The following audio files come from a larger group of 225 for the week. Double or ctrl-click individual highlighted links, below, to get single podcasts. A zip file of all 90 podcasts converted to 1.5x speed will download here for four months. Older groups of podcasts are discussed at the end of this episode.
Aerosol Science 62 mins – “Professor Rob Price delivers his inaugural lecture on his research in the field of aerosol science.“ At the link find the title, “Crystals, particles & powders – Rob Price,” right-click “Download File” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Alibaba 15 mins – “A massive Chinese company, Alibaba, is about to have what could be the biggest initial public offering on ever on planet earth. You can think of Alibaba like Amazon or Ebay, except you can buy way more on Alibaba — you can get a used 747 airplane, or an oil tanker, or 500 million tiny screws. Today on the show: the company that made it possible for anyone anywhere to build almost anything they want. What that company means for China, for the rest of us and for some chickens in California.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Artificial Intelligence 29 mins – “Back in the 1990s, Jeffrey Hawkins became both rich and famous when he invented the Palm Pilot-a device that in no small way ushered in a whole new era of mobile computing. These days, though, he’s on a far more ambitious mission. His goal: to build a machine that can think and reason on its own by mimicking the workings of the human brain. In this edition of Up Next, Hawkins opines on the both risks and rewards of artificial intelligence.” At the link right-click “Audio MP3” in the video window and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Artificial Photosynthesis 50 mins – “How can government, industry and business better work together to invest in long-term research to harness solar energy and transform carbon dioxide into energy fuel? In this lecture, Global Chair at the University, Professor Geoffrey Ozin talks about using carbon dioxide as a source of fuel rather than treating it as a waste product and pioneering advances in nano-chemistry.” At the link find the title, “Artificial Photosynthesis” right-click “Download File – 22.8 MB” and select “Save link As” from the pop-up menu.
Assisted Living Risk 56 mins – “An audio version of FRONTLINE’s documentary “Life and Death in Assisted Living” airing July 30, 2013 on PBS and available for viewing online at pbs.org/frontline. It’s one of the most important and difficult decisions anyone can make: Whom should you trust with the care of your aging parents? FRONTLINE’s Life and Death in Assisted Living, a major, yearlong investigation in collaboration with ProPublica, explores the multi-billion dollar assisted living industry, and asks whether the business practices at America’s largest assisted living chain, Emeritus Senior Living, may be putting the lives of our loved ones at risk. asks whether the business practices at America’s largest assisted living chain, Emeritus Senior Living, may be putting the lives of our loved ones.” At the link find the title, “Life and Death in Assisted Living,” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up
Battery Future 55 mins – “Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory battery scientist Venkat Srinivasan chats with Sabin Russell, former San Francisco Chronicle reporter turned Berkeley Lab science writer. They explore the problems that prevent lithium-ion batteries from being widely used in electric, hybrid-electric, and plug-in-hybrid-electric vehicles.” At the link right-click “Audio MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Bee Poisoning 27 mins – The first half of this program concerns affects of neonicotinoids pesticides on bees: “Bees have been shown to prefer some harmful neonicotinoid pesticides in their diet; Roland Pease looks far into the future to see if Moore’s Law can be beaten with the likes of DNA computers, neural networks and quantum computing; Has selective breeding of dogs made them more of less co-operative?” At the link find the title, “SciA: Bees; Moore’s Law; Dogs,” right-click “Media files scia 20150423-2030a.mp3” and select “Save link As” from the pop-up menu.
Biogas at the Zoo 3 mins – “It’s breakfast time at the Toronto Zoo, and the smell in this indoor pen is — well, ripe. One 8-year-old zoo visitor describes the odor: “I think it smells like whatever it’s eating and whatever comes out the other end,” he says. He’s right: Vishnu produces about 25 pounds of dung per day, not to mention what’s produced by all the other animals at the zoo. “We have over 5,000 animals on site,” says Kyla Greenham, the zoo’s curator of conservation and environment. “From our large mammals, we’re looking at about 300 to 400 animals, and that’s why we can come up with 3,000 tons of manure a year.” Now the zoo is coming up with a plan to turn all of that poop into power. It has partnered with a company called ZooShare to build a biogas facility that will produce electricity by harvesting methane from the animal waste. Along with the zoo’s 3,000 tons of waste, it will also use 14,000 tons of organic waste from a large supermarket chain…” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow at the right end of the sound bar ans select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Bird Flu Problem 48 mins – “They’re killing chickens by the millions in the Midwest lately. Turkeys, too. And not for your table. Avian flu – bird flu – has infected American flocks. Brought in, it’s thought, by wild birds flying down over the Missouri River, the Mississippi. Down from Canada. With a virus that’s come across from China. When it gets into huge industrial US poultry operations, those birds have to be destroyed. Right now in Iowa and Minnesota, but well beyond too. It’s a quiet crisis that scientists pray doesn’t mutate and cross to humans. This hour On Point: inside America’s outbreak of bird flu.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Black Panthers by Angela Davis 86 mins – “Angela Davis, Professor in the History of Human Consciousness department at UC Santa Cruz and holder of a UC Presidential Chair in African-American and Feminist Studies explores the issues concerning criminal justice and race in the 21st century, in light of the history of the Black Panther movement. This presentation is part of UCSB’s Interdisciplinary Humanities Center series “Blow Back: Responding to the 1960’s”.” At the link right-click “Audio MP3” in the video window and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Broadband Open Access 22 mins – “When we last wrote about the Mid-Atlantic Broadband Cooperative, it was a coop focused on open access middle mile connections. Now it has become the Mid-Atlantic Broadband Communities Corporation and is starting to work on some plans to expand open access last mile access. This week, we speak with MBC President and CEO Tad Deriso to learn more about their history and current approach. We discuss how they got started financially and lessons for other middle mile open access efforts. We also discuss their plan to expand the model to last mile businesses and homes in Martinsville in southern Virginia. And along the way, we learn how incumbent providers react differently to open access in the middle mile than in the last mile.” At the link right-click “…download this Mp3…” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Careers in Sustainability 29 mins – “Explore opportunities in the field of sustainability and discover what skills are needed to launch or further your career. Learn more about the Sustainable Business Practices professional certificate program and how it can help you reach your professional goals.” At the link right-click “Audio MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Cartilage Lesion Management in Joints 87 mins – At the link find (or click on it here) the title, “Management of Articular Cartilage Lesions,” right-click “Download File” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Cataracts 83 mins – “Cataracts: A Surgical Revolution” At the link at that title right-click ”Download File” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Catholic Church Finances 20 mins – “The Catholic Church is not a corporation. It’s a religion, a cultural force, and a global power. Still, one of the things the new Pope will have to deal with is a classic business mess — a multi-billion dollar conglomerate that has stumbled and is losing money and relevance. On today’s show, experts (including a priest with a Harvard MBA) tell us what the church needs to do to turn things around.” At th elink right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Cell Tower Deaths 35 mins – “An audio version of FRONTLINE’s documentary “Cell Tower Deaths” airing May 22 on PBS and available for viewing online at pbs.org/frontline. The smartphone revolution comes with a hidden cost. A joint investigation by FRONTLINE and ProPublica explores the hazardous work of independent contractors who are building and servicing America’s expanding cellular infrastructure. While some tower climbers say they are under pressure to cut corners, layers of subcontracting make it difficult for safety inspectors to determine fault when a tower worker is killed or injured.” At the link find the title, “Cell Tower Deaths,” right-click “Download File” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Changing Minds 71 mins – “Can you change a person’s mind on a divisive social issue? The latest science says…yes. But it will require two things: contact and disclosure. In this episode you’ll travel to Mississippi to see how professional mind changers are working to shift attitudes on LGBT rights, and you’ll learn how a man in Los Angeles conducted 12,000 conversations until he was able to perfect the most powerful version of contact possible. In one 22-minute chat, Dave Fleischer can change people’s minds on issues they’ve felt strongly about for decades, and change them forever.” At the link right-click beside “Direct Download:” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Climate Stories 60 mins – “Science fiction author Robert Marston Fanney selects 5 stories of science truth from his Robert Scribbler’s Blog. Excerpts from oil guru Nate Hagens. What is really going on? What are the big stories the media leaves out, while they fill the news with quirky headlines and fluff? All over the world, from pole to pole, the Earth and her species are going through big changes. The atmosphere is trapping heat into the oceans, air, and land. This week I’m going to cover five of those big stories, with the help of one of the world’s best risk watchers. He’s author Robert Marston Fanney, and his launching pad is called Robert Scribbler’s Blog. At the end, we’ll squeeze in a few words about the new oil poverty creeping into our lives, with a recent talk by former financial advisor and Oil Drum editor Nate Hagens.” At the link right-click “Lo-Fi” near “Download…”and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Concentration Camps 53 mins – “Historian Nikolaus Wachsmann joins Doug to talk about the brutal history of the Nazi Concentration Camps. Nothing embodied the brutality of the Nazi regime more than the concentration camps. Yes, they were hell on earth, but they were very much human creations, as the historian Nikolaus Wachsmann demonstrates in his new book about the camps. Known as the Konzentrationslager, they were first conceived of as penal colonies, then as camps for prisoners of war, and finally as factories. Wachsmann joins us Tuesday to examine the lifespan of the camps, their place in the Third Reich, and what life was like inside them. Nikolaus Wachsmann is a professor of modern European history at Birkbeck College, University of London. His new book is called KL: A History of the Nazi Concentration Camps “ At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save link As” from the pop-up menu.
CS Tear Gas 6 mins – “Simon Cotton examines a compound banned in warfare but still used by police to disperse crowds: CS gas.” At the link find the title, “CS gas: Chemistry in its element,” right-click “CIIE_CSGas.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
CSI Background 81 mins – “The Real CSI: Forensic Pathology and Death Investigation” At the link find the quoted title, right-click “Download File” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
CSI Issues 58 mins – “…From the courtroom to the living room (thanks to the hit television series CSI), forensic science is king. Expertise on fingerprints, ballistics and bite mark analysis are routinely called on to solve the most difficult criminal cases – and to put the guilty behind bars. But how reliable is the science behind forensics? A FRONTLINE investigation finds serious flaws in some of the best-known tools of forensic science and wide inconsistencies in how forensic evidence is presented in the courtroom. From the sensational murder trial of Casey Anthony and the FBI’s botched investigation of the Madrid terrorist bombing to capital cases in rural Mississippi, FRONTLINE documents how a field with few uniform standards and unproven science can undermine the search for justice. As part of the investigative series Post Mortem, Correspondent Lowell Bergman reports in a joint investigation with ProPublica and the Investigative Reporting Program at UC Berkeley.” At the link find the title, “The Real CSI – Audiocast,” right-click “Download File” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Darfur Genocide 15 mins – “Rebecca Hamilton Reads from Fighting For Darfur” At the link find the same title as in the quotes, right-click “Download File” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Dementia P1 32 mins – “The first episode of our new five-part Dementia Decoded podcast series looks at what Alzheimer’s is, how it differs from other forms of Dementia, and whether is it an inevitable part of aging.” At the link find the title, “Dementia Decoded: A Special Illness,” right-click “Media files 150400 dementia decoded_ep1.mp3“ and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Dementia P2 39 mins “In the second episode of our Dementia Decoded series, we look at the current state of knowledge about the basic physiology of Alzheimer’s, and how scientists are working to unlock its secrets.” At the link find the title, “Dementia Decoded: Plaques and Tangles,” right-click “Media files 150400_dementia_decoded_ep2.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Diet Myths 68 mins – “On the show this week we talk to Traci Mann, professor of psychology at the University of Minnesota and author of the new book Secrets from the Eating Lab: The Science of Weight Loss, the Myth of Willpower, and Why You Should Never Diet Again.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Dinosaur History 40 mins – “In this lecture Professor John Kricher provides a concise overview of what modern science currently knows about dinosaurs. A lifelong dinosaur lover, Kricher explains the basic facts, including size and weight ranges, dinosaur intelligence, and how they have survived into modern day in the form of birds. Ever since the first fossils were identified in the early 19th century, our dinosaur knowledge has evolved rapidly, and this lecture represents the most current developments.” At the link right-click “Download” (Not “audio download”) and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Down Syndrome 79 mins – “Living with Down Syndrome: The Journey and Lessons Learned from Parents Health Professionals and Personal Perspectives” At the link find the same title as in the quote, right-click “Download File” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Echolocation 13 mins – “Daniel Kish has been blind since he was 13 months old, but has learned to “see” using a form of echolocation. He clicks his tongue and sends out flashes of sound that bounce off surfaces in the environment and return to him, helping him to construct an understanding of the space around him. In a rousing talk, Kish demonstrates how this works and asks us to let go of our fear of the “dark unknown.‘” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Economic Development 92 mins – “Tyler Cowen and Jeffrey Sachs discuss the resource curse, why Russia failed and Poland succeeded, charter cities, Sach’s China optimism, JFK, Paul Rosenstein-Rodan, whether Africa will be able to overcome the middle income trap, Paul Krugman, Sach’s favorite novel, premature deindustrialization, and how to reform graduate economics education.” At the link click “Download,” then “OK” on the pop-up menu.
Electronic Connectors 70 mins – “Host Scott Wilkinson joins with Pete Putman to talk about current display interfaces and what to expect in the future.” At the link right-click “Audio” beside the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Encephalography 28 mins – “This week we’re joined by QEEG Diplomate (yes, that’s a term!) and founder of Brain Science International Jay Gunkelman, to talk Electroencephalography. After analyzing over a half-million EEG scans, Jay has a pretty robust set of human brain data at his disposal… And he uses that body of knowledge to guide the work of psychiatric and other health professionals who make proscriptive recommendations about patients’ brains. We’ll also hear about an already-on-the-market drug that could prevent the brain-fog that comes with old age, and hear how it might be possible to think ourselves stronger.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Energy and Community 50 mins – “The climate is going haywire, and politicians are bickering over what to do about it, or whether to do anything at all. But that’s only part of the story. Around the country, communities are taking matters into their own hands, publicly pledging to shrink their carbon footprints, then setting out to make good on their promises. Leading, they hope, from below. In this hour, guest producer Jonathan Miller gives us a tour of his uber-progressive but practical-minded hometown of Ithaca, New York, where citizens and civic leaders are hustling to wean themselves from fossil fuels.” At the link find the title, “Ithaca, NY: Power to the People,” right-click “Media files Ithaca_Podcast.mp3” and select “Save link As” from the pop-up menu.
Energy Storage 65 mins – “Professor Peter Bruce of the the University of St Andrews talks about the need for a step change in the performance of energy storage devices for the future in order to help us achieve a low-carbon world.” At the link find the title, “ Research in the World: Energy storage: The Missing link – Peter Bruce,” right-click “Download File” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Energy Sustainability 59 mins – “MIT Professor Mildred Dresselhaus’ career has focused on advancing science and engineering in its more basic aspects, as well as advancing energy sustainability. Dresselhaus discusses the world energy outlook and sustainability, nanostructures and recent advances in thermoelectrics.” At the link right-click “Audio MP3” and and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Energy Systems 59 mins – “Daniel Kammen, a Professor of Energy at UC Berkeley, talks about how decentralized renewable energy systems will help the developing world and the planet.” Two parts: At the link find the titles, “Daniel Kammen: Electricity For All, Part I [and] II,” right-click “Media files SC-2015-04-28.mp3” and “Media files SC-2015-04-21.mp3,” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menus.
Geophysics 29 mins – “ Keith talks with Benjamin Drenth, research geophysicist with the United States Geological Survey. Drenth studies passive geophysics. Seismic, or active, geophysics involves using outside energy sources needed to create sonic waves through the earth. Whereas passive geophysics is a more subtle measuring of the earth’s gravitational or magnetic fields.” At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save link as” from the pop-up menu.
Glaucoma 57 mins – “Glaucoma: The Silent Blinding Disease” At the link right-click “Download File” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
GMO Food Debate 51 mins – “Many plants we eat today are a result of genetic modifications that would never occur in nature. Scientists have long been altering the genes of food crops, to boost food production and to make crops more pest-, drought- and cold-resistant. Proponents of genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, say that farmers who grow these crops are able to use fewer environmentally damaging pesticides. The increased yields of GMO crops, they also argue, are essential to feeding the world’s growing population. And proponents say that numerous studies have shown that genetically modified foods are safe to eat. Critics, however, say the claims of those benefits are overblown. They say farmers growing GMO crops have actually increased their use of herbicides. And widespread use of the crops, they say, have also led to an increase in herbicide- and pesticide-resistant weeds and insects. And, they argue, there is still no scientific consensus on the long-term safety of these foods.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Graphene Energy Storage 24 mins – “Affordable and efficient energy storage is the holy grail of energy technology. On this program, Maher El-Kady discussed the science and synthesis of graphene based storage devices.” At the link find the title, “3D Supercapacitors — Groks Science Show,” right-click “Media files groks040815.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Haiti Rejuvenation 17 mins – “An audio version of FRONTLINE’s documentary “An Optimist in Haiti,” airing Sept 27, 2011 on PBS and available for viewing online at pbs.org/frontline. Adam Davidson of NPR’s Planet Money returns to Haiti to meet a man with an unlikely plan to help turn around his country’s economy through tourism.” At the link find the title, “An Optimist in Haiti – Audiocast,” right-click “Download File” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Indigo Dye 52 mins – “Dr Jenny Balfour-Paul, honorary research fellow at the University of Exeter and fellow at the Royal Geographical Society and the Explorers Club, tells a compelling story of indigo, the world’s oldest, most magical and best-loved dye.” At the link find the title, “Journeys in Indigo – Jenny Balfour-Pau,” right-click “ Download File”and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Inequality 9 mins – “The news of society’s growing inequality makes all of us uneasy. But why? Dan Ariely reveals some new, surprising research on what we think is fair, as far as how wealth is distributed over societies … then shows how it stacks up to the real stats.” At the link click ‘Download,” then right-click “Download audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Interest Rates 65 mins – “Scott Sumner, of Bentley University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about interest rates. Sumner suggests that professional economists sometimes confuse cause and effect with respect to prices and quantities. Low interest rates need not encourage investment for example, if interest rates are low because of a decrease in demand. Sumner also talk about possible explanations for the historically low real rates of interest in today’s economy along with other aspects of monetary policy, interest rates, and investment.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
ISIS Background 59 mins -”Jessica Stern, co-author of ISIS: The State of Terror, talked about the genesis and growth of the organization, its goals, mission, and methods. She also spoke about the impact of terrorism in the Middle East, and how ISIS* differs from al-Qaeda and other terror groups. The program included clips of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS, as well as videos of other terrorist group leaders, recruitment videos used by ISIS, and U.S. State Department produced videos designed to counter the ISIS videos. Ms. Stern also addressed the role that other countries in the Middle East, such as Iran and Saudi Arabia, were playing in combating or supporting ISIS. This program contains videos that are violent and potentially offensive to viewers.” At the link click “Recent Programs” in the Q&A section, right-click the title, “Q&A: Jessica Stern” and select “Save link As” from the pop-up menu.
ISIS Beginnings 58 mins – “FRONTLINE investigates the miscalculations and mistakes behind the brutal rise of ISIS. Correspondent Martin Smith, who made “Truth, War And Consequences,” “Beyond Baghdad,” “Private Warriors” and “Gangs of Iraq,” reports from Iraq on how the country began coming undone after the American withdrawal and what it means for the U.S. to be fighting there again.” At the link find the title, “The Rise of ISIS,” right-click “Download File” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
ISIS Panel Discussion 38 mins – “What do we know about ISIS? Who are they, and how do they make money and recruit fighters — and wives? On Nov. 6, WGBH hosted a public panel discussion, led by PRI The World’s Aaron Schachter, to answer some of those questions. Participants included FRONTLINE’s Martin Smith, who discussed his recent film “The Rise of ISIS,” Professor Mia Bloom of the UMASS Lowell Center for Terrorism and Security Studies, and Charles Sennott, a veteran foreign reporter who founded the GroundTruth Project to train a new generation of foreign correspondents” At the link find the title, “Understanding the Rise of ISIS: A Panel Discussion,” right-click “Download File” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Ketones 26 mins – “ Are Ketones the Key? (start time 6:40) A growing body of scientific research demonstrates health benefits for many people with a diet that’s lower in carbohydrates, and higher in fats. In fact, some of this research indicates great therapeutic benefits,. One reason why may be that, when carbohydrate consumption is low enough, the body enters a state of “nutritional ketosis,” where it transforms fats into a molecule called, beta-hydroxy-butyrate, or “ketones”. In the absence of sugar and carbs, the body can use ketones as its primary fuel. One of the scientists who has pioneered research into nutritional ketosis is Dr. Steve Phinney, and one of the populations who he believes gets special benefits from a ketone-producing diet is endurance athletes. For 30 years, Phinney has studied nutritional ketosis and athletic performance — including performance among bicycle racers, the winners of 100-mile ultra-marathons, and recently, a two-person rowing team that was among the top finishers in a rowing race that went from California to the Hawaiian Islands – rowing the whole way on a very low-carb, high fat, ketone-producing diet.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save link As” from the pop-up menu.
Ketosis 36 mins – “In Episode #39, Jesse talks with Dr. Emily Deans on the subject of ketosis. Ketosis is a biological state that occurs during fasting or a low-carb dieting when glycogen stores in the liver are depleted. This causes the body to burn acetoacetate and β-hydroxybutyrate for fuel, instead of blood sugar. The effects of the “ketogenic state” go beyond kicking on the fat-burning furnace. Some people report a perception of higher cognitive function as well, and doctors have used ketosis to treat some otherwise unmanageable neurological disorders. At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save link As” from the pop-up menu.
Knee Inuries 86 mins – “Dr. Christina Allen, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Division of Sports Medicine, discusses the causes, diagnosis, and possible treatment options for different types of traumatic knee injuries. Injuries may range from meniscus tears and ligament injuries, to cartilage and tendon injuries. Recorded on 03/11/2014.” At the link right-click “Audio MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Knee Replacement Issues 51 mins – “Modern knee replacement is a highly successful operation, relieving the pain and disability of knee osteoarthritis. However, it has limitations and these, combined with the changes in population demographics, present significant challenges for both current and future healthcare systems. Professor Richie Gill’s inaugural lecture ‘What is wrong with knee replacement?’ explores these issues and the research being done to overcome them.“ At the link find the title, “What is wrong with knee replacement?” right-click “Download File: and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Leo Szilard Book 50 mins – “The UC San Diego Library Channel presents a talk by William Lanouette, author of “Genius in the Shadows: A Biography of Leo Szilard.” Lanouette explains how Szilard’s fear of German dominance of nuclear research in the 1930’s inspired the Manhattan Project, which led to the creation of the atomic bomb used by the United States in World War II. Szilard could see its potential for mass destruction in the wrong hands and became a strong advocate for nuclear arms control and disarmament. Szilard spent his final days as a founding member of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in San Diego.” At the link right-click “Audio MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Lyme Disease 88 mins – “Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne infection in the United States. Over the last 15 years Lyme disease has become one of the most controversial and politicized diseases in medicine with vastly different views about how to make the diagnosis and how to effectively treat patients. Richard A. Jacobs, Emeritus Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases at UCSF, reviews the historical aspects of the disease and explores the often contentious controversies surrounding diagnosis and therapy.” At the link right-click “Audio MP3” and select “Save link As” from the pop-up menu.
MS Relapse 20 mins – “Nicki Ward-Abel, a lecturer practitioner in MS at Birmingham City University, joins us to explain how to treat patients who are experiencing a relapse of their MS symptoms. She discusses what constitutes a relapse, which treatments are available, and what effect a relapse can have on a patient. At the link find the title, “Management of a multiple sclerosis relapse,” right-click “Media files 201094856-bmjgroup-ms-relapse.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Munitions Filling 50 mins – “In response to the shortage of munitions hampering military operations in France, in 1915 the British Government embarked on a programme of factory building unparalleled in history. This talk explores the construction of the major explosives and shell filling factories, the conditions within and the part played by “Tommy’s Sisters” in their operation.” At the link find the title, “No Job For A Woman: Insights into the Manufacture of Explosives and Shell Filling in the First World War,” right-click “Download File – 23.1 MB” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Neuroanatomy Intro 58 mins – “BSP 118 provides an accessible introduction to neuroantomy for listeners of all backgrounds. It is an edited version of BSP 32, which was a discussion of “Beyond the Zonules of Zinn: A Fantastic Journey Through Your Brain” by David Bainbridge.” At the link find the title, “BSP 118 Neuroanatomy for Everyone,” right-click “Media files 118-BSP-neuroanatomy-au.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
NRA Issues 58 mins – “FRONTLINE investigates the politics and power of the NRA.” At the link find the title, “Gunned Down ,” right-click “Download File” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Organic Chef 52 mins – “When Nora Pouillon first walked the aisles of an American supermarket, she was stunned. In place of the fresh meat and greens of European shops, she found hormone-filled packaged beef and sad-looking tomatoes. Growing up a child of war on a farm in the Alps, the native Austrian learned early on that food is precious and healing. When she came to Washington D.C. in the 1960s, she sought out natural produce and meat at a time when few were paying attention to the benefits of organic food. In 1979, she founded what would become the first certified organic restaurant in the country. Diane sits down with pioneering chef Nora Pouillon.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the file is in the blog archive.
Pain Lecture 120 mins – “Pain is the most common reason for a visit to the doctor’s office. Allan I. Basbaum, Professor and Chair, UCSF Department of Anatomy, presents the most current scientific understanding behind common pain disorders.” At the link right-click “Audio MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Pandemics 9 mins – “In 2014, the world avoided a global outbreak of Ebola, thanks to thousands of selfless health workers — plus, frankly, some very good luck. In hindsight, we know what we should have done better. So, now’s the time, Bill Gates suggests, to put all our good ideas into practice, from scenario planning to vaccine research to health worker training. As he says, “There’s no need to panic … but we need to get going.‘” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Paper Money 15 mins – “Every single dollar bill in the world — every $20, every $100, everything — is printed on paper made at one small mill in Massachusetts. That’s been the case for 130 years. On today’s show, we visit the mill. And we hear the story of the guy who jumped out a hotel window to win the government contract to print all that paper.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save link As” from the pop-up menu.
Pebble Mine Impact 54 mins – “An audio version of FRONTLINE’s documentary “Alaska Gold” airing July 24 on PBS and available for viewing online at pbs.org/frontline. The Bristol Bay region of southwest Alaska is home to the last great wild Sockeye salmon fishery in the world. It’s also home to enormous mineral deposits-copper, gold, molybdenum-estimated to be worth over $300 billion. Now, two foreign mining companies are proposing to extract this mineral wealth by digging one of North America’s largest open-pit mines, the “Pebble Mine,” at the headwaters of Bristol Bay. FRONTLINE travels to Alaska to probe the fault lines of a growing battle between those who depend on this extraordinary fishery for a living, the mining companies who are pushing for Pebble, and the political framework that will ultimately decide the outcome.“ At the link find the title, “Alaska Gold,” right-click “Download File” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Poisons in Gardens 36 mins – “In this lecture, Mr Russell Bowes, a freelance garden historian, will be sharing mysterious tales of how people have died in the garden, and how you can protect yourself against herbaceous murderers.” At the link find the title, “Say it with poison,” right-click “Download File” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Portugal Racism 50 mins – “Does Portugal have a problem with police brutality and racism? The residents of Cova da Moura, a largely immigrant DocArchive: ‘Police State’ Portugal community, believe that it does. (Warning: contains strong language)” At the link find the title, “DocArchive: ‘Police State’ Portugal,” right-click “Media files docarchive 20150423-0232a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Post Mortem Concerns 55 mins “An audio version of FRONTLINE’s documentary “Post Mortem,” airing February 1, 2011 on PBS and available for viewing online at pbs.org/frontline. Every day, nearly 7,000 people die in America. And when these deaths happen suddenly, or under suspicious circumstances, we assume there will be a thorough investigation, just like we see on “CSI.” But the reality is very different. In over 1,300 counties across America, elected coroners, many with no medical or scientific background, are in charge of death investigations. Nationwide there is a severe shortage of competent forensic pathologists to do autopsies. The rate of autopsies — the gold standard of death investigation — has plummeted over the decades. As a result, not only do murders go free and innocent people go to jail, but the crisis in death investigation in America is also a threat to public health. FRONTLINE correspondent Lowell Bergman reports the results of a joint investigation with ProPublica, NPR and the Investigative Reporting Program at UC Berkeley.” At the link find the title, “Post Mortem – Audiocast,” right-click “Download File” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Poverty Solution 51 mins – “What is the best way to help the poor? Giving money to charities and non-governmental organizations that then determine how the money should be allocated? Or giving cash directly to those who need it most and letting them decide how to spend it? Economist Paul Niehaus offers evidence that suggests direct cash transfers are more effective in reducing poverty, and describes GiveDirectly, a program he co-founded that allows donors to select recipients and transfer cash through mobile phones. Niehaus is presented as part of the “Degrees of Freedom” series at UC San Diego.” At the link right-click “Audio MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Precision Medicine 107 mins – “Keith Yamamoto, Vice Chancellor for Research, UCSF, explores precision medicine, a new approach to make medicine more predictive, preventive and precise. In precision medicine, data of all types- molecular, clinical, population-based- would be continuously amassed from consenting patients and citizens, then analyzed in ways that reveal unexpected correlations that drive additional molecular discoveries, new knowledge that could be applied in lab or clinic, and an understanding of health and disease so detailed as to produce precision care for you as an individual.” At the link right-click “Audio MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Quitting Can Help 58 mins – “You know the saying: a winner never quits and a quitter never wins. To which Freakonomics Radio says … Are you sure?” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Refugee 11 mins – “Photojournalist Barat Ali Batoor was living in Afghanistan — until his risky work forced him to leave the country. But for Batoor, a member of a displaced ethnic group called the Hazara, moving home to Pakistan proved dangerous too. And finding a safer place wasn’t as simple as buying a plane ticket. Instead, he was forced to pay a human smuggler, and join the deadly tidal wave of migrants seeking asylum by boat. He documents the harrowing ocean trip with powerful photographs.” At the link click ‘Download,” then right-click “Download audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Robert Reich – Economic Trends 54 mins – “Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor and now Professor of Public Policy at UC Berkeley, looks ahead at US economic trends , the impact of globalization, and future job prospects in this “Homecoming” address to parents of UC students. Reich doesn’t promise perfect clairvoyance, but he does provide a way to think about the politico-economic issues that will shape this century.” At the link right-click .”Audio MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu. This site has another nine presentations by Prof Reich.
Robert Reich – Inequality 60mins – “Robert Reich, a visiting professor at the UC, Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy and former U.S. Secretary of Labor talks about the inequality of income, wealth and opportunity in the United States and asks his audience to speculate on what will happen if these trends continue.” At the link right-click “Video MP4,” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Russia Problem 48 mins – “How should the West deal with Putin’s Russia? By isolation or by engagement? Highlights from the Munk Debate: The West vs Russia with journalist Vladimir Pozner , historian Stephen Cohen political dissident Garry Kasparov, and historian Anne Applebaum.” At the link find the title, “The New Russian Front,” right-click “Media files ideas_20150422_82769” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Saudia Arabia History . 27 mins – “Tarek Osman investigates the rise of the Kindgom of Saudi Arabia. In this second episode he sees how Saudi Arabia was suddenly challenged at the end of the 1970s by the Iranian Revolution and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan which gave rise to religious extremism, as well as the Arab uprisings.” At the link find the title, “DocArchive: Saudi Arabia: Sands of Time,” right-click “Media files docarchive_20150429-0232a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Savings Quandry 57 mins – “What do you do when smart people keep making stupid mistakes? And: are we a nation of financial illiterates?” At the link right-click ‘Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Severed Heads 60 mins “This week we’re looking at our scientific curiosity – and morbid fascination – about the human body and its amazing anatomy. We’ll speak to anthropologist and author Frances Larson about her book “Severed: A History of Heads Lost and Heads Found.” And we’ll discuss the experience of learning anatomy through human dissection, with Laboratory Supervisor Haley Linklater, and masters student Noah Mintz, from the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at Western University.” At the link find the title, “#314 Severed,” right-click “Media files Science for the People_314_Severed.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Sex Assaults on Campus 52 mins – “When filmmakers Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering visited colleges to screen their previous documentary – an exposé of sexual abuse in the U.S. military – students constantly shared their own accounts of rape on campus. It was a subject Dick and Ziering knew they had to tackle. Their latest documentary, The Hunting Ground, follows undergraduate rape survivors pursuing both their education and justice. Ziering joins us Wednesday to explore those stories and the culture of rape at America’s colleges….” At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Sight Restoration 54 mins – “Millions of people worldwide suffer from ocular diseases that degrade the retina, the light-processing component of the eye, causing blindness. A team from Lawrence Livermore National labs describes how the nervous system works and how neurons communicate then discuss the first long-term retinal prosthesis that can function for years inside the harsh biological environment of the eye.
Startup School 32 mins – “Dating Ring’s founders apply to the very competitive, very prestigious startup school Y-Combinator. And, they’re accepted – one of 76 companies in an initial applicant pool of 2000. Lauren, Emma, and Katie pack their bags and head to beautiful Mountain View, California to build the company The 20 min s- “ 3 months in Y-Combinator bring all sorts of challenges and surprises. An unconventional marketing strategy proves selling dates is nothing like selling cheeseburgers. A survey reveals new information about Dating Ring’s customers. After a series of matchmaking mishaps, the Dating Ring founders respond by changing a defining part of their business. And the whole time, they’re racing to grow fast and show results. All that pressure, leads to a lot of tension and a blowout fight among the founders. Lauren, Emma, and Katie try to recover in time to pitch 500 investors onstage at Y Combinator’s Demo Day.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow at the right end of the sound bar and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Suicides Paradox 57 mins – “There are more than twice as many suicides as murders in the U.S., but suicide attracts far less scrutiny. Freakonomics Radio digs through the numbers and finds all kinds of surprises.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Teenage Brains 77 mins – “How to Talk to Teens: A Developmental Approach” At the link find the title of the same name, right-click “Download File” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Telomeres 59 mins – “Telomeres were first recognized in the late 1930s as important structures on chromosome ends. In the 1970s the sequence of these structures was identified in the ciliated protozoa Tetrahymena by Elizabeth Blackburn. In the 1980s telomerase was discovered as an enzyme that elongates telomeres and compensates for natural telomere shortening. Carol Greider, Director of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University, discusses the journey from these curiosity driven discoveries to the appreciation of the role of telomeres in human disease. Recorded on 03/05/2014.” At the link right-click “Audio MP3” in the video window and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Terminal Illness Discussion 33 mins – “The Long Tail, the Lottery and “Being Mortal,” At the link find the title, “Inside Being Mortal with Atul Gawande and Tom Jennings,” right-click “Download File” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Terminal Illness Documentary 52 mins “FRONTLINE explores the intersection of life, death, medicine and what matters in the end.” At the link find the title, “Being Mortal,” right-click “Download File” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Tipping 48 mins – “Right alongside the big minimum wage debate in this country now, there’s another debate. About tipping. We’ve never done more of it. It’s spread to many corners of the economy. New technology is pushing it to new heights – the digital pad flipped around at the coffee counter or in the taxi to ask if you want to tip 20 or 25 or 30 percent! But is tipping a good way to compensate work? It’s arbitrary. It’s undependable. It leaves out the guy scrubbing pots. It lets the owner off the hook for paying more. This hour On Point: the tipping economy in America, and where it takes us.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Tipping 39 mins – “As we all know, the practice of tipping can be awkward, random, and confusing. This episode tries to offer some clarity. At its center is Cornell professor Michael Lynn, who has written 51 academic papers on tipping “ At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Uranium Waste 51 mins – “Utah nuclear waste disposal company EnergySolutions hopes to bring 700,000 tons of depleted uranium to a facility in Tooele County. Critics say that while it meets the criteria of Class A waste that EnergySolutions is licensed to store, depleted uranium gets “hotter” over time. The state’s decision is on hold as the company responds to concerns in the recent Safety Evaluation Report. Wednesday, we’re talking about what depleted uranium is and about the science and politics of EnergySolutions’ proposal.” At the link right-click th e play button beside ‘Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Vaccine – Autism Controversy 18 mins – “In 1998 Andrew Wakefield, a British gastroenterologist with a history of self-promotion, published a paper with a shocking allegation: the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine might cause autism. The media seized hold of the story and, in the process, helped to launch one of the most devastating health scares ever. In the years to come Wakefield would be revealed as a profiteer in league with class-action lawyers, and he would eventually lose his medical license. Meanwhile one study after another failed to find any link between childhood vaccines and autism.” [from Amazon] At the link find the title, “Seth Mnookin reads from The Panic Virus” [2011], right-click “Download File” and select “Save link As” from the pop-up menu.
Vaccine War 56 mins “FRONTLINE investigates the science and the politics of vaccine safety.” At the link find the title, “Vaccine War,” right-click “Download File” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Weapons Trafficking 6 mins – “The second part of the two-part podcast discussing the Small Arms Survey’s engagement in measuring SDG Goal 16, which focuses on peaceful and inclusive societies, access to justice, and accountable institutions. This episode examines SDG Target 16.4, which calls for a significant reduction in illicit arms flows. Beyond acknowledging the link between illicit weapons, armed violence, and insecurity, it is crucial to identify ways of measuring and understanding the illicit arms trade. Senior Researcher Glenn McDonald provides a comprehensive account of how this can be achieved in the framework of Goal 16. The Small Arms Survey has recently published a Research Note on the topic, ‘Reducing Illicit Arms Flows and the New Development Agenda’. The Global Burden of Armed Violence 2015: Every Body Counts, which offers a wealth of data relevant to security and the post-2015 sustainable development framework, is due for release on 11 May 2015.” At the link find the title, “Weapons Trafficking and the New Development Agenda: Reducing illicit arms flows and SDG Goal 16,” right-click “Media files SAS-Podcast-30-Weapons-Trafficking-and-the-New-Development-Agenda-Part-II.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Wild Bill Donovan 16 mins -”Douglas Waller Reads from Wild Bill Donovan” He started the OSS, the predecessor of the CIA. At the link find the same title as in the quotes, right-click “Download File” and select “Save link as” from the pop-up menu.
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An alphabetic encyclopedia of 6000 of these hyperlinked descriptions is here and updated quarterly. A file of the podcasts is here , updated weekly, and can be downloaded as a 35+ GB zipped file, or individually. Over 230 feeds used to prepare this blog are harvested with a podcast aggregator. The feeds are available in this opml file which most aggregators can import. A list of the feeds is here.
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Media Mining Digest 