Almost every star is now thought to form with a planetary system around it. But just how rare a phenomenon are habitable planets? In this podcast, Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Linda Elkins-Tanton discusses what is currently known about planetary formation—and what is needed to encourage the development of life.

Dr. Elkins-Tanton’s talk, “A Hitchhiker’s Guide to Habitable Planets in Our Galaxy,” was recorded at the Museum on April 11, 2011.

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.

Celebrating decades of groundbreaking exploration in East Africa, renowned paleoanthropologists Donald Johanson and Richard Leakey shared the stage at the American Museum of Natural History recently to discuss the overwhelming evidence for evolution in the hominid fossil record and why understanding our evolutionary history is so important. In this podcast, join the discussion, moderated by Dr. Sanjay Gupta, chief medical correspondent for CNN.

Known for such landmark discoveries as “Lucy” (Johanson) and “Turkana Boy” (Leakey), the work of these two scientists has produced much of the fossil evidence that forms our understanding of human evolution.

Looking back over careers spanning 40-plus years, Dr. Johanson and Dr. Leakey shared the stories behind their monumental finds and offered a look at what’s ahead in human evolutionary research.

This historic event was made possible through a joint partnership of the American Museum of Natural History, the Arizona State University Institute of Human Origins, and the Turkana Basin Institute, headquartered in the U.S. at Stony Brook University.

Podcast: Download | RSS | iTunes ( 1 hour, 29 mins, 107 MB)

In the world of cutting-edge robot design, scientists are looking to biology and nature for inspiration. In this podcast, join Professor Dennis Hong, director of the Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory at Virginia Tech, as he describes some of his more fantastic robots. 

The talk was recorded at the Museum on April 6, 2011.

Podcast: Download | RSS | iTunes ( 57 mins, 69 MB)

Beneath the waves, ocean-dwelling animals such as dolphins, whales and manatees lead purposeful lives. In this podcast from the Milstein Science Series, three scientists discuss the results of recent studies on the intelligence and self-awareness in these animals.

Listen to the discussion led by Dr. Lori Marino, senior lecturer in neuroscience and behavioral biology at Emory University; Roger Reep, neurobiology professor at the University of Florida; and Hal Whitehead, professor of cetacean science at Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia. The talk was moderated by Melanie Stiassny, Axelrod Research Curator in the Museum’s Department of Ichthyology.

This podcast was recorded at the Museum on March 6th, 2011.

Podcast: Download | RSS | iTunes ( 1 hour, 10 mins, 84 MB)