Episodes
Thursday Jan 24, 2019
WSS S3E9: The Physics of Cancer
Thursday Jan 24, 2019
Thursday Jan 24, 2019
We all know someone who has or is suffering from cancer. This week on Western Science speaks, Dr. Eugene Wong, a medical physicist at Western University, tells us about the wide variety of imaging technologies he uses to better understand the contexts in which cancerous tumors grow.
Thursday Jan 10, 2019
WSS S3E8: Rolling the Dye: Synthetic Technology in Electricity
Thursday Jan 10, 2019
Thursday Jan 10, 2019
This week, Western Science Speaks brings you the magic of synthetic chemistry – mixing molecules to create new materials! Dr. Joe Gilroy from the Department of Chemistry at Western University shares his insights about a new, cheaper and more efficient imaging dye designed in his synthetic chemistry lab. The molecules that make up the dye are red and they glow! Listen here to find out more.
If you like this podcast, follow Western Science Speaks and check out the science topic that most interests you; from space and exoplanets, climate change and ecology biodiversity, evolution and natural resources to health, new materials and the energy economy. You are always welcome to suggest a podcast topic. Just email your suggestion to science@uwo.ca.
Friday Dec 07, 2018
WSS S3E7: House of Balloons: Chemistry's Innovative Forefront
Friday Dec 07, 2018
Friday Dec 07, 2018
Chemists never rest on their laurels. 159 years after the invention of the periodic table, they are still looking to find revolutionary ways to apply and organize elements. This episode of Western Science Speaks focuses on the dexterous ways in which Western chemists are manipulating the element Phosphorus, in order to create a brighter, greener future for our planet.
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 Nov 08, 2018
WSS S3E5: A new learning landscape
Thursday Nov 08, 2018
Thursday Nov 08, 2018
In honor of International Week at Western University, the Western Science Speaks podcast is proud to present a special podcast, celebrating the students willing to go the extra mile for a unique and foreign academic experience. Beginning with an interview with a student who spent 6 months in Stockholm, Sweden and concluding with a student who spent 10 months in Singapore, this podcast unveils the tips and insight needed for any student considering studying in a new learning landscape.
Friday Oct 05, 2018
Friday Oct 05, 2018
There's nothing better than losing yourself for a couple hours in a foreign, thought-provoking virtual land. Those experienced in video games will know this typically ends with an irrational rant at a bunch of animated characters on a TV screen, and on truly antagonizing days, a broken controller to boot. So how do video games manage to create a sense of real-world importance? On this episode of Western Science Speaks we hear from Michael Katchabaw of the Computer Science department at Western University. He discusses how his lab develops hyper-realistic methods for creating believable online landscapes, how online multiplayer has changed the industry, and where video game technology is heading.
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
WSS S3E1: The draw of the galactic abyss: What you may not have known about black holes.
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
Few would argue the magnetism of space and its mysterious nature. At the heart of our extra-terrestrial conundrum are black holes; an irresistible juggernaut, seemingly capable of so much–yet barely understood. Dr. Sarah Gallagher from the Department of Physics and Astronomy discusses what we truly know about black holes, some of the common misconceptions about them, and a few of the most interesting theories Dr. Gallagher has came across.
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
WSS S2 Launch: Canada's Energy Economy
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
Sustainability, alternative energy, profitability and competitiveness; concepts that considered together provide a thought-provoking discussion with Western University’s Dr. Matt Davison about Canada’s energy economy from the perspective of the consumer, government and business.