Goggles Optional Shorts

Diego shares recent discoveries about “sliding rocks” in Death Valley which explain why these boulders appear to “move” on their own.  These findings are astounding! Episode 44: Beer Goggles 3, Labor Day Edition!

Listen up as Dave shares a number of his (impossible and possible) ideas that all revolve around the world of science.  Decide for yourself whether his ideas deserve a ‘yay’ or a ‘nay’. Episode 44: Beer Goggles 3, Labor Day Edition!

Sleep deprivation can trigger a strange phenomenon called “sleep drunkenness”.  What is this all about and does everyone experience it?  We delve into a study conducted at Stanford surveying the sleep habits of a number of individuals. Episode 44: Beer Goggles 3, Labor Day Edition!

Are art and science compatible?  Our very own Nora expands on the creation of a machine-learning algorithm that studies fine art paintings and identifies certain types of influences between artists.  Now that’s what we call an artsy robot! Episode 44: Beer Goggles 3, Labor Day Edition!

Is it a coincidence that different animals have different tastes?  Not at all!  Animals gravitate towards certain “tastes” because their diet and survival are dependent upon them.  We add a scientific spin on the traditional “food chain” as we reveal why animals taste what they taste. Episode 43: Evolutionary Tastes

We dive into a study conducted by 12 marine biologists who ventured in submarines to an affected area of the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.  Due to concerns of the oil spill causing unseen damages beneath the surface of the ocean, these marine biologists primarily focused their research on how particular coral communities are impacted. […]

Why and how are humans able to communicate?  Are we modeling animal language incorrectly?  We study the evolution of language and how our speech patterns and habits contribute to our language abilities. Episode 43: Evolutionary Taste

How can Tibetan people survive at high altitudes?  Because they possess rare genes!   What are the positive effects of these particular genes and how did this group acquire such beneficial mutations? Episode 42: Goggles Optional’s Guide to the Galaxy

What are zombie fungi and why are they parasites?  We dig deeper into how this fascinating parasite functions, as it is dependent upon other organisms to survive. Episode 42: Goggles Optional’s Guide to the Galaxy

Researchers at Harvard University have unveiled what they call a “kilobot”, composed of 1,000 tiny penny-sized robots that can solve tasks as a team.  What does this mean for the future of robotics and in what ways are we going to use these robots to aid our daily lives? Episode 42: Goggles Optional’s Guide to the Galaxy

We welcome special guest Holly Moeller, a PhD student who is studying trees and working to preserve our forests.  We learn about the different facets of studying the unique relationship between trees and fungi and some conclusions Holly has drawn which contribute to her research. Episode 13: The Secret Life of Fungi

Are mice accurate models of human behavior?  We share our thoughts on a recent medistudy which states that mice do not mimic human responses and that any drug used to treat diseases in the mice will therefore be an ineffective solution for humans with those diseases. Episode 41: Duckageddon

In 2004, a satellite would be orbiting a comet for the first time ever.  We welcome Erik Adli, a visiting physicist at Stanford University who sheds insight on his involvement and contributions to the Rosetta Project since it started 10 years ago and what we should expect as this project continues to develop throughout the years. Episode […]

Ebola outbreaks are going viral.  Contracting ebola is fatal, with the disease taking  the lives of 70% to 90% of its victims.  What is ebola and how are doctors and researchers nationwide trying to put an end to this epidemic? Episode 40: Apocalypse!

Bee colonies are on the decline, what does this mean for us?  As daunting as these tiny yellow creatures may seem, they are quite essential in producing crops and sustaining the agriculture industry.  Without bees pollinating crops, numerous fruits and vegetables could disappear entirely from the market. Episode 40: Apocalypse!

Why is California turning to groundwater systems?  We discuss a NASA project called G.R.A.C.E., aimed at using gravitational satellites to estimate groundwater depletion in the Colorado River Basin.  We further explore these satellites, how they operate, and how they are able to detect groundwater levels on Earth. Episode 40: Apocalypse!

Why is California still in a drought and what does this tell us about our environmental conditions?  We go beyond the simple definition of a drought into the specific factors that are at play during this period and analyze some of the solutions to putting an end to our current, water-less state. Episode 14: Breaking […]

What are phages and what is their role inside of our bodies?  We further investigate how viruses prey on bacteria in our bodies and how scientists can detect the location of the viruses, in areas such as our gut, using a technique known as “metagenomics”. Episode 39: Phage Noir

Millions have joined the global quest to cure HIV, but none have been completely successful.  We address the real reasons why HIV is so difficult to cure and introduce a new technology that could possibly be a step towards finding a permanent solution. Episode 39: Phage Noir

MIT engineers recently invented a two-layered material that can generate steam from light!  We dive into how this material produces steam and what this breakthrough means for the future of cheaper energy. Episode 39: Phage Noir