Dave Farina
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Electric cars are the future, this much is clear. All manufacturers are switching focus and discontinuing production on many gas-run models. This bodes well for a future completely independent of gasoline and other fossil fuels. So how does a c
This episode features none other than my father, Vittorio Farina! He is an accomplished chemist that has been a global leader in the field of process development. Essentially, he really knows how to make drugs. In this episode we dive into his
Human nature hasn't changed much in thousands of years, but society has changed dramatically, especially over the past few centuries. Has society advanced in such a way that it enhances our happiness, or does it detract? Does it bring us toget
In the past 100 years, our understanding of the molecular world has grown immeasurably. So much so that we can synthesize essentially any compound we desire. We take advantage of this fact to synthesize drugs for the treatment of various diseas
Eating is a major focal point of human existence. We all do it every day, and most of our social interactions are based around it. But many of us have an unhealthy relationship with food, which can sometimes qualify as an eating disorder. What
In the vaccines episode we touched on the alleged link between vaccines and autism, so now let's look at it from the other perspective. What is autism? What is its cause? What does diagnosis and treatment look like? To help us understand this i
Of all the places that are candidates for extraterrestrial life that we are aware of, Europa is the best. This moon of Jupiter harbors a subsurface ocean that is likely full of minerals, and thus may contain life, perhaps even complex multicel
There are a lot of things in this universe that we understand very well. But the thing that is understood the least might be human consciousness. Despite our intimate knowledge of brain structure and function, we still don't quite understand ho
Anti-science mentality rears its head in many sectors of daily life, but none more so than in medicine. One ramification of this is the anti-vaccine movement. Thousands of people insist that vaccines are harmful, that they are linked to autism,
A lot of educators and YouTubers try to make science-themed music. Whether for entertainment or educational purposes, is this effective? Is it good practice in some other context? Ray Hedgpeth of the nerd-rock band The Amoeba People is an exper
There has been a pretty huge public backlash against genetic modification. Not just of crops, but of anything. But what is genetic modification? Is it dangerous? Is it important? What organisms have been modified so far? Let's get into this wit
Are there any life forms out there, in our galaxy, or beyond? If so, are any of them intelligent and capable of communicating with us? If so, what are they like? And why haven't we heard from them? All of this is encapsulated by the field of as
We've gotta find some new energy sources. Fossil fuels are in short supply, and they are causing devastating climate change. Renewables like wind and solar are on the rise, but what about nuclear fusion? I dunno, isn't that dangerous? What abou
The history of quantum physics is absolutely fascinating. In the early 20th century, brilliant minds did incredible work to bring about the greatest paradigm shift in the history of science, but they didn't always see eye to eye. Albert Einstei
There are a lot of ways to teach science, but where does art fit into the mix? Can art be effective in not just inspiring people to learn science, but also in conveying scientific information? The short answer is yes, it definitely can, because
There are various schools of thought when it comes to the treatment of animals. Some believe we shouldn't eat or kill them under any circumstance. Some believe we can eat animals, but should not mistreat them or hunt for sport. Some say screw i
These are tumultuous times! The country is divided, and no one has any idea what's going to happen next. It's not just about the presidency, there's too much money in politics, and a new crisis every week, it seems. In this episode we will ask
Humans know way too much science! At least in the sense that the public has great difficulty keeping up, and no one in the world can ever hope to know it all. But it's important to have a populace with modest science literacy, so how can we get
Whether you live in Southern California like me, or somewhere else, you may be aware of all the fires we keep getting down here. What's the deal with those, and what can we do to prevent them? Are prescribed burns a good idea? In other words, s
Much misunderstanding surrounds mental illness in our society! What does it mean to be mentally ill? Are we all on some kind of spectrum? How do we diagnose and treat mental illness? There is so much to talk about, and talk we shall. Cara Santa
You've seen it in your Facebook feed. People all around the globe believe there is no globe, but rather that our world is flat like a pancake! NASA is lying, the government is lying, airline pilots and stewardesses, they're all in it, and we're
A large sector of society is absolutely convinced that the pharmaceutical industry, and by extension all of Western medicine, is evil, bogus, and out to get us. Is this completely true? Is this completely false? Is the truth somewhere in betwee
The topic of male predatory behavior has been in the news for many months now, with more and more cases of women speaking out against their aggressors. Many of these cases are pretty cut and dry, but some of them have a bit more nuance to them,
The scientific community is pretty unanimous in its agreement that climate change is happening, and that it is caused by human activity. But how do they know? What is the science exactly? What kind of data tells us what we know? If you had to f
Quantum mechanics is quite odd, and difficult to interpret! So difficult in fact, that physicists do not agree about what this area implies about the nature of reality. There are a number of camps: Copenhagen Interpretation, Many-Worlds Interpr
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