New Books in Science, Technology, and Society

Jessica Urwin, an environmental and Australian historian, explores the complex legacy of nuclear colonialism in Australia. She discusses the impact of uranium extraction and nuclear testing on Aboriginal communities, highlighting their fight for rights and reparations. Urwin reveals how Indigenous peoples have resisted and reshaped colonial mechanisms over time. The conversation also touches on the intertwining of anti-nuclear activism and Aboriginal rights, emphasizing the importance of land reclamation and the resilience of Indigenous voices in the face of historical injustices.

Cornelia C. Walther, an author and senior fellow at the Wharton Initiative for Neuroscience, shares her insights on technology's role in society. She discusses her transformative journey from humanitarian work to advocating for pro-social technology. The conversation highlights the duality of tech during the COVID-19 pandemic, exposing inequalities while fostering connectivity. Walther introduces 'Aspirational Algorithms' and her 'Values In, Values Out' framework, stressing the importance of human-centered design in AI to enhance rather than exploit human capabilities.

Bénédicte Meillon, a professor at Université d'Angers and president of ESLSE, shares her insights on ecopoetics in her book. She explains 'reenchantment' as a way to reconnect with nature through poetry, emphasizing the power of soundscapes and the transformative impact of literature during the pandemic. Meillon introduces 'liminal realism,' blending human and non-human perspectives to foster empathy and awareness. She also discusses her multimedia project 'Dancing Bodies of Water,' highlighting art's role in environmental engagement.

Dan Roche, an English professor at LeMoyne College and author, shares his personal journey with a prosthetic eye since 2009. He discusses the intricate craft of ocularists, highlighting the intimate relationship between them and their patients. Roche explores the balance between technological advancements like 3D printing and the essential emotional connections formed through traditional techniques. He also delves into the evolution of prosthetic eyes, from historical methods to modern innovations, revealing their profound impact on identity and healing.

Santiago Zabala, an ICREA Research Professor of Philosophy at Pompeu Fabra University, discusses his new book, offering a fresh perspective on warnings as reflections of present crises. He tackles contemporary issues like climate change and AI's role in warfare, emphasizing that warnings prompt a shift in mindset rather than mere predictions. Zabala critiques communication strategies around activism, particularly highlighting Greta Thunberg’s emotional approach to climate awareness. He also examines the philosophy behind warnings and their significance in confronting political extremism and societal complacency.

In a fascinating discussion, Anthony Bonato, a mathematics professor at Toronto Metropolitan University and author of 'Dots and Lines,' unpacks the hidden networks that influence every aspect of our lives. He explores how network theory reveals patterns in social media, AI, and even nature, shedding light on political strategies and survival tactics in reality shows. Bonato highlights the evolution of tools like Google’s PageRank and the significance of small world networks, illustrating their profound impact on connections in our society.

Guest Isaac Yuen, a nature writer and co-author of The Sound Atlas, delves into the fascinating interplay between sound and the human experience. He shares insights on capturing the essence of fleeting sounds from around the globe, discussing oddities from bats and moths to ancient oracle sites. The conversation touches on the emotional weight of sound, linking it to mortality and creativity, while exploring sounds that shape our history and identity. Yuen's passion for intertwining sound with nature opens up new ways to appreciate our auditory world.

Peoples & Things host, Lee Vinsel, talks with Tiia Sahrakorpi, Visiting Professor at Weber State University, about her interesting book project, Our Land: An Oral History of Energy, which was funded by the Research Council of Finland. The project, which was rooted in oral histories in three locations in Finland, takes a use-based perspective and examines how ordinary Finnish people adopted and used electricity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science-technology-and-society

Why do Americans eat so much beef? In Red Meat Republic: A Hoof-to-Table History of How Beef Changed America (Princeton University Press, 2019), the historian Joshua Specht provides a history that shows how our diets and consumer choices remain rooted in nineteenth century enterprises. A century and half ago, he writes, the colonialism and appropriation of indigenous lands enabled the expansion of western ranch outfits. These corporate ranchers controlled loose commodity chains, until powerful corporate meat packers in Chicago seized the economic order through the tools of modern capitalism (scientific management, standardization, labor suppression). These capitalists expanded the supply chains to far-flung consumers in New York and around the globe. But as meat became a staple of the American diet, and measure of progress, consumers cared more about the price and taste than the violence to people, animals, and environment behind the scenes. “America made modern beef” Specht writes, “at the same time that beef made America modern.”Ryan Driskell Tate is a Ph.D. candidate in American history at Rutgers University. He is completing a book on fossil-fuels and energy development in the American West. He teaches courses on modern US history, environmental history, and histories of labor and capitalism. @rydriskelltate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science-technology-and-society

In this episode we speak to Anne Lawrence-Mathers, Professor of History at the University of Reading about her new book Medieval Meteorology: Forecasting the Weather from Aristotle to the Almanac, out this year, 2020, with Cambridge University Press.The practice of weather forecasting underwent a crucial transformation in the Middle Ages. Exploring how scientifically-based meteorology spread and flourished from c.700-c.1600, this study reveals the dramatic changes in forecasting and how the new science of 'astro-meteorology' developed. Both narrower and more practical in its approach than earlier forms of meteorology, this new science claimed to deliver weather forecasts for months and even years ahead, on the premise that weather is caused by the atmospheric effects of the planets and stars, and mediated by local and seasonal climatic conditions. Anne Lawrence-Mathers explores how these forecasts were made and explains the growing practice of recording actual weather. These records were used to support forecasting practices, and their popularity grew from the fourteenth century onwards. Essential reading for anyone interested in medieval science, Medieval Meteorology demonstrates that the roots of scientific forecasting are much deeper than is usually recognized.Professor Lawrence-Mathers is the author of The True History of Merlin the Magician and Magic and Medieval Society,(along with Carolina Escobar-Vargas) as well as a host of articles and reviews about Medieval magic and religion. With this book the author continues her examination of spiritual practice – licit and illicit, clerical and lay – as it was culturally understood in the medieval era.Jana Byars is the Academic Director of Netherlands: International Perspectives on Sexuality and Gender. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science-technology-and-society