Cool Science Radio
Thursday, 9-10AM
Cool Science Radio is a weekly, hour-long program that focuses on the latest developments and discoveries in the fields of science and technology. Co-hosts Lynn Ware Peek and Scott Greenberg decipher what's new with science and technology experts in an entertaining, amusing and accessible way.
Cool Science Radio is sponsored by:
For questions and inquiries, or to inquire about appearing on the show, contact the hosts directly at coolscienceradio@kpcw.org.
-
Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis explores how music can transport us into vivid inner worlds and what those musical daydreams reveal about the mind. (1:09)Then, astrophysicist Emma Chapman explores how radio waves reveal the hidden universe and what they can teach us about everything from distant planets to the origins of the cosmos. (27:05)
-
Kevin Williams, founder and CEO of Ascend AI Labs, explores how AI has evolved from a future possibility into a powerful opportunity and how organizations are learning to harness it to work smarter, move faster, and stay competitive in a rapidly changing world.Then, University of Utah chemist Matthew Sigman explains how machine learning is transforming drug discovery. By predicting how molecules form, especially their critical “handedness,” new tools can dramatically cut the time, cost, and trial-and-error required to develop life-saving medicines.
-
Simon Rogers of Google discusses his book, “What We Ask Google,” and what two decades of search data reveal about human curiosity, behavior and connection. (1:42)Then, Dr. Vanessa Chang explores how human bodies and technologies have always shaped one another, and why intelligence must be understood as embodied, relational, and deeply human. (26:46)
-
Mathematician Richard Elwes discusses his book, “Huge Numbers,” and how the pursuit of ever-larger numbers has shaped math, science and human thought. Then, astrophysicist and journalist Maria Luísa Buzzo discusses her Scientific American article on unusual galaxies that appear to lack dark matter, challenging how scientists understand galaxy formation.
-
University of Utah geologist William Johnson discusses the discovery of a hidden, pressurized freshwater aquifer beneath the Great Salt Lake and what it could mean for dust control and the lake’s future. (1:12)Then, author and technology executive Fred Voccola explains why AI First organizations are already seeing dramatic productivity gains and why companies that fail to adapt may not survive the next decade. (26:45)
-
Science journalist Lee Billings of Scientific American discusses Artemis II and what it means for the future of human space exploration. (0:56)Then, physicists Vedant Basu and Carsten Rott of the University of Utah discuss the next phase of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the ongoing search for cosmic neutrinos. (26:43)
-
Linda Lehmkuhl, CEO of MedVet, discusses her journey from veterinary cardiologist to health care leader and the evolving science of specialty and emergency care for animals. (1:03)Then, science journalist Humberto Basilio discusses his Scientific American article on a remarkable discovery of thousands of dinosaur footprints in the Italian Alps that could reshape what scientists know about early dinosaurs. (27:06)
-
Entomologist Samuel Ramsey discusses "Secrets of the Bees" and what the hidden lives of bees reveal about ecosystems, agriculture and survival. (0:52)Then, astrophysicist Jeffrey Bennett discusses his book, “The Scale of the Universe,” and how understanding the vastness of space and time can reshape how we see ourselves and each other. (26:43)
-
A leading AI researcher, Dr. Melanie Mitchell, explores the gap between pattern recognition and genuine comprehension and how today’s most powerful models still stumble on the difference. (1:01)Then, University of Utah professor and geologist Dr. Holly Godsey shares how Utah’s dramatic landscape holds clues to ancient lakes, shifting climates and powerful geologic forces. (26:57)
-
Geneticist Adrian Woolfson discusses how artificial intelligence and synthetic genomics are making it possible to design entire genomes from scratch — a shift he calls artificial biological intelligence. (0:59)Then, science journalist Rebecca Boyle discusses her Scientific American article on mysterious “Little Red Dots” discovered by the James Webb Space Telescope that could reshape how scientists understand the early universe. (29:18)