Big Picture Science for 11/17/13 - The Heat is On

Big Picture Science - The Heat is On

After the winds and water of Typhoon Haiyan abated, grief and hunger swept though the Philippines, along with the outbreak of disease. Are monster storms the new normal in a warmer world? Some scientists say yes, and if so, climate change is already producing real effects on human life and health.

A hotter planet will serve up casualties from natural disasters, but also higher rates of asthma, allergies and an increase in mosquito-borne diseases. It is, according to one researcher, the greatest challenge of our time, straining health care efforts worldwide. But could a “medical Marshall Plan” save us?

Also, why the conservative estimates from the U.N.‘s climate change group don’t help people prepare for worst-case scenarios. And, a controversial approach to saving our overburdened planet: a serious limit on population growth.

Guests:

• Jeff Masters – Meteorologist, Wunderground
• Linda Marsa – Investigative journalist, contributing editor at Discover, author of Fevered: Why a Hotter Planet Will Hurt Our Health — and how we can save ourselves
• Fred Pearce – Freelance author and journalist, environment consultant for New Scientist. His article, “Has the U.N. Climate Panel Outlived It’s Usefulness?” appeared on the website Yale Environment 360
• Alan Weisman – Author, Countdown: Our Last, Best Hope for a Future on Earth?

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

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.

Big Picture Science for 12/05/11 - Science's Alliances

Big Picture Science - Science's Alliances

Mom and apple pie. Computers and silicon. Martians and death rays. Some things just go together naturally. But how about science and politics? Science and religion? Science and fiction? These pairings are often unnatural and contentious … but they don’t have to be.

Discover how science can team up with other endeavors in productive, if surprising, symbiosis.

Meet a particle physicist, turned U.S. Congressman, who calls for more scientists on Capitol Hill. Also, a tour of the Golden Age of Islamic Science.

Plus, scientists named Elmo and Super Grover 2.0 teach small children to conduct experiments with the help of chickens and dancing penguins.

And, it’s not quite science but it’s not entirely ficition either: how sci-fi helps shape our cultural debates about the future.

Guests:

• Bill Foster – Physicist and former U.S. representative from Illinois
• Carol-Lynn Parente – Executive Producer, Sesame Street
• Ranjana Mehra – Docent at The Tech Museum, San Jose, California
• Brooks Peck – Curator, EMP Museum, Seattle, Washington

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

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.

Big Picture Science for 11/28/11 - Skeptic Check: Dubiology

Big Picture Science - Skeptic Check: Dubiology

There’s no harm talking to your houseplant, but will your chatter really help it grow? We look at various biological claims, from whether plants feel pain to the ability of cats to predict earthquakes. Feline forecasters, anyone?

Also, when does understanding biology have important implications for health and policy? The arguments for and against genetically modified foods, and the danger of “pox parties” as a replacement for childhood vaccination.

Plus, the history and current state of scientific literacy in the United States. When did we stop trusting science?

Guests:

• Andy Michael – Seismologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park, California
• Ron Lindsay – President of the Center for Inquiry, headquartered in Amherst, NY
• Steven Novella – Clinical neurologist and Director of General Neurology at Yale University School of Medicine; host of the Skeptics Guide to the Universe podcast
• Shawn Lawrence Otto – Author of Fool Me Twice: Fighting the Assault on Science in America
• Chelsea Specht – Professor, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley

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

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.

Politics and and the death of science

The primary focus of this blog is the promotion of astronomy and in turn other sciences, and normally I would shy away from posting about politics, but the recent monkey shines in the House of Representatives regarding the America COMPETES Act just got to me.

Phil Plait's Bad Astronomy Blog has a great post up regarding the actions of U.S. Congressman Ralph Hall (R-TX), and how he essentially killed the America COMPETES Act. Go on over to the Bad Astronomy Blog and read "Texas congressman uses porn to kill science funding", and follow the links in the post for more information.

I was going to list more links on the subject, but I think the BA post is good enough to inspire the reader to do their own research. Hopefully someone in Congress will come to their senses and reintroduces the America COMPETES Act.