For Science!

Episode 11: How Not To Science

Sun, 19 May 2013 00:00:19 EST

Last episode we had a look at what it takes to Science. From the basic process, to the importance of statistics to whether the annecdote has a legitimate place within science.

This time round we decided to have a look at Schlock Science. Each of us has a look at what most bugs us about the world of crappy or psuedo science, whether it's dodgy "studies", Press Releases dressed up in lab coats or those who try to use scientific terminology to push their own ideological ends.

Fun :)

Show notes:

In the show we talk about a picture that "demonstrates" the potential health issues that mobile phones can cause. Here it is:

We also talk about Tim Minchins excellent video "Storm"

Episode 10: How To Science

Sat, 04 May 2013 19:18:16 EST

For this fortnights episode we've decided to go back to basics and explore exactly what it takes to Science.

I explain the basic process of science while Maia tackles stastics and Mags explores why anecdotal data still has a place in the scientific method, even if it's not where some people think it should be.

Episode 9: Larvae Space Suits

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 22:19:30 EST

Another short one but a good one.

We look at how fruit fly larvae can survive a vacuum using a nano shield made from detergent an charged ions, talk about the latest "Biggest Optical Telescope Evah!" and ponder, are we all living in a simulation?

Show notes

Nano suits for microbes: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/04/nano-suit-vacuum/?cid=co7211244

Are we living in a simulation: http://arxiv.org/abs/1210.1847

Giantest Optical Telescope (so far): http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2013/04/thirty-meter-telescope.html

Worm bots, printed circuits, clones from poo, and why is fog cloudy?

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 22:42:26 EST

Episode 8 of For Science! has us on a bit of a life sciences bent (with a foray into robotics and electronics)

First up we discuss the news of a child in the US who appears to have been functionally cured of HIV

Then we have a look at the work being done by engineers at MIT to develop robotic locomotion with a difference (and there is a video you really should watch

Completing our look at things technical we talk about the latest in circuits that can be printed directly onto skin. (Note, if you don't know what Goatse is, DO NOT LOOK IT UP).

After that we have a look at Lake Vostok and whether the new bacteria could be something new, or just something we haven't noticed, and and we talk about the mounting evidence for ancient environments conducive to life on Mars.

Finally we talk about synthetic life, cloning from poo and a project that involved introducing human brain cells to mice that produced interesting results

Russian Meteors, Science Awards and Upulie talks Real Scientists

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 22:35:49 EST

For our second episode of 2013 we were sans Maia, however we did manage to cover some interesting stuff.

First up of course we had the amazing meteor over the Ural mountains in Russia. What has to be THE most video event of its kind certainly brought home to many of us that the Solar system may not be the empty void that we imagine.

NASA Page for the Ural Meteor: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/asteroids/news/asteroid20130215.html

Next we had a look at a couple of different sets of Science Awards. The first lot are those run by the Australian Acadamy of Science, the second are something new created by those kings of the tech world Mark Zuckerburg and Sergey Brin.

AAS Awards: http://www.science.org.au/awards/

Breakthrough Prize for Life Sciences: http://www.breakthroughprizeinlifesciences.org/

Finally we caught up with Upulie Divesekera about her new project "Real Scientists", a rotational twitter account that will be populated by Real Scientists describing their work, what their days are like and the cool things they get to do.

Twitter account: https://twitter.com/realscientists

Blog: http://realscientists.wordpress.com/

Asteroids, Maia in New Zealand, Sharks and Awesome Teenage Scientists

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 14:22:06 EST

Here it is, the first episode for 2013.

I have to admit we did have to shake out a few cobwebs but I think we did alright. We cover a whole range of different topics from shark fetuses that can detect predators outside of their eggs to an awesome 16 year old from Hobart who built her own system for voice controlling a wheel chair.

We also talk about Maia's recent trip to New Zealand for the NZ Open Research Conference, and because we're talking Open Research we touch on the tragic case of Aaron Schwartz.

Show Notes:

Asteroids:

Heavens Above: excellent site for tracking various sky things. Will be able to tell you if you can see the Asteroid

NASA Asteroid Page

Maia in New Zealand:

BAACamp

NZ Open Research Conference 2013

ORCID

Sharks babies sense predators:

UWA Oceans Institute

Yaya Lu:

Voice activated wheelchair Page

HIV helps to cure cancer, anti-aromatics and TURTLES!

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 12:22:45 EST

Well, episode 5 is the last for the year and I think we've got a pretty decent rundown for you.

HIV used to help attack cancer
Turtles!
Anti-Aromatics
TURTLES!
Did you know they think there are two higgs bosons?

Also here are a couple of links we promised in the show:

http://atheistuniverse.net/photo/fnal-esiegel?xg_source=activity - A bit of a key for looking beyond the Atomic structure (Electrons, Nuetrons and Protons)

and of course the excellent video produced by PHD Comics, explaining the Higgs itself.

From Maia, Magdeline and myself, thanks for listening and have a merry christmas (if you celebrate it) and a happy new year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtrOSf297sw

Dissolving Snails, Zombie Parasites and how transformers work

Sun, 09 Dec 2012 22:20:35 EST

Episode 4 of For Science! brings us tales of the end of the world via Mayan Calendar mishaps (no, not really), water on mercury and did you know that zombies are actually quite common place?

We also talk about a proposed year long study of astronauts on the International Space Station and Maia lets us in on the science of induced magnetism and how it drives our power delivery networks.

Build your own cyborg cockroach, Mags on Sharks and nostril cells help a dog walk again

Thu, 22 Nov 2012 23:38:53 EST

Time got away from us last week, so we're a little late.

However to make up for it, we have an excellent episode for you featuring:

Invisibility Cloaks
Mags on Sharks
Mind Controlled Robots
Faster Interwebs for all

And more.

Don't forget you can comment here, or on our Facebook Page, Google+ Page or on the twitters

How to eat a triceratops, Science Funding and the PM's Science Awards

Sat, 03 Nov 2012 00:28:44 EST

A little late and a bit longer than the last episode, here's episode 2 of For Science!

This week we're discussing How To Eat A Triceratops, Science Champions, Science funding and the Prime Ministers Science Awards.

Here are the videos from each of the PM's Science Award winners that we talk about:

Ken Freeman

Michael van der Ploeg

Anita Trenwith