#45 | Discussion | This Episode is a Venn Diagram

Jocelyn and Bradley are in their happy place this week, at the intersection of science, art, and storytelling! In this episode, the hosts discuss the powerful and pervasive notion of “the two cultures”—sciences on the one hand and humanities on the other—and consider why it is so difficult and so important to move beyond this deeply entrenched dichotomy. They also discuss parallels between the writing process and the process of scientific discovery, why creativity and emotion are crucial elements of science, and how the arts and humanities help to cultivate habits of mind that are essential for success in STEM fields. Finally, the hosts introduce May’s month-long series featuring “scientists who sci-fi,” discussing the role science fiction has to play in both predicting and influencing the science of the future.

Further reading:

On C.P. Snow’s “Two Cultures”: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/an-update-on-cp-snows-two-cultures/

Science fiction “predictions” that came true:
https://www.sciencealert.com/these-15-wild-sci-fi-predictions-about-future-tech-actually-came-true
https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/techandscience/26-outrageous-sci-fi-predictions-that-actually-came-true/ss-BBWDI7z

The Science of Interstellar: https://www.amazon.com/Science-Interstellar-Kip-Thorne/dp/0393351378

Brad’s TEDx Talk, “The Science of Tomorrow”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T2j6qzA99M

Jocelyn’s Nepris session, “Science Stories - Why Scientists Need History, Art, Literature, Music, & More!”: https://ifthenshecan.nepris.com/Video/ifthen-women-stem-science-stories---why-scientists-need-history-art-literature-music-more-71333

Consilience Journal https://www.consilience-journal.com/

The Runaway Species: https://www.amazon.com/Runaway-Species-human-creativity-remakes/dp/1936787520

The Universe in Verse: https://www.brainpickings.org/the-universe-in-verse/

More on Science Fiction future's: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-017-08674-8

For more podcasts on the power of science fiction in science, art, and society, please listen to Annalee Newitz and Charlie Jane Anders Podcast "Our Opinions are Correct: https://www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/