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I discuss a variety of topics in both the natural and social sciences, exploring the many fascinating insights that the scientific method yields about the world around us.
Episodes
Saturday Jul 31, 2021
Saturday Jul 31, 2021
Building on the previous discussion of Hartree-Fock Theory, I discuss the inclusion of basis functions to produce the Roothaan equations, and the method of solving these using self-consistent field methods. I then provide an introduction into techniques to incorporate electron correlation by adding Slater determinants, focusing on the Configuration Interaction method. I then provide a brief overview of semi-empirical methods, Density Functional Theory, and molecular mechanics. Recommended pre-listening is Episode 119: Computational Chemistry Part 1.
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Wednesday Jun 30, 2021
Wednesday Jun 30, 2021
An overview of techniques of determining molecular structure, including an introduction to valance bond theory covering bond formation and orbital hybridisation, and a discussion of the basics of molecular orbital theory, covering the basics of the Hartree-Fock method for solving the Schrödinger equation and finding molecular orbitals. In the process I also discuss the Pauli exclusion principle, the effect of electron spin, and the indistinguishability of electrons.
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Monday May 31, 2021
Monday May 31, 2021
A discussion of cell communication and signalling, including an overview of the purpose of cell signalling, the main types of signals, and applications such as hormones, neurotransmitters, and cytokines. The difference between G protein-coupled receptors, enzyme-linked receptors, and intracellular receptors is also considered, concluding with a summary of the process of signal transduction and the role of second messengers. Recommended pre-listening is Episode 116: The Cell Membrane.
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Saturday May 01, 2021
Saturday May 01, 2021
A discussion of the transportation and sorting of proteins within the eukaryotic cell, including an overview of the endomembrane system, the mechanisms of nuclear transport, transmembrane transport, and vesicular transport. I also consider the structure and functions of the endoplasmic reticulum, the Golgi apparatus, and lysosomes, and how they are joined together in a complex network of protein transportation and vesicular traffic. Recommended pre-listening is Episode 116: The Cell Membrane.
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Wednesday Mar 31, 2021
Wednesday Mar 31, 2021
An introduction to the cell membrane, including a discussion of the structure of the bilipid membrane, an overview of the structure and function of membrane proteins, a review of the fluid mosaic model, and a discussion of mechanisms of membrane transport, including both passive and active transport. Recommended pre-listening is Episode 10: The Cell, and Episode 18: Biochemistry Basics.
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Sunday Feb 28, 2021
Sunday Feb 28, 2021
In the second and final part of this series, I discuss the major consequences of special relativity, including the relativity of simultaneity, time dilation, length contraction, and mass-energy equivalence. I then provide an overview of some of the experimental tests of special relativity, and conclude with an analysis of some alleged paradoxes in relativity, including the twins paradox, and the ladder paradox. Recommended pre-listening is Episode 114: Special Relativity Part 1.
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Monday Feb 08, 2021
Monday Feb 08, 2021
The first of a two part series on special relativity, I provide a brief overview of the historical development of relativity theory, including a discussion of the role of the Michelson-Morley experiment, and considerations from classical electromagnetism. I then outline Einstein's two postulates, discuss their meaning, and provide some explanation for how to interpret a constant speed of light. I also provide an introduction to Lorentz transformations and the notion of spacetime. Recommended pre-listening is Episode 13: Newtonian Mechanics.
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Wednesday Dec 30, 2020
Wednesday Dec 30, 2020
I discuss the methods and results of my Master's Thesis, in which I analysed electrophysiological data of the mouse visual system using a variety of statistical and computational techniques. I consider some of the major research questions addressed in my work, including population encoding, stimulus representation, neural network modelling, and state space modelling of information transformation. Recommended pre-listening is Episode 113: Visual Processing.
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Monday Dec 07, 2020
Monday Dec 07, 2020
A discussion of higher-order processing of information in the visual system, including an overview of how the brain extracts edges and basic shapes from simple stimuli in the retina, how motion is detected, how parts of objects are distinguished, how object recognition occurs, and the differences between grandmother cell and distributed processing theories of neural encoding. Recommended pre-listening is Episode 47: Vision Part III.
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Sunday Nov 01, 2020
Sunday Nov 01, 2020
An overview of the field of microbiology, beginning with a brief history of the discipline, and then proceeding through a summary of the structure and function of various microbial life forms, including protists, yeasts, bacteria, archaea, viruses, and prions. The episode concludes with a discussion of microbial growth and methods to reduce it. Recommended pre-listening is Episode 10: The Cell.
If you enjoyed the podcast please consider supporting the show by making a paypal donation or becoming a patreon supporter.