Deciphering talking drums, and squeezing more juice out of solar panels

Science Magazine Podcast

Science Podcast

News, News Commentary, Science

4.3 • 842 Ratings

🗓️ 26 April 2018

⏱️ 31 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Researchers have found new clues to how the “talking drums” of one Amazonian tribe convey their messages. Sarah Crespi talks with Online News Editor Catherine Matacic about the role of tone and rhythm in this form of communication. Getting poked with a needle will probably get you moving. Apparently, it also gets charges moving in certain semiconductive materials. Sarah interviews Marin Alexe of The University of Warwick in Coventry, U.K., about this newfound flexo-photovoltaic effect. Alexe’s group found that prodding or denting certain semiconductors with tiny needles causes them to suddenly produce current in response to light. That discovery could enhance the efficiency of current of solar cell technologies. Finally, in our books segment, Jen Golbeck interviews Lucy Cooke about her new book The Truth About Animals: Stoned Sloths, Lovelorn Hippos, and Other Tales from the Wild Side of Wildlife. This week’s episode was edited by Podigy. Listen to previous podcasts. [Image: Adam Levine/Flickr; Music: Jeffrey Cook] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Morgan State University, a Baltimore, Maryland Carnegie R2 doctoral research institution,
0:05.0	offers more than 100 academic programs and awards degrees at the Baccliorate, Masters, and Doctoral Levels,
0:12.0	is furthering their mission of growing the future leading the world.
0:16.0	Morgan continues to address the needs and challenges of the modern urban environment.
0:20.0	With a four-year quadrupling of research, more than a dozen new doctoral programs,
0:25.7	and eight new National Centers of Excellence, Morgan is positioned to achieve Carnegie R1 designation in the next five years.
0:33.7	To learn more about Morgan and their ascension to R1, visit morgan.edu slash research.
0:46.1	Welcome to the science podcast for April 27, 2018. I'm Sarah Crespi. In this week's show,
0:52.7	online news editor, Catherine Mattisick is here
0:55.0	with a story on talking drums used for long-distance communication in the Northwest Amazon.
1:01.5	Marin Alexi joins us to talk about a new twist on solar cells. It turns out poking semiconductors
1:07.8	with a tiny needle may give them an extra charge.
1:11.5	And last up, we have our book segment.
1:14.0	This month, Jen Goldbeck interviews author Lucy Cook about her book, The Truth About Animals,
1:19.2	Stone Sloths, Love Lorne Hippos, and other tales from the wild side of life.
1:24.3	Now we have Catherine Madisonik, an online news editor for science.
1:29.1	She's here with a story on Talking Drums.
1:31.9	Hi, Catherine.
1:33.6	Hi, Sarah.
1:34.5	I really like that little message you sent my way, although I don't know what it means.
1:38.5	I know.
1:39.0	Right.
	...

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