Episodes
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.
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.
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.
Tuesday Oct 09, 2018
WSS S3E3: Breaking the Code: The Adaptive Capabilities of DNA
Tuesday Oct 09, 2018
Tuesday Oct 09, 2018
DNA is our biological signature. If our DNA changes, naturally so do we. So what causes these changes? Listen to this episode of Western Science Speaks to have Kathleen Hill from the Department of Biology break down how DNA is the thread that joins us to our ancestors, plus a conversation about the biological impacts of modern life.
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.