Hugh Herr, known as the Bionic Being in his superhero incarnation, is ready to take your questions. Use the comments, people.
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Mariana Cook’s book, “Faces of Science,” portrays 77 scientists who have made many of the most important discoveries of our time. Each photograph is accompanied by a personal essay written by the scientists. The portraits in this online series are accompanied by excerpts from those essays. For more information, please visit Mariana Cook’s website: www.cookstudio.com.
Martin Rees - Photos and Text ©Mariana Cook “Faces of Science”
I grew up in a Shropshire village—rather remote and beautiful country in the west of England—where my parents were schoolteachers. I can’t claim to have had any special infatuation with science during my childhood. I was interested in numbers, and in natural history, but shifted toward mathematics and physics more because I was bad at languages than for any positive reason. However, I was fortunate in my schooling, and gained entry to Trinity College, Cambridge. By the time I graduated, I realized that I wasn’t cut out to be a mathematician, so I tried to find a subject where a more synthetic style of thinking was needed—for various extraneous reasons, the choice narrowed down to economics or astrophysics.
I chose astrophysics, which proved a lucky choice for two reasons.
We give Hugh Herr 30 seconds to describe his science, and he shows that bionic legs can help you think and speak very quickly.
The smallest movie ever made, how our brains imagine words, and what’s going on in the brain of a baby. These stories and more in this week’s staff picks for the best science reporting in the public broadcasting space.
Adam and his atom in “A Boy And His Atom.”
NPR’s Ted Radio Hour: What Do Babies Think?
They think a lot. No more cursing around the baby.
Radio Lab: A Movie Made from Atoms
It’s called “A Boy And His Atom.” It’s about a boy and his atom. The boy’s name is Adam (of course).
Science Friday: Is Cooking Baked Into Our Biology?
Is cooking what separates us from the apes? Michael Pollan thinks so. Check out this excerpt from his new book, in which he argues that cooking civilized mankind.
Maria Klawe and her skateboard.
NPR Science: Imagine A Flying Pig: How Words Take Shape In The Brain
Imagine a flying pig. Does he wear a cape or have wings? NPR Science explores how our senses help us to form images for words.
NPR’s All Things Considered: How One College Is Closing The Computer Science Gender Gap
Oh look! Our beloved Maria Klawe on her skateboard, closing the gender gap in science one student at a time.
NOVA: The Limits of Facial Recognition
Why the human mind is better than a computer at picking a face out of a crowd.
So for our last shoot of the season, my daughter Grace - also known as the girl behind the paper dolls -
Grace at work on our set
invited herself to come along to join the fun.
Proud Dad that I am, I was delighted.
But we did put her to work.
Here’s Grace’s drawing of our friend, Mireya Mayor.
I admit that I’m biased, but I think it’s pretty good!
The finished product… the wonderful Mireya
