Tag: robots

Transcript-TWIS.ORG Dec 30, 2008


Synopsis: Science and Celebrities pronuncements, Predictions for 2009, Mars Alive with carbon deposits, Bacteria Support Groups that form biofilms, Bird Songsters sing out competition for breeding, Favoring Orangutans due to token trading, and TWIS Question of the Month about geological activity that releases sequestered carbon!

Justin: Disclaimer! Disclaimer! Disclaimer!

This TWIS-mas, I was visited by three ghosts! Whisking me through time and space the ghost of TWIS-mas past, showed me beyond any doubt what humble beginnings science began with. What great heights it has soared to since and how heavily our modern civilization rests on the shoulder of giants, giants not only of intellectual prowess but giants of dedication, courage and sacrifice as well.

What we enjoy today are not the fruits of the modern era at all but the combined harvest of all of human history. The bounty of culture and intellectual pursuit that has been going on since the first great conversation took place outside of some cave and some now long forgotten language lost to time.

I was then visited by a second ghost who wanted to remind me that while all of human history had a hand in our high tech harvest it, like the following hour of our programming at present does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the University of California at Davis, KDVS or its sponsors.

I then found the third ghost haunt my TWIS-mas eve. A dark and looming specter this was, I felt the chill run down my spine, unsure for a moment of the phantom’s intention until at least at last the phantom spoke. “Hey, big fan of the show, just want to stop by”, the dark minion said. We high-fived and popped the rock.

“These are the things I’ve seen.” The minion hinted. “Are you ready for the future?” “Ready”, I said. It’s already in the show notes for, This Week in Science coming up next.
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Transcript-TWIS.org June 16, 2009


Synopsis: Bisphenol A and estrogen, Toxoplasma Gondii causing car crashes?, Beware of Robo-Ferret used to sniff out hidden things, RoboGames Redux, Adventures in Popularity, Move Over Silicon!, Go Fly A Kite, TWIS Bits, and Interview w/ Dr. Greg Gibson re: Genes and Illness.

Justin: Disclaimer! Disclaimer! Disclaimer!

It’s no secret, no one gets out of here alive. The question then, if anyone asks, is what if anything we do with the time we have in the great go around. Suggestions are plenty and opinions abound or regardless of intentions of what we do or who we are and why we are doing these things, our opinions, like the following hour of our programming, do not necessarily represent those of the University of California at Davis, KDVS or its sponsors. Still, regardless of self-opinion, this is the moment in which we can do.

In a sense, what we can do is who we are, we are all about to be, This Week in Science, coming up next.
Continue reading “Transcript-TWIS.org June 16, 2009”

Transcript-TWIS.ORG Feb 10, 2009

Synopsis: LHC News!, Valentine’s Day Warnings about mating, Don’t Feed the Fish, Giant Pythons and hotter weather in the past, Malignant Marijuana may cause testicular cancer, This Week in the End of Florida, Dog/Wolf Love, and Interview w/ Dr. Sean B. Carroll re: Evolution.

Justin: Disclaimer! Disclaimer! Disclaimer!

The following hour of our programming has been deemed so improbable that it ventures on the impossible. The chances of the universe existing with all the right tools to create this show such as radio waves, a planet capable of supporting life and the sentient race capable of speech and hearing are incredibly slim.

What are the odds if the hosts will be Kirsten and Justin, not one of the other six billion people wondering aimlessly across the face of the planet? That’s not even considering how vastly improbable the chain of events that led you to finding our show. It’s simply cannot be chance alone.

And while the winds of chance are mind boggling much like the following hour of our programming, they do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the University of California at Davis, KDVS or its sponsors. Listeners should be aware though that the universe may have made many natural selections.

What you are about to hear is no mere random assortment of words. Come to think of it, the ads against the show are so perfectly tuned to allow you to listen to this show.

Perhaps there is only one conclusion that can be reached. The universe was designed by an intelligent creator and with only one purpose in mind. That’s right. The universe was most assuredly design for This Week in Science, coming up next.
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Transcript-TWIS.ORG May 5, 2009

Synopsis: Remote Control Brains, Making Blood Crawl, Birdsong Basics, This Week in Science History, Drink To Your Sanity, and an Interview with Dr. Leonard Mlodinow re: The Drunkard’s Walk.

Justin: Disclaimer! Disclaimer! Disclaimer!

In the wake of the H1N1 worry, the world has a new wave of statistical woe on the way. As the number of confirmed deaths continued to drop, from hundreds, to dozens down to only ten within a single week.

The latest statistical projections of the un-die-ing situation now suggest that we are trending towards a potential population explosion!

If people continue to un-die at this rate, we may soon be looking at a human transmittable in fallopian pregno-demic that could grow exponentially over the next nine months.

And while this exponential growth oddly mirrors the rate of natural human reproduction 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.

Listeners should be wary, as face masks will not be enough to protect you from the probability of procreation. Staying indoors with loved ones might actually contribute to the further spread of parental syndromes.

While the CDC sits idly by and does nothing to slow the rapid rate of confirmed un-deadenings, you can be comforted to know that we will be dedicating the next hour to keeping you reasonably safe by offering you something else to do, here on This Week In Science coming up next.
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Transcript:TWIS.ORG Sept 16, 2008


Justin: Heading through the Large Hadron Collider, the Physics world buzzes with excitement about the many potential discoveries, confirmations and unexpected revelations, the media and the general public are scrambling to learn the basics of the Physics at play.

Why – what is a Hadron? What is a Higgs? How did they accelerate one? Is it safe to do so? Are Proton beans colliding going to cause a big bang? What is a Big Bang anyway? And I heard they want to make a big black hole and it’s going to swallow the whole Earth. Is that true? Have they gone mad? Should we stop them? And where, oh where on earth is the country of CERN I keep hearing about anyway?

While the location of CERN much like the following hour of our programming, does not represent the views or opinions of the University of California, Davis KDVS or its sponsors. The real benefit of the LHC may lay as much in the minds and imaginations of the curious public as it does in the 17 miles of buried tunnel.

As fears of impending doom circulate, like rumors in a mill, the incredible need for the man on the street to know his Higgs from a Hadron Collider in the ground becomes clear. And so, too the solution to such dire need also becomes clear. For where else can the public turn to for on the fly science learning but This Week in Science, coming up next.
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Transcript:TWIS.ORG April 7, 2009


Justin: Disclaimer! Disclaimer! Disclaimer!

The future is rapidly approaching. This has always been the case, of course throughout the whole of human history. Tomorrow always seems to be on a hurry to reach the present. What may separate our presently encroaching future from future’s past?

The seemingly limitless landmarks that beacon this new age, from nano-engineering to synthetic-genetic manipulations; stem cell progenitors to microbial biofuels; from the nature of neural networks to a universe made of strings; the science that we are living in golden age of discoveries only clouded by the sheer volume of discoveries and the speed at which they are being made. Making the amazing a common place occurrence.

As human knowledge expands well beyond the familiar seemingly intuitive world we were born into, rerun the risk of falling behind in our time of being primitive thinkers in the modern world.

In all primitive thinking much like the hour of our programming does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of University of California at Davis, KDVS or its sponsors.

The speed that which the secrets of the universe are being revealed to us is increasing at such a rate that if we turn our attention away too long, if will allow ourselves to be mired in daily destruction, we may miss our chance to glimpse the world made naked by knowledge.

The universe as revealed by This Week in Science coming up next.
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Transcript: TWIS.org Nov 6, 2007

Sean: No purchase necessary while supplies last. (Not) or reduce calorie food. Batteries not included. Your mileage may vary, not to be used as floatation device. Intentional misuse by deliberately concentrating and inhaling this audio can be harmful or fatal.

Some conditions apply. Side effects may include, dizziness, blurred vision, unusual clarity of thought, head displacia, headache, upset stomachs, sleepiness, (anything) with a sensation of the scalp.

For adults and entertainment purposes only. Not to be taken internally. Do not smoke while using. Offer limited to stock on hand. Do not spray on heated surfaces or near or on flame.

If symptoms persist, please continue use and consult a science teacher. Refrigerate after opening. Void where prohibited.

If you can understand this, you should really cut back on a caffeine. See dealer for details. Do not taunt happy fun ball. Offer not valid in Antartica, Greenland, Easter Island or the District of Columbia.

Science is a strong medicine and should not be inserted nasally. Do not puncture or incinerate. (Unintelligible) nearest contains an (unintelligible). Keep out of reach of children. Ask you doctor at www.bigroom.org is right for you.

The views expressed in this program, do not necessarily represent the views of KDVS or its sponsors. This Week In Science, coming up next. Use only as directed. Continue reading “Transcript: TWIS.org Nov 6, 2007”

Transcript:TWIS.org Oct 23, 2007

Justin: Disclaimer, disclaimer, disclaimer!

The following hour of programming is not intended for the weak minded. You’ll hear things here that are by design intended to brainwash you into being more autonomous in your thinking, may constitute actually an act of passive treason once the scientist revolution begins. No subject will be considered too brainy, too bascule or too unsexy to be undressed.

Natural resistance to learning new things will be pinned down and tickled until it pees itself. If you are afraid of being ostracized by those around you for quoting scientists or ruining a romantic moment by correcting misconceptions about quantum physics or if you’re just concerned about being irreparably enlightened about the environment, you are listening to the wrong show.

If on the other hand, you believe that science is better than small talk, knowing stuff makes you more sexy and that the only way to survive the future is to prepare for it, then, I have good news for you because This Week In Science, Extra Brainwashy Edition is coming up next.

{Music} Continue reading “Transcript:TWIS.org Oct 23, 2007”

Transcript:TWIS.org Oct 16, 2007

Justin: Disclaimer! Disclaimer! Disclaimer! The following hour of programming is intentionally grounded in reality. If you are tuning in hopes of escaping reality, you have tuned in to the wrong frequency, downloaded the wrong podcast, or worse, you are actually a host of this show.

While many fear to seek truth, let alone face it, the next hour of time spent here is dedicated to exploring and dissecting that, which is truth from that, which is not, peeling away layers of presumption, intuition and supernatural inklings until the onion of the unknown is no more.

If you feel yourself tearing up now, it is an intellectual anticipation of This Week in Science, coming up next.
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Transcript:TWIS.org Nov 20, 2007

Justin: Disclaimer! Disclaimer! Disclaimer!

On this day before the day before the day of giving thanks, This Week In Science would like to thank the men and women of science, past, present and future, for their hard work and fearless application of brainy dedication to the uncovering of the unknown and for pushing back the veil of intuition so that we can see beyond the ways of chance and firmly place ourselves on the shores of possibility.

While the University of California, Davis, KDVS and its sponsors don’t necessarily represent the views of this show, we would still like to thank them for providing us a home, a place to ponder, wonder and explore the world of science out loud. If not for that generous commitment to public affairs programming, you wouldn’t be about to hear This Week In Science, coming up next. Continue reading “Transcript:TWIS.org Nov 20, 2007”