The Science of Everything Podcast

Astrophysicist Mario Livio joins me to discuss his latest book 'Galileo and the Science Deniers', which chronicles the scientific discoveries of Galileo Galilei and how his advocacy of the heliocentric theory led him into confrontation with the Pope. Our conversation covers the significance of Galileo's discovers, the strengths and weaknesses of his case for the heliocentric theory, his role in establishing the modern scientific method, and what we can learn from this episode in history about the importance of intellectual freedom and science communication in the present day. Check out Mario's book on Amazon. If you enjoyed the podcast please consider supporting the show by making a paypal donation or becoming a patreon supporter. https://www.patreon.com/jamesfodor https://www.paypal.me/ScienceofEverything

A lively tour of structural change in development, from Rostow’s stages to deindustrialisation. Deep dives into agricultural systems, adoption barriers, land tenure and policy reform ideas. Exploration of urbanisation: agglomeration benefits, urban gigantism, informal work and political urban bias.

A brisk tour of world economic history from agrarian premodern life to modern globalization. Key turning points include the Malthusian trap, the Great Divergence, and the two industrial revolutions. The narrative covers gold standards, Bretton Woods, postwar industrialization, the rise of neoliberalism, and waves of financial crisis and reform.

An eight-part series kickoff covering absolute versus relative poverty and how international poverty lines work. Discussion of GDP measurement, PPP, and the limits of GDP as a welfare metric. Comparison of urban slum poverty with rural subsistence living and a regional tour showing where extreme poverty is concentrated. Overview of development theories, modelling challenges, and evaluation methods like RCTs and regressions.

Continuing the discussion of photosynthesis from the previous episode, here I outline the importance of the oxygen evolving complex in oxidising water molecules, the importance of photosystem I in extracting additional energy, and the role of light-independent reactions of the Calvin cycle in carrying out carbon fixation. Recommended pre-listening is Episode 101: Photosynthesis Part I. If you enjoyed the podcast please consider supporting the show by making a paypal donation or becoming a patreon supporter. https://www.patreon.com/jamesfodor https://www.paypal.me/ScienceofEverything

An overview of photosynthesis, including the structure of chloroplasts, phototransduction of energy by chlorophyll, the macromolecular complexes of the thylakoid membrane. I also discuss the mechanisms of electron transfer along the electron transport chain, and the role of ATP synthase in generating ATP. Recommended pre-listening is Episode 75: Cellular Respiration, Episode 32: Light and Optics, and Episode 18: Biochemistry Basics. If you enjoyed the podcast please consider supporting the show by making a paypal donation or becoming a patreon supporter. https://www.patreon.com/jamesfodor https://www.paypal.me/ScienceofEverything

A special episode in which I discuss some of the ideas and principles behind the production of the show, sources I use for episodes, and my motivations for starting the podcast. I also talk about my own background and research interests, my thoughts about the relationship between science and philosophy, and some ideas for the future of the Science of Everything Podcast.

In this special celebratory 100th episode, I discuss six major unsolved problems in science: the P vs NP problem in computer science, the mystery of dark matter in physics, the existence of the island of stability in chemistry, the historical occurrence of a snowball Earth scenario from geology, the protein folding problem from biochemistry, and the origin of the Cambrian explosion in evolutionary biology. I also discuss some important ideas relating to the future of the podcast. If you enjoyed the podcast please consider supporting the show by making a paypal donation or becoming a patreon supporter. https://www.patreon.com/jamesfodor https://www.paypal.me/ScienceofEverything

A discussion of the method of reproduction of flowering plants, including an overview of the structure and function of the different components of the flower, pollination, double fertilisation, and seed formation, dispersal, and germination. I also discuss the different types of fruit and vegetables and how the different components of the plant relate to the parts that we consume. I conclude with a brief overview of non-edible plant products, including fibres, resin, and sap. Recommended prerequisite is Episode 97: Plant Structure and Function.

An overview of the nature and properties of electromagnetic radiation, including a discussion of the electromagnetic spectrum, the nature of photons, the speed of light, near and far field radiation, and technological applications of electromagnetic radiation in AM and FM radiation and microwave ovens. Recommended pre-listening is Episode 61: Magnetism and Episode 57: Electric Current and Circuits.