Talk Archives

Outer space is a topic that easily captures the human imagination. But whether we are thinking about satellites circling the Earth or Star Trek, most people have at least a few misconceptions about space and space travel. Dr. Wallace Fowler takes a close look at some of these misconceptions and myths about outer space.

There are about 1000 species of bats, and one or more species is found in every tropical and temperate region on Earth. Bats “see” their world through their ears by using a form of biological sonar called echolocation. Dr. George Pollack looks at how bat eyes, ears and brains construct the world around them.

Austin’s “crown jewel”, Barton Springs is enjoyed by more than 350,000 people per year and has a history dating to prehistoric use by Native Americans. Today, it provides habitat for unique flora and fauna while providing a distinctive recreational experience. Dr. Barbara Mahler shares the physical properties of the spring, the effect of storms and the sources of pollutants that might endanger the health of the spring and its users.

Nature’s creativity and imagination is evident in diversity among organisms. What better area to observe diversity than in insects? Dr. John Abbot shares the vast variety of shapes, anatomy, and colors exhibited in insects. Texas is home to over 30,000 insects, including around 6,000 species of beetles and 5,000 species of butterflies and moths. With only 5,000 species of mammals and 10,000 species of birds in the world, these are some pretty amazing numbers.

Recent technological advances in computer and communication technology have allowed seismologists to rapidly respond to earthquakes in revolutionary ways. Rather than limiting post-earthquake information to simply epicenter and magnitude, we can now rapidly provide maps of the intensity of shaking over the region affected by a damaging earthquake. Dr. David Wiald shares the technology behind these innovative systems.

Austin Energy, the City of Austin’s municipally owned electric company is one of the nation’s leaders in expanding the use of renewable energy through it’s GreenChoice electric rate, which gives customers an opportunity to demonstrate their preference for renewables over fossil fuel power and gradually transforming their utility through their choice. Mark Kapner shares the development of the GreenChoice program at Austin.

Nanotechnology refers to the ability to manipulate individual atoms and molecules, making it possible to build machines on the scale of human cells or create materials and structures from the bottom up with novel properties. Dr. Paul Barbara explores nanotechnology and how researches at The University of Texas at Austin are helping shapre our nanotechnology future.

The perception of music is a remarkable phenomenon that enriches our lives nearly every day. Deeply imbedded in our own culture, music is a part of all known human societies. Dr. Bob Duke shares the physics, physiology and psychology of music in relation to human perception.

We’re all affected by air quality in Texas. Whether it’s because of the concentration of pollutants in the air we breathe or whether it’s because of our appreciation of beautiful Texas sunsets, we all have a stake in preserving air quality. Dr. David Allen provides insights into the formation of air pollution, how scientists model the causes of pollution and what can be done about it.

Our planet has consistently delivered no surprises: the relentless motion of the world’s tectonic plates during the past 3 millennia are identical to those of the past 3 million years. Hence the distribution and frequency of past earthquakes are a fairly reliable indicator of future earthquakes. Dr. Roger Bilham shares how we can combine earthquake prediction with engineering design and future city planning to develop cities that are earthquake resistant.