Museum of Science, Boston | Videocasts

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Videocasts

Get up to speed on current events with the Museum's series of videocasts. Our staff of experts can tell you what you need to know about the latest breakthroughs in health, technology, or science.

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Red Fish, Blue Fish (Videocast): For the first time, researchers have observed evolution driven by a sensory system. An international team of researchers has found that two distinct cichlid fish species appear to have developed based on their ability to see either red or blue colors. Hear how scientists are observing evolution in action in Africa's Lake Victoria ... (details).

Geology, Archaeology, and History (Videocast): Geologist Dr. Allen Gontz talks about how landscapes are affected by natural geology and human presence. His projects use high-tech, non-invasive methods to study Boston's history. (details).

Intestinal Bacteria Affects Type 1 Diabetes (Videocast): In Type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks and destroys the pancreas cells that are responsible for producing insulin. When researchers modified the immune systems of mice, they could protect the insulin-producing cells, but only if the mice also had bacteria in their guts. Watch this segment to learn ... (details).

High-tech Fingerprinting (Videocast): Two new fingerprinting methods sharpen the ability to identify criminals and combatants. The first is wipe-, heat-, and spray-paint-resistant, detecting corrosion on metals caused by salt in the fingerprint. The second method analyzes the chemical makeup of the fingerprint, not only revealing compounds ... (details).

Making Drugs in Yeast (Videocast): Many of our pharmaceuticals - antibiotics, painkillers, and antioxidants - come from plants, but their synthesis is very complex and therefore difficult to replicate. Researchers at the California Institute of Technology have created a strain of yeast which may be able to produce some of these important drugs, and perhaps some new ones as well ... (details).

Genes and Social Behavior in Fire Ants (Videocast): Can genes from one individual influence social behavior? In this segment, hear the Museum's Duane Hill describe research on a gene in fire ants that affects the number of queen ants a colony is willing to tolerate. (details).

How Do Children Develop Stereotypes? (Videocast): Researchers at Harvard University are studying aspects of our psychology that determine how we acquire prejudices. In this segment, hear Andrew Baron from the Laboratory for Developmental Studies discuss the consequences of an apparently ingrained, automatic preference for your "own" group. (details).

Alive or Not Alive, That Is the Question (Videocast): Viruses have long challenged the definition of what it means to be alive. A recent discovery of a giant mimivirus, complete with its own set of parasites, may cause scientists to once again redefine life itself. (details).

Bending Light Backwards (Videocast): Researchers at University of California, Berkeley have engineered two new 3-D materials that can do something that never occurs in nature: bend light backwards. Watch this video to find out more. (details).

Studying Smog in Beijing (Videocast): A group of scientists from the Scripps Institute for Oceanography and Seoul National University are running a fascinating series of experiments on the South Korean island of Cheju to assess the impact of China's mandated emissions cutbacks during the summer Olympic Games. (details).

Children's Understanding of Apologies (Videocast): Parents often prompt their children to apologize following transgressions. However, how much do young children understand about apologies? Craig Smith at Harvard Graduate School of Education has been studying the emotive responses of children and describes his work in this segment. (details).

New Catalyst a Major Step Toward Practical Energy Storage (Videocast): Research led by MIT professor Daniel Nocera has resulted in an oxygen-producing catalyst that is the linchpin for efficiently and inexpensively splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. This is a major step toward enabling the clean and widespread storage of solar and wind energy in an on-demand, emission-free form ... (details).

Children Are Expert Face Recognizers (Videocast): In the Living Laboratory at the Museum of Science, researchers have designed a new experiment to discover what strategies children use when recognizing human faces and monkey faces. Hear Dr. Meg Moulson from the Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience at Children's Hospital Boston describe the experiment ... (details).

New Insight for HIV Vaccine (Videocast): The unique outer shell of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) protects the virus and has prevented design of a vaccine. Now scientists at the National Institutes of Health have successfully determined the structure of the outer shell protein in its native form. Studying the shape and movement of ... (details).

Perception of "Other-Race" in Babies (Videocast): Babies are born with the ability to distinguish between faces of all types, but as they grow older, they become less able to identify faces they don't see often. Hear how Dr. Ben Balas from Children's Hospital Boston is studying babies' brain activity to learn more about this change in facial recognition ... (details).

Talking Fish (Videocast): Scientists at Cornell University have been studying vocal communication in fish. They have found that the basic neural pathways that control their "talking" may be a shared evolutionary trait that has passed all the way to land animals, including humans. (details).

Honey, What Can't You Do? (Videocast): Honey is prized for its many culinary qualities, and research now shows that it is equally good at killing some of today's most resistant bacteria. Watch this video for more information. (details).

Nanoparticles May Stop the Spread of Cancer (Videocast): Researchers at the University of California at San Diego are studying nanoparticles in order to selectively kill cancer cells. The scientists have discovered that the nanoparticles are extremely effective at killing certain blood vessel cells that tumors need in order to spread to other parts of the body ... (details).

The Downside of our Gut Bacteria (Videocast): Bismuth, a common metal used in industrial and commercial products, can transform into a toxic compound after interacting with the bacteria residing in our intestines. Watch this videocast to find out more. (details).

New Material Provides for Safer Cleanup of Compact Fluorescent Lamps (Videocast): Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) last about ten times longer and use only about a quarter of the electricity when compared to incandescent bulbs. Although the environmental benefit of using CFLs is clear, they contain mercury and thus require careful cleanup if broken (see guidelines below for details) ... (details).

Genetically Altered Cassava (Videocast): Eight hundred million people around the world rely on the Cassava plant for the bulk of their daily calories. Watch this videocast to learn how scientists have genetically altered the plant to provide a nearly complete set of necessary nutrients. (details).

Engineering the Big Bang (Videocast): CERN's Large Hadron Collider is the biggest atom smasher ever built. Learn about how this giant machine works, and hear the types of questions it will help answer. (details).

Not All Baseballs Are the Same (Videocast): A UMass-Lowell Baseball Research Center study details the testing of different baseballs used in various levels of amateur play. Watch this videocast to see how the materials and construction of a baseball can affect its performance. (details).

One, Two, Three Strikes You're ... Ouch! (Videocast): Enjoyed by people of all ages, baseball is America's favorite pastime. A new study of high school baseball players describes common injuries and their causes. Watch this videocast to find out which injuries are most common, and learn about recommended ways to keep young baseball players safer. (details).

Using Viruses to Fight MRSA (Videocast): The MRSA "superbug", a bacterium resistant to multiple antibiotics, is responsible for many post-operative deaths. As MRSA adapts to more antibiotics, scientists turn to a natural foe of these bugs: bacteriophage, a virus that specifically attacks the bacteria. Watch this videocast to learn about researchers ... (details).

Mosquito Repellents With Potential (Videocast): Researchers in Florida have identified a number of compounds that may be significantly more effective in protecting against mosquito bites than DEET, the most widely used repellent in the world. Find out details of their work in this segment. In the second video, watch Science Improv's take on this new research ... (details).

Personal Robots (Videocast): The personal robotics market is the fastest-growing part of the robotics industry. Watch this videocast to hear graduate student Mikey Siegel discuss his MIT Media Lab research into human-robot interaction. (details).

The Phoenix Mars Lander (Videocast): On May 25, the Phoenix lander successfully touched down on the arctic plain of Mars. Watch this videocast to learn more about the landing and the mission's next stage: digging through the surface in search of water. (details).

How to Eat Your Veggies (Videocast): Vegetables help keep us healthy by providing us with vitamins, antioxidants, and other nutrients. New studies try to determine the best way for us to eat them: raw, boiled, steamed, or fried? It actually depends on what you want to get out of your vegetables. (details).

Solar Popcorn (Videocast): Museum presenter Tim Miller discusses groundbreaking research from the University of Washington that may dramatically increase the efficiency of certain solar cells. (details).

WorldWide Telescope Brings Universe To Your Computer (Videocast): Professor Alyssa Goodman of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics showcases the WorldWide Telescope — free software recently released by Microsoft that brings the best images of both land and space-based telescopes to your computer. Watch this videocast to learn how the program creates ... (details).

Monkeypox: An Emerging Disease in the "Hot Zone" (Videocast): Monkeypox is a virus that causes a disease resembling smallpox in humans. Little is known about this disease, which, given the right circumstances, could spread to other parts of the world. Hear Dr. Kate Rubins from the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research talk about her monkeypox studies in the Democratic Republic of Congo ... (details).

Stratospheric Skydive (Videocast): Learn about Frenchman Michel Fournier's goal to break the world records for highest skydive, longest and fastest free fall, and highest manned balloon flight. (details).

Citizen Science Comes to the Museum (Videocast): Want to get involved in some real scientific research? A quick Internet search reveals dozens of Citizen Science projects ranging from counting stars to monitoring spiders -- and everything in between. Watch this videocast to learn more about Citizen Science and the Museum's own upcoming project, Firefly Watch ... (details).

Pebble Bed Reactor Technology (Videocast): In this segment, learn about pebble bed modular reactors which hold promise as a safe and economical nuclear energy technology. (details).

Exercise Can Shape Your Heart (Videocast): Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have compared rowers to football players to see how their hearts might be affected by their exercise regimens. After the 90-day study period, all athletes' hearts displayed significant structural and functional changes, which were specific to the sport they practiced ... (details).

Frogs Without Lungs (Videocast): Researchers recently determined that the rare Bornean flat-headed frog does not have lungs. These frogs breathe through their skin instead, obtaining oxygen from the cold, fast-moving water they live in. This is the first species of frog found to be lungless. (details).

Evaluation Establishes Credibility of Computer Climate Models (Videocast): Computer climate models play an important role in determining man-made effects on climate change, as well as predicting future temperature increases. Meteorologists at the University of Utah have evaluated 57 climate models that were developed over the past 20 years in the United States, China, Russia, ... (details).

Drug Resistant Fungus (Videocast): The fungus Candida albicans, which infects people with compromised immune systems, is becoming increasingly resistant to current drug therapies. Researchers have recently determined why and are now looking for new treatments. (details).

Space Radiation May Be Too Dangerous For a Trip to Mars (Videocast): According to report released March 31 by the National Research Council, the biggest challenge to a permanent Moon base or a manned mission to Mars might not be supplies or life support systems, but radiation sickness. Close examination of the spacesuits used by Apollo Moon crews-- so far the only ... (details).

Scientists Create Artificial Enzyme (Videocast): The Museum's Tim Miller discusses the creation of the world's first artificial enzyme, a protein that can catalyze a reaction that does not occur in nature. He also talks about its potential future applications. (details).

Giant Sea Creatures (Videocast): Scientists aboard the research vessel Tangaroa made some "giant" discoveries during a recent expedition off the coast of Antarctica. Hear about what they found and how it will help us study global warming. (details).

Toxic Newts and the Snakes Who Eat Them -- and Live (Videocast): On the North American west coast, populations of rough-skinned newts and common garter snakes are locked in a co-evolutionary arms race. In this videocast, learn about the toxic newts who are in turn preyed upon by super-resistant snakes. (details).

United Nations Improves Water and Sanitation Worldwide (Videocast): Each year, about 1.5 million child deaths are attributed to a lack of clean drinking water and sanitary toilets. Roughly a billion people worldwide don't have clean drinking water, and 2.6 billion do not have sanitary latrines or toilets — spurring the United Nations to set a millennium development goal to halve these numbers by 2015 ... (details).

Innovative Sensor Uses Immune Cells (Videocast): When tracking highly infectious diseases or bioterrorism threats, time is of the essence. Scientists at MIT Lincoln Laboratory have developed biosensor technology that can detect pathogens in less than five minutes. Based on the type of immune cells that produce antibodies, the technology is sensitive, accurate, and portable ... (details).

Robotic Spacewalker Set to Launch (Videocast): The March 11 Space Shuttle mission delivers two important additions to the International Space Station: part of Japan's Kibo laboratory and Dextre, the Canadian Space Agency's robotic spacewalker. In this videocast, hear about how the 12-foot Dextre fits into the space station's repair routine, mimicking ... (details).

Concept Nanotech Computer (Videocast): Museum of Science's Tim Miller discusses a nanotechnology concept unveiled by the Nokia Corporation. Watch the video for a preview of the kinds of new devices that engineering may bring us in the coming decade. (details).

Treating Diabetes with Stem Cells (Videocast): Diabetes, caused by a lack of insulin-producing pancreatic cells, affects 10% of Americans. Scientists can now transform human embryonic stem cells into functioning pancreatic cells. When injected into diabetic mice, these cells produce insulin in response to glucose levels in the blood. (details).

Using Food Preservatives to Prevent Radiation Sickness (Videocast): Researchers are working on a pill made from common food preservatives that would be delivered via carbon nanotubes. The medication could prevent deaths from acute radiation exposure. (details).

Considerations For Lowering Carbon Emissions (Videocast): Several studies show that lowering carbon emissions may not be as straightforward as we first thought. In particular: > CO2 emitted from land-use change makes biofuels from food stock undesirable. > A high-fat or high-meat diet may result in as great a carbon emission increase as driving an SUV rather than a sedan ... (details).

Turning Brown Eyes Blue (Videocast): Remember learning that blue eye color is a recessive characteristic? Scientists have just discovered what determines "true blue" eyes and suspect that this trait can be traced to a common ancestor. (details).

Space Shuttle Atlantis Delivers Science Lab (Videocast): The February 7, 2008 Space Shuttle mission brings Columbus -- a large science laboratory built by the European Space Agency -- to the International Space Station, considerably increasing the amount of research underway on the station. In this videocast, hear about the shuttle mission, and the module's ... (details).

Controlling Robots with Wooden Blocks (Videocast): Programming a computer can seem like a difficult task. Tufts University's Michael Horn has designed a new system using wooden puzzle-like pieces to make programming easier. Watch this videocast to see how even a child can program a computer to tell a robot what to do. (details).

Nanotubes for Hydrogen Cars (Videocast): Tim Miller from the Museum of Science discusses recent research efforts to use carbon nanotubes as a fuel carrier for hydrogen. (details).

Kite-Powered Cargo Ships (Videocast): With fuel costs rising and environmental concerns mounting, the world's shipping companies are beginning to look at greener, cheaper methods of propulsion. Watch this videocast to learn about the MV Beluga SkySails, a 10,000 ton, 430-foot vessel that is partially powered by a giant kite the size of a tennis court ... (details).

Computer Characters Making Friends (Videocast): Relational agents -- computer characters designed to interact with humans -- can encourage exercise and education. Northeastern University Professor of Computer Science Dr. Timothy Bickmore talks about "Tinker," the Museum of Science's own relational agent who will be stationed at Cahners ComputerPlace to talk to visitors beginning February 24 ... (details).

Study Links CO2 Warming with Increased Air Pollution Deaths (Videocast): Stanford Professor Mark Jacobson's February 12, 2008 paper in Geophysical Research Letters finds the warming associated with increased carbon dioxide levels may increase the number of deaths due to air pollution. In the United States, about 500 additional deaths are estimated for each degree Fahrenheit increase ... (details).

Autism in California is Not Linked to Vaccine Preservative (Videocast): Autism is a complex developmental disorder whose cause is not understood. It is likely that a combination of genetic changes as well as environmental factors trigger the development of the disease. Researchers in California have examined state records of autism cases to see if there is a link between ... (details).

Spider Silk Moth (Videocast): Stronger than steel thread, spider silk has been long been recognized as a useful material because of its flexibility and durability. However, until recently, it was very difficult to produce. In this videocast, learn about how a scientist in Japan has discovered a new way to more easily create this unique type of silk ... (details).

Mars Impact (Videocast): A large asteroid is hurtling towards Mars, and it could strike the planet at the end of January. Watch this videocast to find out the likelihood of an impact, as well as what we could learn from it. (details).

Top 10 Science Stories of 2007 (Videocast): Some of the most important and interesting science stories of the past year focused on stem cells, the polar ice caps, Tyrannosaurus rex, and the Google X-Prize. (details).

Bone Marrow Transplant for Sickle Cell Anemia (Videocast): Working with anemic mice, scientists at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research have corrected a genetic mutation in reprogrammed skin cells and then returned the "fixed" cells to the mice in successful treatment of sickle cell anemia. In this videocast, you can hear about this proof-of-concept ... (details).

Maggots as Biosurgeons (Videocast): The practice of using maggots to clean open wounds has a long, misunderstood history. Today, scientists are investigating how maggots perform very beneficial services for the treatment of chronic wounds and associated bacterial infections. (details).

"Feeling" Cancer Cells (Videocast): Using an atomic force microscope, scientists at UCLA can distinguish metastatic cancer cells from normal cells by "feeling" how soft they are. The cancer cells are strikingly softer than normal cells, making diagnosis easier and more accurate compared to traditional techniques. (details).

Epilepsy in the Twenty-first Century (Videocast): Mass General Hospital Epilepsy Service Director Dr. Andrew J. Cole discusses current treatments for epilepsy. He also describes where future research of this neurological disease is headed. (details).

The Great American Smokeout (Videocast): On the day of the Great American Smokeout, Dr. Howard Koh gives the latest statistics about smoking and provides information on how to quit. Koh is associate dean at the Harvard School of Public Health. (details).

Scrap Silicon to Solar Cells (Videocast): The National Pollution Prevention Roundtable recently gave its Most Valuable Pollution Prevention award to IBM for developing and implementing a chemical-free process to reuse scrap silicon wafers or sell them to solar cell manufacturers. By sharing the technology, IBM hopes to turn the estimated 3 million ... (details).

Insulin Production in Diabetes (Videocast): Kathryn Lipson, a graduate student at UMass Medical School, describes her research involving regulation of an enzyme important to insulin production. Her findings could lead to new drugs that control blood sugar levels for people with diabetes. (details).

Lung Stem Cells and Lung Cancer (Videocast): An assistant professor at Children's Hospital Boston's stem cell program, Dr. Carla Kim discovered the first group of stem cells in the lung. Watch her discuss the role these cells play in normal lung tissue as well as how they may be involved in development of the earliest form of lung cancer. (details).

Lessons from Nature: How Insects are Improving Solar Cells (Videocast): Learn how scientists are trying to mimic the eyes of moths and the wings of cicadas to produce solar cells that are both anti-reflective and self-cleaning. (details).

HPV Test Versus Pap Test (Videocast): Two recent studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine compare the new HPV test to the standard pap test for its ability to detect precancerous and cancerous cervical lesions. (details).

Genetically Modified Trees Clean Polluted Groundwater (Videocast): According to research by the University of Washington's Sharon Doty, genetically modified poplar trees removed 91% of the pollutant trichloroethylene (a degreaser and the most common groundwater contaminant in U.S. Superfund sites) from a liquid solution. The modified trees worked 100 times faster than ... (details).

Missile Detection Technology For Cancer Therapy (Videocast): Watch Dr. Alan Fenn of MIT describe how he turned microwave technology developed for the Air Force into a treatment for breast cancer tumors. (details).

Fuel from Garbage? (Videocast): The idea of turning municipal waste into energy sounds like something from a science fiction movie, but scientists at MIT and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory are using the extreme temperature of plasma to develop a fascinating technology that addresses the dual problems of too much trash and rising energy concerns ... (details).

Embryonic Stem Cells Heal Broken Hearts (Videocast): Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and by 2010, it is estimated to be the leading cause of death in developing countries as well. Unfortunately, the heart is one of the least regenerative organs in the body, and loss of heart muscle often leads to heart failure. In ... (details).

Cleaning Precious Artwork Using Nanotechnology (Videocast): Chemists at the University of Florence, Italy have discovered a new twist on a common method for cleaning works of art. The nanomagnetic material serves as a sponge that can soak up a cleaning solution before being directly applied to different types of artwork. It can later be removed safely with a simple magnet ... (details).

A Topical Anthrax Vaccine (Videocast): A promising new vaccine against anthrax is made of nanoemulsions and applied directly to the nose; no needles required! (details).

The Skeleton Regulates Blood Sugar (Videocast): It turns out that our skeletons are not just a physical support for our bodies. New research shows that bone cells are involved in regulating blood sugar levels. Scientists at Columbia University Medical Center have discovered that bone cells produce a protein that can prevent the development of type 2 diabetes and obesity in mice ... (details).

Cancer-Fighting Viruses (Videocast): Dr. Destin Heilman from Worcester Polytechnic Institute speaks about finding new cancer therapies in nature. His research focuses on viruses and viral proteins that can seek and destroy cancer cells, leaving healthy cells unharmed. (details).

California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard Leads Greenhouse Gas Regulation (Videocast): Transportation experts from U.C. Berkeley and Davis have released details of California's new Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). Effective January 2010, the new standard is designed to cut carbon emissions at least 10 percent by 2020. It will require transportation fuel providers to track the entire life ... (details).

FDA Reports on Nanotechnology (Videocast): The FDA's Nanotechnology Task Force takes an important step towards evaluating nanotechnology based consumer products. (details).

Studying Dolphin Communication (Videocast): Hear Dr. Kathleen Dudzinski, director of the Dolphin Communication Project, discuss the technology and methods she uses to observe how dolphins communicate with each other. (details).

Talcum Powder as a Lung Cancer Treatment (Videocast): Researchers at the University of Florida have found that talcum powder may stunt the growth of lung tumors by cutting off their food and oxygen supply. (details).

A Rice-Based Cholera Vaccine (Videocast): Using rice, scientists in Japan have developed a prototype vaccine for cholera. Hear why this vaccine holds promise for global treatment and how the same technology could be used to prevent the spread of infectious diseases like anthrax and HIV. (details).

Using Gelatin-Based Nanoparticles to Treat Breast Cancer (Videocast): Prof. Mansoor Amiji at Northeastern University has developed a gene delivery system that targets breast cancer cells using nanoparticles made of gelatin. The therapy has reduced the size of tumors in mice by shutting down the road for oxygen and nutrients to enter. (details).

Molecular Sand Castles (Videocast): Dr. Annaliese Franz is a researcher from Harvard University and the Broad Institute. Hear why she uses silicon (more commonly known as sand) to build new chemical molecules that can be used as therapeutics. (details).

Reprogramming Human Stem Cells (Videocast): Four stem cell research papers published on June 6, 2007 (in the journals Nature and Cell Stem Cell) describe successes in reprogramming mouse cells. Hear about the exciting science breakthroughs in this SciTech segment. (details).

The World of Carbon Nanotubes (Videocast): In this presentation, Tim Miller discusses a newly discovered form of carbon, and some of its amazing properties and applications. (details).

Stopping Time: Guest Event with Eric Mazur (Videocast): When you watch sports on TV and a replay gets shown in "slow motion," you can see things happening that you couldn't see before. If the replay is slowed to a stop, it becomes a still image showing a single moment in time. A similar technique is used by scientists who want to see what nature is doing, but can't because it's happening too fast ... (details).

Musical Proteins (Videocast): Researchers at UCLA have found a new way to transform DNA from protein sequences into classical music. (details).

Bacteria May Provide Asthma Protection (Videocast): Helicobacter pylori is a bacteria that can cause stomach cancer and peptic ulcers in people. The bacterium infection is wide-spread in people in developing countries but much less so in developed nations, and has been disappearing in industrialized countries with each generation. Find out how getting ... (details).

Nanoscale Generators Power Up (Videocast): Tim Miller discusses new research which demonstrates how nanoscale generators are able to produce electrical power. (details).

Smoking Cessation May Ease Arterial Stiffness (Videocast): Cigarette smoking is a risk factor for lung disease and cancer, but also for cardiovascular disease. In a research study published in the scientific journal Hypertension (March 2007, 49:1-5), scientists in Ireland studied the relationship between cigarette smoking and arterial stiffness in people who have high blood pressure ... (details).

Researchers Reawaken Sleeping Virus to Fight Cancer (Videocast): Scientists at Johns Hopkins University have found a new way to wake up a dormant virus that is present in 95% of the human population, and use it to image or even possibly destroy certain cancerous tumors. The team of researchers, led by Dr. Martin Pomper, a radiologist specializing in molecular imaging, and Dr ... (details).

A Nanotech Approach to Hunting Bacteria (Videocast): The days of analyzing bacteria like salmonella or e. coli by waiting 24 hours or more to grow cultures may be ending. Researchers at the University of Central Florida have developed a fast, simple way to find and measure bacteria using billionths-of-a-meter sized iron oxide nanoparticles. With bacterial ... (details).

Viagra: Good for the Heart, Too? (Videocast)