Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea
452 episodes - English - Latest episode: 20 days ago - ★★★★★ - 11 ratingsJonathan responds to your texts and tweets, is joined in studio for all the latest science stories for Newsround and speaks to one of our two guests featured on the show.
Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Johnathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.
You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Futureproof Extra: How Dinosaurs Became Modern Day Birds
December 18, 2020 18:56 - 20 minutes - 1.17 KBEach morning many of us are awoken not by the sound of an alarm but the sound of the birds chirping, or in some cases, squawking, outside. As blissful or indeed, irritating, as it can be at 6 o'clock in the morning, it’s pretty incredible that what we may actually be hearing has its roots in the ancient past - in the age of the dinosaurs. But how exactly did we get from T. Rex to tweety-bird? Jingmai O’Connor, Associate Curator of Fossil Reptiles at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chic...
Futureproof Extra: How Big Can A Particle Get?
December 12, 2020 12:52 - 21 minutes - 1.28 KBThe idea that all things are made up of tiny atoms dates back to the 5th century, and the development of this idea has led us to some of the most incredible scientific breakthroughs. But what if some of these fundamental particles didn't quite fit into our understanding of quantum mechanics? What if some of these particles weren’t that small at all? And if so, just how big can a particle get? Dr Dorota M. Grabowska, Post-Doc in the Theory Division at CERN joins Jonathan to discuss. Listen and...
How Caterpillars See Through Their Skin
December 12, 2020 12:51 - 35 minutes - 2.06 KBHow caterpillars see through their skin. On this week's Futureproof podcast with Jonathan McCrea, he talks to Dr Amy Eacock - Molecular Biologist at Forest Research UK - on how and why you might want to blindfold a caterpillar. Also on the show Jonathan was joined by Shane Bergin - Physicist & Assistant Prof in science education at UCD and Dr. Lara Dungan - to look at the week's latest science news. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. D...
Reconstructing Notre Dame
December 05, 2020 13:15 - 49 minutes - 2.87 KBHow do you go about reconstructing Notre Dame? On this week's Futureproof podcast with Jonathan McCrea, he talks to Christa Lesté-Lasserre - writer and science journalist based in Paris - about the mammoth task of rebuilding Notre Dame after the fire in the Cathedral last year. Also on the show Jonathan was joined by Shane Bergin - Physicist & Assistant Prof in science education at UCD and Dr. Lara Dungan - to look at the week's latest science news. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with...
Futureproof Extra: Proving the Multiverse
December 05, 2020 12:19 - 20 minutes - 1.17 KBUnderstanding the world around us is at the very core of scientific endeavour; some might say it is a foundational part of being human. But the natural world is big and there is still a lot left undiscovered - and that’s just this universe. So what about all the other ones that might be lurking out there? Dr Eugene Lim, Reader at King’s College London in the Department of Physics joined Jonathan to discuss. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Johnathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotif...
Futureproof Extra: Mullerian Mimicry & Toxic Birds
December 01, 2020 10:55 - 19 minutes - 1.12 KBIt's no secret that in the animal kingdom big, bold colors attract attention. This can be to attract a mate or even blend into one’s surroundings. It could also signify that that animal is extremely dangerous - even toxic. But how did this trait first emerge and are there only certain species that do so? Dr Frank Rheindt, Associate Professor and Dean’s Chair in the Department of Biological Sciences National University of Singapore joined Jonathan to discuss. Listen and subscribe to Futureproo...
The Oldest Stars in the Universe
November 28, 2020 11:26 - 38 minutes - 2.25 KBThe universe is big - really big. So big in fact that it is difficult to really comprehend the scale of it all and our insignificant place within it. But despite our size we actually know quite a lot about the first moments of the universe and how they played out. As for the next billion years after that...not so much. Dr Emma Chapman, Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellow based at Imperial College London and author of ‘First Light: Switching on Stars at the Dawn of Time’ joined Jonathan to di...
Fear & Boredom!
November 21, 2020 12:56 - 1 hour - 3.62 KBThis week on Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea, we look at the science of Fear & Boredom. The Science of Fear - Daniel T. Blumstein - Professor at the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, as well as a professor for the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, at the University of California, Los Angeles and author of ‘The Nature of Fear: Survival Lessons From the Wild’ Discussing the Science of Boredom is Dr James Danckert - Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the Univer...
What Is The Future Of Education?
November 14, 2020 12:54 - 58 minutes - 3.41 KBWhat is the future of education? This week Jonathan McCrae speaks to Ann Devit - Academic Director at Learnovate. Also on the show we look at 'A Series of Fortunate Events' on how chance plays a big part in our lives. Jonathan speaks with Sean B. Carroll - Balo-Simon Professor and Endowed Chair of Biology at the University of Maryland and Author of the book 'A Series of Fortunate Events: Chance and the Making of the Planet, Life, and You.' Also on the show to look at the week's science news h...
Futureproof Gold: Chances
November 14, 2020 11:31 - 32 minutes - 1.91 KBWe tend to glean a lot of meaning from the random occurrences in our lives, it can give us a sense of place in a chaotic and frightening world. But what are the chances of seemingly impossible, miraculous events in our lives and can we reduce them down to numbers and figures? In this special feature from 2019, Jonathan sought to find out. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Johnathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App. You can ...
Futureproof Extra: Why Are We Spiteful?
November 08, 2020 13:13 - 21 minutes - 1.27 KBSpite. We have all encountered it in some shape or another in our lives. It’s a bitter and lonely path to go down and one that serves to help no one. So, why would any half-decent person do harm to themselves in order to harm others? Such behaviour couldn't possibly be of any benefit, right? Well, maybe not. Simon McCarthy Jones, Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology at Trinity College Dublin and author of ‘Spite: The Upside of Your Darkside’ joins Jonathan to discuss...
The Incredible Chemistry of the Human Brain
November 07, 2020 13:06 - 40 minutes - 2.39 KBWe like to think we are in full control of our lives but a lot of our decision making, our moods, and behaviors do not come about as a result of our own sense of free will or thinking but the chemical makeup in our brains. So what exactly is going on up there and how do chemicals shape our daily lives? Jonathan speaks to Ginny Smith, presenter, founder of Braintastic Science, and author of 'Overloaded' to discuss. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and ...
Futureproof Extra: Who Were The Neanderthals?
November 01, 2020 09:35 - 19 minutes - 1.13 KBNeanderthals have long been depicted as dim witted and brutish cave-dwellers far removed from us, their Homo Sapien cousins. But Neanderthals actually lived highly complex and diverse lives who thrived in an ever-changing and hostile world. So, who were the Neanderthals and what do we know about them? Jonathan spoke to Rebecca Wragg Sykes, an Honorary Fellow at the Universities Liverpool and Bordeaux and author of ‘Kindred: Neanderthal Life, Love, Death and Art’ to find out more. Listen and s...
Could We Cure Blindness Within 3 Years?
October 31, 2020 13:07 - 40 minutes - 2.38 KBCould we cure blindness within 3 years? John Flannery – Professor of Neurobiology in the Dept. Molecular & Cell Biology at the University of Berkeley & a member of the Medical and Scientific Advisory Board for Fighting Blindness Ireland joined Jonathan McCrea on Futureproof today at Newstalk to discuss his work in this area. Also on the show to look at the week's science news headlines were Shane Bergin - Physicist & Assistant Prof in science education at UCD and Dr. Lara Dungan. Listen an...
Simon Spichak - Winner of FameLab Ireland 2020
October 25, 2020 12:55 - 16 minutes - 1002 BytesFameLab, the world’s leading science communication competition, is back! Held in more than 30 countries, the British Council and Cheltenham Festivals have teamed up again to bring FameLab to Ireland in 2020. Armed only with their wits and a few props, the newest voices in science, technology, engineering and maths from across Ireland gave individual 3 minute talks on some fascinating, and sometimes bizarre science concepts. Jonathan spoke to winner of FameLab Ireland 2020, Simon Spichak, ahea...
Futureproof Extra: Aneurysms & The Contour Neurovascular System
October 25, 2020 12:04 - 17 minutes - 1.01 KBNext Thursday October 29th is World Stroke Day. Up until now the treatment for strokes and aneurysms has been a fairly invasive and costly process. But we are seeing significant improvements in the technology being used to treat them and with a growing number of positive outcomes. Dr Stephen Griffin, President & Member of Board of Directors of Cerus Endovascular joins Jonathan to discuss. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Johnathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Download, lis...
Fighting the Mafia With The Knowledge of Rocks & Soil
October 24, 2020 13:45 - 48 minutes - 2.84 KBOn this episode of 'Futureproof ' with Jonathan McCrea he talks geoforensics and has the amazing story of how Professor Matteo Barone - Full-Time lecturer in the Archaeology and Classics Program at The American University of Rome - is fighting crime and the Mafia through his knowledge of rocks and soil. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App. You can also listen to Newstalk live on new...
Futureproof Extra: Surviving a Zombie Apocalypse
October 18, 2020 11:25 - 21 minutes - 1.27 KBWhen we’re dealing with a crisis we naturally turn to certain people to lead. This goes for all sorts of extreme situations from warfare, financial crashes, to the spread of deadly diseases. We tend to gravitate towards quick, decisive thinking but what if we were in the midst of another kind of crisis? Say a zombie apocalypse... Just what kind of leadership might be needed then? Markus Hallgren, Professor in Organization and Leadership, from the Umeå School of Business, Economics, and Statis...
Could We Outrun a T-Rex?
October 17, 2020 12:49 - 38 minutes - 2.25 KBCOULD WE OUTRUN A T-REX? This is the question that Jonathan McCrea asked Cody Cassidy, the author of 'Who Ate the First Oyster?' on the latest Futureproof Show. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Johnathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App. You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.
Futureproof Extra: Our Five Appetites
October 11, 2020 11:20 - 13 minutes - 792 BytesIn recent years as our choices continue to grow, our relationship with food has evolved into something that can be but pretty complicated. One thing that doesn't seem to change though is that pang of hunger we feel and the craving for something in particular. We might be forgiven for thinking flavour is the deciding factor with the choices we make but as it turns out it’s a bit more complex than that. So what exactly is going on inside us that helps us decide what we need to eat and in what q...
A Haptic Glove for The Visually Impaired
October 11, 2020 07:15 - 47 minutes - 2.76 KBOn today's Futureproof Show Jonathan McCrea met Dr Derek O'Keefe Professor Of Medical Device Technology at NUI Galway and Consultant Physician at University Hospital Galway to talk about the 'Jedi Glove' that is being developed in order to help visually impaired people navigate the world around them through vibrations in their hands. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Johnathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App. You can also ...
Futureproof Extra: Misconceptions of Evolutionary Psychology
October 04, 2020 10:26 - 19 minutes - 1.13 KBAt this stage most of us are familiar with the fact that we get one set of genes from our Mum and one from our Dad. This exact mix is different every time, except in twins, but does dictate our eye colour, hair colour, skin tone, height and can also have a huge effect on our personality and behaviour. But can we really say there’s a gene for violence, agreeableness, extroversion and conscientiousness? And if so, can we trace them through evolution in the same way we can trace our physical t...
A Blood Test To Predict Schizophrenia
October 03, 2020 12:55 - 33 minutes - 1.99 KBCould we one day have a blood test to predict schizophrenia? This is what Jonathan McCrea asked Professor David Cotter Professor of Medical Psychiatry at RCSI. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Johnathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App. You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.
Personalised Vaccines
September 27, 2020 07:59 - 36 minutes - 2.15 KBWhen will there be a vaccine to protect people against Covid? That is the question being asked across the world especially as we move into the winter flu season. But what if instead of getting a seasonal flu shot every year we just had to get a jab once and what if we had personalised vaccines that suited specific groups of the population? Jonathan spoke to Dr Ofer Levy, Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School & Director of the Precision Vaccines Program at Boston Children’s Hospita...
Futureproof Extra: The Kindness of Strangers
September 26, 2020 10:02 - 17 minutes - 1.05 KBHave you ever given money to charity, or volunteered your services to an aid organisation or even donated a kidney to someone on a transplant waiting list? What makes people commit such acts of kindness, especially towards complete strangers? Well kindness “is as bred in our bones as our anger or our lust or our grief or as our desire for revenge", that is according to Michael McCullough, Professor of Psychology at the University of California San Diego & author of ‘Kindness of Strangers: H...
What Is Happening In The Upper Clouds Of Venus?
September 19, 2020 13:19 - 39 minutes - 2.29 KBEarlier this week many of us will have received alerts and pushes from news media outlets with some pretty stunning headlines regarding the potential presence of microbial life on Venus. Needless to say it’s an exciting time for astronomers across the world. But what exactly is going on in the upper clouds of Venus and why is the discovery of a gas called Phosophine so important? Prof. Lewis Dartnell, Professor of Astrobiology in the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Westminste...
Futureproof Extra: Ultra Black Fish
September 17, 2020 14:09 - 19 minutes - 1.11 KBBlack holes are some of the most extreme objects in the universe. They contain such enormous amounts of mass concentrated in such a small volume of space they create a gravitational field from which nothing can escape - not even light itself. But there are some other things that absorb light nearly as much light- 99.5% in fact. But you won’t find them in deep space, you’ll find them in the dpeths of our seas and oceans. Karen Osborn, is a marine biologist at the Smithsonian National Museum o...
Futureproof Extra: The Secret Sex Lives of Fish
September 13, 2020 08:30 - 27 minutes - 1.63 KBSex can be a lot of things. Fun, exciting, scary, a little bit tricky maybe or even downright weird. And that’s just for us humans. So what about the sexual exploits of other animals? More specifically, the creatures that live in the deep blue sea? Turns out they lead full and shall we say, colourful sex lives to say the least. Dr. Marah J. Hardt is Director of Discovery at the nonprofit Future of Fish and author of ‘Sex and the Sea’. She joined Jonathan to discuss. Listen and subscribe to Fu...
Futureproof: The Harassment of Women in Irish Science and Universities
September 13, 2020 07:35 - 17 minutes - 1.01 KBThe main story dominating Irish science news this week was of the harassment that Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin’s by a senior academic in UCD. We decided to look at the experience of women in the Irish science & academic world and ask how prevalent is harassment in our universities and what can be done to eradicate it. Jonathan spoke to Dr Emma Chapman, Physicist at Imperial College London and Director of the 1752 Group and Dr Jessamyn Fairfield of NUI Galway and member of Soapbox Science. If ...
Fast Radio Bursts
September 13, 2020 07:33 - 22 minutes - 1.31 KBThere are radio waves and signals coming towards us from all corners of the Universe causing a lot of noise in the night sky. But while we may know where the majority of them are coming from there are some that are puzzling some of our astronomers. Jonathan was joined by Dr Vikram Ravi, Assistant Professor of Astronomy at Caltech University to discuss. Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Johnathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Do...
Futureproof: 'Fast Radio Bursts' Challenging Astronomers
September 12, 2020 16:45 - 29 minutes - 1.73 KBThere are radio waves and signals coming towards us from all corners of the Universe causing a lot of noise in the night sky. While we may know where the majority of them are coming from there are some that are puzzling some of our astronomers. Jonathan McCrea found out more from Dr Vikram Ravi - Assistant Professor of Astronomy at Caltech University. After that Jonathan delved into the sexual exploits of the creatures of the deep blue sea. How do fish have sex? We heard all from Dr. Marah J....
Futureproof Extra: The Mystery of the Disappearing Star
September 06, 2020 09:35 - 11 minutes - 704 BytesWe live in a dynamic and ever changing world and at our scale perhaps the only things that appear to be eternal and unchanging are the stars in the sky. So you can imagine it would be a little disconcerting when one of them just inexplicably disappears. But not so much for Andrew Allan, PhD candidate in Astrophysics and part of the Jose Groh’s Massive Star and Supernovae Group at Trinity College Dublin. He joined Jonathan to discuss further. Image: ESO / L. CALÇADA Listen and subscribe to F...
Predicting Volcanic Eruptions
September 05, 2020 13:05 - 48 minutes - 2.87 KBIn 79AD Mount Vesuvius erupted engulfing the nearby city of Pompeii in volcanic ash and pumice. This event was so sudden and so unexpected that it famously entombed much of the city’s population in their homes, their final moments forever frozen in time. But despite the fact that volcanic eruptions can be extreme and incredibly powerful events, they are also difficult to predict. Dr. Shane Cronin, Professor of Volcanology at the University of Auckland joined Jonathan to discuss the difficult...
The Search For Life in the Outer Solar System
August 29, 2020 12:19 - 51 minutes - 3.01 KBIn our search for life elsewhere in the universe Mars and Venus promised so much but have so far, delivered so very little. And at one point we probably thought that with that our chance of finding life in our solar system was gone. But over the last two decades we have made the surprising discovery that there are better candidates for habitats that can support extraterrestrial life in the outer solar system. So what are they and when are we going? Kevin Peter Hand is an Astrobiologist, Plan...
Futureproof Extra: Tribology
August 29, 2020 09:35 - 14 minutes - 890 BytesAround 1159 AD, Bhaskara The Learned sketched the earliest known design for a Perpetual Motion Machine. He probably had not been the first and he certainly wasn’t the last great mind to attempt to create a contraption that could do work indefinitely. Among the other failed attempts were those of Leonardo Da Vinci and our very own Robert Boyle. So, why didn’t it work and who can we blame for our inability to create free energy? Jennifer Vail is a Tribologist with Dupont who joined Jonathan M...
Mastering The Art & Science of Negotiation
August 22, 2020 13:25 - 50 minutes - 2.94 KBIf you’ve ever had a casual poker night with your friends you’ve probably learned that there are two types of players to watch out for; the ones who know what they’re doing and, surprisingly, the ones who have absolutely no clue. After all, you can’t bluff someone who doesn’t know the rules. In any interaction with an opponent it is important that you don’t over complicate your strategy. As our next guest says you need only be one step ahead. David Sally is a Behavioural Game Theorist and Aut...
Futureproof Extra: 6 Degrees of Climate Emergency with Mark Lynas
August 22, 2020 13:15 - 26 minutes - 1.53 KBThe Covid-19 crisis has dominated every aspect of our lives for the last few months. So much so that it is easy to forget another crisis that has been raging for the last number of decades - the climate crisis. But our reaction to Covid-19 might just give us a glimpse into the possibilities of a greener, cleaner future, one that shows us that we can make change for the greater good and for a better future. But are we running out of chances to act? Mark Lynas, environmental writer, visiting fe...
Futureproof Extra: The Evolutionary Perspective on Health and Disease
August 15, 2020 14:00 - 18 minutes - 1.06 KBWe humans like to think of evolution as an optimisation process and us, as it’s greatest accomplishment (well maybe at our better times we do). But if at least the optimisation part is true, why do harmful genetic mutations persist? Dr. Lara Durgavich is a biological anthropologist, she joined Jonathan to discuss. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App. You can also listen to Newstalk li...
Demodex: The Animal That Lives On Your Face
August 15, 2020 13:15 - 42 minutes - 2.48 KBIf you look at a picture of the Earth from space it really is beautiful. You don’t see the many little creatures scurrying around on its surface, pooping and having sex with each other and generally making a mess of the place. It’s important for you to remember this the next time you look at yourself in the mirror. Why are we telling you this? Well, Kevin Kavanagh is Professor of Microbiology at NUI University and he has some disturbing truths for us all...
Futureproof Extra: The Last Stargazers
August 08, 2020 13:46 - 20 minutes - 1.22 KBWhen you think of an astronomer the image that most readily comes to mind is probably of someone on a balcony looking up into the abyss through a telescope, like Galileo on the night he first saw those moons around Jupiter. But if you’ve ever used a telescope you’ll appreciate that although it is an amazing experience, there is very much a limit to what you can learn with your own eyes. So is the astronomer a dying breed? Emily Levesque is an Astronomer & Author of The Last Stargazers: The En...
Restoring Motion and Touch with Brain-Computer Interface
August 08, 2020 13:36 - 46 minutes - 2.7 KBWhile you're listening to this podcast you may be doing something else as well. Maybe you have a cup of coffee in front of you that you might take a sip out of occasionally as you listen. It’s simply a matter of picking up the cup at the right time and moving to your mouth. Nothing to it, except that what’s actually happened is incredibly complex. It’s only when we are injured or debilitated in some way that we truly appreciate the miracle that is movement. Restoring that ability to those who...
Futureproof Extra: How Plants Got On To Land
August 02, 2020 10:41 - 14 minutes - 899 BytesWhen the Earth was young, the land was a barren wasteland. Life was confined to the oceans. But one day, one brave lifeform decided it would venture outside. You’re probably imagining some sort of pioneering fish or courageous crab but you’re hundreds of millions of years ahead of yourself because it was plants of course that first made that giant leap. So how did they do it? Stefan Rensing is Professor of Plant Cell Biology in the Faculty of Biology
Editing Memories
August 01, 2020 13:19 - 58 minutes - 3.44 KBDo you remember when we used to go to football matches and gigs and if someone scored or if the band played a particular banger we’d hug each other and jump up and down? It's nice to let your mind wander back like that at the moment. But equally, you will likely have a very vivid memory of this pandemic 10 years from now. Memories aren’t always nice... or even helpful. So what if we could erase the ones we don’t want? Could it be possible and would we do it? Amy Milton - Senior Lecturer in P...
Exploring the Solar System with The X3 Engine
July 25, 2020 13:06 - 35 minutes - 2.07 KBNewstalk’s studio is in Dublin city centre so if you head out on foot you could probably get to Croke Park in 30 minutes. In a car with no traffic you might get as far as Newgrange. In a jumbo jet you might even make it to Edinburgh. But… in this increasingly hypothetical situation, if you had an X3 you could, in theory, get to the moon. So what is an X3 and why don’t you already have one? Professor Alec Gallimore is Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering at the University of Michigan.
Futureproof Extra: Medical Physics
July 25, 2020 12:44 - 15 minutes - 910 BytesFor most of human history the living body was one of the universe’s great black boxes, inaccessible to even the finest scientific minds. You could go to your doctor with a terminal illness but unless you were showing external symptoms there wasn’t much they could really tell you about what’s going on in there. That all changed in 1895 when Wilhelm Rontgen discovered the X-Ray and in doing so inadvertently invented medical physics. Darina Hickey is a medical physicist at the Beacon Hospital ...
Futureproof Extra: Ant Behaviours & Decision Making
July 18, 2020 13:53 - 16 minutes - 1013 BytesLook at the structure of an ant nest and you’ll see a highly organised intelligent system and if you look at the social structure of an ant colony you’ll see the same - order, efficiency, intelligence. Now look at a single ant. 250,000 neurons make up its entire nervous system so in terms of smarts, it’s not far removed from a stick of chewing gum. So how do ants make intelligent, collective decisions? Deborah Gordon is a Professor in the Department of Biology at Stanford University, she join...
Is The Passage of Time an Illusion?
July 18, 2020 13:13 - 44 minutes - 2.59 KBIn 1955 Einstein wrote that “the distinction between past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion”. General Relativity posits that rather than us travelling along a line from day to day, we are the line and our journey along it is just a trick of our senses. It certainly doesn’t feel like that’s right, so could Einstein have been mistaken? Nicholas Gisin is a Physicist and Professor Emeritus at the University of Geneva Photo: Pixabay
Futureproof Extra: The Dynamic Molecular World
July 12, 2020 08:50 - 18 minutes - 1.08 KBThe world of tiny things goes far beyond the microscopic. At a certain point things become so small that they simply can’t be seen because they are smaller than the wavelength of visual light. You might expect that not much goes on down there but you’d be very wrong. So what does this world look like? Dr. Janet Iwasa is Assistant Professor of Biochemistry & Head of the Animation Lab at the University of Utah - she joined Jonathan to discuss. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan M...
The C-MINUS Project & Carbon Negative Farming
July 11, 2020 13:22 - 38 minutes - 2.27 KB“Our goal is to grow food anywhere on the Earth, at any time, regardless of the environmental conditions in a self contained greenhouse where there’s no need for electricity, water or sunlight.” These are the words of Mike Zaworotko - Bernal Chair of Crystal Engineering at the University of Limerick And he is also hoping to do this in a way which is Carbon Negative. But how? Photo: Pixabay
Futureproof Extra: Why Trust Science?
July 04, 2020 14:28 - 25 minutes - 1.52 KBAs we ease out of lockdown having survived and somewhat weathered the storm of a global pandemic, in this part of the world at least, you might be forgiven for thinking that we would all be lauding the scientists that have spearheaded the fight against this invisible foe. But you don’t need us to tell you that not everyone sees it that way. Why? And how can we convince people that science is to be trusted and indeed cherished? Naomi Oreskes is a Historian of Science and author of 'Why Trust S...