, and others with absolute pitch, there are notes embedded in the noise. Exactly why some people have this mysterious ability to recognize pitch isn't well understood.
Meeting The Nation's Bioenergy Goals
May 13, 2010 7:50 am | CommentsA federal renewable fuel standard calls for mixing 36 billion gallons of biofuels into transportation fuel by 2022. But the U.S. produces only one-third of that amount today. Ira Flatow and guests talk about meeting that goal with products like cellulosic ethanol or oil squeezed from algae.
Study Suggests Hand Washing Cleanses The Mind
May 13, 2010 7:50 am | CommentsReporting in the journal Science, researchers write that hand washing seems to lower the amount of second-guessing and rationalization that occur after making a decision. Study author Spike W.S. Lee discusses the paper, and why the simple act of washing one's hands could ease the mind.
Neanderthal Genome Offers Clues On Early Humans
May 13, 2010 7:49 am | CommentsResearchers present a draft of the Neanderthal genome in the journal Science this week. Ira Flatow talks with researchers about the results of the genetic analyses, including a new finding that some modern humans have Neanderhtal DNA in their genomes.
Looking Ahead To A Busy Hurricane Season
May 13, 2010 7:49 am | CommentsMany forecasts for the 2010 hurricane season predict more named storms and major hurricanes than an average year. Phil Klotzbach, lead forecaster on the Hurricane Forecast Team at Colorado State University, discusses the climate factors that may stir up more Atlantic hurricanes this year.
