New Books Network Podcast

Diplomatic History October 21, 2023

American Prometheus

Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin

Hosted by Andrew Pace

The inspiration for Christopher Nolan’s major motion picture, Oppenheimer, this Pulitzer Prize-winning biography explores the life and times of J. Robert Oppenheimer – the “Father of the Atomic Bomb” – …

Science September 8, 2023

Fascination of Science

60 Encounters with Pioneering Researchers of Our Time

Herlinde Koelbl

Hosted by Caleb Zakarin

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An intimate collection of portraits of internationally renowned scientists and Nobel Prize winners, paired with interviews and personal stories. What makes a brilliant scientist? Who are the people behind the …

Ancient History August 28, 2023

The Concept of Motion in Ancient Greek Thought

Foundations in Logic, Method, and Mathematics

Barbara Sattler

Hosted by Morteza Hajizadeh

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Barbara M. Sattler's book The Concept of Motion in Ancient Greek Thought: Foundations in Logic, Method, and Mathematics (Cambridge UP, 2020) examines the birth of the scientific understanding of motion. It investigates …

Anthropology July 25, 2023

Glyphosate and the Swirl

An Agroindustrial Chemical on the Move

Vincanne Adams

Hosted by Elliott Reichardt

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Vincanne Adams's book Glyphosate and the Swirl: An Agroindustrial Chemical on the Move (Duke UP, 2023) is part of a broader trend in anthropology that is developing new methods and techniques …

Princeton UP Ideas Podcast July 15, 2023

How the Universe Got Its Spots

Diary of a Finite Time in a Finite Space

Janna Levin

Hosted by Mark Klobas

Is the universe infinite or just really big? With this question, cosmologist Janna Levin announces the central theme of this book, which established her as one of the most direct …

MIT Press Podcast July 15, 2023

Working on Mars

Voyages of Scientific Discovery with the Mars Exploration Rovers

William J. Clancey

Hosted by MIT Press

Geologists in the field climb hills and hang onto craggy outcrops; they put their fingers in sand and scratch, smell, and even taste rocks. Beginning in 2004, however, a team …

Science June 16, 2023

Worlds Without End

Exoplanets, Habitability, and the Future of Humanity

Chris Impey

Hosted by Caleb Zakarin

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The science of finding habitable planets beyond our solar system and the prospects for establishing human civilization away from our ever-less-habitable planetary home. Planet Earth, it turns out, may not …

Science June 7, 2023

Not Just for the Boys

Why We Need More Women in Science

Athene Donald

Hosted by Morteza Hajizadeh

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Why are girls discouraged from doing science? Why do so many promising women leave science in early and mid-career? Why do women not prosper in the scientific workforce? Not Just …

History of Science May 20, 2023

Split and Splice

A Phenomenology of Experimentation

Hans-Jörg Rheinberger

Hosted by Victor Monnin

In Split & Splice: A Phenomenology of Experimentation (University of Chicago Press, 2023), Hans-Jörg Rheinberger, director emeritus at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin, investigates …

Physics and Chemistry May 2, 2023

The Magick of Physics

Uncovering the Fantastical Phenomena in Everyday Life

Felix Flicker

Hosted by Miranda Melcher

If you were to present the feats of modern science to someone from the past, those feats would surely be considered magic. In The Magick of Physics: Uncovering the Fantastical …

Why We Argue April 6, 2023

Seeing Truth in Physics

A Conversation with Professor of Physics Stephon Alexander

Stephon Alexander

Hosted by Alexis Boylan

Stephon Alexander talks about a better way of thinking about the interconnections between music, physics, and creativity and how as someone often seen as “outside” the field, he has found …

Physics and Chemistry April 3, 2023

The Evolution of Everything

The Patterns and Causes of Big History

Brian Villmoare

Hosted by Galina Limorenko

Big History seeks to retell the human story in light of scientific advances by such methods as radiocarbon dating and genetic analysis. Brian Villmoare's book The Evolution of Everything: The Patterns …

MIT Press Podcast March 30, 2023

Water Is in the Air

Physics, Politics, and Poetics of Water in the Arts

Hosted by MIT Press

Our contributors discuss their work in the arts and sciences, which is showcased in the new article collection, Water Is in the Air: Physics, Politics, and Poetics of Water in …

MIT Press Podcast March 27, 2023

Art and Atoms

A Roundtable Discussion

Hosted by MIT Press

Our contributors discuss the connections between science, specifically chemistry, and art, and talk about how materials traditionally identified with science can be used to create art. This conversation was recorded …

Ministry of Ideas March 9, 2023

Star Ladder or, How Far Away are the Stars?

Measure for Measure Episode 8

Hosted by Zachary Davis

Scientists discovered that some stars have heartbeats and that some of them can be used to measure the longest distances that exist. This episode was produced by Andrew Middleton and …

Ministry of Ideas March 4, 2023

Mohs or, How Hard Are Rocks?

Measure for Measure Episode 3

Hosted by Zachary Davis

We’re hitting up against the very nature of measurement: How can we best describe the world around us, in its infinite complexity, with finite measures? In other words, how hard …

MIT Press Podcast March 3, 2023

Gravity's Kiss

The Detection of Gravitational Waves

Harry Collins

Hosted by MIT Press

The detection of gravitational waves in 2015 rocked the science community. In this episode, Chris Gondek spoke with author Harry Collins, whose book Gravity's Kiss centers around the incredible discovery …

The Future of . . . with Owen Bennett-Jones February 4, 2023

The Future of Nuclear Fusion

A Discussion with Sharon Ann Holgate

Sharon Ann Holgate

Hosted by Owen Bennett-Jones

How useful will nuclear fusion be? In a major breakthrough last year at the National Ignition Facility in California, 192 lasers achieved fusion – and created energy - for the …

Science December 20, 2022

The Poetry and Music of Science

Comparing Creativity in Science and Art

Tom McLeish

Hosted by Morteza Hajizadeh

What human qualities are needed to make scientific discoveries, and which to make great art? Many would point to 'imagination' and 'creativity' in the second case but not the first …

Scholarly Communication December 7, 2022

Scientific Writing = Thinking in Words

David Lindsay

Hosted by Daniel Shea

Listen to this interview of David Lindsay, emeritus professor of the University of Western Australia. We talk about his book Scientific Writing = Thinking in Words (CSIRO Publishing, 2020) and how your …