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.
Wednesday Nov 25, 2020
WSS S5E8: Start Your Engines: The F1 of Bird Migration
Wednesday Nov 25, 2020
Wednesday Nov 25, 2020
Dr. Chris Guglielmo studies the process of migration in birds. However, while most researchers heavily focus on the flight, Chris focuses on the pit stops. Those pivotal breaks between long flights where birds are against the clock, in desperate need of a refuel. His research reveals birds as a dexterous athlete, capable of overcoming environmental and biological adversity. Chris joined the show to detail how migration is more like a prime-time sport than you think.
Monday Mar 09, 2020
WSS S4E12: The Next Hubble: The James Webb Space Telescope
Monday Mar 09, 2020
Monday Mar 09, 2020
One year in advance of the James Webb Space Telescope's official launch, Western Science Speaks is thrilled to be joined by Prof. Els Peeters, for an all-you-need-to-know audio exhibit of the revolutionary telescope that will follow in Hubble's footsteps. Episode image courtesy of NASA.
Monday Feb 24, 2020
WSS S4E11: Can I join? The Social Behaviour of Animals
Monday Feb 24, 2020
Monday Feb 24, 2020
Dr. Anne Simon joins Western Science Speaks to talk about the processes within group behaviour in a variety of animals. Later, Dr. Simon talks about her own research with fruit flies and the impact of experiences on genetic predispositions.
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.
Monday Jan 20, 2020
WSS S4E9: Ground Up Perspectives: Projecting the Future of Plants
Monday Jan 20, 2020
Monday Jan 20, 2020
Professor Dani Way from the Department of Biology joins the show to discuss her work predicting future climate realities on Earth - and what that means for our plants and trees.
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.
Monday Apr 08, 2019
WSS S3E13: X Marks the Spot: Understanding Social Behavior Through the Brain
Monday Apr 08, 2019
Monday Apr 08, 2019
About 1% of the Canadian population is affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder; 100,000 Ontarians alone currently live with ASD, which presents with a number of symptoms including difficulty with social interaction. On this episode of Western Science Speaks, graduate student Wes Robinson from the Department of Biology shares his insights the how the brain deciphers social cues, what has happened when it can’t, and how his research may contribute to a better understanding of how to treat autism.
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.