Super Awesome Science Show (SASS)

The miracle of MRNA vaccines

Mon, 17 May 2021 07:00:00 -0000

It has been a long and painful pandemic but the light at the end of the tunnel is within our sights. While there are many reasons for what will surely be a celebration, there is one one particular medical advancement that has raised all of our spirits and may represent the future for battling disease. It’s the mRNA vaccine.

This week, we’re closing out our season on COVID-19 science with a guest we all need to hear. He is Pieter Cullis and he a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of British Columbia. He is one of the founders of mRNA vaccine technology, although when he started this journey over four decades ago, there was a very different reason for the work. It’s a story you need to hear to truly get a feel for the miracle that is mRNA vaccines.

I want to thank everyone who asked a question over the course of this season. It helped to make the show interactive and also more informative. If you have any questions, you can still reach me on Twitter or by Email. Have a great summer and I look forward to better times and awesome science.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guest:
Pieter Cullis
https://biochem.ubc.ca/person/pieter-cullis/

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COVID-19 Variants - SASS Class

Mon, 10 May 2021 07:00:00 -0000

It’s time for the Super Awesome Science Show SASS Class on COVID-19 variants.

I want to thank everyone who reached out to me. We received quite a few and will try to answer them today.

We’re back with Earl Brown, a professor emeritus at the University of Ottawa and also a colleague with whom I’ve performed research and published on emerging pathogens such as SARS and avian flu. He has been observing the impact of variants and is ready to answer your questions.

Next week is our season finale and it is with one of the original researchers behind the mRNA vaccine technology. He’s been doing it for over 40 years and best of all, it’s been done right here in Canada. You won’t want to miss it.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guest:
Earl Brown
https://web5.uottawa.ca/www2/mcs-smc/media/experts-details-324.html

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COVID-19 Variants

Mon, 03 May 2021 07:00:00 -0000

Over the course of the pandemic, our vocabulary has gained a specific word that has come to represent great concern and distress in our global community. Variant. In the context of COVID-19, it has meant a resurgence in viral infections, resistance to treatments, and the risk of an ineffective vaccine.

This week, we’re going to look at the science behind SARS-CoV-2 variants with Earl Brown. He’s a professor emeritus at the University of Ottawa and also a colleague with whom I’ve performed research and published on emerging pathogens such as SARS and avian flu. Our discussion will not only enlighten you but also reveal aspects of the nature of variants you won’t hear anywhere else.

While we try to identify all the potential questions you might have regarding wastewater testing, I’m sure you will have more. Which is why I hope you reach out to me on Twitter, by Email, or via voice message at Speakpipe.com/SASS. Just follow the link below and send me your thoughts.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guest:
Earl Brown
https://web5.uottawa.ca/www2/mcs-smc/media/experts-details-324.html

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COVID-19 and wastewater - SASS Class

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 07:00:00 -0000

It’s time for the Super Awesome Science Show SASS Class on COVID-19 and wastewater.

I want to thank everyone who reached out to me. We received quite a few and will try to answer them today.

We’re back with Tyson Graber, a research associate at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute. He has been working on the development of wastewater testing and has gained support from the local government who now shares that data with the population.

Over the last few months, I have received a few questions regarding the impact of COVID-19 on those living with Multiple Sclerosis. I have reached out to Farrah Mateen, an Associate Professor of Neurology and her clinical practice focuses on helping and treating MS patients. She has been learning of the impacts of the pandemic from her patients and also through her international collaborations with researchers in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and South America.

If you didn’t hear your question, make sure to contact me on Twitter, by Email and now, via voice message at Speakpipe.com/SASS. Just follow the link below and send me your thoughts.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guest:
Tyson Graber
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tysongraber/?originalSubdomain=ca

City of Ottawa Wastewater Surveillance
https://www.ottawapublichealth.ca/en/reports-research-and-statistics/Wastewater_COVID-19_Surveillance.aspx

Farrah Mateen
https://www.massgeneral.org/doctors/19421/farrah-mateen

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COVID-19 and wastewater

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 07:00:00 -0000

It may seem like COVID-19 is everywhere and this week, we’re going to find out how we can take advantage of that fact. Research has shown that the virus behind the disease, SARS-CoV-2 can survive in sewage and be identified using a diagnostic test. More importantly, the results of those tests provide an early warning system to communities about the spread of the disease.

Our guest this week has been working on the development of wastewater testing and has gained support from the local government who now shares that data with the population. His name is Tyson Graber and he is a research associate at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute.

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The science of Covid-19 Diagnostics - SASS Class

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 07:00:00 -0000

It’s time for the Super Awesome Science Show SASS Class on COVID-19 and diagnostic tests.

I want to thank everyone who reached out to me. We received quite a few and will try to answer them today.

Our guest this week has been focused on why we need diagnostic tests for all to get us past this pandemic and to keep us safe and confident even long after. She is Cherie Lynn Ramirez and she is an assistant professor in the Chemistry and Physics Department at Simmons University. She was the Deputy Director of the Global Learning Studio at the Global Health Education and Learning Incubator at Harvard University.

Recently, she and her colleagues wrote a discussion piece on the need for universal access to diagnostic tests. You can find that paper below.

If you didn’t hear your question, make sure to contact me on Twitter, by Email and now, via voice message at Speakpipe.com/SASS. Just follow the link below and send me your thoughts.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guest:
Cherie Lynn Ramirez
https://www.simmons.edu/academics/faculty/cherie-ramirez

Cherie Lynn Ramirez’s discussion on universal testing:
https://www.rapidtests.org/wrong-not-to-test

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The science of COVID-19 Diagnostics

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 07:00:00 -0000

The old adage of the only thing to fear is fear itself sometimes rings true although in the case of pandemics, it has a different meaning. We should fear the pandemic but in many cases, people tend to fear and rebel against the measures to keep people safe.

But there is a way to prevent this from happening in an equitable way. It’s through the use of rapid diagnostic tests. They can help to keep us aware of the location of a pandemic virus, how’s it’s spreading in the community, and how to develop targeted measures to prevent spread.

Recently, she and her colleagues wrote a discussion piece on the need for universal access to diagnostic tests. You can find that paper below.

We try to hit on as many points as we can based on her research but I’m sure you will have questions. Which is why I hope you reach out to me on Twitter, by Email, or via voice message at Speakpipe.com/SASS. Just follow the link below and send me your thoughts.

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COVID-19 and Mental (ill) Health Sass Class

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 04:00:00 -0000

It’s time for the Super Awesome Science Show SASS Class on COVID-19 and its effects on our healthcare heroines.

I want to thank everyone who reached out to me. We received quite a few and will try to answer them today.

Our guest is Emily Jenkins. Emily Jenkins. She is an Assistant Professor at the School of Nursing at the University of British Columbia. She is focused on optimizing mental health outcomes for Canadians through collaborative mental health promotion strategies; health services and policy development and redesign; and knowledge translation approaches. She has also reached out to Canadians and learned about how they really feel about this pandemic. Her two papers on the subject can be found below.

If you didn’t hear your question, make sure to contact me on Twitter, by Email and now, via voice message at Speakpipe.com/SASS. Just follow the link below and send me your thoughts.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guest: Emily Jenkins
Emily Jenkins, PhD, MPH, RN | School of Nursing (ubc.ca)

COVID-19 and Individual Mental Health
A portrait of the early and differential mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada: Findings from the first wave of a nationally representative cross-sectional survey - ScienceDirect

COVID-19 and Family Mental Health
Examining the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on family mental health in Canada: findings from a national cross-sectional study | BMJ Open

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COVID-19 and mental (ill) health

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 07:00:00 -0000

Pandemics usually are known for their impact on physical health in the forms of infection. But these worldwide outbreaks also affect mental health both in direct and indirect ways. We spoke about the direct manners earlier this season and this week, we’re taking a look at the indirect ways.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guest: Emily Jenkins
Emily Jenkins, PhD, MPH, RN | School of Nursing (ubc.ca)

COVID-19 and Family Mental Health
Examining the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on family mental health in Canada: findings from a national cross-sectional study | BMJ Open

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COVID-19 Healthcare Heroines - SASS Class

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 07:00:00 -0000

In times of crisis, we look to heroines. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they have come in the form of healthcare workers. They have given so much of themselves and we are grateful. Yet, even as we offer our thanks, there continues to be suffering in the form of anxiety, burnout, and depression.

This week, we’re going to hear about how COVID-19 is affecting our healthcare heroines with our guest, Abi Sriharan. She is the Program Director for Systems Leadership and Innovation and an Assistant Professor, Institute for Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. She is also known as a realist applied researcher who looks to develop answers that can be implemented to improve the overall situation. In many ways, she could be considered the healthcare heroine’s heroine.

While this discussion will inform, shock and maybe surprise you, I’m sure you will have questions. Which is why I hope you reach out to me on Twitter, by Email, or via voice message at Speakpipe.com/SASS. Just follow the link below and send me your thoughts.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guest: Abi Sriharan
Abi Sriharan | Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (utoronto.ca)

Abi Sriharan’s work on healthcare heroines and the effect of COVID-19
https://www.utoronto.ca/news/women-health-care-increased-risk-stress-burnout-and-depression-during-covid-19-u-t-study

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COVID-19 and Healthcare Heroines

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guest: Abi Sriharan
Abi Sriharan | Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (utoronto.ca)

Abi Sriharan’s work on healthcare heroines and the effect of COVID-19
https://www.utoronto.ca/news/women-health-care-increased-risk-stress-burnout-and-depression-during-covid-19-u-t-study

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COVID-19 and the Brain - SASS Class

Mon, 01 Mar 2021 08:00:00 -0000

SHOW NOTES – COVID-19 AND THE BRAIN - SASS CLASS

It’s time for the Super Awesome Science Show SASS Class on COVID-19 and its effects on our brains and nervous system.

I want to thank everyone who reached out to me. We received quite a few Emails and DMs and we got to so many during this discussion.

We again are joined by Mark MacLean. He is a resident in the department of neurosurgery at Dalhousie University. He has been focused on learning more about the ways this virus get into our brains and the possible routes for treatment and possibly prevention.

If you didn’t hear your question, make sure to contact me on Twitter, by Email and now, via voice message at Speakpipe.com/SASS. Just follow the link below and send me your thoughts.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guest: Mark MacLean
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mark_Maclean

Mark MacLean’s paper on the potential role of microvascular pathology in the neurological manifestations of coronavirus infection https://fluidsbarrierscns.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12987-020-00216-1

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COVID-19 and the Brain

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 08:00:00 -0000

The brain is one of the most protected parts of the human body. Yet, viruses such as herpes, HIV and now SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, have demonstrated their ability to get into this sacred space. Because the brain controls so many of our normal bodily functions, this invasion can lead to a variety of problems, known as neurological sequelae.

This week, we’re exploring what is currently known about the effect of COVID-19 on the brain and the nervous system in general. Our guest is Mark MacLean, a resident in the department of neurosurgery at Dalhousie University. He has been focused on learning more about the ways this virus get into our brains and the possible routes for treatment and possibly prevention.

While this discussion will attempt to provide you with the latest information, I’m sure you will have questions. Which is why I hope you reach out to me on Twitter, by Email, or via voice message at Speakpipe.com/SASS. Just follow the link below and send me your thoughts.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guest: Mark MacLean
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mark_Maclean

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The Heartbreak of COVID-19 - SASS class

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 08:00:00 -0000

It’s time for the Super Awesome Science Show SASS Class on COVID-19 and heart health.

I want to thank everyone who reached out to me. We received quite a few Emails and DMs and we got to so many during this discussion.

We again are joined by Ian Paterson. He is a Professor in the Department of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta. He’s a cardiac researcher who has been working to better understand the effects of COVID-19 at the cardiac level. His latest study is called the Multi-organ Imaging With Serial Testing In Covid-19 Infected Patients, better known as MOIST.

If you didn’t hear your question, make sure to contact me on Twitter, by Email and now, via voice message at Speakpipe.com/SASS. Just follow the link below and send me your thoughts.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guest: Ian Paterson
https://www.ualberta.ca/medicine/about/people/details.html?n=Ian-Paterson

MOIST Study:
https://www.ualberta.ca/research/our-research/covid19-research.html?search=paterson&details=multi-organ-imaging-with-serial-testing-in-covid-19-patients

BeTheCure to enroll in the study: https://bethecure.ca/find-a-study/#studies/5c26010a08393b05921bc3c765803e2b731bf9ec

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The heartbreak of COVID-19

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Almost as soon as COVID-19 appeared, one of the most troubling consequences was revealed. The virus, SARS-CoV-2 had an effect on the cardiovascular system, including the heart. Since then, researchers have tried to better understand not only the mechanisms behind this added trouble, but also the risks due to pre-existing conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

Our guest this week is Ian Paterson. He is a Professor in the Department of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta. He’s a cardiac researcher who has been working to better understand the effects of COVID-19 at the cardiac level. His latest study is called the Multi-organ Imaging With Serial Testing In Covid-19 Infected Patients, better known as MOIST.

While this discussion will offer you more than you will hear elsewhere regarding the potential heart troubles that could come from COVID-19, I’m sure you will have questions. Which is why I hope you reach out to me on Twitter, by Email, or via voice message at Speakpipe.com/SASS. Just follow the link below and send me your thoughts.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guest: Ian Paterson
https://www.ualberta.ca/medicine/about/people/details.html?n=Ian-Paterson

MOIST Study:
https://www.ualberta.ca/research/our-research/covid19-research.html?search=paterson&details=multi-organ-imaging-with-serial-testing-in-covid-19-patients

BeTheCure to enroll in the study: https://bethecure.ca/find-a-study/#studies/5c26010a08393b05921bc3c765803e2b731bf9ec

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The COVID battle of the sexes - SASS class

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 08:00:00 -0000

It’s time for the Super Awesome Science Show SASS Class on COVID-19 and biological sex.

I want to thank everyone who reached out to me. We received quite a few Emails and DMs about the episode although most of them centred on a few important questions. It shows that when it comes to travel, we all seem to have the same concerns and hopes for the future.

Our guest is once again Eileen Scully. She is an assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and has been researching infection, immunity, and biological sex for years particularly in terms of HIV infection. She has explored the differences in biological sex for not just COVID-19 but also HIV.

But when it comes to questions, the most popular had nothing to do with either of those illnesses, which is why I rely on you to let me know what’s on your mind. So, if you didn’t hear your question or have another on this topic or any other, make sure to contact me on Twitter, by Email and now, via voice message at Speakpipe.com/SASS. Just follow the link below and send me your thoughts.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guest:
Eileen Scully
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/profiles/results/directory/profile/10003614/eileen-scully

Biological sex and COVID-19
Title: Considering how biological sex impacts immune responses and COVID-19 outcomes
Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41577-020-0348-8

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The COVID battle of the sexes

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 08:00:00 -0000

The determination of biological sex occurs at the genetic level in which one of our 46 chromosomes can either be an X or a Y. But that one variance can lead to countless differences between the two. Now, thanks to COVID-19, we have another as it has become clear XX and XY respond to the virus differently.

Last year, Eileen Scully outlined those differences and I’ve asked her to come on the show to share them with us. She is an assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and has been researching infection, immunity, and biological sex for years particularly in terms of HIV infection. Now she’s taking us on a journey into the possible consequences of COVID-19 infection based on biological sex.

While I do what I can to get to the bottom of the differences, I’m sure you will have questions. Which is why I hope you reach out to me on Twitter, by Email, or via voice message at Speakpipe.com/SASS. Just follow the link below and send me your thoughts.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com
Voice Message: https://speakpipe.com/SASS

Guest:
Eileen Scully
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/profiles/results/directory/profile/10003614/eileen-scully

Biological sex and COVID-19
Title: Considering how biological sex impacts immune responses and COVID-19 outcomes
Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41577-020-0348-8

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The travelling pandemic - SASS class

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 08:00:00 -0000

It’s time for the Super Awesome Science Show SASS Class on travel.

Our first guest is once again Ron St. John and he was the Director General of the Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response at the Public Health Agency of Canada. He also helped develop the Global Public Health Intelligence Network which helps health professionals rapidly detect, identify, assess, prevent and mitigate threats to human health. He now works to help inform the public of threats associated with travel with his company, Sitata.

Over the last few months, we have received a few questions regarding the use of ultraviolet light as a disinfectant. To help answer those questions, I’ve reached out to Rick Dayton. He’s been involved in preventing infections in hospitals for decades and has worked extensively with UV light. I’m sure you will find this discussion enlightening and dispel a few myths regarding this technique for keeping our surfaces safe.

If you didn’t hear your question, make sure to contact me on Twitter, by Email and now, via voice message at Speakpipe.com/SASS. Just follow the link below and send me your thoughts.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:
Ron St. John
https://www.sitata.com/en

Rick Dayton
https://patents.justia.com/inventor/roderick-dayton

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The Travelling Pandemic

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Billions of trips occur yearly by all sorts of vessels including cars, trains, boats, and airplanes. They help humans get from point A to point B quickly and effectively. But travel can also help turn an outbreak into a pandemic. Over the millennia, we’ve seen how human movement and migration can spread an infectious disease across the planet.

We have had a few close calls and one was the SARS epidemic in 2003. After the world returned to normal, our guest worked on how to develop early warning systems to ensure no outbreak went undetected and allowed to spread across the world. His name is Ron St. John and he was the Director General of the Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response at the Public Health Agency of Canada. He also helped develop the Global Public Health Intelligence Network which helps health professionals rapidly detect, identify, assess, prevent and mitigate threats to human health. He now works to help inform the public of threats associated with travel with his company, Sitata.

While this discussion will offer you more than you might have heard regarding travel and infectious diseases, I’m sure you will have questions. Which is why I hope you reach out to me on Twitter, by Email, or via voice message at Speakpipe.com/SASS. Just follow the link below and send me your thoughts.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com
Voice Message: https://speakpipe.com/SASS

Guest:
Ron St. John
https://www.sitata.com/en

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A conversation with David Suzuki

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 05:00:00 -0000

As 2020 comes to a close we’re moving away from COVID-19 for a moment to talk with one of Canada’s greatest treasures, David Suzuki.

For almost sixty years, he has been bringing science into our homes on radio and television and has inspired generations of scientists. We talk with him about his history, his motivation for being a science communicator and the lessons he has learned over the years. We also discuss his new adventure, a podcast, that will surely create an impact on anyone who listens.

We’ll be taking a few weeks off but keep those questions coming on Twitter, Email and voice messages. We’ll be back soon with even more discussions on COVID-19 and answering the questions that matter to you.

Happy Holidays and here’s to a better 2021!

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com
Voice Message: https://speakpipe.com/SASS

Guest:
David Suzuki
https://davidsuzuki.org/

David Suzuki’s podcast:
https://davidsuzuki.org/podcast/

David Suzuki’s 1974 paper on genetics and behaviour
https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/abs/10.1139/g74-079

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The Science of Grief - SASS Class

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 05:00:00 -0000

It’s time for the Super Awesome Science Show SASS Class on grief.

I want to thank everyone who reached out to me. We received quite a few Emails and DMs about the episode and it seems like many of you are opening up about other areas of science with respect to this pandemic. I’ll be getting to one such question in this show.

Our guest is once again, Katherine Shear. She is the Marion E. Kenworthy Professor of Psychiatry in Social Work at the Columbia School of Social Work and the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons. She’s also the founding director of the Center for Complicated Grief.

If you didn’t hear your question, make sure to contact me on Twitter, by Email and now, via voice message at Speakpipe.com/SASS. Just follow the link below and send me your thoughts.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guest:
Katherine Shear
https://socialwork.columbia.edu/faculty-research/faculty/full-time/m-katherine-shear/

Center for Complicated Grief
https://complicatedgrief.columbia.edu/for-the-public/complicated-grief-public/overview/

Scientific Paper on Mass Gatherings by Yuki Furuse
https://www.journalofinfection.com/article/S0163-4453(20)30759-3/fulltext#%20

The Risk of Gatherings web app by Yuki Furuse:
https://yukifuruse.shinyapps.io/covid_eventrisk_en/

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The Science of Grief

Mon, 07 Dec 2020 05:00:00 -0000

There are several unknowns when it comes to a pandemic but there is always one guarantee. People are going to be hurt and many are going to die. When that happens, people are going to grieve.

This week, we are going to explore the science of grief with one of the world’s best experts, Katherine Shear. She is the Marion E. Kenworthy Professor of Psychiatry in Social Work at the Columbia School of Social Work and the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons. She’s also the founding director of the Center for Complicated Grief.

We’ll explore the different types of grief and also how we can cope. Moreover, we’ll find out about how the pandemic is altering the way that we find comfort and how the lack of close contact can impede our ability to cope.

While this discussion will be informative, I’m sure you will have questions. Which is why I hope you reach out to me on Twitter, by Email, or via voice message at Speakpipe.com/SASS. Just follow the link below and send me your thoughts.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com
Voice Message: https://speakpipe.com/SASS

Guest:
Katherine Shear
https://socialwork.columbia.edu/faculty-research/faculty/full-time/m-katherine-shear/

Center for Complicated Grief
https://complicatedgrief.columbia.edu/for-the-public/complicated-grief-public/overview/

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Victory for Vaccines: Q&A

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 05:00:00 -0000

It’s time for the Super Awesome Science Show SASS Class on vaccines.

I want to thank everyone who reached out to me. We received quite a few Emails and DMs about the episode although as we saw with airborne spread, most of them centred on a similar theme or topic. Then there was one that seemed to come from everyone - will a vaccine get us back to normal? You’ll definitely want to hear the answer.

Our guest is again Peter Hotez, who is the Dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and the co-Director for the Center for Vaccine Development at the Texas Children’s Hospital.

If you didn’t hear your question, make sure to contact me on Twitter, by Email and now, via voice message at Speakpipe.com/SASS. Just follow the link below and send me your thoughts.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guest:
Peter Hotez
https://www.bcm.edu/people-search/peter-hotez-23229

Books by Peter Hotez
https://www.amazon.com/Books-Peter-Hotez/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3APeter+Hotez

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Victory with Vaccines

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 05:00:00 -0000

There’s no doubt vaccines have changed our world for the better. We’ve been able to save countless lives from several infectious diseases and managed to eradicate one of the deadliest, smallpox, off the planet. Now people are calling for a vaccine to fight COVID-19 to ensure it is controlled, eliminated and eventually eradicated.

For this episode, we reached out to Peter Hotez. He’s spent decades developing vaccines and has been a leader in the COVID vaccine movement. He’s the Dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and the co-Director for the Center for Vaccine Development at the Texas Children’s Hospital.

While this discussion will be enlightening, I’m sure you will have questions. Which is why I hope you reach out to me on Twitter, by Email, or via voice message at Speakpipe.com/SASS. Just follow the link below and send me your thoughts.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com
Voice Message: https://speakpipe.com/SASS

Guest:
Peter Hotez
https://www.bcm.edu/people-search/peter-hotez-23229

Books by Peter Hotez
https://www.amazon.com/Books-Peter-Hotez/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3APeter+Hotez

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Pandemic Panic Q&A

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 05:00:00 -0000

It’s time for the Super Awesome Science Show SASS Class on panic..

I want to thank everyone who reached out to me. We received several questions, many of which were asked more than once. And then there was one that it seems everyone wanted to ask.

Our guest is again Mark Honigsbaum at the City University of London, author of the book, “The Pandemic Century: One Hundred Years of Panic, Hysteria and Hubris.”

If you didn’t hear your question, make sure to contact me on Twitter, by Email and now, via voice message at Speakpipe.com/SASS. Just follow the link below and send me your thoughts.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com
Voice Message: https://speakpipe.com/SASS

Guest:
Mark Honigsbaum
https://www.city.ac.uk/people/academics/mark-honigsbaum

“The Pandemic Century: One Hundred Years of Panic, Hysteria and Hubris”
https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/the-pandemic-century/

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Pandemic Panic

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 05:00:00 -0000

When infections strike, it’s normal for people to be concerned. Depending on the extent of spread within a community, that concern can deepen leading to individual panic and mass hysteria. Whie this is rare for most outbreaks, it is almost guaranteed when large scale epidemics and pandemics occur.

This week, we’re going to explore the science behind the panic with Mark Honigsbaum, a Senior Lecturer in Journalism at the City University of London. Last year, he wrote “The Pandemic Century: One Hundred Years of Panic, Hysteria and Hubris” and it offers a fascinating glimpse into how pandemics affect us.

While we do tackle a number of topics, when it comes to the way society reacts to a contagion, there are always questions If you have any questions, reach out to me on Twitter, by Email, or via voice message at Speakpipe.com/SASS. Just follow the link below and send me your thoughts.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com
Voice Message: https://speakpipe.com/SASS

Guest:
Mark Honigsbaum
https://www.city.ac.uk/people/academics/mark-honigsbaum

“The Pandemic Century: One Hundred Years of Panic, Hysteria and Hubris”
https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/the-pandemic-century/

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The Marvels of the Mask: Q&A

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 05:00:00 -0000

It’s time for the Super Awesome Science Show SASS Class, mask edition.

Once again, I was thrilled to see so many questions and want to thank everyone who reached out to me on Twitter, by Email, and also at speakpipe.com. This is definitely a controversial topic and I’m glad we’ll be able to discuss this topic further.

I have M. Taher Saif with me to help answer those questions. He’s the he Edward William and Jane Marr Gutgsell Professor at the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois who studied the effectiveness of homemade masks.

We had quite a few questions this week and I hope we can continue this trend. I’d also love to put you on the show. Send me a voice message at https://speakpipe.com/SASS and tell me what is on your mind. Especially if you didn’t hear your question on this episode.

I do hope you enjoy this new style of The Super Awesome Science Show SASS Class and ask that you take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts and be sure to tell a friend about the show. Thanks to you, we are a two-time Canadian Podcast Award winner. Keeping the awesome momentum going is more important than ever as we need to work together to fight off this pandemic. In the meantime, stay calm, stay safe, stay informed, and as always, make sure to show ‘em some SASS.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com
Voice Message: https://speakpipe.com/SASS

Guest:
M. Taher Saif
https://mechanical.illinois.edu/directory/profile/saif

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The Marvels of the Mask

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 04:00:00 -0000

When dealing with a respiratory virus like the common cold, influenza, and SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, a mask is without a doubt one of the best ways to protect yourself.

But, masks are not perfect. You need to be sure you have enough of them for one. And then you have to make sure they work to protect you. After all, why wear something that is just going to let the droplets in.

We’re going to explore how masks work and why homemade masks may be better for you than those medical ones you see in healthcare facilities..

Our guest is M. Taher Saif and he is the Edward William and Jane Marr Gutgsell Professor at the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois. He’s studied the effectiveness of masks and is here to explain the science behind masks.

I’ll try to hit as many topics as possible but am sure you will have more questions. To ask our guest or maybe me, just reach out on Twitter, by Email and now, via voice message at Speakpipe.com/SASS. Just follow the link below and send me your thoughts.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com
Voice Message: https://speakpipe.com/SASS

Guest:
M. Taher Saif
https://mechanical.illinois.edu/directory/profile/saif

Study:
Performance of fabrics for home-made masks against the spread of COVID-19 through droplets: A quantitative mechanistic study
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352431620301802

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The Science of COVID - Airborne Spread goes Viral: Q & A

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 04:00:00 -0000

It’s time for the Super Awesome Science Show SASS Class, airborne spread edition.

I have to admit, I was taken aback by the questions and want to thank everyone who reached out to me on Twitter, by Email, and also at speakpipe.com. I know this subject is both scary and surprising and appreciate that we need answers.

It’s why I have Steven Rogak with me to answer those questions. He’s a mechanical engineering professor at the University of British Columbia and a world expert on the morphology, transport properties and dynamics of aerosol nanoparticles, which happen to include viruses like SARS-CoV-2.

Most of the questions happen to fall into one of a few categories so for this class, I’ve taken the most popular and am asking them. In the future, we’ll be playing some of your voice messages at speakpipe.com/SASS so be sure to reach out to me and tell me what is on your mind. Especially if you didn’t hear your question on this episode.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com
Voice Message: https://speakpipe.com/SASS

Guest:
Steven Rogak
https://mech.ubc.ca/steven-rogak/

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The Science of COVID - Airborne spread goes viral

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 13:59:00 -0000

We are back for Season 2 of the Super Awesome Science Show!

It’s been a year unlike any other thanks to, COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) and the virus that causes this illness, SARS-CoV-2. We’ve received numerous questions over the course of the year and want to answer as many of them as possible.

And this week, we’re going into one of the most confusing and hotly debated topics of this pandemic: how does the virus spread in the air?

Our guest for the entire show is Steven Rogak. He is a mechanical engineering professor at the University of British Columbia. He is a world-leading expert on the morphology, transport properties and dynamics of aerosol nanoparticles, which happen to include viruses like SARS-CoV-2. If there is anyone who can guide us through the strange world of airborne spread, it’s him and trust me, you are in for a treat.

This year, giving you the chance to ask questions. Reach out to me on Twitter, by Email and now, via voice message at Speakpipe.com/SASS. Just follow the link below and send me your thoughts.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com
Voice Message: https://speakpipe.com/SASS

Guest:
Steven Rogak
https://mech.ubc.ca/steven-rogak/

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The Covid Second Wave: Questions and Answers

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 04:00:00 -0000

It’s time for the Super Awesome Science Show SASS Class on the second wave..

I want to thank everyone who reached out to me on Twitter, by Email, and also at speakpipe.com. I know this subject is not only present in our minds but also under much debate.

It’s why I have Patrick Saunders-Hastings with me to answer those questions. He is an epidemiologist and risk scientist who teaches at Carleton University. He has expertise in global health, infectious disease epidemiology and emergency preparedness and his research interests include pandemic influenza preparedness

This year, we’re giving you the chance to ask questions. Reach out to me on Twitter, by Email and now, via voice message at Speakpipe.com/SASS. Just follow the link below and send me your thoughts.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com
Voice Message: https://speakpipe.com/SASS

Guest:
Patrick Saunders-Hastings
https://carleton.ca/healthsciences/people/patrick-saunders-hastings/

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The COVID-19 Second Wave

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 04:00:00 -0000

We are back for Season 2 of the Super Awesome Science Show!

And this week, we’re going into one of the most troubling issues facing us at this very moment: the second wave. It has been looming ever since the pandemic began but despite the focus on it over the last months, it still remains to many a mystery.

Our guest has been looking at pandemics of the past and why these second waves happen. He’s Patrick Saunders-Hastings and he is an epidemiologist and risk scientist who teaches at Carleton University. He has expertise in global health, infectious disease epidemiology and emergency preparedness and his research interests include pandemic influenza preparedness

This year, we’re giving you the chance to ask questions. Reach out to me on Twitter, by Email and now, via voice message at Speakpipe.com/SASS. Just follow the link below and send me your thoughts.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com
Voice Message: https://speakpipe.com/SASS

Guest:
Patrick Saunders-Hastings
https://carleton.ca/healthsciences/people/patrick-saunders-hastings/

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Season 2 is coming September 28th!

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 19:48:00 -0000

After an awesome first season, we took a well-deserved break.

In that time, the world has changed and as much as we want to talk about the science of love, food, and even UFOs, we cannot ignore the massive impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

So that’s what we’ll focus at the start of our second season…

We’re going to deal with topics that are in the news but maybe need more explanation like what does it really mean that the virus is airborne spread, what is the second wave and we’ll even look at the science of grieg.

We’re also going to answer your questions by dedicating SASS Class episodes to doing just that… so please get your questions into me via twitter @JATetro

A new season of the Super Awesome Science Show starts September 28th so head over to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your streaming audio and make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode.

It’s almost time to get started…let’s show them some SASS!

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Introducing WTM: COVID-19 The dos and don’ts of social distancing

Thu, 19 Mar 2020 16:43:00 -0000

Today, we’re joined by scientist and host of the Super Awesome Science Show Jason Tetro to talk about what we know about how the coronavirus spreads and how to properly practice social distancing. As we’re at the point now where health officials are saying the only way to slow the spread of COVID-19 is through social distancing. But the thing is, in order for us to have any kind of impact and get back to our normal lives, experts are stressing that we have to do it properly.

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The Cost of Lead Poisoning

Tue, 28 Jan 2020 05:00:00 -0000

This week, we’re going to explore the problems associated with lead exposure and lead poisoning that you may not have heard in the news. We’ll learn about how it impacts intelligence and also may affect the mental health not of just the exposed, but also their children. And in our SASS Class, we’re going to find out why it is so difficult to remove lead from our modern world and how you may still be able to stay safe

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

- Gina Muckle
- Sidney Kennedy
- Adrienne Katner

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Scatterbrain

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 05:00:00 -0000

It’s something that we all encounter. No matter how hard we try, we can’t seem to think straight. Our thoughts get jumbled and before we know it, we’re lost. We tend to call it being scatterbrained and for the most part, that’s considered a bad thing. On this week’s show, we’re going to look at the science behind this apparent flaw in our mental machinery and why it may be good for us when it comes to learning and understanding. Our guest for the entire show is Henning Beck, a neuroscientist, science slammer, consultant, and the author of the new book, Scatterbrain.

We first explore why this problem occurs in the first place. It turns out that our brains can only do so much especially when it is learning and committing thoughts to memory. It’s impossible to collect a large number of individual pieces and so our brains tend to forget almost as fast as we learn. But as Beck explains, there is a better approach in the form of understanding. Putting items into context can help us develop links and that improves both memory and our actions in the future.

We next discuss the issue of distractions. In our modern world, we are surrounded by them and this can quickly take us off any mental path. Beck reveals the reasons behind our inability to stay focused due to boredom, fear, and the ever present reality of fake news. We also find out whether isolation is the best option to ensure mental success.

In our SASS Class, Beck offers us ideas on how we can improve our brain function through a variety of different tactics he discusses in his book. We learn about curiosity, creativity, framing, and focusing mechanisms such as meditation and mindfulness. Some work, others don’t but in the end, Beck reveals that information for the brain is like food for our stomach. As long as we take the time to learn and digest the information, we can achieve great things.

If you enjoy The Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts and be sure to tell a friend about the show. Thanks to you, we won the Canadian Podcast Award for Outstanding Science and Medicine Series. Let’s keep the awesome momentum going together! We have just completed our first year and we look forward to bringing you even more awesome science in the year ahead.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Henning Beck
Web: https://www.henning-beck.com/english/
Twitter: @HenningBeck1

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How to survive the holidays without going into debt.

Tue, 10 Dec 2019 05:00:00 -0000

We tend to go overboard on spending. If we are not careful, our celebrations of December can become a January curse that may last for the rest of the year.

This week, we’re going to explore our tendency to spend money and how we can keep ourselves from falling into debt. Our guest for the entire show is Gail Vaz Oxlade, who is one of Canada’s best financial experts. She’s been an author, radio host, and the star of internationally acclaimed television programs such as Til Debt Do Us Part and Princess. If anyone can help us to understand how to ensure our bank accounts are as happy as we are during the Holidays, it’s her.

We first start off by learning about her background and how she became Canada’s super nanny for money. We then learn about the science behind the tendency to go into debt. It’s a combination of psychological as well as societal factors. She also reveals some of the warning signs that can signal trouble is on the way including the one item most of us have in our wallets or purses that can make shopping easier and far more dangerous: the credit card.

With the science set, we venture into the problems associated with shopping during the Holidays. Since we are hardwired to believe we can spend throughout the season, we need to be aware of the dangers that could lead us into debt. Gail shares with us her tips on how to enjoy yourself while making sure you don’t go overboard with the purchases. More importantly, she makes it clear that we need to focus not just on the joy of making a purchase, but also the pain of losing our money in the process.

In our SASS Class, we discuss Gail’s newest venture in helping us to be financially smart. It’s a new master class she is providing on Twitter. Her hope is to convey the necessary steps and then let us optimize it to find a personal fit that will last. Because as she makes clear, it’s not hard to be economically secure, but you need to be committed to it.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Gail Vaz Oxlade
Twitter: @GailVazOxlade

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Smells of the Season

Tue, 03 Dec 2019 05:00:00 -0000

As we get ready for the holidays we thought we would share with you this episode about the smells of the Holiday Season in case you missed it in the hustle and bustle of the most wonderful time of the year.

On this week’s episode of the Super Awesome Science Show, we stick our noses into the science of smelling, scientifically known as olfaction, and find out how certain scents can draw out attention, bring back memories, and even affect our buying behaviour.

We first talk with Dr. Leslie Cameron at Carthage College. She’s been studying how we detect and recognize odours throughout life and how we can equate some aromas with the festive season.

Next we hear from renowned smellosopher, Dr. Ann-Sophie Barwich at Indiana University Bloomington. She’s examining how certain odours can be autobiographical in nature leading us to open up memories of times of past Holidays and other moment long gone by.

In our SASS Class, we speak with Dr. Jenny Lin at California State University Monterey Bay. She’s researching how the sense of smell affects our brains through what is known as event-related potential. As she tells us, the right combination of odours may prompt us to stick around in a store and inevitably buy more.

If you enjoy The Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts, tell us what you think and please tell a friend about the show.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:
Dr. Leslie Cameron, Carthage College
Website: https://www.carthage.edu/live/profiles/261-leslie-cameron

Dr. Ann-Sophie Barwich, Indiana University Bloomington
Twitter: @smellosopher
Website: http://www.smellosophy.com/

Dr. Jenny Lin, California State University Monterey Bay
Website: https://csumb.edu/directory/people/jenny-lin

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Introducing Issue Zero

Mon, 25 Nov 2019 18:48:47 -0000

This week we're introducing you to a new podcast called Issue Zero to answer the questions what makes Aliens and the Xenomorph, so terrifying? and could a scenario like Alien happen here on earth?

Taking you on this voyage of discover is your host, not in a parasitic way, Fred Kennedy, and he'll share with you the backstory on the Alien film franchise…and more specifically, its star player…the Xenomorph. He's joined by Johnnie Christmas, who just adapted the original William Gibson screenplay for Alien 3 into a comic for Darkhorse…and is a guy who’s knee deep in the ORIGINAL source material to find our what makes these creatures so terrifying.

To answer whether humanity could survive a xenomorph invasion he looks to an actual scientist, Dan Riskin, former host of Daily Planet and a Canadian evolutionary biologist, television personality and producer.

Spoiler alert! both guests will not let you sleep at night.

Host: Fred Kennedy

Twitter @Fearless_Fred

Facebook @fearlessfredontheradio

Guests:

Johnnie Christmas - @j_xmas

Dan Riskin - @riskindan

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The Rise of Zero Emission Vehicles

Tue, 19 Nov 2019 05:00:00 -0000

This week, we’re going to look at one of the most revolutionary ideas to improve our planet. It’s called the zero emission vehicle – better known as ZEV – and it may be able to reduce our contribution to air pollution and possibly climate change.

Most people may know the name Tesla, which is one of the first truly zero emission vehicles on the market. It runs on batteries like many others that are in the pipeline. But there are other types that exist including an engine that runs on hydrogen. Our first guest takes us on a guided tour of the hydrogen engine and why it may represent the real future of ZEVs. His name is Xianguo Li and he is a Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering Professor at the University of Waterloo.

While ZEVs may seem like an excellent purchase, the reality is that there isn’t much of a demand for them. However, when people are asked about their perception of these vehicles, they are quite high. This is known as latent demand and our next guest reveals to us how we may be able to turn that interest into actual sales. She is Zoe Long and she is the Research Manager for the Sustainable Transport Action Research Team at Simon Fraser University.

In our SASS Class, we learn about how governments and people who like ZEVs can improve sales. Our guest teacher is Scott Hardman and he is a professional researcher in the Plug-in Hybrid & Electric Vehicle Research Center, in the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California Davis. We learn about the different types of government incentives that exist and which country happens to have the greatest success in getting people to adopt ZEVs. We also find out that governments can only do so much and that word of mouth may still be the best way to increase purchases.

If you enjoy The Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts and be sure to tell a friend about the show. Thanks to you, we won the Canadian Podcast Award for Outstanding Science and Medicine Series. Let’s keep the awesome momentum going together!

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

XianGuo Li Web: https://uwaterloo.ca/mechanical-mechatronics-engineering/profile/x6li
Zoe Long Web: https://sustainabletransport.ca/our-team/
Scott Hardman Web: https://its.ucdavis.edu/people/scott-hardman/ Twitter: @scottiehardman

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Cancer - treatment to vaccine

Tue, 12 Nov 2019 05:00:00 -0000

Cancer continues to be one of our greatest health concerns. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, nearly 1 in 2 Canadians will develop one form of cancer in their lifetimes. But treatments are getting better and more lives are being saved thanks to new treatments. On this week’s show, we’re going to take a closer look at three new strategies that may soon lead to cures and also vaccines.

Our first guest is one of Canada’s premier cancer researchers, John Bell at the Ottawa Hopsital Research Institute. He has been working on ways to combat cancer for decades and his work is showing promise in clinical trials. But rather than chemotherapy or radiation, his approach is to use viruses and our own immune system.

We first talk about the use of viruses to destroy cancer. Viruses are known to kill human cells and Bell has been programming certain types to target cancer cells while leaving our healthy cells alone. We explore how this is performed in the lab and how the process works in the human body. We also explore how viruses may one day be used as a vaccine to alert the immune system that something has gone wrong.

We then discuss how cancer the immune system can also be used to improve the fight against cancer. Usually, cancers can avoid being detected by our immunity and grow without any worry for attack. Bell had found ways to develop immune cells that specifically look for tumours and kill them. They are known as Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cells, or CAR-T cells. This approach has been effective at tackling leukemia and research is showing we may be able to battle other cancers as well. As for making a vaccine, Bell suggests that we may be able to use these CAR-T cells as a means to train the immune system to identify cancers when they start and destroy them before they can cause harm.

In our SASS Class, we look at an upcoming treatment that unfortunately is surrounded by hype. The use of stem cells. Our guest teacher is Riam Shamaa, who has been studying the effect of stem cells on various diseases including cancer. We explore how stem cells can be used to fight the disease and also why we are not yet at a stage when people should put their trust in this approach. It may be useful in the future but for the moment, you shouldn’t believe the hype.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

John Bell
Web: http://www.ohri.ca/profile/jbell

Riam Shammaa
Web: www.Intellistemtech.com

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The Benefits of Bilingualism

Tue, 05 Nov 2019 05:00:00 -0000

We all have our mother tongue but over forty percent of the world’s population also can speak a second language. Bilingualism is a natural part of many people’s lives and research has tried to explore what this does to the brain and what the benefits happen to be for our lives. On this week’s show, we’re going to learn why having that second language can be good for your life and also your health.

Our first guest has been studying bilingualism for decades and is here to help us understand how it helps our lives. She is Judith Kroll and she is a Distinguished Professor of Language Science at the University of California, Irvine. Before we get into what bilingualism gives us, we learn about the process of learning a second language and why it is beneficial to learn earlier than later. We also explore the concept of codeswitching which allows a person to immediately change languages even in the middle of a sentence. We also explore how being immersed in a multilingual environment can be good for both your learned language as well as your mother tongue.

We then move on to the benefits that come with knowing more than one language. While this certainly allows us to travel and possibly increase our job potential in many sectors, some of the best benefits come in the way of improved health. We hear about how one the effects of our greatest concerns with aging, cognitive decline, can be helped by knowing that second language. The research reveals a that while our brains age, we may still be able to hold on to our abilities.

In our SASS Class, we take a different approach to knowing a second language. While we may tend to think of French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Russian, Hindi, and others as that bilingual choice, there are large segments of the population who focus on speaking fictional languages such as Klingon and Sindarin. Our guest teacher is David Peterson and he is the creator of two languages, Dothraki and High Valyrian from Game of Thrones. We learn about his experience becoming a language creator and how these dialects are formed. We also learn that these languages are just as useful to have as any other…as long as you are in a population hat speaks it.

If you enjoy The Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts and be sure to tell a friend about the show. Thanks to you, we won the Canadian Podcast Award for Outstanding Science and Medicine Series. Let’s keep the awesome momentum going together!

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Judith Kroll
Web: https://bilingualismmindbrain.com/lab-members/judith-f-kroll/

David Peterson
Web: http://www.artoflanguageinvention.com/
Twitter: @Dedalvs

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The Science of Fear

Tue, 29 Oct 2019 04:00:00 -0000

We all experience fear but few of us understand it. It usually happens when we feel unsafe or threatened. It is both instinctual and learned. And for some, it can take over their lives while for others, it can be a source for excitement. On this week’s show, we’re going to take a closer look at fear and why it's such a strange and fascinating aspect of our existence.

Our first guests are studying how fear exists in the brain and how it impacts our lives, They're Jacob Raber and Sydney Weber Boutros. He’s a professor of behavioural neuroscience at the Oregon Health and Science University and she is earning her doctorate in this field. They are taking the lead on a worldwide project known as Neuroqualia, which seeks to understand how our emotions affect us. We learn of the nature of fear from a biological perspective and the process of experiencing fear is far more complicated than you might think. It’s not simply a matter of being scared, it’s how we interpret the situation and respond based on our pasts. We explore the concept of fear memory and one of the most troubling consequences, post traumatic stress disorder, PTSD. We also find out how we may be able to extinguish certain fears by keeping our bodies and our minds in a safe place.

Our next guest explores one of the side effects of fear – seeing things that don’t exist, scientifically called false agency detection. His name is Adam Tratner and he is a doctoral student at Oakland University. His research focuses on finding out what situations can lead to this phenomenon and whether it is fear rather than belief that causes us to experience the supernatural and paranormal.

In our SASS Class, we take a different look at fear – as entertainment. Our guest teacher is Glenn Sparks and he is a Professor of Communication at Purdue University. He’s explored why some people tend to love horror films and other fear-inducing violence and mayhem. We discuss what gives people that urge to venture into a theatre and get scared out of their minds. The answer happens to be less about the fear and more about the joy that comes with being safe.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Jacob Raber
Web: https://www.ohsu.edu/people/jacob-raber/831E0CC1C990434DA01DB6D91753AD75

Sydney Weber Boutros
Web: https://www.ohsu.edu/school-of-medicine/behavioral-neuroscience/sydney-weber-boutros
Twitter: @SydWeberBoutros

Adam Tratner
Web: https://adamtratner.com/

Glenn Sparks
Web: https://cla.purdue.edu/directory/profiles/glenn-sparks.html
Twitter: @purduespar

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It's not Science Fiction, it's Synthetic Biology and food

Tue, 22 Oct 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Synthetic biology was once considered little more than science fiction. But with the rise of genetic engineering and the ability to make living cells in the lab, there is a real potential for this technology to change our lives for the better. Not surprisingly, this has led to much debate about whether we should use it or not. On this week’s show, we discover how “synbio” can help to improve our food security.

Our first guest is Lenore Newman and she is the Canada Research Chair in Food Security and Environment at the University of the Fraser Valley. She has been exploring the continual decline in our food supply and has authored the book, Lost Feast: Culinary Extinction and the Future of Food. We first discuss the problems with our current food supply and the issues that need to be addressed. While we may believe climate change is the most important factor, Newman reveals many issues that can lead to a dwindling food supply.

We next focus on the use of synthetic biology to help resolve some of these troubles. But rather than explore the use of genetically modified organisms, Newman explains that synthetic biology is better used to develop alternatives to our natural sources. From enzymes in milk needed to make cheese to meat alternatives, we learn about how synthetic biology isn’t just the future, it’s also happening right now.

In our SASS Class, we learn about how synthetic biology is being used to transform food security in the developing world. Our guest teacher is Sabrina Marecos and she is a research associate at the National University of Asuncion in Paraguay. We hear how the technology is helping to transform the food economy and how one particular plant considered to be a staple in the natural health community is being helped by synbio.

If you enjoy The Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts and be sure to tell a friend about the show. Thanks to you, we won the Canadian Podcast Award for Outstanding Science and Medicine Series. Let’s keep the awesome momentum going together!

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Lenore Newman
Web: https://www.ufv.ca/geography/faculty-and-staff/faculty-members/newman-lenore.htm
Lost Feast: Culinary Extinction and the Future of Food - https://ecwpress.com/products/lost-feast
Twitter: @DrLenoreNewman

Sabrina Marecos
Web: https://www.sabrinamarecos.com/

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Heroines of Food Security

Tue, 15 Oct 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Food security is a major concern as our populations increases and our food supply dwindles. Although efforts around the world are focused on trying to sustain our ability to eat, efforts in Africa tend to go unnoticed. This week, we’re going to look at the work being done in various regions across the continent and more importantly, how they are being led by women.

Our first guest is Esther Ngumbi, who is originally from Eastern Kenya and is now a professor at the University of Illinois School of Integrative Biology. She focuses on drought and insects and is trying to develop ways to help crops stay viable in harsh conditions. Using a combination of genetics and microbes, she hopes to ensure that the farms where she was raised continue to offer significant yields to keep the population fed.

We next travel to the Ivory Coast to talk with Virginie Mfegue, who is a Program Manager at the World Cocoa Foundation. We have heard in the past that our chocolate supply may end up disappearing in the coming decades thanks to several cocoa plant diseases. We hear about the efforts she is leading to tackle these problems and to ensure that we will be able to enjoy this guilty pleasure long into the future.

Our third guest is Ruramiso Mashumba and she is the first ever woman Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Farmer’s Union Youth. Zimbabwe is an agricultural nation although it is underproducing. We learn of the work that is being done to improve farm yields and also to empower those who are most involved – women – in ensuring that the country will continue to be a significant contributor to our food supply.

In our SASS Class, we look at the influence women are having on men to help ensure everyone gets involved in sustainable agriculture. Our guest teacher is Pacifique Nshimiyimana and he is the co-owner of Real Green Gold Limited, which works with banana famers to increase their market share in the industry. He explains how women inspired him to switch his focus from purely economic advancement to one that helps everyone through a better food supply.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Esther Ngumbi
Web: https://sib.illinois.edu/profile/enn
Twitter: @EstherNgumbi

Virginie Mfegue
Web: https://www.worldcocoafoundation.org/experts/virginie-crescence-mfegue/

Ruramiso Mashumba
Web: https://globalfarmernetwork.org/author/rmashumba/
Twitter: @RuramisoM

Pacifique Nshimiyimana
Web: https://www.facebook.com/realgreengold/

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Don't Fall For Fake News

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 04:00:00 -0000

In a 24/7 news environment, stories sometimes get the facts wrong. But normally, these lapses are not intentional. But recently, there has been an explosion in false, inaccurate, and harmful stories that are made with the sole purpose of convincing the public that a different reality exists. It’s known as fake news and on this week’s show, we’re going to explore its nature, how to diagnose it, and also how not to be fooled by it.

Our first guest is Amber Day, a professor at Bryant University. She reveals that fake news has a base in satire and parody although it has devolved into something more troubling. We learn about how the goals have evolved from bringing humour to bringing trust. What makes fake news so difficult is that many of the tactics used mimic tried and true modes of satire and parody such that we may be unable to judge between what is and what is not real.

Because fake news is hard to identify, our next guest has developed software that can detect different types of fake news. Her name is Victoria Rubin and she is an associate professor at the University of Western Ontario. She has developed the LiT.RL news verification browser that can identify fake news and highlights it so you are informed before you click. We discuss how this browser was developed and how accurate it is compared to the human eye.

In our SASS Class, we learn about one of the main reasons people fall for fake news. Our guest teacher is Gordon Pennycook and he an assistant professor at the University of Saskatchewan. He has tried to understand why people tend to believe these falsified stories and has come up with a rather unexpected result. While partisan beliefs do play a role, the most important factor is one we can all appreciate. It’s laziness.

If you enjoy The Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts and be sure to tell a friend about the show. Thanks to you, we won the Canadian Podcast Award for Outstanding Science and Medicine Series. Let’s keep the awesome momentum going together!

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Amber Day
Web: https://departments.bryant.edu/english-and-cultural-studies/faculty/day-amber

Victoria Rubin
Web: https://victoriarubin.fims.uwo.ca/
Twitter: @vVctoriaRubin
LiT.RL Browser: https://victoriarubin.fims.uwo.ca/2018/12/19/release-for-the-lit-rl-news-verification-browser-detecting-clickbait-satire-and-falsified-news/

Gordon Pennycook
Web: https://www.uregina.ca/arts/psychology/faculty-staff/faculty/pennycook%20gordon.html
Twitter: @GordPennycook

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Building Morality

Tue, 01 Oct 2019 04:00:00 -0000

We tend to believe that morality is knowing the difference between right and wrong. But it's so much more. It's the basis for how we live, because each of us has a unique sense of morality. This week, we look at how morality is developed in children and how we can ensure they become moral adults.

Our guest for the entire episode is Melanie Killen. She's a professor of human development and quantitative methodology and the associate director for the Center for Children, Relationships, and Culture at the University of Maryland. She's been studying morality for decades and has shared her knowledge in academic papers, books, and even network television.

But what's the origin of morality? There’s no set age but it is thought to have a few phases. One happens to be the terrible twos. While we may think children are simply acting out to get attention, we find out that they are attempting to develop their own sense of self along with their morality. We also explore another notable phase, the teenage rebel. This time is necessary for a child to develop their own independence and start the path to adulthood.

We then explore the process of developing morality in children. We know authority is an important part of this growing process. However, our interactions with our peers drives how those lessons are absorbed and eventually used in our own sense of morality. From bargaining and compromise to threats and bribes, children identify what they believe is not just right and wrong, but also fair and just. Depending on how these interactions occur, morality may become inclusive or exclusive, leading to prejudice and discrimination later in life.

In our SASS Class, we learn how to help develop good morality in children through Killen’s project known as Developing Inclusive Youth. It’s a program that allows children to witness various social inequalities and then provides them the opportunity to talk about their viewpoints based on personal experience. The goal is to give children a chance to develop morality as a part of society and the results have shown to be quite positive.

Contact:

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Melanie Killen
Web: www.killenlab.umd.edu

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The Marvels of Mushrooms

Tue, 24 Sep 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Mushrooms can be a welcome addition to any dish. They offer an earthy flavour as well as a meaty texture to tickle our palates. But while mushrooms are great in cuisine, they also have other uses outside of the kitchen. On this week’s show, we explore some of the scientific uses of these edible fungi and how they may be able improve our lives.

For centuries, mushrooms have been regarded as medicines in several cultures. Our first guest is working to merge the modern with the ancient. His name is Chow Lee and he is a professor at the University of Northern British Columbia. He is trying to find chemicals in mushroom varieties that may help to treat a disease that has spanned the ages, cancer. We learn more about his work and also his belief that we can learn from traditional medicine to develop modern day cures.

Apart from being used for cures, some mushrooms are known for their ability to cause hallucinations. These “magic mushrooms” are known to contain a chemical known as psilocybin. There’s been an interest in this chemical for use in mental health as it seems to be helping people who suffer from migrains, anxiety and depression. Our next guest has been looking at the function of this chemical in nature and how it has spread across the mushroom landscape. Her name is Hannah Reynolds and she is an assistant professor at Western Connecticut State University. She has found that this chemical may be harnessed for mass production so that we can test it for its medicinal value.

In our SASS Class, we look at how mushrooms can help us live better. Our guest teacher is Robert Beelman, who is the Director of the Center for Plant and Mushroom Foods For Health at Penn State University. He’ll take us through some of the chemicals that can sustain our health and introduce us to one called ergothioneine that might eventually be used to give us a chance to live longer.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Chow Lee
Web: https://www.unbc.ca/chow-lee

Hannah Reynolds
Web: http://wcsu.edu/biology/surf/faculty-mentors/reynolds/
Twitter: @hreynolds_fungi

Robert Beelman
Web: https://foodscience.psu.edu/directory/rbb6

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UFOlogy

Tue, 17 Sep 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Have you ever seen strange lights in the sky? How about odd shaped vessels floating around in the air. If you have and cannot explain its nature, you have seen an unidentified flying object, better known as a UFO. On this week’s show, we’re going to venture into the world that’s working to figure out what these mysterious craft happen to be. It’s known as Ufology.

Out guest for the entire episode is Ryan Sprague. He’s one of the prominent members of this community and has shared his views in a variety of ways from written articles, interviews with news outlets, his podcast, Somewhere in the Skies, and his latest project, the television program, Roswell: Mysteries Decoded, which appeared on CW’s streaming network, CW Seed.

We first learn about the nature of ufology including most importantly, what it’s not. While there are several stereotypes, the true goal of ufology is to find answers to questions we simply do not yet know about the crafts themselves, whether alien or human made. We hear about the work that is being performed and some of the advancements in the field that have opened the door to even greater interest.

We continue the discussion to explore how ufology is performed and shared with the community. As one of the most prolific members of the community, we learn about his passion for discovery and how he tries to ensure his work is both accurate and also compelling. We hear about the detractors, for which there are many, and about the scientific staple, the conference.

In our SASS Class, we explore the phenomenon known as Alienstock. First conceived as an invasion of the infamous Area 51, where apparently extraterrestrial life and technology are housed, it has become an opportunity for anyone who has an interest in UFOs and of course aliens to find a like-minded community.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Ryan Sprague
Web: https://www.somewhereintheskies.com/about.html
Twitter: @ryansprague51

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What is Bullying?

Tue, 10 Sep 2019 14:32:12 -0000

On this week’s show, we’re going to take a serious look at bullying and how we may be able to prevent it.

We first talk with Melissa Holt, who is an associate professor in counseling psychology at the Wheelock College of Education & Human Development at Boston University. She has been studying bullying for close to two decades and has revealed that it is far more complex than we might believe. We hear about what fosters bullying and victimization and how a bully-victim relationship can become part of society.

We continue our discussion to explore the effects of bullying on the victim and learn that the effects can be long lasting and may hinder a person’s success as they age. We also touch on the topic of suicide and hear that the victim may indeed idealize this route but in many cases, so might the bully who may have been a victim of some other type of maltreatment.

In our SASS Class, we look at how bullying can be prevented with Lisa Wexler, a professor of social work at Michigan University. She has developed social interventions such as toolkit to be able to help at-risk children find positivity in their lives at all ages of development. As we hear her work has not only proven to help individual children, it has also shown to benefit entire communities.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Melissa Holt
Web: https://www.bu.edu/wheelock/profile/melissa-k-holt/
Lisa Wexler
Web: https://ssw.umich.edu/faculty/profiles/clinical-and-research/lwexler

For more information on bullying:

Bullying Canada: https://bullyingcanada.ca

Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network (PREVnet): https://www.prevnet.ca

Crisis Text Line: https://www.crisistextline.ca/

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Relevance in Education

Mon, 02 Sep 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Education is traditionally thought to be comprised of the three Rs – reading, writing, and arithmetic. But research has revealed that students can become better if they are able to see problems and questions in a particular social context. This is known as relevance. On this week’s show, we’re going to explore how relevance can be used to keep students creative and positive.

Our first guest is Heidi Bertels at the College of Staten Island of the City University of New York. She has explored how to develop relevant responses using a technique known as framing in which context is put into the problem. She explains how framing can be used in the classroom to entice creativity and takes us through one of her studies to provide an example of how this can be done using either opportunity or prosocial approaches.

When we hear about the results, we realize the importance of framing to come up with relevant answers. We also learn that framing can lead to a trade off such that the answers will have a different effect on the situation, the environment, and in this case, the community.

In our SASS Class, we change the focus of relevance from the subject matter to the student. We talk with Michael Rousell, an associate professor of education at Southern Oregon University. He has developed a way to improve the perception of a student’s own relevance to the classroom and the world through the use of surprise. We explore the neuroscience of this emotion and how it can lead to better self-esteem and ultimately, better grades.

If you enjoy The Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts and be sure to tell a friend about the show. Thanks to you, we won the Canadian Podcast Award for Outstanding Science and Medicine Series. Let’s keep the awesome momentum going together!

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Heidi Bertels
Web: https://www.csi.cuny.edu/campus-directory/heidi-bertels
Twitter: @heidibertels

Michael Rousell
Web: http://michaelrousell.com/about
Twitter: @rousellm

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I Want To Ride My Bicycle

Tue, 27 Aug 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Over the last few years, getting around by bicycle has surged in popularity. On this week’s show, we’re going to explore what has led to the increase and how we might be able to make Canada a cycling nation.

We first talk with Meghan Winters at Simon Fraser University about the rise in biking across the country. She reveals some of the reasons behind the surge and why biking hasn’t become the most utilized form of transportation. Using examples of success stories in this country, she shares her belief that Canada may one day mirror European cities such as Amsterdam and Copenhagen, where biking predominates.

Making a cycling community takes more than just promotion. Cities also need to plan for increased ridership and this means spending money to ensure access and safety. We next speak with Khandker Nurul Habib, a professor at the University of Toronto who is one of the go-to researchers on how to best achieve this goal. His research reveals some of the obstacles that prevent increases in cycling and how these can be managed.

In our SASS Class, we look at a new trend in biking, the e-bike. Our guest teacher is Alex Bigazzi at the University of British Columbia. He has been looking at what makes these motorized vehicles more attractive and explains that they offer not just a quicker and easier ride but also some good exercise in the process.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Meghan Winters
Web: https://www.sfu.ca/fhs/about/people/profiles/meghan-winters.html

Khandker Nurul Habib
Web: http://civmin.utoronto.ca/home/about-us/directory/professors/khandker/

Alex Bigazzi
Web: https://www.civil.ubc.ca/faculty/alex-bigazzi

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Social Media

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 04:00:00 -0000

How long can you go without looking at one of your social media platforms? An hour? Two? More? Less? Social media has become an integral part in most of our lives although perhaps not for the better. On this week’s show, we’re going to look at some of the problems associated with social media and how you might be able to keep yourself safe from the potential harm to your mental health.

We first talk with Stephanie Dailey. She is an assistant professor of communication studies at Texas State University and has been actively researching the potential pitfalls of social media for years. It all comes down to our identity. We need to have an identity in cyberspace and that can drive us to disappear from our regular lives and society if only to satisfy this need. This can lead to social media addiction and eventual harms to our mental health.

But while social media can be a factor in mental health, it may also be a means to identify and possibly diagnose depression. This is one area of Dailey’s research and we explore this more in-depth. Although every person is unique, there are warning signs that can appear on social media. While we are not there yet, the research clearly shows that one day we may be able to use a person’s posts to identify a need for intervention.

In our SASS Class, we look at one of the biggest issues with social media and mental health. It’s called the fear of missing out, but it’s better known as FOMO. Our guest teacher is Marina Milyavskaya and she is an assistant professor of psychology at Carleton University. Her work primarily focuses on our goal attainment and self-regulation and FOMO is a major factor not just in social media but in real life. She offers us some suggestions as to how we can avoid this feeling not by being positive but realistic.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Stephanie Dailey
Web: http://stephaniedailey.wp.txstate.edu/

Marina Milyavskaya
Web: https://carleton.ca/psychology/people/marina-milyavskaya/
Twitter: @MarinaMilyav

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The Merits of Mindfulness

Tue, 13 Aug 2019 04:00:00 -0000

A decade ago, no one knew what mindfulness was other than a trait you were taught by your parents when it comes to others. But this traditional practice of self-improvement has gained significant attention in the medical community as it appears to help reduce anxiety. On this week’s show, we’re going to venture into the other benefits of mindfulness that may lead you to add this technique to your lifestyle.

Our first guest is Adele Diamond. She is a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of British Columbia and has been listed as one the 15 most influential neuroscientists alive today. Her work has explored the effects of mindfulness on something we all use but know very little about. It’s called executive function and it is the basis of everything you do during the day. We hear about how mindfulness can help executive function although perhaps not in the way most people think. Instead of sitting or lying in one place, the research has suggested that we need to be moving in order to get the best results.

We continue the conversation to learn more about how to achieve the best returns from mindfulness. It turns out that you’re better off doing something you love. There’s also another trick to success. It may be better to immerse yourself in whatever you are doing than trying to master individual activities.

In our SASS Class, we move from the head to the heart as we talk with our guest teacher, John Durocher, an associate professor in biological sciences at Michigan Technological University. His research has shown that a single session of mindfulness can benefit the cardiovascular system. It can also spur people to try it more often and make it a part of their routine…including his.

If you enjoy The Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts and be sure to tell a friend about the show. Thanks to you, we won the Canadian Podcast Award for Outstanding Science and Medicine Series. Let’s keep the awesome momentum going together!

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Adele Diamond
Web: http://www.devcogneuro.com/AdeleDiamond.html
Twitter: @DrAdeleDiamond

John Durocher
Web: https://www.mtu.edu/biological/people-groups/faculty-staff/faculty/durocher/
Twitter: @Dr_Durocher

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Water Worries

Tue, 06 Aug 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Access to clean and safe water is a human need and is a right. However, for over 2 billion people, this simply is not the case. What’s worse is that in countries that have enjoyed the luxury of treated water, there is a troubling trend. From boil water orders to breaks in the system to massive outbreaks, our water supply is at risk. On this week’s show, we’re going to explore why we should be worried about our water.

We first talk with Natalie Hull, an assistant professor of civil, environmental and geodetic engineering at the Ohio State University. Her work has explored the risks to the domestic water supply and we hear of the various factors involved such as increased pollution, climate change, and the water pipeline microbiome. We also learn how the situation might be improved by changing our focus from the water treatment plant to our taps.

One way to improve water safety particularly from microbial pathogens is to use ultraviolet light, which is known to kill microorganisms. It can be used both at the treatment facility as well as in the home. We continue the conversation with Dr. Hull and venture into her research on the use of UV light to improve water safety. According to her findings, we may be able to keep our water safe without overburdening our city and home budgets.

In our SASS Class, we take a wider approach to water safety with our guest teacher, Amy Greer. She’s a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in population disease modelling and an associate professor in the Department of Population Medicine at the Ontario Veterinary College of the University of Guelph. She has looked at the various factors involved in keeping water safe and as you’ll hear, it comes down to an overarching goal known as One Health. From animals to climate to human activities, there are numerous ways water can become undrinkable and only by understanding all the parameters can we find ways to ensure we have access to water we can drink.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Natalie Hull
Web: https://ceg.osu.edu/people/hull.305
Twitter: @water_micro

Amy Greer
Web: https://ovc.uoguelph.ca/population-medicine/faculty/Amy-Greer
Twitter: @AmyGreerKalisz

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Mixology

Tue, 30 Jul 2019 04:00:00 -0000

On this week’s show, we’re going to explore the science behind making the perfect drink and whether this is another task that may be taken over by robots. We’ll also learn of one combination that really should never be done.

We first talk with a mixologist who is working to change the entire realm of the science. He’s Jim Meehan and he owns Mixography, Inc. He has been involved in the mixology world for years and has developed into a powerhouse in the industry. He takes us through the history of mixology and why the practice is now moving from the traditional mixture in a glass to an overall environmental experience.

Our next guests are Jim Whitehead and Johnathan Pagnutti. They developed an artificial intelligence cocktail generator in the hopes of developing an entirely automated mixologist. They take us through the experience of trying to develop this project and how mixology became far more than just a collection of ingredients. We’ll also find out how the experiments ended up tasting.

In our SASS Class, we’re going to hear about a combination that should never go together. Alcohol and energy drinks. While they continue to be popular, our next guest has been trying to find ways to moderate consumption to prevent health complications. He’s Timothy Stockwell and he is a Psychology at the University of Victoria and the Director of the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR).

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Jim Meehan
Web: https://www.mixographyinc.com/about.html
Twitter: @mixography

Jim Whitehead
Web: https://www.soe.ucsc.edu/people/ejw
Twitter: @TheJimWhitehead / @jag_pag (Pagnutti)

Timothy Stockwell
Web: https://www.uvic.ca/socialsciences/psychology/people/faculty-directory/stockwelltimothy.php

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This Episode is the (arm)Pits!

Tue, 23 Jul 2019 04:00:00 -0000

How many times to you check your armpits a day? It’s a common practice for most because in our society, no one wants to have wetness or odour. On this week’s show, we’re going to explore the nature of those two traits and how those deodorants and anti-perspirants make be changing the way we smell.

Our first guest is Jessica Gaby. She is postdoctoral scientist at Penn State University, and she has been studying the smell that emits from under our arms. But her research isn’t on chemistry, it’s all about psychology. Our underarms can tell quite a bit about us and provide social cues to others in ways we may not expect, including potentially, finding romance.

Our next guest explores the other issue we fear, wetness. He is Youwen Zhou and he has been studying a condition known as hyperhidrosis, which means too much sweating. We learn of its causes and how it can be treated using a rather unconventional method used mainly for combatting wrinkles, botox.

In our SASS Class, we’re going to learn about the effect deodorants and anti-perspirants have on our odour. Our guest teacher is Julie Horvath and she is the Head of the Genomics & Microbiology Research Lab at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. While there is an effect on our skin, we find out that the changes to our skin microbes may lead us to smell different.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Jessica Gaby

Youwen Zhou
Web: http://www.skincarecentre.ca/about_us/doctors/youwen_zhou.htm

Julie Horvath
Web: https://naturalsciences.org/staff/julie-horvath
Twitter: @NRCjulie

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Hotel Horrors

Tue, 16 Jul 2019 04:05:00 -0000

Every night, close to five million people spend the night away from home in accommodations, like hotels. With a number that large, there’s bound to be problems. Most of the time, they are easy to solve. On this week's Super Awesome Science Show, we’re going to look how a hotel stay may be a bane rather than a place for comfort.

We first talk with John Catucci. He’s best known hosting Food Network Canada's You Gotta Eat Here! and his most recent series, Big Food Bucket List. He’s travelled all over the world and has a few tales to recount ranging from the gross to the supernatural.

Our next guest provides us with some clues as to why we may feel we’re getting a great place based on the reviews only to be welcomed by a horror show. He’s Christopher Harris and he is an Assistant Professor at the University of Northern Colorado. He’s been researching hotel reviews and has attempted to figure out how to identify those that are fake. He also has been a hotel owner and shares some of his own horror stories from the other side of the front desk.

In our SASS Class, we’re going to explore how the realm of food safety may be able to help ensure our hotels are clean and safe from contamination. Our guest teacher is Barbara Almanza and she is a professor at Purdue University. She has explored how keeping our food safe may be useful as a guide to hotel owners to quell the fears of contamination.

If you enjoy the Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts, and be sure to tell a friend about the show.

Thanks to you, we’ve won a Canadian Podcast Award for Outstanding Science and Medicine Series. We have been changing the way the world sees science, and it is definitely for the better. Let’s keep the awesome momentum going together!

Contact:

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

John Catucci

Twitter: @johncatucci
Web: https://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/big-food-bucket-list/blog/john-catucci-is-back-with-big-food-bucket-list/

Christopher Harris
Web: https://www.unco.edu/nhs/mathematical-sciences/faculty/harris.aspx

Barbara Almanza
Web: https://www.purdue.edu/hhs/htm/directory/faculty/almanza_barbara.html

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Bad Hair Days

Tue, 09 Jul 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Take a look at the cosmetics section of any store and you’ll see the most populated and diverse area happens to be hair care. We have an obsession with having those great locks although for many, trying to get the perfect ‘do can be a frustrating struggle.

On this week’s show, we take a closer look at the nature of our hair by starting off with an historical perspective. We speak with anthropology doctoral student Tina Lasisi who has been exploring how our hair came to be and why we may have such a hard time getting it to do what we want. Whether it happens to be genetics or the climate, our historical roots may be more important than the ones on our scalp.

We next move on to another historical issue with hair although this one is far more unnerving. It’s head lice. We speak with John Marshall Clark at the University of Massachusetts Amherst about our relationship with these little creatures including the origin of the word, nitpicking. We also learn why lice are resistant to treatments and what the future holds for those with those annoying itchy pests.

In our SASS Class, we’re going to head back into the shampoo aisle to learn about the effects of these products not on our hair but our skin. Our guest teacher is Sandra Skotnicki and she is a dermatologist and the author of the book, Beyond Soap: The Real Truth About What You Are Doing to Your Skin and How to Fix It for a Beautiful, Healthy Glow. She’ll explain that our efforts to make our hair silky smooth may be making our skin unhealthy.

If you enjoy The Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts and be sure to tell a friend about the show. Thanks to you, we won the Canadian Podcast Award for Outstanding Science and Medicine Series. Let’s keep the awesome momentum going together!

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Tina Lasisi
Web: https://anth.la.psu.edu/research/research-labs/jablonski-lab/tina-lasisi
Twitter: @TinaLasisi

John Marshall Clark
Web: https://www.vasci.umass.edu/research-faculty/john-marshall-clark

Sandra Skotnicki
Web: https://drsandyskotnicki.com/
Twitter: @DrSkotnicki

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Oh Canada! Celebrating Canada in Science

Tue, 02 Jul 2019 04:00:00 -0000

There’s little doubt Canada has the reputation of one of the best countries in the world. The same can be said about science in this nation. For over a century, Canadian scientists have been making discoveries that have changed the world. We’ve even had our fair share of Nobel Prize winners.

Having a reputation in the scientific community is one thing but nothing beats having a voice on Parliament Hill and this week, we’re going to talk with Canada’s first ever Minister of Science, the Honourable Kirsty Duncan. There was no one better for the position because before she was making her mark in the House of Commons, she was changing the world with her research.

We first discuss her past as a researcher and professor and explore some of her discoveries in medical geography. While we hear of the issues with climate change and health, Minister Duncan was finding the links. Her explorations eventually led her to dig deep into influenza research but instead of the lab, her work environment was the permafrost. Her journeys are now detailed in her book, Hunting the 1918 Flu: One Scientist's Search for a Killer Virus.

We next move away from the research environment into the political realm where she has made similar waves. As the Member of Parliament for the riding of Etobicoke North, she has continued to represent not only her constituents but also the wider scientific community. We learn about her journey since 2015 in the hopes of making Canada a recognized world leader in science.

In our SASS Class, Minister Duncan looks to the future of science in Canada. She wants this country to be a homing beacon for both homegrown and international minds and reveals her excitement and passion for the younger generation. She also reveals that we are all scientists and why we should all care about being curious.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

The Honourable Kirsty Duncan
Minister of Science and Sport
Web: https://pm.gc.ca/eng/minister/honourable-kirsty-duncan
Twitter: @KirstyDuncanMP

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Lies

Tue, 25 Jun 2019 08:00:00 -0000

Humans tend to communicate in a number of ways apart from verbal expression. We use our arms, our posture, and other gestures to convey what we’re thinking. But did you ever imagine that we may be able to code these movements so that we know what another person is feeling? Now add to that the subject of this classification isn’t our arms or the way we stand, it’s small movements of the face. Sounds almost impossible, right?

Well, this does exist and on this week’s show, we’re devoting the entire episode to the man who has spent the last 60 years deciphering our hidden movements into information we can use. His name is Paul Ekman and if you ever watched the TV show, Lie To Me, then you know who this happens to be.

I have to say I was excited for this interview because he has been one of those rogue researchers that comes around every now and then and manages to change the entire society. We first get into how he managed to shift from the standard types of psychology back in the 1950s and 60s to develop an entirely new branch that has over the last half century become a staple worldwide. His story has a bit of a Hollywood twist to it that definitely makes you believe that dreams can come true.

As for that branch of research, it all has to do with being able to tell emotions through facial movements. Every time we hear something or share our thoughts, our bodies perform small and fast facial gestures which he calls microexpressions. These may be completely missed by an untrained eye but Ekman developed a means to identify how our anatomy can be used as an emotion detector. It eventually led to his ultimate goal of being able to identify deception and even malice in a person.

This discussion was unlike any other I had and his insight into how the research developed over time is a testament to almost all researchers who struggle to make a difference in the world. Thankfully, he managed to succeed and his work is now being shared all over the world to help a variety of people, from sales professionals to airport security, determine what a person is thinking even if the truth is left unsaid. It’s a show I am really exited to share and hope everyone appreciates not only how research is performed, but also how we can benefit from it in the future.

Guests:

Paul Ekman
Twitter: @PaulEkman
Web: https://www.ekmaninternational.com/

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Ticked Off By Lyme

Tue, 18 Jun 2019 04:00:00 -0000

It seems every year we har about another disease that threatens our health. One of them happens to be a condition known as Lyme Disease. It’s cause by a bacterium known as Borrelia and it can have some pretty nasty symptoms including fever, fatigue, and joint pain. Worse, it may have the ability to stick around and cause people years of pains ranging from arthritis to neurological and even heart problems. As for how it’s spread, it comes from the bite of a tick. There’s been an explosion of cases over the last decade and in some areas of the country, ticks have replaced mosquitoes as public health enemy #1.

On this week’s show, we take a closer look at the bacterium behind the disease and how to help you stay safe. Our first guest is an expert on this bacterium behind this disease. His name is George Chaconas and he is a professor at the University of Calgary. For years, he was a Canada Research Chair on the condition formally known as Lyme Borreliosis. We explore how the infection progresses in the body and manages to escape our immune system. We also get into the potential for resistance and long-term effects on the body.

The bacterium is known as a spirochete, which means it looks like a corkscrew. This is similar to another bacterium that causes a more known illness, syphilis. We talk with Chaconas about the similarities between the two and how this may help us understand how we may be able to diagnose and possibly treat Lyme disease effectively.

In our SASS Class, we find out how to avoid Lyme Disease through prevention. We talk with Katie Clow, a veterinarian and assistant professor at the University of Guelph. She’s been studying how humans and pets can avoid getting bitten by a tick and shares her knowledge with us. Her tips will help you to stay safe when you’re out enjoying the grassy and wooded areas.

If you enjoy The Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts and be sure to tell a friend about the show. Thanks to you, we’ve been nominated for a Canadian Podcast Award as Outstanding Science and Medicine Series. Let’s keep the awesome momentum going together!

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

George Chaconas
Web: https://www.ucalgary.ca/bprg/chaconas

Katie Clow
Web: https://katieclow.com/
Twitter: @KatieClow1

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(Here Comes) The Sun

Tue, 11 Jun 2019 07:00:00 -0000

We’re getting close to summer and that means more sun and warmer temperatures. That also means a greater chance of skin damage due to that ultraviolet ray exposure. On this week’s show, we’re going to take a closer look at one of the most dire consequences of getting too much sun, skin cancer.

To get a better idea of the risk, we have Jennifer Beecker, a cancer researcher with us to talk about this disease. We first get into the nature of skin and some of the issues with sun and skin including moles and freckles. We also explore how skin cancer can be quickly diagnosed and how it has gone from being one of the worst cancers to the one that can be treated most effectively.

Of course, you want to avoid cancer altogether and for that, you have to practice safe sunning. Jennifer Beecker is also the National Chair of the Canadian Dermatology Association Sun Awareness Working Group and explains to us how we can be safe during the summer…and pretty much every other season.

In our SASS Class, we’re going to look at the idea of sunscreens. Normally, we think of chemicals like zinc oxide, oxybenzone and others that are hard to say and may be even harder on our bodies. Our guest teacher is University of Waterloo professor Micheal Tam who is working to make natural sunscreens using an ingredient most of us have in our pantry, cinnamon.

If you enjoy The Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts and be sure to tell a friend about the show. Thanks to you, we’ve been nominated for a Canadian Podcast Award as Outstanding Science and Medicine Series. Let’s keep the awesome momentum going together!

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Jennifer Beecker
Web: https://www.drbeecker.com/

Michael Tam
Web: http://chemeng.uwaterloo.ca/mtam/

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Me, Myself, and A.I

Tue, 04 Jun 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Artificial intelligence has become a natural part of our existence from voice recognition to making playlists to determining which driving route is the fastest. But AI still hasn’t become an integral part of our health. While AI does appear in some of our applications, such as those exercise apps on your smartphone, it has not yet been fully accepted as a replacement for doctors and nurses. On this week’s show, we’re going to explore how AI is involved in health and the pitfalls that prevent our complete acceptance in the public.

First, we’re going to learn about a sector of health in which AI is making a difference, diagnosis. We’ll talk with Sally Baxter, a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California San Diego. She has been exploring how AI can be used to help doctors determine what is wrong with an individual to improve accuracy and speed to treatment.

We’ll then explore how AI may be used to help change society through what is known as health intelligence. Our guest is David Buckeridge, a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at McGill University. He focuses on the use of technology in public health and will explain how the information we gain from our daily social media activities may help to gain an intelligence of what a broader society is doing and how to make alterations to improve our wellness.

In our SASS Class, we’re going to find out why AI still hasn’t been fully accepted for our health. It all comes down to the idea that AI, no matter how human it may seem, is still being run by a central processor inside a black box. We’re going to speak with Alex John London, the Director of the Center for Ethics and Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. He has been exploring how we understand that black box and why a lack of transparency both visually and in calculations can lead to concern and distrust.

If you enjoy The Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts and be sure to tell a friend about the show. Thanks to you, we have been changing the way the world sees science and it is definitely for the better. Let’s keep the awesome momentum going together!

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Sally Baxter
Web: https://profiles.ucsd.edu/sally.baxter

David Buckeridge
Web: http://mchi.mcgill.ca/about-us/surveillance/
Twitter: @davidbuckeridge

Alex John London
Web: https://www.cmu.edu/dietrich/philosophy/people/faculty/london.html
Twitter: @AlexJohnLondon

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Blind to natural beauty

Tue, 28 May 2019 08:00:00 -0000

The universe is an unending source of beauty but most of us in our daily lives tend to miss out on the wonders that exist. On this week’s show, we’re going to explore how we are blind to the beauty of the world around us and what we can do to improve our senses.

We start off the show with Ziya Tong. She was the longtime host of Daily Planet and has written a book about our inability to see our universe. It’s entitled, The Reality Bubble: Blind Spots, Hidden Truths, And The Dangerous Illusions That Shape Our World and we discuss both her journey as she wrote this book and also learn of some of the blind spots that prevent us from truly enjoying the world in which we live.

In our SASS class, we’re going to explore how we can better appreciate beauty by talking with our guest teacher, Aenne Brielmann. She’s a doctoral student at New York University and has been merging the worlds of philosophy and neuroscience to help us better understand how we perceive something beautiful. She also may be able to identify how we determine what is beautiful by using not a tenet, but an equation.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Ziya Tong
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ziya_Tong
Twitter: @ziyatong

Aenne Brielmann
https://aennebrielmann.wordpress.com/
Twitter: @aabrielma

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The World of BBQ

Tue, 21 May 2019 08:00:00 -0000

Summer is here and for many of us, that means going outside and cooking in the great outdoors. Although there are many ways to prepare food in the open, nothing quite compares to barbecue. Today, we’re exploring the world of barbecue and learning that it’s much more than a technique for cuisine. It’s a distinct and unique societal culture.

We start the show with Matt Basile. He’s the creator of the Toronto-based street food brand Fidel Gastro’s although you might best know him for his television show, Rebel Without A Kitchen. He’s been revolutionizing the cooking world for years thanks in part to his love for barbecue. We discuss the science of barbecuing and how different varieties can define different worldly cultures.

When it comes to barbecue, the mind might think of the American South. It’s an integral part of being a Southerner and our next guest has been exploring what this means from a sociological perspective. He is John Shelton Reed and for the last half Century, he has been researching the South and how differences in barbecue technique can reveal much about that society.

In our SASS Class, we focus on the science of being sure your barbecue efforts turn out both delicious and safe. We talk with Jeff Savell, who is one of the world’s experts in meat and barbecue science. We learn that barbecuing may not seem all that difficult but when you get into the science, it really is worthy of study.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Matt Basile
Founder and President, Fidel Gastro’s
http://www.fidelgastros.com/home.html
Twitter: @fidelgastros

John Shelton Reed
http://johnshelton.weebly.com/

Jeff Savell
https://animalscience.tamu.edu/people/savell-jeff/
Twitter: @jsavell

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The Beneficial Bee

Tue, 14 May 2019 07:00:00 -0000

For most of us, the sight of a bee might bring about a sense of unease. But for those people who study these amazing creatures, they represent an integral part of our planet and our food supply. Today, we’re going to explore the benefits of bees and why we should learn to love them rather than fear them.

Our first guest is Noah Wilson Rich, the CEO of Best Bees. He’s been researching bees for decades although over the last few years, he has found a love for urban beekeeping. We learn about how bees have been a part of our human history and how that place is in danger due to some troublesome microbial enemies. Thankfully, having bees in the city may be a way to ensure they continue to support us with their pollinating prowess.

We next talk with Jonathan Giacomini, a doctoral student at North Carolina State University. He’s been exploring ways to improve bee health using plants and has found one that seems to help prevent nasty infections. It’s the sunflower. We learn why this staple of summer is so good for bees and what we can do in our lives to help sustain their numbers.

In our SASS Class, we turn to Paul Kelly. He’s the manager of the Honey Bee Research Center at the University of Guelph. He has been working with bees for over three decades and now helps people learn how to find love through a combination of research and also courses on beekeeping. He’ll explain how the research into bees has changed over the years and how we can get involved to ensure they never disappear.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:
Noah Wilson Rich
CEO, Best Bees
http://bestbees.com
Twitter: @NoahWilsonRich

Jonathan Giacomini
Doctoral Student, North Carolina State University
https://irwinlab.weebly.com/people.html
Twitter: @JonGiacomini

Paul Kelly
Apiarist, Honey Bee Research Centre, University of Guelph
https://www.uoguelph.ca/ses/people/paul-kelly

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Science of Moms

Tue, 07 May 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Mother’s Day is approaching and today, we’re going to look at some of the science that makes mothers who they are and how we can support them every day of the year.

We start off the show with one of Canada’s best-known personalities, Sangita Patel. She’s a Senior Entertainment Reporter for Entertainment Tonight Canada and the newest Canadian spokesperson for Cover Girl. She’s also a mother to two amazing daughters. We discuss the challenges of having a successful career in television and her life as a mom and how mothers everywhere can learn to find a balance.

We then talk with Liisa Galea of the University of British Columbia. She studies the neuroscience of motherhood and reveals to us that the concept of baby brain is real. But don’t let that fool you into thinking you can get away with antics. As Liisa explains, as the kids grow up, the maternal brain get sharper and even better at memory.

Our next guest explores the psychology of motherhood and the need for support throughout her life. She is Suniya Luthar and she explains that being a mother is a significant challenge, even if you are not trying to balance work and home life. Having the right support can make the difference between a mother who is happy and one who is subject to depression.

In our SASS class, we’re going to explore a tactic almost every mother uses on her kids: the guilt trip. We talk with Wendy Rote at the University of South Florida and learn that using guilt may indeed be a great way to raise fantastic kids.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Sangita Patel
http://thisissangitapatel.com/
Twitter: @sangita_patel

Liisa Galea
Professor, Department of Psychology, UBC
https://galealab.psych.ubc.ca/liisa-galea/
Twitter: @liisagalea

Suniya Luthar
Foundation Professor of Psychology at Arizona State University
http://www.suniyaluthar.org/

Wendy Rote
Assistant Professor, University of South Florida St. Petersburg
https://www.usfsp.edu/psychology/portfolio-item/rote-wendy/

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For The Love of Dogs

Tue, 30 Apr 2019 13:44:36 -0000

Dogs are known as our best friends and on this week’s Super Awesome Science Show, we’re going to explore some of the science behind these loving, caring, and devoted members of our lives.

We first talk with Tanya Kim. She is one of Canada’s best known journalists but she also is one of this country’s strongest dog and animal advocates. She’s also the companion of Miss Mabel, a Dogue de Bordeaux who has carved out a career as a model. We learn about the importance of Mabel in Tanya’s life and what being a canine celebrity is like.

In exploring the science of dogs in our lives, one conclusion that continues to be repeated is that when it comes to understanding us as humans and our emotions, dogs know. We speak with the researcher behind this statement, Nandini Maharaj. She is a health research development officer at the University of British Columbia and a doctoral student looking at the benefit of dogs in our lives. We learn about the psychology behind the connection humans have with dogs and learn that the impression can last a lifetime.

Because of this effect of dogs in our lives, researchers have wondered if they can help to reduce the stress associated with loneliness. Our next guest, John-Tyler Binfet, an Associate Professor of Education at the University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus, has been exploring this theory and the results have been amazing. We discuss the benefits of therapy dogs on students and learn how he’s branching out to help people of all ages.

In our SASS Class, we learn how to take care of your best friend with Christina Karkanis, veterinarian and owner of the Bay City Animal Hospital in North Bay, Ontario. We learn about the best ways to care for your pet and how to ensure they have a long, healthy life.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:
Tanya Kim
Web: https://tanyakim.ca
Twitter: @Tanya_Kim
Instagram: @Tanya_Kim1

Miss Mabel
Instagram: @missmabelofficial

Nandini Maharaj
Health Research Development Officer, University of British Columbia
Web: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nandini_Maharaj

John-Tyler Binfet
Associate Professor, Education, University of British Columbia
Web: https://education.ok.ubc.ca/about/people/jtbinfet.html

Christina Karkanis
Owner, Bay City Animal Hospital

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The Quantum Realm

Tue, 23 Apr 2019 04:00:00 -0000

There’s something about the term quantum physics that brings both intrigue and intimidation. We see quantum as the way of the future but also know it’s one of the most complex branches of science. On this week’s show, we’re going to dive into this mysterious world to demystify it and reveal how it’s part of our everyday lives.

Our first guest is Tracey Forrest. She is the Program Director for Transformative Quantum Technologies at the University of Waterloo. We explore what makes quantum so fascinating and why it has such immense power over our imaginations. She also explains how the quantum world is already playing a role in many of the technologies we use today.

One of the most talked about aspects of quantum physics is quantum computing and we discuss the future with Alexandre Blais, a professor and the scientific director for the quantum institute at the University of Sherbrooke. We move away from the current computing mentality made up of bits and bytes and head into an area of research dominated by qubits.

In our SASS class, we’re going to find out how quantum physics will improve our ability to develop sustainable energy. Our guest teacher is Pavle Radovanovic at the University of Waterloo. His work focuses on nanocrystals. Unlike Swarovski crystals, which have the power of bling, he ones he’s working with may give us the ability to move away from non-reusable energy to improve our environment.

Twitter: @JATetro

Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Tracey Forrest
Program Director, Transformative Quantum Technologies, University of Waterloo
Web: https://uwaterloo.ca/transformative-quantum-technologies/

Alexandre Blais
Scientific Director, Quantum Institute, University of Sherbrooke
Web: https://www.usherbrooke.ca/iq/en/personne/alexandre-blais/
Twitter: @circuitqed

Pavle Radovanovic
Professor, Chemistry, University of Waterloo
Web: https://uwaterloo.ca/chemistry/people-profiles/pavle-radovanovic

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The Science of Spring Fever

Tue, 16 Apr 2019 04:00:00 -0000

We’ve all heard about Spring Fever although medically speaking, it’s not really an illness. Instead, it refers to a change in our behaviour that happens to align with the changing of the seasons. On this week’s show, we’re going to explore some of the science behind these changes to our ways and possibly offer some perspective on how to deal with the consequences.

Our first guest may have a reason for the effects of spring fever. We are being exposed to more light. She is Dr. Kathryn Roecklein, an Associate Professor in Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh. She reveals the effects of sunlight on our brains and how the change in seasons may alter how we act. She also reveals that we may not see such a dramatic shift due to our continual exposure to artificial light.

The change of the seasons also means a rise in certain mental health concerns. Statistics have shown spring brings with it a rise in suicides and greater unhappiness in some people. We speak with Jon Abramowitz, a Professor of Psychology at the University of North Carolina and an expert on coping with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. He reveals the truth about living with these problems and how to cope.

In our SASS Class, we explore one of the stereotypes of spring fever – the urge to find new mates. Our guest teacher is Maryanne Fisher. She is a professor of psychology at St. Mary’s University but she is better known as the relationship doctor. We discuss the process of trying to find a new mate and how this can be complicated by competition. She also reveals that looking back to the 18th Century may help people figure out how to win at love today.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:
Kathryn Roecklein
Web: http://psychology.pitt.edu/people/kathryn-roecklein-phd
Twitter: @roecklein

Jon Abramowitz
http://www.jabramowitz.com/
Twitter: @DrJonAbram

Maryanne Fisher
http://www.smu.ca/future-students/relationship-doctor.html
Twitter: @ml_fisher

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The Disease Detectives

Tue, 09 Apr 2019 04:00:00 -0000

When we feel unwell, we seek out medical attention. However, figuring out what is wrong with us may not be as simple as a quick visit to the clinic. On this week’s show, we’re going to dive into the world of disease detectives known officially as diagnosis.

Our first guest is probably the best person to discuss what diagnosis means to us. She is Lisa Sanders and she is an educator at Yale University. But she is better known as the author of the long running New York Times Series, Diagnosis, and is the inspiration behind the beloved TV show, House M.D. She takes us through the process of diagnostics and how the process can be incredibly complicated requiring more than simple Sherlockian deduction. She also offers her perspective on the trend to use “Dr. Google” to self-diagnose.

Our second guest is Madhukar Pai at McGill University. He has been trying to increase the ability of all countries to perform effective diagnosis especially with one of our greatest microbial enemies, tuberculosis. He has worked with the World Health Organization to make diagnosis a priority and will share his vision of the future for detecting diseases.

In our SASS Class, our guest teacher is one of the thousands of people in Canada responsible for carrying out the tests needed to achieve a diagnosis. Her name is Krista Urchenko and she is a Medical Laboratory Professional. She is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science. She reveals the behind the curtain work that most of us don’t see but need to be able to figure out what’s wrong. She also introduces us to LAB WEEK, which will highlight the work of these important professionals in Canada.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:
Lisa Sanders
Web: https://medicine.yale.edu/intmed/people/lisa_sanders.profile
Twitter: @LisaSandersMD

Madhukar Pai
Web: https://www.mcgill.ca/tb/investigators/madhukar-pai-director
Twitter: @paimadhu

Krista Urchenko
Web: www.medlabmaven.com
Twitter: @MedLabMaven

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The Plight of Parkinson's

Tue, 02 Apr 2019 04:00:00 -0000

We’re going to look at a disease that affects over ten million people worldwide and over 100,000 in Canada, Parkinson’s Disease. The movement disorder has been known for centuries and while we know the cause, we still have no cure.

We first talk with someone who has Parkinson’s to learn more about the disease and how it affects those who suffer. He is Larry Gifford, the Program Director at CKNW in Vancouver. He’s also the host of the podcast, When Life Gives You Parkinson’s. We learn about his journey with the disease and find out how he manages to cope both physically and emotionally. His story is both compelling and also inspiring and will reveal why his podcast has been designated at one of Apple Podcast’s best of 2018.

In our SASS class, we’re going to explore the efforts to find answers to help those with Parkinson’s Disease. We speak with Rachel Dolhun, the Vice-President of Medical Communications with the Michael J. Fox Foundation. She reveals how the foundation is working to improve awareness and research into this disease. We also learn of her personal story as both a researcher in movement disorders and also as a communicator at the Foundation. She reveals that working to help those with Parkinson’s is truly a vocation.

Twitter: @JATetro

Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Larry Gifford, Program Director, CKNW & Host of When Life Gives You Parkinson’s
Web: https://curiouscast.ca/podcast/160/when-life-gives-you-parkinsons/
Twitter: @Giffordtweet

Rachel Dolhun, VP Medical Communications, The Michael J. Fox Foundation
Web: https://www.michaeljfox.org/foundation/leaders.html?communications
Twitter: @RachelDolhunMD

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The Science Behind April Fools

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Have you ever been the target of an April Fools’ prank? Although you may not realize it, the effort that goes into these attempts at humour are nothing to laugh at. It takes time, research, and proper planning to make a prank or even a joke work. This week, we’re going to learn more about the mechanics and the needs for a good April Fools joke.

Our first guest is Thomas Limoncelli. He’s a systems analyst and helps information technology companies succeed. He’s also a web-based April Fools’ master and shares his insight into what makes an excellent online prank.

Next, we talk with Julia Rayz at Purdue University. Her focus is on Artificial Intelligence and humour. She’ll explain why computers make for a horrible audience and may never be able to tell an effective joke.

In our SASS Class, our guest teacher is Michelle Eskritt-Keck. She’s a psychologist who has been focusing on a special need for any good April Fools’ prank: deception. We explore how humans find ways to get people to believe them and how one particular sector of our population may not fall for any attempts at humour.

If you enjoy The Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts and be sure to tell a friend about the show.

Thanks to you, we’ve won a Canadian Podcast Award as Outstanding Science and Medicine Series. Thank you all very much for helping us keeping this show AWESOME!

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:
Thomas Limoncelli
https://everythingsysadmin.com/
Twitter: @yesthattom

Julia Rayz
https://polytechnic.purdue.edu/profile/taylo108

Michelle Eskritt-Keck
https://www.msvu.ca/en/home/programsdepartments/bachelorofscience/psychology/facultyandstaff/eskrittkeck.aspx

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Science in Translation

Tue, 19 Mar 2019 04:00:00 -0000

When you hear someone talk science, you might find it to be an entirely different language. In many ways it is. However, since science is important for decisions regarding health and the environment, scientists need to translate their world to the public. On this week’s show, we’re going to explore how this is being done and why the work of translators can help you avoid going to classes to learn science as a second language.

Our first guest is Maureen Dobbins, a professor at McMaster University who has spent decades taking clinical information found in the scientific literature and turning it into useful information to make health policy. We explore how her own work has changed such that she is now helping the public with online portals that provide recommendations people can trust.

Our next guest is James Heilman. He’s been working for over a decade to ensure Wikipedia is scientifically accurate. Although this open source platform is the go-to site for many searches, science and medicine do not trust these pages. Heilman is trying to change that not just here but around the world so that everyone can be sure they can use Wiki to stay informed.

In our SASS Class, we talk with Paige Jarreau, a science communication researcher. Scicomm as its known is a part of the translation process and Jarreau provides an inside look at how it is performed and how you can get involved in the fun.

If you enjoy The Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts and be sure to tell a friend about the show.

Thanks to you, we’ve won a Canadian Podcast Award as Outstanding Science and Medicine Series. Thank you all very much for helping us keeping this show AWESOME!

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:
Maureen Dobbins
https://nursing.mcmaster.ca/faculty/bio/maureen-dobbins

James Heilman
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Heilman
Twitter: @WikiDocJames

Paige Jarreau
http://www.fromthelabbench.com/
Twitter: @fromthelabbench

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Separating Science from Nonsense

Tue, 12 Mar 2019 04:00:26 -0000

No matter where you look, there always seems to be someone trying to sell you a new way to improve your life, health, or environment. Unfortunately, many of these products, programs, and routines are not based in science. In some cases, the hawkers purposefully reject science in the hopes you may believe they have the right answers.

Historically, these people have been called a variety of names but today, we tend to call them quacks. On this week’s show, we’re going to explore this anti-science world with two people who have spent years trying as we say in science, quash the quackery.

Our first guest is the host of two incredibly insightful science and medicine programs, “Cracked Science,” and “The Body of Evidence.” His name is Jonathan Jarry and he is a science communicator at the Office of Science and Society at McGill University. We explore the world of quacks and discover why they have become so popular and how trying to minimize their impact on us is incredibly difficult. He reveals some of his tricks to identify and counter those whose only wish to gain regardless of your losses.

We next talk with Darren McKee, who is one of the hosts of the long running series, “The Reality Check.” He has spent over a decade putting the spotlight on the unscientific world and ensuring that the record – and the science – is kept straight. We discuss the sheer amount of quackery that exists and how you can find ways to prevent being tricked into spending your money.

Thanks to you, we’ve won a Canadian Podcast Award as Outstanding Science and Medicine Series. Thank you all very much for helping us keeping this show AWESOME!

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:
Jonathan Jarry
https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/jonathan-jarry-msc-science-communicator
Twitter: @crackedscience

Darren McKee
http://www.trcpodcast.com/
Twitter: @dbcmckee

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Superheroines of Science

Tue, 05 Mar 2019 05:00:33 -0000

Can you name a female scientist? How about two? If you can’t, don’t worry. The recognition of female scientists is rather poor. But don’t worry because on this episode of the Super Awesome Science Show, we have got you covered. We’ll go through some of the most amazing contributions women have made to advancing our technology and making your lives better. We also are fortunate to welcome two of Canada’s greatest science superheroines to the show.

Our first guest has been known for well over two decades, Julie Payette. She first gained popularity in 1999 as the second female Canadian in space and was a member of a second mission to space in 2009. She made headlines again in 2017 when she was installed as our Governor General. We speak about her journeys over this time and how science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, known as STEM, has played a significant role throughout her life. She also offers her advice to those who feels that STEM is for them and why experimenting is a necessary part of life.

We next speak with Dr. Molly Shoichet. She is one of our country’s greatest scientists. She has achieved incredible success in her work and is the only person to be a fellow of Canada’s three national academies – the Canadian Academy of Sciences of the Royal Society of Canada, Canadian Academy of Engineering, and Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. She has also given back to the public through her attempts to merge Hollywood and research. She shares her journey with us and offers some inspiration to those who wish to seek out STEM as a vocation.

If you enjoy The Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts and be sure to tell a friend about the show.

Thanks to you, we’ve won a Canadian Podcast Award as Outstanding Science and Medicine Series. Thank you all very much! We really couldn't have done it without you!

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:
Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette
http://www.gg.ca/en
Twitter: @GGJuliePayette

Dr. Molly Shoichet
https://shoichetlab.utoronto.ca/
Twitter: @mollyshoichet

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Phaging out the Resistance

Tue, 26 Feb 2019 05:00:28 -0000

The rise of antibiotic resistant bacteria is a human health crisis. But few people appreciate the impact of this phenomenon on their lives. This week, we’re going to take a very personal look at what happens when someone gets a resistant infection and how a treatment from a century ago is making a comeback not just for our health but also our food supply.

Our first guest is Dr. Tom Patterson. He’s a researcher at the University of California San Diego and the subject of the new book, The Perfect Predator. In 2015, he went through a nine-month ordeal in which he almost died. His infection was resistant against all antibiotics. The only reason he survived was due to the use of a method used almost a century ago, viruses of bacteria, known as bacteriophages, better known as phages.

Our next guest takes us through the process of using viruses to defeat antibiotic resistant bacteria. She is Dr. Steffanie Strathdee at the University of California, San Diego. She is the author of The Perfect Predator, which is an account of her journey to save Tom from the infection. While her role as an epidemiologist may have spurred her on, her efforts had a very personal twist. Tom is her husband.

In our SASS Class, we examine how these viruses can be used to improve food safety. Raw and uncooked meat carries risk of bacterial infection. Our guest teacher has been working to find ways to incorporate viruses into the food production pipeline so that we can be safe. He’s Dr. Lawrence Goodridge from the University of Guelph.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:
Dr. Tom Patterson
https://profiles.ucsd.edu/thomas.patterson

Dr. Steffanie Strathdee
https://profiles.ucsd.edu/steffanie.strathdee
Twitter: @chngin_the_wrld

Dr. Lawrence Goodridge
https://news.uoguelph.ca/2019/01/improving-food-safety-goal-of-1-million-gift/
Twitter: @SafeFoodCanuck

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Evolving Rhythms

Tue, 19 Feb 2019 05:00:09 -0000

Did you know there are over 2,500 genres of music? Most of them have evolved over only the last fifty years. The rise in diversity stems from two major factors, technology and societal change. On this week’s Super Awesome Science Show, we’re going to explore this golden moment in music history with one of Canada’s most notable experts on the topic. He’s Alan Cross, the host of The Ongoing History of New Music.

We first explore the technology side by looking back at the moments that changed music forever. There have been several from the invention of the electric guitar to the synthesizer to the concept of multi-track mixing. Through all of this, Alan relates some of his own memories and moments he’s witnessed over the decades.

Then we get into the evolution of music and society. Music has been thought to be the spark of everything from the fall of the Soviet Union to the end of apartheid in South Africa to the LA Riots of 1992. Alan discusses some of the more personal aspects of society and music and how the notes and lyrics can bring people together not just for a cause, but also for the simple joy of being together.

In our SASS Class, we learn that the best choice of music to improve your ability to workout happens to be your own. We speak with Dr. Jasmin Hutchinson, the Director for Sport and Exercise Psychology at Springfield College in Massachusetts. As she tells us, knowing what right for us truly is personal and that your own playlist is most likely always going to be the best.

If you enjoy The Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it onApple Podcasts and be sure to tell a friend about the show. Thanks to you, we’ve been nominated for a Canadian Podcast Award as Outstanding Science and Medicine Series. Let’s keep the awesome momentum going together!

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:
Alan Cross
http://ajournalofmusicalthings.com/
Twitter: @alancross

Dr. Jasmin Hutchinson
https://springfield.edu/directory/jasmin-hutchinson
Twitter: @DrJazzBop

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What is Love?

Tue, 12 Feb 2019 05:00:30 -0000

Love has been one of humanity’s greatest mysteries. For millennia, it has been the subject of art and social science. But over the last century, we have learned so much about the biology of this emotion and how it affects us. On this week’s episode of The Super Awesome Science Show, we’re going to devote the entire show to Dr. Helen Fisher, who has been a leader in deciphering the love code. Since 1975, she has been focused on understanding this emotion. Her research papers, books, and a relationship with the website Match.com has given us insight into not just how love happens but also how we can improve our relationships.

We start by exploring her history as a love researcher and how this culminated in the 1994 book, The Anatomy of Love. It’s been re-issued and as Dr. Fisher explains, it has been completely rewritten because of the leaps we have made in analyzing love. She takes us on a journey around the world to explore how love is a part of all societies and in many ways, how similar we all are.

We next learn how we can use neuroscience to find the perfect mate. Dr. Fisher has developed a test, which you can take, to identify the type of person you happen to be based on chemicals that circulate in your body. It’s a fascinating journey into the brain and may help you to find out who might be best suited to accompany you in life.

For our SASS class, we take a 180 degree turn and explore the realm of rejection. Dr. Fisher has analyzed what happens when we are dumped and offers ideas to get over a love lost. Here’s a hint: those New York romantic comedies have it wrong.

Contact:

Twitter: @JATetro

Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:
Dr. Helen Fisher
https://helenfisher.com
Twitter: @DrHelenFisher

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Everything is awesome with LEGO

Tue, 05 Feb 2019 05:00:00 -0000

From the moment LEGO was started in the 1930s, it has focused on bringing out the creative in a person while allowing them to play. Today, it is an international sensation but not just in the world of pastime entertainment. LEGO is being used a means to increase scientific knowledge and education.

We talk with one of the leaders of the LEGO education movement, Dr. Chris Rogers at Tufts University. He explains how LEGO helps kids of all ages get a head start on science and engineering. He also helps us to realize that in our economic realities, LEGO is a cost-effective means to keep students learning and growing.

We next talk with William Church of White Mountain Science. He helps kids across the Northeastern United States get involved in LEGO activities and has his very own mobile lab to bring the creativity and fun of STEM to the high school classroom.

In our SASS Class, we learn about how LEGO offers a different ability to learn than most traditional education styles. We speak with Barbara Bratzel who is a science teacher and author of books to help people learn how to use LEGO in the school environment to improve a child’s educational experience.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:
Dr. Chris Rogers
Tufts University
https://ceeo.tufts.edu/people/rogers.htm

William Church
White Mountain Science Inc.
https://www.whitemountainscience.org/about-staff/

Barbara Bratzel
Shady Hill School
https://ceeo.tufts.edu/people/bratzel.htm

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SASS Introduces you to: Russia Rising

Mon, 04 Feb 2019 11:00:00 -0000

“Russia Rising” is a new investigative podcast series hosted by Jeff Semple, the former Europe Bureau Chief for Global News. This series hopes to unravel the giant mystery behind Putin’s Russia with the help of those who know her best - Russian Trolls, Hackers, Putin Supporters, and even a former Russian K.G.B. agent.

Join Jeff on the journey to unravel how Russia has gone from tenuous ally, to a potential global threat.

Here’s a sneak peek from episode 2 of the series…. and while you’re listening, search and subscribe to “Russia Rising” for free at Curiouscast.ca or wherever you’re enjoying this podcast.

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Sharing Stress

Tue, 29 Jan 2019 08:00:00 -0000

Have you ever had a great day in which nothing can go wrong and then out of nowhere a stressed person enters the room and your good feelings are replaced with feelings of anxiety and nervousness? You’re not alone. We may not realize it but stress is contagious and on this week’s show, we find out how this happens.

We first start with Dr. Stephanie Preston at the University of Michigan. She has studied how our compassion, known as empathy, can be a trigger for sharing someone else’s stress. She’ll help us to appreciate how our ability to care for someone else can work against us.

Our next guest explains that stress can also be shared through our noses. Dr. Jaideep Bains at the University of Calgary has uncovered how the odors we make when stressed may have an influence on other people. While his studies are in mice, his proposal of an “alert pheromone” may offer some perspective as to why some people just smell stressed.

In our SASS class, we examine how we can help to avoid sharing stress by being around friends. Dr. Loren Martin from the University of Toronto Mississauga explains that stress can be buffered by having people around us and dividing up the effect.

Twitter: @JATetro

Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:
Dr. Stephanie Preston
https://lsa.umich.edu/psych/people/faculty/prestos.html
Twitter: @prestostwit

Dr. Jaideep Bains
University of Calgary
https://hbi.ucalgary.ca/profiles/dr-jaideep-bains
Twitter: @stressynomics

Dr. Loren Martin
University of Toronto Mississauga
https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/psychology/faculty-staff/martin-loren
Twitter: @_ljmartin

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Coffee Beans and Genes

Tue, 22 Jan 2019 08:00:00 -0000

Coffee is one of the world’s most beloved beverages. Long before it was made popular by the television show, Friends, it stood as the drink that brought people together. Ironically, it’s also one of the most hotly debated subjects when it comes to health and taste. On this week’s episode of the Super Awesome Science Show, we examine one of the reasons behind this lack of consensus. Genetics.

We first look at how our own genetics can alter the way we taste coffee and how it affects our health. We talk with Dr. Marilyn Cornelis at Northwestern University who has been looking at how small changes in our genetic code, known as polymorphisms, can change how we interpret and react to the chemicals in coffee.

We then explore how genetics give different coffees from around their world their unique taste. But we’re not looking at the coffee’s DNA. Instead, we look at yeast. Although you may not know it, coffee beans are fermented before they hit store and coffee shop shelves. We talk with Dr. Aimee Dudley of the Pacific Northwest Research Institute about those microbes and how their diversity helps to give your favorite style of java that taste you love.

In our SASS Class, we learn about a threat to our coffee supply. It’s called coffee rust fungus and it can decimate coffee plants and put your morning cup of joe at risk. We speak with Dr. John Vandermeer from the University of Michigan who has been studying how this fungus wreaks havoc and how genetics may help to keep those crops safe.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:
Dr. Marilyn Cornelis
Northwestern University
https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/faculty-profiles/az/profile.html?xid=31723
Twitter: @marlilyncornelis

Dr. Aimee Dudley
Pacific Northwest Research Institute
https://www.pnri.org/research-programs/dudley-lab/

Dr. John Vandermeer
University of Michigan
https://lsa.umich.edu/eeb/people/faculty/jvander.html

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GO GO KETO

Tue, 15 Jan 2019 08:00:00 -0000

On this week’s episode of The Super Awesome Science Show, we dig into the nature of the ketogenic diet, its history, and what good it can do for you.

There are all sorts of diets but only a few have proven to be effective at helping you lose weight. One of the most popular options that also works is the ketogenic diet. It’s known as a fat buster as it helps to melt away unwanted fat while improving your metabolic health.

We first start with Desiree Nielsen, a registered dietitian, author, and television host. She helps us understand what the ketogenic diet does to our bodies and how best to find the right foods to improve your chances at losing weight.

My next guest is Dr. Roger McIntyre at the University of Toronto. He explains that there’s a potential hidden benefit of choosing the keto diet. It may help you emotionally and maintain your mental health. Although as he says, this isn’t quite ready for prime time, you’ll want to hear how the latest research may one day help us to stay balanced naturally.

In our SASS class, we pour a little cold water on the keto diet by finding out just how much weight we can expect to lose and how long the diet will keep burning the fat. The Knowledge Translation and Evidence Coordinator for the College of Family Physicians, Adrienne Lindblad tells us that when it comes to weight loss, the keto diet may not be your first choice.

Twitter: @JATetro

Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:
Desiree Nielsen
Registered Dietitian
https://desireerd.com/
Twitter: @desireerd

Dr. Roger S. McIntyre
University of Toronto
https://www.uhnresearch.ca/researcher/roger-s-mcintyre

Adrienne Lindblad
College of Family Physicians
http://peerevidence.ca/the-team/adrienne-lindblad/
Twitter: @ajlindblad

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Disturbed Sleep

Tue, 08 Jan 2019 08:00:00 -0000

Most Canadians are getting enough sleep but statistics reveal the numbers are dropping and the quality of that rest continues to suffer. Figuring out how to improve our sleep patterns has led to a confusing environment filled with pharmaceuticals, natural health products, and even supplements of chemicals naturally found in our bodies.

On this week’s episode of The Super Awesome Science Show, we crawl under the covers of sleep science to find out what may work best to help us get some rest.

I talk with neuroscientist, Dr. Michael Antle at the University of Calgary, about the biology of sleep and why it can be difficult to get the quality we need. We also examine the different options to help us find that slumber. The answer may lie not in supplementation but supine poses.

We then explore a traditional method to help us get to sleep. Scientifically it’s known as bibliotherapy but most of us call it bedtime stories. I talk with Kathryn Nicolai who has a podcast designed to give adults an enjoyable night’s rest through relaxing and enjoyable storytelling.

In our SASS class, we explore one reason kids don’t get enough sleep, school start times. We learn from Dr. Geneviève Gariépy that an early school bell could mean problems for students’ performance and weight.

If you enjoy The Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts, tell us what you think and please tell a friend about the show.

Twitter: @JATetro

Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Dr. Michael Antle, Professor, University of Calgary
Website: https://psyc.ucalgary.ca/profiles/michael-antle

Kathryn Nicolai, Host, Nothing Much Happens
Website: https://www.nothingmuchhappens.com/

Dr. Geneviève Gariépy, McGill University Institute for Health and Social Policy
Twitter: @DrGenGariepy
Website: https://genevievegariepy.com

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New Year Rehabilitation

Tue, 01 Jan 2019 05:00:00 -0000

Have you made a New Year’s Resolution? If so, how long do you think it’ll last? Most resolutions end up being a losing battle. On this week’s episode of The Super Awesome Science Show, we pledge to get to the bottom of why resolutions don’t work and how that isn’t too far off from someone trying to kick a habit.

First, we talk with Dr. Lalatendu Acharya at Purdue University. He studies consumer behaviour in health ranging from eating habits to HIV spread. He tells us that the Holiday season may be the reason for our inability to make a resolution work . We also may need more than just willpower to achieve our goals.

We next hear from Courtney Bir, a doctoral student at Purdue University. She’s studying how we lie to others to make ourselves look good. It’s known as social desirability bias and can stand in the way of making a resolution that is scientifically right as opposed to one that is socially acceptable.

In our SASS Class, we find out from Dr. Lizzy Pope at the University of Vermont how the grocery store may be our worst enemy when it comes to sticking to a diet. Her research has shown that while we may tend to buy healthier after the Holidays, the amount of the bad stuff remains the same.

If you enjoy The Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts, tell us what you think and please tell a friend about the show.

Twitter: @JATetro

Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Dr. Laltendu Acharya, Purdue University
Website: https://www.purdue.edu/hhs/csr/directory/faculty/acharya_lalatendu.html

Courtney Bir, Purdue University
Twitter: @courtney_bir
Website: https://ag.purdue.edu/agecon/Pages/GradStudents/birc.aspx

Dr. Lizzy Pope, University of Vermont
Twitter: @lizzypope
Website: https://www.uvm.edu/cals/nfs/profiles/lizzy_pope_phd_rd

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Smells of the Season

Tue, 25 Dec 2018 05:00:00 -0000

We are all familiar with the sights and sounds of the Holiday Season. But what about the smells? They have an enormous impact on us and can influence how we celebrate the most wonderful time of the year.

We first talk with Dr. Leslie Cameron at Carthage College. She’s been studying how we detect and recognize odours throughout life and how we can equate some aromas with the festive season.

If you enjoy The Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts, tell us what you think and please tell a friend about the show.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:
Dr. Leslie Cameron, Carthage College
Website: https://www.carthage.edu/live/profiles/261-leslie-cameron

Dr. Ann-Sophie Barwich, Indiana University Bloomington
Twitter: @smellosopher
Website: http://www.smellosophy.com/

Dr. Jenny Lin, California State University Monterey Bay
Website: https://csumb.edu/directory/people/jenny-lin

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The Blockchain Boon

Tue, 18 Dec 2018 08:00:00 -0000

Blockchain has become the latest buzzword in tech but few of us understand what it is and how it relates to us. On this week’s episode of the Super Awesome Science Show, we invest in the topic of blockchain as we hope to decode its cryptic nature so we can all profit by knowing what it is and how it may change our lives.

We start off with the basics with blockchain consultant, Olivia Lovenmark. She tells us a little bit more about the platform, explains what cryptocurrencies like bitcoin are, and helps us to understand some of the terminology.

The lure of money appears to be the only way to get people interested in using blockchain. Yet we talk with Duane Conners of rprt management consulting who tells us the use of incentives in absence of cash might bring everyone to the fold.

Next is Brian Magierski, President of nanovision, a company that wants to use blockchain to improve our health. He believes the real-time and secure nature of the platform may improve the results of clinical research.

In our SASS Class, we speak with Singularity University’s Anne Connelly about how blockchain may be able to create an entirely new economy based not on money, but impact. It’s already being done in Toronto and may improve the way we conduct international development.

If you enjoy The Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts, tell us what you think and please tell a friend about the show.

Twitter: @JATetro
Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:
Olivia Lovenmark, blockchain consultant
Twitter: @OliviaLovenmark
IG: olivialovenmark
Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olovenmark

Duane Conners, rprt management consulting
Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/f-duane-conners-b776644

Brian Magierski, President, nanovision
Twitter: @bmagierski
Website: https://nanovision.com/team/brian-magierski/

Anne Connelly, Singularity University
Twitter: @Anne_Connelly
Website: https://anneconnelly.ca

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Credence in Climate Change

Tue, 11 Dec 2018 08:00:00 -0000

Climate change is real and is becoming more accepted by the day. But there continues to be debate about whether we are contributing to the problem or are just innocent bystanders in the process.

While the arguments may appear to be heated between the two sides, a recent declaration may help to lower the volume. In a rather unprecedented move, the Vatican held a conference last year where they declared climate change to be caused in part by humans. They also called for action to reduce our effect on the planet.

On this week’s episode of The Super Awesome Science Show, we are given a guest pass into this rather unexpected event with Dr. Lise Van Susteren, a Psychiatrist who specializes in climate change and psychological health. We find out what it was like to be in the room and how a centuries-old rift between science and religion was mended, at least for this topic.

We also explore with Dr. Van Susteren a relatively unknown consequence of climate change for which she is an expert: mental health. We discuss how disasters and other threats can lead to worry, panic, and even depression.

In our SASS Class, we take a look at different but maybe even more troubling effect of climate change. I talk with Dr. Nathan Mueller of the University of California, Irvine, who has recently published a report saying that global warming could threaten our beer supply. He also discusses whether we should prepare for the worst by stocking up.

If you enjoy The Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts, tell us what you think and please tell a friend about the show.

Twitter: @JATetro

Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Dr. Lise (Lisa) Van Susteren, Psychiatrist
Dr. Nathan Mueller, Assistant Professor at University of California, Irvine.
Twitter: @muellern

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Pandemic State Of Mind

Tue, 04 Dec 2018 05:00:00 -0000

When you hear the word, pandemic, you might imagine an apocalyptic scenario in which our very existence is threatened. That might have been the case in the Middle Ages but today, pandemics are far less dangerous and more common than you think.

The most recognized is flu as it is the only pandemic in recent times to affect our country. But there are others out there and they continue to spread under the radar.

On this week’s episode of The Super Awesome Science Show, we take a look at pandemics. Starting with the flu, we talk with Dr. Earl Brown of the University of Ottawa to examine how these events begin and how we can use medicine to stop them in their tracks.

We next talk with Dr. David Evans of the Univesity of Alberta to explore whether or not we may be able to make a pandemic virus in the lab. He has made headlines for making a virus entirely from mail order components but as we find out, it’s not as easy as it seems.

In our SASS Class, we examine another pandemic threat – the melting permafrost. We can resurrect microbes and worms frozen for tens of thousands of years meaning we may unleash a pandora’s box of pathogenic pain. But Dr. Charles Greer of the National Research Council of Canada calms that fear and tells us about how the microbes in the frozen soil may help prevent a different type of pandemic – the global warming apocalypse.

If you enjoy The Super Awesome Science Show, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts, tell us what you think and please tell a friend about the show.

Twitter: @JATetro

Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Dr. Earl Brown, Professor Emeritus at the University of Ottawa
Dr. Dave Evans, Professor, University of Alberta
Dr. Charles Greer, National Research Council of Canada

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Pesty Eaters

Tue, 27 Nov 2018 08:00:00 -0000

Local exhibitions and fairs are known for their rides, games, and concerts. They are also known for introducing some pretty strange food items ranging from deep fried butter to 24 karat gold coated ice cream bars. Lately, there’s been a new kind of food to try in the form of insects.

The idea of eating bugs may seem odd or macabre but these food choices are growing in popularity and have migrated from the midway to the grocery store. This movement is being led by The Goldin family, the owners of Entomo Farms in Ontario. They have gone national with their food products and are reaching out to other countries to improve food security.

On this week’s episode of The Super Awesome Science Show, I talk with one of the brothers, Ryan, about the journey from insect farmers to Canada’s insect food provider. We also learn why insects may be a regular food choice of the future and may have a spot on Canada’s Food Guide.

In our SASS class, we’ll explore the nutritional value of insects and learn how you can enjoy this food like you would a potato chip or biscotti.

Follow Jason Tetro "Germ Guy"

Twitter: @JATetro

Email: thegermguy@gmail.com

Guests:

Ryan Goldin, co-owner of Entomo Farms in Norwood, Ontario
Twitter: @entomofarms
IG: entomofarms
FB: EntomoFarms
Website: entomofarms.com

Silvia Ronzani and Claudio La Rocca of Camola Sustainable Foods in Edmonton
FB: CamolaBakery
Website: camolafoods.com

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Welcome to SASS

Thu, 01 Nov 2018 15:55:33 -0000

Jason Tetro, The Germ Guy, has been a researcher for decades. He has published scientific articles, hit conferences, and explored the natural world to uncover its hidden wonders. Now he's here to share those discoveries with you and a bit of SASS on the SUPER AWESOME SCIENCE SHOW!

We're going to answer all your science questions. If it ends in “ology” we’ve got it covered – chemistry and physics too.