Science Magazine Podcast

Robert Frederick here -- this week: H1N1 and preparing for the largest and most dense gathering of people in the world; inherited wealth, especially land and livestock, seems to lead to intergenerational inequality no matter what the society; four Nobel laureates discuss their experiences as women in the sciences; and a wrap-up of several other of the week's stories on ScienceNOW. Happy Listening!

Considering the recent actions of Gov. Perry, holding this conference anywhere in Texas is deliciously ironic.

What's the latest on the initiatives going on in STEM?

Robert Frederick here -- David, I won't speculate (though I can guess) on what precisely your referring to, but the decision was made to hold the conference here more than a year ago. Vince, that's a really broad topic to report -- if something of particular is of interest, I'd suggest you check out the STEM research proposals that the NSF is funding. Here's a link:
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5488
and click the "Awards" at the top to start your search.

Robert Frederick here -- this week: energetic neutral atoms help the IBEX spacecraft "see" the heliosphere as never before -- and some surprises -- a bright "ribbon" that hadn't been detected by the Voyager probes; Saudi Arabia's KAUST -- can money make the desert bloom(?); the taste of carbonation is actually the taste of protons; and the latest published ribosome work by V. Ramakrishnan, who just won the Nobel prize in chemistry. Happy Listening!

Robert Frederick here -- latest is up! This week: your DNA may be folded up in to fractals; currents flowing forever in resistive metals sounds odd, but the movement of an electron around a nucleus is a good model for understanding how this might be possible; targeting cancer cells with drugs that attack those cells' weaknesses; and a wrap-up of some the latest science stories with ScienceNOW's David Grimm. Happy Listening!

Robert Frederick here -- latest is up! This week: Ardipithecus ramidus unveiled (the earliest hominid skeleton to date!), an essay on the origins of ecological communities (and the science thereof), your Letters to Science (including a set of Letters about tenure), and a wrap of ScienceNOW stories with David Grimm -- including a story about the "upside" of recessions.

Robert Frederick here -- latest is up! This week: carbon capture and storage still has lots of hurdles: political and technical; letter writers and e-mailers are the same -- at least in terms of a mathematical model, a model that may indeed help in understanding all human activity; science correspondent John Bohannon goes to prison to check out a... Read More clinical trial about a potential link between vitamin supplements and incidences of violence; and a wrap-up of some of the latest news with ScienceNOW's Erik Stokstad. Happy Listening!

Robert Frederick here -- latest show is up! This week: predicting terrorism based on public opinion polls; insights from nature and seeking to clear the hurdles for developing micro air vehicles; and how to sterilize millions of stray dogs and cats -- what scientists are developing. Hope you enjoy the show!

Robert Frederick here -- I missed the posting as I was on my way off to a video interview (tentatively scheduled to publish October 2). I hope you enjoyed the show all about cooperation: a public goods game with a twist, dogs' social behavior towards people (and people towards dogs?), and on the origin of cooperation... Happy Listening!