Transcript: TWIS.org Dec 1, 2009

Justin: Disclaimer! Disclaimer! Disclaimer!

Without the darkness, there can be no light. Without light, there is no energy, no quark. Without the quark, there can be no atom. Without the atom, there would be no matter and no mass, no gravity. Without gravity, there’d be no way to get down with our bad selves.

And while getting quarky within the dark – much like the following hour of our programming does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the University of California at Davis, KDVS or its sponsors – the more you look, the more it becomes clear.

The universe is an intricate, complicated place where even the most basic components are far from intuitive to our human perspective. Without this unintuitive complication, we would not be here. Without science, we wouldn’t know where here is or even where or when here is. And so, we couldn’t be possibly saying, This Week in Science, coming up next.

Good morning, Kirsten!
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Transcript: TWIS.org Sept 8, 2009


Justin: Disclaimer! Disclaimer! Disclaimer!

Nature in all its splendorific glory cannot answer the fundamental question asked by mankind, “Why are we here? Why are we here?”

Nature does offer answers of course, we are to eat, to reproduce and to survive for another day. This would be fine if the opposite were not just as true, that we are here to be eaten, to die and to fertilize the soil – The Cycle of Life.

Appealing at first, seemingly unfair later, is perhaps the greatest driving behind all of human knowledge, what we learn of the world, what we teach our children, what we discover in the darkness of the unknown and light the torch of the future generations to blah, blah, blah, see clearly.

Is knowledge part of ourselves that outlives flesh and bone, propels our minds beyond the limitations of nature’s life cycle? And while propelling reproductive questions – much like the following hour programming – does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the University of California at Davis, KDVS or its sponsors.

Think deeply from the fountain of immortality knowing that knowing will connect you not only to the here and now, but to the past and the future as well. For it is knowing that allows us to live in happiness on This Week in Science. Coming up next.

So check it out. I’m going to release this new album.
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Transcript: TWIS.org Oct 27, 2009

Kirsten: This show is brought to you by listeners like you and your contributions. We couldn’t do it without you. Thanks!

Justin: Disclaimer! Disclaimer! Disclaimer!

The full extent of the changes to come from the Earth’s atmospheric alteration are becoming increasingly clear. The question now is what to do about it.

“Is there a solution?” asked the masses of the world. “Yes, there are many,” say the scientific elite. “If we act immediately to change the way we’re living we may…”

“Wait. Wait. Is there a solution that does not require action?” interrupt the masses. “No,” say the scientists. “But if we act soon, we will have a chance to…”

“Wait. Wait. Wait. When you say ‘we act soon,’ you mean ‘you,’ right?” The scientists sigh and softly mumble something about the irrational having become the norm.

And while the majority of those softly mumbling scientists agree with the following hour of programming, they do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the University of California at Davis, KDVS or its sponsors.

Mankind gains knowledge of the world only through reason. If knowledge is to be shared with the masses, the masses must be reasonable as well. We will not make the ground-breaking discoveries of the future based on the impulses or opinions of an irrational world.

Science does not make up a democratic decision nor does an ideology, this objective, reasoned methodical calling of the intellect. And it’s about to be broadcast live to the rational masses here on This Week in Science, coming up next.
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Transcript: TWIS.org Jan 19, 2010

Kirsten: This show is brought to you by listeners like you and your contributions. We couldn’t do it without you. Thanks!

Justin: Disclaimer! Disclaimer! Disclaimer!

The following hour of programming does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the University of California at Davis, KDVS or its sponsors.

Despite this, we have come to know much about the world that we live on – how it was formed, how it was changed and how best we might live upon it. But despite all of our understanding, the earth still holds much of its workings as mystery.

We can predict with great certainty the arrival of a storm front, can foresee how this will affect us, can prepare ourselves for the severity of such an event. Yet, we have no notice in the event of a major tectonic event and are at the mercy of our ability to respond after the fact.

While we witness once again the powerful force of nature and the devastation that she can impart on Haiti, we also remember that this sort of destruction is prevented daily by the work of scientists around the world to foresee the storm, to resist the pandemic, to maximize our production of food and energy.

And though we cannot yet predict tectonic events, we can build structures that withstand their fury. As our hearts go out to the people of Haiti, we recognize the hard work that is being done by the rescue workers there. And let us also acknowledge that without dedication to scientific study of nature, an earthquake is but one devastation we would be heir to here on This Week in Science, coming up next.

Good morning, Kirsten!
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Transcript: TWIS.org Mar 30, 2010

Justin: Disclaimer! Disclaimer! Disclaimer!

The age of reason is rapidly approaching, tearing down institutions born in less illuminated times. As the light of reason brightens the proponents of the old way are shouting loudly against the winds of change.

Not willing to go quietly into the darkness of unexamined philosophies, they scream, that any change will result in death, in ethical, financial, ideological apocalypse that will destroy the fabric of society as if it heralds the falling of a modern Babylon.

Fear ye! Fear ye! For alas the end is nigh. And in a way, they are correct. This is the end of the world as they have known and profited from it. And while (unintelligible) of old world financial theory in new seeds of reason, sprouting up from the national health care scene, they, much like the following hour of programming and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the University of California at Davis, KDVS or its sponsors, we will endure every complaint of the old world looters with still older wisdom of their plight.

For every complaint that man has waged against change has always come from two places — his fear of death or his fear of losing his grip upon the lives of others. And when we take away the HMO’s whip, we will find that the change has left us truly free. Free from fear of debt’s fortune and the influence of the fortune maker’s commission upon our health.

And as many have found, when we are free of fear, we feel more inclined to think freely as I think you will find here on This Week in Science, coming up next.
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Transcript: TWIS.org Oct 20, 2009

Kirsten: This show is brought to you by listeners like you and your contributions. We couldn’t do it without you. Thanks.

Justin: Disclaimer! Disclaimer! Disclaimer!

Irregardless of what you have regarded as reality up until now, no matter how indubitably you have debated without doubt, unfeathered by the faculty of your focus, irrespective of the precision of your perspective, it is still quite possible in terms of this very moment that you ain’t seen nothing yet.

To test this, take a moment – this very moment – to look around and see what is actually around you. What do you see? Is there more there than you thought? Take a little more time. Look at every thing but try not to stare. Blink a few times if you think it will help. Make a mental note of everything you are seeing.

Now, crumple that mental note into a ball. Throw it out of your ear and ask yourself, “What am I seeing? Is this the world as it truly is? Or is this snapshot of the world just my impression of the real information out there and interpretation by my my brain, an illusion of a world and a reflection – a convincing trick of light?”

And while the convincing trick of light of crumpled mental notes much like the following hour of programming – does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the University of California at Davis, KDVS or its sponsors – we should remember that in the light of our potential for perceptive Ponzi scheming, it is advised that the eye remain skeptical, the mind critical and the ear tuned to This Week in Science. Coming up next.

You’re such a together person on most days. So, as Kirsten continues to fight with – you don’t need earphones. Hit the button. You don’t need to hear that, you know, hit the button.
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Transcript: TWIS.org Nov 24, 2009

Justin: This show is brought to you by listeners like you and the contributions that people like you are giving. People who aren’t you who are actually giving. We couldn’t do it without them. So please, be one of them or unless that’s one of you in which thank you.

Disclaimer! Disclaimer! Disclaimer! There are many reasons to be thankful this Thanksgiving season. We here at This Week in Science are thankful for the University of California at Davis, for KDVS, for its sponsors whose views we do not represent. And we’re also thankful for Ali, our new intern.

We’re thankful for the men and women of science whose work we often recount for raising the questions and their reasons and methodical pursuit of the answers that follow. And we’re most thankful for you, our listeners.

Without the University, KDVS, its sponsors, science, Ali and you, we will be ungratefully sitting in an unlit cave 20 ft. below ground with no studio, no science to report on, instead talking about the latest developments in mysticism to an imagined audience of minion spirits without show notes.

And while those spirited minions of the imaginary mystical abyss do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of our actual listening audience, they too seem to be thankful this year. For without the light of reason and science to guide the way, the human spirit of imagination is ruthlessly haunted by ungrateful mystics peddling vagary, demanding that that vagary be taken seriously.

Seriously is something we will never ask from you here on This Week in Science. Coming up next.
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Transcript: TWIS.org Nov 17, 2009

Justin: Disclaimer! Disclaimer! Disclaimer!

There has been a movement under way in the world. It began long before the ancient civilizations and continues into our modern age.

It is a movement of the mind, a revolution in thought and technology and possibility. It is called reason. It is called enlightenment. It is called science. And it is good.

And while the revolution may occasionally be televised, it – much like the following hour of programming – does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the University of California at Davis, KDVS or its sponsors.

Your role in the revolution – should you choose to accept it – is to enjoy thinking, to seek out new knowledge and to share that knowledge with others. The revolution is now broadcasting, podcasting and tweeting. So do your scientific duty. Play your part in the history of thought. Live up to your mental potential and fulfill your intellectual destiny.

If you are at all uncertain about how to register for the revolution, instructions are going to be subliminally laced throughout each episode of This Week in Science, coming up next.
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Transcript: TWIS.org Nov 10, 2009

Kirsten: This show is brought to you by listeners like you and your contributions. We couldn’t do it without you. Thanks.

Justin: Disclaimer! Disclaimer! Disclaimer!

From the womb, the world is a familiar yet mysterious place. We can recognize the muffled tones of parental speech and the rhythm of a mother’s heartbeat, held in warmth without need for air or food or light, we dream, now, unimaginable dreams that either long forgotten or remembered without words for a lifetime.

At some point, we are properly introduced into the world and find it much colder, brighter and seemingly less familiar than we may have expected. While the shivering naked blindness greets us on our way into life – much like the following hour of our programming – it does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the University of California at Davis, KDVS or its sponsors.

But as we grow, as we learn, as we explore this world, we discover unimaginable realities. Imagine the yet unrealized possibilities and become at once familiar with the world and alert the chance that further surprises will await us, as though at any moment, we could find ourselves again being born, thrust into a colder, brighter, even less familiar world of This Week in Science, coming up next.
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Transcript: TWIS.org Dec 15, 2009 Part 2

Justin: Thank you for listening to TWIS. If you rely on this show for weekly science-y updates, please understand that we rely on your support to keep bringing those to you. Donate. Keep the science-y goodness on the air. We’ve made it very easy for you.

Go to our website www.twis.org, click on the button that will allow you to donate $2, $5, $10 or if you like, you can donate any amount of money you choose as many times as you like. Again, just go to www.twis.org and donate today. We need your support and we thank you in advance for it.

Kirsten: Oh, but there’s more. And I think we’re going to do a little extra long This Week in Science this week. We – yeah, the next DJ didn’t show so what we get to do is have more science. So many – so many TWISmas presents for the world out there.

I just found some great news – Justin went upstairs for a little bit so I’m just going to chitter-chatter – the LHC, the Large Hadron Collider has produced its first results. There’s a paper published online this week in Springer’s European Physical Journal C relating to measurements that were taken on November 23, 2009 during the early use of the CERN LHC.
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