Podcasts
2012 Isaac Asimov Memorial Debate–Faster Than the Speed of Light
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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 Panelists included:
- Dr. David Cline, Department of Physics and Astronomy, UCLA
- Dr. Gian Giudice, Theoretical Physics Division, CERN
- Dr. Sheldon Glashow, Department of Physics, Boston University
- Dr. Chris Hegarty, MITRE’s Center for Advanced Aviation System Development
- Dr. Laura Patrizii, Department of Physics, University of Bologna
- Dr. Gabriela González, Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Louisiana State University
The debate was recorded at the Museum on March 20, 2012. Watch a video of the full program on AMNH.tv.
Podcast: Dame Daphne Sheldrick on Love, Life and Elephants
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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 from the spring, 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.
Podcast: Frontiers in Astrophysics–Tracking Asteroids with Richard Binzel
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Space dust and asteroid fragments reach Earth’s surface every day, but only rarely do extraterrestrial objects cause serious harm. In this podcast from the spring, 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.
Podcast: SciCafe—The Evolution of Skin
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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.