Sunday, March 31, 2013

Big Picture Science for 04/01/13 - Anthropocene and Heard

Image for Big Picture Science weekly radio show
Big Picture Science - Anthropocene and Heard

ENCORE What’s in a name? “Holocene” defines the geologic epoch we’re in. Or were in? Goodbye to “Holocene” and hello “Anthropocene!” Yes, scientists may actually re-name our geologic era as the “Age of Man” due to the profound impact we’ve had on the planet.

We’ll examine why we’ve earned this new moniker and who votes on such a thing. Plus, discover the strongest evidence for human-caused climate change.

Also, why cities should be celebrated, not reviled… a musing over the possible fate of alien civilizations … and waste not: what an unearthed latrine – and its contents – reveal about ancient Roman habit and diet.

Guests:

This encore podcast was first released October 24, 2011

Permalink: http://radio.seti.org/episodes/Anthropocene_and_Heard

You can listen to this and other episodes at http://radio.seti.org/, and be sure to check out Blog Picture Science, the companion blog to the radio show.

Friday, March 29, 2013

Don't Let This Happen to Your Planet


Source - NASA Science News for March 29, 2013:

Life as we know it doesn't thrive on planets without ozone layers, which is why the recovery of Earth's ozone layer is so important. A new instrument slated for launch to the ISS will monitor our planet's protective ozone cocoon with greater depth and precision than ever before.

The complete article can be found here: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/29mar_sage3/

A companion video is posted below and can also be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEdqeHHoYKU



License: Standard YouTube License

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Collision Course? A Comet Heads for Mars


Source - NASA Science News for March 27, 2013

A comet is heading for Mars, and there is a chance that it might hit the Red Planet in October 2014. An impact wouldn't necessarily mean the end of NASA's Mars program, but it would transform the program along with Mars itself.

The complete article can be found here: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/26mar_marscomet/

A companion video is posted below and can also be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T2eBSexgX4



License: Standard YouTube License

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Big Picture Science for 03/25/13 - Skeptic Check: Friends Like These

Image for Big Picture Science weekly radio show
Big Picture Science - Skeptic Check: Friends Like These

We love our family and friends, but sometimes their ideas about how the world works seem a little wacky. We asked BiPiSci listeners to share examples of what they can’t believe their loved-ones believe, no matter how much they hear rational explanations to the contrary. Then we asked some scientists about those beliefs, to get their take.

Discover whether newspaper ink causes cancer … if King Tut really did add a curse to his sarcophagus … the efficacy of examining your irises – iridology – to diagnose disease … and more!

Oh, and what about string theory? Is it falsifiable?

Guests:

Permalink: http://radio.seti.org/episodes/Skeptic_Check_Friends_Like_These

You can listen to this and other episodes at http://radio.seti.org/, and be sure to check out Blog Picture Science, the companion blog to the radio show.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Universe Older, Expanding More Slowly Than Previously Thought


Source - NASA Science News for March 21, 2013

The European Space Agency's Planck spacecraft has released the most detailed map ever made of the oldest light in the universe, revealing new information about its age, contents and origins.

The complete article can be found here: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/21mar_cmb/


Sunday, March 17, 2013

Big Picture Science for 03/18/13 - Time for a Map

Image for Big Picture Science weekly radio show
Big Picture Science - Time for a Map

It’s hard to get lost these days. GPS pinpoints your location to within a few feet. Discover how our need to get from A to B holds clues about what makes us human, and what we lose now that every digital map puts us at the center.

Plus, stories of animal navigation: how a cat found her way home across Florida, and the magnetic navigation systems used by salmon and sea turtles.

Also, why you’ll soon be riding in driverless cars. And, how to map our universe.

Guests:

Permalink: http://radio.seti.org/episodes/Time_for_a_Map

You can listen to this and other episodes at http://radio.seti.org/, and be sure to check out Blog Picture Science, the companion blog to the radio show.

CME Impact Sparks Auroras over US States


Source - Space Weather News for March 17, 2013: http://spaceweather.com

GEOMAGNETIC STORM: Skies over North America turned green for St. Patrick's Day.  A CME impact during the early hours of March 17th sparked auroras in the United States at least as far south as Colorado.  More auroras are possible tonight, mainly over the Arctic, as Earth's magnetic field continues to reverberate from the impact.  Check http://spaceweather.com for photos and updates.

Friday, March 15, 2013

Geomagnetic Storm Warning


Source - Space Weather News for March 15, 2013: http://spaceweather.com

INCOMING CME: A magnetic eruption on the sun during the early hours of March 15th hurled a coronal mass ejection (CME) directly toward Earth.  NOAA forecasters estimate a 70% chance of polar geomagnetic storms when the CME arrives on March 17th.  High-latitude and possibly even middle-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras this weekend. Visit http://spaceweather.com for more information and updates.

DON'T MISS THE STORM: Would you like a call when geomagnetic storms are in progress? Storm alerts are available from http://spaceweathertext.com (text) and http://spaceweatherphone.com (voice).

Sunset Comet


Source - NASA Science News for March 15, 2013

Comet Pan-STARRS has survived its encounter with the sun and is now emerging from twilight in the sunset skies of the northern hemisphere. A NASA spacecraft has beamed back spectacular pictures of a "wild and ragged" tail behind the comet's active nucleus.

The complete article can be found here: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/15mar_sunsetcomet/

A companion video is posted below and can also be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1cYfPrHoJw



License: Standard YouTube License

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Rover: Conditions Once Suited for Life on Mars


Source - NASA Science News for March 12, 2013

An analysis of a rock sample recently collected by NASA's Curiosity rover shows ancient Mars could have supported living microbes.

The complete article can be found here: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/12mar_graymars/

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Big Picture Science for 03/11/13 - Our Tasteless Show

Image for Big Picture Science weekly radio show
Big Picture Science - Our Tasteless Show

Imagine biting into a rich chocolate donut and not tasting it. That’s what happened to one woman when she lost her sense of smell. Discover what scientists have learned about how the brain experiences flavor, and the evolutionary intertwining of odor and taste.

Plus a chef who tricks tongues into tasting something they’re not. It’s chemical camouflage that can make crabgrass taste like basil and turn bitter crops into delicious dishes – something that could improve nutrition world-wide.

Meanwhile, are we a tasty treat for aliens? Discover whether we might be attractive snacks for E.T. And, out-of-this-world recipes from a “gAstronomy” cookbook!

Guests:

Permalink: http://radio.seti.org/episodes/Our_Tasteless_Show

You can listen to this and other episodes at http://radio.seti.org/, and be sure to check out Blog Picture Science, the companion blog to the radio show.

Amplified Greenhouse Effect Shifts North's Growing Seasons


Source - NASA Science News for March 10, 2013

Vegetation growth at Earth's northern latitudes increasingly resembles lusher latitudes to the south, according to a NASA-funded study. "It's like Winnipeg, Manitoba, moving to Minneapolis-Saint Paul in only 30 years," says one of the lead researchers.

The complete article can be found here: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/10mar_greenhouseshift/

Saturday, March 09, 2013

Bright Comet Pan-STARRS Update


Source - Space Weather News for March 9, 2013: http://spaceweather.com

BRIGHT COMET: This weekend, bright Comet Pan-STARRS is making a close approach to the sun inside the orbit of Mercury where fierce solar heat is helping the comet reach naked-eye visibility. Observers in the northern hemisphere are making their first sightings now as the comet emerges from solar glare low in the western sky after sunset.  Soon, the comet could be widely visible to casual sky watchers--no telescope required.  Visit http://spaceweather.com for images, sky maps and observing tips.

Friday, March 08, 2013

Solar Wind Energy Source Discovered


Source - NASA Science News for March 8, 2013

Using data from an aging NASA spacecraft, researchers have found signs of an energy source in the solar wind that has caught the attention of fusion researchers.

The complete article can be found here: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/08mar_solarwind/

Sunday, March 03, 2013

Big Picture Science for 03/04/13 - Happy Daze

Image for Big Picture Science weekly radio show
Big Picture Science - Happy Daze

ENCORE Calling all pessimists! Your brain is wired for optimism! Yes, deep down, we’re all Pollyannas. So wipe that scowl off your face and discover the evolutionary advantage of thinking positive.

Also, enjoy other smile-inducing research suggesting that if you crave happiness, you should do the opposite of what your brain tells you to do.

Plus, why a “well-being index” may replace Dow Jones as a metric for success … a Twitter study that predicts your next good mood … and whether our furry and finned animal friends can experience joy.

Guests:

This encore podcast was first released October 17, 2011

Permalink: http://radio.seti.org/episodes/Happy_Daze

You can listen to this and other episodes at http://radio.seti.org/, and be sure to check out Blog Picture Science, the companion blog to the radio show.

Comet Pan-STARRS Approaches the Sun


Source - Space Weather News for March 3, 2013: http://spaceweather.com

NAKED-EYE COMET: Comet Pan-STARRS (C/2011 L4) is now inside the orbit of Mercury and it is brightening as it approaches the sun.  Observers in the southern hemisphere say the comet can be seen with the naked eye even through city lights.  Currently, it is about as bright as the stars of the Big Dipper (magnitude +2 to +3).  The comet could become even brighter when it moves into northern hemisphere skies in the second week of March.  Check http://spaceweather.com for current images and updates.

Friday, March 01, 2013

Solar Cycle Update: Twin Peaks?


Source - NASA Science News for March 1, 2013

Something unexpected is happening on the sun. 2013 is supposed to be the year of Solar Max, but solar activity is lower than expected. At least one leading forecaster expects the sun to rebound with a double-peaked maximum later this year.

The complete article can be found here: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/01mar_twinpeaks/

A companion video is posted below and can also be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j4bl57D_1U



License: Standard YouTube License