New Books in Science, Technology, and Society

Steve Ramirez, an Associate Professor at Boston University, dives deep into the intriguing science of memory manipulation. He shares his groundbreaking work on creating false memories, revealing how memory is fluid and can be reshaped over time. Ramirez explores the ethical implications of editing memories for healing, discussing its potential to alleviate trauma and mental health issues. He also reflects on memory's role in shaping identity and forecasts exciting developments in brain science and the future of memory research.

Emily Hund, a research affiliate at the Center on Digital Culture and Society, explores the evolution of the influencer industry from its roots in recession-era blogging to today's monetized platforms. She discusses how early creators transformed personal branding into a profession and highlights the paradox of authenticity being commodified. Hund also analyzes the backlash and regulatory challenges influencers face, while warning about the broader societal implications of misinformation fueled by influencer culture. It's a deep dive into an industry that's reshaped how we connect.

Ines Prodöhl’s Globalizing the Soybean: Fat, Feed, and Sometimes Food, c. 1900-1950 (Routledge, 2023) is a history of how, why, and where the soybean became a critical ingredient in industry and agriculture in the first half of the twentieth century. Focusing on Japanese-dominated Manchuria, Germany, and the United States, Prodöhl shows that the soybean was a serendipitous solution to numerous and varied crises from the beginning of the century into the post-WWII decades. This story of imperialism, globalization, and technology begins in northeast China, the world’s soy cultivation center until the 1940s. It takes us to Germany, the number one importer of soybeans in the interwar period, and illuminates the various ways in which soy was integrated into the economy especially after the end of WWI as both an invaluable oilseed for industry and a source of protein-rich fodder for agriculture. Finally, Prodöhl explores how the United States first adopted the soybean mostly as a solution to overtaxed soils. Mixing economic, ecological, political, and technological/scientific history with a keen sense of the materiality of soy as a global product, Globalizing the Soybean is an accessible and enlightening book that will appeal to multiple audiences.This book is available open access here.This episode was recorded in person in the studios of Media City Bergen with technical assistance from Frode Ims.Nathan Hopson is an associate professor of Japanese language and history in the University of Bergen's Department of Foreign Languages. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science-technology-and-society

Habitual drug use in the United States is at least as old as the nation itself. Elizabeth Kelly Gray's book Habit Forming: Drug Addiction in America, 1776-1914 (Oxford UP, 2023) traces the history of unregulated drug use and dependency before 1914, when the Harrison Narcotic Tax Act limited sales of opiates and cocaine under US law. Many Americans used opiates and other drugs medically and became addicted. Some tried ‘Hasheesh Candy’, injected morphine, or visited opium dens, but neither use nor addiction was linked to crime, due to the dearth of restrictive laws. After the Civil War, American presses published extensively about domestic addiction. Later in the nineteenth century, many people used cocaine and heroin as medicine.As addiction became a major public health issue, commentators typically sympathized with white, middle-class drug users, while criticizing such use by poor or working-class people and people of color. When habituation was associated with middle-class morphine users, few advocated for restricted drug access. By the 1910s, as use was increasingly associated with poor young men, support for regulations increased. In outlawing users' access to habit-forming drugs at the national level, a public health problem became a larger legal and social problem, one with an enduring influence on American drug laws and their enforcement.Rachel Pagones is an acupuncturist, educator, and author based in Cambridge, England. She was chair of the doctoral program in acupuncture and Chinese medicine at Pacific College of Health and Science in San Diego before moving to the UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science-technology-and-society

How and why did the South’s history, culture, and politics shape the region’s nuclear and energy industries? And how is that history linked to broader developments in the nuclear and energy industries—nationally and globally? Radioactive Dixie: A Nuclear History of the American South (U Georgia Press, 2025) by Dr. Caroline Peyton answers those questions as it traces the origins of the U.S. South’s love affair with the atom.The South contains more nuclear reactors than any other region in the United States and much of the nation’s radioactive waste. This book shows how the South’s atomic footprint resulted from a decades-long effort by Southern politicians, industry figures, universities, and government officials to transform the American South into a nuclear-oriented region. Waving the atomic talisman, the nuclear industry served as one pivotal part in a larger project of regional modernization—a process that began in the nineteenth century and lasted more than a century. From this perspective, bomb plants and nuclear reactors promised to expand the South’s economy and to cast its identity as a center of modern industry, science, and engineering and as a producer of cheap, limitless energy. Radioactive Dixie is the first book to chronicle this regional story that had national implications. Southern history informed national siting decisions, regulatory oversight, and attitudes toward the various nuclear projects that proliferated in the post–World War II period. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda’s interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science-technology-and-society

Bruno J. Strasser, a historian of science at the University of Geneva, and Thomas Schlich, a historian of medicine, delve into the rich history of masks in their new book. They debunk myths about the beaked plague doctor masks, revealing them as satirical rather than practical. The duo discusses how social norms, gender, and industrialization shaped attitudes towards mask-wearing through the ages. Their insights also cover military gas masks as symbols of war and pollution, and they challenge misconceptions around masks in different cultures, particularly in Asia.

Historian Alison Bashford dives into the captivating intersection of science, medicine, and magic through the lens of palmistry. She reveals how iconic figures like Isaac Newton and Darwin were intrigued by the hand's significance. Discover tales of pioneering palm readers, including Charlotte Wolff's adventurous primate studies, and Francis Galton's foundational work in dermatoglyphics. Bashford also discusses modern applications in genetics and the ongoing allure of palmistry, highlighting its role in both scientific inquiry and mystical traditions.

Heino Falcke, a leading astrophysicist and the mind behind the first black hole image, shares his journey in capturing this cosmic mystery. He discusses the intricacies and failures inherent in scientific work while exploring how childhood curiosity ignited his fascination with black holes. Falcke reflects on the spiritual implications of astronomy, urging listeners to ponder humanity's connection to the universe. He humorously explains scientific terms and contemplates the potential discovery of extraterrestrial life, intertwining faith and wonder.

Dr. Marc Berman, a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of Chicago, explores the powerful impact of nature on our mental and physical well-being. He reveals how simple interactions with the natural environment can alleviate stress, sharpen focus, and enhance creativity, even for those who aren't nature enthusiasts. Berman emphasizes the importance of green spaces in urban design and presents compelling research linking nature exposure to improved health outcomes. His insights into attention restoration theory offer a refreshing perspective on living a healthier life.

Rachel Midura, a historian specializing in early modern communication, dives into the revolutionary impact of postal systems in Europe. She spotlights the Tassis family, who played crucial roles as postmasters under various rulers. Midura reveals how the post transformed diplomacy and public discourse, intertwining state and private communication. She discusses the challenges of maintaining reliable postal networks, espionage risks faced by messengers, and the evolution of postal services as a form of social media in the early modern era.