Everyday Einstein's Quick and Dirty Tips for Making Sense of Science

On August 21, 2017 there will be a total solar eclipse that spans the continental United States from Georgia to Oregon. During the event, the Moon will pass between the Sun and the Earth and cast a shadow, completely blocking the Sun’s light for nearly 3 minutes. How much pressure will the loss in solar power put on our electric grid? Read the transcript at http://bit.ly/2rHXIeC Check out all the Quick and Dirty Tips shows: www.quickanddirtytips.com/podcasts FOLLOW EVERYDAY EINSTEIN Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/qdteinstein Twitter: https://twitter.com/qdteinstein

In the US, the Department of Agriculture (the USDA) oversees and conducts an incredible amount of scientific research related to protecting and improving our agriculture, nutrition, food distribution, and our use of natural resources. What are some of these programs?

Are we really at our smartest in our 20s? What about the wisdom and experience that come with age? At what age do we strike the right balance between cognitive ability and expertise? EE explores when our intelligence peaks.

What effect does chocolate have on your brain? Just in time for large amounts of Easter candy to hit the shelves, a study released last month shows that eating chocolate may increase our cognitive abilities. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1Mv4iv1

Climate change is a large, complex issue, but there are ways that we as individuals can make an impact. Here are 20 tips for fighting back against climate change. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2pFXhOw

Contrary to popular belief, asbestos is not banned in the United States. What is asbestos, why is it so commonly used, and what is the EPA going to do about it? Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2p6gPdl

How does climate change pose a risk to our health and safety? EE looks at the impact of climate change on food production, water availability, infrastructure, and more. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2pV1ArQ

EE explains what happens when lightning hits a plane and how often this actually happens. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2ocMQQk

Astronomers across the world are gearing up this week to make a bold attempt at taking the first ever image of a black hole. This daring idea will require the international cooperation of a telescope the size of the Earth and has the potential to turn everything we know about gravity on its head. So what does a black hole actually look like? What telescope can make such an observation? And what could possibly go wrong? Read the first transcript here: http://bit.ly/2p7dXNG

What causes air pollution, and what cities are most at risk? How can you protect yourself? Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2o0OaJy

EE explores the great science programming for adults and kids available for free from PBS both past and present. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2oqUcEy

The tap water we drink, cook with, and bathe in typically comes from either surface water sources like streams, rivers, lakes and reservoirs, or from underground sources like aquifers, permeable rocks that can store and transmit water. A range of dangerous pollutants have been found in this water - so how does it get there? And how can you, as an individual, test the safety of your water for drinking? Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2nC6m8Y

In honor of International Women’s Day this week, let’s highlight the work of Katherine Johnson, math teacher, NASA human computer, and inspiration for Margot Lee Shetterly’s recent book and the feature film, Hidden Figures. What does it mean to be a “human computer” for NASA? How are launch dates and flight paths for spacecraft determined? Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2mpxgQF

Last week NASA made the historic announcement that seven Earth-sized planets in or near the habitable zone around a single star known as TRAPPIST-1. Amidst the flurry of press coverage this announcement has inspired, here are six important points summarizing both why the star TRAPPIST-1 and its seven planets are so important, as well as how this discovery raises even more questions about life on other planets. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2mtqPQx

Thanks to large scale surveys of the sky, astronomers have more data than they can possibly look at on their own and they are looking for help from citizen scientists. Find out how you could be the first to classify a new galaxy or find the 9th planet in our solar system. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2mIIe8e