Can humans reach new planets by hibernating during the trip? A new study on hibernation reveals how the benefits of torpor don't scale with size, and Jeff and Anthony debate the science of human hibernation. Then, what does it take to accurately measure a second? Anthony and Jeff take a look at the effort to redefine the unit of measure that relates to all others.
In light of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v Wade, Anthony and Jeff thought it worthwhile to revisit this episode of We Have Concerns from August, 2015. In it, special guest Brock Wilbur relates his experience volunteering at Planned Parenthood. Brock gives a powerful first hand account of the people affected by the court's decision, and Jeff and Anthony are proud to be able to help share Brock's story. Brock Wilbur is a stand-up comic and writer, and the co-host of the Caring into the Void podcast, which you can find anywhere you get podcasts.
Blake Lemoine, an engineer for Google’s responsible AI organization, described the LaMDA system he has been working on since last fall as sentient, with a perception of, and ability to express thoughts and feelings that was equivalent to a human child. In an extended discussion, Anthony and Jeff step through this fascinating story. Is it possible that this chatbot has achieved personhood, or is it merely an illusion?
Robert “Robby” Silk, 49, has pioneered the sport of competitive chair-sitting, an endurance activity that involves sitting in extreme environments, from sun-up to sundown without any sort of time pieces or electronic devices. Jeff and Anthony discuss whether this trailblazing behavior makes him a badass. Then, is the infamous "Trolley Problem" considered differently by different cultures around the world? A group of researchers decided to find out, and Anthony and Jeff take a look at the results.
Researchers have developed a magnetic slime "robot" that can shift into different shapes to grab objects. It may be used to operate inside humans without the need for surgery. Anthony and Jeff discuss the notion of swallowing the magnetic slime, and the future of soft robots. Then, the nuclear meltdown in Chernobyl has given birth to a new type of slime that thrives in radioactive environments. Scientists hope it may be a biological key to creating ways for humans to survive in deep space. Jeff and Anthony talk about how sometimes awful events can reveal useful information.
Words have power - and maybe swear words have the most power. Jeff and Anthony take a look at the data that suggest the best reasons and ways to curse your @$! off. Then, a group of researchers set out to find the most boring person in the world. What makes a person boring? Anthony and Jeff debate the dull.
One of the Apollo 14 astronauts took a bag of tree seeds to the moon. A few years after the astronauts returned home, some of the seeds were planted across the United States... and then forgotten. Anthony and Jeff discuss the effort to track down these Moon Trees, and if they really mean something. Then, researchers have directly observed what happens inside the brain of a zebra fish when it is being traumatized. Jeff and Anthony talk about what this breakthrough means, and how exactly the scientists traumatized those fish.
What is the hardest wood in the world? A simple question with a surprisingly complex answer. Jeff and Anthony take a look at all the factors. Then, is there a tie between ADHD diagnosis and a propensity to collect or horde objects? Anthony and Jeff review a new study that answers that very question.
Researchers in Australia have been trying to track magpies using tiny, featherweight transmitters, but the birds have banded together to escape the magnetic backpacks that house the signal. This kind of cooperation has never been observed among this species and it raises a whole bunch of new questions. Anthony and Jeff take a look at those wily birds, and what this could mean for their incessant pranks. Then, new analysis of a dagger found in King Tut's tomb reveal that it is made out of iron from a meteorite. Jeff and Anthony step through the incredible process used to make that discovery.
Of the classic five categories of taste, sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami, only one of them has no discernible evolutionary purpose. Scientists do not understand why we even sense sour, let alone why it is so pervasive across species. Jeff and Anthony look at the evidence and consider the most prominent theories. Then, what if having a touch time remembering something isn't a bug, but a feature? Anthony and Jeff examine a new paper that suggests that out brain is optimizing for success when it limits recall.