The following audio files come from a larger group of 245 for the week. Double or ctrl-click individual highlighted links, below, to get single podcasts. A zip file of all 77 podcasts converted to 1.5x speed will download here for four months. Older groups of podcasts are discussed at the end of this episode.
Alzheimer’s Cure Prospect 60 mins – “Alzheimer’s Disease is a growing health and economic concern worldwide, prompting innovative efforts to better understand the disease and translate that understanding into effective interventions. The search for a treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease becomes increasingly urgent as global populations grow and age. In the United States alone, 16 million people are projected to suffer from AD by 2050. In this podcast, leading experts from different sections of the R&D pipeline discuss cutting-edge approaches to developing a cure.” At the link find the title, “Alzheimer’s Disease: Prospects for a Cure, June 30, 2014,” right-click “ProspectsforaCure.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Bad Paper 59 mins – “Jake Halpern talked about his book, Bad Paper: Chasing Debt from Wall Street to the Underworld, in which he argues that the collection industry is full of unregulated and questionable practices that can often compound the problems of working class citizens. He talked with author and former Wall Street executive Nomi Prins.” You can listen/watch at the link, but the audio download cost $.99; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Beer Culture 12 mins – “While ancient civilizations were building pyramids and mapping the globe, they also brewed up a new use for grains. William Bostwick, author of “The Brewer’s Tale,” discusses the intersection between beer and innovation.” At the link find the title, “Brewing Up Innovation” right-click “IHUB-102514-C.mp3” and select “Save Link As’ from the pop-up menu.
Bonkbuster Sex Drugs 21 mins – “A thrice failed antidepressant is at the centre of a new marketing campaign to win approval for what could become the world’s first blockbuster sex pill for women. Frustrated by the drug’s repeated rejection, proponents have orchestrated a fierce attack, accusing the regulator of unfairness, and enlisting support from several well connected…” At the link find the title, “The blockbuster sex drug for women; creating a feminist issue,” right-click “Media files 172404390-bmjgroup-the-sex-drug-for-women.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Brain Development 65 mins – “The Origin of Brain Degenerative Disorders: Patrick Hof – A Mt. Sinai School of Medicine neuroscientist explains the morpho-molecular features that render certain neuronal populations of the brain vulnerable to degeneration.” At the link find the title, “The Origin of Brain Degenerative Disorders, April 04, 2008,” right-click “hof.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Brain Imaging 20 mins – “Blavatnik Award winning scientist Dr. Jonathan Fisher discusses the power of various visualization techniques in researching—and educating about—the brain. Dr. Fisher is the Founder and Director of the Neurodome Project, which adapts immersive visualization techniques used in planetariums to introduce new audiences to neuroscience.” At the link find the title, “Your Brain: The Final Frontier, November 21, 2013,” right-click “VisualizingtheBrain.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
British History 27 mins – “Today’s episode will take place in the turbulent years from 686 to 692 and the main characters will be… Aldfrith – King of Mercia, son of Oswiu, brother of Ecgfrith, and scholarly dude. Wilfrid – Former Bishop of York, friend of the terrifying pagan king Caedwalla, and man you really don’t want to cross. and Aethelred – King of Mercia, son of Penda, brother of Wulfhere, and (despite his rather pious upbringing) he really was his father’s son….” (Interesting discussion of the culture with such things as adoption of silver coins to cope with adulterated gold coins.)” At the link right “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Buckminster Fuller 23 mins – “Hear the story of one of the greatest innovators of the 20th century – the man behind the geodesic dome, Dymaxion Car and Dwelling Machine, and other inventive ideas.” At the link find the title, “Buckminster Fuller, July 03, 2008,” right-click “fuller.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Car Future 46 mins – “The future of the car: from the fuels they’ll run on, to the materials they’ll be made of, to the computers that may drive them. In the year 2025, cars and the rules of the road could look a whole lot different. Cars that drive themselves. Run on hydrogen. Made out of futuristic materials. That know your musical preferences. Favorite places to shop and eat. And get this: They’ll even sense if you’re having a heart attack. Companies are dreaming up and road testing the next generation of automobiles. And not too far down the road, today’s gas-guzzling, road clogging, unreliable cars could be left behind in the rear view mirror. This hour On Point: Driving ambitions and the future of cars.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Champagne Bubbles 41 mins – “Gerard Liger-Belair has been studying the science of champagne bubbles for 10 years. Learn just how important bubbles are to the taste this celebratory drink – and find out the science behind it.” At the link find the title, “The Science of Champagne, May 16, 2008,” right-click “champagne.mp3” and select “Save link as” from the pop-up menu. Some interesting visual aids are used, but no video of this talk is available. However, a similar TED talk in French by the same person for 17 mins is here.
Chemical Weapons 44 mins – “Chemical weapons have played a chilling role in human history ever since they were first used in World War I. As reports of more recent use continue to cycle through the news, we decided to take a deeper look. We wanted to understand why chemical weapons were created in the first place, the ethical dilemmas inherent in their use, and the complicated process of getting rid of them. The story begins in Belgium, where reporter Helena de Groot visits a farm in Flanders Fields—the frontline during World War I—and discovers that for some people the war isn’t yet over…” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Child Safety Excesses 52 mins – “There’s been a lot of talk recently about religious freedom, and it seems to have intensified as gay marriages have become legal in many states. Sen Orrin Hatch calls judges “uniformly hostile to religion.” Pundits see Sen Ted Cruz building a presidential campaign on the idea that religious liberty has “never been in more peril.” But the researcher and activist Jay Michaelson says this is a political strategy to marshal allies in the ongoing culture wars. He’ll join us to dissect what he sees as a “covert campaign against civil rights.”
Chocolate and Health 55 mins – “Jeffrey Blumberg, a nutrition scientist from Tufts University, gives an overview of the health benefits of chocolate. Sponsor: Chocolate Manufacturers Association. At the link find the title, “Science of Chocolate, February 29, 2008,” right-click “chocolate.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Cholesterol History 4 mins “Next time your doctor tells you to get a cholesterol test, stir up some trouble. Ask who ordered it. There are probably a few answers to that question, but here’s mine: the order came from a doctor — of oceanography!— turned physiologist named Ancel Keys. It was Keys who first studied the correlation between diet and heart disease in large ethnic populations. He came to a conclusion that we now take for granted. High levels of serum cholesterol are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and more important, we influence that number every day by what we eat. It’s not quite so simple, though. We now know about “good” cholesterol, HDL, and we know that even so-called “bad” cholesterol, LDL, comes in two different sizes, one of which is relatively benign. Genes and lifestyle complicate matters further. But Keys’ work, which he began in the 1950s, was groundbreaking.” At the link right-click “Click here for audio of Episode 2469, and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Climate Change 35 mins – “The Rapidly Changing Climate System: Michael Oppenheimer – A lead author with the Nobel Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change gives a global warming overview.” At the link find the title, “The Rapidly Changing Climate System, March 21, 2008,” right-click “climate_change.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Contractionism 60 mins – “Then Gail Zawacki savages what’s left, while she campaigns against the unknown threat of ozone smog. It’s a panorama of inner conversations in twisted times. Author Frank Rotering from British Columbia, Canada hosts contractionism.org He called for the usual progressive bottom-up revolution against the consumer society. Now it’s too late for that, Frank says. We need to push a schism in the wealthy capitalists who control the game. Some billionaires are beginning to see they will be wiped out along with the rest of us in ecocide.” At the link right-click find the title, “Talk in Twisted Times,” right-click “CD” or “Lo-Fi” quality beside “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Crap 8 mins – “Warning: This talk might contain much more than you’d ever want to know about the way the world poops. But as sanitation activist (and TED Fellow) Francis de los Reyes asks — doesn’t everyone deserve a safe place to go? Francis de los Reyes works with cutting-edge microbiological techniques in environmental biotech. But his passion, both professionally and personally, is helping to improve the plight of the world’s 2.5 billion people living without adequate sanitation.” At the link click “Download” then right-click “Download audio” (or video) and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Crap Again 14 mins – “It’s 2013, yet 2.5 billion people in the world have no access to a basic sanitary toilet. And when there’s no loo, where do you poo? In the street, probably near your water and food sources — causing untold death and disease from contamination. Get ready for a blunt, funny, powerful talk from journalist Rose George about a once-unmentionable problem… Rose George looks deeply into topics that are unseen but fundamental, whether that’s sewers or latrines or massive container ships or pirate hostages or menstrual hygiene.” At the link click “Download” then right-click “Download audio” (or video) and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Cutthroat Science 32 mins – “From publish-or-perish to the race for ever-decreasing research dollars, scientists are under pressure to produce new scientific findings. Recent reports suggest an increase in the number of scientific articles published in journals, accompanied by an enormous increase in retractions. Has the competitive culture of science gone too far to ensure the integrity of scientific findings? How do scientists maintain ethics in the face of such pressure?” At the link find the title, “Envy: The Cutthroat Side of Science, May 16, 2013,” right-click “cutthroat science.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Data Collection 59 mins – “Adam Tanner, fellow at the Institute of Quantitative Social Science at Harvard University; author and Forbes contributor” talks about the world of personal data. At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Death With Dignity 51 mins – “In a video that has been viewed by millions in recent weeks, 29-year-old Brittany Maynard explains her plan to end her life on Nov. 1, 2014. Maynard suffers from terminal brain cancer. Instead of waiting for the disease to kill her, she decided to move to Oregon with her husband and mother so that she could legally obtain a lethal prescription and end her life on a day of her choosing. Currently, her plan is a legal option in only five states. Advocates say it can be a critical component of end-of-life care should be more widely available. Diane and a panel of guests discuss the debate over “aid in dying,” also known as doctor-assisted suicide.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the file is included in the blog archive.
Digital Health 50 mins (2 parts) – In part one (25mins): “Dr. Joseph Kvedar, Founder and Director of the Center for Connected Health, Dr. Martin Kohn, Chief Medical Scientist for Health Care Delivery at IBM Research, and Dr. Marc Triola, Associate Dean for Educational Informatics at NYU School of Medicine and Director of the Division of Educational Informatics, discuss the emerging roles of digital technology in healthcare.” In part two (25 mins ): ” Dr. Robert Kaplan, Director of the National Institutes of Health Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, and Dr. Barbara Barry, research scientist with the Northeastern University Relational Agents Group, discuss the evolving role of technology in addressing the behavioral aspects of health.” At the link find the titles, “Digital Healthcare Technology Part 1: Virtual Patients, AI Doctors, and Beyond, Thursday, March 14, 2013” and “Digital Healthcare Technology Part 2: Take One App a Day with Food, March 20, 2013,” then right-click ” transmed digitalhealth 1 [ and 2].mp3″ and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Discipline in School 63 mins – “Stories of schools struggling with what to do with misbehaving kids. There’s no general agreement about what teachers should do to discipline kids. And there’s evidence that some of the most popular punishments actually may harm kids. When it comes to disciplining young people, teachers are winging it. We ask middle school teachers all over the country to walk us through how they get a kid to take his hat off. The book Ira mentions is called Building a Better Teacher by reporter Elizabeth Green; it’s eye-opening in a number of ways.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
E Book Report 15 mins – “National e-book markets are like snowflakes. No two are alike. Emerging markets particularly engage in approaches of their own. In India, domestic platforms lead the way; while in Brazil, Apple shows a surprising lead in eBook distribution over the usual suspect. First published in 2011, the Global eBook Report follows international market evolution in e-books, as well as the controversies and debates that inevitably surround the move away from print and toward digital. From the 2014 Frankfurt Book Fair, Global eBook Report author Rüdiger Wischenbart joins CCC’s Chris Kenneally to share details on the just-launched fall 2014 update.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Ebola Debrief 27 mins – “Ebola is now regarded as an international threat to peace and security, according to the World Health Organisation. Up to 10,000 people a week could soon be infected in west Africa, with cases also reported in Europe and the US. Simon Cox asks why it took so long for the world to wake up to the threat posed by Ebola.” At the link find the title, “DocArchive: Ebola: What went Wrong,” right-click “Media files docarchive_20141022-0332a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Ebola in Canada 17 mins – “Should health care workers have the right to take a pass on caring for patients with Ebola?” At the link find the title, “White Coat Mini Podcast – Refusing to Treat Ebola,” right-click “Download White Coat Mini Podcast – Refusing to Treat Ebola” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Ebola Recovery 27 mins – “This week Health Check focuses on Ebola, looking at proposed treatments and the timeline for vaccines.” At the link find the title, “HealthC: Ebola, blood treatment, vaccines,” right-click “Media files healthc_20141022-2030a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Evolution by Zimmer 18 mins – “S&C chats with science writer Carl Zimmer about his newest book on evolution. Hear what’s changed since Darwin.” At the link find the title, “The Tangled Bank September 04, 2009,” right-click “090409zimmer.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Evolution Research 24 mins – “The theory of evolution explains how the fittest traits survive in a species, but not how those traits arise in the first place. On this episode, Andreas Wagner discussed the arrival of the fittest.” At the right-click “Listen to episode” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Feeding the Planet 44 mins – “Alan Weisman, a journalist and nonfiction writer, came to the New York Academy of Sciences on September 25, 2013, to discuss his latest book, Countdown: Our Last Best Hope for a Future on Earth? Weisman considers difficult global issues in his work, peppering hard facts with compelling stories and extensive research. His previous book, A World Without Us, in which he imagines how our planet might adjust if humans disappeared, has been translated into 30 languages. In Countdown, Weisman explains why we need to address the global population crisis and offers some of the solutions to overpopulation he observed while traveling as a journalist.” At the link find the title, “Can We Feed the Planet? October 12, 2013,” right-click “feedingtheplanet.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Food Modification 23 mins – “People have been modifying their food for thousands of years – but not in a lab. Amy Harmon, an award-winning NY Times reporter, and Pamela Ronald, genetics professor and co-author of “Tomorrow’s Table,” talk about where GMOs are headed.” At the link find the title, “A Genetically Modified Menu,” right-click “IHUB-102514-B.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Gamergate 48 mins – “#GamerGate. Sexism, misogyny and rough stuff in a video game world culture clash. Hashtag “Gamergate” is all over the world of online fisticuffs lately. If you’re in it, you know all about it. Gamers – video gamers, online gamers – on an online tear, charging corruption in the incestuous world of video game journalism. Standing as the new citizen activist. Warriors at the Alamo. Critics, charging that raging gamers are a bunch of culturally-privileged largely young white guys ready to unleash very real menace and misogyny to defend a passing era of supremacy.The threats are real and ugly and maybe the future of culture clash. This hour On Point: Inside Gamergate.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Green Skyscraper 20 mins – “Take a tour of the new Bank of America building at One Bryant Park – now the greenest office tower in New York City, with a Platinum LEED ranking. The building’s lead architect and mechanical engineer join to give context to this skyscraper’s ultra-sustainable features.” At the link find the title, “One Bryant Park, July 25, 2008,” right-click “one_bryant.mp3,” and select “Save Link As’ from the pop-up menu.
Hedge Funds 22 mins – “This podcast is in response to the latest announcement by CALPRS, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, that they have decided to liquidate their $4 billion in hedge fund investments. Paul discusses the sad truth about the expense, returns and slippery nature of the hedge fund industry. Here is just one of the many aspects he reports: At the end of 10 years only 5% of the hedge funds will still be in business. Does that sound like an investment you’d like to make? Of course, as long as it’s part of the 5%. Paul also discusses a hedge fund he helped form in 1995. The good news is it’s still in business.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Hospitals by Toyota 27 mins – “Nearly forty years ago, Toyota adopted an efficiency system they called Toyota Way. Today, people in health care and other industries call it LEAN because it’s all about cutting waste. Is it a way for hospitals to better care for patients and save money?” At the link find the title, “WCBA – The Toyota Way Podcast,” right-click “Download WCBA – The Toyota Way Podcast” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Improv for Scientists 19 mins – “Actor/director Alan Alda talks to us about problems in science communication today and why improv—yes, improv—can help scientists connect better with their audience. Physicist and World Science Festival co-founder Brian Greene joins in the conversation as Science & the City goes behind the scenes of the 2011 Festival.” At the link find the title, “Improv for Scientists, Friday, June 10, 2011,” right-click “110610_ImprovforScientists.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
India in World War One 50 mins – “In the Indian capital Delhi stands India Gate, the largest memorial to the war for which 1.5 million Indian men were recruited. But Anita Rani discovers that World War One is something of a forgotten memory today, seen as part of its colonial history. She sets out to uncover some of the forgotten stories.” At the link find the title, “DocArchive: India’s Forgotten War,” right-click “Media files docarchive_20141024-1105a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Irish Church Scandal 27 mins – “Women abused in institutions run by the Catholic Church are demanding answers from religious authorities and the government. But will the latest inquiry give them any peace?” At the link find the title, “DocArchive: Ireland’s Forced Labour Survivors,” right-click “Media files docarchive_20141023-0330a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from te pop-up menu.
Linux Laptops 103 mins – “Apple was right! The magic of hardware and operating system made for each other. Everything just works when a computer’s hardware and software are designed to work together.” At the link find the title, “Oct 17: #258 – Computer America #78,” right-click “Download mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Lost Innocence P2 54 mins – “A rebroadcast of the highly-acclaimed award-winning CBC Radio series commemorating the outbreak of World War II.” At the link find the title, “Children on Lost Innocence, Part 2 – War At A Distance the Canadian home front tell of their fears and excitement,” right-click “Download Lost Innocence, Part 2 – War At A Distance” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Lost Innocence P3 54 mins – “Livia Bittman-Jackson and Mariam Steiner were young girls when the Nazi’s marched into their villages and deported them to concentration camps. They recall the horror of the Holocaust.” At the link find the title, “Lost Innocence, Part 3 – Children of the Holocaust.” right-click “Download Lost Innocence, Part 3 – Children of the Holocaust” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Magnesium Chloride 6 mins – “Many of the simple inorganic compounds have a common name – because they are familiar from some everyday use – but magnesium chloride remains resolutely in the shade of other salts, and, despite being widely used, it has nothing to make it sound more friendly. Like many such compounds there is no clear date of discovery, but we do know that Michael Faraday produced magnesium metal by electrolysis of magnesium chloride back in 1833 and this process is still a major industrial source of the metal. The magnesium salt is typically extracted from salt water, particularly high salt content sources like the Dead Sea and the Great Salt Lake in Utah,…” At the link right-click “Download: CIIE_MagnesiumChloride.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Malaria Update 13 mins – “Fatoumata Nafo-Traoré is the executive director of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership. In this podcast, she updates us on recent successes in the global effort to control the disease. A second podcast examines the effect of the current ebola outbreak on the prevention and treatment of malaria, and other diseases, in affected regions.” At the link find the title, “Update on malaria – new technologies helping to tackle the disease, October 24, 2014” right-click “Media files 173658604-bmjgroup-update-on-malaria-new-technologies-helping-to-tackle-the-disease.mp3” and select “Save link as” from the pop-up menu.
Microbiome 37 mins – “The genome of the bacteria that colonize our bodies vastly dwarfs our human genome! How will this new finding change how we understand our health? Dr. Martin Blaser, Director of the Human Microbiome Program at the NYU School of Medicine; Dr. Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello, Associate Professor of Medicine at New York University Medical Center; and Dr. Lawrence Brandt, Professor of Medicine and Surgery at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine discuss the consequences of our co-evolution with bacteria and debate the implications for medical research. Christine Gorman, Senior Editor for Health and Medicine at Scientific American, moderates.” At the link find the title, “Hats Off to Bacteria! December 12, 2013,” right-click “hatsofftobacteria.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Modern Surveillance 59 mins – “In 1787, British philosopher and social reformer Jeremy Bentham conceived of the panopticon, a ring of cells observed by a central watchtower, as a labor-saving device for those in authority. In French philosopher Michel Foucault’s groundbreaking 1975 study, Discipline and Punish, the panopticon became a metaphor to describe the creeping effects of personalized surveillance as a means for ever-finer mechanisms of control. Years later, the available tools of scrutiny, supervision, and discipline are far more capable and insidious than Foucault dreamed, and yet less effective than Bentham hoped. Shopping malls, container ports, terrorist holding cells, and social networks all bristle with cameras, sensors, and trackers. But, crucially, they are also rife with resistance and prime opportunities for revolution. In this talk authors Emily Horne — a creator of the webcomic A Softer World — and Tim Maly — writer and Fellow at Harvard’s metaLAB — discuss their new book The Inspection House, and paint a stark, vivid portrait of our contemporary surveillance state and its opponents.” At the link right-click “Download the MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Molecule Handedness 13 mins – “Kent Kirshenbaum, an NYU chemistry professor, explains his team’s recent discovery of how to make molecules with a twist – these molecules can fold in to twisted helical shapes that can accelerate selected chemical reactions.” At the link find the title, “Twisted Molecules August 28, 2009,” right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Myth of Prosecution 52 mins – “Religion scholar Candida Moss began thinking about Christian martyrs when she heard a sermon comparing the plight of today’s believers to that of the early church. But when she started exploring what early Christians really endured, she learned that these stories of victimization had been exaggerated and even invented to inspire the faithful. Friday, Moss joins Doug to talk about what she calls the myth of persecution and how those stories continue to create the “us vs them” mindset of today. Candida Moss is a Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at the University of Notre Dame. Her book is called The Myth of Persecution: How Early Christians Invented a Story of Martyrdom.” At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save Link As’ from the pop-up menu.
Nutrition Research 70 mins (3 parts) – In Part One: “Scientists, health professionals, and food industry representatives discuss the process of putting the Research Agenda for Nutrition Science into action. Creating the agenda was a great first step, but effectively activating it is just as complex and important. A cross-section of experts from around the world discusses this process and their hopes and plans for the future of the field. In Part Two: “What, how and why we eat is a broad and complex issue touching on almost every discipline of the sciences, so how does a scientist know what questions have the potential to make the greatest impact? The Academy’s own Mandana Arabi discusses the creation of a roadmap for the study of human nutrition….” In part Three: “Experts from all aspects of the nutrition community, from food science to food production and beyond, gather at the Academy to discuss the nutrition science agenda, and how it can best be developed and used to move the field forward.” At the link find the titles, “A Research Agenda forNutrition Science: Why and How?,” “A Research Agenda for Nutrition Science: Mobilizing the Community,” and “A Research Agenda for Nutrition Science: Activating the Agenda,” then right-clicking, in turn, “NutritionResearchAgenda1.mp3,” “NutritionResearchAgenda2.mp3,” and “NutritionResearchAgenda3.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menus.
Online Harassment 51 mins – “#GamerGate has put the issue of women and online harassment in the headlines. It started as an ex-boyfriend’s rant and turned into a debate about the video game industry. Alongside the legitimate online discussion, there emerged a campaign of cyber threats against female game developers and critics. Anonymous messages on Twitter became so violent that three women have fled their homes, while others were forced offline. Yet, no arrests have been made, and the cyber attacks continue. This case is extreme, but it reflects an experience that is not unique. A study from 2012 found that one in five adults in the U.S. has suffered online harassment –- and the majority of victims are women. Today on the show: a look at online harassment of women and why it’s so hard to address.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the file is included in the blog archive.
Phages Fight Bacteria 9 mins – “This episode: Some phages can fight back against bacterial defenses with recently discovered genes!” At the link find the title, “BacterioFiles 180 – Phage Functions Fight Fortifications,” right-click “Download episode” and select and “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Phages for Acne 3 mins – “This episode: Scientists find that phages might be good for treating acne!” At the link find the title, “BacterioFiles Micro Edition 106 – Bacteriophages Bust Blackheads,” right-click “Download Episode” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Phages in Bacteria 11 mins – “This episode: Defective phages in bacterial genomes can still have burdensome effects! Why do the bacteria keep them around?” At the link find the title, “BacterioFiles 179 – Functionless Phages Feel Fatiguing,” right-click “Download Episode” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Phages in the Gut 5 mins – “This episode: Gut bacteria use phages to beat their competition!” At the link find the title, “BacterioFiles Micro Edition 108 – Firing Phages to Fight faecalis,” right-click “Download Episode” and select “Save LinkAs” from the pop-up menu.
Phages Protect Food 14 mins – “This episode: Phages could be used to reduce infection with dangerous bacteria from meat and vegetables!” At the link find the title, “177 – Phages Fight Food Filth,” right-click “Download episode” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Quantum Moment 9 mins – “Politicians, writers, and even Lady Gaga have referenced quantum physics, but in its early, more scientific days, quantum mechanics was the source of a tussle between Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr.” At the link find the title, “Quantum: a Pop Culture Moment,” right-click “IHUB-102514-D.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Qubits 29 mins – “Russ talks with Kyriakos Porfyrakis, Head of Laboratory for Carbon Materials at the University of Oxford. Kyriakos is studying endohedral fullerenes, or “qubits” – atoms that are inserted into spherical fullerene molecules in order to induce electronic properties. Qubits may help revolutionize electronic devices in the near future.” At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Rating Television 12 mins – “TV shows live and die by Nielsen ratings, but does their data still matter in a Netflix world? It all depends on advertisers, says TIME media critic James Poniewozik.” At the link find the title, “Rating Television,” right-click “IHUB-102514-A.mp3,” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Recycling NYC Paper 21 mins – “From your old magazines to a brand new recycled paper pizza box, we take a trip to Pratt Industry’s Staten Island paper recycling facility to see how NYC’s paper is reused.” At the link find the title, “New York’s Paper Solutions Thursday, September 18, 2008,” right-click “091908recycling.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Religious Objections 52 mins – “There’s been a lot of talk recently about religious freedom, and it seems to have intensified as gay marriages have become legal in many states. Sen Orrin Hatch calls judges “uniformly hostile to religion.” Pundits see Sen Ted Cruz building a presidential campaign on the idea that religious liberty has “never been in more peril.” But the researcher and activist Jay Michaelson says this is a political strategy to marshal allies in the ongoing culture wars. He’ll join us to dissect what he sees as a “covert campaign against civil rights.’” At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Right to Vote 25 mins – “This past weekend, the Supreme Court upheld Texas’ harsh voter ID law for the upcoming midterm elections, potentially disenfranchising some 600,000 mostly black and Latino voters. The Lone Star state’s voter ID law is part of a nationwide effort to suppress the vote, nurtured by the right’s desire to hold onto power, as demographic changes are altering the electoral landscape. In the last four years, close to half the states in the US have passed laws restricting the right to vote, the most fundamental principle of democracy…This week, Bill talks with an attorney and journalist about the ongoing vote suppression controversy. Sherrilyn Ifill is president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, a noted civil rights litigator whose work has included landmark voting rights cases.” At the link find the title, “Full Show: The Fight — and the Right — to Vote,” right-click “Moyers_and_Company_342_Podcast.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Russia in 1914 50 mins – “The Romanovs ruled Russia for centuries until World War One brought revolution and an abrupt end to their imperial reign. Allan Little explores the legacy of revolution and the hidden impact of WW1 on Russian policy today.” At the link find the title, “DocArchive: St Petersburg: Revolution,” right-click “Media files docarchive_20141018-1805a.mp3
Russians 51 mins – “Morning Edition co-host David Greene spent five years in Russia as NPR’s Moscow bureau chief. During that time, he took a trip on the Trans-Siberian railway, reporting on the impressions, hopes and dreams of ordinary Russians. The experience affected him so deeply that Greene returned last year for another train trip. This time, he traveled nearly 6,000 miles, from Moscow to Vladivostok, interviewing people from all different parts of the country, including Siberia. The Russians he meets share the same struggle with old soviet ghosts of corruption and oppression. But most are deeply ambivalent about democratic reform. A cross-country journey into the heart of modern Russia.” [Greene’s book is Midnight in Siberia.] At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the file is included in the blog archive.
Scotch Whiskies 17 mins – “Simon Brooking is the master ambassador for Ardmore and Laphroaig Single Malt Scotch whiskies. A well-known expert on Scotch whisky, he has worked for a number of leading Scotch distilleries, learning the art and science of distilling from the world’s foremost master distillers and blenders. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland and a member of the Robertson Clan, he traces his roots back to the 13th Century and the Celtic Earls of Atholl. For over 10 years, Simon has led hundreds of Scotch whisky tastings for consumers, bartenders, and social organizations. Both informing and entertaining, his presentations have made him an in-demand speaker and spokesperson. At the Academy Brooking will present a talk titled “The Science and Craft of Single Malt Scotch from Malting to Maturation: An Exploration of ‘The Water of Life.'” At the link find the title, “The Science of Scotch, May 2008” right-click “scotch.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
South Pass Route 51 mins – “The Rocky Mountains have always posed a forbidding obstacle for travelers, but there’s one place where “God ran out of mountains,” and passage is relatively easy. For generations, Indians, fur traders, missionaries, and explorers moved through South Pass, a treeless valley in southwestern Wyoming. It’s a place rich with history and extraordinary tales, and it’s the focus of historian Will Bagley’s latest book. He joins us to explain how South Pass figured in the development of the American West… Bagley is an independent historian and author of numerous books. His latest is South Pass: Gate to a Continent.” At the link right-click on the play button beside “listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Stem Cell Research 32 mins – “Dr. John Murray, a lawyer and geneticist, and Dr. Chris Henderson, scientific director of Target ALS, discuss the field of stem cell research and a recent legal challenge. The Supreme Court recently refused to hear a case challenging federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. Experts discuss the case and its consequences, as well as exciting research being done with stem cells towards a treatment for Lou Gehrig’s disease.” At the link find the title, “Lab Bench Meets Federal Bench: The Supreme Court and Stem Cell Research, February 15, 2013,” right-click “stem cell research.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Sugar Overview 39 mins – “The battle of wills to resist the last cupcake isn’t the only one being waged over sugar. In fact, sugar—or fructose to be more precise—is one of the most hotly contested subjects in the world of nutrition. Find out why in the fifth edition of our nutrition series.” Mentioned during the podcast is that there are forty-eight names for sucrose. At the link find the title, “A Thought for Food: Sugar in the Morning… June 27, 2012,” right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Toll Roads 41 mins – “Toll roads make up a fraction of America’s highways, but their number is growing. More than 5,000 miles of U.S. roads require tolls today, up 15 percent over the past decade. One reason: The highway trust fund is in crisis. It’s currently financed by a federal gas tax that has not risen since Bill Clinton was president. So states are looking for other ways to pay for much needed transportation projects. Current laws prohibit the tolling of existing interstate highways. But many infrastructure advocates would like to change that. Others argue public roads should be accessible to all Americans. Diane and her [5] guests discuss how best to pay for highways and the future of toll roads.” You can listen at the link, but not download; however, a copy of the file is included in the blog archive.
Venter on Research 62 mins – “The leader of the private-sector human genome project has published an autobiography.” In this interview he refers to it, but focuses on genomic research. At the link find the title, “A Life Decoded: Craig Venter, February 22, 2008,” right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Village Projects 24 mins – “Engineering students in the Projects for Underserved Communities program at UT Austin are proving you’re never too young to make a difference by putting science to good use.” At the link find the title, “Engineering Sustainable Futures, February 13, 2014,” right-click “EngineeringSustainableFutures.MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Viral Research 40 mins – “As the US government calls a temporary halt to experiments that can make viruses more transmissible or virulent, we explore the pros and cons of this research and the impact of the moratorium. In the studio are Wendy Barclay, professor of influenza virology at Imperial College London, Nicola Davis of Observer Tech Monthly, and Azeen Ghorayshi, a freelance science journalist based in London. And down the line is Marc Lipsitch, professor of epidemiology at Harvard.” This takes 35 mins and the remaining time deals with brain games and dinosaurs. At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
War Dogs 51 mins – “Dogs were not officially made a part of the U.S. military until 1942. But their history of working on battlefields worldwide stretches back much further. Today, American military working dogs detect improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, with remarkable accuracy. They also provide comfort to men and women in uniform suffering emotional and physical wounds of war. But they are not always given the recognition that journalist Rebecca Frankel believes they deserve. When she began her weekly column on U.S. war dogs in 2010, she found that many were unaware of the critical role they can play in U.S. military missions. Frankel joins Diane to take us inside the world of war dogs.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the file is included in the blog archive.
Water Supply 58 mins – “Creating and maintaining a clean, sustainable water supply means delivering drinking water and collecting wastewater while dealing with pathogenic microorganisms and infrastructure challenges. It’s not all challenges, however. Two speakers; Sudhir Murthy, PhD, PE, BCEE, Innovation Chief at DC Water, and Kellogg Schwab, PhD, Director of the Johns Hopkins University Water Institute, will speak to Microbes After Hours about promising new endeavors in water management as well as issues of water safety.” At the link right-click “MP3 Audio Only” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
White Bread 19 mins – “The first print advertisement for Wonder Bread came out before the bread itself. It stated only that “a wonder” was coming. In a lot of ways, the statement was true. Wonder Bread was the perfect loaf. “Slow food” advocates have pronounced industrial white bread of any brand a symbol of a modern grocery problem: consumers don’t know where our food comes from. The funny thing is that industrial white bread—that evenly sliced, squishy, moist, perfectly white and wondrous loaf—was once a highly designed solution to that very same problem.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
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An alphabetic encyclopedia of 4200 of these hyperlinked descriptions is here and updated quarterly. A file of the podcasts is here , updated weekly, and can be downloaded as a 21+ GB zipped file, or individually. A separate folder of C-Span, Diane Rehm, et. al. files that aren’t available at their sites is here, too, and can also be downloaded as a zip file or individually. Over 210 feeds used to prepare this blog are harvested with Feedreader3 and Juice. The feeds are available in this opml file which Feedreader and Juice can import. A list of the feeds is here. Free Commander is used to compare old with new downloads and remove duplicates. MP3 Speed Changer is used on batches of new files to boost playback speed 150%. A speed listening background article is here. Please comment on any problems with the links and downloads.
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Media Mining Digest 