Winamp Logo
Cool Science Radio Cover
Cool Science Radio Profile

Cool Science Radio

English, Education, 1 season, 95 episodes, 3 days, 10 hours, 6 minutes
About
From the discovery of new dinosaurs to the science of an avalanche. From the secret technology behind Facebook, to nanotechnology. Deciphering science and technology in an entertaining, amusing and accessible way. If we can understand it, so can you. Hosted by Lynn Ware Peek and John Wells.
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | October 24, 2024

Terrence Sejnowski, a leader in the recent convergence between neuroscience and AI, talks about the mystery and possibility of AI consciousness in his new book, “ChatGPT and the Future of AI: The Deep Language Revolution.” Then, learn about ice-patch archeology and what is melting from the world’s ice sheets with author Lisa Baril in her new book, “The Age of Melt: What Glaciers, Ice Mummies, and Ancient Artifacts Teach Us About Climate, Culture, and a Future Without Ice.”
10/24/202452 minutes, 28 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | October 17, 2024

Eleanor Spicer Rice shakes your pets’ family trees, peeks between their feathers, dives into their brains and sometimes hitches a ride on their poops to uncover the meanings behind some of our animal friends’ wildest behaviors. Then, ophthalmic surgeon, physician and neuroscience researcher Dr. Mithu Storoni discusses how to optimize your brain to transform the way you work in her new book, "Hyperefficient."
10/17/202453 minutes, 18 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | October 10, 2024

Author Mark Weinstein discusses restoring our sanity online and dealing with internet bots and trolls. Then, BBC zoological correspondent Jules Howard talks about the simple egg and how it has evolved, adapted and innovated over time.
10/11/202452 minutes, 18 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | October 3, 2024

Research Professor Marie Jackson from the University of Utah's Geology Department talks about three locations in Utah that were just named to the list of the world's top geoheritage sites. Then, follow geothermal scientist Andrés Ruzo journeys to far-off lava fields, hidden boiling rivers, and through fiery portals to the Earth’s core. He previews his talk on Friday, Oct. 4 presented by Park City Performing Arts at the Eccles Theatre in Park City.
10/3/202452 minutes, 37 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | September 26, 2024

Ben Orlin, math teacher, and author of the new book “Math for English Majors: A Human Take on the Universal Language” talks about how math can be translated into a language that non-math people can use. Then, author David Lipsky argues that the dismissal of scientific facts is affecting the real issues of climate change in his book “The Parrot and the Igloo: Climate and the Science of Denial.”
9/26/202455 minutes, 15 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | September 19, 2024

Science journalist Lauren Young talks about a recent Scientific American article that explores how GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic quiets the "food noise." Then, scuba diving philosopher Peter Godfrey-Smith explores consciousness and who and what can be called a sentient being.
9/19/202450 minutes, 20 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | September 12, 2024

Professor Jeff Karp, who teaches biomedical engineering at Harvard Medical School and MIT, talks about the brain's neuroplasticity and how he adapted his brain to tackle his early learning disabilities and ADHD. Then, science writer Chris Wanjek and NASA photographer Chris Gunn talk about their time documenting the building of the James Webb Space Telescope.
9/12/202452 minutes, 54 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | September 5, 2024

Anna Von Mertens shares the story of how 1900s astronomer Henrietta Leavitt laid the foundation for modern cosmology with her use of glass plate photographs of the stars. Then, University of Utah chemist and associate professor Luisa Whittaker-Brooks talks about her research of ultra-thin electronic materials and nanoscale circuits.
9/5/202450 minutes, 57 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | August 29, 2024

Adam Frank, professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Rochester, talks about the real possibility of alien life and the challenges of finding it. Then, Dr. Lauren Birgenheier, associate professor of geology and geophysics at the University of Utah, discusses the potential of extracting rare earth elements from existing coal mines.
8/29/202450 minutes, 41 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | August 15, 2024

Math whiz Shalinee Sharma reveals not only the dire need for numeracy, but also the beauty and creativity of math in her new book, "Math Mind: The Simple Path to Loving Math." Then, astrobiologist and theoretical physicist Sara Imari Walker is at the forefront in the quest to use physics to define life and identify other forms of life in the universe and explores it in her book, "Life As No One Knows It: The Physics of Life’s Emergence."
8/15/202454 minutes, 12 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | August 8, 2024

Jamie Farrell, chief seismologist for the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, talks about the recent viral explosion at Biscuit Basin in Yellowstone National Park. Then, Anil Seth, professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Utah, talks about a once-in-a-career discovery of the most solid evidence ever for an intermediate-mass black hole.
8/8/202450 minutes, 11 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | August 1, 2024

Jeremy Kahn, award-winning journalist for Fortune magazine, discusses his new book "Mastering AI: A Survival Guide to Our Superpowered Future," and owner and founder of Nexus IT, Earl Foote, walks us through the debacle behind the Crowd Strike technology update that upended health care and air travel over the last few weeks.
8/1/202454 minutes, 39 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | July 25, 2024

In his book, “Extraterrestrial Languages," Daniel Oberhaus leads readers on a quest for extraterrestrial communication and considers how philosophy, linguistics, mathematics, science and art have informed the design, or maybe limited the effectiveness of our interstellar messaging.Then, Anna Abraham, Director of the Torrance Center for Creativity and Talent Development at the University of Georgia, explores the myths and truths of the creative brain.
7/25/202451 minutes, 16 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | July 18, 2024

Local resident, founder and expedition leader of Ocearch, Chris Fischer, shares some upcoming expeditions to explore and study sharks in the Mediterranean Sea and on the second anniversary of the James Webb Space Telescope's science operations, NASA Astronomer Dr. Christine Chen shares some of Webb’s latest discoveries.
7/18/202452 minutes, 11 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | June 11, 2024

Park City Water Quality and Treatment Manager Michelle De Haan and Water Quality Scientist Iwona Goodley talk about the new 3 Kings water treatment plant and the science behind providing us with clean water, then, Michael Stewart and graduate student Chloe Marks of the University of Illinois highlight Utah's diverse landscapes in their Geology Field Camp.
7/11/202451 minutes, 55 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | June 27, 2024

Nobel Prize-winning scientist Thomas Cech, who has worked on RNA for his whole career, presents his new book, "The Catalyst: RNA and the Quest to Unlock Life’s Deepest Secrets." Then, Nadina Galle, 2024 National Geographic Explorer and ecological engineer, discusses her book "The Nature of Our Cities: Harnessing the Power of the Natural World to Survive a Changing Planet."
6/27/202454 minutes, 26 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | June 20, 2024

Sabrina Sholts, curator of biological anthropology at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, and author of the new book, “The Human Disease: How We Create Pandemics, from our Bodies to our Beliefs,” talks about humans' role and responsibility in diseases and pandemics. Then, Roberto Casati, director of the Jean Nicod Institute and professor at the School of Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences in Paris, shares more about maps, what they are and how they work in his new book “The Cognitive Life of Maps."
6/20/202451 minutes, 47 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | June 13, 2024

Acclaimed physicist Sean Carroll makes the most complicated ideas in physics accessible for anyone who wants to learn.And innovator and entrepreneur, Charles Loughheed, explains how the intersection of technology and healthcare leads to happier, healthier and more successful outcomes for doctors and their patients.
6/13/202452 minutes, 36 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | June 6, 2024

John Lin, Associate Director of the Wilkes Center for Climate Science and Policy at the University of Utah, talks about the center and its Climate Solutions Launch Prize.Then, professors at LUISS University, Rome, Cristina Alaima and Jannis Kallinikos talk about the role that digital revolution plays in today’s market economy and highlight their book “Data Rules: Reinventing the Market Economy.”
6/6/202451 minutes, 51 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | May 30, 2024

Ophthalmologist Dr. Barbara Wirostko, co-founder and medical director of MyEyes, a local company that helps glaucoma patients with new technology, talks about the latest advances in the treatment of glaucoma.Then, author Jennifer Holland talks about her new book, "Dog Smart: Life-Changing Lessons in Canine Intelligence," a cutting-edge science narrative that outlines Holland’s quest to learn the true meaning of dog intelligence.
5/30/202453 minutes, 39 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | May 23, 2024

Astronomy professor, Adam Frank, and philosophy professor, Marcelo Gleiser, talk about their book, "The Blind Spot: Why Science Cannot Ignore Human Experience."Then, Rob Zellem, Exoplanet Astronomer with NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, highlights the new telescope which is scheduled to launch by 2027, and previews the Annual Astronomy Festival in Bryce Canyon National Park on June 5-8.
5/23/202451 minutes, 25 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | May 16, 2024

Dr. Arturo Casadevall from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health talks about a potential fungal epidemic in his new book, "What if Fungi Win?"Then, what if there was one overarching theory that could help explain much of our modern-day daily lives? Science journalist Tom Chivers explores the concept of the predictability of everything, based on a theorem developed by Thomas Bayes, an 18th-century Presbyterian minister and statistician.
5/16/202452 minutes, 46 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | May 9, 2024

Shawn Shan, project lead of The Glaze Project at the University of Chicago, a research effort that develops technical tools with the explicit goal of protecting human creatives against invasive uses of generative artificial intelligence, talks about their program helping to protect human generated art from AI.Then, Mark Wolverton tells the story of the scientific feud between physicists Robert Millikan and Arthur Compton over the nature of cosmic rays in his new book, “Splinters of Infinity, Cosmic Rays and the Clash of Two Nobel Prize-Winning Scientists over the Secrets of Creation.”
5/9/202452 minutes, 29 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | May 2, 2024

Lee Billings, senior editor of "Scientific American" magazine, talks about the many fascinating elements of space: from solar storms, to space junk, and even to the possibility of a new planet.Then, local resident and CEO of TRS Group, Brett Trowbridge, tells how they use scientific innovation to clean up containments in the soil through thermal remediation. These are “forever chemical” contaminants that can be cleaned up at the site instead of being hauled away.
5/2/202451 minutes, 30 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | April 25, 2024

University of Michigan geology professor, Nathan Niemi, delves into the university's yearly summer geology field camp here in the western U.S., or what they like to call the best field trip ever. (0:57)Then, University of Utah Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Jessica Swanson, shares her research on using biological methods to remove excess methane from the atmosphere. (24:58)
4/25/202451 minutes, 41 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | April 18, 2024

Professor Jeff Karp, teaches biomedical engineering at Harvard Medical School and MIT joins the show to talk about the brain's neuroplasticity and how he adapted his brain to tackle his early learning disabilities and ADHD and shares how you can too.Then, biomedical engineer and blunt trauma specialist, Rachel Lance, explores how a team of scientists during World War II made science history by discovering how to breathe underwater, a crucial element in an eventual victory for Allied forces.
4/18/202452 minutes, 32 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | April 11, 2024

Thomas Mullaney explains the complex task of developing a typing keyboard for the Chinese language which has thousands of characters but no alphabet.Then Dr. Keith Coper (co-per) talks about the University of Utah’s Seismograph Stations and the important work they do monitoring earthquakes in our area.
4/11/202451 minutes, 31 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | April 4, 2024

Immaculata De Vivo, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Professor of Epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, discusses her book, "The Biology of Kindness: Six Daily Choices for Health, Well-Being, and Longevity," co-written with mindfulness and meditation expert Daniel Lumera.Then, Joshua Glenn talks about his collection of science fiction stories and books from 1900-1935 and his efforts to preserve these forgotten classics and to discover the origins of enduring tropes like berserk robots, tyrannical supermen, and dystopian wastelands.
4/4/202451 minutes, 42 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | March 28, 2024

Authors Aram Sinnreich and Jesse Gilbert share where our data is going, and what is being done with it in their new book, "The Secret Life of Data: Navigating Hype and Uncertainty in the Age of Algorithmic Surveillance."Then, FIRST, a global robotics community helps prepare students for the future through their programs, competitions, and fun.
3/28/202451 minutes, 40 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | March 21, 2024

As a total eclipse approaches on April 8, 2024, solar eclipse enthusiast and former science correspondent for National Public Radio, David Baron, tells about the earliest eclipse chasers in 1878 in his book "American Eclipse: A Nation’s Epic Race to Catch the Shadow of the Moon and Win the Glory of the World." Then, Ann Burg talks about her new young adult biography on the life of Rachel Carson, "Force of Nature: A Novel of Rachel Carson."
3/21/202452 minutes, 25 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | March 14, 2024

Plasma physicist Sierra Solter talks about the effects of decaying space junk on Earth’s ionosphere. As satellites and other orbital objects decay and burn up in the atmosphere, they are leaving a layer of conductive, electrically charged particles around the planet and the dangerous effects this could have on the Earth's ionosphere, and life as we know it.Evidence-based explanations and critical thinking can help us all better understand paranormal beliefs and why we have them. Chris French, author of the new book "The Science of Weird S***," sheds light on where these beliefs come from and how we can explain these bizarre experiences.
3/14/202451 minutes, 17 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | February 29, 2024

Longtime National Public Radio science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce talks about her new book about the intersection of life and science, "Transient and Strange." Then, Lisa Thompson, exhibit developer and interpretive planner at the Natural History Museum of Utah, developed the "Nature All Around Us" exhibit. She has just released her new book, "Wild Wasatch Front," an urban nature guide.
2/29/202448 minutes, 48 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | February 22, 2024

Thanks to the work of researchers, including guest Sian Harding, and other scientists, we are beginning to understand more about the vital and exquisite organ - the heart. Sian Harding, Professor Emeritus of Cardiac Pharmacology at the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London, discusses her new book, “The Exquisite Machine: The New Science of the Heart.”Then, in order for humans to survive, it begins with us starting to act with the rest of the biosphere, and each other, in accordance with Darwinian principles that center around figuring out survival. Daniel Brooks, Professor Emeritus at University of Toronto, and Salvatore Agosta, Associate Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, discuss their new book “Darwinian Survival Guide: Hope for the Twenty-First Century.”
2/22/202450 minutes, 57 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | February 15, 2024

Karim Aly of NOZE, a medical technology company that identifies, captures, and interprets odors released from our breath and skin to detect disease, shares how they use “digital odor perception” technology.Then, Reuters journalist Ernest Scheyder, who has written extensively about the green energy transition, discusses his newly released book "The War Below: Lithium, Copper and the Global Battle to Power Our Lives."
2/15/202452 minutes, 25 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | February 8, 2024

John Wells speaks with George Musser about his new book titled "Putting Ourselves Back in the Equation Why Physicists Are Studying Human Consciousness and AI To Unravel The Mysteries of The Universe."Then, Eric Siegel, author of the new book “The AI Playbook, Mastering the Rare Art of Machine Learning Deployment," talks about how machine learning can enhance business operations.
2/8/202451 minutes, 53 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | February 1, 2024

John Wells speaks with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson who has co-written "To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery" with StarTalk senior producer Lindsey Walker. (0:45)Then, as much as you might think it’s just a craving – sugar is an addiction! We speak with neuroscientist Dr. Nicole Avena, who pioneered research on sugar addiction and has a new book on the subject called "Sugarless." (25:42)
2/1/202450 minutes
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | January 18, 2024

Thomas Laakso is a former engineer in many different industries that focus on composites science and technology, and is now the Senior Vice President at DPS Skis. He talks about the ski technology industry.Then, Thomas Quayle of the Clark Planetarium shares astronomical highlights we can look forward to in 2024. From a total solar eclipse visible in parts of the US, to comets, to meteor showers, and hopefully northern lights, 2024 will be delivering quite the show in the night sky.
1/18/202451 minutes, 41 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | January 11, 2024

Gabe Bowen, professor of geology and geophysics at the University of Utah, discusses how geoscientists have mapped changes in atmospheric CO2 over past 66 million years.Then, John Wells, co-founder and co-host of Cool Science Radio, talks about the last decade hosting this science and technology show — what he has learned and loved as he departs the show for new endeavors.
1/11/202451 minutes, 9 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | January 4, 2024

Physicist, professor, and author Shohini Ghose illuminates the unsung heroines of math, physics, and science in her new book “Her Space, Her Time: How Trailblazing Women Scientists Decoded the Hidden Universe.”We have all seen the images FROM the James Webb Space Telescope — the galaxies, stars, and nebulas — but we haven’t really seen images OF the telescope. Science writer Chris Wanjek and NASA photographer Chris Gunn talk about their time documenting the building of the James Webb Space Telescope.
1/4/202452 minutes, 22 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | December 28, 2023

Co-hosts John Wells, Katie Mullaly, and Lynn Ware Peek look back at some of their favorite interviews from the year:Can quantum computing solve humanity's biggest problemsTheoretical physicist Michio Kaku talks about his new book, “Quantum Supremacy: How The Quantum Computer Revolution Will Change Everything.” (0:57)Writer Paul Bogard explains impact of darkness on all forms of lifeWriter Paul Bogard discusses the importance of the night sky and the impact of darkness on all forms of life in his book "The End of Night: Searching for Natural Darkness in an Age of Artificial Light." (27:19)
12/29/202352 minutes, 28 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | December 21, 2023

Renowned cat behavior scientist Dr. Sarah Brown has been in the forefront of research on cat communication, studying how cats interact not only with each other, but with humans.Then, is it reasonable and responsible to talk about inhabiting other planets? Zack Weinersmith explores this question in his serious, yet hilarious, book called "A City on Mars: Can we settle space, should we settle space, and have we really thought this through?"
12/22/202351 minutes, 29 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | December 14, 2023

Evans & Sutherland, the world's first computer graphics company, talks about their ground-breaking history and the cutting edge technologies in planetarium dome projections they continue to develop.Mary Hall, a Professor and the Director of the Kahlert School of Computing at the University of Utah shares the history of the computer science program and the companies and technologies that came from it like Pixar, Atari, and Adobe.
12/14/202350 minutes, 42 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | December 7, 2023

Cosmologist Roberto Trotta reveals how stargazing has shaped the course of human civilization in his new book, "Starborn: How the Stars Made Us (and Who We Would be Without Them)." (00:46) Then, planetary scientist Dr. Sabine Stanley explores the beating heart of planets and what created them — from the building blocks of swirling cosmic dust, pebbles, and gas, to the birth of planets and the worlds we see today. (26:48)
12/7/202352 minutes, 25 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | November 30, 2023

Paleontologist Andrew Milner talks about his amazing fossil discovery at Lake Powell.Then, does Utah really have the Greatest Snow on Earth? We find out from Jim Steenburg, a professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Utah and author of the book “Secrets of the Greatest Snow on Earth.”
12/1/202350 minutes, 14 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | November 16, 2023

Katie Mullaly and Lynn Ware Peak speak with the most interesting mathematician and statistician you’ll ever talk to, Kit Yates. He discusses his book, "How to Expect the Unexpected?" Ever since the dawn of human civilization, we have been trying to make predictions about what the world has in store for us. For just as long, we have been getting it wrong. (00:48)Then, local resident Karen Strauss spent her career in the nuclear energy arena. Is nuclear energy safe enough now use its potential? Hear all about it from a lifelong scientist. (23:45)
11/16/202351 minutes, 37 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | November 9, 2023

National Geographic Explorer Anand Varma shares his new book, "Invisible Wonders: Photographs of the Hidden World." (01:09)Then materials scientist, engineer and author Ainissa Ramirez discusses her book, “The Alchemy of Us, How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another.” (26:23)
11/9/202351 minutes, 57 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | November 2, 2023

Dr. Dennis Charney discusses his new book, "Resilience: The Science of Mastering Life's Greatest Challenges." He shares the rapidly emerging scientific research behind what makes some of us able to navigate trauma more effectively than others. (0:59)Then, Natural History Museum of Utah’s Tylor Birthisel joins the program. Tylor is the lab manager and fossil preparatory at NHMU. He shares his delight in the discovery of new dinosaurs and talks up the Behind the Scenes event at the Natural History Museum of Utah on November 11 & 12. (25:21)
11/2/202351 minutes, 29 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | October 26, 2023

Park City based Monterey Technologies talks about their latest work in Human Engineering, Mission Planning, and Systems Engineering. (1:12)Then, the University of Utah’s PIVOT Center and their mission to connect the research and discoveries at the university with investors and entrepreneurs is featured. (30:00)
10/26/202352 minutes, 46 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | October 19, 2023

Science Journalist Tom Ireland joins to discuss "The Good Virus: The Amazing Story and Forgotten Promise of the Phage." Don’t miss this story about the virus that heals. (1:15) Then, in a rare interview about fiction, Cool Science Radio talks with debut novelist Isa Arsén about her book "Shoot the Moon," a historical fiction novel about mid-century women in science. (27:24)
10/23/202352 minutes, 19 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | October 12, 2023

Astrophysicist and Night Sky Ambassador Tyler Nordgren shares tips and information on viewing the 2023 annular eclipse. It is closer to Park City than you might think. (1:02)Then, join in the hunt for meteorites in Antarctica with Jim Karner, Research Associate Professor of Geology and Geophysics, at the University of Utah, where he and his team endure the harsh Antarctic conditions in the hopes of finding one of these rare cosmic visitors. (26:46)
10/13/202352 minutes, 30 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | October 5, 2023

Author and one of Britain’s premier naturalists Stephen Moss discusses the “10 Birds That Changed the World.” (1:05)Then, author Maria Smilios discusses some unlikely lifesavers from the early 1900’s in her new book, “The Black Angels: The Untold Story of the Nurses Who Helped Cure Tuberculosis.” (24:44)
10/5/202352 minutes, 23 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | September 28, 2023

Cool Science Radio talks with Dinosaur National Monument Paleontologist, ReBecca Hunt-Foster, about the fascinating history and discoveries at the monument’s quarry, located in eastern Utah. Can you imagine being on horseback and spotting a massive dinosaur bone jutting out of the ground? (0:56)Then, Pratt Rogers, Assistant Professor of Mining Engineering at the University of Utah, talks about Rare Earth Minerals and the extraction process. We need them, but how can we remove them from the earth in the best way possible? (26:49)
9/28/202352 minutes, 26 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | September 21, 2023

Writer Keith Houston explores the rise and reign of an oft-overlooked invention that is the entertaining story of the pocket calculator in his new book, "Empire of the Sum." Then, Ken Golden, Distinguished Professor of Mathematics at the University of Utah, talks about the importance of STEM careers in the U.S. to meet the needs of our climate and the economy.
9/21/202351 minutes, 33 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | September 14, 2023

Katrina Kmak and Elissa Aten from PC Reads joins to talk about the science of reading and how this basic human skill can have a positive effect on our minds, especially young minds. (1:03)John Wells talks with Dr. Jason Dworkin, project scientist for NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission about the asteroid sample that returns to Earth on September 24. It is landing in Utah’s west desert. (27:33)
9/14/202352 minutes, 26 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | September 7, 2023

Carl Skylling of Skytrac, a Utah based ski lift company, shares new advancements in ski lifts and the local company’s niche. (0:48)Then, music director of Songwriting with Soldiers, Jay Clementi, talks about the songwriting circles with veterans and how this changes their lives and can rewire the brain. (26:12)
9/7/202350 minutes, 38 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | August 31, 2023

The Ig Nobel awards celebrate the improbable science, the research that makes us laugh and then think, and the under-acknowledged discoveries that are recognized as what they truly are – REAL science. Marc Abrahams, founder and master of ceremonies, tells us about the 33rd First Annual Ig Nobel ceremony. (0:56)Ben Stanger discusses his book "From One Cell: A Journey into Life’s Origins and the Future of Medicine," and the history, science, and wonder of life’s most basic, and essential element – the cell. (26:01)
9/6/202351 minutes, 14 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | August 17, 2023

With the tragic wildfire in Hawaii, Cool Science Radio discusses the topic with journalist and host of the podcast, ”Fireline,” Justin Angle, who has written , "This Is Wildfire: How to Protect Yourself, Your Home, and Your Community in the Age of Heat." (2:14)Then, allergy sufferers no longer have to be held hostage by their symptoms! Hear about some new treatments for environmental allergies and the prevention of progression from allergies to asthma with researcher and sought-after expert, Dr. Roberto Garcia. (26:16)
8/17/202350 minutes, 30 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | August 10, 2023

Earl Foote, founder of Nexus IT, explores the world of current cyber threats and technology trends. (1:01)Then, National Magazine Award-winning journalist Susan Casey discusses her new book about the hidden abyss that is the deep ocean, "The Underworld: Journeys to the Depths of the Oceans." How much lost history is down there? How much knowledge and how many geological marvels and undescribed species? (25:08)
8/10/202351 minutes, 38 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | August 3, 2023

Author Maureen Seaberg explores new science about the senses. From being able to hear amplitudes smaller than an atom to being able to smell a trillion scents, our senses are more astonishing than you may know. (1:17)Then, Dr. Stephen Badylak, discusses the biomaterials from which spinal interbody fusion devices are manufactured and new technology that is improving outcomes. (27:21)
8/3/202351 minutes, 55 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | July 27, 2023

Author Kathy Joseph tells the fascinating history of the dreamers and schemers who harnessed electricity and changed our world. (0:59)Then, Bill Latten, president of the Southern California Timing Association, talks about Bonneville Speed Week and the technology behind these feats of speed. (26:01)
7/27/202351 minutes, 2 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | July 23, 2023

The James Webb Space Telescope celebrates a year of sending images from space back to this planet. We speak with NASA Engineer Tom Harkins about the new images from the James Webb Space Telescope and what we have learned over the last year. (0:48)Then, Christina Sauer, associate editor for National Geographic Kids Books, talks about Kids Almanac 2024. (25:28)
7/20/202351 minutes, 54 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | July 13, 2023

In her debut memoir, "Starstruck: A Memoir of Finding Light in the Dark," Egyptian-American astrophysicist Sarafina El-Badry Nance shares how she boldly carved out a place in the field of astrophysics, grounding herself in a lifelong love of the stars to face life’s inevitable challenges and embrace the unknown. (1:21)Then, author Amy Brady unravels the nearly two-hundred-year-old untold story of America’s obsession with ice and the unexpected ways this unlikely product transformed our nation in her new book "Ice: From Mixed Drinks to Skating Rinks—A Cool History of a Hot Commodity." (24:29)
7/13/202350 minutes, 23 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | July 6, 2023

International best-selling author John Vaillant shares his new book, “Fire Weather: A True Story From a Hotter World.” (0:56)Then, Neeru Khosla, founder and executive director of CK-12, a global leader in free online education, talks about online learning and how free access could change our world. (27:39)
7/6/202351 minutes, 16 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | June 29, 2023

Christina Sauer, associate editor for National Geographic, talks about "Why? The Human Body: 99+ Awesome Answers for Curious Kids."Then, author and professor Emily Monosson discusses her latest research and book "Blight: Fungi and the Coming Pandemic."
6/29/202352 minutes, 50 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | June 22, 2023

Cosmologist Andrew Pontzen whose award-winning research with simulations sheds light on the nature of dark matter, dark energy and the very early universe. (1:22)Then, KPCW’s very own audio expert Mitchell Elliott discusses his recent publication on intelligent audio mastering algorithms and how they stack up to human engineers. (27:07)
6/23/202351 minutes, 41 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | June 15, 2023

Author Shannon Duncan explores research about the ability of psychedelics to rewire the brain and help relieve mental health symptoms. (1:00)Then, Charlie Jui, professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Utah, discusses one of nature’s finest displays, the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. (27:13)
6/15/202352 minutes, 5 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | June 8, 2023

John and Lynn sit down with Park City resident Chris Fischer, founder and expedition leader for OCEARCH. Then, former NY Times correspondent for Brazil, Larry Rohter writes about one of the most fascinating Brazilians of all time, Cândido Rondon.
6/8/202352 minutes, 9 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | June 1, 2023

National Geographic science journalist and author David Quammen discusses the truly wild places on our planet in his new book, "The Heartbeat of the Wild: Dispatches from the Landscapes of Wonder, Peril & Hope." (0:55) Then, Utah local Daniel Butcher from IT Innovated talks about cyber security and ways to protect your devices from emerging technological threats. (27:48)
6/1/202352 minutes, 41 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | May 25, 2023

Park rangers and park astronomers, Peter Densmore and Kevin Poe, have the details on the upcoming Bryce Canyon Astronomy Festival June 14-17. (0:59) Then, Thomas Clardy, the founder and CEO of Powder Watts, talks about innovations that may reduce heat tape expenses by 92%. (26:36)
5/25/202352 minutes, 29 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | May 18, 2023

Laura Lindenfeld from the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science talks about the importance of science literacy and how the center is training scientists to better explain their work and the impact on our lives. (1:03) Then, KPCW's very own Friday night DJ and surround sound expert Mike Wisland talks about the life of a true local legend, Emmy winner and surround sound pioneer Jim Fosgate. (25:30)
5/18/202351 minutes, 17 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | May 11, 2023

Theoretical physicist Michio Kaku joins to talk about his new book, “Quantum Supremacy: How The Quantum Computer Revolution Will Change Everything.” (1:01) Then, John Webster of the US Biochar Initiative talks biochar which is a carbon-rich material made from simple biomass and its uses go way beyond just enhancing our soil. (27:23)
5/11/202351 minutes, 27 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | May 4, 2023

Astronomer Phil Plait introduces his new book "Under Alien Skies." Plait has worked as part of the Hubble Space Telescope team as well and is a public outreach advocate for NASA missions. He has an upcoming talk at Clark Planetarium in Salt Lake City. (1:10)Then, when you think of NASA, you may think of mighty rockets, rovers and astronauts. What you may not know is that NASA is the home to the largest group of Earth scientists in the world, including NASA climate scientist Dr. Lesley Ott. (27:33)
5/4/202352 minutes, 24 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | April 27, 2023

Dr. Bryn Dentinger, one of the leading mycologists in the world, discusses the universe of fungi. Then, science journalist Jaime Green talks about her book "The Possibility of Life: Science, Imagination, and Our Quest for Kinship in the Cosmos."
4/27/202352 minutes, 13 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | April 20, 2023

The Utah Avalanche Center's Chad Brackelsberg and Trent Meisenheimer talk about the science of a spring snowpack...when it is record-breaking? What happens to the slowly eroding snow? When is it hazardous? How late into the season will we see avalanches? (1:14) Then, Jason Sills of the Clark Planetarium talks about stargazing over the last 20 years and the upcoming 20th-anniversary celebration. (30:44)
4/20/202352 minutes, 34 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | April 13, 2023

Dr. Gavin Schmidt, director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, discusses current global temperatures, levels of greenhouse gasses and where 2022 ranks in the climate record. Then, Brenda Mann, program director of the University of Utah science and engineering fair, shares fascinating school science and engineering projects.
4/14/202350 minutes, 29 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | April 6, 2023

Local hydrologist Brian McInerney discusses Utah's record snowpack and flooding ahead (1:07). Then, Tanya Lewis, senior health and medicine editor at Scientific American, explores new research on the origins of COVID-19 (27:27).
4/6/202352 minutes, 8 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | March 30, 2023

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Kate Zernike tells the story of 16 female scientists who forced MIT to admit it had been discriminating against female faculty for decades in her new book "The Exceptions: Nancy Hopkins, MIT, and the Fight for Women in Science." (0:41) Then, Research Professor Maureen McCarthy talks about effects of megastorms and atmospheric rivers. (27:56)
3/30/202350 minutes, 8 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | March 23, 2023

Social Psychologist Sander van der Linden is known around the University of Cambridge as the “defense against the dark arts teacher.” He shows how we can inoculate ourselves against misinformation in his new book, "Foolproof: Why Misinformation infects our Minds and How to Build Immunity."Then biologist Dr. Danielle Clode. She studies koalas and writes about this marsupial (which is actually not a bear!) that eats only one food, one that is toxic!
3/24/202352 minutes, 30 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | March 16, 2023

Cognitive scientist Paco Calvo talks about the new science of plant intelligence in his book covering "Planta Sapiens." Then writer Paul Bogard discusses the importance of the night sky and the impact of darkness on all forms of life.
3/16/202350 minutes, 54 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | March 2, 2023

World-renowned criminologist Matthew Williams examines the elusive "tipping point" at the intersection of prejudice and hate in his new book. (00:46) Then a discussion on how advances in health care technology create innovative ways to give more access and equity for better health care outcomes. (27:31)
3/2/202350 minutes, 24 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | February 23, 2023

Dr. Jamie Farrell, seismologist and professor of geology and geophysics at the University of Utah, talks about the powerful earthquake that struck Turkey and what hazards our own Wasatch fault presents.Then local resident Meghan Vita takes us on a Cryptocurrency 101 odyssey, for anyone who wants to sharpen their tools for the evolving financial world.
2/24/202349 minutes, 59 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | February 16, 2023

Author Kathryn Harkup shares "Superspy Science: Science, Death and Tech in the World of James Bond." (07:24) Then astronomer Dean Regas discusses National Geographic Kids "1,000 Facts About Space." (29:31)
2/16/202350 minutes, 51 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | February 9, 2023

Bruce Schneier talks about his new book, "A Hacker's Mind: How the Powerful Bend Society’s Rules, and How to Bend them Back." (01:02) Then Jeremy Wagstaff, a technology journalist and author of “The Real Threat from AI,” discusses what he says are the very real limitations of ChatGPT. (25:58)
2/9/202351 minutes, 41 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | February 2, 2023

Author Mike Rucker talks about how the pursuit of joy and wonder can change your life. His book is grounded in current research, accessible science and practical recommendations. (00:00) Then creator Marc Abrahams discusses the Ig Nobel Prize designed to honor the science and research that makes us laugh and then think. (27:17)
2/2/202354 minutes, 4 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | January 19, 2023

A Westminster College microbiologist and the co-founder and director of the Great Salt Lake Institute talks about the crisis of evaporation of Great Salt Lake. The Scientific American tech editor tells us what was behind the FAA grounding all planes on Jan. 11, resulting in thousands of canceled and delayed flights.
1/19/202351 minutes, 13 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | January 12, 2023

Learn the story of General Electric with William Cohen who has written "Power Failure: The Rise and Fall of an American Icon."Then, we delve into the science of piracy on the high seas with historian Dr. Daphne Geanacopoulos.
1/12/202354 minutes, 48 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | January 5, 2023

Dr. Herman Pontzer, professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke University, reveals new insight on how we burn calories. The good news? Our metabolisms don't gradually slow down as previously thought! (01:00) Then paleontologist Randy Irmis from the Natural History Museum of Utah discusses the long-unsolved mystery of why marine reptiles were fossilized in the Great Basin of Nevada 230 million years ago. (27:35)
1/5/202352 minutes, 54 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | December 29, 2022

Astronaut Mark Vande Hei about the record breaking 355-day mission aboard the International Space Station (1:31)Dr. Rama Chellappa, who along with Eric Niiler has written "Can we Trust AI?" discusses the book (23:16)
12/29/202247 minutes, 21 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | December 22, 2022

We speak with Pulitzer Prize winner Edward Humes about the bizarre world of genetic genealogy and how after three decades of one murder going unsolved, in two hours an amateur with access to a site like "23 and Me" found the killer. (01:11) Then, a new bipartisan bill aims to improve the relationship between poor maternal health outcomes and access to Telehealth. (26:32)
12/22/202251 minutes, 33 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | December 15, 2022

Colleen Begg, a South African conservation ecologist and managing director of the Niassa Carnivore Project in South Africa, shares how it facilitates a peaceful coexistence between individual people, communities of people, lions and other carnivores. (01:29) NASA image restorer Andy Saunders explains his work taking newly-available digital scans of 50-year-old analog photos and applying painstaking care and cutting-edge enhancement techniques to create the highest quality Apollo photographs ever produced. (24:28) NASA’s Chief of the Exploration Mission Planning Office, Nujoud Merancy, discusses the historic Artemis 1 mission as a major step in efforts to send humans back to the Moon and what comes next. (38:00)
12/15/202251 minutes, 13 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | December 8, 2022

Author and professor Matthew Cobb discusses the morally-complex field of genetic engineering. (00:56)Chief Medical Officer of Mindstrong, Dr. Holly Dubois, talks about the virtual behavioral health organization that provides licensed therapists and psychiatrists who specialize in treating hard-to-reach patients with difficult-to-treat conditions. (27:52)
12/8/202252 minutes, 32 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | December 1, 2022

Cool Science Radio’s personal astrophysicist Neil deGrasse discusses using the rationality of the scientific mind to look at the political and cultural issues we talk about every day. Also, Professor Russell Foster explains using the science of the body clock to promote better sleep, better health and better thinking.
12/1/202250 minutes, 45 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | November 17, 2022

Oncologist and Professor of Medicine at Columbia University, Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee, a Pulitzer Prize winner in non-fiction for his book, "The Emperor of All Maladies," explores medicine and the radical new ability to manipulate cells in his new book, "The Song of the Cell."Gastroenterologist Dr. Shilpa Ravella shares a riveting investigation of inflammation―the hidden force at the heart of modern disease―and how we can prevent, treat and even reverse it. Her book is, "A Silent Fire."
11/18/202253 minutes, 7 seconds
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | November 10, 2022

Tom Chamberlain, founder and CEO of EdLogics, explains EdLogics is a digital health communications company focused on transforming the way people learn about health. He said improvement in health literacy translates to better health decisions, better health outcomes and lower costs. (01:15) Anne Williams, general editor for National Geographic, shares her latest project, "Treasures of Egypt: A Legacy in Photographs from the Pyramids to Cleopatra." This book celebrates the vibrant beauty and rich cultural heritage of Egypt on the 100th anniversary of the discovery of King Tut's tomb. (27:00)
11/10/202253 minutes
Episode Artwork

Cool Science Radio | November 3, 2022

Local Park City resident Eric Garen talks about his new book, "Poems of the Planets: Solar System Science in Verse and Prose."Then, science writer Hayley Campbell on embalmers to executioners, an exploration of the people who have made death their life's work in her book "All the Living and the Dead."
11/3/202251 minutes, 42 seconds