A Day in the Half-Life
A podcast about the surprising ways that science evolves. Through conversations with scientists, we trace the technology, theories, and products we see around us today back to early discoveries in the lab, while also imagining where future breakthroughs could take us. Hosted and produced by Aliyah Kovner at Berkeley Lab, aka Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Episodes
11 episodes
Reimagining Plastics
Why isn’t more plastic actually recyclable? Why don’t compostable forks actually compost? And when are we going to solve our waste problems?This episode features three scientists working to manage the planet's plastic addiction b...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 2
•
51:22
Hydrogen: The Original Alternative Fuel
The smallest element in the universe has big potential for clean, sustainable energy. In fact, we’ve been using it as a fuel for vehicles here on Earth and NASA vehicles out exploring the solar system for many decades. So why aren’t we living i...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 1
•
35:13
Green Machines: The natural and artificial photosynthesis powering the planet
What is photosynthesis? Oh, no big deal, just the key to life on Earth as we know it! Join me as I take a deep dive into this amazingly sophisticated chemical process. Hear fascinating details they didn't teach you in school and get a crash cou...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 9
•
55:49
Inclusion in STEM: the Name Change Initiative
A Day in the Half-Life explores what working in STEM is really like, and that means conversations about inclusion. So to celebrate Pride Month, we're releasing a special episode about making research & academia culture more inclusive for tr...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 8
•
32:27
Climate Modeling
For decades, scientists have been able to predict future Earth conditions, like rainfall and temperature, with impressive accuracy using computer programs called climate models. These models are helpful at telling us what might happen to our we...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 7
•
55:10
More Microchips, Moore Problems
A podcast episode about research and development of microelectronics. The race to make smaller and smaller electronic chips is coming to an end, after many decades of creative engineering. Individual transistors are now just a ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 6
•
48:17
Energy storage: Save your electrons for a rainy day
Have you ever wondered how electricity is available all the time? That’s the seemingly magical science of energy storage. In this episode, we speak to a policy leader and a researcher about the history of piggy-banking power to spend it later, ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 5
•
47:53
Quantum Computing
In 1935, the famous physicist Erwin Schrödinger was debating with his friend Albert Einstein about the nature of a fundamental concept in quantum mechanics – a field that was, at the time, still very new. To illustrate his point, Schrödinger pr...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 4
•
52:37
Biomanufacturing: Making Stuff with Microbes
What do advanced medicines, renewable fuels, vegan burgers, smart fabrics, petroleum-free plastics, and cruelty-free cosmetics have in common? They're all produced with specially engineered microbes! Yep, microbes. In episode thre...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 3
•
46:55
