We dive as deep as we can into the science of everyday things. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/matthew-lanagan/support
Vision is an incredible complicated biological process nearly ubiquitous in nature. How were they created, and how is it utilized in different animals in nature. I discuss with my guest Adriana Brisco (Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at UC Irvine) the micro and macro biological processes involved in creating vision. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/matthew-lanagan/support
What motivates how people engage politically? What are the ideas behind the labels we see constantly thrown around. I discuss with my guest (Deana Rohlinger, Professor of Sociology at Florida State University) some environmental conditions that influence people, especially role of the media in shaping discourse and how that manifests into political action. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/matthew-lanagan/support
How do democracies function best? We have to find ways to represent the will of the people. And then we have to keep it from sliding toward authoritarianism. I discuss with my guest (Carl Knutsen - Professor of Political Science at the University of Oslo) the underlying mechanisms forming democracies. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/matthew-lanagan/support
Negotiating conflicts on the international scale is incredibly complicated. When do countries chose to get involved, and what are the best strategies for negotiating peaceful conflict resolution. I discuss with my guess Molly Melin (Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Loyola University Chicago) the challenges for all involved parties to overcome. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/matthew-lanagan/support
What is state of the art when it comes to wireless communication and networks and what kind of transformations will we see due to AI and Machine Learning? I discuss with my guest Walid Saad (Professor at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech) the applications and limitations of future wireless technology. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/matthew-lanagan/support
What is the purpose of flowers on plants? Do all plants have them? And why do they come in all different colors and shapes? I discuss with my guest Pamela Soltis (University of Florida) the evolution of these odd and powerful tools used by flowers in their reproduction. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/matthew-lanagan/support
Job happiness polling very poorly lately. There's high levels of disengagement, turnover, stress, and loneliness. I discuss with my guest Talya Bauer (Professor of Management at Portland State University) what are some of the likely causes, and what might be done to improve things for both employers and employees. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/matthew-lanagan/support
Vision is an incredible complicated biological process nearly ubiquitous in nature. How were they created, and how is it utilized in different animals in nature. I discuss with my guest Adriana Brisco (Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at UC Irvine) the micro and macro biological processes involved in creating vision. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/matthew-lanagan/support
Why are cats and dogs so similar in many ways yet markedly different in particular traits like speed vs endurance, short vs long faces, solo vs pack hunters? I discuss with my guest Jeff Thomason (Professor Emeritus at Ontario Veterinary College, and Department of Biomedical Sciences) the evolutionary pressures that create the important physiological features of cats and dogs and the animals that they hunt. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/matthew-lanagan/support
Glass, crystals, and ceramics are likely somewhat mysterious materials to many people. In many cases they are chemically similar, but structurally very different. What gives these materials they're special properties? I discuss with my guest (Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics at Penn State University) the science and engineering of these basic materials. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/matthew-lanagan/support
Battery technology is already transforming our transportation infrastructure. What are the implications and challenges of this transformation? Why are we so resource limited in this area? I discuss with my guest Linda Gaines (Environmental Scientist/Systems Analyst in Argonne National Laboratory's Energy Systems and Infrastructure Analysis) basics of the battery supply chain and how we are building these new technologies into our society. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/matthew-lanagan/support
Why are stories such powerful tools to communicate ideas? And how do different media effect the kinds of stories we can tell? I discuss with my guest David Dowling (Professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Iowa) the modern media landscape and how it might look in the future. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/matthew-lanagan/support
Understanding and improving methods of healing is one the most fundamental human endeavors, and has advanced greatly with technological progress. How does it work? I discuss with my guest Karen Crawford (Professor of Biology at St, Mary's College of Maryland) some amazing experiments underlying our understanding of healing and regeneration. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/matthew-lanagan/support
Modern consumption practices create an enormous strain on ocean ecosystems. How bad is the problem? I discuss with my guest Mercedes Rosello (Senior Lecturer at Leeds Beckett University Law School, and Director at House of Ocean) the possible solutions and methods of creating a sustainable fishing industry. Associated links for Mercedes: https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/staff/dr-mercedes-rosello/https://houseofocean.org/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/matthew-lanagan/support
Sports are a huge part of culture. They can promote both social and physical well-being. I discuss with my guest Colin Pennington (Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Health and Physical Education at The City University of New York, York College) the myriad benefits of educating youth in sports and ways to include more people in healthy participation --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/matthew-lanagan/support
What is money and how does it function in society? Why did the US change from the gold standard to fiat currency, and what are the implications of that for banking and politics? I discuss with my guest Max Gillman (Friedrich A. Hayek Professor of Economic History; University of Missouri - St. Louis) the history of money in the US and it's function throughout it's history of financial crisis. Associated links for Max: book: https://www.amazon.com/Spectre-Price-Inflation-Max-Gillman/dp/1788212371 website: https://maxgillman.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/matthew-lanagan/support
How do social social movements work to create political change? I discuss with my guest Elizabeth Borland (Department of Sociology and Anthropology at The College of New Jersey) how these groups organize and what strategies do they employ based on their goals and political environment. Associated links for Liz: https://socanth.tcnj.edu/faculty-profiles/dr-elizabeth-borland/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/matthew-lanagan/support
What are learning algorithms good at, what are their limitations, and how might they be used in the future? I discuss the many applications of artificial intelligence and how they learn and create with my guest Timothy Miller (Professor in the School of Computing and Information Systems at The University of Melbourne, and Co-Director for the Centre of AI and Digital Ethics). Associated links for Tim: Centre for AI and Digital Ethics: https://www.unimelb.edu.au/caide School of Computing and Information Systems: https://cis.unimelb.edu.au/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/matthew-lanagan/support
Young children's ability to learn new languages seem like a superpower, especially to those trying as an adult. How do they accomplish this amazing feat? I discuss with my guest Julia Hershensohn (Department of Linguistics at The University of Washington), the developmental process that children go though in acquiring new languages and compare that to the way that adults do it. Link to Julia's webpage: https://linguistics.washington.edu/people/julia-herschensohn --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/matthew-lanagan/support
It may be a surprise how complex and system soil environments are. Given how important it is to growing food and it and the more general impact of agriculture on climate change, I thought it an important topic. I discuss the science of soil and the role of sustainable farming practices with my guest Mahdi Al-Kaisi. Dr. Mahdi Al-Kaisi is a Professor Emeritus of Soil Physics at Iowa State University . He has over 30 years' experience in soil carbon dynamics and climate change mitigation using Climate Smart Agriculture practices. Currently, he is providing consulting services in these areas through Soil Carbon Metrics, LLC. For more information visit his LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahdi-al-kaisi-48a72363/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/matthew-lanagan/support
Both bats and humans possess amazing ability to locate object in space just from the sound that is produced. How is that possible? I discuss with my guest Rolf Mueller (Department of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech) the physics that and biology that allow animals to sense their environment using sound. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/matthew-lanagan/support
What drives a species to to extinction? What factors allow other species to adapt And what role do humans play in this process? I discuss with my guest Daniel Pincheira-Donoso (Queen's University Belfast UK) the evolutionary strategies animals have found to adapt to a rapidly changing environment and the dramatic influence humans are having on the planet through climate change. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/matthew-lanagan/support
What are the physics and psychological processes involved in creating speech? I discuss with my guest Michel Belyk (Senior Lecturer at Edge Hill University) the physics of sound and how we understand different sounds. See: https://www.michelbelyk.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/matthew-lanagan/support
Why should we grow plants indoors with artificial lights instead of using sunlight for free? We discuss the many benefits of growing crops in a controlled environment. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/matthew-lanagan/support
We take a deeper look into the arguments from Joe Rogan guest Steven Koonin as he casts doubt on the science of climate change. Are his arguments any good? --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/matthew-lanagan/support
Why do microwaves heat up your food but not the plate? Why does metal create sparks? And how do you sustain a plasma in the microwave? We discuss the science of microwave ovens and the material properties of food. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/matthew-lanagan/support
How do we think of value in the labor market? Are you paid what you're worth or what you can get from your employer? Are these just different perspectives on the same idea? We discuss the myriad ways that wages are influenced by personal and market factors. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/matthew-lanagan/support
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