Lifeslices with Steve Fisher

Lifeslices: CES Tech Update

Every January, the Technos and the Tech Wanna-Knows gather in Las Vegas for CES. The Consumer Electronics Show. They’re there to discover exciting developments in the world of Electronics. And where there’s CES, there’s technology evangelist Marc Saltzman. Marc joins host Steve Fisher to share what he saw, and didn’t see, at CES this year. 

Lifeslices: The Shoes Afoot

There was a time when towns and villages thrived on the talents of local craftspeople who could produce the necessities of everyday needs. Much of those skills have been lost in the era of mass production and are being undermined further with the advent of robotics. But there’s a small group of humans who are keeping those analog skills alive. One of them is Leanne Corcoran, a master shoemaker in Seattle, WA. She’s gone from artist to artisan and proves to host Steve Fisher that The Shoe’s Afoot.

Lifeslices: Make Things Right

81-year old Benjamin Franklin was leaving the Constitutional Convention in 1787 when he was approached by people asking what sort of government the delegates had created. His answer was: "A republic, if you can keep it." We’ve been fighting to keep it for almost 250 years but, perhaps, it has never been challenged before like it’s being challenged today. Bill Ayres has been fighting for democracy for most of his 81 years. One of the founders of the Weather Undergound, Bill has been fighting to Make Things Right ever since. He joins host Steve Fisher to share his views on how to weather the current anti-democratic storm. 

Lifeslices: Raccoon Friends Among Us

Estimates of when dogs became domesticated range from 20,000 to 130,000 years ago. Cats 9,000-10,000 years ago. What’s next? According to Raffaella Lesch, an assistant professor of Biology at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock, it just might be raccoons. Dr. Lesch joins host Steve Fisher to talk about why we might just be seeing new Raccoon Friends Among Us.

Lifeslices: Circadian Evangelist

Whether we’re musical or not, we’ve all got rhythms. Circadian rhythms. Those are our internal biological software that keeps all the magical devices in our bodies functioning in a 24-hour day. All creatures have them, yet humans tend to abuse theirs. Emily Manoogian is a Chronobiologist and Clinical Researcher at The Salk Institute. She’s a Circadian evangelist and joins host Steve Fisher to explain why we need to dance to our internal music.

Lifeslices: Helping Hands

The robotic era is here. All over the world, companies and individual engineers are working to improve the scope of what they can do and their efficiency. One of those is Rich Walker and his company Shadow Robot, which makes dexterous hands. Rich joins host Steve Fisher to talk about his Helping Hands, where we are and where  we’re not.

Lifeslices: Living Computers

Steve Jobs said, “I think the biggest innovations of the 21st century will be at the intersection of biology and technology. A new era is beginning.” A quarter of the way through the 21^st century, it’s happening. [Fred Jordan quote] That’s Dr. Fred Jordan, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Final Spark with Dr. Martin Kutter. They’re delivering on the promise of Living Computers. Jordan joins host Steve Fisher to talk about them.

Lifeslices: Fungi Finder

Scientists estimate there are millions of fungi species, including mushrooms, with only a fraction identified so far. Other than being great on pizza and in omelettes and stews, do you know how much they have to offer? Jana Harris is a Fungi Finder and joins host Steve Fisher to talk about one of nature's greatest creations.

Lifeslices: Hunting Exoplanets

Philosophers and science fiction writers have speculated about the existence of planets outside our solar system for generations, but it wasn’t until the 1990s that we actually began to find and identify them. [Annelise quote] That’s Dr Annelies Mortier of the University of Birmingham in the UK, who’s here with Dr. Christopher Watson from Queen’s University in Belfast to join host Steve Fisher, talking about Hunting Exoplanets

Lifeslices: Postcards to Hitler

Long before the world would learn about the horrors of Adolf Hitler, one man surmised the threat and tried to alert his fellow countrymen. Bruce Neuberger traced his grandfather's story in his book, Postcards to Hitler. He joins host Steve Fisher to talk about his family’s tale and how it pertains to today’s world.