Star City Blog

Science Odyssey Special: Remembering Carl Sagan

Carl Sagan was both scientist and sage, philosopher and popularizer. In this pledge week special, we bring his voice and vision back to life, as he talks about the "Pale Blue Dot" in space that we call home. We also hear from physicist Michio Kaku on warp drives and "Greenman" on climate change. 

First aired March 6, 2010

Carl Sagan, Part 1

Carl Sagan, Part 2

Clay Farris Naff is (claynaff.com) is a science author and blogger whose weekly radio program, Science Odyssey, airs Saturday mornings from 8:30 - 9:00 on KZUM, Lincoln's community radio station. You can hear it over the air at 89.3 FM or on the web live at kzum.org. Clay's science-oriented blog, Ad Astra, can be seen here. His religion blog on the Huffington Post can be seen here.

Science Odyssey: Nanomedicine

The 1966 sci-fi hit "Fantastic Voyage" foretold a day when tiny doctors (accompanied for some reason by Raquel Welch) would circulate throughout our bodies fighting disease. Fortunately, that day has never come, but nanomedicine is an emerging reality. On this program, we hear from UNMC Science Laureate Alexander Kabanov, a pioneer in the field, on how tiny drugs are having a big effect.

First aired Feb. 27, 2010

Nanomedicine, Part 1

Nanomedicine, Part 2

Clay Farris Naff is (claynaff.com) is a science author and blogger whose weekly radio program, Science Odyssey, airs Saturday mornings from 8:30 - 9:00 on KZUM, Lincoln's community radio station. You can hear it over the air at 89.3 FM or on  the web live at kzum.org. Clay's science-oriented blog, Ad Astra, can be seen here. His religion blog on the Huffington Post can be seen here.

Enjoy Colloquium 'Birds of a Feather' at UNL February 26th

Three scholars will explore questions of literary and eco-criticism in an upcoming colloquium, "Birds of a Feather (Or, A Fowl Undertaking?)" at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The event will be at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 26 in Bailey Library, 228 Andrews Hall, 14th and T streets (map at www1.unl.edu/tour/ANDR). A question-and-answer session will follow the event.

As literary scholar Jeffrey Karnicky argues in a recent essay on "Avian Consciousness," our species' understanding of the bird may "lead toward a radically altered relationship to nature and the universe." The event's speakers are:

Science Odyssey: Just How Different Are We From the Apes?

The old assumptions about what makes us human have fallen by the wayside. "Man the Toolmaker" turns out to be not so unique after all. Culture and learning are things we share with other animals. Now, a major fossil find and new research into animal language are further refining our understanding of how close we are to our primate cousins. Includes interviews with anthropologists C. Owen Lovejoy and Janni Pedersen.

First aired Feb. 20, 2010

"Apes" Audio, Part 1

Note: Due to a bad telephone connection, it's difficult to hear our guest in the second half of the program. Our apologies.

"Apes" Audio, Part 2

Clay Farris Naff is (claynaff.com) is a science author and blogger whose weekly radio program, Science Odyssey, airs Saturday mornings from 8:30 - 9:00 on KZUM, Lincoln's community radio station. You can hear it over the air at 89.3 FM or on  the web live at kzum.org. Clay's science-oriented blog, Ad Astra, can be seen here. His religion blog on the Huffington Post can be seen here.

'Sunday With a Scientist' Explores Tiny World of Nanoscience February 21st

The University of Nebraska State Museum will present a program on nanoscience as part of its Sunday with a Scientist series 1:30-4:30 p.m. Feb. 21 at Morrill Hall.

The program, "Nanoscience Makes the Light Fantastic," will be led by Stephen Ducharme, a professor in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's department of physics and astronomy and the Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience.

It will examine science and technology at the nanometer scale (1 nanometer equals 1 billionth of a meter). Morrill Hall is south of 14th and Vine streets on the UNL City Campus (map at www1.unl.edu/tour/MORR). Museum hours are 1:30-4:30 p.m. Sundays.

Science Odyssey: Does Salt Intake Really Matter?

Clay Farris Naff While the medical journals debate the issue, nutritionists and dietitians aren't waiting for the last nail in the coffin to be hammered into place. Convinced that the balance of evidence shows a real threat to health, they are warning us all to cut down on amount of salt we are taking in.

First aired Feb. 6, 2010

Salt Intake, Part 1 12:40

Salt Intake, Part 2 10:39

Clay Farris Naff is (claynaff.com) is a science author and blogger whose weekly radio program, Science Odyssey, airs Saturday mornings from 8:30 - 9:00 on KZUM, Lincoln's community radio station. You can hear it over the air at 89.3 FM or on  the web live at kzum.org. Clay's science-oriented blog, Ad Astra, can be seen here. His religion blog on the Huffington Post can be seen here.

Science Odyssey: Spotting Killers in Space

We think of space as being empty, but in reality it is studded with rocks that range from microscopic to mountain-sized. Some of the bigger ones have smacked into Earth in the past, causing havoc. NASA, under orders from Congress, has launched an infrared observatory into orbit. Science Odyssey, in a program that aired Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010, talks with Dr. Ned Wright, the chief scientist on the project, to learn about how the WISE satellite spotted its first asteroid and whether it's likely to collide with Earth. Later, we hear from physicist Bob Park on why space policy should change to put more resources in to spotting potential killers in space.

The audio for this program is provided below:

Spotting Killers in Space, Part 1 11:20

Spotting Killers in Space, Part 2 09:20

'Dinosaurs and Disasters' Feb. 6 at University of Nebraska State Museum

The University of Nebraska State Museum and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Geosciences will host the sixth-annual "Dinosaurs and Disasters" family fun day 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Feb. 6, at Morrill Hall, south of 14th and Vine streets on the UNL City Campus.
       
"Dinosaurs and Disasters" provides a day of discovery and hands-on activities throughout the museum with more than 20 stations staffed by UNL scientists, graduate and undergraduate students. Attendance topped 2,600 last year, and weather permitting, the same turnout is expected this year. This year's theme is "Extinction." Activities and games will help visitors better understand the natural world and explore the reasons behind the extinction of living things. Scientists will explain extinction in Earth's history by interpreting disasters, climate change and other catastrophic events.

Science Odyssey: The Scent of a Woman (with audio)

It has long been believed that women conceal their fertility from men. But new research shows that may not be the case. Tune in to Science Odyssey this Saturday, Jan. 23, at 8:30 a.m CST to hear about it from the lead researcher, as well as from another psychologist who may not be convinced. That's on KZUM 89.3 FM or kzum.org, 8:30 - 9 a.m. this Saturday morning.

The audio for this program is provided below:

Scent of a Woman, Part 1 14:37

Scent of a Woman, Part 2 14:02

Clay Farris Naff is (claynaff.com) is a science author and blogger whose weekly radio program, Science Odyssey, airs Saturday mornings from 8:30 - 9:00 on KZUM, Lincoln's community radio station. You can hear it over the air at 89.3 FM or on  the web live at kzum.org. Clay's science-oriented blog, Ad Astra, can be seen here. His religion blog on the Huffington Post can be seen here.

Science Odyssey: Strange New Worlds

Following the discovery of hundreds of planets circling other stars, astronomers are starting to find Earth-like worlds. Could they too harbor life?

First aired Jan. 16, 2010

Strange New Worlds Part 1 13:58

Strange New Worlds Part 2 13:07

Clay Farris Naff is (claynaff.com) is a science author and blogger whose weekly radio program, Science Odyssey, airs Saturday mornings from 8:30 - 9:00 on KZUM, Lincoln's community radio station. You can hear it over the air at 89.3 FM or on  the web live at kzum.org. Clay's science-oriented blog, Ad Astra, can be seen here. His religion blog on the Huffington Post can be seen here.