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Topic: Science and Technology

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THE GRAVEL PAGE: Part 4

Death of an Agent
Topic
Science and Technology
Play
in MP3
Author
John McPhee
Publication
1996 The New Yorker
Read by
David Henry
Length
30 minutes

THE GRAVEL PAGE: Part 3

Ballons of War
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
John McPhee
Publication
1996 The New Yorker
Read by
David Henry
Length
30 minutes

THE GRAVEL PAGE: Part 2

The Abduction of Adolph Coors III
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
John McPhee
Publication
1996 The New Yorker
Read by
David Henry
Length
30 minutes

THE GRAVEL PAGE: Part 1

Introduction: The most frightening crimes have no witnesses except the ground on which they are committed. And forensic geologists illuminate cases that would impress Sherlock Holmes, the science's first practitioner.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
John McPhee
Publication
1996 The New Yorker
Read by
David Henry
Length
30 minutes

VERY DARK ENERGY

Cheating with the theory of relativity?
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Karen Wright
Publication
2002 Discover
Read by
John Caraher
Length
20 minutes

THE WISDOM OF TOADS

Desert toads and their erratic life
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Ken Lamberton
Publication
2000
Read by
Scott Huler
Length
31 minutes

THE VIRTUAL ASTRONAUT

Are robots up to the task?
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Robert Park
Publication
2004 The New Atlantis
Read by
Roxy Firestone
Length
10 minutes

THE RIGHT PLAN

The setting seemed ideal...
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Robert Park
Publication
2004 The New Atlantis
Read by
Roxy Firestone
Length
12 minutes

THE ELOQUENT BONES OF ABU HUREYRA

The daily grind in an early Near Eastern agricultural community left revealing marks on the skeletons of the inhabitants.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Theya Molleson
Publication
1994 Scientific American
Read by
Melissa Stewart
Length
21 minutes

THE BEST CLOCK IN THE WORLD

An extraordinary instrument.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Verlyn Klinkenborg
Publication
2001 Discover
Read by
John Caraher
Length
28 minutes

STRING THEORISTS FIND A ROSETTA STONE

"To get out of a bad situation, you must pass through the depths of an abyss."
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Gary Taubes
Publication
2000 Scientific American
Read by
John Caraher
Length
26 minutes

NASTY LITTLE FACTS

Fingerprints and more.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
S.J. Gould
Publication
1986 Natural History
Read by
ohn Caraher
Length
30 minutes

ITERATIONS OF IMMORTALITY

David Berlinski's discourse on the algorithm and more.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
David Berlinski
Publication
2001 Harper's Magazine
Read by
Jim Weyman
Length
16 minutes

GREY AREA: THINKING WITH A DAMAGED BRAIN

In December 1988 Floyd Skloot was stricken by a virus that targeted his brain, leaving him totally disabled and utterly changed.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Floyd Skloot
Publication
2000 Creative Nonfiction
Read by
Kathleen Starling
Length
20 minutes

DUMB DUMB DUH DUMB

Again, about our test scores.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Steve Mirsky
Publication
2002 Scientific American
Read by
Ann Moln
Length
4 minutes

DAILY LIFE IN ANCIENT EGYPT

Workmen and their families lived some 3,000 years ago in the village now known as Deir el-Medina. Written records from the unusually well educated community offer fascinating descriptions of everyday activities.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Andrea G. McDowell
Publication
1996 Scientific American
Read by
Melissa Stewart
Length
16 minutes

CRICKETS, BATS, CATS, & CHAOS

Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Lewis Thomas
Publication
Read by
Sue Probert
Length
19 minutes

CLOCK OF AGES

Clock-mania.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Brian Hayes
Publication
2000 The Sciences
Read by
Scott Huler
Length
25 minutes

BRAIN CELL MEMORIES

Under the microscope, disease and life unfurl.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Spence Nadler
Publication
2000 Harper's Magazine
Read by
Cheryl Schuette
Length
26 minutes

ASBESTOS REVISITED

Once considered safe enough to use in toothpaste, the unique substance has intrigued people for more than 2,000 years.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
James E. Allman and Brooke T. Mossman
Publication
1997 Scientific American
Read by
Melissa Stewart
Length
24 minutes

BASIN AND RANGE

From the ANNALS OF THE FORMER WORLD series about geology and how it reveals the earth's past history.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
John McPhee
Publication
1990 The New Yorker
Read by
David Henry
Length
43 minutes

THE MYSTERY OF CONSCIOUSNESS--part 1

What is consciousness? Is my inner awareness of myself something separate from my body?
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
John R. Searle
Publication
1995 The NY Review of Books
Read by
Vi Benner
Length
51 minutes

THE MYSTERY OF CONSCIOUSNESS--part 2

Only when we understand how the brain works will we begin to understand issues ranging from artificial intelligence to our very nature as human beings.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
John R. Searle
Publication
1995 The NY Review of Books
Read by
Vi Benner
Length
47 minutes

THE NEXT BRAINIACS

This is the story of the most fearless entrepreneur ever: the human brain.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
John Hockenberry
Publication
2001 WIRED
Read by
Cheryl Schuttee
Length
41 minutes

AUSTRALIA'S POLAR DINOSAURS

Their excellent night vision and apparent warm blood raise a question...
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Patricia Vickers-Rich and Thomas Hewitt Rich
Publication
1993 Scientific American
Read by
Melissa Stewart
Length
21 minutes

CAN THE GROWING HUMAN POPULATION FEED ITSELF?

As human numbers surge toward 10 billion, some experts are alarmed, others optimistic. Who is right?
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
John Bongaarts
Publication
1994 Scientific American
Read by
Scott Schuer
Length
25 minutes

CORAL BLEACHING

Environmental stresses can cause irreparable harm to coral reefs. Unusually high seawater temperatures may be a principal culprit.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Barbara E. Brown and John C. Ogden
Publication
1993 Scientific American
Read by
Melissa Stewart
Length
25 minutes

CREATING FALSE MEMORIES

Researchers are showing how suggestion and imagination can create "memories" of events that did not actually occur.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Elizabeth F. Loftus
Publication
1997 Scientific American
Read by
Melissa Stewart
Length
21 minutes

DIET AND PRIMATE EVOLUTION

Many characteristics of modern primates, including our own species, derive from an early ancestor's practice of taking most of its food from the tropical canopy.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Katharine Milton
Publication
1993 Scientific American
Read by
Melissa Stewart
Length
37 minutes

EGIL'S BONES

An Icelandic saga tells of a Viking who had unusual, menacing features, including a skull that could resist blows from an ax. He probably suffered from an ailment called Paget's disease.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Jesse L. Byock
Publication
1994 Scientific American
Read by
David Zinn
Length
25 minutes

ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE AND VIOLENT CONFLICT

Growing scarcities of renewable resources can contribute to social instability and civil strife.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
H. Boutwell and George W. Rathjens
Publication
1993 Scientific American
Read by
Richard Wilson
Length
32 minutes

EYES WIDE OPEN

Can science make regular sleep unnecessary?
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Jerome Groopman
Publication
2001 The New Yorker
Read by
David Henry
Length
22 minutes

FASTER EVALUATION OF VITAL DRUGS

Traditional clinical trials may delay the availability of lifesaving therapies. Regulators now attempt to balance speed against the risk of errors.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
David A. Kessler and Karyn L. Feiden
Publication
1995 Scientific American
Read by
Melissa Stewart
Length
31 minutes

FIXING NEMO

Ten years ago, the chances of finding a fish vet were slim. But true to its history, veterinary medicine is steadily evolving to meet the demands of pet owners.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Rebecca Skloot
Publication
2004
Read by
Susan Valeri
Length
21 minutes

KIN RECOGNITION

Many organisms, from sea squirts to primates, can identify their relatives. Understanding how and why they do so has prompted new thinking about the evolution of social behavior.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
David W. Pfennig and Paul W. Sherman
Publication
1995 Scientific American
Read by
Richard Wilson
Length
28 minutes

MAKING RICE DISEASE-RESISTANT

For the first time, scientists have used genetic engineering to protect this essential crop from disease.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Pamela C. Ronald
Publication
1997 Scientific American
Read by
Melissa Stewart
Length
20 minutes

MANIC-DEPRESSIVE ILLNESS AND CREATIVITY

Does some fine madness plague great artists? Several studies now show that creativity and mood disorders are linked.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Redfield Jamison
Publication
1995 Scientific American
Read by
Melissa Stewart
Length
21 minutes

MONOGAMY AND THE PRAIRIE VOLE

Studies of the prairie vole--a secretive, mouselike animal--have revealed hormones that may be responsible for monogamous behavior.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
C. Sue Carter and Lowell L. Getz
Publication
1993 Scientific American
Read by
Melissa Stewart
Length
28 minutes

ONE IN A MILLON

ESP, Telekinesis, Other Pseudoscience
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Freeman J. Dyson
Publication
2004
Read by
Richard Wilson
Length
24 minutes

OUT OF AFRICA AGAIN...AND AGAIN

Africa is the birthplace of humanity. But how many human species evolved there? And when did they emigrate?
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Ian Tattersall
Publication
1997 Scientific American
Read by
Steve Easter
Length
28 minutes

P.A.M. DIRAC AND THE BEAUTY OF PHYSICS

He preferred the beautiful theory to the fact-buttressed ugly one because, as he noted, facts change. He proved his point by predicting the existence of antimatter.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Hovis and Helge Kragh
Publication
1993 Scientific American
Read by
Richard Wilson
Length
29 minutes

SOMETHING HAPPENED

A journey to the source of HIV and AIDS.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Helen Epstein
Publication
2000
Read by
Melissa Stewart
Length
30 minutes

THE AGING OF THE HUMAN SPECIES

Our species has modified the evolutionary forces that have always limited life expectancy. Policymakers must consequently prepare to meet the needs of a population that will soon be much older.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Olshansky, Bruce A. Carnes and Christine K. Cassel
Publication
1993 Scientific American
Read by
Melissa Stewart
Length
34 minutes

THE ALUMINIUM BEVERAGE CAN

Produced by the hundreds of millions every day, the modern can--robust enough to support the weight of an average adult--is a tribute to precision design and engineering.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
William F. Hosford and John L. Duncan
Publication
1994 Scientific American
Read by
Richard Wilson
Length
22 minutes

THE DEATH CULTS OF PREHISTORIC MALTA

New archaeological excavations reveal that as the ancient island societies suffered from environmental decline, they developed an extreme religious preoccupation with life and death.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Bonanno, Tancred Gouder, Simon Stoddart and David Trump
Publication
1993 Scientific American
Read by
Melissa Stewart
Length
29 minutes

THE DOOMSDAY CLICK

How easily could a hacker bring the world to a standstill?
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Michael Specter
Publication
2001 The New Yorker
Read by
David Zinn
Length
34 minutes

THE EVOLUTION OF THE UNIVERSE

Some 15 billion years ago the universe emerged from a hot, dense sea of matter and energy. As the cosmos expanded and cooled, it spawned galaxies, stars, planets and life.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
P. James E. Peebles, David N. Schramm, Edwin L. Turner and Richard G. Kron
Publication
1994 Scientific American
Read by
Andy Kader
Length
27 minutes

THE FERTILITY DECLINE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Family size is decreasing in many Third World countries. The reasons provide the key to slowing population growth.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Bryant Robey, Shea O. Rutstein and Leo Morris
Publication
1993 Scientific American
Read by
Richard Wilson
Length
32 minutes

THE GREAT RADIUM SCANDAL

William J. A. Bailey grew rich from his radium-laced patent medicine until it killed a leading socialite. The scandal helped to usher in modern standards of radioisotope regulation.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Roger M. Macklis
Publication
1993 Scientific American
Read by
Mary Roth
Length
31 minutes

THE LIGHT STUFF

Learning to fly the Goodyear blimp
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
David Samuels
Publication
2003 The New Yorker
Read by
Robert Starring
Length
25 minutes

THE PICTURE PROBLEM

Mammography, air power, and the limits of looking
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Malcolm Gladwell
Publication
2004 The New Yorker
Read by
David Erdody
Length
42 minutes

THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

New research uncovers some anti-intuitive insights into how many people are happy--and why.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
David G. Myers and Ed Diener
Publication
1996 Scientific American
Read by
Richard Wilson
Length
11 minutes

THE SCIENCE OF MURPHY'S LAW

Life's little annoyances are not as random as they see
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Robert A. J. Matthews
Publication
1997 Scientific American
Read by
Richard Wilson
Length
14 minutes

ZINC FINGERS

They play a key part in regulating the activity of genes in many species, from yeast to humans. Fewer than 10 years ago no one knew they existed.
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Daniela Rhodes and Aaron Klug
Publication
1993 Scientific American
Read by
Melissa Stewart
Length
33 minutes

HOW TO PREDICT EVERYTHING

Has the physicist J. Richard Gott really found a way?
Topic
Science and Technology
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in MP3
Author
Ferris
Publication
1999 The New Yorker
Read by
Richard Wilson
Length
minutes

THE NEXT BRAINIACS

This is the story of the most fearless entrepreneur eve
Topic
Science and Technology
Play
in MP3
Publication
2001
Read by
Cheryl Schuttee
Length
41 minutes

THE TAPESTRY OF POWER IN A MESOPOTAMIAN CITY

Mashkan-shapir was for a brief time one of the most important cities in the civilized world. Its remains challenge traditional notions of power distribution in early urban society.
Topic
Science and Technology
Play
in MP3
Publication
1995 Scientific American
Read by
Melissa Stewart
Length
23 minutes