This Week in Science

2008-05-06T19:04:00.000-07:00

The Kirsten Hour

Today found Kirsten alone at the helm, but thanks to an interview with Dr. Gary Marcus, author of Kluge, and a visit with Dr. Michael Stebbins from Scientists and Engineers For America, today's hour was s full of information as any other week. Maybe just not quite as entertaining. I kid! It's an hour of science fun.

The music on today's podcast was thanks to the 2008 science music compilation, which will be available to those of you who haven't donated to KDVS sometime in the early fall.

Listen to it all here.

Donate to KDVS here.

If you'd rather donate directly to TWIS just click the orange button to the left.

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2008-04-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

Making Tuesdays Beautiful

Today we spoke with science writer, George Johnson, who has written a book about his choice of the ten most beautiful science experiments in the whole history of the world. Funnily enough it's called "The 10 Most Beautiful Experiments". In the book, George does more than simply regurgitate the scientific methods used by the various researchers. He also tells beautiful stories about the people themselves. We had a great time talking with George about beautiful science.

We also brought stories. Justin started off the show with a story about insect communication. Then I talked about research that suggests early humans experienced an isolation event that almost split us into two species. Justin brought the dinosaur news. It's confirmed; T. Rex was a big chicken. Lizards on a Croatian island evolved into what appears to be a new species in under 30 years. Psychology says!... Abstract is better where math is concerned. And, Asimo is taking on the Detroit Symphony.

The music on today's podcast was thanks to Peyton, Jake Mann, The Flying Fish Sailors, and Anton Barbeau.

Listen to it all here.

Donate to KDVS here.

If you'd rather donate directly to TWIS just click the orange button to the left.

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2008-04-22T13:44:00.000-07:00

It's Fundraiser Week!!!

So, dig into those deep pockets of yours and support community radio, free podcasts, and science.

Our home radio station, KDVS 90.3 FM, only fundraises once per year. This is the week, and TWIS is working for it's place on the air.

We hope that you enjoy the show. It's full of music off of the 2008 science music compilation album, which will be gifted to you for a donation of a mere $40. If you happen to be a student, you only need to donate $25 to get our cd. You'll also hear Dr. Michael Stebbins with his usual report on The Weird From Washington. And, a few science stories to boot. Oh, and Kirsten loses her ability to do math right at the beginning of the show. Embarassing! Maybe you should donate so that she can go back to school. Kindergarten can be expensive. ;)

Listen to it all here.

Donate here.

If you'd rather donate directly to TWIS just click the orange button to the left.

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2008-04-15T16:37:00.000-07:00

Introducing!!!

TWIS was Justin-less this week, but we filled his chair with a charming bloke named Andy Fell. Andy works for the UC Davis news service translating scientist-ese into print for the average person to understand. I think he did a jolly-good job for his first foray into radio, but then, you all should be the judge of that.

At the top of the show I put Andy on the spot for a mini-interview. That was fun. Then we discussed World Robot Domination, a perennial favorite. Andy brought up performance drug use by scientists. I introduced a story suggesting that classrooms need both girls and boys to get along. Andy puts your memory to work. We talk black holes and telescopes.

Thanks to Kepi and Kat, Anton Barbeau, The National Pool, and The Exhibits for our music. You can listen to it all here.

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2008-04-13T11:58:00.001-07:00

Better Late Than Never, Right?

Last week's show was tons of fun. On top of our visit with Dr. Michael Stebbins from Scientists and Engineers for America, we brought the science news (and, boy, was Justin on fire this week!).

We got excited about lungless frogs. Then we pondered the death of the Wooly Mammoth. Did humans do it? Oregon caves told the tale of early human activity with DNA. The British are experimenting with human animal hybrid blastocysts. What do you think about that? Justin pimps yoga for the elderly. The Milky Way galaxy needs a snack! The Higgs-Boson is expected for the LHC. Laptops are being recruited to detect earthquakes. Gymnastics seems to be a dangerous sport. And a fifth grader is smarter than the Smithsonian Museum.

Thanks to The Exhibits, Phil Thompson, Sudden Death, The Used Rugs, and The Four Eyes for our music. You can listen to it all here.

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2008-04-02T14:41:00.000-07:00

April Fools Day!!!

Dare you trust a word we say today? I think so. Science news is too weird on its own to need to make the stuff up.

Today we explored the oceans of plastic that are our oceans. Justin talked about sex. I thought a lawsuit against the LHC was an April Fool's prank. We discussed the genetics of breach births. Thanks to Enceladus, life outside of earth seems more and more possible.

We also spoke with science horror author, Scott Sigler, about his newest book, Infected.

You can listen to it all here.

The music on this week's show was provided thanks to Anton Barbeau, Unbalanced Wheel, and Grant Preston (You'll hear them on the 2008 compilation!).

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2008-03-18T13:30:00.000-07:00

Have a Piece of Pi!

If you missed it last week, you can still celebrate Pi Day on July 22nd. How's that? Because of the European dating convention of placing the day before the year, we get 22/7, which is an approximation of pi when viewed mathematically.

What other things out there would look different when viewed mathematically?

Today's show:
Justin expounded the problems with island living. I discussed the discovery of a new form of blood. Justin cheered for the Australians. We talked a bit about the surface of Mars. Then we got squirrelly in the face of stress. World Robot Domination took the lead for the second half of the show. Then, of course, I had to talk about birds and their whiskers. Justin pondered fungal mating habits and genetics, which led me to a study about tree roots. Justin was a proponent of nuclear research. We finished up with the knowledge that the Earth is not like the Sun, and a little recitation of pi.

You can listen to it all here.

The music on this week's show was provided thanks to The Dandy Warhols, The National Pool, and Chris Taylor.

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2008-03-13T14:16:00.000-07:00

TWIS Goes Mobile!

Well, at least Justin did. Thank goodness for the mobile cell phone.

This Week in Science: Kenji, Dylan, and Ed sent in a story about a binary star system that looks poised to send a high radiation gamma ray toward Earth. A new group of researchers have postulated nutritional deficiencies as the reason for Homo floriensis small stature. A DRAM of whiskey might be in order for environmental clean-up. Kalidasa let us know that our universe is filled with super-cool neutrinos. Justin reported that racism is alive and well in our media. Will hybrids lead to greater water usage? Researchers find krill in the Antarctic. Money is short for nuclear waste clean-up, and we're running short on plutonium. Bacteria might help prevent kidney stones. Scientists begin to unravel the structure of RNA. Political views are becoming more liberal with age. And, no one is safe from the robots, especially not drug-dealers or the old.

The music on this week's show was provided thanks to The Dandy Warhols, Jake Mann, and Phil Thompson.

Listen to it all here.

Stay tuned next week for an interview with an aquatic biologist.

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2008-03-04T11:33:00.000-08:00

In-Studio: The Green Fairy

Don't we wish. But! We did interview absinthe aficionado and environmental chemist, Ted Breaux. He told us how he used science to uncover the truths about absinthe. Yup, that's right, absinthe, specifically the ingredient wormwood, got a bad reputation, and science set things straight. So, raise a glass and make a toast to the special relationship between the green fairy and science.

Also on the show: Justin has an eye for teeth. HIV research finds a genetic friend. Two TWIStributors pitch in. Justin brings us This Week in World Robot Domination. We discuss how Darwin was wrong... about chickens. Genetics tells us even more about our roots. A special octopus is found. And, did you know that boys and girls are different?

Musical guests today included The Dandy Warhols, a selection from the 2006 TWIS science music compilation - The Carquinez Straits, and a teaser for 2008.

So much fun! You can listen to it all here. And, get the transcript here and here thanks to FutureGen.

2008-02-26T14:52:00.000-08:00

Leapin' Tuesdays!

It's nearing the end of the second month of 2008, and my oh my, time is leapin' by. Oh, right, that's just this particular year. An artifact of the fact that our calendar system suxxx.

This week on the show we covered some great news. Animals are being prescribed more and more mood altering drugs. Scientists used embryonic stem cells to reverse diabetes in mice. Electrons were caught on film for the first time EVER! Saturn has been hiding some rings from us. The Vikings used to flaunt the bling... on their clothes. And, in his every-other-weekly fashion, Dr. Michael Stebbins brought us the Weird From Washington.

Thanks to the Dandy Warhols, MC Coffee Mug, trebetheric, and Grant for the music on today's show.

Listen to it all here.

Next week we have an interview with an expert on absynth. Sounds a little crazy, but it's all about science.

2008-02-15T12:41:00.000-08:00

Trouble?

Yes, there has been a little this week. I am using a new recording and editing set-up, so the audio to this week's show is not "perfect" (you may in fact hear chipmunks). Also, since moving I've had to depend on cafe wi-fi kindness for access to the internet (Thank you, Bernie's on 24th in San Francisco!). Thank you for your patience as I try to hone TWIS into an even better quality than that to which you are used.

Secondly, I'd like to apologize to those of you who were insulted or hurt by statements made on the show last week. While we do make light of many subjects and state personal opinions on the show, it is not our intention to disrespect. We do intend to challenge the status quo, and to make people think. About themselves, the world in which they live, and their beliefs. I know that being challenged can make some people uncomfortable. I think it is good to be uncomfortable from time to time because only then is change implemented. If you want to discuss any comments made on the show with either myself or Justin, email us.

Kirsten at thisweekinscience dot com and Justin at thisweekinscience dot com. Please, include TWIS in the subject line.

Enough about the old, in with the new! This week was a really fun show. We talked about love and attraction. Then discussed the formidable abilities of barnacles. Justin took a look at himself. I brought up fairy tale science. We predicted the next president based on your stock market actions. Some researchers invented a coffee sniffing machine. Dr. Michael Stebbins joined us with his Weird From Washington (and, boy howdy, was it weird). Finally, we told you to start eating purple.

Listen up here!

Stay tuned for more madness next week!

You can find a transcript of the show here, here, here, and here. Many, many thanks to Futuregen!

2008-02-07T15:48:00.000-08:00

Keep On Movin' On!

That's right. Even though Kirsten has now made he move to San Francisco there will be no interruption in the TWIS schedule. TWIS will keep on. Oh, yes we can. (That was for you Justin)

Much transpired in the science realm during the past week, and we were here to talk about as much of it as we could. Scientists have decided to let people avoid mouth-breathing by creating an onion that doesn't cause tears. There is a new lollipop in production, which will help young and old alike avoid the dentist. Hummingbirds were found to have squeaky tails, and the Pope is against cloning. Semen doesn't just help make babies. It also helps spread HIV. Cloning became more successful with a menage a trois. It also became a lot more fun. Researchers added two more letters to the DNA alphabet. Bathing baby just gets more and more complicated. Keep junior away from the medicine cabinet. You thought x-rays were crazy? Check out the t-ray; a lot like Superman, they can see through paintings.

All this and the usual banter can be found here.

A transcript of the show can be found here and here. Thank you Futuregen!

Thanks to Ed Dyer, Logan Waterman, and Demia Wright for sending in stories.

Music in this episode provided by The Dandy Warhols, The Flying Fish Sailors, and Garrett Pierce.

2008-01-29T12:11:00.000-08:00

Another Day of Science

Much zaniness abounded in this weeks episode of TWIS. We must watch Justin's caffeine intake a bit more closely.

Paper Airplanes From Space, Attack of the Clones, Bloody Switcheroo, Crater Pondering, Great Space Super-Collider, This Week in the End of the World, Listen To Your Kids, DNA Mystery, and The Weird From Washington With Dr. Michael Stebbins

Listen here.

You can also find a transcript of the show here. Many thanks to Futuregen!

2008-01-22T16:14:00.000-08:00

What Is Time Anyway?

This week's episode of TWIS was pre-recorded and led to some strange out of time moments. You'll see when you listen to it here.

The stories today ranged from genes to robots and exciting places in between. First off the block was the discovery of three genes linked to the auto-immune disease called lupus. This research will allow scientists to home in on the cause of the debilitating disease. Justin pined for his smoking buddies, and discussed a story on a possible coping mechanism for loneliness. Kirsten bugged out with two parasite stories: one about a nematode that makes ants look like berries, and another about an icky bug that devours cells in the gut. Ew. A giant rodent was found fossilized in a Uruguayan museum... um, the fossil had been put there on purpose, but wasn't studied until recently. Engineers have created contact lenses with embedded electronic circuits - the first step toward superhuman sight. Monkeys living on islands in Indonesia don't fear the sounds of big cats, but they do fear humans. Protein seems to be the best dietary component at decreasing a hormone related to hunger. Don't buy this skull if you believe in evolution. And, last but not least, robots have learned how to be both cheaters and martyrs, and they are teaching monkeys how to do the walking for them.

Interested in a transcript of the show? You can find it here all thanks to Futuregen!

Thanks to Kalidasa, Eric, Ted, Hannes, and Jessica for sending in stories! The music on this week's show was provided thanks to The Dandy Warhols, Jake Mann, and The Four Eyes.

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2008-01-15T13:26:00.001-08:00

Technical Difficulties, Folks...

We're experiencing a problem with WordPress that won't allow us to publish today's file, and thus update the RSS feed. I will do what I can to publish the file as soon as possible. Thanks for being patient.

--the Management
aka Kirsten :P

Vote for Kirsten as one of Wired's 'Sexiest Geeks of 2007'

2008-01-12T15:34:00.000-08:00

Kirsten is in the running as one of Wired Magazine's 'Sexiest Geeks of 2007'. All she needs is a few more 'up' votes to make the Top 10 list.

Take a moment and vote for her by following this link.
http://reddit.wired.com/sexygeeks2007/?s=top&offset=25

Thanks!
Marshall (TWIS Techie)

2008-01-08T17:43:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

This is the first official TWIS episode of the new year, and what better way to bring it in than with reminisces of the last. On today's show we covered our predictions from last year and whether or not they came true, our top 11 science stories from 2007, and predictions for 2008. We'll have to wait and see what will happen this year, I guess. Psychics we are not, but we do have a lot of fun.

Ooh! And vote for us as sexy geeks at Wired Magazine's online website. Vote by clicking the up arrow next to the entry with either Kirsten or Justin's picture. You may have to scroll a bit, and even click through the pages to find us (right now Kirsten is on the second page), but it will be fun, and you'll get to see many more sexy geeks like us. :)

To listen to the show follow this link.

The transcript of the show can be found here and here.

The music on today's program was supplied by the Dandy Warhols, Chris Taylor, and Anton Barbeau.

2007-12-18T11:40:00.000-08:00

Like Sands Through The Hourglass...

So is the science in our lives. Today's show featured the wonderful insights of our favorite Washington insider, Dr. Michael Stebbins. He delivered the good, the bad, and the Weird from Washington. On his blog, he links to the omnibus budget recently released by Congress. Stay tuned for more important links from the Scientists and Engineers for America, an important organization workin' their butts off for science.

In the first half of today's show we learned that Justin has abstained from nicotine for not just one, but now TWO full weeks. Show your love and support by emailing him at justin at thisweekinscience dot com. Go Justin, go! Samurai mice have taken over Japan. Well, not really, but they probably because they are no longer afeard of cats. Making any resolutions this New Years? It turns out that environment has a lot to do with willpower. Australia v. Japan! The Aussies are putting the heat on Japanese whalers. Canadians discovered that smoke of the kind bud contains more of some toxic chemicals than tobacco. Magma erosion may have been a major factor in the creation of mountains and valleys. Brains are dynamic on the fly - turning neurons on or off to allow improvement in sensory perception. Make sure you rest up if you have things to remember. Sleep is intricately involved in where memorites get stored. And, we had a submission from TWiStributor Jessica Spaulding regarding research of an ancient sort.

The music on today's show was thanks to the Dandy Warhols, The National Pool, and Jake Mann.

You can listen to it all here. Then, go buy a t-shirt or a cd! It's always the right time for gift-giving. So, when you do, give the gift of TWIS!

You can find a transcript of the December 25th show here. Many thanks to Futuregen!!!

We'd like to thank Adam Curry for featuring TWIS in episode 32 of Adam Curry’s PodFinder.

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Hot Fevers Do Autism Good?

2007-12-14T14:11:00.001-08:00

Mobile post sent by Dr. Kiki using Utterz. Replies. mp3

CO2 Recycling

2007-12-12T16:54:00.001-08:00

Mobile post sent by Dr. Kiki using Utterz. Replies. mp3

2007-12-11T13:10:00.000-08:00

Is There Anybody Out There?

Today's interview found us talking with esteemed astrophysicist, teacher, and now writer, Dr. Chris Impey. Our conversation ranged from astrobiology to dark matter and places in between. Dr. Impey has written a book called The Living Cosmos - Our Search for Life in the Universe, which does a wonderful job of telling the story of the search for extra-terrestrial life. Impey puts man in his place in the universe, and then goes on to discuss what is known about life and the universe itself. How likely is it that we aren't alone? That's the question of the hour.

Right off the bat today Justin talked about his weekend illness and how it brought him to quit smoking. Let's hope he sticks with it, minions. Although, if he does we will have to deal with his hyperactivity for a few more weeks. Additionally, he proposed the use of pre-schoolers as a vector for a smoking cessation virus. UC Davis researchers brought us evidence that Triclocarban (an anti-microbial agent found in many household products) increases testosterone in human cells. We talked a bit about a technique that can determine whether or not people believe what they are saying. The Cassini mission has allowed scientists to figure out how the moons of Saturn formed. More sleep is better for the infirm. And, scientists figured out how to make fruit flies more fruity.

The music on today's show was thanks to the Dandy Warhols, The National Pool, and Harvester.

You can listen to it all here. Then, go buy a t-shirt or a cd! It's almost gift-giving time. Give the gift of TWIS!

We'd like to thank Adam Curry for featuring TWIS in episode 32 of Adam Curry’s PodFinder.

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2007-12-07T16:50:00.001-08:00

Mobile post sent by Dr. Kiki using Utterz. Replies. mp3

Why Good Mice Go Bad

2007-12-06T13:02:00.001-08:00

Mobile post sent by Dr. Kiki using Utterz. Replies. mp3

2007-12-04T10:43:00.000-08:00

This Week in December

OMG! It really is December already. How time flies when you are having fun. This year has been amazing, but it's not over yet. Stay tuned for our annual Top 11 show and predictions for 2008 coming at the end of the month. If you have any favorite stories or predictions, send me an email!

On today's show we missed our usual bi-weekly scientifico-politico punditry, but were up to our ears in fantastic science stories. Justin started off the morning with news on the mad skills of Chimps. Let the battle of the brains begin! Then it was fossilorama time. Fossils suggest that an ancient Homo sapiens relative may have had more in common with Gorillas than Chimps. Also, a giant mummified dino fossil was found in North Dakota. Dogs can use touch screens. Oh, and they are able to form mental representations of categories. Honey is better for coughs than cough syrup. Beetles are better for forests than logging. Justin just had to talk about foreskins again. Scientists are making it easier to get oil from hard to reach places. Will sperm power the first nanobots? Climate change will lead trees on a northward march. But, Titan seems to have the ingredients for life.

The music on today's show was thanks to the Dandy Warhols, Chris Taylor, and Mike Garfield.

You can listen to it all here. Then, go buy a t-shirt or a cd! It's almost gift-giving time. Give the gift of TWIS!

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2007-11-27T11:20:00.000-08:00

Can Anybody See Me?!?

The answer is most likely, yes. Especially when they have access to high-resolution satellites in orbit above the planet just like our two interview guests, NASA scientists who recently edited a beautiful book called Our Changing Planet- The view from space. Drs. Claire Parkinson and Michael King have spent their careers looking at the Earth from above, and are now trying to share what they and other satellite using scientists have learned about the world. We spoke with them today about the book, and about the importance of satellites to our knowledge about the planet.

In other news, the lies about tryptophan have got to stop. Kirsten talks about what really makes you tired after Thanksgiving dinner. Justin describes a neutrino study that gave biologists insight into the mysteries of the deep blue. Kirsten brings up an invasion of plankton from the Pacific Ocean into the Atlantic made possible by Arctic melting. The Chinese keep pimping their lunar satellite. Was it once, twice, or fee times a maybe? Scientists think indigenous people in the Americas came from a single Siberian source. Justin did an ok job reporting on workplace psychology (How does that make you feel, Justin?). Kirsten discusses a recent discovery about how motor neurons in the developing nervous system stay on target.

The music on today's show was thanks to the Dandy Warhols, Johnny Brickhouse, and Jake Mann.

You can listen to it all here. Then, go buy a t-shirt or a cd!

Help Get The Word Out!
Listen to the Broadcast - Link to TWIS - Write an iTunes Review - Get a TWIS Sig