Episodes
Monday Dec 21, 2020
WSS S5E10: Holiday Wrap Up - The Best of Health Research
Monday Dec 21, 2020
Monday Dec 21, 2020
The end of the year is a time to reflect, and Western Science Speaks is looking back at some of the incredible science research we’ve had the privilege of bringing you. Focusing on health research, our Holiday Wrap Up comprises four interviews with Western researchers, Amanda Moehring, Geoff Wild, Lyle Muller, Dan Lizotte, and Brent Davis. This episode features some of our best conversations discussing the underlying indicators that determine the success of mating, the evolutionary benefits of being nice, how to better understand your own fears, and how we use social media to offer drug abusers assistance.
Monday Feb 10, 2020
WSS S4E10: Will you be my Valentine?
Monday Feb 10, 2020
Monday Feb 10, 2020
Just in time for Valentine's Day, Amanda Moehring and Geoff Wild join Western Science Speaks to discuss mating, courtship, and everything you need to know about love.
Thursday Nov 14, 2019
WSS S4E7: Are we alone? Examining the recipe for intelligent life in the universe
Thursday Nov 14, 2019
Thursday Nov 14, 2019
Dr. Jan Cami joins the podcast to discuss the origins of life on Earth, the process of finding other Earth-like planets, and the likelihood that we will ever find company out in the Universe.
Thursday Feb 07, 2019
WSS S3E10: Staying one step ahead in the evolutionary arms race
Thursday Feb 07, 2019
Thursday Feb 07, 2019
Predictive mathematical models are a useful tool for just about any type of research in science. Just how useful can they be in helping us to understand the nature of evolution? Dr. Lindi Wahl from the Department of Applied Mathematics at Western University develops models to help capture the evolution of microbes, specifically viruses and bacteria. Western Science Speaks host Henry Standage chats with Dr. Wahl about the mechanisms viruses have or develop in order to avoid extinction. Discover how a better understanding of microbial evolution allows humans to stay one step ahead in the evolutionary arms race.
Thursday Nov 22, 2018
WSS S3E6: Parasitism: The Most Popular Lifestyle Choice on Earth
Thursday Nov 22, 2018
Thursday Nov 22, 2018
With a population in the millions of trillions, Parasites are able to evolve at a faster pace than just about anything on Earth. Through this extreme and rapid evolution, parasites are able to come up with increasingly innovative ways to attach to a host species; whether it be in the sky, or down on the ground. Beth MacDougall-Shackleton, a professor at the Western faculty of Biology, studies the way in which parasites evolve in order to find hosts. She brings her expertise to the Western Science Speaks Podcast to explain how parasitism became the most popular lifestyle choice on Earth.
Thursday Oct 18, 2018
WSS S3E4: Nice Guys Finish Last ... Or Do They?
Thursday Oct 18, 2018
Thursday Oct 18, 2018
On this episode of the Western Science Speaks podcast we explore why attributes such as kindness and selflessness have triumphed over some less altruistic traits in evolution. Geoff Wild from the Department of Applied Mathematics stops by the podcast for a discussion ranging from the evolutionary benefits of "niceness" to how to the incorporation of social media into our daily lives has changed our perceptions of one another.