PNAS Science Sessions

Latest Episodes:

Why twisters target the United States Sep 03, 2024

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Why "Tornado Alley" is unique to North America

Science Sessions are brief conversations with cutting-edge researchers, National Academy members, and policymakers as they discuss topics relevant to today's scientific community. Learn the behind-the-scenes story of work published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), plus a broad range of scientific news about discoveries that affect the world around us.

In this episode, Funing Li and Dan Chavas explain why North America produces many tornadoes each year and South America does not.

In this episode, we cover: •[00:00] Introduction •[01:01] Weather and climate scientist Funing Li talks about the frequency of tornadoes within and outside of the United States. •[01:25] Li explains the geography of severe thunderstorm hotspots in North and South America. •[02:46] Weather and climate scientist Dan Chavas and Li describe how they became interested in the effect of surface geography on tornadoes. •[05:13] Li and Chavas explain their modeling approach. •[07:23] Li and Chavas talk about why surface roughness is important for tornado formation. •[08:14] Chavas and Li describe the implications of the study, including effects of climate change and insights into paleoclimate. •[09:43] Caveats and limitations of the study. •[10:26] Conclusion.

About Our Guests:

Funing Li Postdoctoral associate Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Dan Chavas Associate professor Purdue University

View related content here: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2315425121

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Creating culturally inclusive schools Aug 19, 2024

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Creating culturally inclusive school environments

In this episode, Stephanie Fryberg, Hazel Markus, and Laura Brady explore how to create culturally inclusive environments in schools.

In this episode, we cover: •[00:00] Introduction •[01:00] Social cultural psychologist Stephanie Fryberg introduces the value of culturally inclusive learning environments. •[01:43] Social cultural psychologist Hazel Markus talks about how disparities can arise from a lack of cultural belonging. •[02:25] Markus introduces the predominant cultural model that creates challenges for some students. •[03:18] Social cultural psychologist Laura Brady explains an alternate interdependence model. •[4:01] Brady talks about the school leaders involved in the study. •[4:34] Fryberg outlines the professional development intervention. •[5:44] Fryberg and Markus share examples of teacher responses. •[6:26] Brady talks about how teacher practices and student attitudes changed. •[7:44] Brady lists the caveats and limitations of the study. •[8:31]Markus and Fryberg share takeaways from the study. •[9:43] Conclusion.

About Our Guests:

Stephanie Fryberg Professor of social and cultural psychology, Director of Research for the Indigenous Social Action and Equity Center Northwestern University

Hazel Markus Professor of social and cultural psychology, co-director of Stanford Spark Stanford University

Laura Brady Senior researcher American Institutes for Research

View related content here: https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2322872121

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How redlining affects biodiversity Aug 05, 2024

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How redlining affects biodiversity

In this episode, Cesar Estien explores the legacy of mid-20th century redlining through the biodiversity of disadvantaged neighborhoods.

In this episode, we cover: •[00:00] Introduction •[1:04] Cesar Estien, an urban ecologist at the University of Washington, describes the practice of redlining. •[2:50] He tells how a study of redlining and environmental quality led to a study of animal diversity. •[3:33] Estien describes why the study cities of San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, and San Diego were chosen for the study. •[4:25] He explains the difference between species richness and community composition. •[5:31] He reports the study findings regarding species richness and community composition in redlined and greenlined neighborhoods. •[6:55] Estien talks about the lasting legacy of racial injustice on the ecology of cities. •[7:52] He explains why equitable access to biodiversity matters. •[9:04] Caveats and limitations of the study. •[10:09] Conclusion.

About Our Guest:

Cesar Estien Ph.D. Candidate University of California, Berkeley

View related content here: https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2321441121

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Animal's eye view of the ocean Jul 15, 2024

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Animal's eye view of the ocean

In this episode, researchers use animal-borne video cameras to explore foraging behaviors of animals in the open ocean.

In this episode, we cover: •[00:00] Introduction •[00:46] Taiki Adachi, an ecologist at the National Institute of Polar Research in Japan, observed how elephant seals use their whiskers to locate prey in the dark depths of the ocean •[02:13] Carey Kuhn, an ecologist at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle, Washington, explored how the size of prey affected the foraging behavior of northern fur seals. •[03:43] Ryan Logan, an ecologist at California State University Long Beach, recorded a solitary sailfish hunting in the open ocean and estimated its energy expenditures. •[05:05] Simone Videsen, an ecologist at Aarhus University in Denmark, performed a similar analysis of the energetic efficiency of humpback whales. •[06:12] Takuya Maekawa, an engineer at Osaka University in Japan, designed a device to detect and automatically record rare behaviors performed by streaked shearwaters. •[07:56] Final thoughts and conclusion.

About Our Guests:

Taiki Adachi Assistant Professor National Institute of Polar Research

Carey Kuhn Researcher Alaska Fisheries Science Center

Ryan Logan Postdoctoral Research Fellow California State University Long Beach

Simone Videsen Postdoctoral Researcher Aarhus University

Takuya Maekawa Associate Professor Osaka University

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Inequitable exposure to wildfire smoke Jul 01, 2024

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Inequitable wildfire smoke exposure in California

In this episode, Joan Casey shows that some California communities are disproportionately exposed to wildfire air pollution.

In this episode, we cover: •[00:00] Introduction •[01:04] Joan Casey, an environmental epidemiologist at the University of Washington, describes recent decades of wildfire in California. •[01:34] Casey describes the environmental equity issues of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution. •[02:26] Casey describes why she chose to study the equity of wildfire smoke pollution exposure. •[03:01] She explains the results of the study, showing that by one definition of disadvantaged communities, smoke exposure appeared equitable. Another measure, including racial and ethnic identity data, showed inequitable exposure. •[05:26] Casey explores possible reasons for this inequitable exposure. •[06:21] The benefits of improved air monitoring among marginalized communities. •[07:34] Caveats and limitations of the study. •[08:35] Next steps in this line of research. •[09:27] Hopes for policy impacts. •[10:22] Conclusion.

About Our Guest:

Joan Casey Assistant Professor University of Washington School of Public Health

View related content here: https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2306729121

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Gentrification and biodiversity Jun 17, 2024

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Biodiversity and gentrification

In this episode, Mason Fidino explores how gentrification changes biodiversity in urban areas.

In this episode, we cover: •[00:00] Introduction •[01:02] Mason Fidino, a quantitative ecologist at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, defines gentrification and its social impacts. •[01:53] Fidino explains how gentrification changes neighborhoods. •[03:09] Fidino explains why the research focused on medium to large mammals. •[03:40] A description of camera traps and how they collect data. •[05:09] The results, including links between gentrification and biodiversity. •[06:59] The implications of the study for urban planners and urban residents. •[08:23] Caveats and limitations of the study. •[09:50] Conclusion.

About Our Guest:

Mason Fidino Quantitative Ecologist Lincoln Park Zoo

View related content here: https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2318596121

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School enrollment during the COVID-19 pandemic Jun 03, 2024

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School enrollment during COVID-19

In this episode, Micah Baum describes how public school enrollments in the US changed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this episode, we cover: • [00:00] Introduction • [00:54] Micah Baum, an economist at the University of Michigan, introduces school districts' three modes of learning in fall 2020: virtual, in-person, and hybrid. • [01:31] Baum explains the reasons for studying public school enrollment changes between the 2019-2020 school year and the 2020-2021 school year. • [02:51] Description of the data sources used in the study. • [03:50] Explanation of the changes in enrollment numbers between the two school years. • [06:00] Explanation of racial differences in enrollment changes. • [06:46] Exploration of what these results suggest about parent choices. • [08:24] Implications for school funding in future years. • [09:18] Caveats and limitations of the study. • [09:51] Conclusion.

About Our Guest:

Micah Baum PhD Student University of Michigan

View related content here: https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2307308120

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Emotional power of live music May 20, 2024

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Emotional power of live music

In this episode, Sascha Frühholz describes the emotional power of live music compared to recorded music.

In this episode, we cover: • [00:00] Introduction • [00:59] Sascha Frühholz, a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of Oslo, reviews the neuroscience of emotional responses to music. • [02:02] Description of the study hypothesis regarding the difference of responses to recorded and live music. • [02:34] Description of the experimental setup. • [03:15] Description of the music played during the experiment, with examples. • [04:30] Recounting of the results of the study. • [05:05] The differences between responses to recorded and live music. • [05:45] What the listeners knew during and after the experiment. • [06:09] Inclusion of unpleasant music in the experiment, with examples. • [06:49] Description of the listeners' feelings during the experiment. • [07:14] The musicians' feelings about the experiment. • [07:42] Exploration of generalizing the results to other settings. • [08:19] Caveats and limitations of the study. • [09:11] Conclusion.

About Our Guest:

Sascha Frühholz Professor University of Oslo

View related content here: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2316306121

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Adapting to poor air quality May 06, 2024

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Adapting to poor air quality

In this episode, Rebecca Saari explores potential adaptations needed for worsening air quality due to climate change.

In this episode, we cover: • [00:03] Introduction • [00:57] Rebecca Saari, an air quality engineer at the University of Waterloo, describes an air quality alert. • [01:23] Explanation of the hazard of fine particulate matter air pollution. • [02:18] Description of the study's modeling approach. • [03:14] Description of modeling methods. • [04:05] Explanation of study results and where air quality alerts may rise due to climate change. • [04:34] Exploration of the social impacts of inequitable distribution of worsening air quality. • [05:24] Description of strategies for mitigating the health risk of poor air quality. • [06:27] Discussion of the costs and benefits of increased time spent indoors to mitigate health risk. • [07:22] Discussion of the role of policy in protecting from air quality hazards. • [08:13] Explanation of the study's caveats and limitations. • [09:30] Potential impacts of the study. • [10:11] Conclusion

About Our Guest:

Rebecca Saari Associate Professor University of Waterloo

View related content here: https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2215685121

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Measuring Poverty Apr 22, 2024

Show notes

Science Sessions are brief conversations with cutting-edge researchers, National Academy members, and policymakers as they discuss topics relevant to today's scientific community. Learn the behind-the-scenes story of work published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), plus a broad range of scientific news about discoveries that affect the world around us.

In this episode, Christine Pu describes how commonly used measures of poverty don't agree, and why definitions of poverty matter.

In this episode, we cover:

· [00:00] Introduction

· [00:59] Christine Pu, an interdisciplinary scientist from Stanford University, introduces the importance of definitions of poverty.

· [01:40] List of the four commonly used definitions of poverty.

· [02:29] The motivation behind the study.

· [03:21] Study design and methods.

· [04:20] Results of the study and discussion of why poverty measures may not agree.

· [05:50] Discussion of how poverty definitions impact efforts to alleviate poverty.

· [06:57] How policymakers can approach definition of poverty.

· [07:46] Implications and potential impacts of the study.

· [08:25] Study caveats and limitations.

· [08:54] Conclusion.

About Our Guests:

Christine Pu

PhD Candidate

Stanford University

View related content here: https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2316730121

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