Cool Science Radio is a weekly, hour-long program that focuses on the latest developments and discoveries in the fields of science and technology. Co-hosts Lynn Ware Peek and Scott Greenberg decipher what's new with science and technology experts in an entertaining, amusing and accessible way.
From the discovery of new dinosaurs to the science of an avalanche, from the secret technology behind Facebook, to the latest developments in nanotechnology — Cool Science Radio hosts Lynn Ware Peek and Scott Greenberg decipher science and technology discoveries in an entertaining, amusing and accessible way. If they can understand it, so can you.
Cool Science Radio is sponsored by:
For questions and inquiries, or to inquire about appearing on the show, contact the hosts directly at coolscienceradio@kpcw.org.
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RC Mowers co-founder and CEO Michael Brandt discusses how remote-operated and autonomous mowing technology is helping workers tackle dangerous terrain. He explains how GPS, LiDAR and robotics are being used to improve safety, address labor shortages and make difficult jobs more efficient.
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Marc Abrahams, founder and editor of the Annals of Improbable Research, discusses the 2026 Ig Nobel Prizes, which celebrate scientific research that first makes people laugh and then makes them think. He shares some of this year's unusual discoveries and the story behind the annual ceremony.
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Jeffrey Cole, founding director of the Center for the Digital Future at USC Annenberg, explores how technological change reshapes society, why established institutions can be caught off guard and what decades of internet research reveal about America's changing relationship with technology.
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Carleton University biologists Jennifer Bruin and Myriam Hoyeck discuss new research finding persistent environmental pollutants in the human pancreas and explore how these chemicals may affect insulin secretion and metabolic health.
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Dr. Alexander Mossbrucker discusses how bioacoustics, artificial intelligence and digital monitoring tools are helping conservationists track endangered wildlife. From detecting Asian elephants by their vocalizations to training rangers in Sumatra, Mossbrucker explores how better data can strengthen efforts to protect animals and their habitats.
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Caltech physicist and engineer Gabriele Vajente explains how LIGO detects the faint ripples in spacetime known as gravitational waves. He explores the engineering behind the world's most sensitive measuring instruments, what we've learned from black hole collisions and neutron stars, and what future observations could reveal.
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Marc Abrahams, founder and editor of the Annals of Improbable Research, discusses the 2026 Ig Nobel Prizes, celebrating scientific research that first makes people laugh and then makes them think. Then, RC Mowers co-founder and CEO Michael Brandt discusses how remote-operated and autonomous mowing technology is helping workers tackle dangerous terrain.
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Jeffrey Cole, founding director of the Center for the Digital Future at USC Annenberg, explores how technological change reshapes society, why established institutions can be caught off guard and what decades of internet research reveal about America's changing relationship with technology.Then, Carleton University biologists Jennifer Bruin and Myriam Hoyeck discuss new research finding persistent environmental pollutants in the human pancreas and explore how these chemicals may affect insulin secretion and metabolic health.
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Caltech physicist and engineer Gabriele Vajente explains how LIGO detects gravitational waves, what we've learned from black hole collisions and neutron stars, and what future observations could reveal.Then, Dr. Alexander Mossbrucker discusses how bioacoustics, artificial intelligence and digital monitoring tools are helping conservationists track endangered wildlife.
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Colin Domnauer, a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Utah, discusses his research into a newly identified species of psychoactive mushroom rumored to trigger vivid hallucinations of little people, referred to as “Lilliputian Hallucinations.”Then, MIT engineer Amos Winter discusses how to design affordable, high-performance products that can succeed in different global markets.
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Bloomberg investigative journalist Kit Chellel explores the surprising history of gamblers who used mathematics, early computers, and engineering to beat casinos and sportsbooks, while helping pioneer technologies that would influence the modern computing and AI landscape.Then, gene-editing researcher Raj Chari discusses how CRISPR technology is being used to study cancer, develop potential new treatments, and explore the challenges of bringing gene-editing therapies from the laboratory into clinical care.