Best AstroBiological Podcasts (2024)

1
Ep 216: Astrobiology and Cancer 1:24:06

4h ago1:24:06

1:24:06

Part 2 in a series about the work of researcher Charley Lineweaver. In this episode, a targeted focus on the one thing we did not discuss out of all of Charley's scientific interests in my interview with him in Ep 215: his recent work with Paul Davies on "The Atavistic Model" of Cancer. For the peer reviewed paper on The Atavistic Model by Lineweav…

1
Episode 27: Are YOU an NPC? 🤖 Scientist Discovers We Live in a Simulation! 40:14

6h ago40:14

40:14

Send us a text 🚀 Reality check, space cadets! This Intergalactic Insider episode will make you question everything: 💻 Our universe is a simulation - but are YOU real or just well-programmed? 🍔 Cosmic fast food wars: Is your favorite meal part of the code? 🕳️ Dark matter secrets: The hidden resource shaping your digital existence 🔴🔵 Mars' new look: …

1
Ep 220: Criticism is never enough 39:14

3h ago39:14

39:14

Another response episode. This time to Douglas Murray and Jordan Peterson. Douglas and Jordan are seeking a way to construct a positive vision for society, but they seem at a loss for what in fundamental terms, this might include. Part 1 of 2.By Brett Hall

1
Ep 219: Response to Peter Boghossian Part 3, Appendix 24:18

1h ago24:18

24:18

Parts 1 and 2 were, admittedly, long. So if you could not persevere through those, this gets the major points out serving both as an appendix to tie up some loose ends and as a summary of parts 1 and 2.By Brett Hall

1
Gene editing, CRISPR, and drawing the line between science and fiction 39:33

2d ago39:33

39:33

Thanks to revolutionary technologies like CRISPR, we’re now living in an age where it’s becoming possible to rewrite the very building blocks of life itself—our DNA. We sit down with Scripps Research Fellow and CRISPR expert Shannon Miller, PhD, to discover how these gene editing technologies are poised to reverse a range of diseases. Listen in as …

1
Ep 218: Peter Boghossian Response PART 2 1:02:43

36m ago1:02:43

1:02:43

Here I get to the part of the discussion Peter has about my own "airchat" explanation of "anyone can understand anything". I go through arguments based on the Church-Turing Principle, computational universality and how denials of explanatory universality are appeals to the supernatural and other topics.…

1
Skeptic Check: Cell Phone Bans 54:56

1d ago54:56

54:56

As middle and high schools across the country implement new cell phone bans, we consider what drove this bold step and what science says about how digital devices affect our attention and focus. An assistant principal describes how his school implemented the ban, despite protest from students and parents, and what happened next. Guests: Alison - 14…

1
Ep: 217 Peter Boghossian Response Part 1 1:16:58

1d ago1:16:58

1:16:58

The great epistemologist, Peter Boghossian, created a video on Youtube that responded to me, in part. It's to be found in full here: https://youtu.be/5Vf-T8K0_zE?si=T2XkG8h8iNj1ZXGR This first part is largely a response to Richard Dawkins on his notion of "Middle World" and Michael Shermer's notion we are not evolutionarily capable of understanding…

1
How a diver and artist brought a mysterious octopus to light 11:34

2d ago11:34

11:34

Octopus mating behaviors can be quite deadly. Many species are cannibalistic, making the entire prospect of mating dangerous, and female octopuses often die after laying one clutch of eggs. Their cannibalistic tendencies mean that octopuses don’t socialize as much as other animals. But the larger Pacific striped octopus (LPSO) is different. For one…

1
Cold Comfort 54:00

1h ago54:00

54:00

Air conditioning and refrigeration may beat the heat, but they also present a dilemma. The more we use them, the more greenhouse gases we emit, the hotter the planet becomes, and the more we require artificial cooling. Can we escape this feedback loop? We look at the origins of these chilling technologies, tour the extensive chain of cold that keep…

1
Introducing Spotlight on SETI! 46:30

12d ago46:30

46:30

Are we alone? The search for life in the universe is on! For 40 years, the SETI Institute has been a leader in the search for life and intelligence beyond Earth. Recent discoveries, such as exoplanets, have brought us closer than ever to answering the question of whether we are alone in the universe. To honor the Institute’s pioneering past as we l…

1
Episode 26: Is Your 401k in a BLACK HOLE?! | Alien Macarena CRISIS | Space Broccoli GONE WRONG 🚀💥 41:53

15d ago41:53

41:53

Send us a text 🛸 Buckle up, Earthlings! Intergalactic Insider Ep. 26 is here to blow your mind faster than a supernova! 🤯 Ever accidentally caused an interplanetary incident with a beret? 🎭 Wondered if your retirement fund is safe from quantum fluctuations? 💰 Curious about the cosmic consequences of misusing French pickup lines? 💋👽 Join Felix Andro…

1
Ep 215: Charley Lineweaver 1:19:49

4d ago1:19:49

1:19:49

A conversation with physicist, cosmologist, astrobiologist, polyglot and polymath - Charley Lineweaver. 00:00 - My introduction 08:57 - Charley’s fascinating early years 12:14 - From an English/History degree to physics 13:53 - Charley’s historic work on the Cosmic Microwave Background 17:34 - Methods of probing deep space 19:51 - Our accelerating …

1
Shipwrecks 54:55

13d ago54:55

54:55

Shipwrecks are scenes of tragedy, but they are also bits of history frozen in time that can provide insights into events and ideas from long ago. That is, if we can find them. From an 11th century Viking sailing ship to a WW II era British cargo ship with a mailbag of letters onboard amazingly preserved, an underwater archeologist takes us on a dee…

1
What newly discovered cave art tells us about human creativity 12:33

10d ago12:33

12:33

In July, researchers discovered the oldest known cave art. It was found in a cave on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, and it shows three human-like figures and a wild pig. The painting was dated at 51,200 years old—5,000 years older than any other known cave art. The finding continues a trend of researchers unearthing older and older examples of …

1
Calling All Aliens* 54:00

11d ago54:00

54:00

Are we alone in the universe? Is there other intelligence out there? COSMIC, the most ambitious SETI search yet, hopes to answer that. We hear updates on this novel signal detection project being conducted on the Very Large Array in the desert of New Mexico. Also, we chat with award-winning science fiction writer Ted Chiang about how he envisions m…

1
Episode 25: Olympic Cheaters Bend Reality?! | Alien Gut Bugs = Immortality? 43:49

29d ago43:49

43:49

Send us a text 🌌 Intergalactic Insider brings you the most mind-bending news from across the cosmos! 🚀 In this episode: • Alien microbes in human guts: Fountain of youth or cosmic indigestion? 🦠 • Wormhole workers on strike: Galaxy-wide traffic jam! 🕳️🚗 • Olympic scandal: Athletes caught quantum cheating?! 🏅🔬 • Alien Yoga: Twist your body through 1…

1
Life in the Solar System 54:00

18d ago54:00

54:00

Spewing lava and belching noxious fumes, volcanoes seem hostile to biology. But the search for life off-Earth includes the hunt for these hotheads on other moons and planets, and we tour some of the most imposing volcanoes in the Solar System. Plus, a look at how tectonic forces reshape bodies from the moon to Venus to Earth. And a journey to the c…

1
How ancient art influenced modern astronomy 18:04

24d ago18:04

18:04

Looking into space can be pretty daunting. How do we make sense of the vast expanse above our heads, the millions of stars we might be able to see, and the billions more we can’t? Now, what about listening to space? That’s the task that Sam Harnett and Chris Hoff gave themselves, for their series “Cosmic Visions.” They’re the team behind “The World…

1
Catching Fire 54:00

26d ago54:00

54:00

We have too much “bad fire.” Not only destructive wildfires, but the combustion that powers our automobiles and provides our electricity has generated a worrying rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide. And that is driving climate change which is adding to the frequency of megafires. Now we’re seeing those effects in “fire-clouds,” pyrocumulonimbus even…

1
Not Just a Phage 54:00

1M ago54:00

54:00

We’re hurtling towards a post-antibiotic world, as the overuse of antibiotics has given rise to dangerous drug-resistant bacteria. Can we fight back using viruses as weapons? An obscure medical therapy uses certain viruses called bacteriophages to treat infection. For a century attempts to turn phage-therapy into a life-saving treatment have falter…

1
Episode 24: Alien Archaeologist SHOCKED by Human Behavior! 41:36

2M ago41:36

41:36

Send us a text 🌟 In this mind-bending episode of Intergalactic Insider: - 🏺 Zenzian archaeologist Narla Bzultr spills the cosmic tea on her groundbreaking Hrakka discoveries - 🤯 Human customs that left her tentacles in a twist - 🌪️ Chaos ensues as Zephyr gets caught in a Jovian storm... again! - 🤣 Plus, the space weather forecast that'll make you g…

1
How science fiction influenced American psychological warfare 18:18

2M ago18:18

18:18

When you think about connections between science and war, the obvious links are in technology—advanced radar, spy satellites, more powerful explosives—and in medical innovations that seek to heal the wounds caused by conflict. But in a new book, Stories are Weapons: Psychological Warfare and the American Mind, author Annalee Newitz says that storie…

1
Skeptic Check: Is Social Media Harming Kids? 1:06:14

2M ago1:06:14

1:06:14

Social media use among teens has risen alongside rates of anxiety and depression. Addressing what he calls a mental health crisis, the Surgeon General has called for warning labels on social media platforms akin to those on tobacco and alcohol. But this comes before scientific consensus has been reached that social media causes harm. We consider th…

1
Everything we know about H5N1 bird flu 27:54

2M ago27:54

27:54

Four years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, another virus threatens to reach pandemic potential: the H5N1 bird flu. We sit down with Arnab Chatterjee, vice president of medicinal chemistry at Calibr-Skaggs, who explains the need to invest in the best science to make sure we’re more prepared than we were for the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. Chatter…

1
Animal Alphabets 54:00

2M ago54:00

54:00

Have scientists discovered an alphabet in whale calls? As researchers try to decipher the series of clicks made by sperm whales, we ask whether these cetaceans might have language, and if it follows that whales are thinking animals too. Could we one day get a peek into the thoughts of a humpback whale? Meanwhile, somewhere along the long path of ev…

1
Episode 23: CrowdStrike CHAOS 2024?!, Aliens HACK Earth's Sun!, Entire Planet Can't Stop Dancing! 34:38

2M ago34:38

34:38

Send us a text 🎙️ The Intergalactic Insider brings you the CRAZIEST episode yet! 🤯 🕰️ Travel back to 2024's CrowdStrike catastrophe - when Earth's internet went BOOM! 💥 🔥 Why are aliens trying to hack our sun? (And why Earth's?!) 💃 What's making an entire planet break out in unstoppable dance fever? Join Felix Andromeda as we unravel these cosmic m…

1
Ep 214: Resources, Wealth, Technology, Error Correction and Knowledge Creation 1:26:49

2M ago1:26:49

1:26:49

The title is long enough so you look for more here? ;) This one is largely, in truth about energy and what it can do for us. Across the almost 90 minutes I cover how the concepts in the title logically cohere and depend one upon the other and we take a look at "the universal constructor" and compare the possibilities for an optimistic distant futur…

1
The tornado science of 'Twisters' and a real-life 'Dune' stillsuit 18:16

2M ago18:16

18:16

“Twisters,” the long awaited follow-up to the 1996 movie “Twister” is out now. It’s about a scientist (Daisy Edgar-Jones) who goes back to her home state of Oklahoma to try and stop a massive tornado outbreak from wreaking havoc on its citizens. On the way, she meets a quirky cast of storm chasers, and butts heads with a band of unorthodox “tornado…

1
Allergy Reason* 54:00

2M ago54:00

54:00

Runny nose. Itchy, watery eyes. Sneezing. If you don’t have allergies, you probably know someone who does. The number of people with allergies, including food allergies and eczema, is increasing. What is going on? A medical anthropologist describes how our hygiene habits, our diets, and our polluted environment are irritating our bodies. Also, the …

1
CRISPR Mosquitoes* 54:00

2M ago54:00

54:00

The powerful gene editing tool CRISPR is already being tested on animal and plant cells. It has even been used on humans. How might this revolutionary tool change our lives? On the one hand, it could cure inherited diseases and rid the world of malaria-spreading mosquitoes. On the other hand, scientists using it are accelerating evolution and intro…

1
Ep 213: ToKCast in Auckland - live 1:08:53

3M ago1:08:53

1:08:53

This is a recording (with a brief introduction first) of a keynote address I gave to open the 2024 "Naturalistic Decision Making Association" conference. People from business, government and academia came together for 3 days to talk about how to make better decisions under pressure. It was an opportunity for me to share the work of David Deutsch an…

1
#15 Jackie Faherty - Brown Dwarfs, Clouds, Atmospheres, JWST 1:36:35

3M ago1:36:35

1:36:35

In this week's episode, David is joined by Dr Jackie Faherty, Senior Scientist and Senior Education Manager at the American Museum of Natural History and co-founded of the BDNYC research team. Jackie is a champion of brown dwarf science, mysterious objects that aren't quite stars, and aren't quite planets. To support this podcast and our research l…

1
Episode 22: 10 Sexes?! Alien Species SHOCKS Scientists | Interdimensional Love Triangle 💘🔺 29:16

3M ago29:16

29:16

Send us a text 🚀 Blast off into the wildest corners of the cosmos with Intergalactic Insider! 🌠 In this mind-bending episode: • 😂 A comedian's act turns DEADLY serious • 🌍 The planet that's both livable and deadly?! • 👽 New alien species with TEN sexes - love life just got complicated! • ❤️🔼 Caught between dimensions - an interdimensional love stor…

1
The best summer science beach reads for 2024 30:04

3M ago30:04

30:04

It’s officially summertime, and the season of reading is finally here! Two science writers and voracious readers have compiled their summer reading recommendations, just for Science Friday fans. Before you head out for a week at the beach, start packing for that road trip, or stock up for a long staycation, we’ve got the list of science-y summer re…

1
Don't Lighten Up 54:00

3M ago54:00

54:00

A canopy of stars in the night sky is more than breathtaking. Starlight is also an important tool that astronomers use to study our universe. But the growth of artificial light and light pollution are creating dramatic changes to the nighttime environment. Let your eyes adjust to the dark as we travel to a dark sky reserve to gaze upon an increasin…

1
Aliens Now 54:00

3M ago54:00

54:00

We are closer than ever to finding aliens according to astrophysicist Adam Frank. He isn’t alone in his optimism. Over the last two decades, the tools used to search for extraterrestrials have been advancing mightily. Where we were once only monitoring with radio telescopes, we are now actively looking for bio and technosignatures on exoplanets. Fi…

1
Ep 212: Livestream 3, June 28 2024 2:24:52

3M ago2:24:52

2:24:52

More questions, more lengthy and more verbose than ever. Enjoy, or drift of to sleep with me ;)By Brett Hall

1
Ep 211: Livestream 2, June 26 2024 1:17:41

3M ago1:17:41

1:17:41

Fear not! ToKCast is not becoming a pure Q&A "show". This is literally a kind of "break" for me that I find easy and I note the listeners find fun. Today's a little shorter and - here's some of the topics covered! 00:00: David Deutsch mentioned on Lex Fridman 04:15: Dennis Noble debates Richard Dawkins on the selfish gene 16:47: The goal driven lif…

1
Meet the emotions behind teenage angst in ‘Inside Out 2’ 17:38

3M ago17:38

17:38

In the 2015 film “Inside Out,” audiences met 11-year-old Riley and her team of emotions: Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger, each represented by a different character. They lived inside Riley’s mind to help guide her feelings and actions, and towards the end of the film, their emotional control center gets an upgrade with a puberty button. That…

1
Ep 210: Livestream - Question, Answer and repeat for 2+ hours 2:15:05

3M ago2:15:05

2:15:05

I put out a call on Twitter/@X for questions and got a deluge. Between those and more from YouTube itself - this is the result ranging over predicting the future, through to theories of learning, AGI and AI, optimism and epistemology - many of the major hits and more.By Brett Hall

1
Episode 21: Clones, Killer AIs, & Cosmic Cuisine: Time Tourists Break the Universe! 🚀🕰️ 40:29

3M ago40:29

40:29

Send us a text Buckle up, space cadets! 👽 Episode 21 of Intergalactic Insider is here to blow your minds faster than a quantum singularity! 🤯 Join Felix Andromeda as we dive into: 🧬 The clone conundrum that's got everyone seeing double 💻 A deadly AI girlfriend with a killer app-etite 🍽️ Exotic alien crops that are out of this world (literally!) 🕰️ …

1
Skeptic Check: The Body Electric* 54:00

3M ago54:00

54:00

Electricity plays an important role in our everyday lives, including allowing our bodies to communicate internally. But some research claims electricity may be used to diagnose and treat disease? Could electric pulses one day replace medications? We speak with experts about the growing field of bioelectric medicine and the evidence for electricity’…

1
#14 Gavin Schmidt - Climate Science, Projections, Measurements, Denialism 1:34:56

3M ago1:34:56

1:34:56

In this week's episode, David is joined by climate scientist Dr Gavin Schmidt, Director of the NASA Goddard Institute of Space Studies (GISS) and co-founded of the RealClimate blog. To support this podcast and our research lab, head to www.coolworldslab.com/support RealClimate: https://www.realclimate.org/ NASA GISS: https://www.giss.nasa.gov/ Cool…

1
Building a 'telescope' for the brain 27:40

3M ago27:40

27:40

Galileo’s telescope revolutionized our modern understanding of the universe. Assistant neuroscience professor Xin Jin, PhD, wants to do just that—except for the brain. By building new tools that enable her and other neuroscientists to peer into the inner workings of the mind, Jin is uncovering the cells, genes and other complex drivers behind neuro…

1
Ep 209: Rational Decision Making 1:03:03

3M ago1:03:03

1:03:03

Riffing on Karl Popper and David Deutsch (especially). A broad overview, covering lots of the basics of "social" or "rational" choice theory, Bayesianism (again!), misconceptions, good ideas and bad. Errors my own as always.By Brett Hall

1
Flower Power* 54:00

3M ago54:00

54:00

Before everything could come up roses, there had to be a primordial flower – the mother, and father, of all flowers. Now scientists are on the hunt for it. The eFlower project aims to explain the sudden appearance of flowering plants in the fossil record, what Darwin called an “abominable mystery.” Meanwhile, ancient flowers encased in amber or pre…

1
The bird call that music producers love to use in pop songs 8:58

4M ago8:58

8:58

For decades now, one music star has managed to show up on tracks spanning multiple genres and appear alongside many famous artists—while also remaining bafflingly under-recognized. Any guesses? Of course, we’re talking about none other than the common loon—a waterbird with striking red eyes and black-and-white checkerboard plumage. This bird’s call…

1
Episode 20: A Day in the Life of a Space Pirate! 🏴‍☠️💰 50:47

4M ago50:47

50:47

Send us a text Ahoy, space cadets! 🌌 Get ready to set sail on the cosmic seas with Episode 20 of Intergalactic Insider! 🚀 In this thrilling installment, our host Felix Andromeda sits down with a mysterious guest - a real-life space pirate! 🏴‍☠️👤 Ever wondered what it's like to live the life of an intergalactic outlaw? 🤔 From daring heists to narrow…

1
Animals Being Jerks* 54:00

4M ago54:00

54:00

They’re cute and cuddly. But they can also be obnoxious. Science writer Mary Roach has numerous tales about how our animal friends don’t always bow to their human overlords and behave the way we’d want. The resulting encounters, such as when gulls disrupt the Vatican’s Easter mass, make for amusing stories. But others, such as wolves threatening fa…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

AstroBiological Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide