Podcasts
SciCafe: Mapping the Evolution and Spread of Languages
by AMNH on
Human languages first appeared between 30,000 and 100,000 years ago, but the question of how languages spread and evolve is still under investigation. In this podcast from a recent SciCafe, join Museum curators Peter Whiteley and Ward Wheeler as they discuss how techniques used in genetic analysis are being applied to anthropology, language shifts, and key patterns in social evolution.
Frontiers in Astrophysics: Spectacular Supernovae
by AMNH on
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.
Frontiers in Astrophysics: Gravity's Engines
by AMNH on
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.
Adventures in the Global Kitchen: Modernist Cuisine
by AMNH on
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.
2012 and the Maya: It’s Not the End of the World
by AMNH on
Did the Maya really predict that the world would end on December 21, 2012? Learn the true story behind this rumor, as noted hieroglyphics expert Mark Van Stone, author of “2012: Science and Prophecy of the Ancient Maya,” unlocks the secrets of the complex Mayan calendars.
The talk, which took place at the Museum on October 10, 2012, was hosted by Hayden Planetarium Director Neil DeGrasse Tyson.