Tom's SciCast
133 episodes - English - Latest episode: 20 days ago -Let's explore the universe while pushing the limits of what we know with our imaginations, some speculation, philosophy, and science fiction. A podcast about all things science. Stay Curious!
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Episodes
61. A Biologists Looks at 50
April 05, 2024 00:00 - 1 hour - 43.2 MBA look back on my life in science, birds, fish, invasive species, streams, dams, and climate change and sleeping lizards.
60. The Fermi paradox, aliens, biology, evolution
March 13, 2024 01:00 - 59 minutes - 41 MBWhere is every one? Why haven't we been visited by alien races, made contact with aliens, or even discovered a hint of an alien race? Ever since Fermi asked this simple question, people have been coming up with answers as to why we don't see aliens. Some solutions are scary, but I think a potential answer could be found by looking at our own solar system.
The Fermi Paradox, aliens, biology, evolution
March 13, 2024 01:00 - 59 minutes - 41 MBWhere is every one? Why haven't we been visited by alien races, made contact with aliens, or even discovered a hint of an alien race? Ever since Fermi asked this simple question, people have been coming up with answers as to why we don't see aliens. Some solutions are scary, but I think a potential answer could be found by looking at our own solar system.
59. Why we should colonize the solar system
March 02, 2024 14:00 - 37 minutes - 25.5 MBI believe humans are special and improve our chances of surviving as a species, I explain why we should colonize the solar system and beyond.
58. The Silurian Hypothesis, evolution, civilizations, aliens, and the legacy of humanity.
November 26, 2023 17:00 - 45 minutes - 31.5 MBI explore how the Silurian Hypothesis provides insight into what it takes for a planet to host or evolve a civilization, how we might detect them, and the legacy of humans on Earth.
57. Life, aliens, opinions, and other things I've been thinking about lately
October 12, 2023 21:00 - 40 minutes - 27.8 MBAfter 6 months, I'm back! I talk about how some of my views have changed to become more nuanced and how my own biases shape the way I think about astrobiology.
57. Life, aliens, my own biased opinions, and other things I've been thinking about lately
October 12, 2023 21:00 - 40 minutes - 27.8 MBAfter 6 months, I'm back! I talk about how some of my views have changed to become more nuanced and how my own biases shape the way I think about astrobiology.
56. Do the laws of nature make life likely and evolution progressive?
March 27, 2023 15:00 - 40 minutes - 28 MBIn researching astrobiology for my up coming book, I've started to view the evolution of life and civilizations in a paradigm shifting way that challenges the very basics of our understanding of evolution. Listen in as I explain why I think evolution is progressive.
56. Do the laws of nature make life likely to occur and evolution progressive?
March 27, 2023 15:00 - 40 minutes - 28 MBIn researching astrobiology for my up coming book, I've started to view the evolution of life and civilizations in a paradigm shifting way that challenges the very basics of our understanding of evolution. Listen in as I explain why I think evolution is progressive.
55. What's so special about animals?
March 10, 2023 15:00 - 41 minutes - 28.4 MBWhat makes animals different from all other organisms? I discuss the evolutionary origins and unique features of animals along with a few other fun facts. And find out why I don't think sponges are animals.
54. Plants have relationships
March 03, 2023 23:00 - 39 minutes - 27.3 MBThe more I learn about plants, the more I'm amazed. From insects to fungus and bacteria, plants form many relationships. Some plants even talk to each other through the air or underground, while others form three-way relationships with ants and fungus.
54. Plants have relationships too!
March 03, 2023 23:00 - 39 minutes - 27.3 MBThe more I learn about plants, the more I'm amazed. From insects to fungus and bacteria, plants form many relationships. Some plants even talk to each other through the air or underground, while others form three-way relationships with ants and fungus.
53. If our solar system was like Star Wars
February 23, 2023 16:00 - 36 minutes - 25.3 MBTatooine, Dagobah, Hoth, or the Death Star, how Star Wars resembles our solar system. I couldn't help myself, I had to do an episode comparing our solar system to my favorite movie. Learn how the Earth was like Mustafar. (Yes, I did say wookies were on Endor, Ewoks were supposed to be wookies)
52. Photosynthesis explained
February 18, 2023 15:00 - 44 minutes - 30.4 MBFrom the nature of light, to the light reaction and through the Calvin Cycle I explain how photosynthesis works. I cover how light energy transformed into chemical energy and follow the electrons from water to the Calvin Cycle.
52. Photosynthesis, light, the Calvin Cycle, energy, and electrons
February 18, 2023 15:00 - 44 minutes - 30.4 MBFrom the nature of light, to the light reaction and through the Calvin Cycle I explain how photosynthesis works. I cover how light energy transformed into chemical energy and follow the electrons from water to the Calvin Cycle.
51. Biology is the Apex of Science
January 19, 2023 02:00 - 42 minutes - 29.3 MBAfter a few memes with cats sitting on biology books making references to biology being soft and textbooks calling chemistry the central science, I figured it's time to start calling biology the Apex Science, or the apex of science. Drawing from my own experience, I explain how biology is special because it incorporates almost every other field of the natural sciences, putting it at the top
50. From AI to Giant Space Telescopes: A look back at 2022
December 20, 2022 18:00 - 59 minutes - 41.2 MBThese are some of the biggest discoveries, events. and breakthroughs of 2022, from huge volcanoes, long-lived bacteria, breakthroughs in cancer treatments, AI, and why the James Web Telescope is one of the most important things we have done as a society.
50. A look back at 2022
December 20, 2022 18:00 - 59 minutes - 41.2 MBThese are some of the biggest discoveries, events. and breakthroughs of 2022, from huge volcanoes, long-lived bacteria, breakthroughs in cancer treatments, AI, and why the James Web Telescope is one of the most important things we have done as a society.
49. What is the future of science?
December 06, 2022 15:00 - 1 hour - 41.9 MBHow we do science is changing. I use my own experiences from graduate school to understand science and where it is going from question driven science to the importance of natural history and keeping up with Artificial Intelligence.
49. The future of science
December 06, 2022 15:00 - 1 hour - 41.9 MBHow we do science is changing. I use my own experiences from graduate school to understand science and where it is going from question driven science to the importance of natural history and keeping up with Artificial Intelligence.
48. Can we Move Beyond the Kardashev Scale?
December 01, 2022 15:00 - 1 hour - 43.8 MBCan one number be used to rank a civilization's advancement? I discuss the Kardashev Scale and how we might expand upon it by looking at other measures of advancement beyond energy use.
48. How to Move Beyond the Kardashev Scale
December 01, 2022 15:00 - 1 hour - 43.8 MBCan one number be used to rank a civilization's advancement? I discuss the Kardashev Scale and how we might expand upon it by looking at other measures of advancement beyond energy use.
47. How gene regulation makes our life possible
November 22, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 48.6 MBDo you have mutant super powers like eating ice cream without it hurting your stomach? How can diet and exercise slow down aging, or why do age in the first place? Does what happen to you affect your children? How do we make more proteins than we have protein-coding genes for? Lastly, how can two black labs have both chocolate and yellow lab puppies? We can find answers to these questions by knowing how our genes are regulated. I discuss gene regulation including operons, alternative mRNA s...
46. DNA: replication, cancer, and aging.
November 15, 2022 19:00 - 51 minutes - 35.2 MBWhy are some cancer cells immortal? What can we learn about aging from a lobster? Why does a gene from a human work in a bacteria? The answers lies in genetics. In this episode I explain how understanding the basics of DNA replication, the genetic code, and mutations improves our lives from treating cancer, slowing aging, to making medicines.
46. The relationship between DNA replication, cancer and aging.
November 15, 2022 19:00 - 51 minutes - 35.2 MBWhy are some cancer cells immortal? What can we learn about aging from a lobster? Why does a gene from a human work in a bacteria? The answers lies in genetics. In this episode I explain how understanding the basics of DNA replication, the genetic code, and mutations improves our lives from treating cancer, slowing aging, to making medicines.
45. The Relationships Between Sexual Reproduction and Inheritance
November 10, 2022 15:00 - 1 hour - 57.5 MBWhy do we reproduce sexually, why do we look similar to our parents and siblings, but are different? In this episode, I take a close look at the origins of sexual reproduction, how meiosis generates genetic diversity, and Mendel's basic principles of inheritance. One of the major themes in my classes is that biology is complicated, and that goes for genetics so I also discuss extensions to Mendelian genetics. And lastly, I explain several common misconceptions about inheritance.
45. Sexual Reproduction and Inheritance
November 10, 2022 15:00 - 1 hour - 57.5 MBWhy do we reproduce sexually, why do we look similar to our parents and siblings, but are different? In this episode, I take a close look at the origins of sexual reproduction, how meiosis generates genetic diversity, and Mendel's basic principles of inheritance. One of the major themes in my classes is that biology is complicated, and that goes for genetics so I also discuss extensions to Mendelian genetics. And lastly, I explain several common misconceptions about inheritance.
44. Is the outer solar system the best place to find life?
November 08, 2022 14:00 - 55 minutes - 38 MBWhy is the outer solar system perhaps the best place to look for life? If it is, then where should we look for it? And importantly, what would it mean to find life in our solar system?
43. Is there life on Mars?
October 22, 2022 01:00 - 1 hour - 48.1 MBFor hundreds of years, we have wondered if life is on Mars. I take a close look at the evidence from nearly 50 years of orbiters, landers, rovers, and even Marian rocks found on Earth to answer this question. The evidence is compelling!
42. What is life?
October 12, 2022 17:00 - 30 minutes - 21 MBSurprisingly, defining life is hard. Listen in as Tom Kennedy takes a broader look at what makes something living.
41. Things you didn't know about the habitable zone
October 06, 2022 20:00 - 45 minutes - 31.5 MBWhen searching for life, look for liquid water, AKA the habitable zone. But knowing where liquid water on a planet's surface can be difficult. I explain how the characteristics of a star and its planets greatly influences the size of the habitable zone and ultimately the chances of discovering life.
41. Looking for alien life: How the habitable zone can be so complex
October 06, 2022 20:00 - 45 minutes - 31.5 MBWhen searching for life, look for liquid water. In this episode I discuss how knowing where the habitable zones of stars can quickly become quite complex based on the star and its planets.
40. What Would Alien Life Look Like?
September 30, 2022 16:00 - 41 minutes - 28.4 MBCould alien life resemble life on Earth, or, would it completely different? Join me as I discuss the importance of convergent evolution and introduce a new concept of biological determinism to speculate about what life might look like from simple microbes to intelligent beings.
What's the future of humanity?
March 07, 2022 23:00 - 39 minutes - 26.9 MBWhat does the future hold for humanity? Join me as I speculate about the prospects of our survival into the future along with the obstacles we must overcome to ensure our survival. There's a lot of fun speculation in this podcast, I'd love to hear your comments!
39. What's the future of humanity?
March 07, 2022 23:00 - 39 minutes - 26.9 MBWhat does the future hold for humanity? Join me as I speculate about the prospects of our survival into the future along with the obstacles we must overcome to ensure our survival. There's a lot of fun speculation in this podcast, I'd love to hear your comments!
The edge of life: Cell membranes, diffusion, and transport.
February 28, 2022 14:00 - 1 hour - 42.9 MBWhat does walking, growing plants in dry environments, or making most of our ATP have in common? They all rely on transport across their membranes. Cellular membranes form the barrier between life and the outside world acting as the gatekeeper to cells. In this podcast, I explore how the structure of cellular membranes allows cells to regulate the movement of substances by diffusion, facilitated diffusion and active transport.
38. The edge of life: Cell membranes, diffusion, and transport.
February 28, 2022 14:00 - 1 hour - 42.9 MBCellular membranes separate life from the outside world. I take a look into the world of membranes explaining how forming a barrier lets cells use their membranes to do many things from storing energy to sending signals.
38. The edge of life: Cell membranes, diffusion, and transport.
February 28, 2022 14:00 - 1 hour - 42.9 MBCellular membranes separate life from the outside world. I take a look into the world of membranes explaining how forming a barrier lets cells use their membranes to do many things from storing energy to sending signals.
37. Where Did Life Come From?
February 20, 2022 18:00 - 54 minutes - 37.5 MBOne of the most biggest mysteries in science is how did life get started. In the past 100 years, several important theories improved our understanding about the origins of life. But each one has its limitations that become clear based on how we define life.
37. Where Did Life Come From?
February 20, 2022 18:00 - 54 minutes - 37.5 MBOne of the most biggest mysteries in science is how did life get started. In the past 100 years, several important theories improved our understanding about the origins of life. But each one has its limitations that become clear based on how we define life.
Where Did We Come From?
February 20, 2022 18:00 - 54 minutes - 37.5 MBHow does our definitions of life influence our explanations for the origin of life including the prebiotic soup, RNA world, or Metabolism first theories. I explain how each of these theories improved our understanding of abiogenesis, their limitations, and where we are today.
A brief introduction to science and biology
January 22, 2022 20:00 - 56 minutes - 39.1 MBI discuss what it means to be living and how we do science by talking about the importance of observations and experiments. This podcasts is supplements my first lecture in our cellular and molecular biology course at the University of New Mexico.
36. What is the science of biology?
January 22, 2022 20:00 - 56 minutes - 39.1 MBBiology is more than just memorizing the parts of cell or dissecting some poor animal in lab, it's a broad field driven by curiosity and imagination grounded in the scientific method.
36. An introduction to the science of biology
January 22, 2022 20:00 - 56 minutes - 39.1 MBBiology is more than just memorizing the parts of cell or dissecting some poor animal in lab, it's a broad field driven by curiosity and imagination grounded in the scientific method.
Did The Cenozoic Era End In 1915? And what that means for the future?
December 04, 2021 02:00 - 58 minutes - 39.9 MBFind out why I believe the Cenozoic Era ended in 1915 as I make my case that we caused the world to enter a new geological era where invasive species will play a large role in the future. I also speculate on the future of humanity as go forward into an uncharted future.
The Cenozoic Era Ended In 1915 and The Fate of Humanity
December 04, 2021 02:00 - 58 minutes - 39.9 MBWhy do I believe the Cenozoic Era end in 1915 and what does that have to do with the fate of humanity? In this podcast, I make my case that we caused the world to enter a new geological era and invasive species will play a large role in this new era, and that includes humans.
35. Did The Cenozoic Era End On September 1, 1914?
December 04, 2021 02:00 - 58 minutes - 39.9 MBWhy do I believe the current geological era that began when the dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years ago came to an abrupt end on September 1, 1914. I make my case that we ended one era while starting a new one where invasive species will play a large role in the future of life on Earth. I also speculate on the future of humanity as we go forward into an uncharted future.
35. Did The Cenozoic Era End On September 1, 1914?
December 04, 2021 02:00 - 58 minutes - 39.9 MBWhy do I believe the current geological era that began when the dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years ago came to an abrupt end on September 1, 1914. I make my case that we ended one era while starting a new one where invasive species will play a large role in the future of life on Earth. I also speculate on the future of humanity as we go forward into an uncharted future.
35. Did The Cenozoic Era End In 1915?
December 04, 2021 02:00 - 58 minutes - 39.9 MBFind out why I believe the Cenozoic Era ended in 1915 as I make my case that we caused the world to enter a new geological era where invasive species will play a large role in the future. I also speculate on the future of humanity as we go forward into an uncharted future.
Why The Cenozoic Era Ended In 1915 and The Fate of Humanity
December 04, 2021 02:00 - 58 minutes - 39.9 MBWhy do I believe the Cenozoic Era end in 1915 and what does that have to do with the fate of humanity? In this podcast, I make my case that we caused the world to enter a new geological era and invasive species will play a large role in this new era, and that includes humans.