Episodes
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.
Friday Nov 01, 2019
WSS S4E6: Earth, Wind, and Fire: New Perspectives on Mining
Friday Nov 01, 2019
Friday Nov 01, 2019
Dr. Nigel Blamey joins the podcast to discuss the challenges facing the mining industry, what a mass extinction caused by gas would look like, and how oxygen has evolved.
Thursday Oct 17, 2019
WSS S4E5: Meteorites Tell the Story of the Solar System
Thursday Oct 17, 2019
Thursday Oct 17, 2019
Dr. Desmond Moser joins the podcast to explain how his latest paper, detailing the analysis of meteorites, can explain the history of Earth, and all our neighbours in the solar system.
Thursday Oct 03, 2019
WSS S4E4: The Rise of Fish Farming in Canada
Thursday Oct 03, 2019
Thursday Oct 03, 2019
Dr. Bryan Neff from the Department of Biology joins the podcast to discuss the rise of sustainable fish farming in Canada, why we’re hesitant to eat genetically modified food, and his research in restoring salmon to Canadian lakes.
Thursday Sep 19, 2019
WSS S4E3: Back to square one: The role of metabolism in Alzheimer's Disease
Thursday Sep 19, 2019
Thursday Sep 19, 2019
Evidence suggests that metabolism is connected to Alzheimer's disease. In fact, lifestyle habits contribute to your susceptibility of getting Alzheimer’s. But exactly how remains a mystery. Robert Cumming and his lab research how age-dependent alterations in brain metabolism affect memory and contribute to neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease.
Thursday Sep 05, 2019
WSS S4E2: Artificial Intelligence: Spotting a veiled cry for help on social media
Thursday Sep 05, 2019
Thursday Sep 05, 2019
On this episode of Western Science Speaks, Dr. Dan Lizotte and PhD Student Brent Davis discuss how they are using artificial intelligence (AI) to identify people on social media who may be struggling with addiction.
Thursday Aug 22, 2019
WSS S4E1: Spreading Avian Malaria in the Tropics: The Middleman Mosquito
Thursday Aug 22, 2019
Thursday Aug 22, 2019
Malaria is a serious disease that threatens human life. This illness, however, is not unique to us and understanding how it effects and is transmitted among other species can be important for controlling it among our own populations. On this episode of Western Science Speaks, our guest, Leticia de Souza Soares from the Department of Biology, talks about how birds specifically pass Malaria to one another through a middleman; the infamous mosquito.