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Dave Pawlowski and Aaron Ridley interview people about their jobs in science, technology, engineering, and wherever else, and then maybe also talk about random stuff.

Dave Pawlowski & Aaron Ridley

  • Jul 20, 2020 LATEST EPISODE
  • monthly NEW EPISODES
  • 1h 13m AVG DURATION
  • 34 EPISODES


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Latest episodes from XandWhy

Episode 35: Elon Takes Us To Space

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2020 53:30


In this episode, we talk about getting to the ISS, how to launch a satellite into space, and how the government sets priorities on what to include in the budget.

Episode 34: Jumping on the Covid Bandwagon

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2020 54:12


Dave and Aaron talk about how education may be changed due to Covid-19 in the fall.

Episode 33: Cynthia Talks about Leaves

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2020 52:57


A talk with Cynthia Gerlein-Safdi about ecohydrology, plants and climate change.

Episode 32: Liz Talks about Citizen Science at CEDAR

Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2020 41:56


In this episode, Liz MacDonald and Aaron talk about the aurora, being scientists, and citizen science at the NSF CEDAR meeting in New Mexico, back in June 2019.

Episode 31: The One Where Aaron Goes to Norway

Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2020 62:37


In this episode, Aaron and a few other people talk about issues involved with migrating to Mars.

Episode 30: One Step Closer to Movie Dystopia

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2019 60:04


Dave and Aaron catch up, talk about the government shutdown, and the gene editing tool CRISPR.

Episode 28: Live From CEDAR with Eric Donovan

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2018 50:55


Eric Donovan joins Aaron to talk about data and models and how the future of the geospace community.

Episode 27: Collisions in Space

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2018 46:47


In this episode, we talk about the problem of orbital debris and what we are doing about it.

Episode 26: Where is the Edge of the Galaxy?

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2018 39:20


We talk about the galaxy, Game of Thrones, and lots of sci-fi books.

Episode 25: Why Should You Trust Climate Models?

Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2018 48:37


In this episode, we talk about climate models and how they work. We also talk about probabilities and how companies make decisions based on cost and risk.

Episode 24: Welcome to the End (of the School Year)

Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2018 55:02


In this episode, Dave and Aaron talk about the end of the semester, getting awards, CubeSats, government regulations, and the Chinese Space Station the came down last month.

Episode 23: All Follow-up, All the Time

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2018 46:51


We spend a fair bit of time this week catching up, then talking about Facebook. Then a bit of time talking about superpowers and Stephen Hawking.

Episode 22: Who are You?

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2018 54:35


Dave and Aaron complain about eyesight, then talk about whether your brain is who you are or whether it the whole package (hormones included). The round it out with a short discussion on the administration's influence on the number of scientists and finally recommendations.

Episode 21: Launches, Both Big and Small

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2018 47:42


In this episode, we talk about the Falcon Heavy and the Electron launches, using gravitational microlensing to find exoplanets, and a bit about privilege.

Episode 20: The One Where We Offend Everyone, A Star Wars Special

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2018 56:35


Dave and Aaron do a less than comprehensive review of The Last Jedi, and then talk about the best and worst physics of the Star Wars universe.

Episode 19: Kicking off 2018

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2018 44:46


Dave and Aaron catch up after an extended absence. They discuss thinking positively about life in general instead of worrying about politics all of the time. Then they argue about car mileage (really?) and have some recommendations.

Episode 18: Macs and Asteroids

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2017 52:05


Aaron and Dave catch up at the end of the semester to discuss whether they would buy a Mac, a Linux box, or a Windows machine (spoiler - it's not Windows) and an Asteroid that came out of no where.

Episode 17: Freedom, Freedom, Yeah Right

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2017 520:00


We spend a bit of time this episode talking about free speech on Facebook and Twitter, as well as bipedal robots, and we make some recommendations.

Episode 16: Who Wants to Live Forever?

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2017 45:39


Dave and Aaron talk about the science of aging and how that may change how long we live. They also talk about robots and whether they should be treated humanely.

Episode 15: How Much Did That Thing Cost?

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 2, 2017 48:12


In this episode, Dave and Aaron talk about the James Webb Space Telescope and other very large and expensive projects.

Episode 14: Cabin in the Woods Edition

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2017 42:02


Aaron and his wife Joey sit down while spending time in a cabin to chat about why Aaron is completely unable to relax while Joey is able to stare at walls with no problem, and how the world is going to run out of fuel and fall apart.

Episode 13: Who's Watching Me?

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2017 46:08


In this episode, Dave and Aaron talk about satellites being used to watch everything, traffic cameras, Sputnik, Russia and the US building stuff in space, and recommend more books.

Episode 12: The Giant Alien Hunters are Coming!

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2017 55:29


In this episode, Aaron and Dave talk about the end of the Cassini mission, the Fermi Paradox, and whether scientists and engineers should be allowed to study things that will end all human life.

Episode 11: A New Start

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2017 54:49


We catch up a bit and talk about how to fight climate change deniers and flat Earthers.

Episode 9b: Joe Animates His Drums

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2016 72:51


A wondering conversation with Joe about the movie industry, image recognition and life in general

Episode 9a: Aaron and Dave catch up (the travel episode)

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2016 52:16


Ridley and Pawlowski discuss recent travel adventures to Vegas, Zion, and Maine. Aaron destroys a raccoon.

Episode 8: Paul GOES to space

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 4, 2016 94:32


Aaron and Dave talk about automation and their half marathon; plus they talk to Paul about being a space systems engineer.

Episode 7: Eric takes a picture

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2016 47:27


Aaron complains about the internet and interviews Eric Donovan about taking pictures.

Episode 6: Laura stops a flood

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2016 96:50


Dave and Aaron talk a lot about balloons and they talk to Laura Irgang about controlling water.

Episode 5: Todd lights up

Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2016 76:15


Aaron and Dave talk about SeveneveS, working out, and self-assembling cubes; and they talk to Todd Irgang about optical engineering.

Episode 4: Anne envisions a cancer vaccine

Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2016 81:51


Dave and Aaron talk about dealing with the snow and changing relationships and Anne Casper joins us to discuss research on DNA fragile sites, repair, and consequences for cancer research.

Episode 3: Allison predicts the climate

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2016 108:29


Aaron and Dave talk about coffee (again!), the end of the world, and clouds and climate with Prof. Allison Steiner

Episode 2: Aaron makes satellites

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2016 106:46


Interview with Aaron Ridley where we discuss travel, hobbies, science and orbital mechanics.

Episode 1: Dave Goes Under the Microscope

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2016 94:31


Interview with Dave Pawlowski where we discuss space weather, Mars, and teaching

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