During the great age of exploration men risked their lives to set foot upon unknown lands, whether in the humid jungles of Peru or on the barren ice cap of the South Pole. We´ll hear those dramatic tales...

... but also where modern exploration is taking us. Could it be to the deepest, darkest part of the sea?

Or to space? Discover how to build a space suit that will let you move like an athlete on Mars. Also, why some say that the ultimate frontier requires no packing and no travel: voyages into the human brain.

Guests:

• Dava Newman –“ Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics Engineering Systems, MIT
• David Eagleman –“ Neuroscientist, Baylor College of Medicine and author of Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain
• Mark Adams –“ Author of An Empire of Ice: Scott, Shackleton and the Heroic Age of Antarctic Science
• Edward Larson –“ Author of An Empire of Ice: Scott, Shackleton and the Heroic Age of Antarctic Science
• Liz Taylor –“ President, Deep Ocean Exploration and Research, Alameda, CA

Descripción en español

It´s been ten years since the fall of the Twin Towers, but some still believe that the attack was an inside job. They´re not the only ones to buy into a conspiratorial view of world events. Others deny President Obama´s American birth... link autism with vaccines... and even claim that the fluo
ride in our drinking water is there to control our minds. Is it the truth –“ or the fringe groups –“ that are "out there?"

Find out why some tinfoil hat ideas never go away. Also, the roots of rational argument: did our brains evolve to seek the truth... or just win arguments?

It´s Skeptic Check... but don´t take our word for it!

Guests:

• Jonathan Kay –“ Managing editor of National Post in Canada and author of Among the Truthers: A Journey Through America´s Growing Conspiracist Underground
• Michael Shermer –“ Founding Publisher of Skeptic Magazine and author of The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies –“ How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them As Truths
• Phil Plait –“ Skeptic and keeper of Discover Magazine´s blog, badastronomy.com
• Hugo Mercier –“ Postdoctoral researcher at the University of Pennsylvania
• Darcia Narvaez –“ Psychologist at the University of Notre Dame
• Ben Recht –“ Computer Scientist at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and author of the paper "On the Effectiveness of Tinfoil Hats"

Water, water everywhere. But most of it is sea water –“ you can´t drink it. Discover the most promising technologies for desalination and why solar cells are key. Also, how astronauts filter "water-closet water" to drink it, and how to turn a salt pond back to a wetland.

Plus, from Roman aqueducts to modern-day pumps: a history of quenching human thirst. And, why NASA strives to "follow the water."

Guests:

• Brian Fagan –“ Anthropologist at the University of California, Santa Barbara, author of Elixir: A History of Water and Humankind
• John Bourgeois –“ Biologist and Executive Project Manager, South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project
• Michael Meyer –“ Lead scientist for the Mars Exploration Program
• Farouk El-Baz –“ Geologist and Director of the Center for Remote Sensing, Boston University
• Michael Flynn –“ Principal investigator for NASA´s advanced life support branch, Ames Research Center

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. It´s nearly impossible to fake a laugh. Yet, humans will laugh even if something isn´t funny. Discover the evolutionary function of cracking up and meet the other species that love to giggle (and monkey around).

Also, hilarious science comedy. Yes, science comedy. Plus, teaching machines to write punch lines... and stretching –“ and splitting –“ your sides with laughter yoga.

Guests:

• Frans de Waal –“ Primatologist, Emory Univeristy and the Yerkes Primate Center in Atlanta, Georgia
• Brian Malow –“ Science comedian
• Robert Provine –“ Neuroscientist, University of Maryland, Balitimore, author of Laughter: A Scientific Investigation
• Tony Veale –“ Computer scientist and natural language processing researcher. University College, Dublin, Ireland
• Tommy Westerfield –“ Instructor, We Are Laughter

How did life begin? What´s the universe made of, and what´s the nature of consciousness?

These are truly some of the biggest puzzlers in science, but answers are in the offing.

We consider the modern-day hunt for life beyond Earth, as well as a new theory of consciousness: could it be merely an illusion to entertain us and make our lives more worthwhile?

Also, after thousands of years of examining the heavens, are we finally learning the true nature of the cosmos?

Guests:

• Marc Kaufman –“ Reporter for the Washington Post, and author of First Contact: Scientific Breakthroughs in the Hunt for Life Beyond Earth
• Carolyn Porco –“ Planetary scientist and leader of the Cassini Imaging Team
• Michael Russell –“ Research Scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory
• Nicholas Humphrey –“ Theoretical psychologist and author of Soul Dust: The Magic of Consciousness
• Saul Perlmutter –“ Physicist at the University of California, Berkeley and senior scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National laboratory

Descripción en español

Imagine moving things with your mind. Not with telekinesis, but with the future tools of brain science. Meet a pioneer in the field of computer-to-brain connection and discover the blurry boundary where the mind ends and the machine begins.

Plus, how new technology is sharpening the "real" in virtual reality. And, whether our devotion to digital devices is changing what it means to be human.

Guests:

• Miguel Nicolelis –“ Director for the Center for Neuroengineering at Duke University, and author of Beyond Boundaries: The New Neuroscience of Connecting Brains with Machines and How it Will Change our Lives
• Jeremy Bailenson –“ Director of the Virtual Human Interaction Lab at Stanford University and co-author of Infinite Reality: Avatars, Eternal Life, New Worlds and the Dawn of the Virtual Revolution
• Jim Blascovich –“ Psychologist at the University of California, Santa Barbara and co-author of Infinite Reality: Avatars, Eternal Life, New Worlds and the Dawn of the Virtual Revolution
• Sherry Turkle –“ Professor of social studies of science and technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and author of Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less From Each Other

Descripción en español

Could you have had a past life? Is it possible that some part of you is the reincarnation of a person –“ or maybe an animal –“ that lived long ago?

We´ll hear the story of a young boy who started having nightmares about a plane crash. His parents thought he was the reincarnation of a downed, World War II fighter pilot. But his story might not fly.

Also ... is there any biological basis for reincarnation? Animals that indulge in the big sleep.

Suspended animation is Hollywood´s favorite device for interstellar travel ... But could we really put a dimmer switch on human metabolism? Learn how techniques for hitting the hold button for humans might be just around the corner.

Guests:

• Cynthia Meyersburg –“ Research psychologist at Harvard University
• Tori Hoehler –“ Astrobiologist at the NASA Ames Research Center
• André Bormanis –“ Screenwriter, producer and former science consultant for "Star Trek"
• Matt Andrews –“ Biologist at the University of Minnesota, Duluth
• Phil Plait –“ Astronomer, and author of the Bad Astronomy blog at Discover Magazine
• Mark Roth –“ Biologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle

Descripción en español

We all have to go sometime, and that final hour is the mother of all deadlines. But scientists are working to file an extension. Discover how far we can push the human expiration date.

Plus, the animal with the shortest lifespan and the chemistry that causes your pot-roast to eventually clothe itself in fuzzy green mold.

Also, a clock that won´t stop ticking (for 10,000 years) and our love-hate relationship with that long-lived hydrocarbon that keeps our snack cakes fresh: plastic!

Guests:

• Martin Bucknavage- Senior Food Safety Extension Associate, Department of Food Science at Penn State
• Leonard Guarente –“ Biologist, Laboratory for the Science of Aging, M.I.T.
• Alexander Rose –“ Executive Director and Clock Project Manager, Long Now Foundation
• Rick Hochberg –“ Biologist, University of Massachusetts –“ Lowell
• Susan Freinkel –“ Author of Plastic: A Toxic Love Story

Indiana Jones meets Star Trek in the field of space archaeology. Satellites scan ancient ruins so that scientists can map them without disturbing one grain of sand. Discover how some archaeologists forsake their spades and brushes in favor of examining historic sites from hundreds of miles high.

Also, if you were to hunt for alien artifacts –“ what would you look for? Why ET might choose to send snail mail rather than a radio signal.

Plus, the culture of the hardware we send into space, and roaming the Earth, the moon, and Mars the Google way.

Guests:

• Alice Gorman –“ Archaeologist at Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
• Robin Hanson –“ Economist at George Mason University, Virginia
• Tiffany Montague –“ Engineer, and Intergalactic Federation King Almighty, Commander of the Universe, at Google, Inc.
• Compton Tucker –“ Scientist at NASA´s Goddard Space Flight Center

Descripción en español