Science... sort of

Bonus: American Innovations - Artificial Intelligence Preview

The folks at Wondery have asked us to share a preview from their podcast American Innovations hosted by popular science author Steven Johnson. If you like the preview and would like to hear the full episode plus episodes on topics like mapping the human genome or the rise of the personal computer, head over to Wondery.com or iTunes for more!

289 - Fossil Field Trip: Calvert Cliffs

00:00:00 - Abe, Bev, and Ryan went fossil hunting! This time they took a trip out to the shores of Chesapeake Bay, but first. What is the Chesapeake Bay, how did it get there, and what was the climate like when the fossils they ended up finding were forming? We chat about that, mostly informed by Roadside Geology of Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C. and with a dramatic reading from Fossil Collecting in the Mid-Atlantic States: With Localities, Collecting Tips, and Illustrations. 00:19:11 - Listen, the fossils have been there for millions of years, they can wait until after you've had a beer. After some prompting, Bev decides to go first with a Réserve Ale from Ponysaurus Brewing Co. Ryan's up next with some Starfire from Crooked Run Brewing which reveals a deep love of passionfruit. And Abe finishes the lineup with a HOPness Monster IPA leading to some pretty terrible 'dad' jokes.  00:29:19 - Next up, we get to the actual fossil hunting grounds. Results at Calvert Cliffs State Park are suboptimal, but after a stop at a local brewery, we're given some tips for a better beach and head to Brownies for much-improved collecting. To end, we give a breakdown of what we found, some grades to each site, and some tips and tricks for future fossil hunters to use to improve their odds of getting the best haul! Check out some of the photos from our expedition below! 01:16:10 - PaleoPOWs are a lot like fossil collecting; you have to be patient to get something good. First things first, we plug the kickoff event for the newly organized DMV AWG happening later this month. Be there! Next, Abe has an e-mail for new patron Kay S., which has a lot of good info to inform her BSso thesis title, which is: The statistical effect of 5-star hotels on fossil diversity: a comparative study between La Brea Tar Pits and Ashfall fossil beds. Thanks, Kay! Next up, Bev has a new 5-star iTunes review from Kramkjk, which forces Bev to reveal a terrible secret. Finally, Ryan has an e-mail from Morgan B. about science-y things to do on an upcoming trip to Panama.  More cool rewards await you if you decide to support us on our Patreon! Music: Bayview - Isle Heart of Courage - Two Steps from Hell Passion Is Accurate - The Kills Pulling Teeth - Green Day

288 - From The Archives

00:00:00 - Back in 2015, Ryan was joined by writer Brian Switek (@Laelaps) for an evening of drinks and discussion of dinosaurs in pop culture. The chat begins with the then recently released Jurassic World, which Brian did some website content for, and goes forth from there. 00:43:22 - Since we never actually say it out loud, a modern-day interjection to point out that we were drinking bourbon whiskey. 00:45:01 - Part two of our chat. Some sense, some non-, and like most things, ends with zombies. Be sure to pre-order Brian's new book Skeleton Keys: The Secret Life of Bone, and consider supporting his work on Patreon.   01:35:18 - PaleoPOWs are a lot like rambling late-night conversations, in that they're nice to have sometimes and better with a friend. We're fighting to get our 5-star iTunes rating back, so we're very thankful for the reviews from Aleesa S and Panda-bear24. Thanks! More cool rewards await you if you decide to support us on our Patreon! Music:Cups (Pitch Perfect's "When I'm Gone") - Anna KendrickI Wish I Was Still Drinking - Colin HayYOLO (feat. Adam Levine & Kendrick Lamar) - The Lonely Island  

287 - Descent into Madness

00:00:00 - This week Ryan is joined by Will Harris and David Moscato (@DMos150) from the Common Descent podcast. First up, we learn about the paleontology research they both did as Masters students at East Tennessee State University working at their Gray Fossil Site. Long story short: Will did gators, David did snakes (and other lizards).  00:58:55 - This week Ryan is the sole beer drinker (rare in a group of paleontologists) and he's bringing the funk with a Swedish-brewed Funkstarter. He's bracketed on both sides by Will and David each having a Dr. Pepper. 01:07:48 - Next up, we chat about the fun and the challenges of paleontology podcasting. You can subscribe to their podcast, Common Descent, on Podbean, follow and like them on Facebook and Twitter, watch the Q&A Ryan participated in on Youtube, and even sign up to support them on Patreon! (Bonus: here's the mislabeled sloth tweet that so annoyed former guest Doc Sloth) 01:46:37 - PaleoPOWs are a lot like paleontology; sometimes they take a while. This time, Ryan reads an e-mail from Susan that brings up a very old discussion but also touches on the difficulties of trying to fit evolution into the curriculum when the focus is mainly "teaching to the test". Good, but frustrating, points. Thanks for writing in, Susan! More cool rewards await you if you decide to support us on Patreon! Music for this week's show: In the Hills f Tennessee - Jimmie Rodgers I'm a Pepper - Dr. Pepper Commercial Who Tells Your Story (feat. Common & Ingrid Michaelson) - The Roots

286 - Three Wolf Moon

00:00:00 - Scientists yet again found themselves baffled! That's right baffled! While they calmly waited for test results to confirm that the wolf-like animal shot by a Montana was indeed a wolf. Shocker. Anyways, turns out wolves cooperate with each other better than dogs do. Are dogs just broken wolves? That's what this study sought to test in a pretty clever way. Either way, they're good dogs, Brent. 00:41:41 - Ryan finally gets to take a drink and decides to crack open a half growler gifted to him from former guest of the show Jen Gallagher containing the Halleck Pale Ale from Chestnut Brew Works in WV. Ben mixes it up with some sort of clam miso beverage (soup?). Go home, Ben, you're... not drunk? Abe brings us back to center with a more believable Squatch Ale. 00:56:43 - Europa is a Jovian moon that probably has an ocean. If that ocean has life, that life will need food. That food may show up via some ice tectonics as proposed and modeled by a new paper. Somehow the sport of squash gets involved. Listen to find out why. 01:24:05 - PaleoPOWs are a lot like potentially lifeless oceans; they're both rife with possibility! Abe begins with a thesis for recurring Patron Sam L. We happen to know Sam likes spicy food, so his thesis is: Modeling capsaicin-induced lycanthropy in the McMurdo dry valleys of Antarctica: a test case for Europan werewolves. Thanks, Sam! Next up, Chelsea B. gets the supreme pleasure of telling Ryan he was wrong about something from episode 265 concerning rabbit digestion. Ryan realizes he has a lot to learn about foregut versus hindgut digestion and reads up a bit to try to set the record straight. Finally, Ben presents a 5-star iTunes review from Kyle that gives Ryan a chance to gloat, so things are almost immediately back to normal. *sigh* More cool rewards await you if you decide to support us on Patreon! Music for this week's show:The Underdog - SpoonSample In A Jar - PhishThe Ocean (Moon Version) - The Bravery