Show Topics:

Massive Earthquake hits Chile and generates tsunami, Al Gore talks about climate change while an iceberg worth 70 years of glacial melt breaks off of Antarctica. The place in the brain where we determine what is fair found, NASA defends its new Space plan, and why we yell at inanimate objects (or treat people like they are objects).

Interview with Dr. David Gorski, surgical oncologist and medical science blogger. We talked about alternative medicine, the false belief that vaccines cause autism, and the importance of Science-Based Medicine. “A statement of fact cannot be insolent.”

Brought to you by Copernicum.

Rotating bumper theme = Blake’s Seven

Main theme is Visions and Miracles I all joy wills eternity, composed by Chris Theofanidis, performed by the String Orchestra of New York City (SONYC). Published by Albany Records.

Show Topics:

Two creationists and two incumbents win primary in West Bend – one thinks science cannot study the past. So this show had lots of stuff about science studying the past, from galaxies that took a few too many billions of years to come together, to the youngest planet discovered (35 million years old), and how to evolve the genetic code from 3 to 4 letter words for synthetic biology. Human protein rescues a plant from dying showing an evolutionary link, gene that makes plants mine for more minerals discovered, and churning up the ocean to deal with global warming might make it worse.

Interview with doctoral candidate Joseph Shoer on the physics of space battles both in science fiction and the kind we might see in the not-too-distant future. (But hopefully not!)

Brought to you by Unobtainium.

Rotating bumper theme = Battlestar Galactica Season 1 by Bear McCreary

Main theme is Visions and Miracles I all joy wills eternity, composed by Chris Theofanidis, performed by the String Orchestra of New York City (SONYC). Published by Albany Records.

Show Topics:

Sequencing the genetic code of a man named Inuk who died 4,000 years ago, how some viruses jump from species to species, bees know when to stop and how to tell that to each other, and wheat resistant to hessian flies poisons their guts. NASA launches new satellite to study the sun’s innards, layers in Martian rock tell a billion-year old story, and nano-sized specks of gold make electricity from light.

Interview with Andrew Petto, who is the President of Wisconsin Citizens for Science, and a Senior Lecturer in Anatomy at UW Milwaukee. We talked about WCS, their monthly event Science Pub, and about creationists trying to take over the school board in West Bend, Wisconsin.

Brought to you by Gluons.

Rotating bumper theme = Darwin Dub by the Genomic Dub Collective.

Main theme is Visions and Miracles I all joy wills eternity, composed by Chris Theofanidis, performed by the String Orchestra of New York City (SONYC). Published by Albany Records.

Show Topics:

Life more likely to have originated near deep sea vents than a ‘primordial soup’, plug-in hybrid electric vehicle can power the grid too, robots in space, dopamine receptors show why we seek social status, prions might explain how we form memories, progesterone now found in plants, new understanding of Earth’s orbital periods shows that we didn’t miss an ice age – it’s still coming someday.

Interview with food-borne illness attorney and food safety advocate Bill Marler about lawyers and scientists working together, E. coli in spinach, raw milk and more!

Warning – show was recorded with an emergency backup system and is a little choppy!

Brought to you by Melamine

Rotating bumper theme = Bicentennial Man by James Horner.

Main theme is Visions and Miracles I all joy wills eternity, composed by Chris Theofanidis, performed by the String Orchestra of New York City (SONYC). Published by Albany Records.

Bill Marler will be speaking in Madison as part of the Wisconsin Union’s Distinguished Lecture Series, at 7:30 pm Monday the 8th of February at the Memorial Union. So if you are in Madison and you miss the show, don’t miss the talk!

Show Topics:

Dinosaurs had colorful feathers, sex is better than no sex (to get rid of bad mutations), WISE has already found a Near-Earth Asteroid, and the Universe has 30 times more disorder than we first thought. New study suggests that there is such a thing as eating too many antioxidants.

Interview with Anastasia Bodnar about blogging about plant genetics at Biofortified, our trip to California to have dinner with Michael Pollan, and Pollan’s new book, Food Rules.

Brought to you by Cinnamaldehyde.

Rotating bumper theme = Jurassic Park by John Williams.

Main theme is Visions and Miracles I all joy wills eternity, composed by Chris Theofanidis, performed by the String Orchestra of New York City (SONYC). Published by Albany Records.

THE INOCULATED MIND IS BACK ON THE AIR!!

WSUM 91.7 fm has accepted my show and put me on the air for the 2010 spring semester, every Monday morning from 8-9 am. WSUM broadcasts in Madison, Wisconsin, with a signal strength a bit more powerful than KDRT in Davis had. This will be fun.

The first new episode aired on January 25th, 2010. You can also listen to new shows live over the internet if you are not in the Madison area.

There will be a few changes, but the show will keep some of the core elements that I think gave it its uniqueness.  Rather than starting and ending each episode with a different science fiction soundtrack theme, I have selected an interesting contemporary classical piece that will open and close each show. I got hooked on listening to it last spring, so I obtained permission from the composer, orchestra, and record label to use it as the theme song for the podcast for a year. It’s called Visions and Miracles I All Joy Wills Eternity. You can read more about it in the FAQ page.

The scifi music isn’t going anywhere, though. I will still rotate bumper music from my vast collection of soundtracks.

The show is one hour long, first news, then interviews. I started out doing a one hour show, but extended it to one and a half hours long so I could take a more relaxed approach to playing music and talking about the news. But an hour is much more reasonable today for me to fill with science, and much more appealing to listeners, in my opinion. One big difference in the show today compared to when I was in Davis is that it will be a morning show and not a prime-time evening show.

The chemical commercials will be back in full force, both in the radio and podcast versions, and there will be more Sounds of Science as they come along in the research literature.

This site, Inoculated Media, is the new home of the Mindcast, where you can comment on episodes, rate your favorites, and get linked to more places to find out what is happening in the world.

There’s a lot of time to make up for and a lot of exciting science coming out every day, so let’s get this thing rolling again!

Show Topics:

2009 was the second hottest year on record, but urban green spaces might be bad for global warming. Blueberries help memory formation, if you expect a product to work you will think you feel it working right after taking it, slime molds make good maps for wireless communication networks, asteroids pass the Earth and pick up quakes, and NASA launches WISE spacecraft to look for near-earth objects with infrared camera.

Interview with Pam Ronald and Raoul Adamchak on combining Genetic Engineering with Organic Agriculture. They are co-authors of the book, Tomorrow’s Table, and my review of their book is available here.

Brought to you by Caffeine.

Rotating Bumper theme = Dune by Toto.

Main theme is Visions and Miracles I all joy wills eternity, composed by Chris Theofanidis, performed by the String Orchestra of New York City (SONYC). Published by Albany Records.

This episode is the first one to broadcast over WSUM in Madison, WI.

Show Topics:

Death by Gamma Rays – a pair of stars is poised to fire in our general direction, misnamed “planetary” nebulae may actually require planets to form, NASA proposes to cut funding to ill-planned Mars mission, electrons move through rock, and are captured moving through molecules in the cell too.

MicroRNA molecule helps make our skin and may help fight cancer, and also in the Battle for Humanity, biological control of Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter proves successful, a plant compound synergizes with commonly-used Bt to deliver a knockout punch to insects. Evolution of crustaceans supports the idea that evolution drives toward complexity.

Interview with Sheril Kirshenbaum from Duke University on Science Debate 2008 and Sea Cucumbers.

Brought to you by Hydrogen Fluoride.

Theme = Firefly by Greg Edmundson.

Show Topics:

We’re sheep in human clothing, Darwin was wrong… about chickens, the Kilogram is on a diet, tooth reveals neanderthals traveled, left-handedness of the precursors to life dominated the contents of a pristine meteorite, human embryonic stem cells effective in treating diabetic mice, California cows pass gas to the power grid.

Recent advance in the javamochalattevanillachino bean – successful coffee taste-testing machine, and the world’s doomsday seed vault is open for seed-saving business.

Special Maize Genetics Conference 2008 show with seven interviews: Tom Brutnel, Steve Moose, Vicki Chandler, Sue Wessler, Gerry Neuffer, Natalie Fredette, and Ed Buckler.

Brought to you by Kavain.

Theme = Babylon 5 by Christopher Franke.

Show Topics:

First synthetic bacterial genome made from scratch, raises promise and bioethics issues, MicroRNAs evolved early in vertebrates, Horseshoe crabs now 100 million years older, nitrogen fertilizers may lower biodiversity of prairie grasses, yet also increase growth in tropical forests, and gene silencing breakthrough may help protect crops against pests.

Native bees in Oregon and California can give ailing honeybees some help, a new component is added to the International Space Station, and fish accused of interspecies sexual harrasment!

Interview with Dr. Neil Shubin, Co-discoverer of Tiktaalik and author of Your Inner Fish.

Brought to you by Calcium Carbonate.

Theme = Jurassic Park by John Williams.

Show Topics:

First show in Madison!

Embryos created that have three parents, everyone with blue eyes are distant cousins, rail guns not just for fiction anymore – now the US Navy has tested one, orange flavored lollypops for fighting cavitities, and the asteroid 2007 WD5 barely misses Mars, in astronomical terms.

Roundup of the best scientific breakthroughs of 2007, things to look out for in 2008, some yays and woes from President Bush’s proposed science budget, and Canada eliminates a key science advisory position.

Brought to you by Carminic Acid.

Theme = Music from Carl Sagan’s Cosmos, by Vangelis, Isao Tomita, and Toru Takemitsu.

Show Topics:

Last Davis Show! Battle of the Science Communication Heroes: Ken Miller and PZ Myers discuss and debate the issue of religion and the acceptance of evolution.

Then, an unsolicited call from Evil J. Klone reveals a plot behind the takeover attempt of KDRT by KMJE, and then Karl explains what he is going to be doing in Graduate School.

Ariela joins the show, and unbeknownst to her, their parents were on the phone. Technical issues were abound throughout the show, but it was nicely salvaged and might be one of the most remembered shows ever done. That is, Karl pops a big question to Ariela before they move 2,000 miles to start the next phase of their lives.

(For a huge image click here.)

Theme = the best of Karls collection of science fiction music.

Show Topic:

Mercury has a molten core, The Kama Sutra of flowering plants – why have more male flowers? Because it saves energy for seeds. Climate Change mediation experiment to begin ’seeding’ the ocean with iron to see if carbon dioxide can be pulled out of the atmosphere, sea snails broke Dollo’s Law – and re-evolved a lost structure.

Interview with Dr. Kirsten Sanford and Justin Jackson from This Week in Science, we talked about doing science on the radio and the great and funny things about making science relevant and entertaining, while keeping out the misinformation.

Theme = the best of Karls collection of nerdy science music.

Show Topics:

Booster Shot on CCD – Karl gets in an Aggie article about the disappearing bees, and the Rapture must be taking away the bees! Irradiated hive boxes demonstrate recovery of bees, Varroa mite now in Hawaii, and a new bee virus discovered.

Most Earth-like extra-solar planet discovered, may support liquid water, sounds a lot like Krypton from the Superman comics, and coincidentally “Kryptonite” is discovered… sort of. Now named Jaderite. “The Great Global Warming Swindle” film criticized, and China decides to make it rain before the 2008 Olympics so it won’t rain during the games, first evidence for pre-colonial metal smithing in the Americas, questions about the inheritance of archaic traits in Neanderthals and early humans – were they social equals?

Interview with Dr. Ellis Jones, Sociology professor and author of The Better World Handbook and The Better World Shopping Guide. We talked about making ethical choices with our dollars, and the sociology of science fiction. Ariela also joined us in the studio for the interview.

Theme = Indiana Jones, Raiders of the Lost Ark by John Williams.

Show Topics:

SOS KDRT continues – Davis City Council supports KDRT and Karl gets quoted in the paper. The first marathon ran in space, Charles Simonyi buys 13 days in space for 25 million and gets the 14th day free, meanwhile a man spends 13 days sealed in a sub powered by his urine.

Scientists assemble a “planetary danger zone” around hot stars in the Rosette Nebula, and experimental magnetic shields compared to shields on the Enterprise. Most comprehensive study of abstinence-only “education” finds it has no effect on abstinence, and for those looking to avoid West Nile Virus – electronic mosquito “repellants” also do not work at all.

Guest is Doug Everett from Radio Parallax, and we talked about everything from pseudoscience, a local butterfly professor, Ediacarans, and Colony Collapse Disorder.

Theme = 2001 a Space Odyssey by various artists.

Show Topics:

46th anniversary of the first human in space, scifi author Kurt Vonnegut dies and is “up in heaven”, skin cream products contain compound that causes pathological reactions, Rhesus Monkey genome sequenced.

The pope pontificates on evolution and doesn’t seem to understand a few fundamentals of science – commentary on the trouble with religion wading into science, Myers-Miller show announced, and 7000 year old corn pollen found, pushing back the date of corn cultivation. The sometimes deadly mouth bacterium S. sanguinis has been sequenced as well.

Latest IPCC report is out, and points to dramatic changes unless action is taken – the arctic permafrost may melt. There are possible caves on Mars, research suggest that the first photosynthetic life forms may have been purple, and for the same reasons, alien life on alien worlds orbiting alien suns would have very alien coloration.

Finally, Karl announces that he will be departing for graduate school.

Theme = The Last Starfighter by Craig Safan.

Show Topics:

KDRT threatened by another station, the good and the bad of San Francisco banning plastic grocery bags, new biodegradable plastics sink in seawater, batteries that run on sugar, new type of twin called semi-identical, the more perfect you look – the less evolvable your immune system.

Interview with Dr. Carl Winter, director of the Foodsafe program at UC Davis, on whether organic food can be called healthier than conventional food, and his fun food safety music.

Special Feature on the congressional global warming hearings: Boxer Gores Inhofe.

Theme = Still Stayin Alive by Carl Winter.

Show Topics:

Warmest Winter Ever. Cleaning up the air has helped the warming of the Earth, and for our second climate irony of the show, a cooler climate may have made our brains bigger, and we’re warming it back up! Also, there are new global maps of biodiversity and carbon dioxide emissions, and this year will be particularly bad for pollen allergies, too.

Plenty of bee-autiful science, a new bee-powered poison alert system, and a new study on Vitellogenin shows how evolution has co-opted a reproductive gene to govern the division of labor in hives.

the Battle for Humanity, genetically engineered mosquitoes resistant to malaria will quickly spread throughout the population, spiders are snuggling, and the path of human ancestors 100-200k years ago, root beer is the kindest soda to your teeth, Playstation IIIs turned into a supercomputer, and you may have heard of dry ice, but Hot Ice?

Theme = Independence Day by David Arnold.

Show Topics:

No News. Interview with Chris Mooney on The Republican War on Science.

Theme = Firefly.

Show Topics:

Karl is back from his tours of graduate schools, but before he left he dropped a public note to Davis anti-evolutionists. The color red makes people fail (or think they will), mint tea may help reduce facial hair, breakthrough in cell-printing technology, there is a hole in the Earth’s crust, Stephen Hawking to experience zero gravity after a lifetime of studying the phenomenon, birds can plan ahead, Chimpanzees had their own stone age thousdands of years ago, female chimps hunt with tools, primates pushed back 10 million years to the age of dinosaurs. And the most amazing scientific feat saved for last – an ancient endogenous retrovirus has been resurrected.

Interview with Nick Matzke, Public Information Project Director at the National Center for Science Education. We talked about the Dover trial, how he discovered some of the jaw-dropping evidence used in the case, and finally we talked about how, despite what the anti-evolutionists say, the evolution of the flagellum is within reach of understanding.

Brought to you by Deoxynivalenol.

Theme = Star Wars Episode IV The Empire Strikes Back by John Williams.

Show Topics:

Pre-Darwin Day show, quick comment on Astronaut kidnapping incident and Astronaut psychology, Nintendo Wii used to control sword-wielding robot, latest development on the way to the Javamochalattevanillachino bean: Genes responsible for sucrose accumulation in coffee beans characterized and its relationship to shading.

Strength of concrete has to do with structure – not composition – can we fight global warming with less polluting concrete? What factors influence deforestation in the Amazon, 45 nations call for new environmental body to deal with global warming and the US is predictably not one of them, new study of 3.75 year-old rocks shows that greenhouse gases were abundant in the atmosphere and influenced the chemistry and living conditions of the young planet.

Interview with Ed Brayton on opposition to evolution, the Dover case, and Michigan weather.

Finally, a short mention of Darwin Day events in the area, as well as the Evolution Sunday concept, set to the ironic tune of The Evolution Chorus, by the secular a capella choral group, The Voices of Reason.

Brought to you by Chemical Free products.

Theme = Darwin Dub by The Genomic Dub Collective.

Show Topics:

Anthropologist weighs in on Hobbit, brain configuration does not match microcephaly, Evidence of ancient galactic collision with Andromeda Galaxy, Bush Administration abusing climate science according to report by Henry Waxman and others, pleasant smell of ocean air due to bacteria, and Cornell plant scientist Li Li characterizes the gene that makes orange cauliflower and what it means for nutrition in developing countries.

First dual-interview with Phillip Johnson, founder of the Intelligent Design Movement and Ed Brayton, co-founder of Michigan Citizens for Science and The Pandas Thumb weblog, also author of blog, Dispatches from the Culture Wars.

Special commentary at the end about the interview.

Brought to you by Copper.

Theme = the Original Battlestar Galactica by Stu Phillips.

For references for the special commentary, go here.

Show Topics:

On the State of the Union speech, Bush finally acknowledges climate change, latest climate change report avoids “smoking gun” and introduces “battalion of intergalactic smoking missiles” label, glaciers in the Alps may be gone by 2050, and one scientist says that two snowflakes may be alike, spinal nerve cells have similar processes going on as in the cerebral cortex, bumblebees split tasks between hive cluster warmers and fanners, and low-birthweight correlates with adult salt intake.

Two interviews on evolution, religion, and atheism: Dr. Ken Miller at Brown University, and Dr. PZ Myers at the University of Minnesota, Morris.

Brought to you by Cinnamaldehyde.

Theme = Music from “The Body” by Roger Waters.

Show Topics:

Climate Satellites desperately need upgrade or science could suffer by 2020, Chinese government creates hundreds of pieces of orbiting debris when they test satellite-destroying rocket, New Horizons is already approaching Jupiter – explanation of gravity assist, and higher education associated with faster post-education mental decline. Discussion of recent water poisoning death after a local Sacramento radio show contest, interactions between water and hydrophobic surfaces provide new evidence that makes theory water-tight, new study suggests that gun ownership precedes crime, and not the other way around.

Evolutionary relationship of the world’s largest flower finally deduced with DNA study, Wollemi Pine found – a living fossil – and Karl highlights our zoocentric and anthropocentric view of evolution, two-headed lizard fossil found, ancient human skull has features that suggest interbreeding with neanderthals or it could be archaic features not yet weeded out of the population, climate scientists and religious fundamentalists unite over global warming.

Announcement of an upcoming series of interviews on opposition to evolution and the year since the Dover case announced.

Brought to you by Chlorophyll.

Theme = Star Trek Insurrection by Jerry Goldsmith.

Show Topics:

Happy New Years, Karl discusses the different kinds of ways to measure a year and they’re all different in length, Merry Kitzmas: Intelligent Design continues its unintelligent legacy since the Kitzmiller v Dover case. Food-heavy episode: NYC bans trans fats, Karl explains what these are and coincidentally, there’s news about a trans fat that may be healthy, conjugated linoleic acid. Tall soybeans bred for wood fibers? Gene silencing technology makes a better french fry potato, and OSU is evaluating new potatoes for organic farms. Linolenic acid-rich seeds being pushed by seed companies to meet trans fat free demands.

Huge ice shelf breaks free in Canadian Artic, more data coming out of the honeybee genome moves place of origin from Asia to Africa, tiny grapes developed for breeding – UC Davis helped with the project, Komodo Dragon can reproduce sexually AND asexually, Thiomargarita bacteria similar to what was once thought to be the oldest animal embryo fossils. Discussion of free will, brain tries to rethink golf club swings each time, so the best plan is not to think about it too hard.

Research came out showing how control can be an illusion, and Evil J. Klone calls in to object and gets schooled on ID and personal responsibility. Cows engineered to be prion-free, and the FDA tentatively approves cloned animals for food. Finally, another Sound of Science: Gibbons can communicate warnings through song.

Brought to you by Hemoglobin.

Theme = Star Trek Nemesis by Jerry Goldsmith.

Show Topics:

Breakthrough in the origin of life – part of the TCA Cycle (or Krebs Cycle) can run in reverse, strange helical ice forms inside of carbon nanotubes, Nature publishes paper that exonerates the Tripoli six – six doctors and nurses held in Libya accused of infecting patients with HIV. NASA refuses to put a price tag on the Moon mission, global warming extends the life of space junk, strong rare-Earth magnets in children toys can be swallowed and cause injury, including one death.

Interviews with two UC Davis scientists, Dr. Rob Atwill who is organizing a study on E. coli in the Salinas valley, and Dr. Jonathan Eisen who studies microbial genomics and advocates for open-access scientific journals.

Brought to you by The Scientific Method.

Theme = Starcraft by Derek Duke, Glenn Stafford, Jason Hayes, and Tracy W. Bush.

Show Topics: Description coming soon.

Theme = Star Trek TNG by Dennis McCarthy.

Show Topics:

KDRT has a new studio with a window! Bumble Bees prefer warm flowers, second infectious cancer found, goats genetically engineered with human lysozyme produce milk that fights bacteria, planetary mass objects or planemos orbiting around each other in the depths of space, United States has a lot of catching up to do in understanding of genetics and acceptance of evolution.

The Mosquito Menagerie: Vicki Kramer, Sharon Lawler, Jim Northup, and Rick Roush. We discussed the issue of spraying mosquitoes for West Nile Virus.

Theme = Star Trek TOS “The Menagerie”

Show Topics:

Followup on previous coverage of the Day that Science Stood Still – Senator Rick Santorum says that scientists that want to work on ES cells have no morals, a representative of the Bush Administration agrees that killing embryos is murder – yet gets put in a logical headlock by a question about why they don’t want to close in vitro fertilization clinics, and “M is for Mistake” as White House spokesperson Tony Snow retracts the “Murder” label. Commentary on the indefensible and inconsistent logic used when discussing this issue politically.

Neanderthal Genome to be sequenced, new research on the oldest strata in the world bolsters support for the presence of life, and shows that they may be older than the previously estimated age of 3.8 billion years old, and UF geneticists pin down some of the genetics and cell biology involved in the evolution of fins and limbs – co-option of vertebrae developmental genes to form fins supported. Sounds of Science – mosquitoes falling in love. Bizarre ants feed each other their own eggs as food, bacterial parasite of insects Wolbachia might be useful in fighting Malaria in the ongoing Battle for Humanity.

A Wiki Odyssey: Interview with Philip Neustrom, founder of the Davis Wiki, currently the largest city wiki in the world.

Theme = 2001 A space Odyssey.

Show Topics:

No News. Interview with Dr. Douglas Cook, director of the UC Davis CAES Genomics Facility, we talked about grapes, legume symbiosis, Pierce’s disease, and wine and honey flavor.

Theme = The Day the Earth Stood Still by Bernard Herrmann.

Show Topics:

No News. Interviews with Drs. John Z. Kiss and Deborah Kimbrell, two scientists who sent up experiments on board the space shuttle Discovery, mission STS-121.

Theme = Contact by Alan Silvestri.

Show Topics:

Booster shot: Navy announced that it will not use whale-injuring high-intensity active sonar during training, women are more web-savvy than they think, Darwin’s “impassible barrier” passible, wildfires fueled by warming climate, ozone fix longer than expected.

Reducing the need for fertilizers, UCSD biologists solve plant growth enigma, chemicals in american beautyberry plant repels mosquitoes, why taking medicine works even if the medicine doesn’t.

Hwang Woo-suk admits to faking data, but tries to blame some of it on his junior researchers, A launch mix for STS-121, Booster shot: Hubble camera fixed, ten year anniversary of the birth of Dolly the Sheep.

Brought to you by Dextrose and Levulose.

Theme = GATTACA.

Show Topics:

Ants count steps while walking, symbiotic fungus does not need ants to reproduce, Speed limit proposed to save Right Whales, carotenoids act as a plant sunscreen, Mushrooms have powerful antioxidants, too.

Interview with Dr. Richard Sayre on giant genetically engineered cassava and phytoremediation.

Space Shuttle set to launch, Hubble breaks a camera, Oval BA or “Red Jr” set to pass Jupiter’s Great Red Spot on July 4, An Inconvenient Truth is coming to Davis, Gore invites himself to the White house and is turned down, scientists give Gore’s movie five out of five stars for accuracy, and NCAR finds that global warming surpassed natural cycles in fueling the 2005 hurricane season. Finally, Stephen Colbert may have been right about the mesquite powered car – Texas looks into vast stands of trees to make ethanol.

Brought to you by Cyanide.

Theme = Dune by Toto.

Show Topics:

Tips on surviving the pressure-cooker known as the Central Valley: how to squeeze more efficiency out of your air conditioner, note on passive heating and cooling – new excuse to get a fish tank, and cool off your drinks faster with solutes! Booster shot: how hard is it to get an ethanol program going? Greasing the wheels of biodiesel with a recyclable catalyst, and dating old books with evolutionary algorithm.

Pluto’s two newly discovered satellites named, faux interview with Stephen Hawking on the subject of his planet-colonization hyperbole and the warnings of the pope against studying the Big Bang, NASA will launch the Discovery shuttle over the Independence Day weekend with foam removed and despite disagreements.

A Lesson in Logic for the “Genocide Awareness Project” – try not to go from campus to campus when you have not thought your arguments through, and can be quoted to that effect. Embryonic Stem Cell research restores movement to paralyzed mice.

Brought to you by Unbiunium.

Theme = Symphonic Star Trek by Erich Kunzel and the Cincinatti Pops Orchestra.

Show Topics:

Polar Bears resorting to cannibalism, “Bosnian Pyramid” rejected by scientists as fiction, Another evolutionary prediction holds true with hybrid butterflies, Sound of Science – new ringtone only audible for youngsters, Genesis spacecraft crashed in 2004 because gravity switches were installed backwards.

Interview with Dr. Chris Turney, author of Bones, Rocks and Stars, the science of when things happened.

Brought to you by Argon.

Theme = Hobbit music from the Lord of the Rings, by Howard Shore.

Show Topics:

General Motors takes an environmental jump backwards with new incentive plan, more ethanol from your corn, new millipede with a record number of legs discovered, Red Jr nearing the Great Red Spot on Jupiter, figs are the earliest domesticated crop

Genetically engineered cassava is gigantic – 150 percent bigger, chocolate threatened by disease, electric fish species diverging, new class of mutations discovered in sheep, strange reddish cells without DNA hypothesized as extra-terrestrials.

Interview with mentalist performer Adrian Saint, who claimed he used statistics to predict the Super Bowl.

Brought to you by Skatole.

Theme = Minority Report by John WIlliams.

Show Topics:

Dolphins recognize each other “by name”, Sperm Whale hunting dives tracked by sound, New species discovered: Paedocypris fish akin to former “smallest fish” in Malaysia and 8 different species in a Jerusalem cave, no sign of Ivory Billed Woodpecker? Chicken-Egg controversy gets a little too nitpicky, “Rhythm Method” may kill more embryos than other contraceptive methods, argues London professor.

HIV virus origins traced to wild chimpanzees, Voyager spacecraft may reveal solar system trajectory, huge crater found under Antarctica, International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) preparing for construction in France.

Global Warming Extravaganza: Competitive Enterprise Institute makes bogus anti-science commercials and scientists claim their research was misrepresented, increases in carbon dioxide lead to more noxious plants, ozone recovery is a regulatory success story.

Brought to you by Saxitoxin.

Theme = SeaQuest by John Debney

Show Topics:

Being polite on the road helps everyone – we should have a greenbeard effect for fuel-efficient vehicles, Chimpanzees found to plan ahead, New five-dimensional theory of gravity set to be tested against Einstein’s theory of general relativity.

Interview with graduate student Kevin Eslinger on Hydrogen Fuel Cell Hybrid vehicles.

Special Crackpot segment – ex-air traffic controlled says the end of the world is tonight, and food supplement wackos want BAD evidence included from reports!

Brought to you by Cubane.

Theme = Deep Impact by James Horner.

Show Topics:

Karl’s purple GE carnation stunt at the Whole Earth Festival met was foiled by the florist, Ventria’s GE rice to grow in North Carolina, Swarm Season Stories and Sounds, Karl gets a new Terabyte storage toy and cautions ebay sellers, Dragonflies migrate like birds, with profound evolutionary implications, visual responses of blind mice were recovered using a protein from green algae, human and chimpanzee ancestors may have bred after splitting, sound clips of crazy preachers on campus confirm chimp ancestry, professor Frink weighs in.

Interview with Dr. David Osleger on the origins of oil, the UCD Oil forum (for which he was a speaker) and peak oil. Dave brought in his own piece of news about an asteroid that might hit the Earth on Sunday April 13th, 2036.

Brought to you by Epoxy.

Theme = Star Wars IV Special Edition by John Williams.

Show Topics:

Air purifiers violate standards by making air LESS healthy, ethanol derived from switchgrass gains promise and could not only be carbon-neutral but actually pull carbon dioxide OUT of the air, grapefruit juice can now be prescription-safe, Mount Saint Helens gives birth to huge slab of rock and has been in labor since last November, Green Beard Effect now observed in the blue throats of Side-Blotched Lizard, UC Davis scientist Arthur Shapiro (the butterflies-for-beer professor) finds that 2006 has been the worst year for butterflies since hs started counting.

Interview with UC Davis Extension Apiculturist Dr. Eric Mussen on honeybee misconceptions, diseases, swarming, and honey!

Brought to you by the Queen Pheromones 9-ODA and 9 HDA.

Theme = Alien movies by Cliff Eidelman.

Show Topics:

Kamchatka Peninsula not on North American Tectonic plate but part of Russia still is, 405 million year old fossil connects bony fishes and land vertebrates, fMRI study finds that you can neurologically “lose yourself” when concentrating on tasks, Europe tests e-newspapers, Polar Bears & Hippos among 530 species added to Red List.

Plants will store 9 percent more carbon in the soil when Earth warms – lower than previous estimate, nagging difference in temperature readings has been resolved – final evaporation of key anti-warming objection, trade winds slow down as predicted by climate models.

Interview with Daniel Kammen from RAEL at UC Berkeley.

Brought to you by “Chemical Free” Products.

Theme = Babylon 5 by Christopher Franke.

Show Topics:

Karl is about to get his packaged bees, honeybees make decisions democratically – often better than humans, metamorphosis gene discovered and studied in insects that have complete and incomplete metapmorphosis, bad news for bioterrorists: Inhibitor of anthrax toxin invented, Lysins used to bore holes in Anthrax.

First scarecrow with a brain, Gas-free beans achieved through microbial treatment, review of President Bush’s visit to the California Fuel Cell Partnership, and his bait-and-switch when he suspends environmental regulations three days later.

Interview with Dr. Andrew Frank on his work on the next generation of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV).

Brought to you by Tungsten.

Theme = Blade Runner by Vangelis.

Show Topics:

Pollen is in the air – plants are having sex. Springtime honeybee swarming, why don’t honeybees lift their legs when they fly, honeybee genetics explained, and honeybee experiment focuses in on how centrosomes are generated, cellular division reversed in a breakthrough experiment in cancer research. New patent may force viewers to watch commercial advertisements, Jelly Beans among exercise supplements to be tested in future study.

4.2 million year old fossil of Australopithecus anamensis found in a sequence of strata showing several stages of human evolution, fossilized fish teeth demonstrate the connection of two oceans in the deep past in an extreme example of science studying the past. Rosetta @ Home allows you to lend your computing power to help study the structure of proteins.

New study classifies people according to their interest in science – “Science with Passion” category 53% female – drop your nerd stereotypes, scientists finally find Gabbro rock in deep-sea ocean drilling, Mars Reconnaisance Orbiter starts sending back photos. President Bush to visit California on Earth Day – what would you ask him if you had the chance?

Brought to you by Aluminium.

Theme = Cowboy Bebop.

Show Topics:

Creationist Museum buys one-eyed cat thinking that it is a mutant – when it is not – who know’s how much they wasted on their fake example of “bad” mutations, nanocar gets an engine, Batteries made from viruses, moist soils help the spread of invasive argentine ants Linepithema humile, worms prefer the hottest water in the world, and honey heals wounds.

Catastrophic species loss in 2050 due to global warming, UC Davis researchers find patterns on Mars that suggest wet conditions, Venus Express enters orbit around its target, golf company proposes making space junk for money in publicity stunt.

Interview with UC Davis graduate student Sean Hanser on his research on the sounds – and language – of Humpback Whales, Dolphins, and we played some Elephant Seal sounds as well.

Brought to you by Ambergris.

Theme = Star Trek IV.

Show Topics:

Guess the animal sound, Moderate drinking health benefits in error? Alcohol grows dwarf plants, Rice domestication boiled down to one mutation, insect resistance gene in corn found, insects contribute billions to economy.

The Darwin Fish was found – Tiktaalik, makes a splash and walks on land, “antifreeze” gene in fish evolved from “junk” DNA, australian scientists elucidate mechanism behind egg vs sperm production, diamond-back desert snake keeps growing while starving, animal sound identity revealed, and the ocean has gotten more acidic due to the excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Brought to you by Colloidal Silver.

Theme = Star Trek III.

Show Topics:

Karl’s ATM card unexpectedly declined – turns out many cards are being reissued to guard against fraud. Botulin toxin just got more toxic, booster shot on forest management – more evidence that tree removal causes problems, native bees may be more effective than honeybees but harder to raise and not as sweet.

Magdalenian Girl is really Magdalenian woman – impacted molars give clues about human diet, Kansas church teaches evolutionary science, Booster shot on convergent evolution: electric fish organs and feathers may have evolved twice.

Stardust returns first samples – surprises scientists, Super-Earth/Sub-Neptune planet discovered, raises likelihood of similar finds, NASA has unprecedented review of canceled Dawn mission, and new research bolsters claim that global warming contributes to rise in hurricane intensity.

Brought to you by Copper Sulfate pentahydrate.

Theme = Lost in Space (1998).

Show Topics:

Incan maize cultivation and crop transfer in 3600 BCE, Organic gains ecological data from apple orchard, Styrafoam meets its maker, 2 billion degrees sets record for hottest temperature achieved in a lab.

Followup on mentalist Adrian Saint: Reason for Skepticism and The Mentalist Strikes Back, and Karl’s 2006 prediction about miRNA research comes to light.

NASA: survey confirms net loss in polar ice, next sunspot cycle will be stronger and longer, Saturn’s Moon Enceladus now known to harbor liquid water, spewing out through geysers. Objects in tanks make fish brains grow larger.

Brought to you by Pseudoephedrine.

Theme = Star Trek II.

Show Topics:

City planning making you fatter? Polarized light detects ideal olympic ice, first artificial star created with a laser, rare phenomenon known as ball lightning may have just been explained. Predators make the world greener, support for agricultural biotechnology declines but the most supportive are those that follow the most news, science studying the past – hundreds of amber-fossilized spiders reveal clues about ancient ecology.

Interview with Dr. Geerat (Gary) Vermeij on evolution and the uniqueness of evolutionary adaptations.

Brought to you by Dextrose and Levulose.

Theme = Star Wars mix.

Show Topics:

Pluto may have more moons, huge cave and new frog species discovered, scientists grow hens teeth, seafood may have made us so smart.

American Association for the Advancement of Science convenes: denounces anti-evolution laws, highlights issues in evolution education, gives top ten list of habitable stellar systems, discusses spearheads in Americas suggest early european travelers 19,000 years ago, dragonfly flight next to be studied, and they also announce that Sacramento may be the next New Orleans.

Scientists describe highly-fertile charred soil, plant volatile research advances toward understanding flavor and nutrition, flowers poison genetically similar pollen, Followup on the OSU forest fire study controversy.

Brought to you by Ricin.

Theme = Star Trek Insurrection.

Show Topics:

Waste at the olympic games (excrement-powered olympic torch?) Greenland glacial melt accelerating, farmed salmon genetically distinct? Bald Eagle may leave endangered species list this year, while polar bear might be added to it.

Invasive toads evolve longer legs, Ohio votes down cryptic Intelligent Design education standards known as “critical analysis of evolution,” Rhesus macaque genome sequenced, human ancestors were knock-kneed, oldest tyrannosaur skeleton found, scans of tyrannosaur bones raise questions about its lifestyle.

Appointed NASA press aide George Deutsch resigns amidst accusations of censorship and lying on his resume, modified theory of gravity claims to do away with dark matter.

Sounds of Science – lightning on Saturn, dark patches on the Moon likely from huge impact on the other side of the Moon.

Brought to you by Menthol.

Theme = Original Battlestar Gallactica.

Show Topics:

Valentines Day Special, “Mentalist” predicts super bowl? I think not. Dozens of new species discovered in New Guinea, rats smell in stereo, studying fossils in 3D, Transplanted fish spermatogonia can become eggs, CatSper1 protein involved in sperm hyperactivity, prevent stage fright with sex.

Two placebos differ in effect, Inocuous virus for gene therapy, GE plants metabolize pollutants, Toxin gene transferred between bacteria and spider, engineering plants to take up CO2 better?

Interview with Psychology professor/researcher Dr. Karen Bales on oxytocin and vasopressin in love and attachments.

Brought to you by Sucralose.

Theme = nerdy science music.

Show Topics:

No signs of life in Mars erosion, Male Monkeys fatten up while partner is pregnant, Mourning baboons, Hawaii’s state fish Humuhumunukunukuapua’a challenged, Smallest Fish discovered is really not.

Reactome maps influenza-human interaction, First transmittable cancer discovered in Tasmanian Devils, Biofuels and human-animal hybrids in the State of the Union Address, healthy neurons involved in ongoing inexplicable pain.

Nuclear Fusion without external neuron source, Pregnant mother’s bodies actively abort male fetuses when stressed, money game used to predict track of diseases.

Brought to you by Hydrogen Sulfide.

Theme = Contact.

Show Topics:

Vatican City rejects Intelligent Design, Rabbit-human hybrid embryos for disease research? Honeybee reproductive protein mentioned in episode 21 acts as antioxidant.

Stardust spacecraft returns, We don’t use metals sustainably, Human ears evolved from fish gills, Most Earth-like planet discovered, Ethanol gets credit for efficiency, wine drinkers may just have healthier diets than beer drinkers.

Global warming not caused by methane emitted by plants – scientists respond to media misinformation, Science journal retracts Hwang Woo-suk’s papers, Controversy erupts over forest research at OSU.

Brought to you by Cellulose.

Theme = Star Trek First Contact

Show Topics:

Awesome intro (must listen) on the launch of New Horizons, moons in Kuiper belt typical, ESA launches ‘galileo’.

Fruit fly evolution on toxic fruit, scent-detecting protein found in malaria mosquito, CCR5 mutation helps against HIV but hurts against West Nile, genetic engineering makes plant-based vaccine in less than a month.

Mitochondrial DNA studies find no evidence that a skull belonged to Mozart but do find out that most Ashkenazi Jews descend from four women.

Brought to you by Radon.

Theme = The Last Starfighter.

Show Topics:

Intelligent Design clubs now allow non-christians, change words to avoid detection, Karl goes to church to hear about ID, “design” class in California challenged and canceled.

One-eyed kitten, Taking the pain out of magnet therapy, Ants wielding antibiotics, ants teach bi-directionally.

Listener Chris calls to discuss visit to church, Bee flight understood, Ancestral form of honeybee ancestors discovered, Launch of the inoculated mind blog

Brought to you by Botulinum Toxin.

Theme = Deep Impact.

Show Topics:

Leap Second, KDRT remodeled, Tracking Teaspoons, Malaria’s cloak of invisibility revealed, Hubble finds new rings and moons around Uranus.

Dark Chocolate good for smokers, Animal-cell-free Embryonic Stem Cells, Hwang Woo-suk’s research faked, Evil J. Klone calls to dispute.

Best science of the year including Evolution in Action.

Brought to you by Chitin.

Theme = Extra Terrestrial

Show Topics:

Protein kills anthrax, Photographs taken on bacteria, Saturn's moon Enceladus has active geology, Map of mouse brain (Party Mouse), new species found in Borneo.

Dog genome sequenced, microRNA involved in hindlimb development, sexual maturity the same as in paleolithic but psychosocial maturity happens later, global warming could halt ocean circulation.

Super EBIT measures Quantum Electro-Dynamics more closely, FFN – Beer and the Belly, Fox News has a new Science section, Intelligent Design critic Paul Mirecki physically attacked.

Brought to you by Quartz.

Theme = Bicentennial Man

Show Topics:

Buying property on the moon, Mars Flag, Subterranean martian water found by MARSIS radar, smallest solar system discovered, quantum tunneling of electrons between proteins.

Ice cores: Carbon Dioxide levels highest in 650,000 years, Global Warming Conference begins in Montreal, Canada. Science Sound – Singing Icebergs.

Ariela’s Birthday, Micro RNAs in human evolution, Evolution of two types of laughter, Karl’s thoughts on genetically modifying humans.

Brought to you by Ice-IX

Theme = GATTACA

Show Topics:

Honeybee disco, Exorcizing the Devil Out of Dover Part IV – Teachers reduce evolution curriculum, School Board voted out, Pat Robertson says God may not be there, trial outcome prediction.

Anti-GMO Measure M defeated in Sonoma County.

Lemur named after John Cleese, Brain cells killed by thinking in Alzheimers, California Condors to be released, Dallasaurus fossil is an aquatic lizard, Godzilla fossil VS King Kong fossil, FFN – Tryptophan.

“FAT” receptor tastes fats, Maine Coon cats possess heart disease gene, singing mice, Resurrection gene found in plants, evolutionary plagiarism: lateral gene transfer map created.

Brought to you by the Mandrake plant.

Theme = Harry Potter

Show Topics:

New Alloy – Liquid Metal, NASA sends probe to Venus, Pluto has three moons, New Horizons rocket damaged by hurricanes, Canada to build world’s largest telescope, Spitzer telescope peers into 13.5 billion years ago and sees early stars.

Battle for Humanity – antibiotics may be killing beneficial bacteria, Sharks and Tuna increase energy output with warm red muscle, First protein discovered that inserts itself into plant cells, Dire climate model prediction if we use all fossil fuels, climate change bad for environment and economy and human health, UC Davis develops new breast cancer drug,  Fetus affects mother’s metabolism.

Exorcising the Devil Out of Dover Part IV – School Board members lie in sworn testimony, one writes a letter to the editor referring to creationism in reference to what they are teaching in Dover.

Review of Serenity film.

Brought to you by Citric Acid.

Theme = Terminator movies.

Show Topics:

Russia makes new space commitment, China accelerating program, Hubble pointed at the moon, NASA will hold beam and tether challenge.

Engineering plants for space travel and life on Mars, first rolling nanocar, quantum dot/LED hybrid light, color perception is in the brain, pheromone tested to control locusts, malaria-resistance gene in mosquitos found.

Exorcising the Devil Out of Dover Part III – Dembski/Meyer briefs thrown out of court, affirmative action for intelligent design, rapidly evolving human genes, human haplotype map completed.

Brought to you by Cucurbituril.

Theme = Star Trek V and VI

Show Topics:

Rat eludes scientists – swims 400m, hydrophobic water discovered, Spitzer finds Andromeda Galaxy has arms, Cichlid fish dominance shows in 2 minutes, cannabis grows neurons, Evolutionary theory finds new antibiotic in fungi, FDA meets to discuss antibacterial soaps, how many fungal spores in your pillow?

AIDS Vaccine enters phase II, Exorcising the Devil Out of Dover Part II – Antievolutionist says Astrology is a Theory.

Karl dishes dirt on Local Dirt’s (another KDRT program) Pseudoscience.

Brought to you by Dickite.

Theme = Star Wars Episode VI

Show Topics:

First Birthday Special!! European space agency plans “Don Quixote” asteroid deflection mission, Keck looks for planets, NASA reports sea ice in sharp decline, Aerosols and carbon cycle in global warming.

Hybrid elephant grass for fuel, more efficient nuclear fuel, story from a Spider in Amber, how green is nanotech going to be, bacteria having conversations, fMRI better than a polygraph in detecting lies.

Birthday activities: Stasis Leak – clip from last year, Tongue Tied – mixed with Karl’s UMMs, Science Fiction Award Ceremony.

Brought to you by Denatonium.

Theme = Red Dwarf.

Show Topics:

First Giant Squid video, Ruminations on Lassen and Mud Baths, Sonoma County Weighs Measure M, P-Body: Cellular Dump is actually a Storage Depot, antibiotic resistance without an energetic cost, but now we can predict the evolution of antibiotic resistance, alcohol and tobacco combined damage the brain.

Interview with Rick Grosberg, professor of Evolution and Ecology at UC Davis: Caste systems in sea anemones, in-utero cannibalism in snails, and concepts in evolution.

Brought to you by CEL1

Theme = Dr Who

Show topics: West Nile Virus in Davis, Dust Devils on Mars, Saturn's Rings have an atmosphere, Supernova 1987A web image, Light slowed down and sped up – SciFi tie-in with Davis Brin Uplift Trilogy.

What to make of Bill Frist’s comments on Intelligent Design, Voices from the grave – the call of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker.

The Battle for Humanity in our mouths – Odor-eating bacteria, Straws reduce tooth decay, Genetically Engineered cavity-fighting bacteria, New method of deriving Embryonic Stem Cells sidestep ethical issues.

Brought to you by Phenol.

Theme = Blade Runner.

Karl is Blind, First Internet Surgery, Chocolate good as Red Wine, Solar System Weather Unknown, Saturn and Earth Auroral “sounds” compared.

Peahens select Peacock mates by their “eyes”, Plants know which roots are theirs, Urine-powered battery, Long-term Violence and Video Games.

Harvard begins Origins of Life in the Universe Initiative, Origin of Genetic Code Explained.

Brought to you by Anandamides.

Theme = Cowboy Bebop.

Show Topics: Discovery lands, catnip sensitivity, Review: Apes to Man (Cable is worthless), Troposphere not cooling, “Sasquatch” hair DNA belongs to Bison, Kansas Devolves, and Religious Scientists.

Meteors and the origin of life, Spitzer space telescope and ancient space dross, 2005 Perseids are here.

C. Elegans embryological development mapped, Evil J. Klone calls in, GE Corn not in Oaxaca Mexico: followup on Ignacio Chapela interview.

Brought to you by Nepetalactone.

Theme = Star Trek 2

Show Topics: New Martian Lake, Saturn’s moon Enceladus has Fresh Terrain, Grad Student Shakes up Plate Tectonics, Tenth Planet, Crabs are Pickiest Daters, Bush on Intelligent Design.

Question = What’s going on with Homo Floresiensis aka The Hobbit?

Brought to you by Iron.

Theme = Hobbit Tunes from LOTR

Show Topics:

Space Shuttle Launch, Master Blaster Mushrooms, Saturn Auroras, Meadows in Decline, Long Living Worms, Cats can’t taste sugar.

Guests: Belinda Martineau and Rick Roush Debate on Genetic Engineering.

Brought to you by Caffeine.

Theme = Star Trek TOS.

This was the first podcasted episode of the Mindcast.

Just to be weird, I decided to start counting at episode zero. All post-podcasting episodes are positive numbers, which means that pre-podcasting episodes are…

That’s right, negative!