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PopSciLens

PopSciLens

Written by: PopSciLens
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 A podcast that explores real world scientific concepts through the lens of pieces of fiction. We breakdown movies, video games, books, and more to learn about storytelling techniques and scientific knowledge.Copyright 2023 All rights reserved. Art Science Science Fiction
Episodes
  • Jurassic Park - Cloning and De-extinction

    Jurassic Park - Cloning and De-extinction
    Jul 21 2023
    In this episode we take a look at the classic sci-fi movie Jurassic Park, and then we take a look at some real attempts to de-extinct animals. For comments or suggestions, email: scilenspod@gmail.com Sources and supplemental material: Amplification and sequencing of DNA from a 120–135-million-year-old weevil – https://www.nature.com/articles/363536a0 Ultrastructure of 40-Million-Year-Old Insect Tissue – http://science.sciencemag.org/content/215/4537/1241 40-MILLION-YEAR-OLD MUMMY OF INSECT IS REPORTED FOUND – https://www.nytimes.com/1982/02/27/us/40-million-year-old-mummy-of-insect-is-reported-found.html Jurassic Park’s Unlikely Symbiosis With Real-World Science – https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/jurassic-park-reveals-delicate-interplay-between-science-and-science-fiction-180969331/ Wikipedia article on De-extinction – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De-extinction Article on Jack Horner’s projects to de-extinct dinosaurs – https://www.livescience.com/could-we-build-jurassic-park-dinosaurs.html Article on half-life of dinosaur DNA – https://www.livescience.com/23861-fossil-dna-half-life.html Article on best preserved T-rex specimen – https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/dinosaur-shocker-115306469/ Dinosaur blood cells extracted from 75-million-year-old fossil – https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn27687-dinosaur-blood-cells-extracted-from-75-million-year-old-fossil/ New tests reveal controversial dinosaur DNA isn't so ancient after all – https://newatlas.com/dinosaur-dna-ostrich/49875/ Cartilage-producing cells isolated from a fossil – https://globalnews.ca/news/6625164/dinosaur-dna-found-fossil/#:~:text=The%20Jurassic%20Park%20dream%20has,belonged%20to%20a%20baby%20dinosaur. Potential degraded dinosaur DNA found – https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/possible-dinosaur-dna-has-been-found/ National Human Genome Research Institute , cloning fact-sheet – https://www.genome.gov/25020028/cloning-fact-sheet/ Livescience article on the basics of cloning https://www.livescience.com/58079-cloning-facts.html Challenges with de-extinction: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De-extinction#Disadvantages_of_de-extinction Vice article discussing a project to resurrect woolly mammoths: https://www.vice.com/en/article/5393vn/the-plan-to-turn-elephants-into-woolly-mammoths-is-already-underway BBC story on funded project to resurrect Pyrenean Ibex: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-25052233 NatGeo article on attempts to de-extinct Tasmanian tiger: https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/12/thylacine-genome-extinct-tasmanian-tiger-cloning-science/ Info about attempts to revive passenger pigeon – https://reviverestore.org/about-the-passenger-pigeon/
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    1 hr and 51 mins
  • Limitless -- Nootropics and Other Brain-enhancing Technologies

    Limitless -- Nootropics and Other Brain-enhancing Technologies
    Jul 21 2023
    In this episode, we talk about the 2011 sci-fi thriller Limitless, discuss how it explores brain-enhancing substances, and then talk about potential nootropics and other brain-enhancing technologies. For comments or suggestions, email: scilenspod@gmail.com Sources and supplemental material: The pied piper of neutropics, Science-Based Medicine – https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/the-pied-piper-of-nootropics/ The future of the human brain, smart drugs and nootropics – https://futurism.com/do-not-edit-nootropics-and-the-future-of-brain-enhancing-smart-drugs Wikipedia article on piracteam – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piracetam Wikipedia article on modafinil – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modafinil “Piracetam for dementia or cognitive impairment” – http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11405971 “Modafinil Increases the Latency of Response in the Hayling Sentence Completion Test in Healthy Volunteers: A Randomised Controlled Trial” – http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0110639 Bacopa monieri: “Efficacy of Standardized Extract of Bacopa monnieri (Bacognize®) on Cognitive Functions of Medical Students: A Six-Week, Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial” – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5075615/ “The cognitive-enhancing effects of Bacopa monnieri: a systematic review of randomized, controlled human clinical trials” – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK114917/ Rhodiola Rosea “Multicenter, open-label, exploratory clinical trial with Rhodiola rosea extract in patients suffering from burnout symptoms” – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5370380/ “Rhodiola rosea for physical and mental fatigue: a systematic review” – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3541197 “Rhodiola Rosea Therapy of Major Depressive Disorder” – https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01098318 Kava “Kava in the Treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study” – https://journals.lww.com/psychopharmacology/Abstract/2013/10000/Kava_in_the_Treatment_of_Generalized_Anxiety.9.aspx “Kava for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder RCT: analysis of adverse reactions, liver function, addiction, and sexual effects” – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23348842/ “The effectiveness and safety of Kava Kava for treating anxiety symptoms: A systematic review and analysis of randomized clinical trial”s – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1744388118301981 “Kava for the Treatment of Generalised Anxiety Disorder: A Double-Blind Randomised Placebo-Controlled Trial (KGAD)” – https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02219880 “Kava for the treatment of generalised anxiety disorder (K-GAD): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial” – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4630875/ “World first clinical trial supports use of Kava to treat anxiety” – https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130513095750.htm “The effectiveness and safety of Kava Kava for treating anxiety symptoms: A systematic review and analysis of randomized clinical trials” – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1744388118301981 “De-mythologizing and re-branding of kava as the new ‘world drug’ of choice” – https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2050324519876131 Guayusa “Health Benefits of Bioactive Compounds from the Genus Ilex, a Source of Traditional Caffeinated Beverages” — https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6265843/ “More than just caffeine: psychopharmacology of methylxanthine interactions with plant-derived phytochemicals” – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278584618301726 “A critical review of the composition and history of safe use of guayusa: a stimulant and antioxidant novel food” – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31366209/ “Assessing the History of Safe Use of Guayusa” – http://pubs.sciepub.com/jfnr/6/7/8/index.html “A critical review of the composition and history of safe use of guayusa: a stimulant and antioxidant novel food” – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31366209/ Neurostimulation “Evidence-Based Guidelines and Secondary Meta-Analysis for the Use of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders” – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32710772/ “Evidence-based guidelines on the therapeutic use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)” – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27866120/ “The Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on Working Memory Training in Healthy Young Adults” – https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2019.00019/full#:~:text=Many%20studies%20have%20shown%20the,training%20in%20a%20few%20studies. “Can transcranial direct current stimulation enhance outcomes from cognitive training? A randomized controlled trial in healthy participants” – https://...
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • Shaun of the Dead -- Zombie Diseases

    Shaun of the Dead -- Zombie Diseases
    May 7 2023

    In this episode we breakdown the craft behind the zombie comedy classic Shaun of the Dead and then dive into the science behind zombies. For comments or suggestions, email: scilenspod@gmail.com

    Sources and supplemental material:

    Clip of TV gag – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aR04STCDzdQ

    General report on how the flu spreads – https://www.livescience.com/7734-flu-special-report-basics.html

    Articla about spread of simulated zombie virus throughout Chicago — https://www.newswise.com/articles/chicago-wouldn-t-last-long-under-zombie-invasion-model-finds

    Wikipedia article on agent-based modeling: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent-based_model

    Wired article on the correction of errors for aerosol classification – https://www.wired.com/story/the-teeny-tiny-scientific-screwup-that-helped-covid-kill/

    Article on application of transmission rate formula to zombie virus spread –

    https://www.livescience.com/38527-surviving-a-zombie-apocalypse-math.html

    Simulations of viral spread throughout Chicago – https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/blue-sky/ct-argonne-zombie-takeover-argonne-bsi-20161031-story.html

    Mapping disease spread to understand the “price of anarchy” – https://www.livescience.com/38552-price-of-anarchy-how-contagion-spreads.html

    Article on real parasitic organisms – https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326871

    EPA advisory on the health effects of radiation – https://www.epa.gov/radiation/radiation-health-effects

    NHS information about rabies – https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/rabies/

    Medscape info, symptoms and origins on Kuru – https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/220043-overview

    Wiki article on cordyceps – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiocordyceps

    CDC info on prion-based Creutzfeld-Jakob disease – https://www.cdc.gov/prions/cjd/index.html

    CDC information on Toxoplasma – Toxoplasma gondii,

    Study on the possible effects of Toxoplasmosis in humans – http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22087345

    Overview on the current state of nanobot research – https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/nanobots A NECRO-BIOLOGICAL EXPLANATION FOR THE FERMI PARADOX – http://arxiv.org/pdf/1403.8146v1.pdf
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    1 hr
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