Ikonokast

There's a push to remove the moratorium in Minnesota against developing nuclear power as s ource of energy. We are hearing claims that it is a renewable energy source, and that it doesn't produce carbon emissions. When this podcast was actually being recorded (there was snow on the ground,) the Minnesota Legislature was in session. So, yes, that's a while ago. But this is still relevant, and will be for the future. There's no guest on this show, because I am interviewing Greg Laden, who is the co-host and has been working on the issue so he has some expertise.

[caption id="attachment_464" align="alignnone" width="860"] Marlene Zuk presenting a TED Talk.[/caption] For this episode, Greg and Mike Zoomed with Marlene Zuk to ask her some pointed questions about her book Paleofantasy:  What Evolution Really Tells Us About Sex, Diet, and How We Live. We didn't ask what she had for breakfast, nor what she suggests that we have for breakfast, because that isn't the point of the book.  Zuk wrote about the complexity of evolutionary development and that it's not necessarily so that modern people can look to the past to build our menus, our patterns of relationships, nor what we do for exercise.  We don't need to be stuck in the past, since evolution doesn't teach that we should.  Evolution doesn't stop, so why should we? As usual, the conversation touched on concepts that both Greg and Marlene developed during their field research. Even the Bing Chat AI made a contribution.  Not a great one, but then it's just a bot. Marlene will return to give us inside baseball on her most recent book Dancing Cockatoos and the Dancing Cockatoos and the Dead Man's Test: How Behavior Evolves and Why It Matters. (Purchasing through these links helps fund the podcast, so, if you're going to buy a book, you know... especially if we turned you on to it.)

It's been a few months since our most recent podcast, but we are happy to see that our listeners are still tuning in. Greg Laden and Mike Haubrich welcome the return of Laurent Penet to the show. Listen in for some great info on his study of fruit trees, fungi and the spores from Ivory Coast, and folk medicine. Here are some links that he shared for more information: Tropical Fruit Tree Species and Climate Change Diversity is the best thing about fruits and vegetables Fruits tropicaux (Fr) Agro-Forestry (Encyclopedia Britannica) Medicinal plant knowledge in Caribbean Basin: a comparative study of Afrocaribbean, Amerindian and Mestizo communities Wikipedia Entry on Colletotrichum Sand Mist and Cyclones

Yes, it's true, and our guests explain why.

This is an overlapping continuation of episode 31, including the part about Silver Bay.  Greg Laden and Mike Haubrich spoke a bit more, about our travels and experiences along the North Shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota.  We also talked about the Iron Range in some greater detail, we talked about the gas fires in a flooded Grand Forks in 1997, how Hibbing had to move for the mines in the 1920's and how even the mountains in Minnesota are almost flat. This is how our conversations go when we get together.  You should join us sometime.

In this interview, Megan Bond talks extensively with Greg Laden about the importance of the watershed to Minnesota's Boundary Waters and Voyageurs National Park as well as the Quetico Provincial Park in Ontario; but more importantly, the watershed flows out from a contintal “trivide” to Hudson's Bay, The Atlantic Ocean's East Coast through the St. Lawrence Seaway and to the Gulf Of Mexico through the Mississippi River. More information at Ikonokast.com https://ikonokast.com/2022/10/28/episode-30-protecting-the-watershed-with-megan-bond/

In this wide-ranging episode, we explored ideas in agriculture on how to make it both more productive and ecologically friendly. Our guest is Laurent Penet, PhD, a researcher with the French National Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment. While we strayed from the initial question, we did cover a lot of ground on maintaining our ability to continue to produce food in the tropics and the temperate zones, how to encourage biodiversity by not killing all the weeds, why we need pollinators, and reiterated that farmers are great resources because they know the land they are working.

Ethan Siegel is a primo science communicator, with a blog at Starts With a Bang, a podcast of his own of the same name, and articles that he has published in a diverse array of magazines.  He's an enthusiastic interpreter of science, and we assure you there is no math required to listen to this podcast. The episode post is at https://ikonokast.com/2022/05/08/fourteen-questions-with-ethan-siegel/

Especially since Covid-19, everyone you argue with either in person or on the internet about masks or vaccines, or climate change, or evolution, or whether the earth is flat or round, or whatever people fight about, there's going to be a demand to produce the science to support your argument. That's not always as easy as you might think.

In this episode, Mike and Greg are each other's guests, and we go over things you can do both at home and in talking to your local and national government representatives to help restore carbon balance to nature.   https://ikonokast.com/2022/04/10/episode-26-seven-simple-rules-for-saving-the-planet/

The wait is over! Bill Schutt, auther of Pump: A Natural History of the Heart This is the second part of Greg Laden's interview with Bill Schutt, whose book Pump: A Natural History of the Heart, is available on Amazon in multiple formats. If you haven't listened to the first part of this interview yet, catch up on that one first. Don't forget to listen to our interview with Dr. Schutt on Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History. Here are the links to the articles in both parts of this interview: Pump: A Natural History of the Heart Meteorite Crash-Landed in Canada Woman's Bed COVID-19 slows birth rate in U.S., Europe Bat guts become less healthy through diet of 'fast food' from banana plantations Threatened rattlesnakes' inbreeding makes species more resistant to bad mutations

We are back! [caption id="attachment_321" align="alignright" width="199"] Bill Schutt, auther of Pump: A Natural History of the Heart[/caption] Join us with part one of an interview with zoologist and author Bill Schutt, as we discuss his latest book, Pump: A Natural History of the Heart, a delightful and informative exploration of the heart, in all its (anatomical) forms. We have changed our format a little, and hope you enjoy it. Feedback is welcome as long as you are nice about it. Material discussed in this and the next episode: Pump: A Natural History of the Heart Meteorite Crash-Landed in Canada Woman's Bed COVID-19 slows birth rate in U.S., Europe Bat guts become less healthy through diet of 'fast food' from banana plantations Threatened rattlesnakes' inbreeding makes species more resistant to bad mutations

Dr. Karen Stollznow is a linguist who earned her PhD at the University of New England, in Australia. She hosts the skeptical podcast Monster Talk with Blake Smith (subscribe, you'll thank us!) She is also a prolific author, having published academic works, non-fiction as well as fiction. Dr. Karen Stollznow In this episode, we open with the ways in which we judge and stereotype each other based on the dialect and language that we use and move on to the meanings of words and how the change in time and space. Not only does the cafe lose the accent after a time, but bad words turn good and good words turn bad. It's hysterical, how that works. We marked this episode "explicit" because we discuss some of the words that are not used in polite language and how the relative offense of using some words varies based on where the speaker is as well as how the audience may be. Check out her Amazon Author's Page Here and also check out Monster Talk.

Dr. Karen Stollznow is a linguist who earned her PhD at the University of New England, in Australia. She hosts the skeptical podcast Monster Talk with Blake Smith (subscribe, you’ll thank us!) She is also a prolific author, having published academic works, non-fiction as well as fiction. Dr. Karen Stollznow In this episode, we open with the ways in which we judge and stereotype each other based on the dialect and language that we use and move on to the meanings of words and how the change in time and space. Not only does the cafe lose the accent after a time, but bad words turn good and good words turn bad. It’s hysterical, how that works. We marked this episode “explicit” because we discuss some of the words that are not used in polite language and how the relative offense of using some words varies based on where the speaker is as well as how the audience may be. Check out her Amazon Author’s Page Here and also check out Monster Talk.

Anastasia Bodnar, PhD, is our guest on this episode. This is her second stint on Ikonokast, and for a refresher or if you are new to the show, we welcome you to listen to Genetic Engineering and Food Security. At the White House Our topic for this show is the importance of disclosure of potential conflicts of interest while conducting and reporting on research. Anastasia is a founding member and a director of Biology Fortified, an organization that presents information and research on the topic of genetic engineering. Recently, Anastasia had a close up look at a potential conflict of interest, and we discuss that in depth. Also, there are opportunities for science communicators to join the Biofortified group and Anastasia, Greg and Mike talk about what volunteer needs can be filled. Biology Fortified Support Opportunities Top Cancer Researcher Fails to Disclose Corporate Financial Ties in Major Research Journals Conflicts of Interest Ethical Systems.org Finally, here's a video describing the GMO Corn Experiment discussed during the podcast:

Anastasia Bodnar, PhD, is our guest on this episode.  This is her second stint on Ikonokast, and for a refresher or if you are new to the show, we welcome you to listen to Genetic Engineering and Food Security. At the White House Our topic for this show is the importance of disclosure of potential conflicts of interest while conducting and reporting on research.  Anastasia is a founding member and a director of Biology Fortified, an organization that presents information and research on the topic of genetic engineering.  Recently, Anastasia had a close up look at a potential conflict of interest, and we discuss that in depth. Also, there are opportunities for science communicators to join the Biofortified group and Anastasia, Greg and Mike talk about what volunteer needs can be filled. Biology Fortified Support Opportunities Top Cancer Researcher Fails to Disclose Corporate Financial Ties in Major Research Journals Conflicts of Interest Ethical Systems.org Finally, here’s a video describing the GMO Corn Experiment discussed during the podcast:

Today, Ikonokast visits with Joe Romm, author of How To Go Viral and Reach Millions: Top Persuasion Secrets from Social Media Superstars, Jesus, Shakespeare, Oprah, and Even Donald Trump. Romm is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, and the founder of the widely read and well respected Climate Progress (a part of Think Progress). He was for a time Acting Assistant Secreatary of the US Department of Energy, and has published several books on climate change, energy, national security, and communication, some of which we link to below. In this interview, as well as in Romm's book, you'll learn about the tried and true methods of creating a message that sticks. You'll also learn about the one thing Donald Trump is very good at (much to our collective peril). Books by Joe Romm: Climate Change: What Everyone Needs to Know Language Intelligence: Lessons on persuasion from Jesus, Shakespeare, Lincoln, and Lady Gaga Hell and High Water: How Global Warming Will Forever Change

Today, Ikonokast visits with Joe Romm, author of How To Go Viral and Reach Millions: Top Persuasion Secrets from Social Media Superstars, Jesus, Shakespeare, Oprah, and Even Donald Trump. Romm is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, and the founder of the widely read and well respected Climate Progress (a part of Think Progress). He was for a time Acting Assistant Secreatary of the US Department of Energy, and has published several books on climate change, energy, national security, and communication, some of which we link to below. In this interview, as well as in Romm’s book, you’ll learn about the tried and true methods of creating a message that sticks. You’ll also learn about the one thing Donald Trump is very good at (much to our collective peril). Books by Joe Romm: Climate Change: What Everyone Needs to Know Language Intelligence: Lessons on persuasion from Jesus, Shakespeare, Lincoln, and Lady Gaga Hell and High Water: How Global Warming Will Forever Change

Nigel Tufnel, lead guitarist of the band Spinal Tap, modified his amplifier for a higher energy state. Something that he could go to that was louder than the loudest, for when "10" wouldn't do. His amplifier goes up to "11." And he needs it for that special moment in the song "Hell Hole," I guess. Philip Moriarty is the guest for this episode of Ikonokast. The interview is a wide-ranging tour of education in the US and the UK, where Professor Moriarty teaches physics and is delighted on the first day of term to see all of the t-shirts with the names of metal bands, as the students file into class. Molecules Music depends on waves. Wave functions depend on, um, waves, too. So music and quantum physics are naturally related in form, if not always function. The humanities and science are not so easily separated. In Moriarty's book and in this podcast the two are firmly forged. A selection if things mentioned in the podcast: Giants of the Infinitesimal Get me off Your Bleeping Mailing List (Peer reviewed PDF) Pub...

 Nigel Tufnel, lead guitarist of the band Spinal Tap, modified his amplifier for a higher energy state.  Something that he could go to that was louder than the loudest, for when “10” wouldn’t do.  His amplifier goes up to “11.” And he needs it for that special moment in the song “Hell Hole,” I guess. Philip Moriarty is the guest for this episode of Ikonokast.  The interview is a wide-ranging tour of education in the US and the UK, where Professor Moriarty teaches physics and is delighted on the first day of term to see all of the t-shirts with the names of metal bands, as the students file into class. Molecules Music depends on waves.  Wave functions depend on, um, waves, too.  So music and quantum physics are naturally related in form, if not always function.  The humanities and science are not so easily separated.  In Moriarty’s book and in this podcast the two are firmly forged. A selection if things mentioned in the podcast: Giants of the Infinitesimal Get me off Your Bleeping Mailing List (Peer reviewed PDF) Pub Peer

Jess Phoenix, a geologist, announces her candidacy for the 2018 congressional race for Steve Knight's 25th district seat at Vasquez Rocks in Agua Dulce on Monday, April 18, 2017. Katharine Lotze/The Signal Jess Phoenix is running for California's 25th District Congressional seat. Our Congress lacks expertise in science and how science works at a basic level, and as a result there are some poorly thought out decisions are being made. Even worse, Congress is allowed to engage in explicitly anti-science political activities, such as assembling activist science deniers as the so-called science committees or subcommittees in both houses. This would not be as easy if there were a few dozen actual scientists in the House and Senate. Jess Phoenix sees this as a challenge that must be met by scientists joining as active and influential members of the government. The seat she is running for is currently being held by a climate denialist. Please consider donating to the campaign. Even if you don't live in her future district, as a nation we need to have more scientists guiding policy from seats of power, such as the House of Representatives. Here is the campaign site: Jess2018. Here is a TEDx talk, about geology, by the candidate: Greg Laden interviewed Dr. Phoenix for this podcast.

Jess Phoenix, a geologist, announces her candidacy for the 2018 congressional race for Steve Knight’s 25th district seat at Vasquez Rocks in Agua Dulce on Monday, April 18, 2017. Katharine Lotze/The Signal Jess Phoenix is running for California’s 25th District Congressional seat. Our Congress lacks expertise in science and how science works at a basic level, and as a result there are some poorly thought out decisions are being made. Even worse, Congress is allowed to engage in explicitly anti-science political activities, such as assembling activist science deniers as the so-called science committees or subcommittees in both houses. This would not be as easy if there were a few dozen actual scientists in the House and Senate. Jess Phoenix sees this as a challenge that must be met by scientists joining as active and influential members of the government. The seat she is running for is currently being held by a climate denialist. Please consider donating to the campaign. Even if you don’t live in her future district, as a nation we need to have more scientists guiding policy from seats of power, such as the House of Representatives. Here is the campaign site: Jess2018. Here is a TEDx talk, about geology, by the candidate: Greg Laden interviewed Dr. Phoenix for this podcast.

Dr. Peter Carter is an expert reviewer for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.Dr. Peter Carter and Elizabeth Woodworth co-wrote Unprecedented Crime: Climate Science Denial and Game Changers for Survival. Dr. Peter Carter is our guest for this episode. It is too late for the planet, and civilization, to not suffer serious consequences of climate disruption owing to human release of fossil carbon into the atmosphere for a century or too. But, perhaps it is not too late to reduce the effects to the point where we can maintain our civilization. But, Carter and Woodworth argue, for that to happen, we need to get past the criminals who are holding us back and get on with the changes that should be made.

Dr. Peter Carter is an expert reviewer for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.Dr. Peter Carter and Elizabeth Woodworth co-wrote Unprecedented Crime: Climate Science Denial and Game Changers for Survival. Dr. Peter Carter is our guest for this episode. It is too late for the planet, and civilization, to not suffer serious consequences of climate disruption owing to human release of fossil carbon into the atmosphere for a century or too. But, perhaps it is not too late to reduce the effects to the point where we can maintain our civilization. But, Carter and Woodworth argue, for that to happen, we need to get past the criminals who are holding us back and get on with the changes that should be made.

Dr. One Pagan Our podcast returns with a fun interview of the author of Strange Survivors: How Organisms Defend and Attack in the Game of Life. Oné Pagán is a researcher and professor at West Chester University in Pennsylvania and he blogs at Bald Scientist. This is his second book and it is a fascinating tour of adaptations that work well to enhance the survival of organisms in, as he refers to it, the game of life. Here is an episode of another podcast interview he did at People Behind the Science.

Dr. One Pagan Our podcast returns with a fun interview of the author of Strange Survivors: How Organisms Defend and Attack in the Game of Life.  Oné Pagán is a researcher and professor at West Chester University in Pennsylvania and he blogs at Bald Scientist. This is his second book and it is a fascinating tour of adaptations that work well to enhance the survival of organisms in, as he refers to it, the game of life. Here is an episode of another podcast interview he did at People Behind the Science.

http://ikonokast.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Echo-Skills-Red-Rocks-and-ScienceBlogs.mp3 Mike and Greg converse on the subject of the geology and geography of Arizona and the red rocks of Sedona. The rocks tell the story of the ages of the earth, and this is a pretty chapter. We also talk about the end of ScienceBlogs, which has been a seminal collective that set the tone in many ways for a new means of science communication through social media. And finally, Greg interviewed Shanthan Kesharaju, who has created an Amazon Echo Skill to tutor in mathematics. There are implications for the future of how we use adaptive systems to teach skills and develop our minds, with the possibility of staving off dementia in patients as well.

http://ikonokast.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Echo-Skills-Red-Rocks-and-ScienceBlogs.mp3 Mike and Greg converse on the subject of the geology and geography of Arizona and the red rocks of Sedona. The rocks tell the story of the ages of the earth, and this is a pretty chapter.  We also talk about the end of ScienceBlogs, which has been a seminal collective that set the tone in many ways for a new means of science communication through social media.  And finally, Greg interviewed Shanthan Kesharaju, who has created an Amazon Echo Skill to tutor in mathematics.  There are implications for the future of how we use adaptive systems to teach skills and develop our minds, with the possibility of staving off dementia in patients as well.

http://ikonokast.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/0015-John-McKay-Discovering-the-Mammoth.mp3 In the podcast, you may hear Mike refer to John as a "Vulcan Historian." What Mike meant to say is that John J. McKay is a historian with a specialty in the history of the Balkans, and that is an important distinction. He is also interested in the many weird theories that abound to explain (often not very well) natural history of the earth. He discovered that the mammoths are used as ersatz evidence in many of those theories, such as the idea that the ice build up at the poles became so heavy that the poles slid southward 40 degrees latitude and that pushed Atlantis to where Antarctica now freezes. There were many other strange ideas to explain the discovery of these giant bones and Mr. McKay relates how the process of discovering the mammoth is important to the development of science itself. You can read more from John at Mammoth Tales, his blog, but we highly advise that you read his book! Said book you may conveniently purchase here to support Ikonokast. Discovering the Mammoth: A Tale of Giants, Unicorns, Ivory, and the Birth of a New Science

http://ikonokast.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/0015-John-McKay-Discovering-the-Mammoth.mp3 In the podcast, you may hear Mike refer to John as a “Vulcan Historian.” What Mike meant to say is that John J. McKay is a historian with a specialty in the history of the Balkans, and that is an important distinction.  He is also interested in the many weird theories that abound to explain (often not very well) natural history of the earth.  He discovered that the mammoths are used as ersatz evidence in many of those theories, such as the idea that the ice build up at the poles became so heavy that the poles slid southward 40 degrees latitude and that pushed Atlantis to where Antarctica now freezes. There were many other strange ideas to explain the discovery of these giant bones and Mr. McKay relates how the process of discovering the mammoth is important to the development of science itself.  You can read more from John at Mammoth Tales, his blog, but we highly advise that you read his book! Said book you may conveniently purchase here to support Ikonokast. Discovering the Mammoth: A Tale of Giants, Unicorns, Ivory, and the Birth of a New Science

http://ikonokast.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Bill-Schutt-Cannibalism-A-Very-Natural-History.mp3 We don't do too many shows on cuisine, but this week we asked scientist and author Bill Schutt to speak with us about his research in cannibalism. His new book, Cannibalism: A perfectly natural history, explores the behavioral and evolutionary biology of cannibalism in general, and within that context, examines cannibalism among humans. Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History

http://ikonokast.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Bill-Schutt-Cannibalism-A-Very-Natural-History.mp3 We don’t do too many shows on cuisine, but this week we asked scientist and author Bill Schutt to speak with us about his research in cannibalism. His new book, Cannibalism: A perfectly natural history, explores the behavioral and evolutionary biology of cannibalism in general, and within that context, examines cannibalism among humans. Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History