Podcasts about max plank institute

The NASA Kepler Spacecraft has discovered more than 2,000 planets which have been confirmed to be orbiting distant stars. It performs this remarkable feat by imaging more than 145,000 stars simultaneously to observe and measure the tiny dips in light which occur as a planet passes in front of its star. Astronomers have long known that many of the solar systems in the Milky Way have more than one star. To investigate the possibilities for life in a double star system, Dr Max Popp a scholar at Princeton University and Dr. Siegfried Eggl of Germany's Max Plank Institute substituted the real giant planet orbiting the stellar pair Kepler 35A and B with an Earth sized one orbiting the Kepler AB pair with periods between 341 and 380 days. Their detailed analysis is published in the journal Nature Communications.

In the 332nd episode of the Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning podcast, we have an informative discussion with the distinguished authors of the 'Wisest Learners' series, Dr. Wallace and Dr. Artyom. We delve deep into the intersection of neuroscience, social and emotional learning, and its implications for personal growth and productivity. Listeners will discover invaluable insights on learning strategies, the role of emotions in cognitive control, and how environmental regularities shape memory and attention. See this interview on YouTube here https://youtu.be/lk7jJZDqrPo Our conversation explores the significant developmental transitions children undergo around the age of 12 and the bewilderment many parents experience during this time. By discussing the principles laid out in their book, our guests illuminate the importance of a holistic approach to child development from an early age and its profound impact on academic performance and lifelong learning. Specific focus is given to the concept of 'automaticity', which simplifies complex cognitive functions in children. Moving on to practical application, the discussion underscores the critical role of granting children autonomy in their learning journey. Real-life examples highlight how granting autonomy in choices, like book selection, can inculcate a lifelong love for reading and writing. However, an important balance is emphasized to avoid stifling a child's natural curiosity with excessive parental control. A notable part of our conversation is an analogy comparing essential life skills to multivitamins, emphasizing the necessity for multiple principles in education rather than relying on single solutions. The role of parents in a child's education is underlined with varied involvement approaches and their effects. The interaction concludes with important practical suggestions for parents, emphasizing the importance of role-modelling and consistent communication with children. This enlightening episode provides a unique fusion of theoretical understanding and practical guidance, making it essential listening for anyone seeking to better understand how to nurture resilient and joyful learners. Whether you're a parent, educator, or just interested in the fascinating world of cognitive neuroscience, buckle up for this insightful journey into the art and science of parenting based on neuroscience and social and emotional learning. EPISODE #332 with Dr. Wallace Panlilio and Dr. Artyom Zinchenko “The Wisest Learners: Unleashing Neuroscience, Education, and Athletic Ability” we will cover: ✔ How a Cognitive Neuroscientist from Germany, met an experienced School Administrator in the Philippines, to create “The Wisest Learners” book series. ✔ How can we use an understanding of our brain, to bring the joy back into learning for our children and students? ✔ What KEY take-aways should we know about using our brain to be “wise” learners? ✔ How to apply these scientific principles in your school, workplace or sports environment to take your students/children to greater heights? On today's episode #332, we meet Dr. Wallace Panlilio II and Dr. Artyom Zinchenko, the authors of the Wisest Learners[i] Book Series. Dr. Artyom Ph.D is an accomplished author and cognitive neuroscientist with extensive experience in the field. He earned his Doctorate in Cognitive Neuroscience from the Max Plank Institute for Cognitive Human and Brain Sciences in Germany and is now a researcher and a faculty member at LMU in Munich. He's also a father of 2 children. Dr. Wallace is an experienced educator and entrepreneur with a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Philippines and has served as a headmaster (school administrator) for 14 years. He holds 2 master's degrees in entrepreneurship and educational leadership and is always looking at ways to further optimize the results of the students in his schools.  Without further ado, let's meet the authors of The Wisest Learners and see how they connect the most current brain research to the future success of our next generation. Welcome Dr. Wallace Panlilio and Dr. Zinchenko. Where have we reached you today? Thank you for meeting with me to share the vision of your Wisest Learners Book Series to help parents and teachers Unlock the Secrets for our next generation, using the most current neuroscience research. Before we get to the questions, I wonder if you could tell me more about who you are, and where this vision for youth began…especially as helping our youth has also been my life's mission.   Can you describe the inspiration behind "The Wisest Learners: Parents Edition" and how did you intend this series to impact parents and educators? Q1: How can we all use the principles from your book to help our children not just excel academically but also find joy in learning? Q2: In a world filled with information, how does your holistic approach benefit parents/educators to nurture well-rounded learners who can thrive in diverse situations that we know (ad adults) they are going to face? How does your research-based approach give your readers the confidence that the strategies you recommend are backed by science and can truly make a difference in their child's education? Could you discuss the long-term benefits of wise learning for children as they grow into adulthood, not just academically but in their careers and personal lives? Q3: In terms of practical application, how can we begin implementing the book's strategies with our everyday interactions with our children? Can you share an anecdote from the book that illustrates the impact of unconventional connections in learning? How does the book propose to challenge conventional wisdom in education and parenting? The book discusses the integration of technology in learning. What are your views on balancing digital tools with traditional learning methods? Q4: I'm interested in your forthcoming book, Wisest Learners to develop a child's athletic potential. Can you tell me more about what you cover in this book? Dr. Wallace, Dr. Artyom, I want to thank you both for your time and sharing your vision for your Wisest Learners Book series that I think is a critical tool for all of us to read, and implement. For people to reach you, what is the best way? Through your website wisestlearners.com? Q10: Finally, what is the one message you hope every reader takes away from “The Wisest Learners Series?   CONNECT WITH DR. WALLACE PANLILIO AND DR. ARTYOM ZINCHENKO     www.linkedin.com/in/artyom-zinchenko-417021170     www.linkedin.com/in/dr-wallace-panlilio-77490649/    Official Site: www.wisestlearners.com  Instagram: www.instagram.com/wisestlearners    Facebook: www.facebook.com/wisestlearners  LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/wisest-learners    RESOURCES: "Wisest Learners (Parent Edition): Unlock the Secrets to Your Child's Academic Success" is a Mom's Choice Awards Gold Recipient and a winner of the National Parenting Product Awards (NAPPA) 2024. This book is available on Amazon in both ebook and paperback formats. Simply search for "Wisest Learners Parent Edition" or use the links provided below.

This episode is also available in video format on our YouTube channel - check it out! Today's format is a little different to our usual episodes, as we've invited four Cavendish alumni for a panel discussion about all things physics and career development. They'll tell us about what they learnt at the Cavendish, their natural sciences and physics background, as well as how their doctoral research in physics shaped their careers and brought them to where they are today. We're joined by Aswathy Girija, commissioning editor at the Institute of Physics, Professor Kerstin Göpfrich, group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Joanne Baker, author of four popular science books and Chief Opinion Editor at Nature, and Emma Williams, professional development coach and careers expert who has a wealth of insight into not just her own journey, but those she mentors. We hope that this conversation will give you valuable insights into the many paths and opportunities for people doing physics.Useful linksLearn more about Kerstin Göpfrich's research at the Max Plank Institute for Medical ResearchYou might also want to check out IOP Publishing and its portfolio of scientific journalsJoanne Baker's is the author of '50 physics ideas you really need to know', and many more. If you are interested in getting some training yourself, Emma William's website is full of resources. If you are a postdoc you should also explore Hello postdocs - The Nerd Coach To learn more about the Cavendish Laboratory, or if you are interested injoining us or studying with us, go to the Cavendish websiteAnd finally, if you are a Cavendish Alumnus and you would like to share your journey with our listeners, please get in touch! Share and join the conversationHelp us get better by taking our quick survey! Your feedback will help us understand how we can improve in the future. Thank you.If you like this episode don't forget to rate it and leave a review on your favourite podcast app. It really helps others tofind us.Any comment about the podcast or question you would like to ask our physicists, email us at podcast@phy.cam.ac.uk or join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #PeopleDoingPhysics.Episode creditsHost: Simone Eizagirre BarkerRecording and Editing: Chris BrockThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

India's 200 million Muslims are at the mercy of an ultra-nationalist government that looks to create an exclusively Hindu Bharat or homeland. Since the rise of the BJP government, led by Narendra Modi, Muslims have been subject to discrimination, alienation, daily religious abuse, economic marginalisation, state-sanctioned mob violence and pogroms like in Gujarat in 2002. This Hindu nationalism is underpinned by a pernicious cultural and political ideology, Hindutva, framed by antagonism towards Islam and a rewriting of Indian history.     Our guest this week, Professor Irfan Ahmed, will help us understand the precarious state of India's Muslims and the Hindutva ideology. Born in India,  he now lives in Istanbul, where he is a professor of sociology and anthropology at Ibn Haldun University. Before Istanbul, he was a research professor in Germany at Max Plank Institute, and he has taught anthropology and politics in the Netherlands and Australia. He has written numerous books and articles on India and Islam and recently published a provocative piece on Hindu Orientalism. You can also watch this programme on Youtube Newsletter: ⁠https://jalalayn.substack.com/  Find us on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/thinking_muslim Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Thinking-Muslim-Podcast-105790781361490 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinkingmuslimpodcast/ Telegram: https://t.me/thinkingmuslim Host: https://twitter.com/jalalayn Website Archive: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com#TheThinkingMuslimPodcast

Part-2 of my podcast with David Stutz. (Part-1: https://youtu.be/J7hzMYUcfto) David is a research scientist at DeepMind working on building robust and safe deep learning models. Prior to joining DeepMind, he was a PhD student at the Max Plank Institute of Informatics. He also maintains a fantastic blog on various topics related to machine learning and graduate life which is insightful to young researchers out there. 00:00:00 Working at DeepMind 00:08:20 Importance of Abstraction and Collaboration in Research 00:13:08 DeepMind internship project 00:19:39 What drives research projects at DeepMind 00:27:45 Research in Industry vs Academia 00:30:45 Interview tips for research roles, at DeepMind or other companies 00:44:38 Finding the right Advisor & Institute for PhD 01:02:12 Do you really need a Ph.D. to do AI/ML research? 01:08:28 Academia vs Industry: Making the choice 01:10:49 Pressure to publish more papers 01:21:35 Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) 01:33:24 Advice to young enthusiasts on getting started David's Homepage: https://davidstutz.de/ And his blog: https://davidstutz.de/category/blog/ Research work: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=TxEy3cwAAAAJ&hl=en About the Host: Jay is a Ph.D. student at Arizona State University. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shahjay22/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jaygshah22 Homepage: https://www.public.asu.edu/~jgshah1/ for any queries. Stay tuned for upcoming webinars! ***Disclaimer: The information contained in this video represents the views and opinions of the speaker and does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of any institution. It does not constitute an endorsement by any Institution or its affiliates of such video content.***

Part-1 of my podcast with David Stutz. (Part-2: https://youtu.be/IumJcB7bE20) David is a research scientist at DeepMind working on building robust and safe deep learning models. Prior to joining DeepMind, he was a Ph.D. student at the Max Plank Institute of Informatics. He also maintains a fantastic blog on various topics related to machine learning and graduate life which is insightful to young researchers out there. Check out Rora: https://teamrora.com/jayshah Guide to STEM Ph.D. AI Researcher + Research Scientist pay: https://www.teamrora.com/post/ai-researchers-salary-negotiation-report-202300:00:00 Highlights and Sponsors 00:01:22 Intro 00:02:14 Interest in AI 00:12:26 Finding research interests 00:22:41 Robustness vs Generalization in deep neural networks 00:28:03 Generalization vs model performance trade-off 00:37:30 On-manifold adversarial examples for better generalization 00:48:20 Vision transformers 00:49:45 Confidence-calibrated adversarial training 00:59:25 Improving hardware architecture for deep neural networks 01:08:45 What's the tradeoff in quantization? 01:19:07 Amazing aspects of working at DeepMind 01:27:38 Learning the skills of Abstraction when collaborating David's Homepage: https://davidstutz.de/ And his blog: https://davidstutz.de/category/blog/ Research work: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=TxEy3cwAAAAJ&hl=en About the Host: Jay is a Ph.D. student at Arizona State University. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shahjay22/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jaygshah22 Homepage: https://www.public.asu.edu/~jgshah1/ for any queries. Stay tuned for upcoming webinars! ***Disclaimer: The information contained in this video represents the views and opinions of the speaker and does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of any institution. It does not constitute an endorsement by any Institution or its affiliates of such video content.***

Support the show to get full episodes and join the Discord community. Check out my free video series about what's missing in AI and Neuroscience My guest today is Andrea Martin, who is the Research Group Leader in the department of Language and Computation in Neural Systems at the Max Plank Institute and the Donders Institute. Andrea is deeply interested in understanding how our biological brains process and represent language. To this end, she is developing a theoretical model of language. The aim of the model is to account for the properties of language, like its structure, its compositionality, its infinite expressibility, while adhering to physiological data we can measure from human brains. Her theoretical model of language, among other things, brings in the idea of low-dimensional manifolds and neural dynamics along those manifolds. We've discussed manifolds a lot on the podcast, but they are a kind of abstract structure in the space of possible neural population activity - the neural dynamics. And that manifold structure defines the range of possible trajectories, or pathways, the neural dynamics can take over time. One of Andrea's ideas is that manifolds might be a way for the brain to combine two properties of how we learn and use language. One of those properties is the statistical regularities found in language - a given word, for example, occurs more often near some words and less often near some other words. This statistical approach is the foundation of how large language models are trained. The other property is the more formal structure of language: how it's arranged and organized in such a way that gives it meaning to us. Perhaps these two properties of language can come together as a single trajectory along a neural manifold. But she has lots of ideas, and we discuss many of them. And of course we discuss large language models, and how Andrea thinks of them with respect to biological cognition. We talk about modeling in general and what models do and don't tell us, and much more. Andrea's website. Twitter: @andrea_e_martin. Related papers A Compositional Neural Architecture for Language An oscillating computational model can track pseudo-rhythmic speech by using linguistic predictions Neural dynamics differentially encode phrases and sentences during spoken language comprehension Hierarchical structure in language and action: A formal comparison Andrea mentions this book: The Geometry of Biological Time.

Bjorn Stevens is the Director of the Max Plank Institute for Meteorology in Berlin - Bjorn is a top climate scientist, with particular expertise in clouds. New climate model simulations of the world - EVE) Earth Virtualisation EnginesHuman vs science-centric climate scienceEarth in 100 yearsDarwin and the theory of e-0volutionIt's also clear that humans are responsible for global warming and not enough is being done if the goal is to stop the warming, whats the scientific consequence of that?What's the difference between 2 and 1,5 degrees of warming?How AI aids people with different backgrounds and knowledge bases to understand the same thingsWhat is Bjorn Stevens's favourite thing about clouds?Born 1966 in Augsburg. Master of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering, Iowa State University, USA (1990), PhD in Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, USA (1996), Post-Doctoral Fellow with the Advanced Study Program of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), Boulder, USA (1996 - 1998), Humboldt Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology (1998 - 1999), University of California (UCLA), USA, Department of Atmospheric Sciences: Assistant Professor (1999), Associate Professor (2003), Professor (tenured, 2007), Affiliate Scientist at NCAR (since 2000), Director and Scientific Member at the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology (since 2008).The Max Planck Society conducts basic research in the natural sciences, life sciences, and humanities. It was founded in 1948 as a successor organisation to the Kaiser Wilhelm Society and has 30 Nobel laureates in its ranks. With its 85 Max Planck Institutes and facilities, it is the international flagship for German science: in addition to institutions outside of Germany, it operates another 20 Max Planck Centers with research institutions such as Princeton University in the USA, the Paris University Science Po in France, the University College London in UK, and the University of Tokyo in Japan. Equally funded by federal and state governments, the University College London in UK, and the University of Tokyo in Japan. Equally funded by federal and state governments, the Max Planck Society had an annual budget of 1.98 billion Euros in 2022.https://www.mpg.de/343990/meteorology-stevenslatestthinking.orgIf you want better insights into challenges and decisions you or your business are facing, GARI's analytical services are of unmatched complexity and high accuracy - whether your questions are on the green energy transition, trade and supply chains, or political and security related - contact us for a free consultation and see how you can optimise your decision-making.www.globari.org@LinkedIn @GARInstitute) / Twitter

"The old corporate paradigm of extreme hours, little sleep, endless meetings, and nonstop travel is dead. No one wants to go back to that. It's bad for performance and for everyone's mental and physical health. The future of business is hybrid and requires a flexible new paradigm that helps everyone reach peak performance: the brain-friendly workplace." (Friederike Fabritius) Watch this interview on YouTube here https://youtu.be/Mmv9PmuioFs On this episode we will learn:  ✔ How to create a workplace of the future. A Brain-Friendly Workplace. ✔ How an understanding our brain-type, can help us to be happier and more productive in the workplace. ✔ What is causing the "Neuro-Gap" and why is it important to have different brain-types represented at the higher levels of corporations or organizations. ✔ How can someone with ambition and persistence, move forward into a management position? What should they be prepared to show if their brain-type isn't often represented in these higher level positions? ✔ What is lateral or creative thinking, versus linear thinking, and why are both important in the workplace? ✔ Where do those "flashes of insight" come from, that creative people can see? Can science prove this type of thinking to be useful? ✔ What are the 4 brain types, or neurosignatures, and how can we be sure we understand them for ourselves, and for others? ✔ Why is understanding our optimal level of stress important for our workplace productivity and happiness? ✔ An example of when Friederike used her neurosignature under pressure. ✔ What to expect from some of the interviews in The Brain-Friendly Workplace ✔ An important tip from John Medina on the "power problem" that happens at the brain level, for people in positions of leadership.     FOLLOW FRIEDERIKE FABRITIUS Website https://friederikefabritius.com/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/friederikefabritius/ Twitter https://twitter.com/FriederikeFab YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8wD4PRM2RablIfUVDzT2WA Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FriederikeFabritius Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/friederikefabritius SEE PAST NEUROSCIENCE MEETS SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING PODCAST EPISODES https://www.achieveit360.com/episodes/ There's much more to this new workplace, overriding old, outdated paradigms, than meets the eye, and Friederike Fabritius's NEW book, The Brain-Friendly Workplace is FULL of ideas to help all of us adapt our workplace, so that our brains will work at their best.   Welcome back to The Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast where we bridge the gap between theory and practice, with strategies, tools and ideas we can all use immediately, applied to the most current brain research to heighten productivity in our schools, sports environments and modern workplaces. I'm Andrea Samadi and launched this podcast to share how important an understanding of our brain is for our everyday life and results. My vision is to bring the experts to you, share their research, books, ideas and resources to help you to implement their proven strategies, whether you are a teacher working in the classroom or in the corporate environment. Be sure to listen to the EPISODE prior to this one, #257, as I do cover a DEEP DIVE to put us all in the right mind-set, or should I say, brain-set, for today's interview. I'm so very excited for today's interview, EPISODE #258, as we have a returning guest, from one of our early episodes, #27[i], Friederike Fabritius, all the way from Germany, who dove deep into her book, The Leading Brain: Neuroscience Hacks to Work Smarter, Better, Happier when we first launched our podcast back in 2019. What was crazy about finding Friederike back then, is that I found her on YouTube, from a presentation she did on Leadership and the Brain, and it really helped me to understand the chemicals involved in the brain during peak performance, and what it looks like when the brain is involved in FLOW, which is something I think we all want to master. What Friederike might not know, is that I watched her presentation many times over, back in 2017, taking notes OVER my notes, as it helped me to understand why people perform the way they do at work, why some people excel, and others seem to be missing something, and why certain people gravitate towards certain positions based on the chemicals predominantly in their brain. What became clear to me from this diagram, from this presentation where you can watch Friederike[ii], on “Fun, Fear and Focus” is that some positions in the workplace (at the beginning of the curve) are routine, and require people to do the same thing every day, (and some people are wired this way) but for those who are not, they will find themselves to be under-challenged and bored, without a brain strategy in place. Similarly, some positions that require NEW daily challenges are designed for those workers who enjoy constantly putting out fires and would be bored if their work was routine, the same way every day, but these positions often lead to burnout, without a brain strategy in place. We ALL need to find our optimal stress point, so that our work challenges us just the right amount, leading us to that place of optimal workplace happiness. I could see clearly with this example, why I was very unhappy when I left my “exciting” job in field sales, covering Higher Education/University Campuses in the southwest region, moving to “inside” sales where I sat at a desk, and was bored and under-challenged until I figured out that I needed to offset my desk time, with exercise. This diagram also comes into my mind when I see someone working very hard, or burning the candle at both ends, as Friederike cautioned that this type of work pattern isn't sustainable and can lead to depression, burnout and even changing the brain to where people under these high levels of stress begin to see stress in places where there isn't any, or experience “hyper arousal.”   I'm always looking for productivity tips that we can all use, and it's clear that stress in our workplaces is at an all-time high, globally. We know that “2/3 of people report being stressed at work, to the point they can't sleep at night”[iii]  so I was thrilled to see that Friederike's new book was focused on changing the workplace, not the employee, to create the best environment for happiness and productivity. Let's welcome back, returning guest, and my friend from EP #27 Friederike Fabritius[iv], a neuroscientist, author and public speaker, who works with leaders to help them to understand how their brain works, and like I mentioned from that first presentation I saw with high level business executives, she will share how we can all find our optimal stress points,  with the secrets from her NEWLY released book, The Brain-Friendly Workplace that hit #3 on The Wall Street Journal Best-Selling Books List, and remains on this list today, and show us how we can all adapt our workplaces, for optimal productivity, health and happiness.   Welcome back Friederike! It's incredible to see you again. Congratulations on your new book hitting the Wall Street Journal's Best-Selling List!! That's AWESOME!! INTRO Q: So, I was reading your book, and you know, I feel like we can think we know someone, but when you read their book, you get a whole new layer of understanding behind someone with knowledge you might not have known before. I felt like I knew you fairly well from studying everything I could find online about your work, interviewing you with your first book back on EP #27, and then I'm reading your NEW book, preparing for this interview, and I come to the part in the Introduction on “Happy to Be Fired” and I knew you came from the Max Plank Institute[v] where all the Nobel prize winners came from, but I had no idea why you left. Your story gave me so much insight into my own neurosignature, or what I need to be happy with work, and I think this understanding is a HUGE missing link in the workplace. Can we start with why you were “Happy to be Fired” and why understanding our brain is the first step towards being happy with our work? Q1:. My next question is kind of long, but it will help set up how to Address the Neuro-Gap from Chapter 1 of your book. Can I share how I see the “Neuro-Gap?” I'm always learning something, and trying to make connections with this learning. Last week I took this fascinating course called “How to Think Like an FBI Profiler”[vi] with Special Agent John Douglas who they created the Netflix Series Mindhunter after his cases. I learned so much from him, but one part that stuck out to me was he spoke about how he brought creativity, intuition, keeping an open mind to solving his cases, something that the FBI lacked before he came on board because women were under-represented in the FBI.[vii] He talked about solving a case when a female investigator said she wanted to go with her gut, and blow up a note from a murderer and place it on a billboard to see if anyone would recognize the writing.  Creative, out of the box thinking wasn't a usual strategy within the male dominated FBI agents, but he was known for his out of the box thinking, and went with this woman's idea, and this method is how they identified their criminal and were able to put him behind bars. Is this what you call “The Neuro-Gap?” (overrepresentation of high dopamine/high testosterone brain systems, and systems thinking, at the executive level) that would have ignored this type of creative thinking to solve problems that came from this one female agent? Q1B: Of course, I saw the Neuro-Gap in the corporate world when I was there. My creative, intuitive ideas for building curriculum that covered social and emotional learning connected to neuroscience was something that our curriculum team couldn't even fathom 13 years ago, when I worked in the publishing field, so I had to leave, and highlight this space on this podcast years later. What about others in different fields? Women in sports? Female actors? Or even like the example I used with female agents in the FBI? How do you see change occurring here in our present-day workplaces? Not everyone can just quit and start over like we did. How can people move forward if their brain signature is not what's usually at the top? Q1C: Can you give some examples of lateral thinking vs linear or systems thinking and perhaps ways that you've seen creative thinking emerge in The Brain-Friendly Workplace? I was definitely told my ideas were lateral. Can you explain this type of thinking and why it's important to embrace people who think this way in the workplace? Q1D: Where do these flashes of insight come from? Can science give us some insight to why some people can “see” things that others might think to be crazy? Q2: What's a quick and simple way to discover what our neurosignature is? I know that my brain is high with dopamine, as I get bored easily, need autonomy, and challenge on a daily basis, and there's also this intuitive, creative side to me, that's the estrogen/oxytocin signature that I think is the same as yours? How can we pinpoint what our signature is? IMAGE CREDIT: Carolin Nischwitz Q2B: I had to laugh at the Testosterone Signature, because it's my husband to a “t.” Not to name call or anything, but I would take out direct and put the word that starts with an a in there. It's actually something I admire in strong people (male or female) because I wish I was like this more myself. The strong drive to succeed at any cost even if they come off as being abrupt, I like people who are decisive and direct. You say that 1/3 of women have a high testosterone brain, yet women don't make up 1/3 of corporate leaders. How would you suggest women with this neurosignature embrace their brain and move into leadership positions to change this in the future? Q3: Can we review your incredible presentation that I mention in the backstory, where I first found your work back in 2017 with what we should all know and understand about ourselves, to achieve peak performance/find our optimal stress point? Q4: When I got to Chapter 4 of your book, and you were talking about your first-ever TEDx talk, I had to look through my LinkedIn messages, as I thought I remembered chatting with you just BEFORE you went onstage for that event as we were planning our first interview, and you mentioned that your technology had failed.  How did your neurosignature help you in this situation? This has been the STORY of 2022 for me. Q5: Your book is something I'm going to be studying for some time. I could ask you a question on each chapter, each interview, and each brain tip but we'd be here for a long time. I loved seeing some of the researchers I most admire, like Dr. Andrew Huberman, from Stanford, and Mathew Walker, the Sleep Diplomat, but I most loved seeing your interview with John Medina, as I remember you asking me for his contact information. I was thrilled to see him in there in Chapter 7 and so glad you were able to reach and connect with him. I forgot how absolutely funny  he can be, but also, he covers a serious topic, of some brain “power problems” that I think are important to understand for those in positions of leadership. What would be one “power problem” John Medina mentioned, and how can those in leadership positions mitigate this problem? NOTE: Andrea asked John Medina if there's a way he would suggest this "power problem" could be mitigated. He said: "You pose a great question, and I have one piece of bad news and two pieces of good news to share in response. To date, there is no randomized blinded trial of which I am aware that has been shown to successfully force someone to understand the consequences of their actions, especially when they think normal rules don't apply to them.  The first piece of good news is that the research world isn't clueless about the issue. Connecting one's behaviors to the consequences of those behaviors is the hallmark of a cognitive gadget called executive function. There is a wealth of solid behavioral work discussing how to improve executive function.  The second piece of good news concerns the concept of prophylactic education, essentially warning people in advance of what is likely to happen to them if they're not careful. Prophylactic education can go along way towards neutralizing certain bad behaviors, from reducing the number of medical malpractice lawsuits in surgical units to reducing sexism in the workplace." John Medina This was exactly what Friederike suggested as a solution. Make people aware of the consequences of their actions. John Medina called this "prophylactic education." Q6: Is there anything important I've missed? Friederike, I want to thank you very much for coming back on the podcast for a second time, and for creating such an engaging and important book that I know will help all of us to become happier in the workplace. For people who want to reach you, is the best place your website? Thank you!  About The Brain-Friendly Workplace The Brain-Friendly Workplace[viii] envisions a new kind of office where thought-diversity is acknowledged, invited, and supported. Complementing racial and gender diversity, and coinciding with shifting employee trends following the Great Resignation and remote work revolution, “diversity of mind” can lead to better employee retention, higher innovation and creativity, and increased sales.  In The Brain-Friendly Workplace, Friederike Fabritius makes the case for a radically different kind of environment that recognizes the unique “neurosignature” of each person and supports employee wellbeing by shifting from “hustle” to “outcome” culture. These cultural and environmental changes naturally create pathways for more diverse executive leadership. Especially for women who have long had to choose between high-impact careers and having a family. Where “lean-in” trainings and countless DEI initiatives have failed to make material differences in corporate diversity, The Brain-Friendly Workplace is a science-backed, field tested approach with proven impact at leading companies like EY (formerly Ernst & Young), thyssenkrupp, and Boston Consulting Group. Rather than approaching diversity from a numbers perspective, Fabritius demonstrates that supporting neurodiversity naturally leads to better gender and racial representation at the top.  THE BRAIN FRIENDLY WORKPLACE https://friederikefabritius.com/books/the-brain-friendly-workplace/   REFERENCES: [i] Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE #27 with Friederike Fabritius on “The Recipe for Achieving Peak Performance.” https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/pioneer-in-the-field-of-neuroleadership-friederike-fabritius-on-the-recipe-for-achieving-peak-performance/ [ii] Friederike Fabritius “Neuroleadership: A New Approach” YouTube Published Dec. 11th, 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g4XhlLZ5ak [iii] Intro to The Brian Friendly Workplace Published on YouTube September 2022  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=La9yqt0v9f4 [iv] Friederike Fabritius on The Brain-Friendly Workplace  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI3XxIkNSOQ [v] Max Plank Institute https://www.mpg.de/institutes [vi] How to Think Like an FBI Profiler https://www.masterclass.com/classes/john-douglas-teaches-how-to-think-like-an-fbi-profiler/chapters/ [vii] Women Agents in the FBI: In Their Own Words https://www.fbi.gov/video-repository/own-words.mp4/view [viii] The Brain Friendly Workplace: Why Talented People Qui and How to Make Them Stay by Friederike Fabritius Published Oct. 11th, 2022  https://www.amazon.com/Brain-Friendly-Workplace-Talented-People-Quit/dp/1538159538/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3NVHQ2JCDQ2NP&keywords=brain+friendly+workplace&qid=1667939024&sprefix=brain+friendly+%2Caps%2C213&sr=8-3

Early humans and Neanderthals had similar-sized brains but around 6 million years ago something happened that gave us the intellectual edge. The answer may lie in a tiny mutation in a single gene that meant more neurons could develop in a crucial part of the brain. Post-doctoral research scientist at the Max Plank Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Anneline Pinson, did the heavy lifting on the research under the supervision of Wieland Huttner. They discuss with Roland how this finding offers a major development in our understanding of the evolutionary expansion of the all-important neocortex area of the brain. A central aspect of what it is to be human and how we use our intelligence is to care for one another. A burial site in Borneo from tens of thousands of years ago gives us fresh insights into how advanced our capacity to care was, millennia before the establishment of stable communities and agricultural life. Remains uncovered by a team of archaeologists from Australia have found one of the first examples of complex medical surgery. Finally, moving to a carbon-neutral society will involve developing huge battery potential, but that comes with its own environmental and social problems. Could a solution be found in the exoskeleton of crabs? Mathematics and our ability to describe the world in terms of number, shape and measurement may feel like a uniquely human ability. But is it really? Listener Mamadu from Sierra Leone wants to know: can animals count too? CrowdScience presenter Marnie Chesterton goes on a hunt to uncover the numerical abilities of the animal kingdom. Can wild lions compare different numbers? Can you teach bees to recognise and choose specific amounts? And if the answer is yes, how do they do it? Marnie tries to find out just how deep the numerical rabbit hole goes… and comes across a parrot named Alex who is perhaps the most impressive example of animal counting of them all. (Image: Getty Images)

Early humans and Neanderthals had similar-sized brains but around 6 million years ago something happened that gave us the intellectual edge. The answer may lie in a tiny mutation in a single gene that meant more neurons could develop in a crucial part of the brain. Post-doctoral research scientist at the Max Plank Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Anneline Pinson, did the heavy lifting on the research under the supervision of Wieland Huttner. They discuss with Roland how this finding offers a major development in our understanding of the evolutionary expansion of the all-important neocortex area of the brain. A central aspect of what it is to be human and how we use our intelligence is to care for one another. A burial site in Borneo from tens of thousands of years ago gives us fresh insights into how advanced our capacity to care was, millennia before the establishment of stable communities and agricultural life. Remains uncovered by a team of archaeologists from Australia have found one of the first examples of complex medical surgery. Finally, moving to a carbon-neutral society will involve developing huge battery potential, but that comes with its own environmental and social problems. Could a solution be found in the exoskeleton of crabs? (Image: Getty Images) Presenter: Roland Pease Producer: Zak Brophy and Robbie Wojciechowski

Until now it has been generally accepted that migrating insects move with the wind. Myles Menz, an entomologist at James Cook University and the Max Plank Institute, joined Sean to explain how new research carried out using tiny radio transmitter backpacks for moths, shows a different story.

Until now it has been generally accepted that migrating insects move with the wind. Myles Menz, an entomologist at James Cook University and the Max Plank Institute, joined Sean to explain how new research carried out using tiny radio transmitter backpacks for moths, shows a different story.

Blockchain network Ronin is investigating how over $600 million worth of cryptocurrency was stolen from its virtual coffers - making it one of history's biggest virtual heists.Britney Spears and Justin Bieber's choreographer is suing Fortnite's maker Epic Games over character "emotes" in the popular title.Artificial intelligence art start-up Nebula 41 says anyone can now paint like a digital Picasso, and mint their efforts as an NFT.Most distant single star detected by the Hubble Space Telescope, and it's just a billion years older than the universe's big bang.UCLA scientists reveal how “electron rain” pouring down on our planet may look beautiful, but poses hazards for satellites and astronauts.Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall open the new headquarters of Facebook's parent company Meta.Brits fork out on a record amount on video games last year - and it's even more than at the peak of the pandemic lockdowns.Insurers are calling for tough laws on electric scooters, if their legal use is widened beyond current government trials - it follows injuries and battery fire risks from illegal vehicles.The secrets of parrots' long lives revealed in a new study by Germany's Max Plank Institute of Animal Behaviour. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

DID YOU KNOW that research from the Max Plank Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Science in Germany, led by neuroscientist John Dylan-Haynes has shown that the decisions we make daily to act on something, begins “automatically and without involvement of our consciousness”[i] up to 7 seconds BEFORE we take the action we are thinking about? I learned this from Adele Spraggon,[ii] the author of Shift, in this week's interview #184, while talking about her 4 STEP re-patterning process to break habits for an improved 2022 and it got me thinking about how we could use and understand this brain fact to take our results to new heights, especially as we are preparing for a New Year. If you are like me, and have ever done something and then wondered “why did I just do that?” then this episode is for you! Welcome back to the Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast for BRAIN FACT FRIDAY and EPISODE #185 on “Using Neuroscience to Repattern Our Brain.” For those new, or returning guests, welcome back! I'm Andrea Samadi, author, and educator from Toronto, Canada, now in Arizona, and like many of you listening, have been fascinated with learning and understanding the science behind high performance strategies that we can use to improve our productivity in our schools, our sports, and workplace environments. This week's Brain Fact Friday took me back to the late 1990s, when I worked in the personal development industry[iii] and first learned about how our results were all determined by our thoughts, feelings and actions. I'll put an image I want you to see in the show notes.   I used to have this picture taped to my wall so I could see it every day from the speaker I worked with. I'm sure he used to carry it around when he would speak to people one on one, explaining that our thoughts come first. We think an idea (I really want this goal) and then we add emotion or feeling to this goal, that charges us up as we picture ourselves in possession of that goal, changing our body state, and getting us to take action of some sort, moving us in the direction of this goal. The action steps that we take (calling someone, getting mentored and getting ideas to take NEW actions) give us new information that we didn't have before, and this in turn, changes our conditions, circumstances, and environment, taking us to places beyond where we have ever been before and we achieve our goals, the end result.  This is how I was taught how to bridge the gap between goal setting and achieving, over 20 years ago,  and how I've tackled every single goal since then.  I've taught this concept to thousands of people (of all different ages) around the world over the years through the books and courses I've created. They are old, but the information is still relevant. If you want to take a look, you can access some of my first online courses on Udemy[iv].  On the back of my first book, The Secret for Teens Revealed,[v] I even wrote something that showed how important it was to distinguish the difference between a goal setter and achiever. I wrote: “When we look at people who have achieved great things, we often believe they are more talented than the rest of us, or luckier, or more well-connected. But the only thing that separates the successful from everybody else is that they have learned to bridge the gap between setting goals and achieving them. They have developed ways of behaving and—more importantly—ways of thinking that enable them to get what they want.” I knew when I wrote that in 2008 that there was a fine line between setting and achieving goals, and that we must have an unwavering mindset around the goal we are going after, but what I didn't know, that I learned this week, was that our thinking precedes our actions by up to seven seconds and is pre-determined with a pattern or neural pathway that's created in my brain, as unique as my own fingerprint long before I take any action.  Understanding this pattern is behind why some people achieve their goals, or not, not their rock-solid mental mindset that's important, but probably wouldn't be the deal-breaker. We must understand that the old way of THINK/FEEL/ACT can lead us into a habit loop, getting the same result over and over again, that no one wants. We want NEW results, and when we use neuroscience to re-pattern our brain, we know it begins with understanding and re-patterning our brain when something isn't working for us. I learned from Adele Spraggon's book Shift that “we FEEL first (information comes in though the senses, and it changes the body's vibration). We ACT second and THINK last and that thought does not activate the sequence; it follows.”[vi] If we want to take a different action and get a new result, we need a NEW pattern that begins with being in tune with what we FEEL first, then ACT and THINK last. If you haven't listened to EPISODE #184 where Adele explains her 4 STEP approach, I would be sure to listen to this episode next, but I thought it was too important to not cover this on this week's Brain Fact Friday. To review this week's brain fact, Did you know that we can predict what someone is thinking up to seven seconds before we think that thought[vii] and “by looking at brain activity while making a decision, researchers could predict” what people were thinking before they were consciously aware of it?[viii] We know this to be true because we have all done this—taken an action, not being consciously aware of exactly what we are doing and then asking ourselves “why did I just do that?” The difference between goal setters and goal achievers are that they THINK and BEHAVE differently. How do they do this? They are 100% in tune with what's working for them, or not. They know the patterns that they are taking that lead them towards the results they are looking for, and when something is not leading them towards what they want, they switch the pattern. It's that simple. Here's how implement this week's brain fact Friday. STEP 1: Uncover What's Not Working: If you want to achieve new results with something you are working on, is all you need to do is ask yourself “What's not working with what I am doing” and this will help put you back on course to achieving your end result. It begins with being honest with what needs to change. STEP 2: Listen to What Your Feel Before You Act. To avoid taking actions that put you back into your habit loop, pay attention to how you feel. We've talked about interoception, or listening to what you feel in your body on many different episodes. Slow down and pay attention and you will know if the action is right for you, or not. STEP 3: Take a NEW Action: Different to what wasn't working and notice the results. If you are moving in the direction of what you want, you have re-patterned your brain to a new result. Life should feel easy, peaceful and like Adele mentioned, “everyone should feel happy” around you. If you are thinking of what you would like to change in 2022, I hope you can see how this re-patterning approach can help take you to new heights. As we are progressing on this podcast, and I look back at older episodes, like EPISODE #35 from January 2020 “Using Your Brain to Break Bad Habits”[ix] I can see where we are learning new ideas together that are essentially re-patterning our brains. 2 years ago, I was setting goals with the idea that “Neurons that Fire Together, Wire Together” and “Neurons that are out of Synch, Fail to Link” so I knew that old habits would eventually die out, (and fail to link) which they usually do. Habit breaking shouldn't be difficult, when you follow Adele Spraggon's 4 STEP Method from our last episode, but when something is difficult to break, it always goes back to the patterns that YOU'VE created in YOUR brain that you need to re-pattern. If you were able to create the habit, then you can also create a new habit that works better for you. Remember: The decisions we make daily to act on something, begins “automatically and without involvement of our consciousness” so we had better be sure that the actions we are taking daily are moving us towards those things that we want (our goals) not away from them. See you next week! FOLLOW ANDREA SAMADI:  YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AndreaSamadi   Website https://www.achieveit360.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samadi/  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Achieveit360com   Neuroscience Meets SEL Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/2975814899101697   Twitter: https://twitter.com/andreasamadi   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreasamadi/  REFERENCES: [i] Our Brains Make Up Our Minds Before We Know it by Douglas Van Preet Dec. 21, 2020 https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/unconscious-branding/202012/our-brains-make-our-minds-we-know-it [ii]Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE #184 with Adele Spraggon on “Using Science to Break Up with Your Bad Habits”  https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/adele-spraggon-on-using-science-to-break-up-with-your-bad-habits-in-4-simple-steps/ [iii] Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE #67 on “Expanding Your Awareness with a Deep Dive into Bob Proctor's Seminars” https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/expanding-your-awareness-with-a-deep-dive-into-bob-proctors-most-powerful-seminars/ [iv] The Secret for Teens Revealed Online Course on Udemy by Andrea Samadi https://www.udemy.com/course/the-secret-for-teens-revealed-a-10-step-success-blueprint/ [v] The Secret for Teens Revealed by Andrea Samadi Sept. 15, 2008 https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Teens-Revealed-Teenagers-Leadership/dp/1604940336 [vi] Adele Spraggon, Shift (Page 12) http://www.shift4steps.com/ [vii] Mind Reading with Brain Scanners John Dylan-Haynes TEXxBerlin Published on YouTube October 1, 2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMDuakmEEV4 [viii] Brain Makes Decisions Before You Even Know it Published April, 2008 by Kerri Smith https://www.nature.com/articles/news.2008.751 [ix]Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE  https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/how-to-use-your-brain-to-break-bad-habits-in-2020/

On Wednesday the EU’s EMA and UK’s JCVI announced a suspected correlation between vaccination and an extremely rare type of blood clot. Prof Sabine Eichinger is a co-author of a new paper suggesting a link with vaccination or the immune response to Covid vaccination and suggests the name VIPIT for the condition. One of her patients died at the end of February having presented with a rare combination of symptoms – blood clots and a low blood platelet count. Sabine tells Roland the dots they have managed to join in the story so far. Scientists at Fermilab in the USA posted four papers and announced an exciting development in particle physics that might lift the curtain on science beyond the Standard Model. Their measurement of something known as g-2 (“gee minus two”, just fyi), by measuring with phenomenal accuracy the magnetic properties of muons flying round in circles confirms a 20-year old attempt at a similar value by colleagues at Brookhaven. At the time, it was breathtaking but suspicious. Muons, rather like heavy electrons, don’t quite behave as the Standard Model might have us believe, hinting at fields and possibly particles or forces hitherto unknown. Dr. Harry Cliffe – a member of the LHCb team who found something similarly weird two weeks ago - describes the finding and the level of excitement amongst theorists worldwide. Superfans around the world have learned to speak fluent Klingon, a fictional language originating from Star Trek. In a quest to understand the science behind these languages often dismissed as gobbledygook, Gaia Vince has been speaking to some of the linguists responsible for creating these languages. It’s time for her to relax the tongue, loosen those jaw muscles and wrap her head around the scientific building blocks embedded in language and what languages like Klingon tell us about prehistoric forms of communication. Meanwhile, primatologist Edward Wright of the Max Plank Institute has been hanging out with mountain gorillas in Rwanda and recording the sound of their “chest clapping”. As he describes in the journal Scientific Reports his work confirms what scientists have long suspected - that the famous gesture - often portrayed in films - is a measure of size and strength - allowing communication in the dense, tropical forests in which the animals live. Image: Platelets, computer illustration. Credit: Sebastian Kaulitzki /Science Photo Library via Getty Images Presenter: Roland Pease Producer: Alex Mansfield

We talk with Johannes from Colugo and Oliver from the Max Plank Institute for Developmental Biology about our new venture to use our CropScore cameras combined with AI interpretation to predict and help identify markers of food waste in fruits and vegetables. 

Most people are part-Neanderthal, the closest extinct human relative. Svante Pääbo explores human genetic evolution by analyzing preserved genetic material from the remains of ancient organisms, including Neanderthals. What can we learn from the genomes of our closest evolutionary relatives? Pääbo is an evolutionary anthropologist and pioneer of paleogenetics and the director of the Max Plank Institute of Evolutionary Genetics. He was awarded the 2018 Nierenberg Award for Science in the Public Interest. Series: "Frontiers of Knowledge" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 34037]

Most people are part-Neanderthal, the closest extinct human relative. Svante Pääbo explores human genetic evolution by analyzing preserved genetic material from the remains of ancient organisms, including Neanderthals. What can we learn from the genomes of our closest evolutionary relatives? Pääbo is an evolutionary anthropologist and pioneer of paleogenetics and the director of the Max Plank Institute of Evolutionary Genetics. He was awarded the 2018 Nierenberg Award for Science in the Public Interest. Series: "Frontiers of Knowledge" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 34037]

The Paris agreement is an international climate change treaty signed earlier this year by 192 countries and it aims to mitigate man-made global warming. It kicks in from this week. But will its targets be sufficient? Over half of the Arctic sea ice area has been lost in the past 40 years and we may yet lose all of it. That's according to a new study from the Max Plank Institute for Metrology in Hamburg. Kerstin Gpfrich spoke to study's author Dirk Notz. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

The Paris agreement is an international climate change treaty signed earlier this year by 192 countries and it aims to mitigate man-made global warming. It kicks in from this week. But will its targets be sufficient? Over half of the Arctic sea ice area has been lost in the past 40 years and we may yet lose all of it. That's according to a new study from the Max Plank Institute for Metrology in Hamburg. Kerstin Gpfrich spoke to study's author Dirk Notz. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Dr Peter HOPPE, Max Plank Institute, Mainz

Dr Peter HOPPE, Max Plank Institute, Mainz

00:00:00 - Katie McKissick, creator of the Beatrice the Biology and contributor to Symbiartic, joins Ben and Ryan to talk about the highs and lows of making comics about biology. (NOTE TO PARENTS: The language does get a bit salty, it is biology after all.) Katie has also recently put out a book of her comics, Amoeba Hugs and Other Nonsense, which you would be an utter fool not to buy. 00:38:39 - Drinks go into your biology and that can be a good thing. Katie has a Gams-bart Roggenbier from Los Angeles Ale Works, aka her husband's brewery! Ben enjoys some sticky sweet soursop juice. And Ryan makes a Corpse Reviver #2 in honor of a certain holiday. 00:49:24 - We talk about zombies often, so how could we avoid covering the trailer for the upcoming fire monkey zombie movie World War Z. And don't forget, we talked to the author of the book, Max Brooks, back in episode 66. 01:13:14 - Some clever chaps at the Max Plank Institute have released their findings readjusting the ratios of dark energy, dark matter, and regular matter. Ben takes a long time to explain this and Ryan forgot to turn on the timer duck. Sorry Christina! (And really everyone else too.) 01:41:52 - PaleoPOWs are a lot like constants in phyisics, they change all the time. Ryan has a generous donation from Bryan E. Thanks, Bryan! And Trevor R. wants to know what's up with this "archive" thing. Turns out it's spelled arXiv and you can go there to learn stuff.   Thanks for listening and be sure to check out the Brachiolope Media Network for more great science podcasts!   Music for this week's show provided by: The Plank - The Devil Makes Three Payday at the Pub - Slim Dusy Search and Destroy - The Stooges I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow - The Soggy Bottom Boys

Karen Witsenburg (Both ENDS and Max Plank Institute for Anthropology) gives a talk for the College Colloquium on Environmental Conflict and its Resolution (joint event with Oxpeace and Human Sciences).

Biofuels: Threats and Opportunities It is possible to make biofuels that reduce carbon emissions, but only if we ensure that they do not lead to additional land clearing. When land is cleared for agriculture, carbon that is locked up in the plants and soil is released through burning and decomposition. The carbon is released as carbon dioxide, which is an important greenhouse gas, and causes further global warming. Converting rainforests, peatlands, savannas, or grasslands to produce food crop–based biofuels in Brazil, Southeast Asia, and the United States creates a “biofuel carbon debt” by releasing 17 to 420 times more carbon dioxide than the annual greenhouse gas reductions that these biofuels would provide by displacing fossil fuels. Depending on future biofuel production, the effects of this clearing could be significant for climate change: globally, there is almost three times as much carbon locked up in the plants and soils of the Earth as there is in the air and 20% of global carbon dioxide emissions come from land use change. Global demand for food is expected to double in the next 50 years and is unlikely to be met entirely from yield increases, thus requiring significant land clearing. If existing cropland is insufficient to meet imminent food demands, then any dedicated biofuel crop production will necessarily create demand for additional cropland to be cleared. Several forms of biofuels do not cause land clearing, including biofuels made from algae, from waste biomass, or from biomass grown on degraded and abandoned agricultural lands planted with perennials. Present Generation of Biofuels: Reducing or Enhancing Greenhouse Gas Emissions? Previous studies have found that substituting biofuels for gasoline will reduce greenhouse gasses because growing the crops for biofuels sequesters takes carbon out of the air that burning only puts back, while gasoline takes carbon out of the ground and puts it into the air. These analyses have typically not taken into consideration carbon emissions that result from farmers worldwide converting forest or grassland to produce biofuels, or that result from farmers worldwide responding to higher prices and converting forest and grassland into new cropland to replace the grain (or cropland) diverted to biofuels. Our revised analysis suggests that greenhouse gas emissions from the land use changes described above, for most biofuels that use productive land, are likely to substantially increase over the next 30 years. Even advanced biofuels from biomass, if produced on good cropland, could have adverse greenhouse gas effects. At the same time, diverting productive land raises crop prices and reduces consumption among the 2.8 billion people who live on less than $2 per day. Simply avoiding biofuels produced from new land conversion – as proposed by a draft European Union law -- does not avoid these global warming emissions because the world’s farmers will replace existing crops or cropland used for biofuels by expanding into other lands. The key to avoiding greenhouse gas emissions and hunger from land use change is to use feedstocks that do not divert the existing productive capacity of land – whether that production stores carbon (as in forest and grassland) or generates food or wood products. Waste products, including municipal and slash forest waste from private lands, agricultural residues and cover crops provide promising opportunities. There may also be opportunities to use highly unproductive grasslands where biomass crops can be grown productively, but those opportunities must be explored carefully. Biofuels and a Low-Carbon Economy The low-carbon fuel standard is a concept and legal requirement in California and an expanding number of states that targets the amount of greenhouse gases produced per unit of energy delivered to the vehicle, or carbon intensity. In January 2007, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Executive Order S-1-07 (http://gov.ca.gov/executive-order/5172/), which called for a 10-percent reduction in the carbon intensity of his state’s transportation fuels by 2020. A research team in which Dr. Kammen participated developed a technical analysis (http://www.energy.ca.gov/low_carbon_fuel_standard/UC-1000-2007-002-PT1.PDF) of low-carbon fuels that could be used to meet that mandate. That analysis employs a life-cycle, ‘cradle to grave’ analysis of different fuel types, taking into consideration the ecological footprint of all activities included in the production, transport, storage, and use of the fuel. Under a low-carbon fuel standard, fuel providers would track the “global warming intensity” (GWI) of their products and express it as a standardized unit of measure--the amount of carbon dioxide equivalent per amount of fuel delivered to the vehicle (gCO2e/MJ). This value measures vehicle emissions as well as other trade-offs, such as land-use changes that may result from biofuel production. For example, an analysis of ethanol shows that not all biofuels are created equal. While ethanol derived from corn but distilled in a coal-powered refinery is in fact worse on average than gasoline, some cellulosic-based biofuels -- largely those with little or no impact on agricultural or pristine lands have the potential for a dramatically lower GWI. Equipped with detailed measurements that relate directly to the objectives of a low-carbon fuel standard, policy makers are in a position to set standards for a state or nation, and then regulate the value down over time. The standard applies to the mix of fuels sold in a region, so aggressively pursuing cleaner fuels permits some percentage of more traditional, dirtier fuels to remain, a flexibility that can enhance the ability to introduce and enforce a new standard. The most important conclusions from this analysis are that biofuels can play a role in sustainable energy future, but the opportunities for truly low-carbon biofuels may be far more limited than initially thought. Second, a low-carbon economy requires a holistic approach to energy sources – both clean supply options and demand management – where consistent metrics for actual carbon emissions and impacts are utilized to evaluate options. Third, land-use impacts of biofuel choices have global, not just local, impact, and a wider range of options, including, plug-in hybrid vehicles, dramatically improved land-use practices including sprawl management and curtailment, and greatly increased and improved public transport all have major roles to play. Biofuels and Greenhouse Gas Emissions: A Better Path Forward The recent controversy over biofuels notwithstanding, the US has the potential to meet the legislated 21 billion gallon biofuel goal with biofuels that, on average, exceed the targeted reduction in greenhouse gas release, but only if feedstocks are produced properly and biofuel facilities meet their energy demands with biomass. A diversity of alternative feedstocks can offer great GHG benefits. The largest GHG benefits will come from dedicated perennial crops grown with low inputs of fertilizer on degraded lands, and especially from those crops that increase carbon storage in soil (e.g., switchgrass, mixed species prairie, and Miscanthus). These may offer 100% or perhaps greater reductions in GHG relative to gasoline. Agricultural and forestry residues, and dedicated woody crops, including hybrid poplar and traditional pulp-like operations, should achieve 50% GHG reductions. In contrast, if biofuel production leads to direct or indirect land clearing, the resultant carbon debt can negate for decades or longer any greenhouse gas benefits a biofuel could otherwise provide. Current legislation, which is outcome based, has anticipated this problem by mandating GHG standards for current and next generation biofuels. Biographies Dr. Joseph E. Fargione is the Regional Science Director for The Nature Conservancy’s Central US Region. He received his doctorate in Ecology from the University of Minnesota in 2004. Prior to the joining The Nature Conservancy, he held positions as Assistant Research Faculty at the University of New Mexico (Biology Department), Assistant Professor at Purdue University (Departments of Biology and Forestry and Natural Resources), and Research Associate at the University of Minnesota (Departments of Applied Economics and Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior). His work has focused on the benefits of biodiversity and the causes and consequences of its loss. Most recently, he has studied the effect of increasing demand for biofuels on land use, wildlife, and carbon emissions. He has authored 18 papers published in leading scientific journals, including Science, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Proceedings of the Royal Society, Ecology, and Ecology Letters, and he was a coordinating lead author for the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment chapter titled “Biodiversity and the regulation of ecosystem services”. His recent paper in Science, “Land clearing and the biofuel carbon debt” was covered in many national media outlets, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio, NBC Nightly News, and Time Magazine. Timothy Searchinger is a Visiting Scholar and Lecturer in Public and International Affairs at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School. He is also a Transatlantic Fellow of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, and a Senior Fellow at the Georgetown Environmental Law and Policy Institute. Trained as a lawyer, Dr. Searchinger now works primarily on interdisciplinary environmental issues related to agriculture. Timothy Searchinger previously worked at the Environmental Defense Fund, where he co-founded the Center for Conservation Incentives, and supervised work on agricultural incentive and wetland protection programs. He was also a deputy General Counsel to Governor Robert P. Casey of Pennsylvania and a law clerk to Judge Edward R. Becker of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He is a graduate, summa cum laude, of Amherst College and holds a J.D. from Yale Law School where he was Senior Editor of the Yale Law Journal. Timothy Searchinger first proposed the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program to USDA and worked closely with state officials to develop programs that have now restored one million acres of riparian buffers and wetlands to protect important rivers and bays. Searchinger received a National Wetlands Protection Award from the Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 for a book about the functions of seasonal wetlands of which he was principal author. His most recent writings focus on the greenhouse gas emissions from biofuels, and agricultural conservation strategies to clean-up nutrient runoff. He is also presently writing a book on the effects of agriculture on the environment and ways to reduce them. Dr. Daniel M. Kammen, Class of 1935 Distinguished Professor in the Energy and Resources Group (ERG), in the Goldman School of Public Policy and in the Department of Nuclear Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. He is also the founding Director of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory (RAEL) and Co-Director of the Berkeley Institute of the Environment. Previously in his career, Dr. Kammen was an Assistant Professor of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, and also played a key role in developing the interdisciplinary Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy (STEP) Program at Princeton as STEP Chair from 1997 - 1999. In July of 1998 Kammen joined ERG as an Associate Professor of Energy and Society. Dr. Kammen received his undergraduate degree in physics from Cornell University (1984), and his masters and doctorate in physics from Harvard University (1986 & 1988) for work on theoretical solid state physics and computational biophysics. First at Caltech and then as a Lecturer in Physics and in the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, Dr. Kammen developed a number of projects focused on renewable energy technologies and environmental resource management. Dr. Kammen's research interests include: the science, engineering, and policy of renewable energy systems; health and environmental impacts of energy generation and use; rural resource management, including issues of gender and ethnicity; international R&D policy, climate change; and energy forecasting and risk analysis. He is the author of over 200 peer-reviewed journal publications, a book on environmental, technological, and health risks, and numerous reports on renewable energy and development. He has also been a lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Dr. G. David Tilman is Regents' Professor and McKnight Presidential Chair in Ecology at the University of Minnesota. He is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences, and has served on editorial boards of nine scholarly journals, including Science. He serves on the Advisory Board for the Max Plank Institute for Biogeochemistry in Jena, Germany. He has received the Ecological Society of America’s Cooper Award and its MacArthur Award, the Botanical Society of America’s Centennial Award, the Princeton Environmental Prize and was named a J. S. Guggenheim Fellow. He has written two books, edited three books, and published more than 200 papers in the peer-reviewed literature, including more than 30 papers in Science, Nature and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. The Institute for Scientific Information recently designated him as the world’s most highly cited environmental scientist of the decade. Dr. Tilman’s recent research explores how managed and natural ecosystems can sustainably meet human needs for food, energy and ecosystem services. A long-term focus of his research is on the causes, consequence and conservation of biological diversity, including using biodiversity as a tool for biofuel production and climate stabilization through carbon sequestration. His work on renewable energy examines the full environmental, energetic and economic costs and benefits of alternative biofuels and modes of their production.