Science Talk

Latest Episodes:

Alan Alda's Human Spark Jan 07, 2010

Show notes

Alan Alda, star of stage, screen and science, talks with podcast host Steve Mirsky about his new PBS science series The Human Spark as well as his strong interest in science and long association with Scientific American

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The Science Talk Quiz: "Totally Bogus" Dec 29, 2009

Show notes

Here are four science stories, but only three are true. See if you know which story is TOTALLY BOGUS.

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Christmas Season Science Dec 23, 2009

Show notes

Scientific American daily podcast contributor Karen Hopkin talks about a few recent studies related to the science of the Christmas season

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Bonus Bogus Brainteaser Dec 20, 2009

Show notes

The Totally Bogus Quiz for this week

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Copenhagen and Everywhere Else Dec 18, 2009

Show notes

ScientificAmerican.com's David Biello is in Copenhagen at the climate conference, and he'll tell us what's going on there. And the Wildlife Conservation Society's Steven Sanderson discusses his Foreign Affairs article, "Where the Wild Things Were," worldwide conservation and the Everglades. Web sites related to this episode include www.snipurl.com/sanderson; www.twitter.com/dbiello

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World Changing Ideas: December's <i>Scientific American</i> Dec 11, 2009

Show notes

Scientific American magazine Editor in Chief Mariette DiChristina and editor Michael Moyer talk about the "World Changing Ideas" feature as well as other contents of the December issue. Plus, we'll test your knowledge about some recent science in the news

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Bogus Brainteaser Dec 04, 2009

Show notes

The Totally Bogus Quiz for this week

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John Rennie's 7 Answers to Climate Contrarian Nonsense Dec 03, 2009

Show notes

On the eve of the United Nations Global Warming Conference in Copenhagen and in the wake of the hacked climate researchers' e-mails, former Scientific American Editor in Chief John Rennie discusses his ScientificAmerican.com article "7 Answers to Climate Contrarian Nonsense," available at http://bit.ly/8bg9Fx

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Darwin's Influence on Modern Thought Nov 24, 2009

Show notes

On the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin's Origin of Species, we review Darwin's influence on the the modern world, as analyzed by Ernst Mayr, one of the 20th century's most prolific evolutionary theorists. We review Mayr's July 2000 Scientific American article, "Darwin's Influence on Modern Thought". The original, complete essay is temporarily available free of charge at http://snipurl.com/darwinsciam

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Tree Ring Science and Tomorrow's Water Nov 18, 2009

Show notes

Tree ring expert Kevin Anchukaitis, of the tree ring lab at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, part of Columbia University's Earth Institute, talks about the information available in tree rings. And Colin Chartres, the director general of the International Water Management Institute, talks to Lynne Peeples about water issues. Plus, we test your knowledge of some recent science in the news, specifically the November issue of Scientific American magazine. Web sites related to this episode include http://snipurl.com/sciamwater; http://snipurl.com/sciamnov

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