Science Podcast

April 2, 2007

I’ve been listening to CBC Radio’s Quirks and Quarks for a month or so. That’s a Canadian general science program pitched at lay-listeners. The show focuses on current research, too, which means just about everything discussed is on the exciting edges of science.

Here’s an interesting thing. Much of the research discussed on Q&Q is research that reshapes our understanding of how the world works. I was particularly excited by the March 10 episode, which featured two stories about birds exhibiting complex cognitive behavior. In other words, thinking.

Both scientists sounded surprised. I find that amusing.

See also Dr. Brown’s web page on 2003 EL61

Listen to Quirks and Quarks long enough and what you’ll eventually discover is that there’s still a lot scientists don’t know. In this week’s episode, evidence of a collision of two dwarf planets. Dr. Mike Brown of the California Institute of Technology says such a collision was so improbable that it was considered i mpossible. Yet another lesson in jumping to conclusions.

Posted in Science