Museum of Science, Boston | Podcasts

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Podcasts

Through weekly interviews with guest researchers and our own knowledgeable staff, the Museum's podcasts offer an in-depth look at the latest in science and technology.

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The MBTA Hack | It's Alive!? (Podcast): On this episode we will learn about some of the technology behind the MBTA Charlie Card hack. Also, new evidence once again questions whether or not viruses may actually be alive. (details).

China's Smog Experiment | Bending Light . . . Backwards (Podcast): This week we will learn more about two popular news stories. First, China's emission reductions during the Olympic Games has afforded the perfect opportunity to study atmospheric smog. Also, new materials to bend visible light backwards could lead to some interesting new inventions. (details).

I'm Sorry | Storing Solar Energy (Podcast): Guest researcher Craig Smith talks about his project studying apology, and the accompanying emotions, in children. Also, we will hear about a new way of storing solar energy- by using a more efficient method to split water into oxygen and hydrogen. (details).

Recognizing Faces | New Step To HIV Vaccine (Podcast): Dr. Meg Moulson describes her experiment studying how children are able to recognize faces. Also, we will hear about the latest research on the HIV envelope protein, which could lead to a vaccine. (details).

Infant Facial Recognition | Fish Communication (Podcast): In this week's episode we will learn about two very different studies concerning the brain. First we will hear about a study of facial recognition in babies. Then we will discuss the evolutionary significance of fish vocalization. (details).

Stopping Cancer with Nanoparticles | Antibacterial Honey (Podcast): This week we will hear about two potential new ways to fight disease. First, nanoparticles may be used with traditional chemotherapeutics to selectively target and kill cancer cells. Also, honey is not just for eating but may be used to kill many types of bacteria. (details).

Live from Greenland! (Podcast): Live via satellite phone from the Greenland ice sheet, we will hear from glaciologist Sarah Das of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. She will talk about life on the ice and her current research involving melt water lakes and their impact on the ice sheet. (details).

Mercury Cleanup | Poisonous Bismuth (Podcast): This week's episode is very elemental. We will hear about a new way to clean up mercury. We will also learn about how our own bodies may be making poisonous bismuth compounds. (details).

Green Communities Act | Better Cassava (Podcast): Hear details about the landmark piece of "green" legislation recently signed by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. Also, learn what scientists have done to make the cassava root into a better meal. (details).

Cleaning Up Oil Spills | Smashing Protons (Podcast): This week we will hear about a new way to clean up oil spills using nano-wire paper towels. We will also learn about the largest atom smasher ever built. (details).

Materials of Baseballs | High School Baseball (Podcast): Summer is here and baseball season is in full swing. This week we will learn about how baseballs are made. We will also find out about types and causes of high school baseball injuries. (details).

Fighting the MRSA Superbug | New Mosquito Repellents (Podcast): Hear how scientists are treating the MRSA superbug with bacteriophage, a naturally occurring virus that has evolved to specifically kill bacteria. Researchers have also found several chemicals with potential for use as mosquito repellents. (details).

Human-Robot Interaction | The Unique Platypus (Podcast): Guest researcher Mikey Siegel describes personal robots and tells us about his interest in the human-robot interaction. We'll also hear about the uniqueness of the platypus- part mammal, part bird, part reptile. (details).

From Astronaut to Artist (Podcast): Captain Alan Bean was the lunar module pilot for Apollo 12 and the fourth man to walk on the moon. He describes how his experiences as an astronaut inspire him as an artist. (details).

Human Monkeypox | Extreme Skydiving (Podcast): This week, infectious disease expert, Dr. Kate Rubins, discusses her work on human monkeypox. Also, learn about an astounding skydiving attempt by Frenchman Michel Fournier. (details).

Physics of the Impossible (Podcast): Dr. Michio Kaku, renowned physicist and author, discusses his new book Physics of the Impossible. He talks about the actual science behind invisibility, teleportation, time travel and more. (details).

How Does Cancer Develop? (Podcast): Our guest, Dr. Raghu Kalluri, talks about the importance of a tumor's microenvironment to the formation of cancer. (details).

Unusual Frogs | Counting Fireflies (Podcast): This week we will hear about the re-discovery of a very unique type of frog from Indonesia. We will also learn about Citizen Science, including the Museum of Science's project about fireflies. (details).

New Solar Cells | Exercising Your Heart (Podcast): This week we will hear about solar power research involving new solar cell design. Also, we will learn how the type of exercise you do can affect the shape of your heart. (details).

The Past, Present, and Future of Nuclear Energy (Podcast): For Earth Month, we have nuclear scientist Dr. Andrew Kadak talking about one of the most widely used forms of alternative energy: nuclear power. He will discuss the benefits and risks involved and where the future of nuclear power is going. (details).

Multi-drug Resistant Fungus | Climate Change Models (Podcast): This week, we'll learn about multi-drug resistance in fungi. Also, in honor of Earth Day on April 22, we'll discuss how well computer models of climate change actually work. (details).

Gecko-Inspired Surgical Tape | Antarctic Sea Monsters (Podcast): On this episode, we'll learn about gecko-inspired surgical tape and giant antarctic sea creatures. (details).

GPS for Stem Cells | Poisonous Newts (Podcast): This week, we'll talk to a scientist who is able to "steer" stem cells to alleviate osteoporosis. We'll also hear how some snakes are able to eat very poisonous newts. (details).

World Water Week | Self-cleaning Clothing (Podcast): This week, we'll hear about World Water Week and the International Sanitation Year. We'll also hear about how nanotechnology is being used to create clothing that can clean itself. (details).

The Science of Stress | Biological Bioterror Detector (Podcast): This week, we'll learn about the science of stress and hear about a machine that uses immune cells to detect dangerous airborne diseases. (details).

Nanotech "Future Phone" | Stem Cells Cure Diabetes in Mice (Podcast): This week, we'll talk about art as an inspiration for nanotechnology, and learn how scientists are using stem cells to cure diabetes in mice. (details).

Complex Carbon Footprints | Preservatives for Radiation Protection (Podcast): This week, we'll take a big-picture look at the concept of a carbon footprint, and we'll learn how an ingredient in potato chips could save you from an atomic bomb. (details).

The Next Mars Rover | Testing Probiotics (Podcast): On this episode, we'll take another trip to the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting to learn about the next Mars rover, and we'll learn about putting an antibiotic antidote to the test. (details).

DNA-Powered Dating Service | Implanting Artificial Eyes (Podcast): This week, we'll celebrate Valentine's Day with a look a a new dating service that matches users based on their DNA, and I'll go on location to hear about a new implantable artificial retina. (details).

Programming Robots With Blocks | The Secret Behind Blue Eyes (Podcast): This week we'll talk to a scientist who programs robots using wooden blocks and learn about the complex genetics behind blue eyes. (details).

Storing Hydrogen in Nanotubes | Talking to a Computer for Better Health (Podcast): Today we'll learn about using carbon nanotubes to store hydrogen in a car's gas tank, and hear from a scientist who is designing computer helpers you can talk to. (details).

Carbon Dioxide Could Be Deadly | Seeking Synthetic Spider Silk (Podcast): Today we'll hear about a new study that may cause a re-think at the Environmental Protection Agency. We'll also talk about the path to a pair of spider silk socks. (details).

Improving Biodegradable Plastics | New Clues About the Cause of Autism (Podcast): On this episode, we'll learn how nanotechnologists are improving biodegradable plastics. We'll also hear about new research into the link between autism and a chemical called thimerosal. (details).

Electricity and Hydrogen from Bacteria (Podcast): We'll kick off 2008 by talking to a researcher who hopes to one day produce hydrogen and electricity from wastewater. (details).

Top Ten Science Stories of 2007 (Podcast): Susan Heilman and Tim Miller, education associates at the Museum, share their personal top ten science stories of 2007. (details).

Stem Cell Therapy for Sickle-Cell Anemia | Maggot Therapy Goes Mainstream (Podcast): Today, we'll talk about using stem cells to cure sickle-cell anemia, and using maggots to clear up infection. (details).

Poking Cells to Detect Cancer (Podcast): On this episode, we'll learn about a new way to detect the spread of cancer based on the squishiness of cancer cells. (details).

Advances in Epilepsy Research (Podcast): This week, we'll talk to an epilepsy researcher about the latest advances in that disease. (details).

Silicon Chip Recovery |The Great American Smokeout (Podcast): Discover how IBM is saving valuable silicon chips that were once thrown out, saving money in the process. We'll also hear from Dr. Howard Koh, associate dean at the Harvard School of Public Health, about the Great American Smokeout held on November 15. (details).

On the Path to a Pill for Diabetes (Podcast): This week, we'll talk to a researcher who is looking at the inner workings of the cells that produce insulin in our bodies -- the same cells that cause diabetes if they aren't working properly. (details).

Stem Cells and Lung Cancer | Better Solar Panels Through the Study of Bugs (Podcast): This week we'll talk to a scientist who is examining the role of stem cells in lung cancer, and we'll hear about how researchers are taking a cue from insects to keep solar panels clean. (details).

Screening for Cancer with DNA | Nanotechnology and the Nobel Prize (Podcast): On this week's episode, we'll hear about an advance in cervical cancer screening and about how this year's Nobel Prize for physics influenced the device you're using to read this. (details).

Record-Breaking Astronaut | Treating Cancer with RADAR (Podcast): We're back after a week away with two big guests. First up is record-breaking astronaut Sunita Williams, and then MIT researcher Alan Fenn, who is using RADAR to treat breast Cancer. (details).

Local Conversations About the Environment | AltWheels Festival (Podcast): The last nine years have made the list of the 25 hottest on record, and arctic sea ice is at a record low. To address what can be done about climate change, we're taking a look at two different events that happened in the past week. (details).

Genographic Project | Velociraptor or Turkey? (Podcast): This week, we'll talk to a researcher who is taking DNA samples from over 100,000 people to answer the question, "How did we get here?" We'll also learn some surprising news about the infamous velociraptor. (details).

A New Stem-Cell Treatment for Heart Disease (Podcast): Today we'll hear about a promising treatment for heart disease using stem cells. (details).

Nano-Magnetic Sponges for Art Restoration (Podcast): On this episode, we'll hear how nano-magnetic sponges are being used to clean precious artwork. (details).

Eating With an Extra Set of Jaws | Congress Boosts Science Research (Podcast): Today we'll hear about how moray eels eat with two sets of jaws, and learn about a law that will change the face of science over the next five years. (details).

A Nano-Sized Solution for Getting Rid of Salt | Exploring an Underwater Unknown (Podcast): On this episode, we'll learn how nanoparticles could lead to inexpensive and safe fresh water supplies, and we'll hear about an expedition to an unexplored spot right here on Earth. (details).

New Anthrax Vaccine | More Primate Confusion (Podcast): This week, we'll look at what it takes to engineer a new vaccine for anthrax, and we'll hear about new confusion in the study of ancient primates. (details).

Cancer-Killing Viruses | Bones and Blood Sugar (Podcast): Today we'll talk to a researcher who is using viruses to fight cancer, and hear about a surprising role your skeleton plays in diabetes. (details).

Fossils Force Human Evolution Re-think | California Gets Tough on Carbon (Podcast): On this week's show, we'll hear about the discovery of two fossils that are causing a bit of a shakeup in human evolution circles, and we'll talk about a push for a big reduction in CO2 emissions being proposed by the state of California. (details).

A Little Fat From Your Friends | Nanotech at the FDA (Podcast): This week, we'll look at a study that says your friends may be making you fat, and we'll hear about the FDA's stance on nanotechnology. (details).

Eavesdropping on Dolphins | Treating Lung Cancer With Talc (Podcast): This week, we'll talk to a scientist who swims around eavesdropping on dolphin communications, and look at a surprising idea to treat lung cancer using talcum powder. (details).

A Pill to Prevent Cholera | Studying Biodiversity (Podcast): Today we'll look at promising research into a new type of vaccine that could give us a pill to prevent cholera - and maybe a number of other diseases. We'll also look at the concept of biodiversity: how important is it to have a variety of species in an ecosystem? (details).

100th Episode: The Next Mission to Mars (Podcast): We're celebrating our 100th weekly episode this week with a special guest: a scientist in charge of a major piece of NASA's next mission to Mars. (details).

DNA-Filled JELLO as a Cancer Therapy (Podcast): This week we'll talk to a researcher who's developing a novel cancer treatment that uses DNA encased in gelatin. (details).

The Science of Fireworks (Podcast): Learn how fireworks have changed - and stayed the same - over the last 1000 years. (details).

Silicon Slips Into Biology | Listening to Your Genes (Podcast): Today we'll talk to two scientists who are taking a bit of a different look at biology: one is using silicon to make molecules that are impossible in nature, and the other is using music to better understand DNA. (details).

Studying Chimpanzees (Podcast): This week, we're devoting the whole show to an interview with chimpanzee researcher Jerry De Silva. (details).

Stem Cell Advancements | Cancer Research (Podcast): Unravel this weeks announcement on stem cell research advances and discover how scientists are using the virus behind mononucleosis to fight cancer. (details).

Using the Fight Against Spam to Digitize Books | Missing Bees Mystery (Podcast): This week, we'll hear about how one of those little annoyances of life on the Internet has been modified to digitize libraries while also fighting spam. We'll also look into the mystery of America's missing bees. (details).

Antibiotics and Asthma | Help From Our Bacterial Friends (Podcast): This episode is all about the 90% of you that isn't really you: the 100 trillion bacteria that live inside your body. (details).

A MUSE Award Retrospective (Podcast): I was away this week to accept an award for the podcast, so we're running a little retrospective of some of the cool segments we've done this year. (details).

Millions for Stem Cell Research | Your Bacteria-Fighting Skin (Podcast): This week, we'll examine a new proposal to spend $1 billion on stem cell research and other biotechnologies, and learn about a study that shows that your skin is doing a lot more for you than you thought. (details).

MIT Examines the Planet | Taking the Earth's Temperature (Podcast): Today we'll take a look at an MIT effort to examine the components of Earth from the very smallest to the very largest, and at research that used earthquakes to take the Earth's temperature. (details).

Polar Update | A Trans Fat Primer (Podcast): On this episode, we'll get a North Pole update and take a look at the science behind trans fat. (details).

Unwelcome Giants in Australia (Podcast): Today we'll meet a monstrous specimen of an invasive species in Australia. (details).

The Power of Sound | Smoking and Your Heart (Podcast): This week we'll look at a new way to generate electricity using sounds, and hear about a study that reveals some specific ways smoking is bad for your heart. (details).

Engineering Body Parts | Understanding Potato Blight (Podcast): On this episode, we'll talk to a researcher whose work on a 150-year-old potato disease is helping to keep our food safe today. We'll also speak to a scientist who designs scaffolding that's used to build body parts. (details).

Using the "E word" | Talking Gloves for the Deaf (Podcast): Today we've got a look at how use of the word "evolution" in science impacts the way the general public thinks about the concept of evolving organisms. We'll also talk to an engineer who has developed a glove that can convert sign language into speech. (details).

Faster Bacterial Detection | Viagra for Your Heart (Podcast): This week, we'll learn about using nanoparticles to speed up bacterial detection, and at a study that gave Viagra to rabbits to help treat heart attacks. (details).

Amazing "Birdbrains" | Waterbirds and Wetlands (Podcast): We'll focus on birds today with a reason why calling someone a "birdbrain" may not be such an insult, and by looking at bird population numbers and what they can tell us about the environment. (details).

Pollution-Fueled Storms | Hydrogen Fuel From the Sun (Podcast): Today we'll hear about a study showing that pollution from Asia is changing the weather as far away as Alaska, as well as a new way to make hydrogen for fuel using only water and sunlight. (details).

Kicking Off the International Polar Year (Podcast): March first marked the beginning of the International Polar Year, a world-wide scientific program focused on the Arctic and Antarctic regions. So this week, we'll talk to Chris Linder from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, who will be visiting some of these polar projects during the IPY. (details).

Going Solar at the Department of Energy | Regulating Nano in Our Backyard (Podcast): Today we'll examine a step toward solar power being taken by the US government, as well as questions of "nano" safety right in the Boston area. (details).

Deep Sea Rumblings | Understanding Migration Through Bacteria (Podcast): We've got underwater sound recordings for you this week, along with news about human migration gleaned from the study of stomach bacteria. (details).

Fighting Fever in South America | Measuring Microbial Motion (Podcast): On this episode, we'll learn about a breakthrough in the fight against hemorrhagic fevers, and talk to a scientist who studies the travels of the oceans' smallest residents. (details).

Molecular Condoms to Stop the Spread of HIV (Podcast): Today we'll hear about a new way to fight the spread of HIV and AIDS. (details).

Microwave Disinfecting | Stretchy and Strong With Help From Spiders (Podcast): On this episode, we'll learn how to clean the kitchen with help from the microwave, and about how spider-webs are teaching us to make futuristic materials. (details).

Understanding the 1918 Flu | Corn or Cardboard in Our Gas Tanks? (Podcast): Today we'll get the latest on a 90-year-old flu, and examine whether corn should be going into our gas tanks. (details).

Cloning Mad Cow-Free Cows (Podcast): This week, we'll hear about genetically engineered cows that are immune to mad cow disease. (details).

Evolving Lactose Tolerance | "Martian" Bacteria in Mines (Podcast): On this week's show, we'll learn about the link between cows and human evolution. We'll also hear about "Martian" bacteria in mines and the discovery of some of the smallest organisms in the world. (details).

Looking Back at 2006 (Podcast): As 2006 winds down, we thought it would be fun to look back at a few of our favorite segments from the last year, and ask you to tell us yours. (details).

Bacterial Weight Gain (Podcast): Today we've got a show about the bacteria that live inside your body and how they may influence the way you look. (details).

Nanotech Toolkits for Cancer | Plugging in Your Car (Podcast): On this episode, we'll learn about a nano Swiss army knife of sorts for brain cancer. We will also get some good news for the future of cars that plug into the wall. (details).

Diagnosis-On-a-Chip and Flowing Water on Mars (Podcast): We've got two pretty exciting stories this week: a device the size of a stick of gum that has the potential to diagnose any infectious disease, and a phone interview with a researcher at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab about new evidence for flowing water on Mars. (details).

Regulating "Nano" and Unlocking the Secrets of Red Wine (Podcast): Today we'll look at the first environmental regulations on consumer nanotechnology, and we'll hear about a new understanding of the benefits of dry red wines. (details).

Death by Jet Lag (Podcast): We've got a travel-related show this week, with a look at jet lag and its potentially dangerous results. (details).

Help From Chocolate Cheaters and Gas on the Moon (Podcast): Adam is back from vacation with a story of a few study participants whose weakness for chocolate gave the scientists an unexpected surprise. We'll also look at an unusual feature on the Moon that may be caused by escaping gas. (details).

Bad News for Nits and Targeted Tiny Test Tubes (Podcast): Discover how problems with lice research in Utah and problems with lice at home added up to a new way to dislodge these pests that torment over 9 million children in the United States every year. Also, hear how a group of scientists at the University of Florida is putting corks in tiny test tubes that ... (details).

Breaking the Knock Barrier with Ethanol (Podcast): One of the primary factors limiting the power output of internal combustion engines is pre-ignition. Called "knock," pre-ignition happens when the fuel and air mixture ignites before the ideal time for power output due to heat created in the course of compression. A group of scientists at the Massachusetts ... (details).

The Brain's Role in Feeling Full and Shaking Breasts to Detect Cancer (Podcast): This week, we'll look at how your brain might be having a similar reaction to food that it would have to addictive drugs, and we'll hear about how vibrations could be used to detect breast cancer. (details).

Hopes for Space Rise from Basements, Backyards (Podcast): A NASA-sponsored competition to develop technology necessary for a new method of lifting objects in earth orbit gets under way in Las Cruces, New Mexico (details).

Toxic Injections to Prevent Scars and the Sound of Cancer (Podcast): We've got a biology show for you this week, with a reason why you might want to be given a deadly toxin after a car accident. We'll also hear all about why doctors may one day be listening for skin cancer as well as looking for it. (details).

Nanotech Anthrax-Catchers and a Different Look at Ant Colonies (Podcast): On this episode, we'll hear about a way to trap and detect anthrax spores using sugar-coated carbon nanotubes, and we'll talk to a researcher who studies ants by filling their nests with molten metal. (details).

Four-Winged Dinosaurs and Human-Fueled Hurricanes (Podcast): Today we'll update the image of a well-known dinosaur, and we'll hear about a study that firmly places the blame for more-powerful hurricanes on us. (details).

New Breast Imaging Technology and a Very Old Toddler (Podcast): October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so we'll take an extended look at breast imaging technology with a radiologist, and then we'll spend a few minutes talking about the newly announced oldest hominid child fossil. (details).

Traffic-Tracking Telephones and Wired-up Neurons (Podcast): On this week's show, we'll learn about a new way your cell phone could keep you out of traffic jams, and we'll hear about how researchers at Harvard are bringing us one step closer to becoming one with technology. (details).

A Nanotech DVD Upgrade and Cancer-Fighting War Paint (Podcast): Today we'll hear about how nano-antennas could lead to better DVDs, and how a weed could treat breast cancer. (details).

The Future of Space Exploration (Podcast): This week, we're doing a special on the future of space exploration with former astronaut Jeff Hoffman. (details).

Tasting Sourness and Super-Fast Ants (Podcast): This week, we'll get a better understanding of why lemons give you that "sourpuss" look, and we'll hear about some record-breaking insects. (details).

Oil-Eating Bacteria and the Problems with Pluto (Podcast): Today we'll hear about a breakthrough in the work to use oil-eating bacteria to clean up oil spills. We will also have Owen Gingerich, chairman of the International Astronomical Union's Planet Definition Committee, to give us a definitive look at the announcement that we really only have eight planets in our solar system ... (details).

Golden Cancer Therapy and Tiny Volcanoes (Podcast): Today we'll examine a new way to treat cancer using gold, glass, and light; we'll hear about the discovery of miniature volcanoes on the ocean floor; and since our look at Venus last week was so popular, we'll get another update from the world of space. (details).

Darwin's Evolving Finches and a Possible Distant Earth (Podcast): Today we'll hear about new evolution work being done on Darwin's finches, and we'll look at a computer simulation that may point us toward another planet a lot like the Earth (details).

"Mad Human Disease" and a Breast Cancer Vaccine (Podcast): Today we'll hear about the human form of Mad Cow Disease - there's a new type, and a new test for it. Also this week: trials of a new vaccine for breast cancer. (details).

Understanding a Smoking Hazard and a Biofuel Report Card (Podcast): Today we�ll learn about the effects of nicotine on developing fetuses and examine whether biofuels are really good for the environment. (details).

Inflatable Space Stations and Astronaut Training (Podcast): We�re focused on space this week. We�ll talk to the program manger of an inflatable space station project, and have a real astronaut on to tell us what it takes to get to ride on the Space Shuttle. (details).

Dangers of DDT and a Space Shuttle Status Report (Podcast): We�ve got a Space Shuttle Update from NASA for you this week, as well as a look at some newly discovered dangers of the already nasty pesticide DDT. (details).

Scorpions for Cancer Therapy and Space Elevator Contests (Podcast)