PopTech Videos: PopCasts

What can human society learn from bonobo behavior? Brian Hare studies primates’ and non-primates’ social skills and asks whether areas of their evolution have surpassed our own.

Evolutionary biologist Beth Shapiro explores the influences of climate and humans in determining species extinction. Why did brown bears survive while giant beavers didn’t? Her cutting-edge DNA research is helping us make informed decisions about how to preserve the species that are currently under threat.

Ben Lyon founded FrontlineSMS:Credit to allow microfinance institutions to send and receive secure loan payments, track loans and develop a micro-insurance model using the ubiquitous mobile phone.

Ben Dubin-Thaler, a biologist and founder of Cell Motion Laboratories Inc., drives the BioBus, a repurposed transit bus outfitted with a high-tech science lab that serves as a mobile laboratory to get kids interested in science.

Cell biologist Amro Hamdoun seeks to understand the systems that cells and embryos use to protect themselves against chemical pollution. Why do some “bad” chemicals make it into cells, and how can we predict which ones will as we develop even more chemicals?

Amishi Jha is a brain scientist who is working on ways to train brains to pay better attention. How can mindfulness training help people in high-stress situations – from medical staff to soldiers – better navigate their challenging environments?

Gale McCullough was looking at photos of whales on Flickr and spotted markings of one she recognized from a photo taken three years and 6,000 miles apart. She confirmed the match through marine laboratory Allied Whale’s database, earning the moniker “citizen scientist” for her discovery that these whales travel enormous distances in their lifetimes.

From crayfish hairs to monkey neurons, Radiolab host and producer Jad Abumrad shares examples of how sound has been used to make scientific strides. Along the way, he explains how audio can convey failure or express error.

Neuroscientist and best-selling author David Eagleman introduces the concept of Possibilianism, a new philosophy that simultaneously embraces a scientific toolbox while exploring new, unconsidered uncertainties about the world around us.

Cultural anthropologist Mike Wesch studies YouTube and how social media is transforming how we communicate. The Kansas State University professor says social media has made us far more connected. His research on YouTube also reveals a media landscape that is fostering new forms of community and collective action.

UCLA professor Aydogan Ozcan has discovered how to convert cellphones into microscopes by relying on shadow imaging instead of expensive optics. In time, the ability to conduct tests and detect infectious diseases by leveraging mobile technologies in resource-poor settings could transform public health. ee.ucla.edu/

Naif Al-Mutawa is the creator of THE 99 – the first comic series to include multicultural superheroes inspired by an Islamic archetype. A clinical psychologist by training, Al-Mutawa is creating new frameworks for confronting stereotypes and extremism through a cast of characters that derive their power from Allah’s 99 attributes. www.the99.org/

Founder and CEO of the X PRIZE Foundation, Peter Diamandis believes that competition can drive radical innovation in the sciences. He first did so through a $10 million purse that developed private spaceflight. From overhauling the automobile industry to personalized medicine, Diamandis argues, “The right prize can change the world.”

Kurt Andersen, best-selling author and host of the radio program Studio 360, has turned his unflagging curiosity to the current economic crisis. He believes it is an opportunity to get the nation back on track. Part of the answer, Andersen suggests, lies in reconnecting to the amateur spirit that first helped create America.

Braddock, Pennsylvania Mayor John Fetterman is fighting for the future of his rust belt town’s future. Braddock has lost ninety percent of its buildings and most of its population. Yet Fetterman’s ambitious plans include repurposing abandoned lots and fostering numerous arts and community initiatives.