A podcast about science, literature, and the arts. Weekly show featuring interviews with people that have an expertise in a particular topic. Average episode will be 20 to 25 minutes.
Due to technical problems with my recording system, I can not provide a new episode of Critical Wit this week. However, I have stitched together two excerpts of earlier episodes that either you may have not heard, or would appreciate a recap of some of the more interesting parts of the interviews. The first excerpt […]
Marc Zimmer is a professor of physical sciences with a specialization in computational chemistry at Connecticut College. He is also the author of “Glowing Genes: A Revolution in Biotechnology.” In this episode we discuss why the search for glowing jellyfish resulted in a biotechnological innovation that would be almost as important as the invention of the microscope. If you enjoy this […]
Richard Mendel is a beekeeper, Vice President of the Southeast Michigan Beekeepers Association, and contributor to the Ann Arbor Backyard Beekeepers. In this episode, we discuss the science of beekeeping, the concerns over the issue of bee colony collapse disorder, and at the end we talk about killer bees (otherwise known as Africanized honeybees). If you enjoy this podcast, please […]
Due to technical problems with my recording system, there won’t be a new episode of Critical Wit for a couple of weeks. However, I have stitched together two excerpts of earlier, popular episodes that either you may have not heard, or would appreciate a recap of some of the more interesting parts of the interviews. The first […]
Amy Sisson is a librarian, book reviewer, writer, and science fiction fan. She is also a personal friend of guest host Julia Jenkins. In this episode, Amy and Julia talk about several sci fi and fantasy books of which Amy recommends, especially to mainstream (or non-sci-fi) readers. Learn more about Amy, her book reviews, and her own […]
Dr. Richard White is the Margaret Byrne Professor of American History at Standford University and author of “Railroaded: The Transcontinentals and the Making of Modern America.” In this episode we discuss how the grand achievement of building railways in the West was based on corruption, fraud, and poor business acumen. The end of this period consisted […]
Madeline Miller is the author of “The Songs of Achilles“, released in March of 2012, which retells the events leading up, to and throughout the Trojan War through the eyes of Patroclus, a minor character in Homer’s Iliad. We follow Patroclus from childhood as he develops a close friendship with the Greek hero Achilles and […]
Zen Faulkes is an Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Texas-Pan American and science communicator at the blog, Neurodojo. In this episode, guest host Sophie Bushwick talks with Zen about another project that he’s working on – the SciFund Challenge. The SciFund Challenge is an organization of scientists who pitch their ideas for science […]
Aaron Santos is a physicist and author of “Ballparking: Practical Math for Impractical Sports Questions.” In this episode, Aaron talks about some of the hypothetical estimations involving sports that he covers in his book, such as how obese would a hockey player have to be to cover up the goal, how much could a person lift if he or she was the size of […]
Ian Dille is a freelance journalist and co-author of “The Price of Gold: The Toll and Triumph of One Man’s Olympic Dream.” In this episode, guest host Julia Jenkins chats with Dille about the subject of this book, many-time track cycler champion Marty Nothstein. Nothstein is an Olympic Gold and Silver medalist in Match Sprint bicycle racing, a sport […]
Erin Blakemore is the author of “The Heroine’s Bookshelf“, a non-fiction story about twelve classic, literary heroines and the authors who created them. In this episode, guest host Julia Jenkins talks with Blakemore about the book which explores how contemporary audiences can relate to the classic writers, and what life lessons can be appreciated even now […]
In this episode, I talk with documentary film-maker, Scott Thurman. We discuss his current documentary film, “The Revisionaries.” It centers on the story from 2011 about the Texas State Board of Education’s push to update the school curriculum’s science standards as it relates to the teaching of evolution. This conversation originally took place in early February, […]
Author Matt Bell, returns to discuss his new book “Cataclysm Baby” – a novella consisting of distinct stories set in a world devastated by an environmental disaster that cause children to be born with mutations that make them animal-like, and these childrens’ fathers’ struggling with how to raise them. “Cataclysm Baby” is published by Mud Luscious Press, […]
Sophie Bushwick is a freelance science writer who contributes to Scientific American’s Sixty Seconds Podcast, and is a writer for the io9 blogging network. In this episode, we discuss the topic of graphene, a substance that has promising features and qualities for future technological innovations, such as more efficient solar cells, improved semiconductors, and more. You can subscribe […]
Dr. Jennifer Rohn is a cell biologist, novelist, and founder of LabLit.com. In this episode, Jennifer and I talk about why there are not many stories that involve scientists as main characters. And so, LabLit.com was created to be a resource for storytelling and art that involve science, whether it’s characters or laboratory settings. Jennifer is also the […]
Sheridan Tongue is a film music and television programmer in England. In this episode, we discuss the process of writing compositions for film and television, his work on the popular science series ‘Wonders of the Universe with Brian Cox’ and ‘Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking.’ You can find out more about Sheridan’s work by visiting his website […]
In this episode, I give you more interview excerpts from off of the cutting room floor, such as Zachary Moore gives his favorite evidence of evolution that’s not relevant to molecular genetics (episode 43), why Rosie Redfield thinks it’s important for scientists to blog (epsd 42), what Sean B Carroll thinks are some of the under-appreciated qualities […]
Katie McKissick is a “former high school biology teacher who simply loves to talk, write, and read about science.” She’s also the author and illustrator of “Beatrice the Biologist,” a fun, informative website about science. In this episode, guest host Sophie Bushwick chats with Katie about her unique way of describing science through blogging and illustrating. And […]
Bonnie Jo Campbell is the author of critically-acclaimed books, such as her short story collections “Women And Other Animals,” and the 2009 National Book Award finalist, “American Salvage.” In this episode, we talk about her recent novel, “Once Upon A River.” A story about a young girl’s journey up the river in search of her […]
Dr. Sean B Carroll is an award-winning scientist, author, and educator. He is currently Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics and an Investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at the University of Wisconsin. With Darwin Day coming up, we talk about Charles Darwin. We discuss some of the interesting aspects to the famous naturalist, […]
In the second of this two-episode interview, Sophie Bushwick talks with Peggy Nelson, a new media artist who’s currently using Twitter to tell the amazing survival story of Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton. In the previous episode, Nelson provided a detailed overview of Shackleton’s perilous 1914 expedition. In this episode, Nelson describes how Twitter can be used as a […]
Peggy Nelson is a new media artist who’s currently using Twitter to tell the incredible survival story of Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton. In the first of this two-episode interview, Sophie Bushwick talks with Nelson, who recounts Ernest Shackleton’s incredible 1914 expedition and why she ultimately decided to tell his tale on Twitter. You can find out more about Peggy […]
Zachary Moore is a molecular biologist and host of the Evolution 101 podcast. The 38-episode podcast consists of short episodes that are designed to provide a simple explanation of the independent lines of evidence that support the theory of evolution. In this episode, we talk about some of the molecular evidence that supports the conclusion that species evolved from common ancestors. […]
Dr. Rosie Redfield is a microbiologist at the University of British Columbia and science writer for the Field of Science blog network. In this episode, guest host Sophie Bushwick talks with Dr. Redfield about her work on whether bacteria have sex, the possibility of arsenic-based life forms, and the importance of blogging and open science. […]
In this episode, I give you more interview excerpts from off of the cutting room floor, such as when I asked Mark Stevenson about nanotechnology, as well as how it felt interviewing the great minds in science (epsd 32), why the articles about imagination and creativity are amongst Maria Konnikova’s favorites in her Lessons From […]
Dr. Barbara Oakley is an associate professor of Engineering at Oakland University. She’s the author of “Evil Genes: Why Rome Fell, Hitler Rose, Enron Failed and My Sister Stole My Mother’s Boyfriend.” In this episode, we discuss this book, and find out what scientific research has to say regarding the extent at which human behavior, […]
Aaron is the young host of Aaron’s World, a popular podcast about ancient animals from an ancient time. Aaron plays himself as a time-traveling explorer who visits eras in which dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and other extinct animals roamed the world. And he shares with the listeners interesting information about them, all the while getting himself into […]
Maria Konnikova is a writer, doctoral candidate, and blogger at Scientific American. She has recently finished a series called “Lessons of Sherlock Holmes” – a chronicle that explores how examples from the fictional detective stories can help provide insight into not only how humans think, but also, how we should think. You can subscribe to Maria’s SciAm blog, called ‘Literally Psyched’, and bookmark […]
Emma Marris is a freelance science writer and author of Rambunctious Garden: Saving Nature in a Post-Wild World. In this episode, Emma talks about her book, describing how the perspective in which humans have had about the importance of wilderness to be pure and pristine is an outdated notion. It disregards the impact in which […]
Dr. Edwin (Ted) Bergin is professor of Astronomy at the University of Michigan, who researches the “molecular trail of our origins.” In this episode we talk about what science has theorized regarding the way in which Earth obtained its water.
Bill Castanier from MittenLit.com returns to Critical Wit to give us some suggestions on books to pick up as either gift ideas or to read during the holidays. We start with three books about Ernest Hemingway; “The Paris Wife” by Paula McClain; “Hemingway’s Boat: Everything He Loved In Life & Lost 1934-1961” by Paul Hendrickson; […]
Jill Adams returns to Critical Wit to talk about her experience attending the National Science Writers Convention, and it’s complementary sessions with the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing. She also describes her IGNITE speech on how cell biology helped her to become a better science writer. And then we discuss a couple of […]
Jill Twiss is a theater actress and stand-up comedian who according to her website is “creating world peace through stand-up comedy.” In this episode we talk a bit about her work as both a performer in theater and comedy. You can find her website at jilltwiss.blogspot.com, where there are videos of some of her performances. […]
Mark Stevenson is the author of An Optimist’s Tour of the Future: One Curious Man Sets Out to Answer “What’s Next?”, a funny, informative story about the technologies and innovations that’s driving humanity. Mark interviews the brightest minds researching things, such as transhumanism, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, carbon capture, and more. This book is ideal for science enthusiasts who want to be pragmatically optimistic […]
Emily Willingham is a biologist, science writer, and author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to College Biology. She is also the blogger at ‘The Biology Files.’ In this episode we talk about a short book that Emily wrote called When Worlds Collide: The Troubled History of Bears and People in Texas, which is available as […]
In the second of this special two-part episode, I provide some more audio clips of interviews from the previous ten episodes. Clips like whether “transgenic” is the same as “genetically engineered”, the similarities between Alfred Wegner and Charles Darwin, and comparing the United States to the rest of the world as it relates to capital punishment. And also, […]
In this special two-part episode, I provide some audio clips from interviews that were not included in their respective episodes due to time constraints. But I saved them because I thought they were informative and interesting. Clips like “rules of thumb” when buying a car, is Alfred Wegner a good example of a “one man […]
Holly Moeller is a graduate student of Ecology and Evolution at Stanford University and author of the Seeing Green blog. In this episode, we talk about sustainable fisheries. And we also talk about an aquatic organism that Holly has studied, which has a very interesting adaptation. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider ‘liking’ the Critical Wit page […]
Chris McDonald is a professor of music studies, with a phD in ethnomusicology. He is also the author of Rush, Rock Music, and the Middle Class: Dreaming in Middletown, a book that explores the music and lyric themes in the music of Rush, the progressive rock band from Canada. We talk about these things, as […]
Kristin Rose is a graduate student at Harvard, and blogger at Try Nerdy, a website that discusses interesting and cool science, and unabashedly promotes nerdiness. In this episode we talk about synesthesia, a neurological condition that causes one sensory experience to create another sensory experience, such as seeing colors when hearing a specific sounds. I very much recommend bookmarking her […]
Russell Murphy is a Professor of Law at Suffolk University Law School in Boston, Massachusetts, and author of Voices Of The Death Penalty Debate: A Citizen’s Guide To Capital Punishment. “Voices” is a book that presents arguments on both sides of the death penalty debate, but in a unique way – through the testimony of experts, […]
Roger McCoy is author of Ending In Ice: The Revolutionary Idea and Tragic Expedition of Alfred Wegener. In this episode we talk about the scientific triumph of Wegener’s bold, controversial theory of continental drift as well as his courageous arctic expeditions in the name of science.
Joseph Cotruvo is the president of Joseph Cotruvo & Associates and a co-editor of the book, Desalination Technology: Health and Environmental Impacts. In this episode, we talk about the science and technology of water desalination. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider ‘liking’ the Critical Wit page on Facebook and/or give the show a rating in iTunes. Thanks!
Pamela Ronald is a plant geneticist at the University of California – Davis, and co-author of the book, Tomorrow’s Table: Organic Farming, Genetics, and the Future of Food. The book is about how genetic engineering and organic farming can be tools in the production of food now, and in the future. In this episode, we talk about […]
Phil Reed is a Senior Consumer Advice Editor for Edmunds.com, an organization that offers information on automobiles. Phil has written extensively on buying and selling cars, and so we discuss some strategies on how to make the car buying experience more simpler and pleasant. You can find an archive of Phil’s articles on Edmunds.com. If you enjoy […]
Steve Matheson is an evolutionary cell biologist and blogger at Quintessence of Dust. We discuss what it’s meant by something to be falsifiable in science. We use the example of evolution by natural selection versus intelligent design. You can follow Steve on Twitter @sfmatheson.
In this special episode, I provide some audio clips from interviews that were not included in their respective episodes due to time constraints. But I saved them because I thought they were informative and interesting. I hope you find them to be, as well. And because a clip show wouldn’t be one without funny moments, there are […]
Dan Moutal is a blogger and podcaster for the website, Irregular Climate. In this episode, I ask Dan to clarify what the scientific consensus is on global warming, as well as what are the concerns that scientists have with regard to a climate that is changing due to global warming. Besides subscribing to his blog and podcast (which is in […]
Bill Castanier is a literary journalist for the Lansing City Pulse, and blogger at MittenLit.com. In this episode, Bill reviews four excellent novels written by Michigan authors. The first is a mystery called “Very Bad Men“ written by Harry Dolan. The second is “Things We Didn’t Say” by Kristina Riggle. The third is “Once Upon A River” by […]
Travis Saunders is a PhD student researching the relationship between sedentary time and chronic disease risk in children and youth. He is also a Certified Exercise Physiologist. In this episode, Travis talks about how sedentary behavior is different than inactivity, and why it has more serious health risks. And we also talk about how just […]
Zen Faulkes is an Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Texas-Pan American. In this episode, Zen talks about Senator Tom Coburn’s report that criticized the National Science Foundation’s funding of certain science research. Zen also talks aboutwhy it’s important for scientists to do replication work on other scientists’ research, as well as getting replication research published in science journals. […]
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