The best 115 podcasts from a larger group of 281 for the week are shown below. Double or ctrl-click individual highlighted titles to get single podcasts and explore the source, although it’s easier to get all of them as a zip file here for the next four months. A collection of over 9000 similar podcasts grouped by topic can be downloaded piecemeal here, but you will be limited to a 4GB maximum per download, so twelve of those will be needed to get all files, which total over 45GB and will take awhile. The first entry of that collection is a text file listing all the titles for quick searches and researching. All these abstracts have also been assembled alphabetically in three free large volumes at this link and are updated quarterly. Even more diversity is possible using a podcast aggregator loaded with this opml file of 325 sources so even the discarded podcasts can be downloaded.
5G Communications 29 mins – “Verizon Senior Vice President Kathy Grillo discusses issues that the company is focusing on with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Congress, including net neutrality, privacy regulations, 5G, and the need for more spectrum.” At the link find the title, “Communicators with Kathy Grillo, Jul, 2016,” right-click “Media files program.447210.MP3-STD.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Abortion Bans 11 mins – “This week, the Supreme Court upheld constitutional protections for abortion rights. To mark the occasion we have a story about the history of abortion in the US that first aired last winter, when the spread of Zika and the resulting deformities in newborns was causing panic across South and Central America. Abortion is illegal in those traditionally Catholic countries, but so many women were giving birth to babies with microcephaly and the brain damage associated with it, that the UN high commissioner for human rights urged a widespread repeal of abortion bans. You may be surprised to know this wasn’t the first time an epidemic influenced the abortion debate. Leslie Reagan of the University of Illinois says it happened in the US, 50 years ago — and the epidemic was Rubella, or German measles.” At the link right-click the circle with three dots, right-click “Download this audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Addiction Treatment 47 mins – “Tough love, interventions and 12-step programs are some of the most common methods of treating drug addiction, but journalist Maia Szalavitz says they’re often counterproductive. In her new book, ‘Unbroken Brain,’ Szalavitz argues against the notion of “addictive personalities” and instead makes the case that addiction is similar to a learning disorder. Her book is based on research as well as personal experience; Szalavitz was addicted to cocaine and heroin from the age of 17 until she was 23. Also book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews ‘Underground Airlines,’ a new novel of alternate history by Ben H. Winters that imagines the Civil War never happened, and that slavery still exists in a few states.” At the link find the title, “Jul, 2016, Why ‘Tough’ Treatment Doesn’t Help Drug Addicts,” click the circle with three dots, right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Adventures of Eleanor Amplified 24 mins – “’The Radio Adventures of Eleanor Amplified’ is a new family-friendly podcast about an intrepid reporter (and radio host!) who foils devious plots and matches wits with cunning villains. It was created by Fresh Air producer John Sheehan. Find it at: http://eleanoramplified.com “ At the link find the title, “July 6, 2016, BONUS: Terry Gross Introduces ‘The Radio Adventures of Eleanor Amplified’ click the circle with three dots, right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Alcoholism Management 27 mins – “The conventional treatment for chronic alcoholics is abstinence. Not in Ottawa. At the Oaks, a residence for those who were once homeless, occupants are given a measure of white wine at hourly intervals throughout the day. The ‘Managed Alcohol Program’ has improved the health of its participants, reduced their alcohol intake, and in some cases enabled them to stop drinking altogether. It’s also saved the city of Ottawa millions of dollars in public services – one man was hospitalised 191 times in the six months before joining the programme. Hours and hours of police time have been clawed back too – this is a population used to stealing to feed addiction, but the hourly ‘pour’ enables them to refrain from criminal activity. The Ottawa programme has been introduced in other Canadian cities, and it’s now attracting international attention. Linda Pressly spends time at the Oaks to find out how it works.” At the link find the link, “The City Giving Wine to Alcoholics, Jul, 2016,” right-click “Media files p040n075.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
America’s Future 61 mins – “Yuval Levin, author and editor of National Affairs, talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the ideas in his latest book, The Fractured Republic. Levin argues that both major political parties suffer from a misplaced nostalgia–a yearning for a time when things were better even though the policies that created those good times are no longer as relevant to today. Levin argues for a strengthening of the intermediate institutions–institutions between the individual and the government such as religious communities and other non-profits as a way toward a better life for Americans.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Anatomy Class 30 mins – “When the first-year medical students at Table 4 met their male cadaver, they weren’t pleased. The group was in the home stretch of anatomy class at NYU School of Medicine, and the final exam was a couple weeks away. They had dozens of vessels, nerves, and organ components to memorize. And this cadaver was an interloper. They had grown attached to the first body they were dissecting — an elderly woman whose chest cavity was nice and neat, but whose intestines were so ravaged by cancer there was no point in working on her anymore. But this new body on Table 4 proved more challenging, they said. “Now we can’t see anything in our new body [in the chest], and we can’t refer back to that first work we did,” said student Samantha Ayoub, expressing the frustration of her six-person group. Medical school instructors often refer to the cadavers as the students’ “first patient.” There are about 20,000 of them donated to U.S. medical schools each year, according to the Harvard Business School. The schools encourage students to be grateful and respectful to these bodies, but with rare exceptions, schools don’t encourage students to think too hard about the lives of these “patients” prior to the dissection table. And as it turns out, the body on Table 4 was far more than a collection of vessels and valves. Literally and figuratively, he was an instructor, guide and teacher. His name was Haig Manoukian, and he and his wife, Michele Piso Manoukian, decided to donate his body to NYU so he could continue being an educator….” At the link find the title, “Every (Dead) Body Has A Story, March 29, 2016,” right-click “Media files onlyhuman032916_cms588669_pod.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Arms Dealer 22 mins – “A young massage therapist in Miami beach gets the business offer of a lifetime. So he shakes hands with the devil and hopes for the best. Read the whole story in Guy Lawson’s Arms and the Dudes at guylawson.com.” At the link click the circle with the three dots, right-click “Download this audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Artificial Intelligence 26 mins – “Should machines have a concrete Mr Spock-like regard for logic or are there times when the best decision is a more human one? Ian Sample takes a look at the future of machines – not the dystopian nightmares of science fiction but the real challenges and big wins that might come with ever-smarter robots. He’s joined by Paul Newman, professor of Information Engineering and head of Oxford University’s Mobile Robotics Group, and Joanna Bryson, who studies natural intelligence and robot ethics at the University of Bath.” At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Atul Gawande P1 42 mins – “Surgeon and writer Atul Gawande explores the nature of fallibility and suggests that preventing avoidable mistakes is a key challenge for the future of medicine. Through the story of a life-threatening condition which affected his own baby son, Dr. Gawande suggests that the medical profession needs to understand how best to deploy the enormous arsenal of knowledge which it has acquired. And his challenge for global health is to address the inequalities in access to resources and expertise both within and between countries. This first of four lectures was recorded before an audience at the John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Dr. Gawande’s home town of Boston in Massachusetts. The other lectures are recorded in London, Edinburgh and Delhi.” At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Atul Gawande P2 42 mins – “The surgeon and writer Atul Gawande argues that better systems can transform global healthcare by radically reducing the chance of mistakes and increasing the chance of successful outcomes. He tells the story of how a little-known hospital in Austria managed to develop a complex yet highly effective system for dealing with victims of drowning. He says that the lesson from this dramatic narrative is that effective systems can provide major improvements in success rates for surgery and other medical procedures. Even a simple checklist – of the kind routinely used in the aviation industry – can be remarkably effective. And he argues that these systems have the power to transform care from the richest parts of the world to the poorest. The programme was recorded at The Wellcome Collection in London before an audience.” At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Atul Gawande P3 42 mins – “Surgeon and writer Atul Gawande calls for a new approach to the two great unfixable problems in life and healthcare – ageing and death. He tells the story of how his daughter’s piano teacher faced up to terminal cancer and the crucial choices she made about how to spend her final days. He says the teacher was only able to do this because of an essential honesty from her physicians and the people around her. Dr. Gawande argues that the common reluctance of society and medical institutions to recognise the limits of what professionals can do can end up increasing the suffering of patients towards the end of life. He proposes that both doctors and individuals ask a series of simple but penetrating questions to decide what kind of treatment is appropriate – or whether treatment is appropriate at all. And he praises the values of the hospice movement, in putting quality of life before prolonging life. The programme was recorded at The Royal Society in Edinburgh in front of an audience.” At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Atul Gawande P4 42 mins – “The surgeon and writer Atul Gawande calls for a new focus on medical systems to ensure doctors work more effectively, alongside far greater transparency about their performance. Speaking to an audience at the India International Centre in Delhi, he describes the story of medicine over the last century through the prism of his own family. From a grandmother who died in rural India from malaria – a preventable disease – to the high-tech medicine of today. He argues that despite its scientific advances, medicine has failed to exploit its knowledge successfully. In both the developed and developing world doctors do not carry out basic procedures effectively and often do not act in the best interests of their patients. He calls for wide-ranging research into the systems by which medical care is delivered, alongside far greater transparency about performance.” At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Australian Ticks 30 mins – “Do Australian ticks pose a greater health risk than we thought? For people suffering from Lyme-like disease, it’s a controversial mystery that science has so far been unable to resolve. For the first time, microbes inside native Aussie ticks are being probed, leading to new discoveries which may reveal the causes of unexplained illnesses in the future.” At the link right-click “download video mp4” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Bangladesh Gay Love 27 mins – “Lipika Pelham investigates a marriage between two Bengali women, and asks what this extraordinary love story says about attitudes to sexuality in this conservative nation.” At the link find the title, “Women in Love in Bangladesh, Jan, 2016,” right-click “Media files p03gqhhs.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Big Data and Privacy 56 mins -”IDEAS, CBC RADIO ONE in partnership with the MUNK School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto weighs the opportunities, the risks — and the trade-offs — as the world of Big Data relentlessly changes our lives.” At the link find the title, “Big Data, Part 2, Jun, 2016,” right-click “Media files ideas_20160630_94562.mp3” and select “Save LINK As” from the pop-up menu.
Black Holes 60 mins – “Janna Levin, Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Barnard College; Author, Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space If black holes collide in outer space and no one can see it, does it make a sound? A black hole collision is an event more powerful than any since the origin of the universe. But when black holes collide, they will do so unilluminated—emanating only gravitational waves. The only evidence would be the sound of spacetime ringing. Levin shares the obsessions, the aspirations, and the trials of the scientists who embarked on an arduous, 50-year endeavor to capture these elusive waves and record the soundtrack of the universe.” At the link right-click “Play Now” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Black Holes-Hawking P1 30 mins – “The Cambridge cosmologist Professor Stephen Hawking delivers the second of his BBC Reith Lectures on black holes. Professor Hawking examines scientific thinking about black holes and challenges the idea that all matter and information is destroyed irretrievably within them. He explains his own hypothesis that black holes may emit a form of radiation, now known as Hawking Radiation. He discusses the search for mini black holes, noting that so far “no-one has found any, which is a pity because if they had, I would have got a Nobel Prize.” And he advances a theory that information may remain stored within black holes in a scrambled form. The programmes are recorded in front of an audience of Radio 4 listeners and some of the country’s leading scientists at the Royal Institution of Great Britain in London. Sue Lawley introduces the evening and chairs a question-and-answer session with Professor Hawking. Radio 4 listeners submitted questions in their hundreds, of which a selection were invited to attend the event to put their questions in person to Professor.” At the link find the title, “Black holes ain’t as black as they are painted, Feb, 2016,” right-click “Media files p03gnm5d.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Black Holes-Hawking P2 30 mins – “Professor Stephen Hawking delivers the first of his two BBC Reith Lectures on black holes. These collapsed stars challenge the very nature of space and time, as they contain a singularity – a phenomenon where the normal rules of the universe break down. They have held an enduring fascination for Professor Hawking throughout his life. Rather than see them as a scary, destructive and dark he says if properly understood, they could unlock the deepest secrets of the cosmos. Professor Hawking describes the history of scientific thinking about black holes, and explains how they have posed tough challenges to conventional understanding of the laws which govern the universe. The programmes are recorded in front of an audience of Radio 4 listeners and some of the country’s leading scientists at the Royal Institution of Great Britain in London. Sue Lawley introduces the evening and chairs a question-and-answer session with Professor Hawking. Radio 4 listeners submitted questions in their hundreds, of which a selection were invited to attend the event to put their questions in person to Professor Hawking.” At the link find the title, “Do black holes have no hair? Jan, 2016,” right-click “Media files p03gnl47.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Blind Astronomer 11 mins – “Wanda Diaz Merced studies the light emitted by gamma-ray bursts, the most energetic events in the universe. When she lost her sight and was left without a way to do her science, she had a revelatory insight: the light curves she could no longer see could be translated into sound. Through sonification, she regained mastery over her work, and now she’s advocating for a more inclusive scientific community. “Science is for everyone,” she says. “It has to be available to everyone, because we are all natural explorers.” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Cancer Overview 56 mins – “In the first of a two-part series, we’ll delve into the most prevalent cancers in New Hampshire – bladder, breast and lung. We’ll also examine who appears to be most susceptible to these cancers and how genetics, lifestyle, or environmental causes might be contributing factors in the incidence of cancer in the state.” At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save link As” from the pop-up menu.
Chaos Theory 15 mins – “This ten part history of mathematics from Newton to the present day, reveals the personalities behind the calculations: the passions and rivalries of mathematicians struggling to get their ideas heard. Professor Marcus du Sautoy shows how these masters of abstraction find a role in the real world and proves that mathematics is the driving force behind modern science. Today Henri Poincare, the man who proved there are certain problems that mathematics will never be able to answer: a mathematical insight that gave rise to chaos theory.” At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Child Welfare in Norway 27 mins – “Norway’s widely regarded as one of the world’s most progressive societies, yet it’s at the centre of an international storm over its child protection policies. Campaigners accuse its social workers of removing children – some from immigrant backgrounds – from their parents without justification, and permanently erasing family bonds. Tim Whewell meets parents who say they’ve lost their children because of misunderstood remarks or “insufficient eye contact” – and Norwegian professionals who call the system monstrous and dysfunctional. Is a service designed to put children first now out of control?” At the link find the title, “Norway: Parents Against the State, Apr, 2016,” right-click “Media files p03qylz6.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Constitutional Law 48 mins – “In 2015, the Supreme Court ruled that same sex couples have a right to marry under the Constitution, something that would have been unthinkable decades earlier. When the Supreme Court justices decided in 2010 that individuals have the right to bear arms, it again was a major departure for the court. In a new book, constitutional scholar David Cole says the decisions were the results of campaigns by citizens and civil society groups who used deliberate strategies, often outside the courts, to effect constitutional change. David Cole joins Diane to discuss his new book “Engines of Liberty: The Power of Citizen Activists to Make Constitutional Law.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Deaf Lawyer 13 mins – ““I believe that losing my hearing was one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever received,” says Elise Roy. As a disability rights lawyer and design thinker, she knows that being Deaf gives her a unique way of experiencing and reframing the world — a perspective that could solve some of our largest problems. As she says: “When we design for disability first, you often stumble upon solutions that are better than those when we design for the norm.” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Dionne Warwick 52 mins – “For the latest installment in our Through the Lens series, we’re trying something different and talking about an in-the-works documentary. Director Ellen Goosenberg-Kent is working on a film called Don’t Make Me Over about the life and career of famed singer Dionne Warwick. Recognized at an early age for her vocal talent, Warwick was one the greatest female voices of her generation and an outspoken advocate for social and political change. Warwick and others will join us to talk about her inspiring journey.” At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Douglas MacArthur 59 mins – “Hudson Institute Senior Fellow Arthur Herman discusses his book, [Douglas MacArthur: American Warrior].” At the link find the title, “Q&A with Arthur Herman, Jun, 2016,” right-click “Media files program.443773.MP3-STD.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Drag Queen Wrestler 27 mins – “Cassandro is no ordinary Mexican wrestler. He is an exotico – or drag queen – who wears long Liberace gowns, sequins and flamboyant make-up. Over an extraordinary 27-year-career, Cassandro has won two championship belts and pioneered the idea that a Mexican wrestler can be openly gay.” At the link find the title, “Cassandro – Queen of Lucha Libre, Feb, 2016,” right-click “Media files p03j17dh.mp3” and select “Save link As” from the pop-up menu.
Drug Types 35 mins – “In this episode, we discuss six pivotal drug classes that have been FDA approved within the past 20 years. This is part 2 of a 2 part episode.” At the link right-click “Direct download: 027-Six pivotal classes_II.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Dry Needling 18 mins – “Dry Needling sure isn’t acupuncture. Nope. Not at all.” At the link right-click “Podcast” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Education Reform 14 mins – “Seema Bansal forged a path to public education reform for 15,000 schools in Haryana, India, by setting an ambitious goal: by 2020, 80 percent of children should have grade-level knowledge. She’s looking to meet this goal by seeking reforms that will work in every school without additional resources. Bansal and her team have found success using creative, straightforward techniques such as communicating with teachers using SMS group chats, and they have already measurably improved learning and engagement in Haryana’s schools.” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Employment Trends 56 mins – “A roundup of Granite State economic headlines: It’s all about the labor force, according to a midyear economic review — businesses have plenty of job openings but there aren’t enough workers to fill them. Commercial real estate gets a makeover, with old shopping malls and a race-track finding new life. And reaction to a national study on manufacturing, which says a strong education system is the key to success. At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save link As” from the pop-up menu.
Entomologist 61 mins – “Dr. Matt O’Neal is an Associate Professor of Entomology at Iowa State University. He received his B.S. in Biology and M.S. in Entomology from the University of Illinois. Matt served as a Peace Corps Volunteer between those two degrees. After his masters he went on to receive his PhD in Entomology from Michigan State University. Next, Matt conducted postdoctoral research at Michigan State before joining the Faculty at the Iowa State where he is today. Matt’s honors and awards include the Team Achievement Award for the Crop Advantage Series from Iowa State University Extension, the National Excellence In Multistate Research Award from the American Public Land-Grant Universities, and the Integrated Pest Management Team Award from the Entomological Foundation. He has also received various awards from the Entomological Society of America, the American Society of Agronomy, and the Board Certified Entomologists of Mid-America for his educational and outreach efforts. In addition, Matt is co-host of the Soybean Pest Podcast with his colleague Erin Hodgson. Matt is here with us today to tell us all about his journey through life and science.” At the link find the title, “341: Understanding Pollinators and Pests to Promote Optimal Crop Management – Dr. Matt O’Neal,” right-click “Media files 341_Matt Oneal_Final.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Eubie Blake Sound 47 mins – “Blake’s songs are back on Broadway, in the adaptation of his 1921 show ‘Shuffle Along.’ It was an influential musical that was written and produced by African Americans and had an all African American cast. Our tribute features live performances of his songs and interviews with singer Vernel Bagneris, pianist Dick Hyman, theater historian Robert Kimball and historian David Levering Lewis. Originally broadcast in 1998.” At the link find the title, “Jul, 2016, A Tribute To Composer Eubie Blake,” click the circle with three dots, right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Eurovision Explained 50 mins – “The Eurovision Song Contest is the most watched entertainment show on the planet with 200 million people tuning in to see singers compete under their national flags. But backstage, it is as much about politics as pop. Ahead of this year’s competition in Stockholm, the Swedish Ambassador to London, Nicola Clase, explains why diplomats take it seriously.” At the link find the title, “The Swedish Ambassador’s Guide to Eurovision, May, 2016,” right-click “Media filesp03tt194.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu
Fake Foods 49 mins – “When we try to be mindful about what we eat, we choose healthy fats like olive oil, lean proteins like seafood, and maybe we occasionally splurge on some fancy Japanese steak or a glass of champagne. But according to food and travel writer Larry Olmsted, too often such foods are not actually what we think they are. In fact, they are cheap substitutes. It’s not just a question of getting what you pay for: in some instances, these fake foods might be bad for your health. The author of the new book “Real Food, Fake Food” joins Diane to talk about how to sniff out those imposters and make sure you’re getting the real deal.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Fearless Women 65 mins – “Amanda Kahlow, Founder & CEO, 6sense Arum Kang, Founder and CEO, Coffee Meets Bagel Mada Seghete, Co-Founder, Branch Metrics Caitlin MacDonald, CEO, cred—Moderator According to a 2015 North American study by McKinsey & Company, women are almost four times more likely than men to think they have fewer opportunities to advance because of their gender. How can we change this? During this candid discussion, you’ll join three leading women in tech as they share their experiences of being a woman in the technology industry, what challenges they’ve faced along the way, how they overcame them and ways to encourage more women to pursue careers in tech.” At the link right-click “Play Now” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Federal Land Management 27 mins – “It’s high noon in the American high desert, and the cowboys are gearing up for the fight of their lives. The armed occupation of a wildlife refuge in the far western state of Oregon has highlighted a long and deepening land dispute between rural communities and the federal government in Washington DC, which owns vast tracts of isolated and scenic territory. Ranchers and farmers say the land should be kept available for their cattle to graze; they say their historic way of life will be doomed otherwise. But other Americans, especially those in cities, want to see federal land conserved and protected from overuse. For Assignment, Neal Razzell travels to Oregon to see how these differences are fuelling a cultural battle over what it means to be American.” At the link find the title, “America’s Angry Cowboys, Mar, 2016,” right-click “Media files p03l9mfj.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Fourier Math 15 mins –This ten part history of mathematics from Newton to the present day, reveals the personalities behind the calculations: the passions and rivalries of mathematicians struggling to get their ideas heard. Professor Marcus du Sautoy shows how these masters of abstraction find a role in the real world and proves that mathematics is the driving force behind modern science. Today, the mathematics of Joseph Fourier. It’s thanks to his mathematical insight that you can hear Marcus on the radio and that Brian Eno can create sounds that have never been heard before.” At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Gaddafi’s Golden Gun 27 mins – “Gabriel Gatehouse returns to Libya in search of Colonel Gaddafi’s golden gun, which was seized by rebels when the dictator was captured and killed more than four years ago.” At the link find the title, “Gaddafi and the Man with the Golden Gun, Feb, 2016,” right-click “Media files p03hfsw8.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Gaming 64 mins – “Nick Earl, Vice President and General Manager of Electronic Arts shares his thoughts on the future of the gaming market. He discusses the changing global market space, the latest generation of consoles, mobile game distribution, user generated content, social networks and EA’s strategy in the online gaming space.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow on the sound bar and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Gender Identity 48 mins – “In 2004, journalist and author Susan Faludi received an email from her father. The two had been estranged for years. He had been a volatile figure in her life and as an older man he moved back to Budapest, the city he had fled under the Nazis. The content of the email was that Stephen Faludi was now Stefanie Faludi. Her father had undergone gender reassignment surgery. For Susan Faludi, who has spent her career writing about feminism, the news presented many new questions about gender. But her search to understand her complicated father ultimately became a bigger quest about the meaning of identity. Susan Faludi joins Diane in studio to discuss her new book “In the Darkroom.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Genetics 28 mins – “Charles Darwin described the eye as an ‘organ of extreme perfection and complication’. How this engineering marvel of nature forms out of a few cells in the developing embryo has been the big question for Veronica van Heyningen, emeritus professor at the MRC’s Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine at the University of Edinburgh. Veronica is a world lead in the genetics of the development of the eye. She tells Jim Al Khalili about her part in the discovery of a gene called Pax-6 which turned to be a master builder gene for the eye, in all animals which have eyes – from humans to fruit flies. As she explains, further research on this gene may eventually help people with the genetic vision impairment, Aniridia. It was Veronica’s research on patients with this condition which led to the gene’s final discovery. She tells Jim about why it’s important for scientists to engage in public discussion on the ethical implications of their work. Veronica also talks about her arrival in Britain as an 11 year old. Her family escaped from communist Hungary in 1958. Both of her Jewish parents had been sent to Nazi concentration camps during the Second World War.” At the link find the title, Veronica van Heyningen, Mar, 2014,” right-click “Media files p02qglby.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Genius Prediction 24 mins – “Travel writer Eric Weiner says if you want to predict genius, stop looking at the stars and find a map because genius is more about place than parentage.” At the link find the title, “ENCORE: Genius linked to geography more than genes, says author Eric Weiner, 2016,” right-click “Media files current_20160704_11429.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Globalization Criticism 47 mins – “Economist Jeffrey Sachs sees big problems with globalization as we’ve done it. Says we need to rethink our approach. He’s with us.” At the link find the title, “Economist Jeffrey Sachs On Globalization’s Risks, Jul, 2016,” right-click “Media files npr_484976939.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
GMO Researcher 61 mins – “Dr. Richard Jefferson is the Chief Executive Officer of an independent, non-profit institute called Cambia. He is also Professor of Science, Technology & Law at Queensland University of Technology and Director of an open, public innovation resource called The Lens. In addition, Richard is a founder of the biological open-source initiative called Biological Innovation for Open Society. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Molecular Genetics from the College of Creative Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara and went on to complete his PhD in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Richard completed postdoctoral research at the Plant Breeding Institute in Cambridge and then worked as a Molecular Biologist for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations before founding Cambia. Richard has received many awards and honors during his career, and just to name a few, he was named an Outstanding Social Entrepreneur by the Schwab Foundation, he was among Scientific American’s List of the World’s 50 Most Influential Technologists and World Research Leader for Economic Development in 2003, he received the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) Leadership in Science Public Service Award, and Medalist of the Center for Science and Policy Outcomes. Richard is here with us today to tell us all about his journey through life and science.” At the link find the title, “259: Developing The Lens for Transparency in Innovation – Dr. Richard Jefferson,” right-click “Media files 259_Richard_Jefferson_Final.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Gun Industry 57 mins – “Historian Pamela Haag traces the history of guns and examines when and how they became a part of American culture. She is interviewed by author William Doyle” At the link find the title, “After Words with Pamela Haag, Jul, 2016,” right-click “Media files program.436670.MP3-STD.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Hearing Difficulties 21 mins – “When Rose* was growing up, she knew something wasn’t quite right about how she heard the world. She says it felt like she was isolated by an invisible wall. But when she got typical hearing tests at an audiologist’s office? She aced them, every time. Rose’s problem was particularly bad in noisy places. “It doesn’t take much,” she says. “It could be five computers in a room and a bunch of shuffling around — you lose me at that point.” It took Rose years, and plenty of doctors’ visits, to figure out what was happening. And when she did find out, it was thanks to the persistence of Professor Nina Kraus. Kraus runs an auditory neuroscience laboratory at Northwestern University. For decades, Kraus has been conducting research on Rose and other patients like her to learn just how vital our brains are to understanding sound. And she discovered how hearing difficulties can be a marker for all types of neurological issues — autism, dyslexia, learning delays — that have nothing to do with our ears.” At the link find the title, “Your Brain On Sound (Rebroadcast), Jul, 2016,” right-click “Media files onlyhuman070516_cms635028_pod.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Helium Resource 21 mins – “Interest in helium has been rising over the scarcity of the resource. Some even think kids’ helium balloons are now just too frivolous a use for a gas that’s necessary to make MRIs work. Prepare to burst your pre-conceived notions of helium.” At the link find the title, “Helium a finite resource, does much more than fill balloons, Jul, 2016,” right-click “Media files current_20160707_75924.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Hip Arthritis 24 mins – “2.46 million people in England have osteoarthritis of the hip, and many of those go on to eventually have a hip replacement – which is now widely considered one of the most commonly performed and successful operations in the world. Jessamy Bagenal, clinical fellow with The BMJ, talks to Nick Aresti, a specialist registrar in trauma and orthopaedic surgery and one of the authors of a clinical update on hip osteoarthritis, recently published on thebmj.com. In a linked podcast, Nick Nicholas, a patient who has hip OA gives us his perspective.” At the link find the title, “Having hip osteoarthritis, Jul, 2016,” right-click “Media files 272759006-bmjgroup-having-hip-osteoarthritis.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Homeless in America 48 mins – “Are you seeing the homeless as summer deepens? We’ll look at a big new San Francisco push to tackle homelessness.” At the link find the title, “Tackling Homelessness, In San Francisco And Beyond, Jul, 2016,” right-click “Media files npr_485121654.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Honduras Activists 27 mins – “In March the award-winning Honduran environmentalist, Berta Caceres, was gunned down at home. Of indigenous Lenca origin, for years she was a prominent critic of the government, and campaigned against the Agua Zarca hydro-electric project in the western highlands. Honduras is the most unequal nation in the Americas, but it is rich in minerals with an enormous capacity for the development of hydro-electric power. Since a coup in 2009 removed the left-leaning President, a business-driven government has granted dozens of concessions for the exploitation of precious national resources. But the race for development is creating bitter – and murderous – disharmony: Honduras has become the most deadly nation on earth to be a land or environmental activist. For Assignment, Linda Pressly, explores how the murder of Berta Caceres is emblematic of profound divisions in Honduras.” At the link find the title, “Honduras: After Berta, , Jun, 2016,” right-click “Media files p03yfq3x.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
HPV Vaccine 47 mins – “Cancer experts agree that getting the HPV vaccine – which fights some sexually transmitted infections – could help prevent tens of thousands of cancer cases. Yet just 40 percent of teenage girls and 22 percent of boys have been fully inoculated, according to the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Oncologists blame pediatricians and family physicians for not recommending the vaccine to patients. Diane and a panel of guests discuss the new push by cancer experts to re-brand the vaccine as a crucial way to prevent cancer.” (4 guests) At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Infectious Disease Specialist 26 mins – “Dengue makes Zika worse. A fungi I never heard of. Worst UTI prevention study ever. And more.“ At the link find the title, “Puscast: June 15 to 31, 2016,” right-click “Media files junb16.m4a” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Internet Future 34 mins – “The future of the internet is at risk if we do not act now says experts from the Global Commission on Internet Governance. Their report entitled One Internet contains recommendations to ensure secure, accessible and affordable online freedom for years to come. The two-year project by the Centre for International Governance Innovation and Chatham House has brought together almost 70 advisers from around the world to develop this strategy for internet governance. Wonderlab at the Science Museum – A new interactive permanent gallery is soon to open at London’s Science Museum. Its aim is to make visitors, and particularly young people, think like a scientists. LJ Rich has been for a sneak preview at the technology on show. Silicon Valley Oscars – Talk of revolution was in the air in Silicon Valley last week at SVForum’s Visionary Awards. With past recipients like Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and Esther Dyson, these awards have earned a reputation as the Oscars of SV. Reporter Alison van Diggelen speaks to some of the winners and how they see their innovations impacting on people’s lives – for the good. VR Conservation – A new virtual reality film called Valen’s Reef has been launched this week at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The title comes from eight-year-old Valen, the son of a west Papuan fisherman who has become a coral reef scientist. The film shows you the variety of life on the reef and then the colourful thriving reef gives way to an underwater wasteland of bleached, dead coral. The team behind the work hope it will highlight the risks corals in the region are facing.” At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Irak’s Kurds 50 mins- “Twenty-five years ago, thousands of Iraqi Kurds lost their lives as they fled the forces of Saddam Hussein into the Zagros and Taurus mountains of northern Iraq, towards Iran and Turkey. Massively outgunned, many were killed by the helicopter gunship fire and tanks at the command of Saddam’s well trained and brutal troops. BBC Middle East correspondent Jim Muir revisits the exodus.” At the link find the title, “Iraq’s Kurds: From Flight to Freedom, May, 2016,” right-click “Media files p03vrbrw.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
ISIS Activities 47 mins – “Is ISIS training from building a caliphate to spreading terror worldwide? We’ll look at the latest surge of far-flung attacks.” At the link find the title, “With Spate Of Attacks, ISIS Shifts To Global Terror Network, Jul, 2016” right-click “Media files npr_484973825.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Isis Analysis 48 mins – “On July 4[ 2016], bombings rocked three cities in Saudi Arabia. Two days earlier the deadliest car bomb this year exploded in Baghdad. On July 1 in Dhaka, Bangladesh gunmen held hostages at a bakery killing 22. Just over a week ago, three suicide attackers killed 41 people at Istanbul’s airport. ISIS claimed responsibility for some of these attacks. For others, they did not — but officials suspect the terrorist group’s involvement. ISIS had vowed to make the holy month of Ramadan deadly and as it came to a close, they have done just that. Diane and her guests discuss new attacks from ISIS and security questions for the U.S.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
ISIS Opposition 27 mins – “Chloe Hadjimatheou tells the astonishing story of a group of young men from Raqqa in Syria who chose to resist the so-called ‘Islamic State’, which occupied their city in 2014 and made it the capital of their ‘Caliphate’. These extraordinary activists have risked everything to oppose ISIS; several have been killed, or had family members murdered. IS has put a bounty on the resistance leaders’ heads forcing them to go into hiding. But the group continues its work, under the banner ‘Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently’. Chloe meets the group’s founders, who are now organising undercover activists in Raqqa from the relative safety of other countries.” At the link find the title, “‘Islamic State’s’ Most Wanted, Apr, 2016,” right-click “Media files p03rndlv.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Juno Probe 20 mins – “After five years and 1.4bn miles, the Nasa spacecraft has arrived at its final destination, but what is this plucky little probe hoping to find? Following the news this week that the spacecraft successfully dropped into Jupiter’s orbit, Ian Sample is joined by planetary scientists professor Fran Bagenal – a co-investigator on the mission – and Dr Adam Masters to discuss the probe.” At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Juno Probe to Jupiter 47 mins – “After a 1.7 billion mile journey, NASA’s Juno spacecraft is now safely in orbit around Jupiter. We’ll look at what’s coming from the massive planet.” At the link find the title, “Juno Probes The Secrets Of Jupiter, Jul, 2016,” right-click “Media files npr_485276708.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Ketamine for Depression 39 mins – “Ketamine has quite the reputation as a club drug. But research is showing its promising potential as a treatment for severe cases of depression.” At the link find the title, “Treating Depression with Ketamine, Jul, 2016,” right-click “Media files SDS135.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Kolkata Stories 27 mins – “In the chaotic city of Kolkata in India, Catherine Carr hears from the feminist Shakespeare enthusiast to the man dying of AIDS and the woman still a little bit in love with her colleague; from the father and son begging by the roadside to the teenager dreaming of Olympic success. The brief portraits have been woven together with the sounds of the city, to create an unpredictable and poetic experience of Kolkata. This series, part of the Identity series, invites strangers to pause on their way from A to B and asks them one simple question: ‘Where Are You Going?’ The encounters reveal funny, moving, poignant and sometimes astonishing details about the lives of others. Image: Ayushi, a student at Kolkata’s Presidence University. “ At the link find the title, “Where Are You Going? – Kolkata, Apr, 2016,” right-click “Media files p03r1w5l.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Lead Belly Sound 48 mins – “Going back to Lead Belly. The blues legend is back. His influences, as big as ever.” At the link find the title, “Tuning In To The Lead Belly Sound, Jul, 2016,” right-click “Media files npr_484634655.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Listening Better 15 mins – “Tim Harford (the Financial Times’ ‘Undercover Economist’ and presenter of Radio 4’s More or Less) is joined by Malcolm Gladwell, David Kilcullen and Gillian Tett for a new series, ‘Pop-up Ideas’…Malcolm Gladwell, staff writer at the New Yorker and best-selling author of books such as The Tipping Point and Outliers, tells an extraordinarily powerful story about how listening more carefully might have shortened the Vietnam War. One of the world’s most influential counter-insurgency experts, David Killcullen, whose ideas were described by the Washington Post as ‘revolutionizing military thinking throughout the West’, talks about how future instability will emanate from rapidly-growing coastal megacities. The financial journalist Gillian Tett describes how her background in anthropology led her to predict the financial crisis in 2008. Tim Harford explores the concept of ‘The Tragedy of the Commons’ – a term coined by the American ecologist Garrett Hardin in a hugely influential 1968 essay. Tim compares Hardin’s work to that of the American political economist Elinor Ostrom, to reflect on the impact of mankind on the world around us.” At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Los Angeles Mayor 43 mins – “Eric Garcetti, the mayor of Los Angeles, has big ambitions but knows he must first master the small stuff. He’s also a polymath who relies heavily on data and new technologies. Could this be what modern politics is supposed to look like?” At the link click the circle with three dots, right-click “Download audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Malaria Research 28 mins – “Janet Hemingway, the youngest woman to ever to become a full professor in the UK, talks about her career at the frontline of the war on malaria. Whilst many researchers look for vaccines and treatments to this global killer, Janet’s approach, as a trained entomologist, has been to fight the mosquitoes – the vector – which transmits the malaria parasite.” At the link find the title, “Janet Hemingway, Jun, 2014,” right-click “Media files p02qh1zn.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Manto, Pakistani Author 27 mins – “Sa’adat Hassan Manto was a writer who confronted social taboos in Indio-Pakistani society. Even though he died in 1955, an alcoholic and penniless, his work still speaks to 21st Century Pakistan. As a film and radio script writer, a journalist and most significantly as short story writer in Urdu, Manto chronicled the chaos that prevailed in the run up to, during and after the Partition of India in 1947.” At the link find the title, “Manto: Uncovering Pakistan, Jun, 2016,” right-click “Media files p03z21n8.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Mental Illness in Africa 27 mins – “Gregoire is an ex garage mechanic whose mission in life is to help people in Benin, West Africa, with mental health problems who may otherwise be chained up in the spare room. With family approval he takes patients to his treatment centres, he cuts off their chains allowing them space and giving them help. Gregoire’s story and the attitudes that coalesce around it unfold against a backdrop of traditional healers, Western trained psychiatrists, ethnopsychiatry, Evangelical missionary work, Western attitudes to Africa and African attitudes to the West, and government ministries for whom mental health is a low and cash strapped priority.” At the link find the title, “The Mechanic and the Mission, Feb, 2016,” right-click “Media files p03jsfs5.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Mental Illness P1 55 mins – “What’s it like to go mad and be crazy, living at wit’s end? First comes diagnosis, followed by treatment. Then there’s stigma and stereotyping. Marilyn Powell talks to those dealing with mental illness with their own truth to tell.” At the link find the title, “ Wit’s End, Part 1, Jun, 2016,” right-click “ Media files ideas_20160620_74679.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Mental Illness P2 55 mins – “What’s it like to go mad and be crazy, living at wit’s end? First comes diagnosis, followed by treatment. Then there’s stigma and stereotyping. Marilyn Powell talks to those dealing with mental illness with their own truth to tell.” At the link find the title, “Wit’s End, Part 2, Jun, 2016,” right-click “Media files ideas_20160627_88772.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
National Park Service 29 mins – “As we celebrate the Fourth of July, it’s fitting that we also recognize the centennial of the National Park Service. Today on Sea Change Radio we speak with author and environmentalist Jason Mark about the challenges that the national parks face moving forward. Mark is the editor of Sierra Magazine and author of a new book, Satellites in The High Country, which focuses on the state of wilderness in the U.S. We talk about the hidden wild gems that Mark encountered while researching the book, and discuss how environmental groups like the Sierra Club are approaching the issue of climate change which looms over the entire conservation landscape.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
National Parks 46 mins – “Ready, set, summer. New ways to get lost inside America’s National Parks with the writers of Outside Magazine.” At the link find the title, “Beyond The Scenic Drive: New Ways To Explore National Parks, Jul, 2016,” right-click “Media files npr_484634640.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Nerve Injuries 5 mins – “Dr. Herbert Geller is a Senior Investigator in the Developmental Neurobiology Section and Head of the Office of Education at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health. He received his PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University and conducted postdoctoral research afterward at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. Herbert served on the faculty at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School for over 30 years before joining the NIH. He is a member of the Society for Neuroscience and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and he is here with us today to tell us all about his journey through life and science.” At the link find the title, “209: Growing Excitement for Research in Potential Treatments for Spinal Cord Injury – Dr. Herbert Geller, Jan, 2015,” right-click “Media files 209_Herb_Geller_Final.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Neurology and Addiction 29 mins – “Dr. Julie Kauer is a Professor of Medical Science and Professor of Neuroscience at Brown University. She received her PhD from Yale University completed a postdoctoral fellowships at the University of California San Francisco and at Stanford University… Julie is a leader in the field of synaptic function, over the years having discovered basic synaptic mechanisms that underlie synaptic strength changes in the hippocampus, ventral tegmental area and most recently, the dorsal horn. Over the years, Julie has made a major contribution to understanding synaptic plasticity at inhibitory synapses. For many years, inhibitory synapses were thought to act only as modulators of excitatory brain circuits, while excitatory synapses were thought to represent the major networks capable of synaptic strength alterations. The Kauer lab thoroughly characterized synaptic plasticity in the reward circuit at inhibitory synapses, and showed that this plasticity can be entirely blocked by a single exposure to any of a number of addictive drugs. They have recently added to this finding that a brief stressful stimulus also entirely blocks this form of LTP. The group has made strides in linking this neuroadaptation to stress-triggered reinstatement of cocaine-seeking in rodents. Most recently they discovered that kappa opioid receptor antagonists are highly effective at preventing reinstatement of cocaine-seeking in a rodent model of relapse, even given well after a stressful stimulus. Most recently Kauer’s group has begun working on inhibitory synapses in the dorsal horn, the part of the spinal cord that processes sensory and pain information. Although glycine is a major neurotransmitter in the CNS, relatively little is known about glycinergic synapses and plasticity in native tissues. They have now identified the first example of synaptic plasticity at glycinergic synapses in the mammalian nervous system. Moreover, this glycinergic plasticity is altered by the experience of peripheral inflammation, suggesting a role in the heightened pain responses that follow peripheral injury….” At the link find the title, “066: Working Out the Details of Synaptic Strengthening – Dr. Julie Kauer,” right-click “Media files 066_Julie_Kauer_Final.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Neuroscientist 40 mins – “Dr. Brock Grill is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at the Scripps Research Institute in Florida. He received his B.Sc. in Microbiology from the University of Alberta and was awarded his Ph.D. in Experimental Medicine from the University of British Columbia. Brock conducted postdoctoral research at the University of California Santa Cruz and at Stanford University. He served on the faculty at the University of Minnesota Medical School before joining the faculty at Scripps – Florida. Brock is here with us today to tell us all about his journey through life and science.” At the link find the title, “298: A Scientist Who Acts On Guidance and Ingenuity to Extend Our Understanding of Neural Development – Dr. Brock Grill,” right-click “Media files 298_Brock Grill_Final.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
New York City Stories 27 mins – “One question – Where are you going? – yields countless surprises about the lives of strangers. We hear from a pigeon-catching drug addict, a woman who is married to her cat, a man dicing with death in his day job and a mother who is travelling to see her daughter who has cancer. “It’s not supposed to be that way round” she says. These unpredictable encounters come together to create a unique and fascinating audio portrait of New York City.” At the link find the title, “Where Are You Going? – New York, Apr, 2016,” right-click “Media files p03q2y65.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Nonviolent Resistance 9 mins – “We’re not going to end violence by telling people that it’s morally wrong, says Jamila Raqib, executive director of the Albert Einstein Institution. Instead, we must find alternative ways to conduct conflict that are equally powerful and effective. Raqib promotes nonviolent resistance to people living under tyranny — and there’s a lot more to it than street protests. She shares encouraging examples of creative strategies that have led to change around the world and a message of hope for a future without armed conflict. “The greatest hope for humanity lies not in condemning violence but in making violence obsolete,” Raqib says.” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Obesity Research 28 mins – “Fat, sugar, salt – we all know we should eat less of them, and take more exercise, but as a nation with an ever expanding waistline we are becoming increasingly overweight. Jim al-Khalili talks to Professor Susan Jebb, the UK’s authority on obesity, who has spent much of her career trying to help us put those good intentions into practice. Her challenge is not for the faint hearted. When she first got interested in obesity, as a research scientist, rates were already on the rise. Yet no one took the problem seriously. Today, with over sixty percent of adults overweight or obese, Susan remains unwavering in her commitment to ensuring we do. As Professor of Diet and Population Health at Oxford University and Chair of the government’s Responsibility Deal Food Network, she wants all of us and the food industry to improve the nation’s health by translating the science of what we eat into practice. And health is what it’s all about. Obesity now poses such a danger that it’s been dubbed the ‘new smoking’.” At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Pathology Researcher 38 mins – “Dr. Oliver Smithies is the Weatherspoon Eminent Distinguished Professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of North Caronlina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine. He received his PhD in Biochemistry at Oxford University and spent some time on the faculty at the University of Toronto, as well as the University of Wisconsin, Madison, before joining the faculty at UNC, Chapel Hill where he is today. Oliver is a distinguished scientist, and in 2007, he was a co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Among many other accomplishments, he is the recipient of the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research, the Wolf Prize in Medicine, the Massry Prize, and the University of North Carolina’s O. Max Gardner Award. Oliver is also a Member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, a Member of the U.S. Institute of Medicine, a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a Foreign Member of the Royal Society. Oliver is here with us today to tell us all about his journey through life and science.” At the link find the title, “250: A Pathologist’s Path to Paramount Discoveries in Protein Separation and Genetic Recombination – Dr. Oliver Smithies,” right-click “Media files 250_Oliver_Smithies_Final.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Personality Changes 15 mins – “What makes you, you? Psychologists like to talk about our traits, or defined characteristics that make us who we are. But Brian Little is more interested in moments when we transcend those traits — sometimes because our culture demands it of us, and sometimes because we demand it of ourselves. Join Little as he dissects the surprising differences between introverts and extroverts and explains why your personality may be more malleable than you think.” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Perspectives 11 mins – “Perspective is everything, especially when it comes to examining your beliefs. Are you a soldier, prone to defending your viewpoint at all costs — or a scout, spurred by curiosity? Julia Galef examines the motivations behind these two mindsets and how they shape the way we interpret information, interweaved with a compelling history lesson from 19th-century France. When your steadfast opinions are tested, Galef asks: “What do you most yearn for? Do you yearn to defend your own beliefs or do you yearn to see the world as clearly as you possibly can?” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Photography History 43 mins “Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the development of photography in the 1830s, when techniques for ‘drawing with light’ evolved to the stage where, in 1839, both Louis Daguerre and William Henry Fox Talbot made claims for its invention. These followed the development of the camera obscura, and experiments by such as Thomas Wedgwood and Nicéphore Niépce, and led to rapid changes in the 1840s as more people captured images with the daguerreotype and calotype. These new techniques changed the aesthetics of the age and, before long, inspired claims that painting was now dead.” At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Podcasting Ideas 70 mins – “Is this the last Podcasters’ Studio? No. But staying motivated after years of talking about the same subject will be a challenge every podcaster faces if you do it long enough. How do you stay motivated? In most cases, listener feedback and a love for the topic will keep the show going for as long as you want. However, other platforms such as YouTube, twitter, etc., have some built in capabilities that can help podcasters stay motivated through easy engagement with the audience. Easy of commenting and “liking” are just two ways in which these platforms and many like them help your audience engage with your content and as a result, provide an extra level of motivation to keep you producing content. I’d love to see a few more tools built into iTunes that gave podcast listeners an easier way to connect with the podcaster. More access to stats, a “like” button in the Podcasts App, email notifications for new subscriptions are a few things that YouTube provides its creators. And in some cases, YouTube works directly with creators to improve their channels. All of these are great for the platform as well as the creator, keeping eyes and ears on their platform while providing that extra fuel that could be the difference between a creator producing content or stopping. PodcastsConnect is now how you submit podcasts to Apple. Login and check out the new tools available to you as a podcaster on iTunes. Libsyn now helps make the process of posting a podcast a little easier. ID3 tags, metadata that lives inside each podcast file (mp3) can now be added to your file when you upload to Libsyn. Blubby has had this feature for long time and I’m glad to see it now come to Libsyn users as well. If you want the best podcast media hosting, these are the two services I recommend. You can use *promo code: podcasthelper on checkout to get your first month free. I found out about an interesting quirk of the Behringer Q802USB which doesn’t allow you to monitor your audio in both directions when using the USB in/out only. Here’s how to “fix” the Q802USB to monitor in and out via USB. On this episode I explain the process you see in the above video but you’ll also hear how well this sub $100 mixer handles gain hungry dynamic microphones, in this case the Heil PR40. I also cover the Mackie Mix8 mixer and you can watch that review as well: Take note of the added Google Play Music buttons in the subscribe sections (below and top right) of this website. If your show is in the GPM store, make sure to update your site to include an easy link to your show on GPM!” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Police Shooting in Minnesota 20 mins – “Philando Castile and Alton Sterling were both fatally shot by police just this week. As people demand justice, what will it take for things finally to change?” At the link find the title, “Another victim shot to death by U.S. police spark calls for justice, Jul, 2016,” right-click “Media files current_20160707_33613.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Police Shootings 49 mins – “Last night, an African-American Minnesota man was shot to death in a car by police. This just a day after a black man died at the hands of police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Parts of both incidents were captured on video. According to data from the Washington Post, these represent two of the 123 fatal shootings of African-Americans by police so far this year. About two years after the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown, many are asking why more progress has not been made. The latest on the Baton Rouge and Minnesota shootings, and what they mean for race and policing in America.” (5 guests) At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Police Shootings in Dallas 21 mins – “A sniper turns a peaceful demonstration against police violence into a backdrop where police are the targets. Twelve Dallas police officers were hit, five are dead. The Current looks at the danger this recent shooting presents for race relations.” At the link find the title, “We are at a crossroads’: Police targeted at Dallas protest, 5 killed, Jul, 2016,” right-click “Media files current_20160708_31174.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Police Shootings in St Paul 47 mins – “A black man down and shot by white police officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. We study the tape and what it means.” At the link find the title, “The Shooting Deaths Of Philando Castile And Alton Sterling, Jul, 2016,” right-click “Media files npr_485121640.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Poverty Goals of UN 50 mins – “As the Sustainable Development Goals replace the Millennium Development Goals in January, Mike Wooldridge asks what are the realistic prospects for eradicating poverty by 2030? Can such strategies really “leave no one behind”?” At the link find the title, “The New Face of Development, Jan, 2016,” right-click “Media files p03gj9ct.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Quarks and Gluons 27 mins – “Keith & Russ talk with Vladimir Skokov, a research associate with the Brookhaven National Laboratory. Skokov talks particle physics, specifically quarks and gluons. He also touches on plasma and String Theory. http://www.bnl.gov/physics/NTG/people/skokov.php” At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Racism in Canada 21 mins – “With anti-immigrant sentiment being stirred up in the U.K. and in America, we explore racism in our own country and how some Canadians are challenging it.” At the link find the title, “Canadians challenge racism on their streets, Jul, 2016,” right-click “Media files current 20160704_72646.mp3
Relax with Nightvale 23 mins – “Anxiety, Stomach.” At the link find the title, “Within the Wires: Relaxation Cassette #2, Jul, 2016,” right-click “ “Media files 0220Within20the20Wires 20Relaxation20Cassette20232.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Robert Kennedy 49 mins – “Robert Kennedy’s political transformation is the focus of a new biography by journalist Larry Tye. Kennedy began his career as an assistant counsel on Senator Joe McCarthy’s sub-committee investigating communists. When Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in 1968, he was the liberal hopeful in the Democratic presidential primary. Larry Tye was given access to 58 boxes of private Kennedy papers, and interviewed 400 people, including Robert Kennedy’s widow, Ethel Kennedy.” At the link find the title, “July 5, 2016, From ‘Cold Warrior’ To ‘Liberal Icon,’ The Story Of Robert Kennedy,” click the circle with three dots, right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Rocket Girls 56 mins – “Science writer Nathalia Holt discusses her book [Rise of the Rocket Girls], in which she chronicles an elite group of women’s contributions to rocket design, space exploration, and the first American satellite. She is interviewed by Lisa Rand.” At the link find the title, “After Words with Nathalia Holt, Jul, 2016,” right-click “Media files program.438295.MP3-STD.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Romania Sheep Protection 27 mins – “Lucy Ash meets the sheep farmers who took on the government because of what they claim is a threat to their traditional way of life.” At the link find the title, “Romania: The Shepherds’ Revolt, Mar, 2016,” right-click “Media files p03ntwv4.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Rosemary Kennedy 52 min – “…biographer Kate Clifford Larson is with us to talk about the life of Rosemary Kennedy. She was a sister of John F. Kennedy, a vivacious beauty, and also intellectually challenged. As the Kennedy family’s power grew, her parents were anxious to keep her from the public eye. So at 23, she was lobotomized and institutionalized. Larson joins us to explain what Rosemary’s story reveals about the way we once dealt with disabilities, and how her life eventually inspired the Kennedys’ activism.” At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Rosewood Smuggling 28 mins – “Peter Hadfield travels to Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam to investigate the illegal trade in Siamese Rosewood. Rosewood is a hard wood that is highly prized because it can be carved into ornate items of furniture, but the appetite for the wood is so voracious that Siamese Rosewood is now becoming critically endangered. The wood is traded on the black market and now the Siamese Rosewood tree is close to being totally eradicated. Not only that, those responsible for the smuggling are leaving a trail of death and environmental destruction in their wake. Peter Hadfield goes in search of the tree. He’s on the trail of the smugglers and discovers the measures being taken to try and safeguard the surviving trees.” At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Rule of Law 42 mins – “The eminent economic historian Professor Niall Ferguson argues that institutions determine the success or failure of nations. In a lecture delivered at the London School of Economics and Political Science, he says that a society governed by abstract, impersonal rules will become richer than one ruled by personal relationships. The rule of law is crucial to the creation of a modern economy and its early adoption is the reason why Western nations grew so powerful in the modern age. But are the institutions of the West now degenerating? Professor Ferguson asks whether the democratic system has a fatal flaw at its heart. In the West young people are confronting the fact that they must live with the huge financial debt generated by their parents, something they had no control over despite the fact that they were born into a democracy. Is there a way of restoring the compact between different generations?” At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Satellite Design 163 mins – “In this episode we get a peek into how OHB System AG in Bremen develops satellites — mostly based on the Galileo navigation satellites. We speak with Christian Pauly about systems engineering, with Mathias Tausche about manufacturing and integration, with Andreas Wortmann about the software on the satellites, and with Ingo Engeln about the company as a whole. As a background, you may want to listen to omega tau 26 about satellite buses. omega tau 204 on Planet Labs’ small satellites may be interesting as a contrast.” At the link right-click “Download MP3 File Directly,” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Sebastian Junger 53 mins – “The journalist Sebastian Junger has noticed that for many veterans, and even some civilians, war feels better than peace, and he has a theory about why that might be. War, he says, compels us to band together and support one another in pursuit of a clear goal. But under the normal conditions of modern culture, we lose those connections, and we feel lonely and lost. Thursday, Junger joins us to discuss why we’re stronger when we come together and what tribal societies can teach us about leading meaningful lives. Sebastian Junger is a contributing editor to Vanity Fair and the author of a number of books, including The Perfect Storm, War, and A Death in Belmont. Together with Tim Hetherington, he directed the documentary film Restrepo. His latest book is called Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging … Junger recommends the book Sapiens…by Yuval Noah Harari if you’d like to learn more about the history of human cultural evolution from savannah-dwelling primates to earth’s lone surviving hominid species.” At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Startup Problems 44 mins – “Edgar Diaz has dedicated his life to dairy. He sees an incredible beauty in milk and the things that can come from it: soft cheese, rich dulce de leche, and creamy yogurt. He knows that to produce a really good yogurt, the conditions are just as important as the ingredients. You can use the freshest milk, but if your temperature is off or the timing inexact you risk ruining the whole batch. Edgar has a lot in common with some of the world’s most successful founders: intense passion, a deep knowledge of his product, and awards and acclaim from peers in his field. He seems to have all the ingredients for success, and the conditions seem right, so why is he so far from it?” At the link find the title, “Up in Flames (Season 3, Episode 9), Jun, 2016,” right-click “Media files GLT8206555017.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Stroke Prevention 11 mins – “Professor Valery Feigin discusses an Article on the global burden of stroke and risk factors from 1990–2013.” At the link find the title, “Global burden of stroke: The Lancet Neurology: Jun, 2016,” right-click “Media files laneur_160622.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Stutter Story 11 mins – “Artist Safwat Saleem grew up with a stutter — but as an independent animator, he decided to do his own voiceovers to give life to his characters. When YouTube commenters started mocking his Pakistani accent, it crushed him, and his voice began to leave his work. Hear how this TED Fellow reclaimed his voice and confidence in this charming, thoughtful talk.” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Supreme Court 8 56 mins – “The Supreme Court ended it’s term June 30th, issuing a slew of decisions. We look at three rulings: one involving gun ownership and domestic violence cases, another on affirmative action in college admissions and a third on political corruption. A look at how this unusual eight member court ruled and what ramifications these three particular decisions might have for New Hampshire.” At the link right-click th eplay button beside “Listen” and select “Save link As” from the pop-up menu.
Supreme Court Decisions 49 mins – “It’s the last day of the Supreme Court’s current term. The biggest decisions are often announced in the final weeks. Last week the court handed down decisions on affirmative action and immigration. Today the court weighs in on what’s been called the most significant abortion rights case in a generation. The eight justices also issue opinions on the public corruption conviction of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and a case involving the Second Amendment. We discuss these cases and how the court has been affected by a vacancy on the bench since the death of Antonin Scalia last winter.” (3 guests) At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Supreme Court Direction 35 mins – “…One of the things at stake in this presidential election is the future direction of the Supreme Court. Since the death of Justice Scalia, the court has had only eight justices and has sometimes been stalemated 4-4. Assuming Congress continues to block President Obama’s appointment of Merrick Garland, the next president will have at least one justice to appoint to the court, and that is likely to tip the balance. You can see the influence one president can have on the court by looking at Richard Nixon who appointed four justices. His first appointment, Warren Burger, in 1969, was also chosen by Nixon to be the chief justice. Nixon’s final appointment, William Rehnquist, became the next chief justice after Burger retired in 1986. The Burger Court has often been described as playing a transitional role between the liberal Warren Court and the conservative Rehnquist Court. But my guest Linda Greenhouse says that the Burger Court played a crucial role in establishing the conservative legal foundation for the even more conservative courts that followed. She co-wrote the new book, “The Burger Court And The Rise Of The Judicial Right” with Michael Graetz, a law professor at Columbia Law School and Yale University. Greenhouse covered the Supreme Court for The New York Times for nearly 30 years and now writes a biweekly column for The Times website. She also teaches at Yale Law School….” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Synthetic Biologist 39 mins – “Dr. Karmella Haynes is an Assistant Professor in the Ira A. Fulton School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering at Arizona State University. She is also a senior judge for the International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition. She received her Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics from Washington University in St. Louis. Prior to joining the faculty at ASU, Karmella was awarded a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Teaching and Research fellowship at Davidson College, followed by an NIH postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School. Karmella is with us today to tell us all about her journey through life and science.” At the link find the title, “314: Expressing Her Creativity Making Epigenetic Machinery and Designing Biological Devices – Dr. Karmella Haynes,” right-click “Media files 314 Karmella Haynes_Final.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Syrian Refugee Stories 27 mins – “Life as a refugee after fleeing the war in Syria to make a new life in Lebanon” At the link find the title, “The Listening Project in Lebanon, Jan, 2016,” right-click “Media files p03dnk1m.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Taxidermy 26 mins – “Have you noticed any antlered rabbits mounted on the wall of your local coffee shop? Or maybe some geese with butterfly wings? That’s because taxidermy has made a comeback. Our producer, Mariel Carr, wanted to know why, so she spent a few months exploring the alternative—or rogue—taxidermy scene in Philadelphia. Rogue taxidermy takes an artistic approach to the traditional craft. It combines materials, and even animals, in unconventional ways. And it seems to involve a fair amount of glitter. Meet Beth Beverly, a young taxidermist; John Whitenight, an eccentric collector of Victorian taxidermy; and the polar bears and gorillas at the Academy of Natural Sciences. Together they explain taxidermy’s long history of combining art and science, and describe the role arsenic played in taxidermy’s rise to prominence in the 19th century.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Telemedicine 48 mins – “The doctor’s appointment goes digital. Virtual visits, high-tech self-monitoring are here. We’ll look at Telemedicine.” At the link find the title, “Digital Doctors And Virtual Medicine, Jul, 2016,” right-click “Media files npr_484834298.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Tesla Auto Death 21 mins – “Self-driving car technology has come so far, so fast, many don’t realize these cars are already on the road. Now that a man has died after using Tesla’s autopilot feature, some question if it all happened too fast without proper safeguards in place?” At the link find the title, “Death of Tesla driver tests future of driverless car, Jul, 2016,” right-click “Media files current_20160705_32780.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Tornado Survivors 20 mins – “What happens when 24 people shut themselves in a beer cooler to wait out one of the strongest tornadoes in recorded history? Take a listen, because they recorded it.” At the link click the circle with the three dots, right-click “Download this audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Transgender Judge 25 mins – “When Phyllis Frye was in her 20s, a decision to come out as transgender cost her … her family, children and profession. Phyllis Frye shares her journey from being a trans law student in the 70s, to becoming the first openly transgender U.S. judge.” At the link find the title, “ENCORE: Transgender judge Phyllis Frye helped put the ‘T’ in LGBTQ, Jul, 2016,” right-click “Media files current_20160705_45407.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Virologist Peter Palese 74 mins – “Host: Vincent Racaniello Guest: Peter Palese – Vincent speaks with Peter Palese about his illustrious career in virology, from early work on neuraminidases to universal influenza virus vaccines.” At the link right-click “Download TWIV 396” and select “Save link As” from the pop-up menu.
Virology Researcher 39 mins – “Dr. James Pipas is the Herbert W. and Grace boyer Chair in Molecular Biology and Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh. He received his PhD in Molecular Biophysics from Florida State University and completed his postdoctoral training at Baylor College and the John Hopkins School of Medicine. Jim has been a faculty member in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh now for over 30 years. Jim is here with us today to tell us all about his journey through life and science.” At the link find the title, “221: Making Valuable Contributions to the Proliferation of Exciting Discoveries in Virology – Dr. James Pipas,” right-click “Media files 221_James_Pipas_Final.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Wahls Protocal 39 mins – “Dr. Terry Wahls talks functional medicine, ketosis, and implementing the Wahls Protocol in practice.” At the link find the title, “The Wahls Protocol: Fighting Fatigue With a Fork, Jul, 2016,” right-click “ “Media files SDS136.mp3”and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
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Media Mining Digest 