American Museum of Natural History Podcast

While supernovae are some of the most energetic phenomena known to science, a great deal of mystery still surrounds their origins. In this podcast from a recent "Frontiers in Astrophysics," postdoctoral fellow Joanne Bibby and Richard Gilder Graduate School student Graham Kanarek introduce the theory that predicts massive stars as supernova progenitors, and discuss how scientists might confirm such a theory in the future. The talk, "Spectacular Supernovae" was introduced by Department of Astrophysics Curator Michael Shara, and took place at the museum on October 15, 2012.

We’ve long understood black holes to be the points at which the universe as we know it comes to an end. Recent research, however, has led to new discoveries about black holes. In this podcast from a recent "Frontiers in Astrophysics," Caleb Scharf, Director of the Columbia Astrobiology Center, describes how these chasms in space-time don’t just vacuum up everything but release matter and rearrange the surrounding cosmos. Dr. Scharf’s talk took place at the Museum on September 10, 2012.

For some professional chefs, an interest in science and technology has transformed their kitchens into laboratories where centrifuges and freeze dryers are just as useful as pots and pans. In this podcast, Dr. Nathan Myhrvold, co-author of the book, "Modernist Cuisine at Home," discusses ways that home cooks can use common kitchen tools to create astounding flavors. This "Adventures in the Global Kitchen" event took place at the Museum on October 11, 2012.

What do we really know about the diversity of life on Earth? Biologists have named 1.8 million species out of an estimated 10 million, according to Museum Provost of Science Michael J. Novacek. In this SciCafe, Dr. Novacek discusses how researchers are using cyber-technology to explore the evolution and organization of life as never before. The SciCafe, "The Whole-Life Catalog," took place at the Museum on October 3, 2012.

Einstein's Theory of Special Relativity has been tested with ever-increasing precision since its publication in 1905. One of its key predictions is that only light itself can travel at the speed of light. While the theory does not forbid particles from moving faster, such particles must be traveling backward in time. In this podcast from the spring, join Hayden Planetarium Director Neil deGrasse Tyson and six of the world's leading voices in this scientific debate for the 2012 Isaac Asimov Memorial Debate, "Faster Than the Speed of Light." This year’s debate pitted some of the experimentalists who claimed to have discovered faster-than-light neutrinos against their strongest critics, and explored the ways that modern physicists are testing the fundamental laws of nature. The debate was recorded at the Museum on March 20, 2012.

For more than four decades, Dame Daphne Sheldrick has devoted her life to rescuing orphaned animals in East Africa and preparing them for return to the wild on her elephant orphanage near Nairobi, Kenya. In this podcast, Dame Daphne looks back at her life as a conservationist, and elaborates on stories from her recent memoir, "Love, Life and Elephants: An African Love Story." The actress Kristin Davis introduced Dame Daphne’s talk, which was recorded at the Museum on May 8, 2012.

Space dust and asteroid fragments reach Earth’s surface every day, but only rarely do extraterrestrial objects cause serious harm. In this podcast, MIT professor Richard Binzel evaluates the threat of asteroids and makes a case for how they might actually be useful to humans. Dr. Binzel’s talk, "Tracking Asteroids," from the Frontiers in Astrophysics lecture series, took place at the Hayden Planetarium on April 16, 2012.

Skin is the body’s largest organ, and one with a complex cultural and evolutionary past. In this SciCafe from the spring, biological anthropologist Nina Jablonski discusses how human skin evolved, particularly as an adaptation to ultraviolet radiation. The SciCafe took place at the Museum on May 2, 2012.

The celebrated richness of France’s cuisine makes the equally exalted slimness of its population that much more of a mystery. In this podcast from the spring, Mireille Guiliano, author of the bestseller French Women Don’t Get Fat, addresses the so-called French paradox. Ms. Guiliano’s talk from the "Adventures in the Global Kitchen" monthly series took place at the Museum on April 25, 2012.

A growing body of research from the fields of physical anthropology, genetics, and genomics indicates that there’s no scientific justification for the concept of race. In this podcast from last fall, Museum curators Ian Tattersall and Rob DeSalle, who recently co-authored a book on the subject entitled Race? Debunking a Scientific Myth, explain why features that we consider markers of race are actually of recent biological origin or superficial. Their book recently made the longlist for this year’s prestigious Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books, whose judges called it an "important subject ripe for discussion in a scientifically reputable way." This SciCafe took place at the Museum on October 5, 2011.

More than 100 years after President Theodore Roosevelt earned his place in history as the "Conservation President," scientists, historians, and policy makers continue to draw inspiration from his life and works. In this podcast from the Museum’s 22nd Annual Environmental Lecture and Luncheon, join a panel of conservation experts who addressed topics ranging from President Roosevelt’s conservation legacy to the importance of building public engagement in densely populated areas. Moderated by Lynn Sherr, a former "20/20″ correspondent, the panel included Douglas Brinkley, professor of history at Rice University and author of The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America and The Quiet World: Saving Alaska’s Wilderness Kingdom 1879-1960; Rose Harvey, Commissioner of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation; and Steward T. A. Pickett, distinguished senior scientist and plant ecologist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. "The Urban Naturalist: The Roosevelt Legacy" was recorded at the Museum on April 25, 2012.

From Darwin’s finches to the dodo, island birds have inspired scientific theories. Thanks to the genomic revolution and increased access to islands, there’s a new age of island exploration by researchers. In this podcast from a recent SciCafe, Chris Filardi, director of Pacific Programs for the Museum’s Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, highlights the Museum’s ongoing island research and new paradigms in island biology. The event, "Island Birds and Biodiversity," took place at the Museum on April 4, 2012.

Theoretical physicist Dr. S. James Gates, Jr. uses mathematics to understand string theory and superstring theory, candidates for a single, unified theory of the universe. In this talk from a recent SciCafe, Dr. Gates describes the basics of string theory and talks about the discovery of computer codes—like those used in web browsers—embedded in the equations of superstring theory. The SciCafe took place at the Museum on January 4, 2012.

On April 12, 2011, the American Museum of Natural History hosted the 21st Annual Environmental Lecture and Luncheon, "A New Food Culture for a Sustainable Future." The luncheon featured a panel of sustainable food experts who addressed topics ranging from urban agriculture to how eating locally can affect the community, environment, and the planet. Moderated by Lynn Sherr, a former "20/20″ correspondent, the panel included Nevin Cohen, assistant professor of Environmental Studies at The New School and urban food policy expert; Dickson Despommier, emeritus professor at Columbia University and inventor of the vertical farm concept; and Nancy Easton, founder and executive director of Wellness in the Schools. Listen to a portion of the 2011 lecture in this podcast.

Can scientists stop an asteroid that’s on a collision course with earth? In this episode of SciCafe, Hayden Planetarium Director Neil deGrasse Tyson answers this question during a casual conversation about stars, planets, and the universe. Recorded at the museum on June 2, 2010.