Exercise your ears: the 67 podcasts shown below present the best ideas, information and stories from a larger group of 399 for the week, to hear while your hands and eyes are busy. Get all the files as a group for the next four months here, or double (ctrl-click) individual titles to get single podcasts and explore the source. A collection of 24,729 podcasts, listed alphabetically and grouped by topic, can be downloaded piecemeal, with files A-E at this link, and the remainder here. You’ll be limited to a 4GB maximum per download at the last place, so multiple group downloads will be needed to get all files, totaling over 160GB and may take a few hours. The first entry in the collection is a text file with just titles for quicker reference. A collection of abstracts for all the podcasts is available at this link and updated quarterly. Get the discarded material, too, using a podcast aggregator loaded with this opml file of the 503 sources. And try PodcastRE from the University of Wisconsin with over 150,000 titles. Exercise your ears and relax the rest.
Aging Research 52 mins – “Science is showing that while chronological aging is inevitable, biological aging is malleable. There’s a part of it that you can fight, and we are getting closer and closer to winning that fight.” Join Dr. Eric Verdin live April 2 from the Buck Institute, as he shares his perspectives on the tremendous advancements in biological understanding achieved in the last 30 years. Dr. Verdin became President and CEO of The Buck in November, 2016. He was previously Associate Director and Senior Investigator at the Gladstone Institute for Virology and Immunology and has held faculty positions at the University of Brussels, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Picower Institute for Medical Research. Dr. Verdin is also a Professor of Medicine at UCSF. The Verdin lab focuses on how metabolism, diet and small molecules regulate a family of key proteins and thereby the aging process and its associated diseases. Dr. Verdin has published more than 210 scientific papers and holds more than 15 patents. A native of Belgium, he earned his MD from the University of Liege and completed additional training at Harvard Medical School.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however a copy of the podcast is included in this blog’s archive.
Angry Women 17 mins – “Brett Kavanaugh was accused of sexual misconduct. He was also nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court. Days after she testified in front of the senate, Dr. Christine Blasey-Ford was publicly mocked by President Trump. And women grow angrier and angrier. As the outrage swells, so do the protests. And the rallies. Women are coming together en masse in response to injustice. But this isn’t the first time. In fact, it’s just one moment in the hundreds of years of organizing and protesting and screaming in the streets, demanding to be heard. Christina Vardanis is the Executive Editor of Chatelaine, and like most of us, she’s struggled with knowing where to place her anger. With the help of a new book called Good And Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women’s Anger by Rebecca Traister, Christina came to realize that rage can, in fact, be catalytic.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Apple Inc in Supreme Court 60 mins – “The Supreme Court heard oral argument in Apple Inc. v. Pepper, which concerns whether a group of iPhone app purchasers can sue the tech giant for antitrust damages over its app store and pricing scheme. The class action lawsuit alleges that Apple has created a monopoly environment with its app store, causing consumers to pay higher prices than if there were other competitors in the market.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however a copy of the podcast is included in this blog’s archive.
Astro Geology 27 mins – “The audacious Japanese space mission has successfully landed two rovers (Minerva II 1a + b) on the surface of asteroid Ryugu. The asteroid is currently 4 years travel away from Earth, so much of the mission has been carried out autonomously. Killer of Killer Whales – Despite being banned in the 1980’s the organophosphate PCB is killing the world’s killer whales. As top predators, killer whales, or Orca, bioaccumulate the toxin in their fat reserves and then nursing mothers pass on the chemical to the young in their fat-rich milk. PCBs are endocrine disruptors and affects breeding success, so researchers are seeing fewer and fewer calves being born. And the worst part is that the chemicals, despite the 40 year ban, are still very persistent in the oceans. Ionosphere and World War 2 Bombs – The bombs used by Allied forces during the Second World War were big enough to weaken the Earth’s upper atmosphere. By calculating the energies of the Allied bombing raids over Europe between 1943 and 45 and referring back to ionospheric measurements made at the time over Slough in the South of England. The team at Reading University can calibrate the ionospheric wobbles and use this to work out how much energy is in natural events such as earthquakes and thunder storms which also perturb this atmospheric layer at the edge of space.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however a copy of the podcast is included in this blog’s archive.
Autism and Vaccines 19 mins – “Vaccine scientist, pediatrician, and autism dad Peter Hotez talks about his new book, Vaccines Did Not Cause Rachel’s Autism.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Back Pain Referrals 12 mins – “Dr John Moi is a rheumatologist and Head of the Back Pain Assessment Clinic at Royal Melbourne Hospital. He talks about improving referrals to back pain specialists to improve pathways to care. With MJA news and online editor, Cate Swannell.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow, select “Save File,” and “OK” to download the podcast.
Cambridge Analytica Defined 10 mins – “What is Cambridge Analytica? The recent word that 50 million Facebook users had their personal information collected during the 2016 presidential campaign by a data analytics firm has brought new and intense scrutiny on Facebook and social media. Posting privately to your friends, liking and disliking posts and pages may seem harmless enough, but that seemingly benign information can be mined, studied, analyzed, and transformed into political campaign ammunition. Everything Explained’s Brian Shields spoke with Prof. James Hendler, the Director for Data Exploration and applications at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy about the data giant.” At the link find the title, “What Is Cambridge Analytica?,” right-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Canadian Cannabis Users at the Boarder 12 mins – A discussion of the problem of Canadians admitting to having used marijuana when they attempt to enter the U.S. The podcast is from The Big Story podcast, but no summary is available there. However, the podcast is in the blog archive.
Canadian Monuments 27 mins – “What do you have to do to get a statue in Canada? We put some of our most lauded historical figures on trial and deliberate their pros and cons. Who should be torn down and who should stay up? From the Famous Five to Terry Fox, we look at some of the best and worst.” At the link find the title, “The Secret Life of Statues,” right-click “Download S1: The Secret Life of Statues” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Carbon Tax Rebates 23 mins – “Did the federal carbon tax just drive up the price of gas in four provinces? It sure did, and lots of other things, too. But will you get that money back, and maybe more on top of it? Also yes. This is why you’re going to hear a lot of technically-not-lies on this issue over the next six months. Conservatives spent the weekend telling Canadians to horde gas against the looming expense. Liberals enlisted a celebrity guest to help reassure those same Canadians that really, it wouldn’t be so bad. No matter whom you choose the believe, there are plenty of facts out there to support your case. But instead we’re going to ask our Parliament Hill reporter to try to cut through the spin and explain how this works, what it means for you, and why the spin on this issue has been so dizzying.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Citizens United Defined 18 mins – “It’s 2010. The Supreme Court is hearing the infamous case that decided elections law in the United States… Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission. You’ll often hear political candidates cite the case when talking about how campaigns are funded and thus sometimes unjustly balanced.” At the link find the title, “What Is Citizens United?” right-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Climate Change 18mins – “A new approach to the defining story of our time might help us finally develop a framework to make a difference. Now that extreme weather is the new normal, individual efforts to fight climate change can feel pointless. What good is making sure you take transit when it’s -35 one day and 10 degrees the next? But defining climate change as inevitable is a marketing strategy used by those who profit off of our inertia. So you can change the story, but not by riding a bike or recycling. Research shows there is one thing we can do that’s both easy and effective—you have to tell people you care; not with depression or sadness but with concern and hope. That’s what moves the needle. But how do you start those conversations, and with whom? Also…can we still enjoy unseasonably warm days in the dead of winter without guilt? Asking for a friend who hosts a podcast.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Climate Change and Agriculture 24 mins – “Shifting weather patterns and rising temperatures are altering what crops farmers can plant. In the last of a three-part series on climate, we examine how advancements in AI and genetics could help farms battle drought and crop disease.” At the link find the title, “The Price of Climate: The Northern Farming Frontier,” where you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is included in the blog archive.
Climate Change Problem 27 mins – “The latest climate talks have heard that emissions this year and last have increased – they fell in the 3 years previously. Development of electric vehicles and energy generation with renewable technologies have helped reduce emissions, but it’s not enough according to the latest analysis. The growth of conventional energy generation using fossil fuels has dwarfed reduction from using cleaner technologies. Ammonia pollution is a serious issue for health globally. New satellite observations are able to pinpoint sources from factories to chicken farms worldwide. Ammonia pollution is a serious issue for health globally. New satellite observations are able to pinpoint sources from factories to chicken farms worldwide. Changes in laws in the Amazon designed to make the conservation of forests in private hands easier could have the opposite effect. In a strange statistical quirk, if a state is successful in its conservation efforts more private forestry could be made available for development. And the maths of Democracy, can analytical systems developed to help understand stem cell growth or the behaviour of social insects be used to help understand the function and dysfunction of political systems? Researchers suggest such analysis could even be used to predict a change in political direction, in the run up to elections for example.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however a copy of the podcast is included in this blog’s archive.
Climate Warming and Plant Stomata 28 mins – “The rate the Greenland Ice Sheet is melting is possibly the highest in 8000 years. New work looking at layers of melt in ice cores, from the second biggest ice sheet in the world, has shown that in the past 20 years the rate of melting has increased by 250-575%. The resultant fresh water run off not only adds to sea level rise, but impacts important ocean currents in the Atlantic. When trying to understand how plants are reacting to increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, scientists count their stomata. Stomata are the tiny pores found on leaves which allow for carbon dioxide (plant food) uptake and oxygen release. They also are the route by which plants lose water. So there is always a trade-off. More stomata, more potential for CO2 uptake, but more chance of drying out due to water loss. This means that the number of pores in a leaf is carefully calibrated to the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. If you take a 200 million year old leaf from a gingko tree, it’s got a lot more stomata than a gingko leaf now. This is because levels of the greenhouse gas were much higher then. But how are modern gingkos and other plants adapting to increasing carbon now? Jodrell Bank Observatory, part of Manchester University, is famous for its telescopes and work on radio astronomy. But what’s not so well known is its work tracking communications from spacecraft, which came about completely by accident. Starting with the tracking of Sputnik 1 in the 1950s, scientists at Jodrell Bank tracked flights throughout the US Russian Space Race. Recently, Professor of Physics and Associate Director of the observatory, Tim O’Brien found a box of audio tapes, which turned out to be recordings of these communications, annotated by Sir Bernard Lovell himself. These tapes are a time capsule back to when the world was racing to get into space.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however a copy of the podcast is included in this blog’s archive.
Climate Warming Wildfires and Politics 27 mins “In the US mid-term elections, the Democrats gained a majority in the lower house, this means they take control of key committees – including the House Science Committee. Over recent years, this once bipartisan committee has been used by Republicans to push a climate change-denying agenda. Now the Democrats will regain control and the chair elect says she will be reinforcing that climate change is real and doing more to encourage participation in science at a grassroots level particularly with minorities who are currently under represented. We ask what this and other changes to science administration mean for the future of science under Donald Trump’s presidency. Environmental policies and his generally anti-science attitude are likely to come under greater scrutiny. We’ll also look at the California fires, which seem to be increasing in frequency. Is this due to climate change or other human intervention or changes in natural processes? And new research into hurricanes suggests human activity is making them more severe than they would otherwise be. In this case the built environment has become part of the problem, with the density of buildings in cities contributing to increases in wind speeds and a reduction in drainage for floodwaters.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Conspiracy Theory Discussion 19 mins – “Stories of secret meetings, shadow governments and hidden knowledge are as old as we are—but you may have noticed them taking on a more active role in public discourse in the past few years. From Alex Jones to QAnon and Pizzagate to people who insist mass shootings are staged…there are some serious megaphones behind today’s conspiracies. But how different are they from the original conspiracies? And why do they seem so prevalent amongst the citizens of our neighbour to the south? Anna Merlan’s new book, Republic of Lies, dives into the history of America and conspiracies to examine their origins and their staying power. What’s the grandfather of all conspiracies? How do they gather such steam, so rapidly? What happens when they cross the line from Internet Content to real-life incidents? And are there any conspiracy theories out there worth believing?” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Constitutional Convention Defined 16 mins – “If you live in New York state, you’ve seen the signs. Vote to elect. Vote to re-elect. Vote YES. Vote NO on the Constitutional Convention. But what is … the Constitutional Convention?” At the link find the title, “What Is A Constitutional Convention?” right-cick the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
DACA Defined 26 mins – “DACA – or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals – it’s a program set up during the Obama administration designed to protect the children of undocumented people who crossed the border into the United States. Today, Sarah Rogerson, Professor at Albany Law, helps us to break down the ins and outs of the program.” At the link find the title, “What Is DACA?” right-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Dought-related Stress 19 mins – “Emma Austin is with the Centre for Climate, Water and Land at the University of Newcastle. Professor David Perkins is Director of UON’s Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health. They talk about drought-related stress with MJA news and online editor, Cate Swannell.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow, select “Save File,” and “OK” to download the podcast.
Driverless Cars 19mins – The global race for autonomous vehicles is on-but roadblocks lie ahead. Waymo CEO John Krafcik tells WSJ’s Jamie Heller about his company’s plans to launch a commercial self-driving car service in the coming months.” At the link find the title, ““WSJ Tech D.Live: Are We There Yet? The Future of Driverless Cars,11/14/2018” where you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is included in the blog archive.
Electoral College Discussion 28 mins – “For our third episode, we talk to Victoria Bassetti, fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School about the electoral college.” At the link find the title, “What Is The Electoral College?” which you can hear, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive. Electoral districts ebb and flow. The ever-changing population in different areas across the country creates the challenge of drawing the districts as close to accurately representative as possible. When drawing, the lines can get a little blurry, communities can become divided, and the way the edges of the districts are formed can determine the outcome of an election. At least, this is what legal teams across the country are trying to prove. The process of making the districts is called Gerrymandering. And today, we have an expert on the pod, to help us breakdown the fundamentals of the practice. https://wamcpodcasts.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/gerrymandering_ee.mp3 Ruth Greenwood, a senior counsel at the Campaign Legal Center, litigates a variety of redistricting cases. Along with co-counsel, she represents the plaintiffs in two high-profile partisan gerrymandering cases (Gill v. Whitford and LWVNC v. Rucho). On a federal level, not every state has to deal with this issue, some smaller states, like Vermont for example, only have one U.S. Rep. seat for the entire state. Which makes the issues more centered around medium to larger sized states, like Wisconsin, North Carolina, Texas, California, and New York. So Ruth, to start off the conversation on an broad note, what is gerrymandering?” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
End of Life Care 26 mins – “Tristan Lederman was born hydrocephalic and had cerebral palsy. He could not see, walk or do anything for himself, relying on his parents and at-home caregivers for all his needs. But like a lot of other young adults with extraordinary medical needs, his health took a turn last year. He developed rashes and suffered seizures. He wasn’t eating and drinking. He slept more during the day and went to bed early in the evenings. “We knew something was seriously wrong with him,” his father Mark Lederman told White Coat, Black Art host Dr. Brian Goldman.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Evolution 6 mins – “Did humans evolve from monkeys or from fish? In this enlightening talk, ichthyologist and TED Fellow Prosanta Chakrabarty dispels some hardwired myths about evolution, encouraging us to remember that we’re a small part of a complex, four-billion-year process — and not the end of the line. “We’re not the goal of evolution,” Chakrabarty says. “Think of us all as young leaves on this ancient and gigantic tree of life — connected by invisible branches not just to each other, but to our extinct relatives and our evolutionary ancestors.” At the link left-click “Share,” then right-click the download arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Fish Industry 22 mins – “Demand for wild seafood is rising-but so is the cost of bringing it ashore. In the first of a three-part series on climate, we meet the fishermen and scientists grappling with warming waters, shifting currents and rapidly changing economics.” At the link find the title, “The Price of Climate: Is Commercial Fishing in Hot Water?,” which can be played but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is included in the blog archive.
Forensic DNA Database 22 mins – “First, we hear from science writer Joshua Sokol about his trip to the Cambrian—well not quite. He talks with host Megan Cantwell about his travels to a remote site in the mountains of British Columbia where some of Earth’s first animals—including a mysterious, alien-looking creature—are spilling out of Canadian rocks. Also on this week’s show, host Sarah Crespi talks with James Hazel a postdoctoral research fellow at the Center for Genetic Privacy and Identity in Community Settings at Vanderbilt University in Nashville about a proposal for creating a universal forensic DNA database. He and his co-authors argue that current, invasive practices such as law enforcement subpoenaing medical records, commercial genetic profiles, and other sets of extremely detailed genetic information during criminal investigations, would be curtailed if a forensics-use-only universal database were created.” At the link right-click “Download MP3” at the sound bar and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Fresh Vegetables versus GMOs and Treated Plants 12 mins – A discussion of the pros and cons of fresh and treated vegetables. The podcast is from The Big Story podcast, but no summary is available there. However, the podcast is in the blog archive.
Fungi Overview 71 mins- “The TWiM team considers the state of the world’s fungi as revealed by a report from the Kew Royal Botanical Gardens, and how Salmonella loses motility to evade host defenses.” At the link “Right click to download TWiM#189” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Gene-Edited Meat 18 mins – “Is the boutique burger scene ready for vegan patties that bleed like meat? What about chicken and beef grown in tanks? With the global population expected to exceed 9-billion by 2050, scientists and executives are looking for sustainable and delicious ways to replicate meat.” At the link find the title, “Are We Ready for Manufactured Meat?, 5/19/2017” which can be played, but not downloaded; however, a copy of the podcast is included in the blog archive.
Gerrymandering Defined 18 mins – “Electoral districts ebb and flow. The ever-changing population in different areas across the country creates the challenge of drawing the districts as close to accurately representative as possible. When drawing, the lines can get a little blurry, communities can become divided, and the way the edges of the districts are formed can determine the outcome of an election. At least, this is what legal teams across the country are trying to prove. The process of making the districts is called Gerrymandering. And today, we have an expert on the pod, to help us breakdown the fundamentals of the practice. Ruth Greenwood, a senior counsel at the Campaign Legal Center, litigates a variety of redistricting cases. Along with co-counsel, she represents the plaintiffs in two high-profile partisan gerrymandering cases (Gill v. Whitford and LWVNC v. Rucho). On a federal level, not every state has to deal with this issue, some smaller states, like Vermont for example, only have one U.S. Rep. seat for the entire state. Which makes the issues more centered around medium to larger sized states, like Wisconsin, North Carolina, Texas, California, and New York. So Ruth, to start off the conversation on an broad note, what is gerrymandering? Credits: Everything Explained is produced by WAMC Northeast Public Radio with assistance from Kristin Gilbert and Ashleigh Kinsey. Also we’d like to give a special thanks to Ruth Greenwood…” At the link find the title, “What Is Gerrymandering?” right-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
GMOs Defined 15 mins – “Genetically Modified Organisms, or GMOs are controversial at their roots. But what exactly are they? Listen to WAMC’s Joe Donahue on the Roundtable talk with a journalist and author of a new book on the subject.” At the link find the title, “What Are GMOs?” right-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Handgun Ban in Canada 16 mins – “Toronto first proposed it after July’s mass shooting. And on Monday, Montreal city council unanimously voted to request a federal ban on handguns across Canada. The Liberal government could reopen bill C-71 and make it happen. And with shootings atop so much of the news this summer, it feels like a logical move. After all, who really needs a handgun, right?But how would the government go about implementing this? Would it actually make a difference? Or is this one of those measures that makes everyone feel better but doesn’t accomplish much? Manisha Krishnan of Vice takes us inside the world of gun control in Canada and what sort of data and policy might actually help stem the tide. Spoiler alert: Most Canadians don’t know nearly enough about the regulations already in place in their own country.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
High Fructose Corn Syrup Defined 9 mins – “Everything Explained is a podcast aimed at helping to decipher what we talk about in the news. We always start off with a basic question before the deeper dive into figuring out the gritty details in what something is. In our first episode, we talk to Dr. Marion Nestle, author of Food Politics and Paulette Goddard Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University about high fructose corn syrup.” At the link find the title, “What Is High Fructose Corn Syrup?” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
House and Senate Responsibilities 50 mins – “The US Congress has two houses – the House of Representatives and the Senate. But why? And what’s the difference? Also, Sam Evans-Brown tells us what are palm trees good for in an installment of “Ask Sam” from Outside/In. And finally, we get the lowdown on a Star Trek-related vanity plate.” At the link right-click the play button and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Hudson Bay Company History 38 mins – “The Bay Blanket. These blankets are as iconic as Mariah Carey’s lip-syncing, but some people believe they were used to spread smallpox and decimate entire Indigenous communities. We dive into the history of The Hudson’s Bay Company and unpack the very complicated story of the iconic striped blanket.” At the link find the titel, “S2: Bay Blanket” right-click “Download S2: Bay Blanket” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Inuit Life 36 mins – “Nunavut has the largest landmass out of all the provinces and territories in Canada – and yet, it is an area that many of us know the least about. In this episode, we look at the forced relocation of the Inuit, the Eskimo Identification System, and the dog slaughter perpetuated by the Canadian government.” At the link find the title, “The Secret Life of the North,” right-click “Download S1: The Secret Life of the North” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Japanese Interment Camps 18 mins – “President Donald Trump’s promise of a border wall has divided many on both sides of the issue. This summer, the Trump administration’s zero tolerance policy brought about the removal of thousands of migrant children from their parents to child detention centers across the United States. The move sent shockwaves throughout the country, but for many, it’s deja vu.” At the link find the title, “What Were Internment Camps?,” to listen, but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is included in the blog archive.
Jellyfish Immortality 38 mins – “T. dohrnii — This teeny tiny animal is one of the few known cases of a creature capable of reverting back to a sexually immature stage after reaching maturity, when t. dohrnii is caused physical or environmental distress, including natural aging, it will retract its tentacles and turn into a blob of transdifferentiated cells that will sink to the bottom of the ocean and grow into a polyp. The polyp buds into even more genetically identical jellyfish — thus t. dohrnii has both evaded death and managed to clone itself. This process could theoretically go on indefinitely, making the t. dohrnii effectively biologically immortal. [Three other stories are included about spotted hyena, the flying murder head (Quetzalcoatlus), and termite superorganism.]” At the link left-click “Share,” right-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Kidney Function Research 24 mins – “On this edition of Science Studio, Keith Pannell and Russ Chianelli speak with Dr. Rudy Ortiz from the University of California Merced. Professor Ortiz’s research focuses on the regulation of kidney function and metabolism in a variety of animal models, including seals and dolphins, with the intent that the data will have translative value to clinical medicine.” At the link right-click the play button and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Klondike Gold Rush 33 mins – “There is no doubt that the Klondike Gold Rush was an iconic event. But what did the mining industry cost the original people of the territory? And what was left when all the gold was gone? And what is a sour toe cocktail?” At the link find the title, “S2: The Gold Rush,” right-click “Download S2: The Gold Rush” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Mental Patient Story 27 mins – “At 22, Amy Willans was a driven nursing student with a part-time job and a spot on Canada’s national precision skating team. It was 1996, she was dating the varsity football quarterback and had her whole life planned out. “I was going to be traveling and competing and representing my country, which was so exciting,” Willans recalled. To outsiders, the young Edmonton woman was on an upward trajectory.” At the link you can listen but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Mercury Contamination 27 mins – “A researcher in China claims to have modified the genes of two baby girls. His announcement at a genetics conference in Hong Kong caused outrage. Experts in the field were quick to point out the dangers of the technique he had used and questioned the ethics of doing such an experiment. Scientists in Cambridge have successfully grown human placental tissue. This is not for transplant into humans, but to provide a model to help understand problems in early pregnancy which can affect both mother and baby. Mercury in the Arctic is a toxic problem for people and wildlife. It’s not produced there, but comes from industrial processes around the world. Scientists have discovered about half the mercury transported to the Arctic each year comes from Russian rivers after it is released from melting permafrost.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however a copy of the podcast is included in this blog’s archive.
Middle Aged Mortality 12 mins – “Professor John McNeil is the Head of the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University. He talks about ageing Australian population and how to keep our elders healthy. With MJA news and online editor, Cate Swannell.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow, select “Save File,” and “OK” to download the podcast.
Net Neutrality Defined 18 mins – “Net Neutrality is a mess of divisive, confusing, and controversial opinion. And the clutter has only worsened over the last few months. After the Federal Communication Commission’s repeal of the Obama-era rules in December of 2017, chat forums, comment sections, and news articles about the repeal sprang up in every corner of the exact place that Net Neutrality was attempting to regulate – the Internet. Now, the beginning of the repeal process will start on April 23rd.” At the link find the title, “What Is Net Neutrality?” right-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Ocean Research 13 mins – “Our oceans are unexplored and undersampled — today, we still know more about other planets than our own. How can we get to a better understanding of this vast, important ecosystem? Explorer Sebastien de Halleux shares how a new fleet of wind- and solar-powered drones is collecting data at sea in unprecedented detail, revealing insights into things like global weather and the health of fish stocks. Learn more about what a better grasp of the ocean could mean for us back on land.” At the link left-click “Share,” right-click the download arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Ocean Research 8 mins – “Satellite imaging has revolutionized our knowledge of the Earth, with detailed images of nearly every street corner readily available online. But Planet Labs’ Will Marshall says we can do better and go faster — by getting smaller. He introduces his tiny satellites — no bigger than 10 by 10 by 30 centimeters — that, when launched in a cluster, provide high-res images of the entire planet, updated daily.” At the link left-click “Share,” right-click the download arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Opiate Prescription Problem 9 mins – “Interview with Dr. Scott Podolsky on the revolution in pharmaceutical marketing that set the stage for physician “education” about treating pain with opioids.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Polio-like Illness 27 mins – “Rachelle Downton hoped her son Xavier, 4, would take a few steps with a walker for Christmas. That likely won’t happen, and doctors say his recovery from a frightening and mysterious ailment may take much longer. Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is a rare illness that resembles polio. It mainly hits children. Why isn’t known. The spinal cord is affected, which can cause arms and legs to go limp with stunning speed.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however a copy of the podcast is included in this blog’s archive.
Prostate Surveillance 12 mins – “A/Professor Sue Evans is director of the Clinical Registries Unit at Monash University and Ms Melanie Evans is coordinator of the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry Victoria. They discuss the low-risk prostate cancer patients slipping through the cracks. With MJA news and online editor, Cate Swannell.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow, select “Save File,” and “OK” to download the podcast.
Real Estate Fraud Case 30 mins – “It all started with a mansion in the most exclusive neighbourhood in Toronto. It ended up as $17 million worth of alleged real estate fraud, and the key witness to the scam living with stray cats in an expat heaven of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. If this sounds wild, well yeah – that’s the point. Join us for this special long episode, a tale that spans cities, cultures and nations – but ultimately comes back to some all-too-human motivations: Greed, fear and vengeance.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Sanctuary Cities Defined 32 mins – “What do San Francisco, Chicago, and Albany, NY have in common? They’re sanctuary cities – among hundreds of other U.S. cities, states, and counties that have declared their support for immigrant populations, often by limiting their cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement – otherwise known as ICE. Safe havens to some, crime-infested danger zones to others – sanctuary cities have become the topic of heated partisan debate. Particularly since President Donald Trump took office, promising to strip them of funding….” At the link find the title, “What Are Sanctuary Cities?” right-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Sankara of Africa 106 mins – “Comrade Slasher from Nigeria joins Breht to talk about the life, politics, and legacy of Marxist revolutionary and Pan-African leader of Burkina Faso, Thomas Sankara.” At the link find the title, “Thomas Sankara: “The Che of Africa” and Marxist Martyr Dec 16, 2018,” left-click the down-ponting, select “Save File” and “OK” to download the podcast.
Sex Education for Kids 15 mins – What is the proper education for children in school. The podcast is from The Big Story podcast, but no summary is available. However, the podcast is in the blog archive.
Shirley Manson 47 mins – “Debbie talks to singer-songwriter Shirley Manson about her career, her music, and the long road that got her where she is today.” At the link left-click the download arrow, then right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Solar Probe 27 mins – “Nasa is just a few days away from launching its next science mission, a spacecraft called the Parker Solar Probe that will eventually “touch the sun.” If all goes to plan, the probe will take off aboard a rocket on Saturday 11 August from Cape Canaveral in Florida. On its final close approach, in 2025, the Parker Solar Probe will get within six million kilometres of the Sun’s surface — so close that it will actually fly through the star’s incredibly hot atmosphere, called the corona. It is hoped the mission will provide answers to some of the Sun’s mysteries – why its atmosphere becomes hotter further away from the surface of the sun? How the solar wind of charged particles streaming out into space is born? And what causes the gigantic outbursts scientists call coronal mass ejections? One Hundred and Fifty Years Since the Discovery of Helium – Helium, the second most abundant element in the universe, was discovered on the Sun before it was found on the Earth. Pierre-Jules-César Janssen, a French astronomer, noticed a yellow line in the Sun’s spectrum while studying a total solar eclipse in 1868. Sir Norman Lockyer, an English astronomer, realised that this line, could not be produced by any element known at the time. It was hypothesised that a new element on the sun was responsible for this mysterious yellow emission. This unknown element was named helium by Lockyer. The Trouble with Doing Science- Marnie Chesterton takes an inside look at the hoops some scientists have to jump through to get their experiments running. In an experiment to look for dark matter, Polish scientist, Pawel Majewski, at Rutherford Appleton Lab has spent 5 years orchestrating the fabrication of a test chamber, a flask called a Cryostat. For the experiment to work the chamber has to be as radiation-free as possible. The trouble is the natural radiation from Earth during the manufacture and transport keep contaminating the metal. – New Horizons to Visit Ultima Thule Ultima Thule is the name given to an asteroid, or pair of asteroids, in the Kuiper Belt – a ring of rocky bodies at the edge of the Solar System. The New Horizons mission, which captured such amazing data on Pluto, got a mission extension to travel further out. This week the asteroid passed in front of a distant star, giving the team a chance to see more detail of the rocky body, which will be the furthest object visited by a man-made craft, when New Horizon’s gets there in November.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however a copy of the podcast is included in this blog’s archive.
Stroke Rehabilitation Problems 26 mins – “It was dinner time when Linda Windross heard a thump. She ran upstairs to find Robert, her husband of 30 years, slumped on the floor. “He was talking, but he was really struggling and shaking,” Linda said, recalling the scene on Aug. 18 at their home in Castor, Alta., about 230 kilometres south of Edmonton….” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Tech Regulation in California 32 mins – “California Attorney General Xavier Becerra (D) talks about California’s $385 billion tech industry, the state’s new data privacy law, net neutrality, antitrust investigations of tech platforms, and monitoring Silicon Valley tech companies.” At the link find the title in The Communicators section of C-Span, “Communicators with Xavier Becerra (Nov, 2018)” right-click it and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Textbook Wars 58 mins- “In 1974, a fierce controversy erupted over some newly adopted school textbooks in Kanawha County, West Virginia. School buildings were hit by dynamite and Molotov cocktails, buses were riddled with bullets, journalists were beaten and surrounding coal mines were shut down by protesting miners. Textbook supporters thought they would introduce students to new ideas about literature and multi-culturalism. Opponents felt the books undermined traditional American values.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is included in the blog archive.
Toronto History 46 mins – “It’s our first live show! Recorded in front of an audience for the Hotdocs Podcast Festival, we try to answer the age-old question: why is Toronto the city Canada loves to hate? Featuring special guests Jane Luk, Kris Siddiqi, Brandon Hackett and music by Matt Reid.” At the link find the title, “Toronto vs. Everyone (Live!),” right-click “Download S2: Toronto vs. Everyone (Live!)” and select “Save Link As: from the pop-up menu.
Toronto Van Attack 15 mins – Podcast about the attack PTSD results. The podcast isn’t at the site, but is included in the blog archive.
Whole Earth Catalog 119 mins – “The evening program of The Whole Earth Catalog 50th Anniversary Celebration was held on October 13, 02018, and featured conversations between Whole Earth Catalog contributors and contemporary wave-makers as they discussed the legacy of the Catalog and what the next 50 years might hold. Speakers included Ryan Phelan, Danica Remy, Rusty Schweickart, Kevin Kelly, Simone Giertz, Howard Rheingold, Chip Conley, Stephanie Mills, Stephanie Feldstein, Stewart Brand and Sal Khan. The event was sponsored by the San Francisco Art Institute, WIRED, The Long Now Foundation, Ken and Maddy Dychtwald, Peter and Cathleen Schwartz, Stewart Brand and Ryan Phelan, Juan and Mary Enriquez, and Gerry Ohrstrom. Learn more about the Whole Earth Catalog 50th Anniversary Celebration. Watch Whole Earth Flashbacks, a documentary that profiles the creators of the Whole Earth Catalog and the community they inspired.” At the link you can listen/watch, but have to join to download; however, a copy of the podcast is incldued in the blog archive.
Wildfire Control 16 mins – “This year’s wildfire season in British Columbia is the second worst in the province’s history, behind only last year. More than 950,000 hectares of land has burned since April 1st. The situation has resulted in evacuation alerts and days of smoky skies in some areas. Is this the new summer norm? What, if anything, can be done to prevent wildfires on such a catastrophic scale? Lori Daniels, forestry professor at the University of British Columbia, explains the mistakes that have been made when dealing with forest fires, and the simple, yet crucial steps that should be taken by both homeowners and the government to keep communities safe.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
William Barr 43 mins – “Trump’s nominee for Attorney General, William Barr, is more qualified to do the job than Matt Whitaker–but so are thousands of others. His record, however, show’s he as bad as Jeff Sessions—if not worse. David Cole, National Legal Director of the ACLU and The Nation’s legal affairs correspondent, explains. Also: a report on The Nation’s investigation of Massive Accounting Fraud at the Pentagon – Dave Lindorff found that $21 million cannot be accounted for. For decades, he says, the Pentagon has been “deliberately cooking the books to mislead Congress.” Plus: the Armenian Revolution: “a small light of hope and progressive democratic change in a Europe increasingly shadowed by authoritarian and dictatorial forces, especially in most of the former soviet-bloc states of Eastern Europe.” That’s what Marc Cooper says—he’s spent months in Yerevan, where elections on Sunday confirmed the victory of the revolutionaries.” At the link find the title, “William Barr: Another Jeff Sessions? David Cole….” left-click the down-pointing arrow, select “Download” then “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Worst Year for Humanity 32 mins – “When was the worst year to be alive? Contributing Correspondent Ann Gibbons talks to host Sarah Crespi about a contender year that features a volcanic eruption, extended darkness, cold summer, and a plague. Also on this week’s show, host Meagan Cantwell talks with Andrea Di Francesco of the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Aging in Baltimore, Maryland, about his review of current wisdom on fasting and metabolism. Should we start fasting—if not to extend our lives maybe to at least to give ourselves a healthy old age? In a special segment from our policy desk, Deputy Editor David Malakoff discusses the results of the recent U.S. election with Senior Correspondent Jeffrey Mervis and we learn what happened to the many scientist candidates that ran and some implications for science policy.” At the link right-click “Download MP3” at the sound bar and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu
Wound Care Basics 44 mins – At the link find the title, “42: Wound Care Basics and Beyond,” right-click Direct download: Wound_care_Basics_and_Beyond.” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Wounded Healers 26 mins – “How peer support workers help people with mental health crises in the ER of the North Bay Regional Health” At the link you can listen but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Zika Virus Discussion 21 mins – “We’ve all heard plenty about the Zika virus by now, but it’s hard to know how worried to be. What are our chances of getting it? Should we postpone travel plans? Donald G. McNeil Jr. is a science writer for the New York Times, and he attempts to answer those questions and more in his new book Zika: The Emerging Epidemic. WAMC’s Ian Pickus spoke with the author about the virus.” At the link find the title, “What Is The Zika Virus?” which you can be hear, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Media Mining Digest 