Big Picture Science for Aug 12, 2024 - Not Just a Phage

Big Picture Science - Not Just a Phage

We’re hurtling towards a post-antibiotic world, as the overuse of antibiotics has given rise to dangerous drug-resistant bacteria. Can we fight back using viruses as weapons? An obscure medical therapy uses certain viruses called bacteriophages to treat infection. For a century attempts to turn phage-therapy into a life-saving treatment have faltered, but today there’s renewed interest in this approach. Can we use phages to forestall the antibiotic crisis?

Guests:

• Claas Kirchhelle – Medical historian at the University College, Dublin
• Tom Ireland – Journalist, editor of The Biologist and author of “The Good Virus: The Amazing Story and Forgotten Promise of the Phage”
• Steffanie Strathdee – Associate Dean of Global Health Sciences at the University of California San Diego
• Tom Patterson – Professor of psychiatry at the University of California San Diego

Download podcast at - https://bigpicturescience.org/episodes/not-just-a-phage

You can listen to this and other episodes at http://bigpicturescience.org/

Get early access to ad-free versions of every episode by joining us on Patreon. Thanks for your support!

Are We Alone for 04/26/10 - Seas the Moment

Are We Alone - Seas the Moment

ENCORE With more water than land on this planet, Earth is more aptly-named “Ocean” or “Water.” The oceans have been here for billions of years, and make all life possible. Yet, it’s taken less than a century for humans to deal some serious blows to the watery cradle of our existence. Discover how our oceans are changing and the worrisome increase in their acidity from the maker of the documentary film, A Sea Change

Also, hear how hope is bubbling up for ocean recovery from famed oceanographer Sylvia Earle. Learn about her record-breaking voyages underwater and how her reprimand to a Silicon Valley entrepreneur gave birth to Google Ocean. Plus, farming the seas for new antibiotics.

Guests:

• Sylvia Earle – Oceanographer, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, founder of DeepSearch Foundation, and author of Ocean: An Illustrated Atlas (National Geographic Atlas)
• Sven Huseby – Co-producer of the documentary A Sea Change
• Peter Moeller – Toxin and Natural Products Chemist at NOAA
• Pacific Ocean – Largest oceanic division of the world, overlay of the Pacific Plate

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

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

Are We Alone for 05/11/09 - Seas the Moment

Are We Alone - Seas the Moment
With more water than land on this planet, Earth is more aptly-named “Ocean” or “Water.” The oceans have been here for billions of years, and make all life possible. Yet, it’s taken less than a century for humans to deal some serious blows to the watery cradle of our existence. Discover how our oceans are changing and the worrisome increase in their acidity from the maker of the documentary film, A Sea Change

Also, hear how hope is bubbling up for ocean recovery from famed oceanographer Sylvia Earle. Learn about her record-breaking voyages underwater and how her reprimand to a Silicon Valley entrepreneur gave birth to Google Ocean. Plus, farming the seas for new antibiotics.

Guests:

• Sylvia Earle – Oceanographer, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, founder of DeepSearch Foundation, and author of Ocean: An Illustrated Atlas (National Geographic Atlas)
• Sven Huseby – Co-producer of the documentary A Sea Change
• Peter Moeller – Toxin and Natural Products Chemist at NOAA
• Pacific Ocean – Largest oceanic division of the world, overlay of the Pacific Plate

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