LASER: Materials Science Podcast

This week on LASER, a super-sized cast discusses Semiconductor design/processing, Google robots and the DARPA robotics Challenge, a proposed form of space-based propulsion called e-sails, and the extension of the ISS mission until at least 2020!

This is our special perihelion edition, where we celebrate being closest to our sun by reviewing some of the best science and engineering stories of 2013. Today we're a whopping 4% closer to the sun than at the furthest point. This episode spans many different subject areas, but is extremely disorganized, so please don't take this as a representative of usual episodes. We'll be back to better shows next week.

This week on LASER, Emily and Cameron discuss batteries built by modified viruses, charge-dependent crystal changes of Lithium/Selenium-Sulfer Batteries, and Microbiological fuel cells built on natural loofah sponges.

In Episode 6 - Fukushima Roll - we discuss whether tuna contaminated by the Fukushima disaster is safe to eat, canceled plans for a wind farm off the coast of the UK, and a new advancement in nanostructuring superhydrophobic materials for even better waterproof surfaces.

In Episode 5 - Old News, we discuss "space" tourism balloons (Hindenburg), photonic crystals applied to photovoltaic solar cells, and million year data storage in fancy Q-R codes (iPods for immortal elves?).

This week, the Pulse episode is a story we had to cut from Episode 4. The show would have been way too long otherwise, so we chopped off the last story, and put it here for you! We're talking about 3D Printing of Free Standing Liquid Metal Microstructures.

In Episode 4 of LASER, we discuss new ionic conductor materials with applications in biomedicine and in technology, talk with Ben Tippett of the Titanium Physicists Podcast about the politics of scientific funding in Canada, and how the US government shutdown affected scientists.

This week on LASER we discuss Light Sabers, building Atomic Force Microscopes out of LEGO, a short film from IBM Research Labs, water on Mars, and blasting asteroids with tiny laser satellites, with only a little off-topic discussion of webcomics and scifi movies...

We have two new hosts for this episode, Sivan and Matt co-host with Cameron. The discussion includes spider silk coated with carbon nanotubes, the Voyager 1 space probe leaving the solar system, Frank the Frog, the most accurate atomic clock to date, and architectural mishaps that put some people in hot water (har har). See the full show notes at http://laserpodcast.com

Here is the first LASER Pulse! episode. These are short 10-30 minute updates that will fit in between the regular fortnightly release schedule.   Today’s show briefly covers three new materials science news stories that otherwise wouldn’t make it to the full-length shows. The topics we talk about are: “Guinness Record: World’s Thinnest Glass Is Just […]

Here’s the very first episode of LASER!   Let us know what you think in the comments.  Today we discuss how ancient artifacts were gold coated, a new form of carbon called “carbyne,” and how scientific data is published and shared.   Show Notes: 2:30  Alex introduces himself as “The Slinky” instead of troll king.  Or, […]