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Dr. Donard Dwyer is a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine and Vice Chair for Research at LSU Health Shreveport. With more than 30 years of academic research experience, his work has focused on neuroscience, genetics, motivation, schizophrenia, and the biological mechanisms underlying neuropsychiatric disorders. Before joining LSU Health Shreveport, Dr. Dwyer served as a Research Scientist at the Max Planck Institute in Würzburg, Germany, and as Director of Immunology for a Cambridge biotechnology company. His current research explores the genetic and molecular pathways involved in brain function, motivation, and potential new treatments for neuropsychiatric conditions. In this episode of Asking Why, Dr. Dwyer returns to discuss his latest research after his manuscript, “Suicide Risk Genes,” was accepted for publication in a prestigious medical journal. He shares the inspiration behind the research, the significance of the findings, and what they could mean for the future of neuroscience, suicide prevention, and mental health. Links Research Page (please link in the show notes): http://www.lsuhs.edu/psych-research Instagram: @lsuhs_psychiatry Facebook: LSUHS Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine Asking Why with Clint Davis Sponsors: A special thank you to the incredible sponsors of Asking Why with Clint Davis for investing in meaningful conversations that bring hope, healing, and growth to our community. Wellness by Dr. Natalia — a physician-led integrative and concierge medical practice in Shreveport focused on longevity, regenerative medicine, aesthetics, and whole-person wellness. Learn more at www.LuraguizMD.com Uprising Addiction Center — helping individuals and families find lasting recovery through compassionate, evidence-based addiction treatment focused on healing the whole person. Learn more at www.UprisingCenter.com LearningRx Shreveport — empowering children and adults by strengthening cognitive skills needed to learn, focus, read, and succeed with confidence. Learn more at www.LearningRx.com/Shreveport We're grateful for businesses and organizations that believe in strengthening people, families, and our community.
Anna and Avery break down yesterday's total solar eclipse — a 182-mile-wide shadow that swept from the Arctic through Greenland and Iceland to northern Spain, giving millions of people up to 2 minutes 18 seconds of totality. Plus: astronomers find three supermassive black holes sharing one distant galaxy (two are about to merge), Virgin Galactic pushes commercial spaceflight back to February 2027, and Rocket Lab signs a new launch customer for Neutron even as the rocket's debut slips further.**Full show notes:**Today's episode — S05E166, Thursday August 13, 2026:**Main story: The August 12 total solar eclipse.** The Moon's shadow crossed the Arctic Ocean, eastern Greenland, western Iceland, northern Spain, the Balearic Islands and out into the Mediterranean. Longest totality on land: 2 minutes 18 seconds at Látrabjarg, Iceland. Millions gathered across northern Spain, with the path also crossing A Coruña, Bilbao, Zaragoza, Valencia and Palma (Madrid and Barcelona were just outside the path). Observers reported seeing the solar corona, a prominence, and Jupiter, Mercury and Venus during totality. Spain gets another total eclipse on August 2, 2027.**Three supermassive black holes, one galaxy.** Astronomers led by Hannah Übler (Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics) used JWST to confirm three actively feeding supermassive black holes in galaxy J0148-4214, 12.5 billion light-years away — the first such triple system ever confirmed. Two of the three are on course to merge.**Virgin Galactic delays commercial flights to 2027.** The company's upgraded Delta-class spaceplane will now begin commercial service in February 2027, pushed back from Q4 2026, to complete avionics and systems installation. Shares fell 12% after-hours. $750,000 seat packages were oversubscribed.**Rocket Lab's Neutron: delay and deal.** Rocket Lab is hedging on a 2026 debut for its Neutron rocket, with the window potentially slipping into 2027 — even as the company signs a new five-launch deal with Kepler Communications.**Links & sources:**- [Space.com — Total solar eclipse live updates](https://www.space.com/news/live/total-solar-eclipse-today-aug-12-2026-live-updates)- [Space.com — Total solar eclipse 2026 thrills millions (photos, video)](https://www.space.com/stargazing/solar-eclipses/total-solar-eclipse-2026-thrills-millions-with-a-stunning-cosmic-spectacle-photos-video)- [CNN — Photos: Total solar eclipse 2026](https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/12/science/gallery/photos-total-solar-eclipse)- [Wikipedia — Solar eclipse of August 12, 2026](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_August_12,_2026)- [Max Planck Institute — Three supermassive black holes discovered in a single galaxy](https://www.mpg.de/26904239/three-black-holes-discovered-in-a-young-galaxy)- [SpaceNews — Virgin Galactic delays resumption of commercial flights to 2027](https://spacenews.com/virgin-galactic-delays-resumption-of-commercial-flights-to-2027/)- [Spaceflight Now — Window for 2026 Neutron debut is narrowing](https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/08/10/window-for-2026-launch-debut-of-rocket-labs-neutron-rocket-is-narrowing-as-development-continues/)- [Rocket Lab — Neutron launch deal with Kepler Communications](https://rocketlabcorp.com/updates/rocket-lab-inks-neutron-launch-deal-with-kepler-communications/)Follow us: @AstronomyDailyPodBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-latest-space-news--5648921/support.Sponsor Details:Ensure your online privacy by using NordVPN. To get our special listener deal and save a lot of money, visit www.astronomydaily.io/nordvpn. You'll be glad you did!Get the best secure and private email on the planet. Stop your Government, google and who knows who else spying on every email you write. Do what we did and use ProtonMail. They beleive in privacy and there are no ads in their business model...yet they still provide a free forever service. Check them out and get out special deal at www.astronomydaily.io/protonmailBecome a supporter of Astronomy Daily by joining our Supporters Club. Commercial free episodes daily are only a click way... Click HereThis episode includes AI-generated content.
Gelion PLC (AIM:GELN, OTC:GELNF, FRA:X0S) CEO Matthew Wood spoke with Proactive's Stephen Gunnion about the company's newly announced funded development and scale-up agreement with Mitsui Kinzoku, and how it fits into Gelion's wider strategy for its Nano-Encapsulated Sulfur (NES) cathode technology. Mitsui Kinzoku, a leading Japanese supplier of metals and engineered materials with an established position in advanced battery materials, will work with Gelion to validate its sulfur-based NES cathode material in both liquid and solid-state battery cells. The agreement includes £2 million of non-dilutive funding, structured as stage payments tied to milestones. Wood said this doesn't represent sales revenue, but payments would be recognised as commercial revenue from FY27 onwards. It also gives Mitsui Kinzoku an option to negotiate manufacturing and distribution rights for Gelion's NES material in certain Asian territories, with terms still to be agreed. "This agreement adds a major global tier one battery materials manufacturer to our partner network," Wood said, adding that while Gelion still has milestones to meet, the deal marks a pathway towards commercial-scale NES production. Wood said the Mitsui Kinzoku tie-up complements Gelion's other recent activity, including IP arrangements with the Max Planck Institute, programmes with TDK, Kinetic and Nissan, and its US entry via an agreement with the National Lab of the Rockies. Looking ahead, he said Gelion remains focused on delivering across its partnerships, with further news flow expected. Visit Proactive's YouTube channel for more interviews and videos. If you found this interview useful, give the video a like, subscribe to the channel and enable notifications for future content. Read Proactive's Editorial Policy here: https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/pages/editorialPolicy #Gelion #GelionPLC #MitsuiKinzoku #BatteryTechnology #EnergyStorage #LithiumSulfur #BatteryMaterials #SolidStateBatteries #NES #NanoEncapsulatedSulfur #BatteryInnovation #CleanTechnology #EnergyTechnology #Commercialisation #AdvancedMaterials #Nissan #Investing #InvestorNews #ProactiveInvestors
Books have never been trendier, but studies show that as more and more things compete for our frazzled attention spans, we're reading less and less. This is a problem because reading has a wealth of cognitive benefits that we're in danger of missing out on. To find out why declining literacy could affect everything from memory to IQ, Madeleine Finlay speaks to the Guardian's science editor, Ian Sample. She also hears from Prof Falk Huettig, an experimental psychologist at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics and author of The Perks of Being a Bookworm. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
This weekend on Astronomy Daily: the Inouye Solar Telescope reveals whirlpools on the Sun's surface for the first time, a Falcon 9 upper stage carves a fresh crater on the Moon, Voyager 2 pulls off a daring "Big Bang" power swap 21 billion kilometres away, and the LINK spacecraft wins its de-spin battle in the race to save NASA's Swift. Plus your both-hemispheres guide to the 12 August total solar eclipse and the moonless Perseid peak. In this episode ● (01:20) LEAD — First-ever sighting of Kelvin–Helmholtz vortices on the Sun (Nature, 5 Aug; Inouye Solar Telescope / NSO / MPS) ● (09:00) Falcon 9 upper stage 2025-010D impacts the Moon near Einstein Crater ● (12:15) Voyager 2's "Big Bang" power swap buys another year of interstellar science ● (15:30) LINK spins down from 9°/s to 1.47°/s — software update next in the Swift rescue ● (18:45) Skywatch: 12 Aug total solar eclipse + Perseid peak — both hemispheres, with eye-safety Links & sources ● Nature: Kuridze et al., "Ubiquitous Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities driving plasma mixing on the Sun" (5 Aug 2026) ● NSO / NSF and Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research press releases (5 Aug 2026) ● NASA/JPL Voyager blog: "NASA Engineers Help Prolong Voyager 2's Science Mission" (4 Aug 2026) ● NASA Science Swift blog: LINK stabilisation update; ESA & NASA eclipse pages for 12 Aug 2026Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-latest-space-news--5648921/support.Sponsor Details:Ensure your online privacy by using NordVPN. To get our special listener deal and save a lot of money, visit www.astronomydaily.io/nordvpn. You'll be glad you did!Get the best secure and private email on the planet. Stop your Government, google and who knows who else spying on every email you write. Do what we did and use ProtonMail. They beleive in privacy and there are no ads in their business model...yet they still provide a free forever service. Check them out and get out special deal at www.astronomydaily.io/protonmailBecome a supporter of Astronomy Daily by joining our Supporters Club. Commercial free episodes daily are only a click way... Click HereThis episode includes AI-generated content.
International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP)
This episode features Dr. Georg Zeller PhD from Leiden University Medical Center (the Netherlands), speaking about gut microbiome signatures of colorectal cancer across global populations. An early study Dr. Zeller completed in Peer Bork's lab suggested that the gut microbiomes of people with colorectal cancer are distinct from controls. This signature, as well as work on the tumor microbiome, all pointed toward Fusobacterium as particularly important. Subsequent studies exploring this idea show wide variation in geography and methods. Accounting for these factors, meta-analyses have confirmed several gut microbiome characteristics that are enriched in colorectal cancer across the global population. Dr. Zeller was interested to see that bile acid metabolism is consistently enriched in the cancer metagenome. The taxonomic profile, however, appears better than the functional profile in distinguishing colorectal cancer from control samples. He emphasizes the importance of linking his insights from bioinformatic efforts to the mechanistic work being done. Initially he was hopeful that a gut microbiome diagnostic could be developed, but currently the highest achievable AUC for the classification models is around 0.85 or 0.9, which may not be adequate for enhancing current clinical tools. The possibility remains for a gut microbiome test to complement existing diagnostics. The most promising area may be targeted gut microbiome modulation for prevention of colorectal cancer, perhaps through diet. His group is also exploring the gut microbiome for early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, possibly by combining fecal markers with other diagnostic tools. Episode links: Early study in French participants suggesting a gut microbiome signature in colorectal cancer: Potential of fecal microbiota for early-stage detection of colorectal cancer Recent meta-analysis from Zeller's group; Meta-analysis reveals microbiome signatures for colorectal cancer that are universal across age groups and sequencing methods Tools for a combination of 16S rRNA & shotgun sequencing data and meta-analysis approaches: Microbiome meta-analysis and cross-disease comparison enabled by the SIAMCAT machine learning toolbox Paper on the gut microbiota in pancreatic cancer: A faecal microbiota signature with high specificity for pancreatic cancer About Dr. Georg Zeller PhD: Georg Zeller studied Bioinformatics (major in Computer Science) at the Universities of Tübingen (DE) and Uppsala (SE). In 2010 he obtained a PhD from the University of Tübingen (DE) for work performed at the Max Planck Institutes there. Afterwards he joined Peer Bork’s group at EMBL Heidelberg (DE) as a postdoctoral researcher. From 2015 to 2024 he was an independent Team Leader establishing his microbiome research group at EMBL. In 2023 he was appointed as Associated Professor (promoted to full professor in 2025) in the newly formed Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases (LUCID) at the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC, NL) to head the Microbiome Systems Biology group. His research is aimed at gaining a better understanding of how the microbiome contributes to human health, disease progression and treatment success, and how it is shaped by host factors such as nutrition and pharmaceutical drugs. To address these questions, his group develops computational, statistical and experimental methods for clinical microbiome studies. His long-term goal is to harness fundamental knowledge on the human microbiome and its interactions with the host for the rational design of microbiome-targeted interventions for prevention and (co-)treatment of disease.
HEALTH NEWS Lycopene linked to lower cancer risk in major review Daily routines reduce pain and depression in older adults When nature not only restores, but fortifies Skin Damage May Begin Long Before You Can See It Study Shows Exercise Improves Brain Function for 24 Hours Lycopene linked to lower cancer risk in major review Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (Iran), July 29 2026 (Natural News) Lycopene, the red pigment in tomatoes, may offer modest protection against cancer and cancer-related death. A meta-analysis of 121 studies found high lycopene intake linked to a 5% lower cancer risk, while tomato consumption was tied to an 11% lower risk of cancer death and lycopene intake specifically to a 16% lower risk. Blood lycopene levels showed stronger protection, with an 11% lower cancer risk and 24% lower risk of cancer death. Benefits peak at 5 to 8 milligrams of lycopene daily, roughly one to two medium tomatoes. Cooking tomatoes with healthy fats like olive oil significantly improves lycopene absorption. Daily routines reduce pain and depression in older adults University of Missouri, July 28 2026 (News-Medical) University of Missouri researchers have identified a simple, effective way to improve quality of life. A new study found that maintaining a consistent daily routine can reduce physical pain and ease symptoms of depression, demonstrating how everyday habits can have a meaningful impact on well-being, particularly for older adults with insomnia. Roughly half of adults age 60 and older report experiencing insomnia symptoms. To better understand how insomnia affects overall well-being, researchers analyzed survey data from 67 older adults, including 37 people with insomnia. As expected, participants with insomnia reported higher levels of pain and depression. Participants who maintained consistent daily routines tended to report lower levels of pain and depression, a relationship that may be explained in part by the way regular schedules help synchronize the body's internal clock. Those daily habits help regulate the body's circadian rhythm that influences sleep, mood and other biological functions. Even small disruptions to daily schedules can throw off the body's internal clock, a phenomenon sometimes referred to as social jet lag. When nature not only restores, but fortifies Max Planck Institute for Human Development (Germany), July 29 2026 (Eurekalert) A walk in the park after a stressful day is a classic example of how nature can help people switch off and unwind. But natural environments may offer even more: enhancing mood and cognitive performance even when a person was not previously stressed or depleted. This is the finding of a review article published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development. For the review, the researchers evaluated 54 studies that comprised 61 experiments examining the effect on natural and urban environments on cognitive performance, affect or subjective sense of relaxation. Focus on restoration: For decades, research has primarily examined how nature helps people recover from stress or mental strain. Overlooked ‘instorative' effects: Nature may also promote attention, positive affect and well-being even without prior depletion. Positive findings: Despite their small number, all instorative studies reported improvements in attention, affect or subjective well-being. Implications for daily life: The results suggest that green spaces not only contribute to restoration after depletion but may also promote concentration, resilience and mental health in everyday life. Skin Damage May Begin Long Before You Can See It Hiroshima University (Japan), July 30, 2026 (SciTech Daily) Skin can appear structurally intact even as the collagen beneath it begins losing its internal organization. An international research team led by Hiroshima University found that the molecular arrangement and supramolecular chirality—or structural handedness—of dermal collagen deteriorate before its fiber network begins to thin or fragment. Collagen supports the skin through a carefully organized hierarchy that extends from molecules to larger fibers. This arrangement gives tissue much of its structure and mechanical strength. To identify changes that ordinary imaging could not detect, the researchers combined advanced optical imaging with chiroptical spectroscopy, a method that measures how structures with a particular handedness interact with light. They researchers examined collagen abundance and the coherence of its chiral organization within the same physical section of tissue. The measurements revealed that collagen quantity and collagen organization do not necessarily decline together. Tissue samples could retain much of their overall collagen coverage and mass even after the coherence of their supramolecular chirality had deteriorated substantially. In other words, the visible fiber network could still appear largely intact while its internal order was already breaking down. That separation suggests that collagen deterioration begins at smaller structural scales before becoming obvious through changes in fiber shape or abundance. Study Shows Exercise Improves Brain Function for 24 Hours University College London, July 22 2026 (Natural News) A recent study reports that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity can improve memory and cognitive performance for up to 24 hours after exercise. According to the study, researchers tracked 76 British adults over eight days, monitoring their activity levels and sleep patterns while administering daily cognitive tests. The study found that for every additional 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, participants performed better on tests of episodic memory and working memory the following day. Episodic memory involves recalling personal experiences, while working memory holds information temporarily for decision-making. Light activity showed weaker effects, and sedentary time was not associated with cognitive benefits, according to the researchers. The study classified activity into three categories: sedentary, light and moderate-to-vigorous. The moderate-to-vigorous category included brisk walking, running, cycling and resistance training. Light activity showed weaker benefits, and sedentary behavior was associated with no improvement, the researchers said. The study also examined the contribution of sleep. For every extra 30 minutes of REM or deep sleep, participants showed improvements in memory and attention span the following day, the researchers said.
The prominent and colorful neuroscientist Valentino Braitenberg was born 100 years ago. He co-founded the Max Planck Institute of Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen in Germany, where he made seminal contributions to neuroanatomy, synthetic psychology, and theories for cerebellar, fly vision and cortical function. He was celebrated at the recent Braitenberg*100 symposium which I attended together with today's guest. Ad Aertsen is an outstanding computational neuroscientist and worked with Braitenberg back in the days.
John Maytham speaks to Dr Palesa Medupe, molecular scientist and researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, about groundbreaking research suggesting the Homo naledi fossils found in the Rising Star cave system may all belong to females and what this reveals about the species' evolution and behaviour. Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show serves a round-up of local and international news coupled with the latest in business, sport, traffic and weather. The host’s eclectic interests mean the program often surprises the audience with intriguing book reviews and inspiring interviews profiling artists. A daily highlight is Rapid Fire, just after 5:30pm. CapeTalk fans call in, to stump the presenter with their general knowledge questions. Another firm favourite is the humorous Thursday crossing with award-winning journalist Rebecca Davis, called “Plan B”. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Afternoon Drive with John Maytham Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 15:00 and 18:00 (SA Time) to Afternoon Drive with John Maytham broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/BSFy4Cn or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/n8nWt4x Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Astronomy Daily S05E139 — Monday, 13 July 2026 Starship could fly again as soon as Wednesday — carrying its first-ever real payload. Japan quietly joins the reusable rocket club just a day after China. SpaceX asks regulators for a jaw-dropping 100,000 satellites. Physicists may have heard the accumulated whispers of every star that ever exploded. Isar Aerospace signs a $150 million deal to launch from Canada. And a ravenous black hole just 1.8 billion light-years away is giving astronomers — including teams from CSIRO and the University of Sydney — a window into the dawn of time. In this episode • Starship Flight 13: Booster 20's 33-engine static fire complete; launch NET Wednesday (AEST); first deployment of 20 Starlink V3 satellites; in-space Raptor relight and Indian Ocean splashdown planned. • JAXA's RV-X reusable rocket completes its first hop at Noshiro — about 40 seconds, 10–11 metres up, landing upright — one day after China's Long March 10B sea recovery. • SpaceX files with the FCC for a 100,000-satellite Gen3 constellation in very low Earth orbit, pitched at multi-gigabit AI-era connectivity — and entirely dependent on Starship. • Super-Kamiokande reports the first indication of the Diffuse Supernova Neutrino Background from nearly 5,000 days of data — the accumulated neutrinos of every core-collapse supernova in cosmic history. • Isar Aerospace signs a 10-year deal with Maritime Launch Services for a dedicated complex at Spaceport Nova Scotia — first orbital launches targeted for 2028, up to 40 per year by 2029. • Galaxy SDSS J110546.07+145202.4: a lightweight, ferociously fast-growing black hole behaving like the early universe's titans, shining 20-fold brighter in radio for eight-plus years — with CSIRO's ATCA among the follow-up telescopes. • Skywatching: New Moon Tuesday evening (7:44pm AEST / 9:44pm NZST); prime Milky Way core viewing; Venus brilliant in the west; Mars near Aldebaran pre-dawn; Comet 10P/Tempel 2 favours southern observers. Sources & further reading • Space.com — Starship Flight 13 static fire & launch outlook; Starlink Gen3 filing; Isar/MLS deal; ravenous black hole; supernova neutrino whispers • AP / Japan Times / RTÉ — JAXA RV-X first test flight • Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy press release; Komossa et al., The Astrophysical Journal (2026) • Tohoku University / phys.org — Super-Kamiokande DSNB indication (Neutrino 2026 conference) • CBC / The Globe and Mail / SpaceQ — Isar Aerospace & Maritime Launch Services agreement details • NASA JPL What's Up July 2026; EarthSky; Space.com night sky guide — skywatchingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-the-latest-space-news--5648921/support.Sponsor Details:Ensure your online privacy by using NordVPN. To get our special listener deal and save a lot of money, visit www.bitesz.com/nordvpn. You'll be glad you did!Become a supporter of Astronomy Daily by joining our Supporters Club. Commercial free episodes daily are only a click way... Click HereThis episode includes AI-generated content.
Everybody sleeps...but did you know fish do, too? In this hilarious episode of Wow in the World, Mindy and Guy Raz dive into an incredible new scientific discovery that's changing the way we think about sleep beneath the surface. From talking goldfish to underwater sleep spas, this bedtime adventure is full of surprising science, sleepy silliness, and one very cranky Guy Raz!After yet another sleepless night thanks to Mindy's late-night TV marathons, Guy is desperate for some peace and quiet. But instead of turning the volume down, Mindy comes up with the perfect solution: squeeze Guy into a giant goldfish costume and check him into the luxurious Sand Dollar Sleep Retreat & Spa!What begins as Guy's quest for a good night's sleep quickly becomes an unforgettable journey into the science of how fish sleep. Along the way, Mindy and Guy discover that fish don't just sleep—they sleep in surprisingly human-like ways! Kids and families will explore groundbreaking research from scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, who used a self-tracking microscope and camera system to follow zebrafish around the clock. Their discoveries revealed that zebrafish—or should we say “Zzzebrafish”—experience four different stages of sleep, complete with changing eye movements, shifting brain activity, and even short daytime naps. The crew also learns why fish sleep with their eyes open, how transparent baby zebrafish helped scientists peek inside sleeping brains, and why dolphins sleep with only half their brains at a time.Packed with laugh-out-loud moments, underwater adventures, fascinating neuroscience, animal behavior, and one unforgettable sleepover gone completely bonkerballs, this episode proves that whether you live on land or under the sea, a good night's sleep is one of nature's greatest superpowers.✨ Don't miss the chance to explore even further with Wow in the World:Grownups can visit tinkercast.com/join-twaaw to join the World Organization of Wowzers (WOW) and unlock exclusive activities, birthday cards, quarterly mailings, first dibs at events, and a welcome kit with an autographed photo of Mindy & Guy Raz! Plus, Grownups help support our podcast and our mission to create content and experiences that connect laughter to learning, curiosity to innovation and kids to the WOWs in their world!This episode of Wow in the World is a perfect blend of storytelling and science, inviting kids and families to dive into the science of how fish sleep while laughing, learning, and wowing together."See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Episode Topic: History of Philosophy Explore Thomas Aquinas' rigorous engagement with the Falsafa tradition. From the mechanics of the soul to the dignity of science, discover how his relational rationality bridges medieval wisdom and modern inquiry. Listen in as we synthesize these timeless metaphysical debates for the contemporary professional.Featured Speakers:Stephen Ogden, University of Notre DameKatja Krause, Max Planck Institute for the History of ScienceRichard C. Taylor, Marquette UniversityRead this episode's recap over on the University of Notre Dame's open online learning community platform, ThinkND: https://go.nd.edu/045a76.This podcast is a part of the ThinkND Series titled Aquinas at 800.Thanks for listening! The ThinkND Podcast is brought to you by ThinkND, the University of Notre Dame's online learning community. We connect you with videos, podcasts, articles, courses, and other resources to inspire minds and spark conversations on topics that matter to you — everything from faith and politics, to science, technology, and your career.Learn more about ThinkND and register for upcoming live events at think.nd.edu.Join our LinkedIn community for updates, episode clips, and more.
Dr Nuno Castel-Branco is a Research Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. He completed his Ph.D. in the history of science at Johns Hopkins University in 2021 after earning a Bachelor's and Master's in Physics at the University of Lisbon. Previously, he worked as a Research Fellow at Harvard University's Villa I Tatti in Florence and at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin. His first book, The Traveling Anatomist: Nicolaus Steno and the Intersection of Disciplines in Early Modern Science was published by the University of Chicago Press in October 2025. Dr Castel-Branco's research has been generously supported by institutions such as the Fulbright Program, the Andrew Mellon Foundation, the Royal Society and, more recently, the John Fell Fund from the University of Oxford. His writing has also appeared in publications such as Isis, Renaissance Quarterly and Annals of Science, as well as in the Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and Scientific American.Substack "Stories of Science" https://nunocastelbranco.substack.com/Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/Traveling-Anatomist-Nicolaus-Intersection-Disciplines/dp/0226842290
Guests:Martin Wikelski, Director at the Max Planck Institute of Animal BehaviorAndrea Kwakowsky, Associate Professor of Pharmacology & Therapeutics at the University of Galway
Dr Malcolm Jorgensen Macolm is from the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law in Heidelberg Germany, and he chats to Emile.
Send us Fan Mail Money isn't just numbers, it's the quiet pressure that follows you to bed and shows up as worry, second guessing, and constant mental noise. We sit down with David Nassief, author of One Page Wealth Compass, to unpack how financial anxiety becomes a mental health problem and what it takes to replace dread with a clear plan you can actually stick with. David's path is raw and specific: fired at 63 after 18 years in corporate, nearly broke, and terrified of what the math meant for his family. From cold calls and rejection in a commission-only role to years of focused learning, David explains how small signs of progress create hope and how hope rebuilds momentum. We dig into decision fatigue, why too many daily money choices drain your energy, and how automation can free up cognitive space. He shares the story that shaped his thinking, including a famous Max Planck Institute experiment about walking in circles without a reference point, and why a “one page” compass can keep your financial life from drifting off course. You'll also hear practical personal finance principles that support long-term wealth building: saving a meaningful portion of income, investing with broad diversification using low cost index funds, and letting market volatility work for you instead of against you. Along the way, we challenge common myths with memorable examples, like why some high earners still go broke and why making money is not the same skill as building wealth. If you want a calmer relationship with investing, retirement planning, and long-term financial security, this conversation will give you language, structure, and a next step. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs clarity, and leave a review to help more people find the show. Connect With the Guest: Website: https://onepagewealthcompass.com Free PDF Download: https://onepagewealthcompass.com (click "Download your free PDF") Book on Amazon: "One Page Wealth Compass" by David Nassief YouEx Get 50% off the first 6 months of YouEx.ai! The Yielding Warrior Offer: Free book just pay for shipping | Code: TYW Friending, Inc Offer: 15% off our coffee as stated above | Code: Podcast10 Find friends in real-life in a verified Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Want to Be a Guest on Healthy Mind, Healthy Life?
In 2022, scientists found a gene in your frontal lobe that no other species has ever carried. A 4,000-year-old Sumerian tablet already told us how it got there.Is the Anunnaki ancient astronaut hypothesis a fantasy built on bad cuneiform translations—or did Zecharia Sitchin decode Sumerian tablets that mainstream scholars have been misreading for centuries?I deep dive into the TKTL1 gene mutation—a single amino acid discovered by the Max Planck Institute that gives every modern human more frontal lobe neurons than the Neanderthal genome ever produced—and why it reads like the human genetic engineering conspiracy Sitchin described in 1976.I investigate why Caltech's Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown are hunting Planet 9 in the outer solar system, why the Atrahasis epic human creation story mirrors the Genesis vs Sumerian flood myth word for word, and why the Paracas skulls DNA results still haven't been peer-reviewed.Topics (among others):Enki and Enlil Sumerian Gods: How the Adapa primitive worker lulu was designed in a place the tablets called E.DIN—the Garden of Eden—as a fix to a gold-mining rebellion.Forbidden Archaeology Meets Real Science: How CRISPR gene editing on fetal brain tissue confirmed that basal radial glia cells evolution hinges on one variant Neanderthals never carried.Nibiru vs. Planet 9: Why Caltech outer solar system anomalies revived a fifty-year-old alternative history theory—and why the orbital math still doesn't add up.Consider Supporting + Receive Bonus Content
Dr. Ayse Turak is Associate Professor and Associate Undergraduate Chair of the Department of Engineering Physics at McMaster University. Ayse develops and studies plastic-based electronic materials, such as solar cells and light-emitting diodes. Her goal is to create affordable, sustainable, and ubiquitous plastic materials to provide power and light for people around the world. In her free time, Ayse loves to travel, visit new places, see new things, explore new cultures, and seek adventure. She also enjoys theatre, writing, and volunteering with various social justice organizations. Ayse received her B.Sc. in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from Queens's University and her PhD from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto, where she was a Canada Graduate Scholar. Afterwards, Ayse conducted research as a Marie Curie Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Metals Research and subsequently worked as a visiting professor at Sabanci University in Istanbul, Turkey before joining the faculty at McMaster University. Ayse has received numerous awards and honors throughout her career, including the Early Researcher Award, the Petro-Canada Young Innovators Award, and a Leadership in Teaching and Learning Fellowship from McMaster University. In addition, she was recently nominated as a Full member at Sigma Xi, and she is the co-chair of the Canadian Chapter of the Society of Information Display. In our interview, Ayse shares more about her life and research.
In this week's episode, we're bringing you two stories about navigating the uncertainty, hope, and heartbreak of trying to have a baby.Part 1: After a pregnancy loss, Annie Tan channels her grief into rescuing an injured mockingbird.Part 2: Kibby McMahon is convinced she can will her way into pregnancy, but her body refuses to follow the plan.Annie Tan is an educator, activist, writer and storyteller from Manhattan's Chinatown. Annie's work has been featured in Huffington Post, New Republic, PBS' Asian Americans, RISK! and twice on The Moth Radio Hour on NPR. Annie is writing a memoir about connecting with her immigrant parents despite not sharing a common fluent language. Find more at annietan.com.Dr. Kibby McMahon is a licensed clinical psychologist, researcher, and digital health entrepreneur who's obsessed with the emotional complexities of relationships. She earned her BA from Columbia University and her PhD in clinical psychology from Duke University, where her NIMH-funded research focused on how regulating our own emotions helps us connect more deeply with others. She has held research and clinical roles at Duke University Medical Center, Columbia University, Weill Cornell Hospital, and the Max Planck Institute. Dr. Kibby is a family caregiver and breast cancer survivor- experiences that reshaped how she understands vulnerability, resilience, and what it means to care for others while holding yourself together. These threads came together when she co-founded KulaMind, a digital mental health company that supports loved ones of people with mental illness through evidence-based skills, coaching, and AI-powered tools. She also hosts the podcast "A Little Help for Our Friends," which explores the invisible emotional labor of loving someone who is struggling with mental health or addiction. She lives in New York with her tornado of a son, a fluff of a dog, and a partner-in-crime husband.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
We are delighted to host Marieke McKenna on this episode of the Mangu.tv podcast. Marieke McKenna (London, 1994) is a Scottish-Dutch philosopher, historian, artistic researcher, and performance artist. Her work explores metaphysics, phenomenology, consciousness studies, spirituality, ecology, and philosophies of nature through interdisciplinary research and embodied practice. She is an expert on cross-cultural perspectives on dreaming and other altered states of consciousness.For the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, she led the research project History of Lucid Dreaming Research, the first oral-historical examination of the emergence of lucid dreaming as an object of scientific inquiry. In collaboration with the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, the project combined oral history, philosophy, and cross-cultural anthropological research into how different cultures and traditions understand dreaming, with hands-on experience in neuroscience sleep laboratories conducting EEG and fMRI research on the dreaming brain.Outside academia, Marieke, who is based in The Netherlands, is an award-winning artist and curator, with performances and lectures at institutions including the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum. She is the host of her own national radio show on NPO Radio 2, for which she selects music from across the globe, and has taught at various universities, conservatoires, and institutes, including Advaya and the Embassy of the Free Mind.Giancarlo and Marieke discuss idealism, interconnectedness, and how dreamwork nurtures healing and belonging. They speak about lucid dreaming in therapy, indigenous perspectives, and technology's encroachment into “inner space,” debating AI, advertising in dreams, collective consciousness, telepathy, quantum theory, and the mind's creative potential.
A new study has confirmed that women are generally more attractive than men, but why are we different from other species, and why is there an ‘attractiveness gap'?Joining Seán to discuss is Eugene Wassiliwizky, a Research Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics in Germany.
What happens when industrial towns lose their defining industries? How do the remaining communities and infrastructures find meaning and a future among the postindustrial remains. The key often lies in heritagization, the process by which certain aspects of the past are identified, preserved, and presented as heritage. In her dissertation research, Julia Silva de Medeiros, associate researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology, compares the postindustrial heritagization processes in Serra do Navio, Brazil and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, both of which once had major metallurgical industries, mining manganese and making steel respectively. Silva de Medeiros shows that the values prevailing among decision makers get embedded in the heritage passed down to future generations. In support of her work Silva de Medeiros received funding from the Center for the History of Business, Technology, and Society at the Hagley Museum and Library. For more information, and more Hagley History Hangouts, visit us online at hagley.org. To make a donation underwriting this program and others like it please visit our Eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/underwriting-donation-tickets-1470779985529?aff=oddtdtcreator
Today's political debates are fiercely polarized. But looking beyond the headlines, The Trigger Points: Inequality and Political Polarization in Contemporary Society (Policy Press, 2026) shows that ordinary citizens hold much more nuanced, less divided views. Drawing on rich survey data and group discussions, this work maps four major areas of conflict: migration, climate change, diversity, and economic justice. Across these conflicts, most citizens take positions that are middle-of-the-road, contradictory, or undecided. It is only certain ‘trigger points' – like gendered pronouns or refugee admissions – that predictably ignite tensions and deep disagreement. Political entrepreneurs know this and weaponize trigger points for their agenda. Yet the real key to contemporary conflicts, the book argues, lies in social inequality. This is a vital work that maps today's political landscape without sensationalism, offering a fresh lens on public debate. This interview was conducted by Dr. Hannah Pool, a senior researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Studies of Societies. Her research focuses on human mobilities and her new book has been published in 2025 by Oxford University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today's political debates are fiercely polarized. But looking beyond the headlines, The Trigger Points: Inequality and Political Polarization in Contemporary Society (Policy Press, 2026) shows that ordinary citizens hold much more nuanced, less divided views. Drawing on rich survey data and group discussions, this work maps four major areas of conflict: migration, climate change, diversity, and economic justice. Across these conflicts, most citizens take positions that are middle-of-the-road, contradictory, or undecided. It is only certain ‘trigger points' – like gendered pronouns or refugee admissions – that predictably ignite tensions and deep disagreement. Political entrepreneurs know this and weaponize trigger points for their agenda. Yet the real key to contemporary conflicts, the book argues, lies in social inequality. This is a vital work that maps today's political landscape without sensationalism, offering a fresh lens on public debate. This interview was conducted by Dr. Hannah Pool, a senior researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Studies of Societies. Her research focuses on human mobilities and her new book has been published in 2025 by Oxford University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
Today's political debates are fiercely polarized. But looking beyond the headlines, The Trigger Points: Inequality and Political Polarization in Contemporary Society (Policy Press, 2026) shows that ordinary citizens hold much more nuanced, less divided views. Drawing on rich survey data and group discussions, this work maps four major areas of conflict: migration, climate change, diversity, and economic justice. Across these conflicts, most citizens take positions that are middle-of-the-road, contradictory, or undecided. It is only certain ‘trigger points' – like gendered pronouns or refugee admissions – that predictably ignite tensions and deep disagreement. Political entrepreneurs know this and weaponize trigger points for their agenda. Yet the real key to contemporary conflicts, the book argues, lies in social inequality. This is a vital work that maps today's political landscape without sensationalism, offering a fresh lens on public debate. This interview was conducted by Dr. Hannah Pool, a senior researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Studies of Societies. Her research focuses on human mobilities and her new book has been published in 2025 by Oxford University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science
Today's political debates are fiercely polarized. But looking beyond the headlines, The Trigger Points: Inequality and Political Polarization in Contemporary Society (Policy Press, 2026) shows that ordinary citizens hold much more nuanced, less divided views. Drawing on rich survey data and group discussions, this work maps four major areas of conflict: migration, climate change, diversity, and economic justice. Across these conflicts, most citizens take positions that are middle-of-the-road, contradictory, or undecided. It is only certain ‘trigger points' – like gendered pronouns or refugee admissions – that predictably ignite tensions and deep disagreement. Political entrepreneurs know this and weaponize trigger points for their agenda. Yet the real key to contemporary conflicts, the book argues, lies in social inequality. This is a vital work that maps today's political landscape without sensationalism, offering a fresh lens on public debate. This interview was conducted by Dr. Hannah Pool, a senior researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Studies of Societies. Her research focuses on human mobilities and her new book has been published in 2025 by Oxford University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology
Today's political debates are fiercely polarized. But looking beyond the headlines, The Trigger Points: Inequality and Political Polarization in Contemporary Society (Policy Press, 2026) shows that ordinary citizens hold much more nuanced, less divided views. Drawing on rich survey data and group discussions, this work maps four major areas of conflict: migration, climate change, diversity, and economic justice. Across these conflicts, most citizens take positions that are middle-of-the-road, contradictory, or undecided. It is only certain ‘trigger points' – like gendered pronouns or refugee admissions – that predictably ignite tensions and deep disagreement. Political entrepreneurs know this and weaponize trigger points for their agenda. Yet the real key to contemporary conflicts, the book argues, lies in social inequality. This is a vital work that maps today's political landscape without sensationalism, offering a fresh lens on public debate. This interview was conducted by Dr. Hannah Pool, a senior researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Studies of Societies. Her research focuses on human mobilities and her new book has been published in 2025 by Oxford University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/politics-and-polemics
In this episode, Niall speaks with Dr. Christof Koch, Chief Scientist of the MindScope Program at the Allen Institute for Brain Science, former Professor at Caltech, and author of “Then I Am Myself the World”. Dr. Koch is a leading researcher in the science of consciousness and a key proponent of Integrated Information Theory. In this conversation, they explore: — Why consciousness may be fundamental, while physical matter exists only in relation to other things — How an experience on a beach in Brazil changed his understanding of reality — The discovery of “covert consciousness” in patients thought to be in vegetative states — How the perturbational complexity index (PCI) shows a clear boundary between conscious and unconscious states, and why this matters — How Integrated Information Theory approaches the question of free will You can learn more about Dr. Koch's work at https://christofkoch.com. --- Dr. Christof Koch is a Meritorious Investigator at the Allen Institute. Christof received his baccalaureate from the Lycée Descartes in Rabat, Morocco, his B.S. and M.S. in physics from the University of Tübingen in Germany and his Ph.D. from the Max-Planck Institute for biological Cybernetics in 1982. Subsequently, he spent four years as a postdoctoral fellow in the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and the Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. From 1987 until 2013, Koch was a professor at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, from his initial appointment as Assistant Professor, Division of Biology and Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences in 1986, to his final position as Lois and Victor Troendle Professor of Cognitive & Behavioral Biology. See here for Christof's academic pedigree and his students. Christof joined the Allen Institute for Brain Science as Chief Scientific Officer in 2011 and became President in 2015. Christof writings and interests integrate theoretical, computational and experimental neuroscience with philosophy and contemporary trends, in particular artificial intelligence. His latest book, Then I Am Myself the World: What Consciousness Is and How to Expand It, publish in May 2024. His previous book, Consciousness: Confessions of a Romantic Reductionist, blends science and memoir to explore topics in discovering the roots of consciousness. Stemming in part from a long-standing collaboration with the late Nobel Laureate Francis Crick, Christof authored the book The Quest for Consciousness: A Neurobiological Approach. Koch also authored the technical books Biophysics of Computation: Information Processing in Single Neurons and Methods in Neuronal Modeling: From Ions to Networks, and served as editor for several books on neural modeling and information processing. --- Interview Links: — Dr. Koch's website: https://christofkoch.com — Dr. Koch's book: https://amzn.to/4mIKG9W
The global refugee regime has shifted under our feet. Over the last forty years, international asylum practices have expanded to include the queer and trans displaced. At least thirty-seven countries now recognize LGBTIQ refugees on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, with some states providing specialized support. Yet amid this expansion, backlash has intensified against refugee protection as well as the hard-earned rights of LGBTIQ people. In this disquieting context, the protection of LGBTIQ refugees remains partial and exclusionary. The Way Out: Justice in the Queer Search for Refuge (University of California Press, 2026) examines the complexities of queer and trans displacement around the world. Centering personal narratives of LGBTIQ refugees, the book exposes the shortcomings of an international protection regime that is unable to address the harms that drive displacement. Rebecca Buxton and Samuel Ritholtz's analysis of the stakes of queer and trans inclusion in accounts of displacement justice offers a vibrant example of theory brought to life. This interview was conducted by Dr. Hannah Pool, a senior researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Studies of Societies. Her research focuses on human mobilities and her new book has been published in 2025 by Oxford University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
The global refugee regime has shifted under our feet. Over the last forty years, international asylum practices have expanded to include the queer and trans displaced. At least thirty-seven countries now recognize LGBTIQ refugees on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, with some states providing specialized support. Yet amid this expansion, backlash has intensified against refugee protection as well as the hard-earned rights of LGBTIQ people. In this disquieting context, the protection of LGBTIQ refugees remains partial and exclusionary. The Way Out: Justice in the Queer Search for Refuge (University of California Press, 2026) examines the complexities of queer and trans displacement around the world. Centering personal narratives of LGBTIQ refugees, the book exposes the shortcomings of an international protection regime that is unable to address the harms that drive displacement. Rebecca Buxton and Samuel Ritholtz's analysis of the stakes of queer and trans inclusion in accounts of displacement justice offers a vibrant example of theory brought to life. This interview was conducted by Dr. Hannah Pool, a senior researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Studies of Societies. Her research focuses on human mobilities and her new book has been published in 2025 by Oxford University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies
The global refugee regime has shifted under our feet. Over the last forty years, international asylum practices have expanded to include the queer and trans displaced. At least thirty-seven countries now recognize LGBTIQ refugees on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, with some states providing specialized support. Yet amid this expansion, backlash has intensified against refugee protection as well as the hard-earned rights of LGBTIQ people. In this disquieting context, the protection of LGBTIQ refugees remains partial and exclusionary. The Way Out: Justice in the Queer Search for Refuge (University of California Press, 2026) examines the complexities of queer and trans displacement around the world. Centering personal narratives of LGBTIQ refugees, the book exposes the shortcomings of an international protection regime that is unable to address the harms that drive displacement. Rebecca Buxton and Samuel Ritholtz's analysis of the stakes of queer and trans inclusion in accounts of displacement justice offers a vibrant example of theory brought to life. This interview was conducted by Dr. Hannah Pool, a senior researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Studies of Societies. Her research focuses on human mobilities and her new book has been published in 2025 by Oxford University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science
Dr. Chaitanya Giri is a distinguished space scientist, astrochemist, and technology strategy analyst whose expertise bridges planetary science, space policy, and astropolitics. He serves as a Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation's (ORF) Centre for Security, Strategy and Technology and is an Associate Professor at FLAME University.Dr. Giri holds a Ph.D. in Astrochemistry from the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis and the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research. His scientific career includes significant tenures at the Earth-Life Science Institute at Tokyo Institute of Technology, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and the Carnegie Institution for Science. Notably, he was a co-investigator for the COSAC payload on the European Space Agency's Rosetta mission, which made groundbreaking discoveries on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Beyond his scientific research, Dr. Giri is deeply involved in science diplomacy and policy, having consulted for India's National Security Council Secretariat and served on various government review committees. He is also the author of the book India in the Second Space Age of Interplanetary Connectivity, which explores the geopolitical and economic implications of future space exploration.His latest book is ‘The Long Siege: 500 Years of India's Struggle for Technopolitical Freedom'.
The global refugee regime has shifted under our feet. Over the last forty years, international asylum practices have expanded to include the queer and trans displaced. At least thirty-seven countries now recognize LGBTIQ refugees on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, with some states providing specialized support. Yet amid this expansion, backlash has intensified against refugee protection as well as the hard-earned rights of LGBTIQ people. In this disquieting context, the protection of LGBTIQ refugees remains partial and exclusionary. The Way Out: Justice in the Queer Search for Refuge (University of California Press, 2026) examines the complexities of queer and trans displacement around the world. Centering personal narratives of LGBTIQ refugees, the book exposes the shortcomings of an international protection regime that is unable to address the harms that drive displacement. Rebecca Buxton and Samuel Ritholtz's analysis of the stakes of queer and trans inclusion in accounts of displacement justice offers a vibrant example of theory brought to life. This interview was conducted by Dr. Hannah Pool, a senior researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Studies of Societies. Her research focuses on human mobilities and her new book has been published in 2025 by Oxford University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/lgbtq-studies
Since massive anti-government protests in Nicaragua in 2018, and a subsequent brutal government crackdown, President Daniel Ortega and his Co-President spouse, Rosario Murillo, have progressively consolidated power through systematic repression of political opposition, civil society, independent media, and religious actors. A report published March 10 by the United Nations Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua provides the most comprehensive assessment to date of these patterns of repression and their evolution, including serious, systematic and widespread human rights violations, some amounting to crimes against humanity. In this episode, Christopher Hernandez-Roy sits down with Jan-Michael Simon, Chair of the United Nations Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua and a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law. Together, they discuss the Ortega-Murillo regime's repressive apparatus within Nicaragua, as well as its international reach. They also analyze the role of the international community, and multilateral bodies like the UN and Organization of American states in continuing to raise awareness of conditions within Nicaragua, and advocating for justice for victims of the regime.
In this episode, Chris interviews Dr. Nicole Hess about her research on female competition, indirect aggression, gossip, and “Informational Warfare” theory in U.S. sororities and small-scale societies in the Central African Republic. They also discuss the various challenges of field work, including personal and sociopolitical risks. Dr. Hess is a scholarly associate professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Washington, Vancouver. Dr. Hess studies gossip, friendship, cooperation, and coalitional competition. She conducted fieldwork in the Central African Republic and college Greek communities, and has conducted numerous experiments testing hypotheses derived from "Informational Warfare" theory, which proposes that coalitions may be useful in reputational competition (via, e.g., gossip) due to their improved abilities to collect, analyze, and disseminate relevant information. Trained as a multidisciplinary social scientist, Dr. Hess uses diverse quantitative and qualitative methods to explore human sociality and cognition, including psychological experiments, surveys, interviews, and ethnographic work. Dr. Hess received her PhD from UC Santa Barbara in biological anthropology and has worked for the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and the Institute for Theoretical Biology at Humboldt University. Contact Dr. Hess at nicolehess@wsu.edu ------------------------------ Contact the Sausage of Science Podcast and the Human Biology Association: Facebook: facebook.com/groups/humanbiologyassociation/, Website: humbio.org Chris Lynn, Co-Host, Website: cdlynn.people.ua.edu/, E-mail: cdlynn@ua.edu, Twitter:@Chris_Ly
In 1965 Margaret Crane was a young designer creating packaging for a pharmaceutical company when a scientist gave her a tour of the lab. Looking at the long rows of pregnancy tests she thought, well anyone could do that test at home! So she set about designing a prototype for America's first home pregnancy test. While the design of the prototype was simple, convincing the company, the medical community and conservative social leaders that at-home pregnancy testing was safe and necessary was an uphill climb for Crane, who is only now receiving credit for her contributions to the industry. This show first aired in February 2024. Featuring: Margaret Crane - Graphic designer and inventor of the first home pregnancy test Wendy Kline - Dema G. Seelye Chair in the History of Medicine, History Faculty Purdue University Jesse Olszynko-Gryn - Head of the [Laboratory for Oral History and Experimental Media](https://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/research/projects/laboratory-oral-history-and-experimental-media) at Max Planck Institute for the History of Science Arthur Kover - Emeritus Professor of Marketing, Fordham University Alexandra Lord - Chair, Division of Medicine and Science at the National Museum of American History Making Contact Staff: Host: Amy Gastelum Guest Producer: Anne Noyes Saini Producers: Anita Johnson, Salima Hamirani, Amy Gastelum, and Lucy Kang Executive Director: Jina Chung Editor: Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong Engineer: Jeff Emtman Digital Media Marketing: Lissa Deonorain Music: Podington Bear, Rhythm and Strings Learn More: National Museum of American History https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/nmah_1803285 A Woman's Right to Know, Pregnancy Testing in 20th Century Britain - https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262544399/a-womans-right-to-know/ Predictor, by Jennifer Blackmer https://newplayexchange.org/plays/348156/predictor Making Contact is an award-winning, nationally syndicated radio show and podcast featuring narrative storytelling and thought-provoking interviews. We cover the most urgent issues of our time and the people on the ground building a more just world.
Khatijah Rahmat, a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Germany, says she's trying to build legitimacy around the concept of animal temporality — the ability to experience time — specifically in elephants. Doing so could have implications for conservation and beyond. "How we envision an animal's relationship to time influences whether we see them as feeling, remembering beings. My aim is to encourage a more dynamic view of their place in the world when we recognize them as equally temporal beings." This week on the Mongabay Newscast, Rahmat explains three key areas of evidence for interpreting elephant temporal experience and how this knowledge could be folded into how we think about protecting elephants or animals in general. "I think it increases the depth of empathy we can have for animals," she says. "It can really push the concepts of policy … but it also can really challenge some of our current, basic assumptions about how we think about logic and evidence." Image credit: An elephant that has just wallowed in mud in the Linyanti River in northern Botswana. Image by Roger Borgelid for Mongabay. Please take a minute to let us know what you think of our podcast, here. —— Timecodes (00:00) Why study how animals experience time? (06:58) Elephant eco-cultural identity (11:58) Human-impacted time (27:03) Individual elephant history (34:44) Getting hit with a pineapple is no accident (39:30) How this might help conservation
How do the inhabitants of the Indian city of Mumbai navigate political signs and representations? What is the significance of crowds and mass mobilization to popular politics, and what lessons does the politics of Mumbai hold for Indian democracy at the current conjuncture? These questions are at the heart of Lisa Björkman's Drama of Democracy: Political Representation in Mumbai (U Minnesota Press, 2025), that analyses questions of representation, populism, and political communication and organizing. In this episode, Björkman joins Kenneth Bo Nielsen for a discussion of the book, and on the intricate ways in which Mumbaikars from all walks of life assess political performances and real-life politicians, endlessly discussing and debating possible meanings of words and images, cash and crowds, flyers and flowers. Lisa Björkman is an anthropologist working at the University of Louisville, and a senior research fellow at the Max Planck Institute. Kenneth Bo Nielsen, your host, is an anthropologist working at the University of Oslo where he also directs the Centre for South Asian Democracy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
How do the inhabitants of the Indian city of Mumbai navigate political signs and representations? What is the significance of crowds and mass mobilization to popular politics, and what lessons does the politics of Mumbai hold for Indian democracy at the current conjuncture? These questions are at the heart of Lisa Björkman's Drama of Democracy: Political Representation in Mumbai (U Minnesota Press, 2025), that analyses questions of representation, populism, and political communication and organizing. In this episode, Björkman joins Kenneth Bo Nielsen for a discussion of the book, and on the intricate ways in which Mumbaikars from all walks of life assess political performances and real-life politicians, endlessly discussing and debating possible meanings of words and images, cash and crowds, flyers and flowers. Lisa Björkman is an anthropologist working at the University of Louisville, and a senior research fellow at the Max Planck Institute. Kenneth Bo Nielsen, your host, is an anthropologist working at the University of Oslo where he also directs the Centre for South Asian Democracy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/anthropology
How do the inhabitants of the Indian city of Mumbai navigate political signs and representations? What is the significance of crowds and mass mobilization to popular politics, and what lessons does the politics of Mumbai hold for Indian democracy at the current conjuncture? These questions are at the heart of Lisa Björkman's Drama of Democracy: Political Representation in Mumbai (U Minnesota Press, 2025), that analyses questions of representation, populism, and political communication and organizing. In this episode, Björkman joins Kenneth Bo Nielsen for a discussion of the book, and on the intricate ways in which Mumbaikars from all walks of life assess political performances and real-life politicians, endlessly discussing and debating possible meanings of words and images, cash and crowds, flyers and flowers. Lisa Björkman is an anthropologist working at the University of Louisville, and a senior research fellow at the Max Planck Institute. Kenneth Bo Nielsen, your host, is an anthropologist working at the University of Oslo where he also directs the Centre for South Asian Democracy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/south-asian-studies
Professor Michele Dougherty is President of the Institute of Physics and Professor of Space Physics at Imperial College London. She was appointed Astronomer Royal last year – the first woman to hold the post in its 350-year history.She was brought up in Durban in South Africa and studied for a Bachelor of Science degree in applied maths at Natal University. After completing a Master's and PhD she took up a fellowship at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Germany where she investigated solar wind and galactic wind outflows.In 1991 she joined Imperial College London where she helped devise a magnetic field model for the Ulysses mission. In 1997 she became principal investigator for the magnetometer instrument on board the Cassini probe which was sent to study Saturn and its system.She is currently lead investigator for the J-MAG magnetometer instrument on the European Space Agency's JUICE mission (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) which launched in 2023. It will reach Jupiter in 2031 and spend at least three years observing the planet and three of its largest moons, Ganymede, Callisto and Europa.Michele was appointed CBE in the 2018 New Years Honours List for services to UK Physical Science Research.DISC ONE: Puccini: Turandot, Act III: Nessun dorma! Performed by Luciano Pavarotti (tenor), John Alldis Choir, Wandsworth School Boys Choir and London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Zubin Mehta DISC TWO: Cello Concerto in E Minor, Op. 85: III. Adagio. Composed by Elgar. Performed by Jacqueline du Pré (cello) and London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir John Barbirolli DISC THREE: Violin Concerto No. 1 in D Major, Op. 19: III. Moderato. Composed by Tchaikovsky. Performed by Frank Peters Zimmerman (violin), and Berliner Philharmoniker, conducted by Lorin Maazel DISC FOUR: We Three Kings of Orient Are - Robert Shaw Chamber Singers DISC FIVE: Dancing Queen - ABBA DISC SIX: Dance With My Father - Luther Vandross DISC SEVEN: Franck: Panis Angelicus. Performed by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (soprano), English Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Barry Rose DISC EIGHT: Pie Jesu (From Requiem) Composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Performed by Malakai Bayoh, Schola Cantorum of the Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School and London Mozart Players, directed by Scott Price BOOK CHOICE: The Lord of The Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien LUXURY ITEM: An assortment of wine CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Cello Concerto in E Minor, Op. 85: III. Adagio. Composed by Elgar. Performed by Jacqueline du Pré (cello) and London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir John Barbirolli Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Paula McGinleyDesert Island Discs has cast many space experts away to the island over the years including NASA's Dr Nicola Fox, the astronomer Carl Sagan and the astronauts Tim Peake and Chris Hadfield. You can hear their programmes if you search through BBC Sounds or our own Desert Island Discs website.
In this episode of Discovery Matters, we explore both sides of the gene‑editing coin: the tools that cut DNA and the technologies that safely deliver them where they need to go.First, we're joined by Dr. Stephan Reisenberg from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, who takes us inside the world of synthetic guide RNAs. Then, we zoom out to delivery and analytics with Adam Crowe, Senior Manager of Nanomedicine Analytical Development at Cytiva. Adam reveals why lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are both powerful and incredibly complex, and how cutting‑edge analytics are critical for turning promising gene‑editing tools into real medicines.
Dr. Chaitanya Giri is a distinguished space scientist, astrochemist, and technology strategy analyst whose expertise bridges planetary science, space policy, and astropolitics. He serves as a Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation's (ORF) Centre for Security, Strategy and Technology and is an Associate Professor at FLAME University.Dr. Giri holds a Ph.D. in Astrochemistry from the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis and the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research. His scientific career includes significant tenures at the Earth-Life Science Institute at Tokyo Institute of Technology, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and the Carnegie Institution for Science. Notably, he was a co-investigator for the COSAC payload on the European Space Agency's Rosetta mission, which made groundbreaking discoveries on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Beyond his scientific research, Dr. Giri is deeply involved in science diplomacy and policy, having consulted for India's National Security Council Secretariat and served on various government review committees. He is also the author of the book India in the Second Space Age of Interplanetary Connectivity, which explores the geopolitical and economic implications of future space exploration.His latest book is ‘The Long Siege: 500 Years of India's Struggle for Technopolitical Freedom'.
In Drama of Democracy: Political Representation in Mumbai (U Minnesota Press, 2025), Lisa Björkman invites our attention to political form and how they allow us to appreciate the various mediums through which representation is negotiated. Drawing on a decade of research in the city of Mumbai closely following the movements of corporation election candidates, protesting crowds, political rally organisers, and social workers, the book maps the linguistic, visual, sonic, and semiotic tools used to construct the spectacle of democracy. It asks: how does the figure of the crowd subvert what euromodern conceptions of political representation? How do films and their constructions of the public, the organising of rallies, election season cash flows, garlanding, placards and slogans in protests inform new meanings of representation? Through this richly engaging and genre-breaking work, Bjorkman offers new ways – originating from Mumbai – to explain the reorganisation of political authority around the world. Lisa Björkman is an Associate Professor in Urban and Public Affairs at the University of Louisville. She is the author of Pipe Politics, Contested Waters: Embedded Infrastructures of Millennial Mumbai, Waiting Town: Life in Transit and Mumbai's Other World-Class Histories, and Bombay Brokers. Lisa is also a research associate at the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology in Halle. Raghavi Viswanath is a postdoctoral researcher and teaching fellow at SOAS, University of London. Her research, supported by the Leverhulme Trust, examines how pastoralists claim grazing rights under India's Forest Rights Act 2006 and how the everyday processes of staking such claims has been impacted by the authoritarian turn in India. LinkedIn. Email:rv13@soas.ac.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
In Drama of Democracy: Political Representation in Mumbai (U Minnesota Press, 2025), Lisa Björkman invites our attention to political form and how they allow us to appreciate the various mediums through which representation is negotiated. Drawing on a decade of research in the city of Mumbai closely following the movements of corporation election candidates, protesting crowds, political rally organisers, and social workers, the book maps the linguistic, visual, sonic, and semiotic tools used to construct the spectacle of democracy. It asks: how does the figure of the crowd subvert what euromodern conceptions of political representation? How do films and their constructions of the public, the organising of rallies, election season cash flows, garlanding, placards and slogans in protests inform new meanings of representation? Through this richly engaging and genre-breaking work, Bjorkman offers new ways – originating from Mumbai – to explain the reorganisation of political authority around the world. Lisa Björkman is an Associate Professor in Urban and Public Affairs at the University of Louisville. She is the author of Pipe Politics, Contested Waters: Embedded Infrastructures of Millennial Mumbai, Waiting Town: Life in Transit and Mumbai's Other World-Class Histories, and Bombay Brokers. Lisa is also a research associate at the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology in Halle. Raghavi Viswanath is a postdoctoral researcher and teaching fellow at SOAS, University of London. Her research, supported by the Leverhulme Trust, examines how pastoralists claim grazing rights under India's Forest Rights Act 2006 and how the everyday processes of staking such claims has been impacted by the authoritarian turn in India. LinkedIn. Email:rv13@soas.ac.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science
Wolfgang Streeck, a German economic sociologist and emeritus director of the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies in Cologne, discusses the current political situation of leftist political organising and the condition of seeking “justice” in our society, an idea he puts under scrutiny. He points to the complexities and contradictions of justice, while highlighting how today political parties are abandoning their constituents, refusing to help unify differences through connecting people, a praxis Streeck maintains is “the precondition of collective action in pursuit of collective left egalitarian goals.” Discussing how capitalism has captured the social relations between people, Streeck ponders alternative media, what he terms the Samizdat of hyper-modernity—a space where humans can still maintain serious, analytical dialogues—whilst both legacy and social media attempt to obscure deeper social and political critiques. He notes the swift decline of deindustrialisation and the social welfare state of Europe, commenting upon the rise of the billionaire class in conjunction with the number of people who can barely make it to the end of each month. Streeck observes how state violence is enacted with such precision today that it not only has the technological ability to locate the supreme commander of Hamas from a population of two million people in Gaza during a genocide, but it can also proceed to kill him whilst filming his murder. Appraising Friedrich Engels' theories on the means of destruction alongside the means of production, Streeck hypothesises that one of the motives to continue the war in Ukraine has always been to test the next generation of war machinery while paying billionaires like Elon Musk, who has the power to switch off his Starlink satellite network, to effectively keep the war technology going. Get full access to Savage Minds at savageminds.substack.com/subscribe
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Even before we get to introduce ourselves by name, our hair has already started to tell stories about who we are, where we are from and where we are at. Our hair is tangled up in the interplay of race, gender, class, nationality, sexuality, power and beauty. It is an avid storyteller and a consummate performer - whether we like it or not. If our hair could talk, what stories would it tell about us? (Dis)entangled: Black Hair, Race, and Identity (Coronet, 2025) delves into the intricate and deeply personal relationship between Black individuals and their hair, exploring - through a collection of diverse experiences - the profound significance of hair as a conduit for self-expression, resilience, and collective memory within communities around the world. Each story illuminates the complex tapestry of experiences surrounding Black hair, shedding light on its intersections with gender, race and identity.Through the voices of those who have walked this textured path, the book ultimately seeks to empower readers to embrace their own unique journey of self-discovery, one strand at a time. This interview was conducted by Dr. Hannah Pool, a senior researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Studies of Societies. Her research focuses on human mobilities and her new book has just been published (2025, Oxford University Press). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies
Even before we get to introduce ourselves by name, our hair has already started to tell stories about who we are, where we are from and where we are at. Our hair is tangled up in the interplay of race, gender, class, nationality, sexuality, power and beauty. It is an avid storyteller and a consummate performer - whether we like it or not. If our hair could talk, what stories would it tell about us? (Dis)entangled: Black Hair, Race, and Identity (Coronet, 2025) delves into the intricate and deeply personal relationship between Black individuals and their hair, exploring - through a collection of diverse experiences - the profound significance of hair as a conduit for self-expression, resilience, and collective memory within communities around the world. Each story illuminates the complex tapestry of experiences surrounding Black hair, shedding light on its intersections with gender, race and identity.Through the voices of those who have walked this textured path, the book ultimately seeks to empower readers to embrace their own unique journey of self-discovery, one strand at a time. This interview was conducted by Dr. Hannah Pool, a senior researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Studies of Societies. Her research focuses on human mobilities and her new book has just been published (2025, Oxford University Press). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
Rebecca Lemov is a historian of science at Harvard University and has been a visiting scholar at the Max Planck Institute. Her research explores data, technology, and the history of human and behavioral sciences.https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324075264 Get anything delivered on Uber Eats. www.ubereats.com Go to ExpressVPN.com/ROGAN to get 4 months free! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices