330 - Amber Waves of Sap and Problems of Pollen Prairies

Science... sort of

Brachiolope

Of, Science, Network, Paleopals, Media, Brachiolope, Natural Sciences, Sort

4.8 • 677 Ratings

🗓️ 24 October 2020

⏱️ 101 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

00:00:00 - Researcher Daniel Katz and journalist Lucas Joel (@LucasVanWykJoel) join Ryan to talk about Dan’s research into Detroit’s pollen problem. Too many vacant lots means a lot more ragweed for the residents of the city to deal with. Want to get involved with Dan’s research? Check out his citizen science project Pollen Tracker!

00:41:26 - After the allergy-inducing first segment, a drink is enjoyed by all. Ryan Escapes with the help of Offshoot Beer Co. Lucas is having his very favorite South African rooibos tea. And Dan is having Electric Jellyfish from Pinthouse PIzza which isn’t thematic but “oh well”.

00:54:14 - Some recent fossil finds in Burmese amber have been making the news, but unfortunately, it’s unclear if the amber is being ethically sourced and it may even be funding the genocide of Myanmar’s Kachin Christian minority. Is it ok to be publishing on specimens obtained this way? What does it mean when the studies get quickly retracted? And how are scientific societies addressing the issue? A sobering but important topic.

01:37:31 - A quick PaleoPOW to thank Dan K. for his continuing support via PayPal. Thanks, Dan! And if you’re in the US, go VOTE!

More cool rewards await you if you decide to support us on our Patreon!

Audio Production by Rob Heath
Music credit: Detroit - Podington Bear

Transcript

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0:00.0	Well, I just like scientists, we, we tend to not be, I feel like to our own detriment,
0:05.5	we tend to not necessarily be the best cheerleaders of our own work.
0:10.0	And part of the purpose of this show is to help create an environment where that is a more
0:14.2	comfortable thing for folks to do.
0:16.7	Well, what a service.
0:20.4	On the science sort of.com, you're listening to Science Sort of.com.
0:21.8	You're listening to Science Sort of.
0:40.8	Hello and welcome to Science Sortive. You're listening to Episode 330.
0:43.6	I am your host, Ryan, and our theme, this episode is Amber Waves of Sap and Problems of Pollen
0:49.3	Prairies.
0:50.1	If anyone would like to put that to music for us, I think America is Beautiful would be an
0:53.4	appropriate tune.
0:54.8	Send it our way at the contact page at scienceword.com.
0:57.8	But here today to discuss things that are science, things that are sort of science and things
1:02.7	that wish they were, science is one of my old buddies from undergrad, Lucas Joel.
1:07.2	Hello there.
1:08.2	And also joining us is Dan Katz.
1:14.6	Hey, thanks for having me on. Yeah, thanks for being with us.
1:19.8	So a bit of introduction for both of you before we talk about our first story. Lucas, we went to undergrad together,
1:25.2	but we've both hopefully come some distance from when we graduated undergrad. And you were just telling me a little about your new position. So for a while,
1:27.7	you were a freelance science writer, and now you have a position at Irvine. That's correct. Yep.
1:33.5	I left the world of paleontology about five or six years ago to strike out as a journalist. And back
	...

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