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PODCAST

Technically Speaking | a science and engineering discussion

Dive deep into the world of science and engineering with engaging discussions and thought provoking debates. The team share insights from careers in science and engineering, combining expert knowledge and scientific thinking with a touch of humour to make even the most complex topics accessible and entertaining for both enthusiasts and casual listeners. Sometimes we’re funny, often we’re opinionated, always we’re entertaining. Support us: https://ko-fi.com/techspeak_podcast X/Twitter:

science

All Episodes

32:25

Are we all mutants?

Technically Speaking | a science and engineering... ·

2025/02/13

And can natural genetic changes lead us to develop superpowers? Laura, Emma and Jasmin talk about different natural processes can lead to mutations, how our bodies detect and repair some mutations, and how some changes can lie hidden.The article that inspired this episode: We are all genetic mosaics, from Knowable Magazine. Fact check: How many cells are in the adult human body How long it takes for most cells in the human body to divide Some more background on cell division The DNA molecular

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33:30

Are glass bottles really better for the environment...

Technically Speaking | a science and engineering... ·

2025/01/30

The UK has plans to change how drinks containers are collected from consumers for recycling, but recent news stories indicate that glass could be excluded from this scheme. Laura, Antonia and Jasmin discuss what responsibilities packaging producers have, how glass and plastic are currently recycled, and consider what changes need to be made.There were a lot of references in this fact-filled episode: Government target for recycling rates at gov.uk Amounts of litter, from Keep Britain Tidy

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34:28

Can you learn anything you want from the internet?

Technically Speaking | a science and engineering... ·

2025/01/16

Is the internet really a useful tool for learning or is it a place where you shouldn’t believe what you see or read? Laura, Antonia and Ellie discuss what they have learned online, from detailed scientific information to practical skills like fixing a bicycle, and what they struggle to find. Laura and Ellie also share their insight as professional science communicators while Antonia explains how she finds information in her job as an energy analyst where she focusses on sustainability. There's a lot

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42:46

How can we protect ourselves from cybercrimes?

Technically Speaking | a science and engineering... ·

2024/12/12

What is cyber hacking and what can we do about it? Jasmin, Ellie and Antonia explore the different types of cyber hacking, compare it to the movies, and consider whether it can ever be ethical or "good"? They also discuss the best ways to combat cyber-attacks personally, and what companies are doing to protect us and their client information.

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23:35

Are there any alternative uses for nuclear power?

Technically Speaking | a science and engineering... ·

2024/11/28

You might know that nuclear reactors are used along with turbines to generate electricity but what else could nuclear technology power? While battling brain fog brought on by fatigue, Laura and Antonia discuss future uses of high temperature heat to feed industrial clusters and look at two novel uses of nuclear power production that don't require reactors, but could be used to power space missions.Read about heat requirements of smelting metals, power requirements of the experimental rig known as

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29:12

How can we tell if something is true?

Technically Speaking | a science and engineering... ·

2024/11/14

How do we debunk myths and see through fake news? Ellie, Antonia and Emma come together to discuss common myths and how they resist change both in academia and in a general population. They also discuss the impact of social media, AI and how we can learn to look at things with a critical eye.Watch the video from Münecat Read research about countering misinformation and how one research group has tackled misinformation in real time during a US presidential election. Antonia mentioned research

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33:34

What is antibiotic resistance?

Technically Speaking | a science and engineering... ·

2024/10/31

And how are researchers tackling it? Antonia, Emma and Ellie discuss how we got here and what might be done in the future to counteract these drug resistant bacterial strains. Plus we take a sneak peak into the life of PhD student Emma and explore how computational simulations could be helping develop the antibiotics of the future.

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24:17

How does science shape a nation's policy?

Technically Speaking | a science and engineering... ·

2024/10/17

We’ve seen how science can rapidly alter how nations respond to emergencies like a pandemic, but why is the response to the climate emergency so slow? Laura and Antonia discuss multiple ways that scientists can help shape national policy, how people’s beliefs and behaviours are accounted for, and how the general public can have a voice too.A guide by the British Ecological society helps explain how policy relates to legislation. You can read more about how many civil servants we have in the UK,

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29:07

How successful are human interventions for helping...

Technically Speaking | a science and engineering... ·

2024/10/03

Everything humanity does has an impact on the natural world, but we’re also highly dependent on it. Laura, Ellie and Jasmin discuss how panda populations have declined and then improved, the work of zoos, instances of adapting nature to live with us, and how research is uncovering complex way that wildlife, farming, fishing and garden birds interact with us.Here’s the study that Ellie mentions about artificial reefs dramatically improving marine species numbers. Read news of some specific studies

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29:59

Should we mine the Moon?

Technically Speaking | a science and engineering... ·

2024/09/19

Could mining on the Moon become a future industry? Ellie and Jasmin hold a "Dragons Den" style discussion in which the pros and cons and of course the financial details of what it would take to set up a Moon mining operation are discussed. They take a look at private space as it looks today and consider the legal implications. They even explore whether the mining practices could be expanded to other planets and asteroids in Solar System.

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22:46

What are forever chemicals?

Technically Speaking | a science and engineering... ·

2024/09/05

They come up in some surprising places and movies have been made about them but why should we care? Antonia, Jasmin, Laura and Soo-Mei talk about a type of forever chemical called PFAS, discuss the important aspect of their chemistry, talk about the environmental and health impacts, and make a decision about actions they will take.

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27:33

What counts as a new invention?

Technically Speaking | a science and engineering... ·

2024/08/22

Technology has changed a lot but does it make our lives better? Ellie, Laura and Antonia discuss the differences between invention, product development and scientific discovery. They take a look at some technology we use today including the internet, music platforms, air conditioning and sewing machines. They also speculate about what might have in the future based on current scientific discoveries including a tiny gallium person that can melt though bars (watch the video here), semi-transparent

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29:32

How do you get to be a gold-medal-winning athlete?

Technically Speaking | a science and engineering... ·

2024/08/08

The Paris Olympic Games are well underway so of course we have questions! Ellie, Antonia and Jasmin debate whether skill or physical ability is more important and consider whether equipment, psychology, or other factors affect them.Read more: Here’s the blog Antonia mentions about gymnasts getting older A research article about the perfect age to compete Jasmin’s guide to shoes for track and field A news article based on research that controversially showed spikes on athletic shoes make runners

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28:16

Would you make friends with a shark?

Technically Speaking | a science and engineering... ·

2024/07/25

They get a bad rap in the movies but just dangerous are they really? Laura, Ellie and Jasmin compare human-shark interactions to other – seemingly less dangerous – activities, and talk about shark behaviour as well as their senses and evolutionary history to figure out their tactics for swimming with sharks.Read more: London’s Natural History Museum for a selection of sharkey facts NOAA fisheries for some more fun facts The Australian Institute of Marine Science for data on shark attacks and deaths

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21:55

What's the latest medical research into fungus?

Technically Speaking | a science and engineering... ·

2024/07/11

Did you know you have fungi living in your gut? Ellie and Laura share recent improvement in anti-fungal drugs, the relatively new discovery that fungi are found in many types of cancer and speculate on what this might mean for future cancer therapies. They also consider their own experiences with fungus and how they can bias a person's point of view.Ellie mentions a book in relation to how fungi in the gut affect mental health: The Immune Mind by Dr. Monty Lyman. Read more about antifungal drugs as

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23:52

What's exciting about hydrogen?

Technically Speaking | a science and engineering... ·

2024/06/27

As the world tries to wean itself of fossil fuels, alternative ways of producing and storing energy are being developed. Antonia, Jasmin and Sophie talk about how hydrogen can be used to store energy, different ways it can be created, how developed the technology is, and what hydrogen is currently used for.

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45:33

Is it easy to recover from an apocalypse-style event?

Technically Speaking | a science and engineering... ·

2024/06/13

Ever wondered what society would look like if we lose our entire infrastructure? Antonia, Jasmin and Ellie discuss how they might survive based on their own science and engineering knowledge combined with inspiration from film and TV. They discuss movies such as Water World, consider where they would look for information if the internet were affected, and examine how global society could be rebuilt in the absence of modern infrastructure that many of us take for granted. It turns out there isn’t a

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30:50

Are metals vital for modern life?

Technically Speaking | a science and engineering... ·

2024/05/30

Do you ever think about how technology like your smartphone has improved with time and wonder how science made it happen? In this episode with an audiece from the Engineering Development Trust, Antonia, Laura and Jasmin talk about metals needed in clean energy technology as well other technologies such as hard disk drives and display screens. They debate whether we're replacing fossil fuels with other finite resources and consided efforts to start mining on the moon.Antonia refers to a report from

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19:15

Technical short: nanoparticles

Technically Speaking | a science and engineering... ·

2024/05/16

They're used in lots of things but you don't often hear about it. Antonia, Laura and Emma discuss their use in medicine for radiation therapy, electronics and sun screen. They also explain why these tiny particles are so interesting to scientists.References: The study about zinc nanoparticles and lung cells was summarised for the media in 2012 but advice from experts explains why you should wwar suncreen. The Antibacterial Mechanism of Silver Nanoparticles and Its Application in Dentistry,

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28:25

Do rebellions benefit from science?

Technically Speaking | a science and engineering... ·

2024/05/02

Do you find activists like Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil annoying or do you support their fervour? Laura, Antonia and Jasmin discuss whether there is any evidence that their disruptive tactics will convince companies and governments to take more drastic action to curb the climate emergency. They look at why people might join a cause and whether facts or emotion are the most powerful tool an activist can use to persuade.The team mention a report from the Tyndall Centre for Friends of the

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122 results

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