Accuracy, precision and reproducibility. These are the foundations of science that make our progress possible. How do these play into a scientist’s daily activities? And just how precise can we get with our measurements?
Tag: podcast
Astronomy Cast
Astronomy Cast takes a fact-based journey through the cosmos as it offers listeners weekly discussions on astronomical topics ranging from planets to cosmology. Hosted by Fraser Cain (Universe Today) and Dr. Pamela L. Gay (CosmoQuest), this show brings the questions of an avid astronomy lover direct to an astronomer. Together Fraser and Pamela explore what is known and being discovered about the universe around us.
- Ep. 576: Summer Stargazing Special
- Ep. 575: Observing the Moon
- Ep. 574: Trojan Asteroids
- Ep. 573: Exoplanet Atmospheres
- Ep. 572: Twists in Planet Formation
- Ep. 571: Extreme Binaries
- Ep. 570: Discovering Comets
- Ep. 569: Ethics of Commercial and Military Space, Part 1: Private Space Flight
- Ep. 568: In Situ Resource Utilization
- Ep. 567: When Satellites Need a House Call
- Ep. 566: When Comets Fall Apart
- Ep. 565: When Worlds Collide
- Ep. 564: Mini Moons
- Ep. 563: White Dwarf Mergers
- Ep. 562: White Dwarf Mergers
Magic, Illusion, and Skepticism, with Bill Nye
In this week’s StarTalk All-Stars, host Bill Nye applies his scientific mind and skeptical nature to fan-submitted Cosmic Queries chosen by co-host Chuck Nice, on subjects from miracles and levitation to conspiracy theories and climate change denial. Explore the nature and practice of magic and illusion, like Pepper’s Ghost shown above, and how the magician’s skill and artistry can be much more important than the technology of a trick. You’ll hear how magicians exploit the human brain’s programming for pattern recognition to fool us, even when they’re telling us exactly what they’re doing, like Penn & Teller. Examine the value Read More
StarTalk at BAM – Science is Everywhere (Part 1)
Science really is everywhere. On this episode of StarTalk Radio, we bring you the first part of StarTalk at BAM – Science is Everywhere. Back in March, we had a great time at the Brooklyn Academy of Music highlighting the shows under the StarTalk Podcast Network banner. In Part 1, you’ll hear StarTalk Radio and StarTalk All-Stars. To start, Neil deGrasse Tyson is joined by comic co-host Chuck Nice and theoretical physicist and author Brian Greene to discuss the early universe. You’ll hear about the “Cosmic Dark Ages” and what we know about the first stars born in the universe. Read More
Cosmic Queries: Minds and Machines
“We must consider this question, can machines think?” Alan Turing asked that question many years ago, but these days that question is taking on a whole new dimension. On this episode of StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson, comic co-host Chuck Nice, and neuroscientist Gary Marcus answer fan-submitted Cosmic Queries on the intersection of minds and machines. You’ll learn what distinguishes the human mind from the minds of other mammals. Explore the mysteries of memory and the future of memory storage. You’ll also learn how humans have “context addressable memory” whereas computers have “location addressable memory.” Find out more about human Read More
The Case For Boredom
Neuroscientists will tell you that boredom gets a bad rap. Research is starting to show that the time we spend doing literally nothing could be extremely beneficial. Letting our minds wander could actually be the time we need to understand what we want from life, or spark the creative ideas that will move a long-stuck project forward. But if you’re always on your phone, whether it’s texting or checking Twitter, can you ever be bored enough for your mind to wander into brilliance?
Creating a Scienc-y Society
Our modern society depends on science. It impacts the way we eat, work, communicate and play. And yet, most people take our amazing scientific advancement for granted, and some are even hostile to it. What can we do to spread the love of science through education, outreach and media?
How to Be Taken Seriously By Scientists
For those non-scientists trying to get their original ideas accepted by the scientific community, you’ve got to have thick skin. It might seem like there’s a vast conspiracy, or a general attitude that drives away original, but unorthodox ideas. But that’s not true, the reality is that great ideas in science come from everywhere, even amateurs.
Death and Heat Death with Cory Doctorow
Entropy. It’s this super-popular idea (which is good) which is often misunderstood (which is bad). It’s the reason an icecube melts in a glass of warm water. It’s the reason you can’t get an engine which is 100% efficient.
Entropy
Have you ever been doing thermodynamics in a closed system and noticed that there’s a finite number of ways that things can be arranged, and they tend towards disorder? Of course you have, we all have. That’s entropy. And here in our Universe, entropy is on the rise.