Inquiring Minds

This week we have an extra special episode: It was recorded live on stage in Atlanta for this year’s Dragon Con. We talk about the science of Archer—the hit FX series TV series created by Adam Reed. To do that, we welcome to the show Dr. Krieger himself, Lucky Yates, as well as forensic chemist and former Inquiring Minds guest Raychelle Burks—a.k.a. Dr. Rubidium.Check out behind the scenes photos and video of the entire show at patreon.com/inquiringminds.Note: We swear more than usual on this episode and you might not want to listen to it with your kids. Sorry about that. Or, you're welcome.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

This week, on our 100th episode, we remember Oliver Sacks, neurologist, author, and mentor to Indre. We talk to Steve Silberman—who was also close with Sacks, about his legacy and influence on, among many other things, Silberman's latest book, NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

Marc Lewis is a neuroscientist, professor of developmental psychology, and author of the new book The Biology of Desire: Why Addiction Is Not a Disease. On the show this week we talk to Lewis about the biology of addiction—and what it does to our brains.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

The science behind genetically modified food is a very divisive issue for a lot of people. We’ve already talked about it a few times on the show, but this week we sought out a new perspective and talked to Fred Perlak, a Monsanto Distinguished Science Fellow. He’s been with Monsanto since 1981 and his work has focused on Bt genes, insect control, and plant gene expression. In this episode, he talks about his research and responds to concerns about GM health safety, risks to our eco-system, and the economics associated with food security.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis was trained as a concert pianist and is now the director of the Music Cognition Lab at the University of Arkansas. On the show this week we talk to Margulis about her latest book On Repeat: How Music Plays the Mind.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

On the show this week we talk to David Casarett, M.D. about his latest book Stoned: A Doctor's Case for Medical Marijuana.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

On the show this week we talk to journalist and educator Wade Roush about how disasters can affect our appreciation of the science behind them—and what we can do to be sure the right story gets out.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

On the show this week we talk to Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Michael Hiltzik about his new book Big Science: Ernest Lawrence and the Invention that Launched the Military-Industrial Complex.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

On the show this week we talk to Nobel Memorial Prize winning economist Alvin Roth about his latest book Who Gets What—and Why: The New Economics of Matchmaking and Market Design.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

On the show this week we explore the future of 3D Printing. To do so, Indre goes to SolidCon—a conference about “Hardware, Software & the Internet of Things”—and talks to people from two companies in attendance: Will Walker, a sculptor, designer, and educator from Formlabs and Kevin Czinger, the founder and CEO of Divergent Microfactories, Inc.iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/inquiring-minds/id711675943RSS: feeds.feedburner.com/inquiring-mindsStitcher: stitcher.com/podcast/inquiring-mindsTumblr: http://inquiringshow.tumblr.comSupport the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

Rachel Kalmar is a neuroscientist, data scientist, and world record holder for number of wearable sensors worn daily. On the show this week we talk to Kalmar about the power of collecting data from yourself by wearing sensors directly on your body. We explore the limits and possibilities of wearable technology—and some of the amazing things we might eventually be able to accomplish with it.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

On the show this week we talk all things virtual reality with Will Smith and Norman Chan from Tested.com. Did VR fail in the 90s?How many times does it have to fail to succeed? What’s it useful for besides video games and Lawnmower Men? If you’re confused by the recent VR comeback, Will and Norm have answers.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

Eric Cheng is an award-winning photographer and publisher, and is the Director of Aerial Imaging and General Manager of the San Francisco office at DJI, the makers of the popular Phantom aerial-imaging quadcopter.On the show this week we talk to Cheng (from atop a mountain in the middle of San Francisco) about the science behind drones; why some people are afraid of them, how they work, and why they’re so useful for so many people—especially scientists.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

Alan Levinovitz is an assistant professor of Chinese philosophy and religion at James Madison University and author of The Gluten Lie: And Other Myths About What You Eat.On the show this week we talk to Levinovitz about gluten and gluten-free diets. Should everyone go gluten-free? What does the actual science about it say? Why is a professor of religion is writing about diets in the first place? Listen and find out.iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/inquiring-minds/id711675943RSS: feeds.feedburner.com/inquiring-mindsStitcher: stitcher.com/podcast/inquiring-mindsTumblr: http://inquiringshow.tumblr.comSupport the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

On the show this week we talk to Stephen Dubner, award-winning author, journalist, and radio and TV personality. He is best-known for writing, along with the economist Steven D. Levitt, Freakonomics and SuperFreakonomics, which have sold more than 5 million copies in 35 languages.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

Adam Rogers is an editor at Wired and the author of Proof: The Science of Booze. On the show this week we talk to Rogers about alcohol and the science behind it—from yeast, to bourbon, to Star Trek’s synthehol.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

James Krupa is a professor of biology at the University of Kentucky. On the show this week we talk to Krupa about a recent article he wrote for Orion magazine called Defending Darwin, in which he explains what it’s really like to teach evolution to students in Kentucky.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

Ivan Oransky is vice president and global editorial director of MedPage Today and co-founder of Retraction Watch. On the show this week we talk to Oransky about retractions and the gospel of the scientific paper.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

On the show this week we talk to Traci Mann, professor of psychology at the University of Minnesota and author of the new book Secrets from the Eating Lab: The Science of Weight Loss, the Myth of Willpower, and Why You Should Never Diet Again.iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/inquiring-minds/id711675943RSS: feeds.feedburner.com/inquiring-mindsStitcher: stitcher.com/podcast/inquiring-mindsTumblr: inquiringshow.tumblr.comSupport the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds

Alex Garland is the writer and director of Ex Machina, a recently released film about what happens when someone is asked to interact with what might be the world's first true artificial intelligence (as well as the writer of Dredd, Sunshine, and 28 Days Later).On the show this week guest host Rebecca Watson talks to Garland about the science behind the film, and what he learned in the process of making it.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/inquiringminds