* Polar Bears * The Dolphin in the Mirror * The Infinity Puzzle *

Saturday, December 17, 2011 | Categories: Episodes

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Polar Bears

Surely there is no greater symbol of the Canadian Arctic than the polar bear. Its sheer size, its power, and its majestic bearing are emblems of the vastness, remoteness and ruggedness of Canada's north. But the polar bear is in trouble - serious trouble. And some scientists think its very survival may be at risk. One of those scientists is Dr. Ian Stirling. He's spent the past 40 years studying how polar bears hunt, travel, eat, den, and live. And in his new book - Polar Bears: The Natural History of a Threatened Species - he looks at the iconic animal's habits, hunting and habitat, and ponders its uncertain future. Ian Stirling is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Alberta, and one of the world's leading polar bear experts.

Related Links

Polar Bears - publisher's page
Dr. Ian Stirling

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Dolphin in the Mirror

Humans and dolphins have shared a special relationship for thousands of years. It is a bond based in part on our fascination with their intelligence, communication skill and friendliness. For Dr. Diana Reiss, that fascination has become a life's work and passion. She is a Professor of Cognitive Psychology at Hunter College at the City University of New York, and the author of the new book, The Dolphin In The Mirror: Exploring Dolphin Minds and Saving Dolphin Lives. Experiments demonstrating the many facets of dolphin intelligence are documented. This includes her landmark study proving that dolphins - just like apes and chimpanzees - exhibit self-awareness; they are able to recognize themselves in a mirror. Dr. Reiss says that such a level of cognition makes the dolphin worthy of our protection and care.

Related Links

The Dolphin in the Mirror
Dr. Diana Reiss
Video of dolphin keyboard, bubble ring and mirror experiments
New York Times article about Dr. Reiss' "Mirror Test" in 2001
Mirror sequence from The Marx Brother's 'Duck Soup'
New York Times interview with Dr. Reiss

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The Infinity Puzzle

According to Oxford University physics professor Frank Close, infinity is the bane of the physicist. Whenever infinity comes up in an attempt to calculate what the universe is doing with its tiniest particles, it means that the math and the theory are no longer working - that they no longer really know what's going on. So, the history of particle physics in the last half century has been an attempt to build theories that can exclude infinity. In his new book, The Infinity Puzzle: How The Hunt To Understand The Universe Led To Extraordinary Science, High Politics, And The Large Hadron Collider, Professor Close traces that history. He also discusses one of the final pieces in the "infinity puzzle," which is the search to confirm the existence of the Higgs Boson, which continues today.

Related Links