Groks Science Radio Show and Podcast

While the United States has lagged in deploying renewable energy into its economy, others have pursued a more aggressive policy of lowering greenhouse gas emissions. On this program, Craig Morris discussed Germany and their move toward solar and wind power.

Oil dependence has ramifications beyond those of transportation. A shortage in its supply can affect many areas, including agriculture, business, and urban design. On this program, James Howard Kunstler will discuss this long emergency.

How did the universe begin? How will it end? And, what do we do in the mean time? On this program, Prof. P. James Peebles from Princeton University discussed cosmology, dark matter, and the large scale universe.

Global health care disparaties are all to evident, made even more stark by the remarkable advances in medical science. But, what can be done to resolve these global health care inequities? On this program, Dr. Edward O'Neill, Jr. discussed global health care solutions.

What better way is there to celebrate the Big Bang than with a Nobel Prize. On this program, Prof. Alex Filipenko commented on the 2006 prize in physics. Prof. Caroline Kane joined us to discuss the chemistry prize. Finally, Nobel laureate Prof. Peter Doherty discussed how to win the Nobel Prize.

The devastating tsunami that engulfed southeast asia in 2004 has heightened awareness of the range and magnitude of this catastrophe. But, how can such events be ameliorated in the future? On this program, Dr.Patricio Bernal and Prof. Robert Dalrymple discussed tsunami warning methods. In addition, Nicola Stuber discussed night flying contribution to greenhouse gas, and Patricia Schultz discussed 1000 places to visit before you die. Finally, Robert Bullock discussed the Taiwan Film Festival.

Chance occurrences often dramatically effect our daily lives. But, how can we evaluate randomness and weigh its influence appropriately? On this program, Prof. Jeffery S. Rosenthal discussed probability theory.

Cosmological theories address how the universe was created, and what awaits for the future. What do recent advances tell us about the universe? On this program, Prof. Joel Primack and Nancy Abrams discussed the view from the center of the universe.

Conspiracy theories surrounding the 9-11 tragedy have taken on a life of their own, divorced from the empirical data. Do these theories have any basis in fact? On this program, James Meigs, editor-in-chief of Popular Mechanics, debunked these conspiracy myths.

Billions of people around the world still do not have access to basic power or commmunications. On this program, Laura Mellow joins us to talk about the Inveneo efforts to bring internet access to developing regions of the world.

Happiness as a state of being often defies attempts to attain it, leading most on an ever elusive quest. On this program, Dr. Matthieu Ricard, biochemist and Buddhist monk translator for the Dalai Lama, discussed the science of happiness.

The recent debate over what defines a planet has been partially motivated by the discovery of a candidate tenth planet. On this program, Dr. Ken Croswell discussed this newly discovered tenth planets.

Stem cells have the potential to cure many diseases, but viable therapies are mainly still experimental, especially those involving umbilical cord blood stem cells. On this program, Dr. David Steenblock discussed these stem cell therapies.

Ethics is a sometimes nebulous concept in the world of business, where it is often shunned at the expense of the bottom line. On this program, Prof. Tom Morris discussed the philosophy of ethics.

The Templeton prize is awarded every year for advances in our understanding of the intersection of religion and science. On this program, Nobel laureate Prof. Charles Townes from U.C. Berkeley joined to discuss science, religion, and the Templeton prize.

The discovery of a Martian meteorite in Antartica over a decade ago ignited the public imagination when it was claimed that the meteorite held signs of life. On this program, Kathy Sawyer discussed the story of the rock from Mars.

The internet has become a venue where one can obtain just about anything. On this program, Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist, discussed the internet marketplace. In addition, Prof. Margaret Torn from Lawrence Berkeley Labs discussed new models of global warming.

While science continues to push the boundaries of human knowledge, most of us puzzle over more entertaining questions, like does anything eat wasps? On this program, Ivan Semeniuk gives the last word on these everyday science questions.

Art and science are inexorably intertwined, with advances in one often inspiring advances in the other. Nowhere is this more evident than in the work of Leonardo da Vinci. On this program, Prof. Bulent Atalay discussed math and the Mona Lisa.

Domestic wiretapping has become an incendiary issue. What are the rights of the people and the government in this regard? And, how effective is the technology? On this program, Jack ONeill discussed the Echelon wiretapping system.

The connection between inflammation and aging may be related in part by the foods we eat. On this program, Dr. Nicholas Perricone discussed his theory for a healthy diet.

The sun is currently a middle-aged star, and will inevitably decline as all stars must. But, it may be possible to extend the stellar lifetime. On this program, Joe Pappalardo discussed the life cycle of stars.

Grassroots journalism has been enabled by the internet. The potential impact of citizen media is far and wide-ranging, as discussed on this episode with Dan Gilmor.

Understanding the key concepts in science requires a knowledge of the language of science. On this program, Steve Kleinedler discussed science words every college graduate should know.

All countries are eligible for membership into the World Health Organization (WHO) with one notable exception. On this program, Dr. Julin Tang and Dr. Sophia Yen discussed the Taiwanese efforts to join this health organization.

One little hormone can make a big difference in the life of men, especially when those levels start to drop. On this program, Dr. Shafiq Qaadri joined us to discuss the testosterone factor.

SARS may have faded from our memory, but many key lessons can be learned from the outbreak of 2003. Karl Taro Greenfeld joined us on this program to talk about his firsthand experiences in China reporting this epidemic.

Celiac disease is a disorder caused by the inability to tolerate gluten. The effects of the disease are wide ranging, resulting from the inability to absorb certain nutrients. On this program, Rory Jones discussed this hidden epidemic.

Organizations across the country are sponsoring activities for Earth Day. On this episode, Erica Pringsheim-Moors from the California State Parks Foundation joined us to talk about their activities. Also, Max Rosenblum talked with Dan Woods about the Maker Faire.

Traveling near the speed of light may soon be possible thanks to recent theoretical advances. On this program, Dr. Franklin Felber discussed the physics of near light-speed travel.

In spite of the controversies surround the ethics of animal cloning, progress has been made in reproducing animals through their genetic material. On this program, biologist Sir John Gurden joined us to talk about developmental biology and challenges to cloning.

Alan Turing was a prominent figure in the development of the computer, and is well known for many important computing concepts, including the famous Turing Test. On this program Prof. David Leavitt discussed the life of Alan Turing.

Preserving wildlife populations that are displaced or actively diminished by human activity remains essential for maintaining biodiversity. Nowhere is this more evident than in Africa, where many wildlife species are being driven to extinction by human activity. On this program, Paul Raffaele discussed wildlife preservation in Africa.

Our solar system contains nine acknowledged planets, each with their own unique personalities that continue to inspire scientists. On this episode, Dava Sobel discussed her perspective of the planets.

The evolution of human behavior is easily highlighted in comparative studies with our nearest relatives, chimpanzees and bonobos. On this program, Prof. Frans de Waal discussed Our Inner Ape.

The Constitution guarantees five fundamental freedoms, but a free culture requires openness amongst its citizens. On this program, Mitch Kapor discussed the Open Source movement as it pertains to software and other aspects of technology and life.

Faster than a speeding bullet? Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound? Superman may be confined to the comics, but could his superpowers exist in the natural world? On this program, Prof. James Kakalios discussed the Physics of Superheroes.

Symmetry or parity is intriguing, not only in the arts and music, but also in science and the natural world. Interestingly, parity may not be conserved between the mirror images of molecules and consequently their energies would not be equivalent. On this program, Professor Harris and Gina discussed how parity violation could be observed using sum frequency generation experiments.

The afterlife is generally the subject of theology, but what can science contribute to the issue? On this program, Mary Roach discusses the science of the afterlife.

Last year, 2005, has now been confirmed as the warmest year on record, but what must be done to stop this dangerous trend of global warming? Profs. Carl McDaniel and Stephen Schneider joined us on this program to discuss how these climate issues are best communicated to the public.

While scientific inquiry leads to the rational explanations for natural phenomena, the political interpretation of science often leads to chaos. On this program, Chris Mooney discussed the Republican War on Science.

Which Nobel Laureate was also a voice on The Simpsons? The answer is our guest Dudley Herschbach, who joined us to talk about molecular dynamics and voting systems.

The iPod is certainly an iCon, but a cult? On this episode, Leadner Kahney discussed the most popular music player in the world and his new book, The Cult of the iPod.

The efficiency of the stock market is a topic of much debate among economists. Yet, a scientific approach to betting effectively may maximize returns in an imperfect market. On this program, William Poundstone discussed the Kelly Formula for optimal investing.

Global warming is a larger threat than terrorism, according to our guest Sir David King, science advisor to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. On this program, he discussed the indicators of this worldwide threat and counters the skeptics of climate change.

Besides his physical theories, Einstein is also well known for his considered pacificsm. With the world year of physics drawing to a close, we explored Einstein and his theology with our guest, John Brinster.

Is nuclear chemistry an oxymoron? On this program, Dr. Cynthia Gong described this little-known but important field of science and discussed Deinococcus radioduran, one of the most radiation resistant lifeforms known.

Although the internet is often viewed as a knowledge warehouse, the potential as a social medium is being explored by those interested in social networks. On this program, Jerry Michalski discussed social networks and the future of the internet.

The brain is composed of millions of neurons that are connected at specialized structures called synapses. The discovery of the synapse by Ramon y Cajal won him the Nobel Prize, but not without a contentious debate from another Nobel laureate, Camillo Golgi. On this program, Dr. Richard Rapport discussed the discovery of the nerve endings.

Weather forecasting may not be an exact science, but resources for encountering extreme weather changes have been around a long time. On this episode, Professor Garrison Sposito discussed the conditions leading to the recent hurricanes in North America and the government response.