Dr. Justin Solomon discusses how the gerrymander distorts the voting population to favor one group of voters over others. Today, mathematicians have the tools to analyze the gerrymander and recommend more equitable structuring of voting districts. This effort is an outstanding demonstration of mathematicians representing the public interest. Dr. Solomon's discussion is of great importance at this time and we will likely hear much more about this group (MGGG) in the future.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Award-winning author of How the Hippies Saved Physics and other popular science books, Dr. David Kaiser, Professor at MIT, describes how scientific developments have been influenced by cultural worldview and concerns. Examples include the development of physics in the United States during the Cold War and during the counter-culture movement of the 1960s-1970s.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Dr. Kamal Bawa is a world leader in ecology research and conservation and the impact of climate change on the Himalayan and Western Ghats regions. The impact of rapid warming on the rich but delicate ecology of the Himalaya region is coupled with environmental damage from development. In this discussion, Dr. Bawa explains what organizations like ATREE are doing to save the Himalayan environment and its native populations.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Professor Brian Helmuth from the Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences at Northeastern University discusses coastal ecosystems and climate change. The vitality of coastal ecosystems is of critical importance to life on Earth. Professor Brian Helmuth's lab is one of the most prominent research groups to carry out very complex investigations of these ecosystems. He discusses this fascinating area of science, his leading role in the international effort to sustain the coastal ecosystems,...
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Scientists are still uncertain how the components of life on Earth combined to produce the simplest cells, and how complex cells eventually developed. Dr. Zachary Adam investigates both of these major questions and some associated assumptions, including whether the origin of life must have required water. The latter question is of great interest to astrobiologists engaged in the search for life elsewhere.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Recorded at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge MA on October 28, 2013; Dr. Hamilton was in town for a debate at Harvard on geoengineering. Clive Hamilton, PhD is is Vice-Chancellor’s Chair and Professor of Public Ethics at the Center for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics (CAPPE), Charles Sturt University in Australia. He was the Founder and for 14 years the Executive Director of The Australia Institute, Australia’s leading progressive think tank, which is a joint center of Charles Sturt...
Topics: Science for the Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Mario Livio, PhD , Senior Astrophysicist at the Space Telescope Science Institute . Dr. Livio's research in astrophysics includes supernovae (type 1a), acceleration of the universe, dark energy, and black holes. He is the author of hundreds of scientific papers and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In this program, he discusses astrophysics, his newest book, Brilliant Blunders , his other books --and his passion for art. September 25, 2013 Belmont Media Center
Topics: Science for the Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
How Science Fiction Has Inspired Science. David Toomey, Ph.D. examines the relationship between science and science fiction. In particular he explains how science fiction often anticipates discoveries in science.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Dr. Cziczo explains the difference between millions of years of natural warming cycles and the more recent anthropogenic warming caused by the production of more CO2. He discusses the implications of atmospheric CO2 buildup and the limitations of geoengineering and sequestration as solutions to this problem. Daniel Cziczo, Professor and Head, Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Science, Purdue University. Recorded at Purdue University. 00:34:24
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
November 12, 2013, Cambridge Public Library, Cambridge, MA Science for the Public and Union of Concerned Scientists A panel of experts: Pallavi Phartiyal, PhD , Aaron Bernstein, M.D., MPH , William Moomaw, PhD , Andrew Rosenberg, PhD ; discusses the known scientific, health and environmental facts about fracking.
Topics: Science for the Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Eric Chaisson, PhD, of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, is especially well known for his multidisciplinary approach to the evolution of the cosmos: from sub-atomic particles at the very beginning, to the emergence of galaxies (still difficult to explain), to stars, planets, and life. Each stage represents greater complexity, yet there is an underlying order. Dr. Chaisson is the author of the most widely used astronomy textbook, plus...
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Plastic is everywhere and has become a serious threat to the environment and to health. To replace plastic, materials scientists have looked to nature for examples. The target material has to be tough, light, and versatile --like compounds found in silk, insect wings, and shrimp shells. A very promising replacement based on such compounds has been developed by Javier Fernández and Donald Ingber at the Wyss Institute of Harvard. The material, which these scientists called "shrilk," is...
Topics: Science for the Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Science for the Public: Contemporary Science Issues - Genetics and Social Responsibility. Throughout his career, Dr. Jon Beckwith, PhD has also been a major voice for educating the public and the broader science community about the social implications of genetic science. He spoke out early against the testing of boys for XYY chromosomes and was a member of the Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications Committee of the Human Genome Project initiated by James D. Watson. He has worked on...
Topics: Science for the Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Dr. Zoeller has been a leader among researchers emphasizing the need for much stronger regulation of endocrine disruptors. He discusses the chemistry of prenatal and infant brain development and the ways in which endocrine disruptors –even in very low dosage– impact the hormones involved in development. He also addresses the tension between federal regulators and the scientific community on this issue. Guest: R. Thomas Zoeller, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus of Biology, University of...
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Philip Warburg is an author, lawyer and former director of the Conservation Law Foundation, New England's oldest and largest environmental watchdog group. He is the author of two respected books on renewable energy, Harvest the Wind: America's Journey to Jobs, Energy Independence, and Climate Stability (Beacon Press 2012, 2013) and Harness the Sun: America's Quest for a Solar-Powered Future (Beacon Press, 2015).
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Dr. Douam is an expert on viruses and vaccines. He explains how scientists unravel the mechanisms by which viruses such as covid-19 invade cells and and overcome the body’s defenses. Dr,. Douam describes the challenge of developing effective vaccines. The use of humanized mice –mice engrafted with human tissues– has advanced the understanding of human immune responses against viral pathogens and improved the development of vaccines. Florian Douam, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of...
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Professor David Toomey explains why time travel is so alluring, not just for science fiction, and he’ll tell us about the major contributions to the development of the idea. He also discusses the significance of science fiction in the evolution of time travel.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
11/13/18 00:34:02 The Geometric Basis of Structure and Motion - Geometry determines the limits of structures and motion. Knowing how those constraints work is very important for modern biology, physics and chemistry, engineering and materials science. Dr. Streinu and Dr. Borcea discuss that relationship between geometry and science, and their forthcoming book on the subject.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Mass Extinctions. Dr. Andrew Knoll describes the causes of the previous five extinctions on Earth and the possibility of a sixth. He explains how the specific causes of different mass extinctions tend to impact ecosystems in distinct and unexpected ways. He discusses the threat of a sixth mass extinction. A key issue is how well evolutionary mechanisms can adapt to this type of destruction.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Dr. Priyamvada Natarajan discusses her new book , Mapping the Heavens, which describes the initial resistance to most of the major concepts of modern astronomy. In some cases, it was decades before radical ideas about the universe, such as black holes, dark matter, gravitational lensing became standard knowledge. She also discusses her own cutting-edge research in these particular areas.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Dr. William Moomaw explains how industrial agriculture, especially through synthetic fertilizers, has produced unprecedented damage to our soil, water, and atmosphere. The only viable option for recovering the health of these systems is restorative development, which emphasizes more natural approaches to farming that will revive the health of our soil, water and air. Restorative development addresses some of the gravest of climate risks, such as increased droughts, floods and atmospheric...
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Mycologist David Hibbett introduces us to the fascinating world of mushrooms and fungi, their role in Nature and in evolution. Mushrooms do not get much media attention, but they serve an important function in many ecological systems, and Dr. Hibbett is committed to raising awareness of their role.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Mathematical Prediction of a Sixth Mass Extinction. Dr. Daniel Rothman explains how mathematical modeling clarifies the intricate dynamics of our planet’s carbon cycles and geophysical components. His model shows the relationship between ancient mass extinctions and the likely sixth extinction of the future.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Professor Cziczo discusses the science of clouds, particularly the cirrus clouds found at very high altitudes. He explains how particles (aerosols) in the atmosphere trigger cloud formation and what the presence of particular aerosols recently discovered suggest for a better understanding of climate change. This video includes footage from the Cziczo Lab in which Dr. Cziczo demonstrates how aerosols trigger cloud formation, and researchers in the lab explain how particles are collected and...
Topics: Science for the Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Over decades, a few well-known scientists have represented various corporate interests in campaigns to mislead the public about threats to health and environment. Dr. Naomi Oreskes discusses the disinformation campaigns about tobacco and cancer, CFCs and the ozone hole, coal and acid rain, and now climate change. She describes the structure of those disinformation efforts and how the public can combat the "manufacture of doubt," which is the subject of her best-selling book (with Erik...
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Dr. John Ebel explains the geological forces that cause earthquakes and the areas on the planet most vulnerable to tsunamis. We learn how seismologists track earthquake-prone areas of the planet and how they predict the possibility of tsunamis.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Dr. Philippe Grandjean, a prominent endocrinologist discusses the health and environmental impact of perfluorinated compounds (PFAS, PFOS), chemical compounds used in many products -from popcorn bags to fire-fighting foam to upholstery materials. These compounds are now found globally -- in people, animals, and environment. They affect, among other things, the brain, kidneys and the immune system, and are associated with a number of diseases. The producers of PFOAs were aware of the toxicity of...
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Cell Architecture: Self-Organization and Scale. Regardless of any cell’s size, its components (organelles) are always proportional. Scientists do not know how size of cells and their organelles are determined. Cells just self-assemble effortlessly. Biophysicist Jane Kondev, Ph.D. discusses this mystery –one of the most challenging in Nature– and how scientists try to unravel the cell’s self-assembly code.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Astrobiologist Dr. Sukrit Ranjan discusses the potential importance of UV radiation as a trigger for the emergence of life, and whether red dwarf stars might provide the necessary UV spark to generate life on optimal exoplanets.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Senior Astrophysicist Dr. Scott Kenyon explains how stars and their planetary systems form. He also discusses the significance of the New Horizons flyby mission to Pluto for scientific understanding of planet formation.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
David Mindell, Ph.D. examines our relationship with robots. How truly independent are they presently, and how autonomous can they be in the future? In the robots we use for space exploration, deep-sea research, and many other tasks. The real "brain" seems to be human, not robotic. His recent book, which he discusses, explains both the value of robots and the actual limits of robotic autonomy at a time when there is increasing controversy about the capabilities of robots.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Can Seagrasses Weather Ocean Warming? Dr. Daru discusses the vital importance of seagrasses in maintaining the health of the oceans: how seagrasses sustain marine life, stabilize shorelines, and reduce ocean acidification. He explains the impact of rising ocean temperature on seagrasses and the urgent need to conserve these undersea meadows. Barnabas Daru, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Biology; Curator of the Ruth O’Brien Herbarium, Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Philip Lieberman, Ph.D., George Hazard Crooker University Professor Emeritus, Brown University. Dr. Lieberman is one of the foremost authorities on the evolution and distinction of human language. In this discussion, he addresses numerous misunderstandings. First, he explains what language is and how the cognitive and physical apparatus for language evolved. He then discusses the issue of whether Neanderthals developed real language. Finally, he explains the distinction between real language...
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Dr. Madin provides an expert’s understanding of jellyfish –those maligned creatures that are such a nuisance to those who flock to ocean beaches. This summer the stories focus on the lion’s mane jellyfish, the largest known species. Just how large, how dangerous? The attention this species has attracted has also raised interest in the great diversity of jellyfish and other marine invertebrates. Laurence Madin, Ph.D. Marine Biologist, WHOI Senior Science Advisor; and retired Deputy...
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Herbal Medicines Decoded: How Medicinal Plants Soothe and Cure. Professor Jing-Ke Weng’s lab at MIT and the Whitehead Institute focuses on the distinctive chemistry and genetics of medicinal plants. Dr. Weng explains the process, the discoveries, and the challenge of simulating plant chemistry for large-scale medical purposes.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Nectar, Pollen, and the Health of Bees. Professor Lynn Adler, Ph.D., explains how some bee infections may be transferred via plants that bees visit, and how some types of nectar and pollen may help to reduce certain pathogens.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Seagrasses are fundamental to the health of marine ecosystems, providing food and shelter to many organisms. Because of the dual impact of climate change and ocean pollution, many seagrass varieties are dying off. Dr. Barnabas Daru explains the vital role of seagrasses in maintaining marine life, and how different seagrass varieties vary in the ability to adapt to changing ocean environments around the world. This area of research is very important in the urgent effort today to save marine...
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Dr. Frank Guenther, Ph.D. explains some basics about the complexity of both normal speech and speech disorders such as stuttering. He discusses also his work on a brain-computer-interface system that aims to make communication possible for patients with locked-in syndrome, and his work on the leading computational model (DIVA) for speech production.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Authors David Montgomery and Anne Bikle discuss their book "The Hidden Half of Nature" on how the microbial world sustains the planet and its life.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Dr. Licia Verde explains what the large-scale universe consists of. Included in the discussion are dark matter and dark energy, the expansion of the universe and the acceleration of the expansion. Dr. Verde explains how astrophysicists are investigating these mysteries and how they do these investigations.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Dr. Robert Simcoe explains how the universe became transparent, how the first stars probably formed and how subsequent generations evolved. We learn how today's sophisticated optical telescopes penetrate billions of light years to the early universe and how astronomers distinguish "early" from "recent" stars and galaxies.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Concern about environment and climate change has increased interest in the fundamental importance of soil. Dr. DeAngelis describes the microbes that preserve soil health, the complex interdependence of these microbial ecosystems and the larger environment, and how healthy soil contributes to healthy climate.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Richard Murray is a major authority on how marine sediments provide records of past climate. In this discussion, he addresses the Asian Monsoon, the glacial record in tropical sediments, and how the delivery of iron-bearing dust to the open ocean may influence ocean life and perhaps be related to climate. He also provides important scientific insights about the current climate change situation, both globally and in his home base, Scituate, Massachusetts, where he is an elected Selectman. June...
Topics: Science for the Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Most children in the world are not healthy, and many –especially in impoverished nations or communities– suffer very serious illnesses. Dr. Hamer explains why the World Health Organization is the indispensable lifeline for children around the world. 00:25:28
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
The Impact of Air Pollution On Health. Dr. Jonathan Levy discusses the increasing and serious health issues associated with air pollution, particularly in urban areas. Health and environmental scientists are particularly concerned about the effects of particulate matter (PM2.5), which enters the bloodstream via the lungs, on human health. The result is seen in rising rates of heart disease, asthma, and cognitive problems.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Dr. Raul Jimenez describes one of the most fascinating enigmas in science: gamma ray bursts (GRBs), the most powerful explosions in the universe. He explains the relationship between GRBs and life: areas of the universe where planets might be relatively safe --or not-- from the destructive force of GRB radiation. Earth, we learn, has been relatively fortunate, but at least one of the ancient mass extinctions on our planet may have been due to the radiation from a GRB.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Maria Ivanova and Candace Famiglietti detail the very serious consequences of the international wildlife trade. While there has been much media attention on the health consequences of wildlife food markets, the authors provide a much broader picture. Wildlife for exotic pets, wildlife in high fashion. In their article and in this interview, they discuss the abuse inherent in wildlife trade, and the impact on ecosystems and environment, economies and human health. Maria Ivanova, Ph.D., Associate...
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
Physics Beyond the Standard Model at the Large Hadron Collider: The Standard Model is incomplete. The projects at the Large Hadron Collider search for the missing information. Markus Klute’s group played a central role in the discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012, and continues the search for subatomic particles that can reveal the origin of the universe and the nature of matter. In this update on the LHC Dr. Klute explains how the LHC experiments probe for unknown particles. And he discusses...
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
In an era when science has contributed so much to the progress of humanity, there is a resurgence of anti-reason and rejection of scientific facts. These challenges call for a mental adjustment: the scientific attitude. Dr. Lee McIntyre explains how to adapt that attitude and why it is necessary today.
Topics: Science For The Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
When Jules Verne published his classic Journey to the Center of the Earth in 1864, practically nothing was known about the Earth's interior. By this time, Charles Darwin had published On the Origin of Species , weather maps had become available, and Maxwell's equations for electromagnetic waves were used. In contrast, views of the Earth's interior did not emerge until well into the 20th century. How did the Earth, which seems so accessible to humans, remain a mystery for such a long time? In...
Topics: Science for the Public: Contemporary Science Issues, Belmont Media Center, Belmont, Massachusetts,...
