16: Hidden Fungal Communities

Fungi help regulate Earth’s climate and ecosystems by forming underground networks that draw down carbon and provide essential nutrients to plants.  Despite their key role in  nature, fungi have been overlooked and the destruction of underground fungal communities accelerates both climate change and biodiversity loss. In response, the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks is working with scientists across the world to map the Earth’s mycorrhizal networks. In this episode we will dive deep into the magical underground world of fungi guided by Toby Kiers, Professor of Evolutionary Biology at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Executive Director of the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks. The podcast is supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation  Written and produced by Sofie Hjorth for the Science and Cocktails Foundation Music composed by Hjalte Bested Hjorth

Polarization is spreading through the world wide web in the political arenas as well as in the rest of society.  But is polarization a new thing or is it embedded in human nature as a part of a primitive survival instinct?  When does polarization become a problem and what can we do to decrease the polarization forces embedded in social media platforms.   This episode of the Science and Cocktails Podcast is about social pollination in the society today and before, how social media is contributing to increasing polarization, and to enlighten us, we have Chris Bail, professor at University of Duke and the director of the Polarization lab, who gave an Amazing talk at Science and Cocktails in Copenhagen.

The secrets of the mind have been investigated at all times, by most people and in most scientific disciplines from philosophy, social science and psychiatry to biology, chemistry and physics. What is it that makes us who we are? And how does the mind change as we learn and develop through life?  This episode of the Science and Cocktails Podcast is a guided tour through the brain following synapse, axon and dendrites, when caching the physical traits of learning and memories in a content so dence of connections, that it takes years to go through just a few millimeters.   Our Tourguide is the neuroscientist-superstar, Jeff Lichtman. He will take us through the mind, walking through every single connection between the neurons. He will show us what the brain actually looks like and how it stores information. And He will tell us about  what makes the human brain so special that it is now taking evolution into its own hands, by changing the DNA of living organisms and preparing to leave to other planets.  A Science and Cocktails production funded by The Lundbeck Foundation Contributing Scientist;Jeff Lichtman, Professor in neurobiology at Harvard university.  Journalist, Sound designer and producer; Sofie Hjorth  Music composers; Hjalte Bested Møller

Coral reefs occupy less than 1% of the ocean but are home to 25% of the ocean's species. Unfortunately, nowadays the corals are bleaching. This is because the corals, due to rising sea temperatures, have to expel the tiny algae that live in their outer tissues, which give them their brilliant colors and make their food. When the algae are expelled, the corals turn pale, and sooner or later they die of starvation. This episode of Science and Cocktails Podcast is a sad love story about the most beautiful and diverse ecosystems experiencing the spiral of destruction. And to tell this sad story, we have the great protector of coral reefs, Callum Roberts, who fell in love with coral reefs at first sight and has devoted his life to protecting them. He will take us to some of the most beautiful places on earth and tell us about his lifelong love, coral reefs. He will warn of their downfall and urge politicians to act now. The podcast is supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation Cast: Callum Roberts, Professor of marine conservation, at the University of Exeter (UK), Chief Advisor to the BLUE Marine Foundation and the Maldives Coral Institute. He was a scientific advisor for the BBC's Blue Planet 2 series, and therefore there will appear small parts from the series in this podcast. Journalist and producer; Sofie Hjorth Music composer; Hjalte Bested Hjorth

A while ago Simon Baron-Cohen filled up the big concert hall at the Danish National Broadcasting Corporation with curious and excited Science and Cocktails participants when he gave his talk on How Autime Drives Human Invention. And after the talk, there were more than a hundred questions from the audience.  We picked out some of them and met Simon Baron-Cohen on zoom on Friday afternoon. This podcast is basically Simen Baron-Cohen answering those questions. So it is a contribution to the very interesting talk he gave in Copenhagen. And If you were not there you can watch the whole talk on Science and Cocktails Youtube Channel.  Contributing Scientist: Simon Baron-Cohen Journalist, Sound designer and producer; Sofie Hjorth  Music composer; Hjalte Bested Hjorth 

A Science and Cocktails production funded by The Novo Nordisk Foundation. Contributing Scientists;  - Stine Lomberg, Associate Professor and leader of Center for Tracking and Society at the Institute of Communications at The University of Copenhagen.  - Yves-Alexandre de Montjoye, Associate Professor at Imperial College of London. Journalist, Sound designer and producer; Sofie Hjorth  Music composer; Hjalte Bested Hjorth 

A Science and Cocktails production funded by The Novo Nordisk Foundation. Contributing Scientist; Adrian Raine, Professor of Criminology, Psychiatry and Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.  Journalist, Sound designer and producer; Sofie Hjorth  Music composers; Hjalte Bested Hjorth 

A Science and Cocktails production funded by The Novo Nordisk Foundation. Contributing Scientist; Dan Zahavi,  professor of philosophy and director of the Center for Subjectivity Research at the University of Copenhagen. Journalist, Sound designer and producer; Sofie Hjorth  Music composers; Hjalte Bested Hjorth and Sofie Hjorth

A Science and Cocktails production Funded by The Novo Nordisk Foundation Contributing Scientist; Ea Høg Utoft, Postdoc at the Department of Political Science at Aarhus University.  Journalist, Sound designer and producer; Sofie Hjorth  Music composer; Hjalte Bested Møller

The rainforest is a unique ecosystem in a delicate balance. If a larger part of the forest is destroyed the balance will be tipped resolving the whole forest area to turn into a savanna because the ecosystem won’t be able to cycle all the water it needs. The whole ecosystem will collapse.  Global deforestation has been an issue of public concern for more than 50 years. Still, the primary forest areas are decreasing every year.  Not only are the primary forests storing enormous amounts of CO2, but they are also the homes of 80% of all species of plants and animals. Many of them being in great danger of extinction. It is estimated that  4000-6000 rainforest species go extinct every year.  This Episode of the Science and Cocktails Podcast will take a look at the global picture of deforestation and reforestation and zoom into what drives deforestation and how it can be stopped. Contributing scientist; Thilde Bech Bruun, Associate Professor and Rasmus Fensholt, Professor at Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management at University of Copenhagen,   A Science and Cocktails production funded by The Novo Nordisk Foundation Journalist, Sound designer and producer; Sofie Hjorth  Music composer; Hjalte Bested Møller, Tromleorketret