The Science of Everything Podcast

A discussion of acids and basis, including a definition and description of the concepts of acidity and basicity, a look at the relationship between the concepts of strength, concentration, and corrosivity, a discussion of weak acids and acid-base equilibria, and an explanation of pH and how buffer solutions act to stabalise pH levels in solution.

In this special episode we examine a number of popular myths, misconceptions, and faulty understandings that are widely held about various scientific questions. Topics covered include misunderstandings about black holes, common misconceptions about genetics, physics mistakes perpetrated in films, popular myths about various animals, and a look at some of the misconceptions about psychology and the mind.

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A discussion of the effect of market outcomes on firm behavior, consumer welfare, and market outcomes. I examine perfect competition, monopoly, oligopoly, and monopolistic competition, comparing their outcomes and when each type of structure tends to occur. Also includes a discussion of cartels, when they form, and why they tend to fail. Recommended prerequisites are Episode 48: Theory of the Firm, Episode 16: Profits and Competition, and Episode 12: The Price System.

A discussion of the nature of the firm, the different types of firms, and the reasons for the existence of firms. This leads to an overview of the objectives of firms, including decisions regarding how to produce and the profit maximizing quantity to produce, and a discussion of the implications of this behavior for consumers and the economy at large. Recommended prelistening are Episode 12: The Price System and Episode 16: Profits and Competition.

In part 3 of our journey through the visual system, we discuss the structure and function of the Primary Visual Cortex, including an analysis of occular dominance columns, orientation columns, and the six cortical layers. I also cover higher cortical regions involved in visual processing, including the V2, V3, V4, and IT areas, and how these regions are divided into distinct 'what' and 'where' processing pathways.

Resuming from where we left off last time, we continue our journey through the visual system by explaining the structure and function of the bipolar and ganglion cells in the retina, including their somewhat complex receptive fields. I then discuss the optic nerve and cross over of information from different visual hemifields at the optic chiasm. We end this part of our journey with a look at the lateral geniculate nucleus, and how it is structurally organised to process different types of visual information in different locations.

We commence our grand journey to understand the visual system by examining the eye, its anatomical structure and physiological properties. I discuss image formation in the eye, including an explanation of the role of the lens, iris, and cornea. I also explain the phototransduction, the fascinating molecular process by which photons falling on the retina are converted into neural signals that the brain can interpret. Recommended prelistening: Episode 18 - Biochemistry Basics, Episode 25 - Tissues, Organs and Systems, Episode 32 - Light and Optics, Episode 38 - Neurons and Synapses.

A discussion of the cell cycle and cell division, beginning with an overview of chromosomes and chromosome structure, and then proceeding through a detailed discussion of the G1, S, and G2 stages of interphase, and the prophase, prometaphase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase and cytokinesis phases of M-phase. I conclude the episode with a discussion of cell-cycle regulation, including the role of cyclin-dependent kinases, cell checkpoints, and growth factors. Recommended prerequisites are Episode 10: The Cell, Episode 18: Biochemistry Basics, and Episodes 34 and 35: DNA Structure and Function.

An overview of the basics of electric charges, electric fields, and electric potential energy. I also discuss how objects become charged, how charged particles interact via Coulomb’s Law, how electroscopes work, and how batteries generate voltage. Recommended prerequisites are Episode 9: Matter and Molecules, and Episode 17: Energy, Work, and Momentum.

A discussion of the properties and behaviour of gases, focusing on the kinetic theory of gases and the ideal gas law. I also discuss the thermodynamic behaviours of gases, gas partial pressures, and PV diagrams. Recommended prerequisites are Episode 9: Matter and Molecules and Episode 13: Newtonian Mechanics.