Audio
Dr David Adesnik, Director of Research at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, talks to Jonathan Kay about ISIS, Syria and the Kurds.
Top Science Podcasts: Earliest Upright Walking Apes, Evolution Of Science And Vaccinations (Nature)
Listen to the latest science updates, with Benjamin Thompson and Shamini Bundell. This week, insights into the evolution of walking upright, how science needs to change in the next 150 years, and the remaining hurdles for vaccination.
In this episode:
00:50 Early ape locomotion
The discovery of a fossil of a new species of ape gives new insights on how bipedalism may have evolved. Research Article: Böhme et al.; News and Views: Fossil ape hints at how walking on two feet evolved; News: Fossil ape offers clues to evolution of walking on two feet
07:24 Research Highlights
Women lacking olfactory bulbs can somehow still smell, and telling whiskies apart through evaporation patterns. Research Highlight: The women who lack an odour-related brain area — and can still smell a rose; Research Highlight: Bourbon or Scotch? A droplet’s dynamics reveal the truth
09:44 How should science evolve?
This year is Nature’s 150th anniversary. Science has made huge strides during this time, but what needs to change to continue this progress for the next 150 years? Comment: Science must move with the times
17:52 The state of vaccination in 2019
Researchers assess the differences in immunization levels worldwide and identify the bottlenecks in developing new vaccines. Research article: Piot et al.
23:54 News Chat
An AI figures out the sun’s place in the Solar System, and reassessing the size of the proton. News article: AI Copernicus: Neural network ‘discovers’ that Earth orbits the Sun; News: Puzzle over size of proton leaps closer to resolution
Top Political Podcasts: Tamara Keith And Amy Walter With Latest In Washington (PBS)
NPR’s Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report join Amna Nawaz to discuss the latest political news, including the release of transcripts from the impeachment inquiry, what three upcoming gubernatorial races say about President Trump’s support, early polling in key 2020 battleground states and the waning distinction between local and national politics.
Top History Podcasts: “Dynamite!” Explores Artistic & Polical Uses (Smithsonian Sidedoor)
In its heyday, dynamite was a transformative tool; it could blast rock quarries, excavate tunnels, and demolish buildings with power and reliability never before seen. But it also proved to be useful in some surprising ways. In this special episode of Sidedoor, we team up with the history podcast Backstory to explore two less-typical applications of the explosive: the artistic blasting at Mount Rushmore, and how anarchists used dynamite to advance their political agenda in 1886.
Future Of Money Podcast: Digital Payments Become The Norm Reducing Need For Cash (The Economist)
As digital payments become the norm, will there be a need for cash? The Economist’s Finance editor Helen Joyce takes a look behind the scenes of the future, from Sweden to Shanghai. She explores how digital payments will transform the economy, and how they risk leaving some people behind.
Top Political Podcasts: Joe Biden Interview On 2020 Campaign Trail (PBS)
In his third bid for the presidency, former Vice President Joe Biden has long been considered a 2020 Democratic frontrunner. But recent polls show him losing ground to Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren — especially in Iowa. Judy Woodruff joined Biden on the campaign trail to discuss the impeachment inquiry, primary poll numbers, his age, the U.S. economy, health care and more.
Top Science Podcasts: Measles Wipes Out Immune System Memory, Black Holes (Science Magazine)
Measles is a dangerous infection that can kill. As many as 100,000 people die from the disease each year. For those who survive infection, the virus leaves a lasting mark—it appears to wipe out the immune system’s memory. News Intern Eva Fredrick joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about a pair of studies that looked at how this happens in children’s immune systems.
In our second segment this week, Sarah talks with Todd Thompson, of Ohio State University in Columbus, about his effort to find a small black hole in a binary pair with a red giant star. Usually black holes are detected because they are accruing matter and as the matter interacts with the black hole, x-rays are released. Without this flashy signal, black hole detection gets much harder. Astronomers must look for the gravitational influence of the black holes on nearby stars—which is easier to spot when the black hole is massive. Thompson talks with Sarah about a new approach to finding small, noninteracting black holes.
Top Political Podcasts: Ruth Marcus And Michael Gerson On Latest In Washington (PBS)
Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus and syndicated columnist Michael Gerson join Amna Nawaz to analyze the week’s political news, including details emerging from witness depositions in the impeachment inquiry about President Trump’s dealings with Ukraine, current public opinion on Trump and impeachment and 2020 campaign updates, including the withdrawal of Democrat Beto O’Rourke.
Retirement: Older Adults Upgrade Their Skills To Become Entrepreneurs (PBS Newshour Podcast)
Entrepreneurs are often imagined as twenty-something recent college dropouts. But in fact, people ages 45 to 64 start businesses at higher rates than do their younger peers — and plenty of seniors are in startup mode, too. Economics correspondent Paul Solman visits a New York City center that helps older adults upgrade their technology skills and realize their entrepreneurial dreams.
Top Science Podcasts: AI Beats Humans At A Video Game, Arthropods In Decline (Nature)
Hear the latest science news, with Benjamin Thompson and Shamini Bundell. This week, a computer beats the best human players in StarCraft II, and a huge study of insects and other arthropods.
In this episode:
00:51 Learning to play
By studying and experimenting, an AI has reached Grandmaster level at the video game Starcraft II. Research Article: Vinyals et al.; News Article: Google AI beats experienced human players at real-time strategy game StarCraft II
10:08 Research Highlights
A record-breaking lightning bolt, and identifying our grey matter’s favourite tunes. Research Highlight: Here come the lightning ‘megaflashes’; Research Highlight: Why some songs delight the human brain
12:24 Arthropods in decline
Researchers have surveyed how land-use change has affected arthropod diversity. Research article: Seibold et al.
18:30 News Chat
Young Canadians file a lawsuit against their government, an Alzheimer’s drug gets a second chance, and South Korean efforts to curb a viral epidemic in pigs.
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