Special(ish) 014 – Piggy in the Middle

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Special(ish) 014 – Piggy in the Middle

FromScience(ish)

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Length:

11 minutes

Released:

Aug 21, 2016

Format:

Podcast episode

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From test tube babies on Bear Grylls' 'The Island' to a violent end for poor little piggy, Rick and Michael offer an especially scientific (and potentially unethical) preview of our next Science(ish) episode, Lord of the Flies. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
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Released:

Aug 21, 2016

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

Flâneur and irrepressible commentator, Rick Edwards, and "Indiana Jones in a lab coat" Dr. Michael Brooks, delve into the science behind popular culture.

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006 – The Time Machine: Dr Michael ‘Morlock’ Brooks and Rick ‘Eloi’ Edwards transcend time and explore the future of humanity.https://radiowolfgang.com/s/scienceish by Science(ish)
49 min listen
009 – Planet of the Apes: The boys go back to basics with an exploration of the 1968 classic Planet of the Apes. How did we humans end up on top? Could the apes ever take over? And of course will dolphins ever have hands?https://radiowolfgang.com/s/scienceish by Science(ish)
46 min listen
Special(ish) 005 – Pale Blue Dot: Milan Kundera once wrote; “While pondering the infinity of the stars, we ignore the infinity of our father.” We asked experts from our Interstellar episode if they agree. by Science(ish)
10 min listen
008 – The Circle: What’s the Internet doing to us? Are we being controlled by our office spaces? How transparent is online transparency? Michael, Rick and web psychologist Nathalie Nahai dissect Dave Eggars’ dystopian masterpiece The Circle.https://radiowolfgang.com/s... by Science(ish)
52 min listen
003 – Jurassic Park: Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it a T-Rex? No! It’s a woolly mammoth. And it’s back from the dead. Maybe. Soon. Michael and Rick are on the case.https://radiowolfgang.com/s/scienceish by Science(ish)
47 min listen
004 – The Day After Tomorrow: Dr Michael Brooks and Rick Edwards take on a world covered in ice – as depicted in The Day After Tomorrow – both literally and metaphorically. Along the way, they talk climate change, climate skeptics and, of course, salmon bacon.https://radiowolfgan... by Science(ish)
44 min listen
007 – Ex Machina: Dr Michael Brooks and Rick Edwards delve into the murky world of Artificial Intelligence as depicted in Alex Garland's masterpiece Ex Machina.https://radiowolfgang.com/s/scienceish by Science(ish)
55 min listen
Special(ish) 012 – Stuck in the Mud: In 1990 Professor Cindy Lee Van Dover became the first woman to pilot deep-ocean submersible Alvin. In anticipation of Science(ish) episode 'The Abyss’, Cindy recalls a particularly sticky dive involving Alvin and the seabed. by Science(ish)
7 min listen
Special(ish) 011 – The Deep: In this Specialish, world scuba diving record holder Verna Du Preez describes her experiences of the deep and talks about just how difficult it is to ascend. Dr Oliver Firth offers insight into the extreme physiology of diving. by Science(ish)
13 min listen
Special(ish) 006 – A Criminal Mind: Neuroscientist Jim Fallon spent years searching for patterns in the brain scans that he saw. But it wasn’t until he turned to the scans of his own brain that he stumbled upon his biggest discovery yet. by Science(ish)
9 min listen
9: Dr Strangelove: With the Doomsday Clock now at two minutes to midnight, the boys go nuclear and explore the legendary political satire Dr. Strangelove. Could Trump fire off a nuke like he fires off a tweet? And how close are we to complete annihilation? The questions ... by Science(ish)
39 min listen
001 – Inception: Dr. Michael Brooks attempts to enter the world of lucid dreaming. Rick – not so much.https://radiowolfgang.com/s/scienceish by Science(ish)
46 min listen
005 – Comics: Tackling all things super - the boys delve into the world of comics, superheroes and villains. Along the way, they take a look at the weird and wonderful history of animals in warfare, the power of poisonous plants, and reveal that we're a lot clo... by Science(ish)
48 min listen
011 – Minority Report: Michael and Rick gaze into the criminal crystal ball, as per Spielberg’s 2002 thriller Minority Report. Can we predict a criminal? Should we pre-convict them? And is the Universe pre-determined? Standard.https://radiowolfgang.com/s/scienceish by Science(ish)
51 min listen
Special(ish) 001 – Sticks & Stones: The very first instalment of our Special(ish) sees the boys dwell on some recent field research that blurs the line between animal and human. A sign of things to come in the next episode of Science(ish), Planet of the Apes. by Science(ish)
12 min listen
Special(ish) 016 – Finding Your Voice: In advance of our next Science(ish) on ‘Her’, a film starring Scarlett Johansson’s disembodied voice, we speak to leading speech therapist Christella Antoni. Here Antoni explains the process of male-to-female voice modification. by Science(ish)
7 min listen
013 – The Abyss: Rick & Michael delve into the underwater world of James Cameron’s 'The Abyss'. Ignoring, as Michael puts it “those silly wet aliens” this episode explores the limits of the human body, liquid breathing & what lurks in the deep.https... by Science(ish)
46 min listen
Special(ish) 003 – A Head Above: Transhumanist and neurosurgeon Dr Sergio Canavero shares his big plans for 2017, which include a sharp knife, some polyethylene glycol, and a pair of human heads. by Science(ish)
14 min listen
Special(ish) 002 – Rise of the Machines: Following AlphaGo’s trouncing of the World ‘Go’ champion, we’ve pulled some unheard material from our Ex-Machina episode about the potential impacts of the ever-extending arm of AI, as told by contributor Jeremy Howard. by Science(ish)
10 min listen
012 – Alien: The boys return to the outer expanses of the universe. This time, they’re not after black holes but ET, as depicted in Ridley Scott’s classic ‘Alien’. Are we alone? What will ‘it’ look like? And are ‘they’ already amongst us?https://radiowolfgang.com... by Science(ish)
50 min listen
Special(ish) 010 – The Great Escape: Rick and Michael deliver some strong science chat about Inky the escaping octopus, a slippery little fella who managed to slide out of his tank and make a break for the pacific ocean. But what does this mean for evolution? by Science(ish)
7 min listen
002 – Brave New World: Brace yourself for stories about cloning, aggressive ice hockey players, happy buildings… oh, and the ethics of using genetics to create a content underclass.http://radiowolfgang.com/s/scienceish by Science(ish)
51 min listen
The Fly, Series 2 Episode 4: The Brooks-Edwards hybrid delves into the world of chimeras, as seen in David Cronenberg’s classic ‘The Fly’. We’re talking teleportation. We’re talking spider-goats. We’re talking the “Brundlefly.” Be afraid, be very afraid.https://radiowolfgang.com... by Science(ish)
55 min listen
Special(ish) 013 – King of the Swingers: If you thought we were the only species capable of infidelity, think again. In this episode of Special(ish), Rick and Michael explore the cunning world of animal deception with help from primatologist, Dr. Kit Opie. by Science(ish)
9 min listen
Special(ish) 004 – Life on Mars: In anticipation of the next episode of Science(ish), we hear how the search for other habitable planets has well and truly begun. by Science(ish)
13 min listen
Special(ish) 008 – Dark Night: Chris French, a professor of psychology who specialises in paranormal belief and ostensibly paranormal experiences, takes us through the terrifying ordeal of sleep paralysis and its surprising link to alien abduction. by Science(ish)
9 min listen
Scienceish Season Two Trailer: Scienceish is BACK! On VALENTINE'S DAY! With that classic love story...THE MATRIX. Listen to the trailer now.https://radiowolfgang.com/s/scienceish by Science(ish)
5 min listen
Special(ish) 018 – Harmon-E: In this episode, eHarmony’s data scientist Jon Morra discusses the ways in which machine learning and data science are applied to help connect people for successful long term relationships. by Science(ish)
11 min listen
Special(ish) 007 – Area 51: At the southern tip of the Nevada Desert lies an area shrouded in mystery. With aliens, spaceships, and mind control, all said to be part of its history – Area 51 is a melting pot of conspiracy. by Science(ish)
13 min listen
Science(ish) Christmas Special, Series 2 Episode 8: Rick and Michael decide to get nostalgic with a festive wrap of Season 2 by revisiting their favourite questions. We're talking fringe theories, we're talking spider goats, and we're talking simulated universes. Happy Christmas everyone!... by Science(ish)
38 min listen

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7: Dark Waters: Have we all been poisoned? PFAS chemicals are all around us and almost certainly in your blood. But just how worried should we be? Michael sits down with Mark Ruffalo and Rob Bilott to talk about the shocking true story behind Dark Waters.Link to Rob B... by Science(ish)
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44 min listen
3: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle: Looking to escape to another reality? Why not try a virtual one? In this episode Rick and Michael get sucked into the world of Jumanji, as they pose the question on everybody's mind's right now, "could we ever live in a game?" Wheth... by Science(ish)
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2: Game Of Thrones (Live): Rick and Michael go full Westeros at a special live show from the Underbelly comedy festival. So, could you really build an Ice Wall that big without using magic? Could a Dragon really fly and breathe fire? And the big one - just how bad is incest real... by Science(ish)
51 min listen
1: Jaws: Is there such a thing as a perfect predator? Rick and Michael kick off Season 5 with the mother of all blockbusters, Steven Spielberg’s 1975 masterpiece Jaws. From a deep dive into the evolution of predation, to a nasty encounter with Free Willy, the b... by Science(ish)
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12: History of the World: Part 1: How much does Geography inform History? Why did humanity first emerge where it did? What influence do ancient rock formations have on U.S politics? In the final episode of the season, Rick and Michael try to answer all this and more, diving into Mel Br... by Science(ish)
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11: Deadpool: Will we ever be able to regrow limbs? The more we learn about the incredible regenerative abilities of salamanders and planarian worms, the closer we come to coaxing our bodies into repairing any injury. Through Marvel’s Deadpool, Rick and Michael tack... by Science(ish)
41 min listen
10: Inside Out: Personality testing is a multi-billion dollar industry. But how reliable are assessments like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator? Can we really find out which Lord of the Rings character Michael is? Rounding off our animated classics trilogy of animated c... by Science(ish)
40 min listen
9: Antz: Does nature prefer hierarchy? When we look out into nature, we see hierarchical systems everywhere. Is it inevitable that humans follow suit? The lads dive into the 1998 animation Antz to find out why these systems evolved and more importantly, how wro... by Science(ish)
38 min listen
8: WALL-E: Every year we produce over 2 billion tonnes of waste. That figure is only going up. Never before has the question been more pressing: what should we do with all our stuff? From atop a giant pile of broken printers, Rick and Michael discuss Pixar’s 2008... by Science(ish)
41 min listen
7: Geostorm: What if we could control the weather? Inspired by the futuristic disaster film Geostorm, the boys delve into the contentious field of geoengineering. Can or should we tinker with the Earth’s climate to mitigate the risks of runaway climate change? What... by Science(ish)
41 min listen
6: Icarus: When Bryan Fogel’s 2017 docu-thriller Icarus exposed Russia's Olympic doping programme, it sent shockwaves through the sports community. This week the boys explore the long and bizarre history of doping in sport and the perpetual arms race between... by Science(ish)
35 min listen
5: Dante's Peak: Without volcanoes there would be no life on Earth. But just how afraid of supervolcanoes - like the one in Yellowstone National Park - should we be? Inspired by 90s disaster movie Dante’s Peak, the boys explore just how bad it could get for humanity an... by Science(ish)
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4: Westworld: What better way to kick off Christmas than a deep dive into the ethics of sex robots? Exploring the science and pitfalls of dystopian drama Westworld, the boys sit down with renowned computer scientist Kate Devlin to discuss her new book ‘Turned On: Sc... by Science(ish)
37 min listen
3: Blindness: Could we be on the cusp of eradicating vision loss? Through the 2008 epidemic thriller ‘Blindness’, the boys explore the mind-boggling complexity of the eye and the conditions that led to its evolution in the animal kingdom. With tens of millions of pe... by Science(ish)
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2: Moonraker: With the declaration of Trump’s ‘Space Force’, the domain of space is ever closer to becoming a new and potentially terrifying theatre of war. Through the Roger Moore classic Moonraker, the boys examine our reliance on vulnerable satellites and the ram... by Science(ish)
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1: Fight Club: To kick off Series 4, Michael asked Rick to hit him as hard as he can… with knowledge! Through the Brad Pitt/Ed Norton classic Fight Club, the boys dive headfirst into the uncomfortable world of pain research. From the world’s most painful ailments, to... by Science(ish)
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33: Is LIGO right?: The 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics went to ‘a discovery that shook the world’, gravitational waves. These were detected by the LIGO experiment, a century after Einstein first predicted them. But behind the celebration, another story has been brewing which... by Science(ish)
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32: First Man: Just 66 years after the Wright brothers’ first flight, humans somehow managed to put a man on the moon. How did this happen? In this bonus episode, the boys mark the release of the film First Man by delving into the perilous science behind the original... by Science(ish)
39 min listen
31: Pi: Do some numbers have special significance? Inspired by Darren Aronofsky’s film Pi, Rick and Michael explore the greatest numbers known to humankind. From the mercurial zero which medieval Italy declared “illegal”, to the golden ratio that can explain s... by Science(ish)
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30: Doctor Strange: Can meditation change your brain? Rick and Michael take a moment to reconnect with their breath and journey into the mystical science behind the film Doctor Strange. Exploring how monks use meditation to stave off hypothermia and send their gamma brain... by Science(ish)
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29: Frankenstein: Could we create Frankenstein’s monster? The boys celebrate the 200th year anniversary of Mary Shelley’s genre-defining novel with a deep-dive into the underbelly of science: from grave-robbing and re-animating the dead, to the cutting edge of synthetic... by Science(ish)
44 min listen
28: Rounders: Can science beat the casino? Through the Matt Damon-Ed Norton classic Rounders, the boys explore how mathematicians have tried to conquer the world of gambling. From gaming the national lottery to blackjack and roulette, there’s more to probability the... by Science(ish)
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27: Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: What if our universe is just a giant computer? In The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy the Earth is just a computer calculating the meaning of life, and in this episode the boys tackle one of the boldest claims of modern science: that everything we thi... by Science(ish)
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26: The Dead Zone: Are we any good at predicting the future? Through David Cronenberg’s film The Dead Zone, the boys explore the fiendishly difficult science of foretelling the course of history. Why do the professional pundits get it wrong so often? Might you have what ... by Science(ish)
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25: Nightmare on Elm Street: ‘Whatever you do, don’t fall asleep...’ These iconic words from the 80s classic A Nightmare on Elm Street have got the boys thinking: from sleep paralysis to insomnia to narcolepsy, what’s actually happening when sleep goes wrong? Are we all living thr... by Science(ish)
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Special(ish) 014 – Piggy in the Middle

Special(ish) 014 – Piggy in the Middle

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from Science(ish)

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