NOVA scienceNOW

Our podcast offers irreverent stories and introduces intriguing personalities from the world of science. For more content from the producers of NOVA scienceNOW — and to watch our broadcast series online — visit us at http://www.pbs.org/nova/sciencenow

Latest Episodes:

NOVA Minute: Mark Lehner Jun 14, 2010

Show notes

In this podcast, hear a taste of what we're airing on WGBH 89.7 FM in Boston. We call audio tidbits like these "NOVA Minutes", and air them three time per week during Morning Edition. Since they're not yet available online, we'll sprinkle them liberally into the podcast feed over the next few months. Stay tuned! Produced by David Levin. NOVA is produced by WGBH in Boston. Funding for NOVA is provided by ExxonMobil, David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and public television viewers.

Learning From Bonobos Jun 07, 2010

Show notes

Vanessa Woods is a science journalist and primate researcher who studies Bonobos, a close relative to chimpanzees. She says that when it comes to emotional intelligence, they put the human world to shame. Podcast produced by David Levin. Interview by Susan K. Lewis. Music by Ja Prawn (freemusicarchive.org/music/Ja_Prawn). NOVA is produced by WGBH in Boston. Funding for NOVA is provided by ExxonMobil, David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and public television viewers. You can learn more about bonobos, chimps, and what makes us human on pbs.org/nova/sciencenow.

A Bolt From the Blue May 28, 2010

Show notes

Neurologist and author Oliver Sacks has come across plenty of odd stories while studying the human brain, but none are quite as mysterious as that of his colleague, Tony Cicoria. In 1994, Cicoria was struck by lightning, and developed a sudden, inexplicable passion for playing and writing piano music. In this podcast, hear Sacks describe Cicoria's transformation. Podcast produced by David Levin. Original interview by Dempsey Rice/Daughter One productions. Music by The New You. NOVA is produced by WGBH in Boston. Funding for NOVA is provided by ExxonMobil, David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and public television viewers. To learn more, go to pbs.org/nova/musicminds

Cooperative Apes May 24, 2010

Show notes

In this podcast, learn why studying the emotions of our close primate relatives--chimpanzees and bonobos--might shed light on the evolution of human culture. Podcast produced by David Levin. NOVA is produced by WGBH in Boston. Funding for NOVA is provided by ExxonMobil, David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and public television viewers. You can learn more about bonobos, chimps, and what makes us human on pbs.org/nova/sciencenow.

NASA's Forgotten Tapes May 12, 2010

Show notes

In the mid 1960s, NASA launched the first of five lunar orbiters. Each one transmitted hundreds of images of the moon's surface back to Earth, which NASA recorded onto miles of analog tape. It was state of the art technology for the 1960s. But today, it's mostly forgotten. For the last 40 years, the tapes from the Lunar Orbiter missions have collected dust in a warehouse, and the computer drives that could read them have gone the way of the dinosaurs. In this podcast, we talked to Dennis Wingo, an engineer who's working to recover the images from the now-obsolete tapes. Podcast produced by David Levin. NOVA is produced by WGBH in Boston. Funding for NOVA is provided by ExxonMobil, David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and public television viewers.

Life in the Blast Zone May 03, 2010

Show notes

Thirty years ago, a violent eruption ripped through the side of Mt. St. Helens in western Oregon. The blast killed 57 people and countless animals, and turned hundreds of miles of forest into barren wasteland. In this podcast, hear from ecologist Charlie Crisafulli on the slow recovery of the Mt. St. Helens ecosystem, and learn how the timing of the eruption actually spared some plant and animal life. Podcast produced by David Levin. Original interview by Kristine Allington. NOVA is produced by WGBH in Boston. Funding for NOVA is provided by ExxonMobil, David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and public television viewers. To learn more about the Hubble, go to pbs.org/nova/sthelens

The Deciding Factor Apr 26, 2010

Show notes

For more than 100 years, academic economists have treated the market almost like a force of nature--a vast invisible system that operates independently from human emotions. But on a day-to-day basis, emotion plays a big role in the choices we make. In this podcast, we talked to Jennifer Lerner, a social psychologist at Harvard University, about how our feelings affect our financial decisions. Podcast produced by David Levin. Original interview by Malcolm Clark. NOVA is produced by WGBH in Boston. Funding for NOVA is provided by ExxonMobill, David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and public television viewers. Additional funding for "Mind Over Money" provided by T. Rowe Price.

Twenty Years of Hubble Apr 23, 2010

Show notes

On Saturday, April 24th, the Hubble Space Telescope will reach its 20th year in orbit. To mark the anniversary, we spoke to Ed Weiler, Chief Scientist for the Hubble mission from 1979 to 1998. He talked to us about the Hubble's early days--its conception, its first years in space, and its infamous optical problems, which blurred its view until a repair mission replaced faulty cameras in 1993. Podcast produced by David Levin. NOVA is produced by WGBH in Boston. Funding for NOVA is provided by ExxonMobil, David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and public television viewers. To learn more about the Hubble, go to pbs.org/nova/hubble

Hubble's Legacy Apr 16, 2010

Show notes

On April 24th, NASA celebrates the Hubble Space Telescope's 20th year in orbit. Over the last two decades, it's sent back thousands of stunning images of deep space. For scientists, these pictures have allowed a deeper understanding of the universe. For the public, they've been a source of wonder and inspiration. With the Hubble's anniversary around the corner, we asked Neil deGrasse Tyson to give his take on the telescope's legacy. He's the director the Hayden Planetarium in New York, and is one of Hubble's biggest fans. Podcast produced by David Levin. NOVA is produced by WGBH in Boston. Funding for NOVA is provided by ExxonMobil, David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and public television viewers. To learn more about the Hubble, go to pbs.org/nova/hubble

Galileo and the Telescope Apr 06, 2010

Show notes

Galileo has been called the "father of modern science". His observations of the night sky in the early 1600s confirmed a new model of the universe, where the Earth orbited the sun--not the other way around. But before he was studying the universe, Galileo was working on practical problems. And his early goals for the telescope weren't so scientific. Podcast produced by David Levin. Origial interview by David Axelrod. NOVA is produced by WGBH in Boston. Funding for NOVA is provided by ExxonMobil, David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and public television viewers. Additional funding for "Hunting the Edge of Space" is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Mt. Cuba Astronomical Foundation and the Research Corporation for Science Advancement. To learn more about the history of the telescope, go to pbs.org/nova/telescope.

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