| |
Past Shows
December 17, 2005
 Listen to a Real Audio stream of the entire program (available Saturday, two hours after broadcast).
Download an MP3 of the entire program (22MB) (available Saturday, two hours after broadcast).
 Real Player is required to listen to RealAudio files. Other media players can play the MP3 or Ogg audio files.
Download the RealPlayer plug-in for your browser.
 CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites - links will open in a new window.
Struck by Lightning
Listen to or download the mp3
or Ogg files.
(what's ogg?)
Struck by Lightning, by Dr. J. Rosenthal
|
All of us are affected by probabilities. There are obvious examples: whether or not you'll win the lottery, to get insurance or not. But there are less obvious ones, too. Taking the bus to work when you're late is a gamble based on probabilities. Deciding which airline to fly with is another. Even understanding the results of the latest political poll is an exercise in statistics. Dr. Jeffrey Rosenthal is a professor of statistics at the University of Toronto, and his new book, Struck by Lightning: The Curious World of Probabilities, explores practical ways statistics can help us live fuller lives.
Related Links
Our Inner Ape
Listen to or download the mp3
or Ogg files.
(what's ogg?)
Our Inner Ape, by Frans de Waal
|
Renowned primatologist Frans de Waal's latest book is called Our Inner Ape, but it really looks at the different species of apes within us all. Dr. de Waal argues that, while much primate research in the past several decades has compared chimpanzees to humans, there is much to be learned from bonobos, as well.
Both apes share most of our genes but chimps are more violent and brutal than the peaceable, free-spirited bonobo. In his book, Dr. de Waal examines the duality of human nature, attributing much of humans' good traits, such as generosity and empathy, to the bonobo.
Frans de Waal is one of the world’s leading experts on the social intelligence of primates. He’s also a professor at Emory University and a director of the Yerkes Primate Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
Related Links
First Man: The Life of Neil Armstrong
Listen to or download the mp3
or Ogg files.
(what's ogg?)
First Man, by Dr. James R. Hansen
|
On July 12, 1969 astronaut Neil Armstrong took the first steps on the moon. In doing so, Armstrong became one of the most famous people in the world. But his strong desire for privacy has made him one of the least known of that group. Dr. James R. Hansen, a professor of history from Auburn University in Alabama, finally got a chance to reveal a little more of the real Neil Armstrong when he was given permission to write an authorized biography. Hansen talked to Armstrong's friends and family, and had lengthy conversations with Armstrong himself. In the new biography, First Man: The Life of Neil Armstrong, he explores Armstrong's childhood, his military career, and his life as a test pilot before he became an astronaut. He also examines the myths and legends that have sprung up around the first person to step on the moon.
Related Links
Other Science Books Featured on Quirks in 2005
Warped Passages, by Lisa Randall
Theatre of the Mind, by Jay Ingram
Teen Brain, Teen Mind: What Parents Need to Know to Survive the Adolescent Years, by Dr. Ron Clavier
Mind Hacks: Tips and Tools for Using Your Brain, by Tom Stafford and Matt Webb
Touch the Sun, by Noreen Grice
Big Bang, by Dr. Simon Singh
The Science of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Michael Hanlon
Cold Dark Matter, by Alex Brett
Electric Universe: The Shocking True Story of Electricity, by David Bodanis
Flesh and Machines: How Robots Will Change Us, by Rodney Brooks
The Drug Trial, by Miriam Shuchman
Last week
|
|
