Finding Genius Podcast

Clair Brown is Professor of Economics at UC Berkeley. Clair has published research on many aspects of inequality and sustainability. Her book Buddhist Economics: An enlightened approach to the dismal science (Bloomsbury Press) provides an economic framework that integrates global sustainability, shared prosperity and care for the human spirit. This holistic approach is based on actual national policies that reduce inequality, protect the environment, and support all people living a dignified, meaningful life. Her research team created the Sustainable, Share-Prosperity Index (SSPI) for 50 countries. Clair is a volunteer with 350 Bay Area Action, where she co-chairs the Legislative Committee to work on passing key climate justice bills in California. Read about Clair in Eminent Economists II: Their Life and Work Philosophies (Cambridge). You can listen to podcasts with Clair: https://buddhisteconomics.net/podcasts/ Book trailer (2 min): https://youtu.be/88RX5A2iezs Professor in the Department of Economics at Berkeley and author of Buddhist Economics: An Enlightened Approach to the Dismal Science, Clair Brown, joins the show to discuss the role and importance of economics in our lives. Tune in to discover: How economics have changed over the last few decades for the better in terms of understanding human interdependence and impermanence How the coronavirus has and will continue to change the economy and the way in which companies operate, as well as the way people perceive value and change In what three key areas countries need to improve their policies and performance "Most people go into economics because they want to change the way the world works. Most people really do care about…how well people are living…inequality…the climate crisis, the health emergency, and racial justice, but economists tend to think that all of those things are interdependent in economic systems, and that how the economy works can make a difference in all of those areas," says Brown, as she explains why she's an economist. To her, economics is about figuring out how to take the resources we have and work with them to provide what people need in order to have happy and meaningful lives. She discusses her book, Buddhist Economics: An Enlightened Approach to the Dismal Science, which addresses ways in which to think about the worldview of how the economy functions and the assumptions derived from this worldview. For instance, are people selfish or altruistic? Independent from or interdependent with one another and the planet? What differentiates the rational from the irrational? Brown argues that the way an economist answers these questions necessarily impacts the way they think about the way the economy functions. She provides insight on her view of the effects of the coronavirus, which include a reevaluation of what we find meaningful in our lives, a greater awareness of the climate change emergency (noticed through the significant improvements in air and water quality during the lockdown), and a realization that we really can implement change quickly. Tune in for all the details and visit https://buddhisteconomics.net/ to learn more. Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK

Professor Kallol Gupta's research into natural peptides and receptors, specifically neurotoxins, lead him on a path towards the deep sea cone snail, which release neurotoxins particularly helpful in studying how our cellular membranes work. He explains Why the hydrophobic exterior of membranes are particularly hard to study and how a new technique with mass spectrometry has enabled a superior approach, What the "resolution revolution" of mass spectrometry enables researches to observe in protein and membrane interaction, and How this information is useful in the field of biology and also in developing drugs that address numerous physiological issues. Kallol Gupta is an assistant professor of Cell Biology at Yale University and runs the Gupta Lab. He started his academic studies in chemistry and developed an interest in biology after studying the venom library of cone snails of the coast of India. Often called poisonous snails, they are actually venomous because they inject their prey with neurotoxins through a harpoon-like structure that houses a proboscis that's able to shoot out, sting, and inject. He became interested in how these toxins had fine-tuned their actions and were able to hijack animal physiology. He explains to listeners how mass spectrometry has opened the door to a much more thorough glimpse of this action on a cellular level. He describes how these toxins bind to membranes. Like a bomb, the toxins throw a large number of compounds at the cell and a small number hit the target. But it's enough to effect the neurons of their prey. He adds that he wants to study what is special about the few that are able to bind with the membrane. If scientists like him want to target specific proteins, they can figure out how other organisms are already doing this in nature and learn from them. Dr. Gupta tells listeners about the challenging environment of the lipid cell membrane and how they have figured out how to study it inside the mass spectrometer itself before it degrades and loses its nature. He adds why these studies are so important, from developing a fundamental understanding of biological functions to developing drugs that can appropriately bind to their target. Listen in for interesting details. For more, see his lab's web site: medicine.yale.edu/lab/gupta/ Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK

Andrea Ferrero studies monetary economics and international macroeconomics. In this podcast he discusses what has and may happen to the economy under government-imposed shutdowns. He shares with listeners his thoughts on How the collapse of 2007 set us up with low interest rates at the outset of the pandemic and why that's important, The difference between how monetary and fiscal policy are playing out, and What he projects under a substantial second wave and how health and political policies will ultimately determine economic policy. Andrea Ferrero is an associate professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Oxford and the Levine Fellow of Economics at Trinity College, Oxford. He begins the podcast summarizing how he fell into the academic sector of macroeconomics and monetary policy. His first job after his Ph.D. was actually with the Federal Reserve Bank in New York in their research department after the economic collapse of 2007. In addition to his teaching and research, he serves as an academic consultant to the Bank of England. He connects today's situation with the financial crisis of 2007 and distinguishes how we face a whole new set of questions as economics and policy makers under the COVID-19 pandemic. He points out governments have been extremely aggressive with fiscal policy as determinants of monetary policy didn't have a lot of room to respond; interest rates were already low and several places didn't have room to lower them. He discusses complications of current and future responses, the shocks of supply and demand, and other elements of baseline responses to the economic effects of a second wave of COVID-19. He notes that the quick rebound of the stock market has been a surprise though speaks to a cautious view of the future. He also addresses the ways health policies and political processes effect this future in macroeconomics and to what extent governments should be planning now for long-term objectives. Listen in for more details on his expert opinion. Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK

Mark Lurie is an associate professor of epidemiology at Brown University who joins the show to discuss his work from the early 90s until the present day. Tune in to discover: What was primarily to blame for the early spread of TB in Africa, as well as the spread and development of HIV hotspots How and why early intervention is so important in the control of infectious diseases How the response to the COVID-19 pandemic differs from the response to other infectious disease outbreaks and whether the decisions made so far in the U.S. are appropriate Lurie has been involved in epidemiology since the early 90s, when he came across a fascinating study that looked at the early spread of TB in Africa. Since then, he's studied the spread of HIV and various other infectious diseases. He talks about how treatment for HIV has developed remarkably over the years despite there still not being a vaccine, and where the largest reduction in new cases of HIV have been seen. He reminds us that it wasn't more than three or four generations ago that our geographical footprint was very small… reaching not more than five or 10 miles from home. Clearly, this has changed significantly and impacted patterns of infectious disease. He discusses the coronavirus pandemic, when he thinks a vaccine may be available, the public health interventions surrounding it, evidence that the coronavirus-related lockdowns helped slow the spread, the less-talked-about consequences of the coronavirus outbreak (some of them positive), the purpose and importance of testing for the virus, the pros and cons of a treatment versus a vaccine for the virus, and what he thinks will happen in the near and long-term future. Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK

Co-lead of the meteorology team on the National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Extreme Expedition and professor in the Department of Geography at Appalachian State University, Baker Perry, joins the show to discuss his fascinating and truly unique work. Tune in to discover: How the recently-installed weather stations on Mt. Everest are filling a critical role in climber safety What has been learned about the intensity of solar radiation on the mountain and why this is important for projected glacier changes and current models used to make those projections Which new insight gained from the implementation of these weather stations might explain the incidence of climber disappearance on Mt. Everest How the data sets from these stations can take viewers on a virtual reality trip into the glacier for an immersive, once-in-a-lifetime experience On Tuesday, June 30, 2020 at 10pm ET on National Geographic, you can watch the television premier of Expedition Everest, an unprecedented journey that resulted in the installation of the world's highest weather stations and the collection of the highest ice core known to man. Baker Perry shares firsthand experience as co-lead of this incredible mission, offering you a glimpse of what it would be like to make the climb yourself. By virtue of Perry and the rest of the expedition team, real-time weather data from the mountain and past and future projections of glacier change is now possible. This not only changes the game for climbing safety, but paves the way for significant improvements to forecast and glacier change models, as well as a better understanding of how the climate is changing. Perry explains the reasoning behind the placements of the weather stations, the challenges encountered as they gained elevation, what types of equipment and instrumentation were used, and so much more. Learn more and access real-time data links to these weather stations by visiting https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/perpetual-planet/. Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK

Author, screenwriter, and storyteller Edward Savio joins the show to discuss his works and the perspectives that inspired them. In this episode, you'll discover: What led Savio to write Idiots in the Machine, an anti-screenplay novel (and what rules were broken in the creation of it) How Savio (or his characters) view a range of topics, like technology, sustainability, the idea of economic growth, and even interpersonal relationships Why Savio has a passion for writing about characters who live in the past, and what type of research he did in the creation of one of his most popular series "You have to have a kind of determination and a belief that is almost beyond reality," says Savio, commenting on how he dealt with everyone in his life who, at one point in time, told him he needed a "real" job and shouldn't pursue a career as a writer. He shares with listeners the sources of motivation that have led him to become the great writer he is today, and provides insight into some of his main characters. He also discusses some practical differences between the considerations that must be made while writing a novel versus a screenplay, how he's been able to write a series about time travel without there actually being any time travel involved, human adaptation and evolution, how and why the future will "reveal us to be ignorant," and so much more. Tune in for a compelling and unique conversation with a brilliant mind and some new ideas for good reading. For more, visit http://edwardsavio.com/ and http://battleforforever.com/. Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK Edward Savio BFF Volume 3: The first two installments in Savio's Battle For Forever action adventure sci-fi series were just #1 and #9 Best Sellers with Wil Wheaton narrating the audiobooks. Those two titles are ALEXANDER X and ANCIENT AMONG US. Edward is working on Volume 3 of BFF now, LEAGUE OF AULD, and the goal is to have another Wil Wheaton narration dropped before the end of this year. Get yourself ready for Volume 3, and get access to a free novella in the BFF universe when signing up at www.battleforforever.com

In her research, Dr. Caroline Ng addresses how to effectively treat malaria as scientists face possible drug resistance. She explains for listeners The cycle and stages of malaria-causing parasites and what causes common malaria symptoms, Why the asexual blood stage of the parasite is especially important in understanding how to disrupt its infection, and What signs of resistance are scientists observing and how her research hopes to solve the issue. Caroline L. Ng, Ph.D. is an assistant professor in the Department of Pathology and Microbiology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She specializes in the pathogenesis of Plasmodium falciparum and the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying drug resistance. She begins by explaining the life cycle of the parasites that cause malaria. Plasmodium spp. have evolved to require two hosts in their life cycle, mosquito and animal, and she specializes in the species that use human hosts in addition to the mosquito. She explains how the parasites move from mosquito saliva and make their way to the human liver. She describes their entry into red blood cells, how they divide asexually at an exponential rate, when they evolve into different sexes, and how a debris release causes the common malaria symptoms of fever and chills. She then builds on this explanation to describe the issues facing researches in how to treat malaria as symptoms of drug resistance seem to be showing up. In particular, the parasite Plasmodium falciparum is of concern as it is the most virulent and causes the most deaths. Artemisinin is a potent drug that's short-lived that must be partnered with another drug to make sure parasites are being cleared. But scientist in Southeast Asia have seen a decrease in the ability of this drug family to clear parasites. They worry this indicates artemisinin resistance. If they can understand this, they can designs drugs that synergize or identify a pathway to build up the efficacy of this drug. Along the way, she explains mechanisms of how these drugs work and how these poorer countries that face malaria need inexpensive treatments. To learn more, see her information on her institution's web site: www.unmc.edu/pathology/faculty/bios/Ng.html Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK

Professor Vythilingam started working with parasitic diseases in the early 1980s and now studies the recent upsurge in Plasmodium knowlesi in humans, which is a malaria originating in monkey hosts. In this podcast, she discusses How scientists traced the different Plasmodium species to discover that humans were being infected with this simian malaria that originates from different parasites, Why it's important that Malaysian mosquitos have adapted to biting in the early evening outdoors instead of indoors late at night, and How researchers and the Malaysian government are working together to find a solution to stopping these parasites. Indra Vythilingam is a professor of parasitology at the University of Malaya. Malaria is not a virus; rather, it's a disease caused by a parasite of the Plasmodium species that follows a host and vector life cycle. She started working on malaria the early 80s. In the early 1990s, she worked on a study with insecticide-treated mosquito nets, proving their efficacy. However, in the years since, malaria-infected mosquitoes have adapted their behaviors and evolved in Malaysia to bite earlier in the evening and outdoors. Furthermore, she explains that malaria is traveling from monkeys to mosquitos to people in Malaysia, a discovery made in 2004. Previously it was thought that humans could only catch malaria from a few specific species thought of as the human malaria parasites. However, a 2004 paper showed the simian parasite, Plasmodium knowlesi, had been transmitted to humans. Professor Vythilingam explains that the human malaria has been almost eradicated from the area, but they now have this difficult development to face. She discusses what measures she and her colleagues are hoping to take after the COVID-19 virus pandemic slows enough to allow them to return to the field. For more information, search for Indra Vythilingam in Google Scholar and other such research-accruing sites. Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK

Andrew Thompson is a Professor of Parasitology at Murdoch University who joins the show to discuss the ins and outs of his research on parasites. In this episode, you will learn: How parasites can change and/or be introduced as a result of human involvement How the recreational pursuit of fox hunting and domestication of horses led to an artificial parasitic cycle (hydatid disease) in the UK What mechanisms certain parasites have developed to help them survive in their hosts Thompson's work on parasitic diseases began many years ago, when taking a class on invertebrate zoology. One project in particular struck his interest: the role of the dwarf tapeworm in mice. Since then, his research has gone far beyond tapeworms. In recent years, the focus has been on parasites of wildlife—particularly those that may have conservation effects. In other words, parasites that normally don't cause much of a problem without the impact of human involvement and man-made domestic cycles. He gives a number of fascinating examples, and discusses the studies which led to these findings. He discusses the progression of hydatid disease in humans and domestic animals, surgical removal as an intervention, what can be done to prevent it, and much more. http://www.murdoch.edu.au/Research-capabilities/Research-stories/Andrew-Thompson/ Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK

Cheri Ackerman and Cameron Myhrvold explain their innovative new system to test for multiple viruses in one test. They explain The overarching goal of low cost alongside high scale allowing multiple diagnostics at once, How a microwell array chip and criprs cas-13 work together in this test, and How the timing of this test works and their future goals. Dr. Cheri Ackerman is the cofounder and CEO of Concerto Biosciences and Dr. Cameron Myhrvold is a post doc fellow at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. In this podcast they discuss their project to develop a new virus diagnostic method that involves cripr. While there are several standout attributes to this new diagnostic, an integral element is that it tests for multiple viruses at once. They explain that they wanted to answer what is making a person sick by testing for different viruses at the same time. The technology can by summarized as using crispr cas-13 diagnostics in a microwell array. This allows different detection reactions for multiple viruses and multiple patients at the same time. As with common COVID virus PCR tests, it starts with a nasal swab. After taking the swab and performing sample preparation as with a PCR test, the process starts to differ, specifically in two ways: the detection is conducted with a small volume, which allows them to do many tests on the same sample; second, the test allows for all of these reactions to set themselves up on their own. Detection regents and samples self-organize in a way that gets a robust result that crispr cas-13, as an RNA target, allows. They explain the method in more detail as well as goals for improvement, including reducing the turnaround time from 7 to 3 hours. Listen for more details about this exciting technology. To keep tabs on this and related work, visit www.broadinstitute.org. Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK