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Measure For Measure
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The idea that the universe is made of tiny vibrating strings was once the science theory du jour. String theory promised to unite the disparate theories describing particles and gravity, and many people, not just scientists, were optimistic that a theory of everything might be within our grasp. But here we are, many years later, and string theory doesn’t seem to have delivered on its initial promise. What happened? We consider the science around string theory in this episode of Skeptic Check.
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Building Better Brains
Forgot your own birthday? Misplaced your Shih Tzu? Did you put the milk in your backpack and the iPod in the fridge? Age may bring wisdom but – alas – not a boost in RAM. But there’s hope – scientists are discovering that the brain is more malleable than thought.… Listen ⇢
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A Man, A Planet, A Tenal: Panama!
While the Kepler spacecraft hunts for habitable planets beyond the solar system, we’ve let one of our own planets slip away! Find out why Pluto’s demotion to dwarf status created a public uproar as astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson reads us his hate mail. From third-graders! Also, how we might find… Listen ⇢
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It’s the Science, Cupid!
Love makes us feel warm and mushy, but the sweet sting of Cupid’s arrow makes a compelling chemistry lesson, too. Research into animal mating and human courtship provides clues to an eternal mystery: what’s the purpose of love? Learn lessons from the family values of field mice, and affectionate same-sex… Listen ⇢
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Life’s Stories
How did the first cells make the scene? Could there be critters on some newly discovered planets? And what happens if we ever encounter weird life? These may not be the sort of questions you hear being bandied about in your local coffee shop, but they were hot topics at… Listen ⇢
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Skeptical Sunday: Que Sera… No Sera?
We all want to peek into the future and find out what fate has in store: Will I get that raise? Is love around the corner? What’s the winning combo in Las Vegas? Some people claim the ability to see events before they occur. Find out how accurate their prognostications… Listen ⇢
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Feather Knows Best
Can animals think? Merely asking the question was once thought ridiculous. But studies that range from chimps to birds to sea creatures have prompted scientists to reassess the cognitive capabilities of our animal friends. These results challenge not only our idea of intelligence, but man’s unequivocal perch at the top.… Listen ⇢
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Carbon Your Enthusiasm
Bond it to oxygen and it’s the scourge of climate change. But earthly life wouldn’t be possible without carbon, and maybe that’s true for alien life, too. And carbon has other exciting forms: tiny diamonds may be evidence of a catastrophic comet impact 13,000 years ago. And, chalky carbonates may… Listen ⇢
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You Animal!
Maybe Dr. Doolittle was on to something; animals are smarter than we think. Birds, apes, and dolphins are all clever problem solvers with a rich vocabularly and – in some cases – self-awareness. Find out what you can learn from our furry, finned and feathered friends. Also, why you are… Listen ⇢
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Scoping Out Astronomy
A loud radio hiss is coming from the cosmos. Is it the swan song of the first giant stars of the universe? Find out from stargazers attending the American Astronomical Society meeting in California… the brightest flash in the universe illuminates how a galaxy grows up… a planet hunter closes… Listen ⇢
