Saturday Morning Science

The environment we are exposed to in the womb shapes our health, even as adults. Learn about efforts to understand how maternal conditions can affect things like obesity and cardiovascular health decades later.

Cochlear implant technology has revolutionized auditory learning for infants with profound hearing loss. Exciting learning and behavioral changes reveal how infants respond to cochlear implants and where the field of auditory prosthetics may focus next.

Color is everywhere in our world, informs our sense of everything. Yet it is at the same time something elusive, mysterious and even sometimes maligned. This lecture will explore why this has been so, and discuss how color has been understood by artists since Isaac Newton.

Even without ears, plants experience an incredible world of vibrations. We will explore the strange universe of plant-borne vibrations, and talk about new research showing that plants pay attention to the crunching of hungry caterpillars.

Our earliest animal ancestors lived nearly 600 million years ago; in the geological blink of an eye, they evolved to representatives of nearly every major animal group known today. We'll talk about how and why this incredible event occurred and more.

Plant domestication began nearly 10,000 years ago, in the tropical lowlands of Central and South America. Come hear what archaeology and paleoethnobotany - the study of ancient plant remains-can tell us about the crops and agricultural practices of Native peoples in the Americas.

There is increasing evidence that information beyond the DNA sequence gets passed from one generation to the next: for example, a father's access to food can alter metabolism in his children. I will discuss our efforts to understand the molecular mechanisms responsible for ancestral control of health and disease.

This talk will introduce some of the basic concepts and models of sociobiology, a field that studies the evolution of social behavior, including altruism and spite. Hear about how cooperation and punishment varies across societies.

The end of February marks Rare Disease Day and this year's focus is on "Living with a Rare Disease". Linh Ngo will describe her experiences with Marfan's Syndrome and Madeline Miller will discuss advances in research for a cure for Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

How do molecular machines function in greasy membrane environments? Come learn why the challenges of this environment can facilitate Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

What was life like as a Roman soldier on the Empire's eastern edge? Excavations at Gharandal uncover exciting and surprising finds beneath the sand.

How can we comply with regulations for the disposal of radioactive materials when future conditions and activities are uncertain? Come and find out.

'Next-generation sequencing' is revolutionizing the rate at which genomic data are being collected and data generation is becoming addictive. Here we discuss the process of making biological insights from vast amounts of biological data.

Who are the scientists? How are they trained and how is research funded? We will discuss the reality of how scientific advancement occurs.

Nanotechnology has become an integral part of our everyday living. In this talk, I will give you a nano-peek inside magnetic material of practical importance.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSRA) has become a global public health problem. In a world where antibiotics are failing us, is there a chance to stop it?

A total solar eclipse is coming to the US in 2017. Come learn about eclipses and why EVERYONE should be excited about this coming celestial treat.

Just because it looks clean doesn't mean it is. Learn about the efforts and challenges of Missouri communities to deliver "high quality H2O".

This presentation will demonstrate how different parts of the brain and different neuropsychological processes (i.e., self-focus, other-focus) interact to create spiritual experiences and empathetic behaviors.

The vertebrate eye impresses with its complexity and performance, yet it is also amazingly imperfect. Our current knowledge of eye evolution explains why this imperfection occurs and how natural selection can result in highly complex traits.

How can scientists get your attention, make things clear, and help you remember your messages? With a team of Honors College undergraduates, we will use diverse and novel means to engage you in science. Come see what works!

While your partner may not agree, snoring is the least of your worries! Come and find out why some people stop breathing during sleep, and how it is causing a massive health burden.

One of the biggest, and most controversial, questions in astrophysics is when and how the most massive galaxies formed. How do new ideas about when the biggest galaxies were formed change how we think about the beginning of the Universe?

As part of the 2014 Life Sciences & Society Symposium whose theme this year is "Decoding Science", Bill Nye will discuss the hows and whys of communicating science to the public.

Some genetically engineered rats love to run and others prefer to "sit on their couch" - and the difference is in their brains. This is important to humans because when our brain tells us to "sit on the couch", it is also telling us to become sick.

Man depends on wildlife. Man is a threat to the wildlife journey with us to South Africa and see how MU veterinary students work to preserve endangered species crucial to the country's economy and learn about the interdependence of man animal.

Although protected areas are essential to conservation, they aren't always large enough to include all species. For wide-ranging animals like large mammals, biologists must recognize and address the challenges of conservation in human-dominated habitats as well.

Blue roses, Golden rice, Bt corn, Roundup Ready Soybeans….What is a genetically modified organism? How are GMOs different than conventionally bred crops? The science underlying plant genetic engineering will be discussed.

Plants are as choosy about their mating partners as animals, but they don't have senses like we do. Find out how they recognize a good mate and how cutthroat they can be toward partners that don't measure up.

Companion dogs share our homes, our lives, and our environmental exposures. If we know the shared epigenetic changes in canine and human cancers, we may be able to develop better treatments.

Why has life coagulated into evolving beings we call organisms? Cooperation of the parts in service to the whole.

Americans have long used notions of picturesque beauty and ecology to imagine the forests of the American West. The result is a patchwork landscape that is both a cultural and natural creation.

Fruit flies are revealing encouraging findings about human neurological disorders, including substance addiction, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, and fragile X syndrome. Learn what fruit flies can tell us about the human brain.

Skipping breakfast is a common yet unhealthy habit. In this talk, we'll look at evidence that shows eating a protein-rich breakfast improves appetite control, food intake regulation, and body weight management.

Many problems occur with animals when a disaster strikes. By educating animal owners, there is a better chance of saving the entire family.

Our food supply is under constant pressure from microorganisms. This talk will focus on the impact of past and current plant disease epidemics on our landscape and our food supply.

Mercury in nature can become the dangerous neurotoxin methyl mercury. The source of this toxin was recently discovered. Learn how this discovery will help make us all safer.

To a geologist, this can be a surprisingly complicated question. Learn about the rock cycle, the history of attempts to determine the age of the Earth, and how scientists finally measured the age of the Earth at 4.55 billion years.

New vistas of nature and technology open up when we view objects with polarized light. We'll try out a hands-on activity during the talk; if available, bring your polarized sunglasses and a smartphone/ipad/laptop with you.

Astronaut-turned-MU Professor talks about the challenges of returning from space.

Technological advances have provided tremendous insight into the details of movement patterns of migratory birds. Here we show advances that provide information on individuals and populations as they move across the hemisphere.

Missouri endured an epic drought last summer. Learn how drought affects crops, how some plants adapt to exceptionally dry conditions, and the "roots" to the future of drought-resistant crops.

Science programs engage kids, give them hands-on experience solving real world problems, and show them possible careers. This talk will connect these goals to the neuroscience of learning.

Can we achieve the radical reform in science and math education needed to prepare citizens for the challenges of the emerging knowledge-based global economy?

Despite their widespread abundance, spiders are little known and often misunderstood. I will present current information--along with neat pictures--about these eight-legged, elegant creatures.

Bacteria have fascinating life cycles that lead to the rejuvenation of younger cells. Come see how bacteria age and learn how this process provides a long-term benefit to the population.

Learn about the amazing science being done by the National Science Foundation's Antarctic program. From penguins and fossils to neutrinos and microbes, there is science at the South Pole!

Talents, temperament, tolerance, and training all come together to produce creativity. This talk will give an inside look at how these elements come together in today's generation of young innovators.

When Carl Sagan said "we're made out of star stuff", he wasn't kidding. We'll take about how plants mine elements, originally made at the core of dying stars, and why these elements are so essential for life.

Deafness is one of the most widespread sensory disabilities in the world. Unlike humans, fish regenerate cells involved in hearing. Can we use this knowledge to jump start this process in ourselves?

This talk explores the creation of sacred space by Jews and Christians in the ancient world. The religious significance may be obvious, but what are the social and political effects of creating such space?