QuasiCast

Tim and James talk aliens, space, and whether there is any intelligent life at Oxford University.A paper recently published in the journal Astrobiology claims to have performed a rigorous probabalistic analysis concerning the likelihood that intelligent life exists on other planets. The conclude that intelligent life is extremely rare. We take a look at the assumptions and basis on which the paper is founded. In the latter part of the episode we take a look at SETI in more broad terms and some of

Tim and James talk mankind, animals, and whether we need to put whales on a diet. A paper recently published in the journal Nature states that global human made mass has exceeded all living biomass. An extraodinary statement! We look at the findings of this work, questioning how ‘global human made mass’ and ‘biomass’ are defined, and why they authors decided to compare them. We also touch on work of this type more generally, exploring the motivations and incentives for its production. Note:

Tim and James talk the hottest thing in indistinguishable particle statistics. In October of 2020 physicists from USA experimentally demonstrated superconductivity in Hydrogen Sulphide at room temperature (at 267 GPa, shh). We take a look at this remarkable discovery from how it was measured to how it works and the implications for energy storage and other technologies. Here are some links to some of the sources that were used in the creation of this episode. The Nature paper presenting the

Tim and James talk carrots, solar panels, and one man’s quest to unite them. The James Dyson Award 2020 Sustainability Winner for 2020, Carvey Ehren Maigue, proposes that we are very wasteful when it comes to UV radiation and food waste. What better way to solve both problems than to design a ‘UV sequestration’ device out of food waste! Why this new piece of technology might not be everything its selling itself as is the subject of this episode.

A physicist loses it as he is told about Theranos for the first time. How could the world's top investors, scientists and technology companies invest over $9 billion in a product that didn't exist? How could governments and charities heap awards on someone for work they had never done? Who can you trust? What is true? Who the hell knows?! But here two physicists will talk it out until they can't take anymore.