Science@SEAS

Episodes

1. 10

   Research bits: Engineering Birdsongs

   Researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have developed a simple device that mimics complex birdsongs.

   Aug 28, 2017

   2m
2. 9

   Slow climate mode reconciles historical and model-based estimates of climate sensitivity

   SEAS researchers Peter Huybers and Cristian Proistosescu resolved a major conflict in estimates of how much the Earth will warm in response to a doubling of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Read the full story here

   Jul 6, 2017

   14m
3. 8

   The uncertain future of energy and climate

   Michael McElroy, Gilbert Butler Professor of Environmental Studies at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, argues that the United States must move towards a zero-carbon future, replacing its reliance on fossil fuels with a combination of wind, solar…

   more
   Nov 17, 2016

   13m
4. 7

   Superconductivity vs. Spintronics

   Applied physicist Hechen Ren joins the podcast to discuss the title of her paper,"Controlled Finite Momentum Pairing and Spatially Varying Order Parameter in Proximitized HgTe Quantum Wells." It gets spooky. Read more about this episode's research on our website.

   Oct 18, 2016

   11m
5. 6

   AI and Life in 2030

   Artificial intelligence has already transformed our lives — from the autonomous cars on the roads to the robotic vacuums and smart thermostats in our homes. Over the next 15 years, AI technologies will continue to make inroads in nearly every aspect of our lives, from education to entertainment,...

   Sep 12, 2016

   13m
6. 5

   Multilayer Dielectric Elastomers for Fast, Programmable Actuation without Prestretch

   Soft robots do a lot of things well but they’re not exactly known for their speed. The artificial muscles that move soft robots, called actuators, tend to rely on hydraulics or pneumatics, which are slow to respond and difficult to store. Dielectric elastomers could offer an alternative to...

   Jul 20, 2016

   8m
7. 4

   Evidence of a first-order phase transition to metallic hydrogen

   Earlier this year, in an experiment about five-feet long, Harvard University researchers say they observed evidence of the abrupt transition of hydrogen from liquid insulator to liquid metal. It is one of the first times such a transition has ever been observed in any experiment. Read the full...

   Jun 30, 2016

   7m
8. 3

   Functional network inference of the suprachiasmatic nucleus

   Researchers from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the University of California Santa Barbara, and Washington University in St. Louis have shown for the first time how neurons in the SCN are connected to each other, shedding light on this vital area of the...

   Jun 9, 2016

   7m
9. 2

   Metalenses at visible wavelengths: Diffraction-limited focusing and subwavelength resolution imaging

   Curved lenses, like those in cameras or telescopes, are stacked in order to reduce distortions and resolve a clear image — that's why telephoto lenses are so long and high-powered microscopes so big. But what if you could replace those stacks with a single flat — or planar — lens? Researchers…

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   Jun 2, 2016

   8m
10. 1

    Broadband and chiral binary dielectric meta-holograms

    A very small hologram that can be used across all different wavelengths of light and can be programmed with different images based on the direction of light that works because it's made from a material that doesn't absorb certain light and has other properties not found in nature.

    May 23, 2016

    7m