In this episode, we discuss the transition of European astronomy from the 13th century to the end of the 15th century. We spend some time taking a look at the effects of The Great Mortality on the institutions of Europe and consider the factors of the rediscovery of atomism, the development of the printing press, the Fall of Constantinople and the rise of the new universities of central and eastern Europe in creating the conditions that would allow for new ideas to develop and spread. We then co...
Jul 03, 2016•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 26
This episode takes a look at the rise of the European university in the 12th century, the development of Scholasticism, the impact on the translations of Aristotle's works and the accompanying commentaries on it and the effects of the Condemnations of 1277. From this, the challenges to Aristotle's formulation of physics and the terrestrial motion of objects are considered. The contributions of Bonaventure, Thomas Aquinas, Bardwardine and the Oxford Calculators, Jean Buridan and Nicole Oresme dur...
Jun 26, 2016•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 25
In the final episode in our trilogy on the philosophy of time, we look at J. M. E. McTaggart's essay, The Unreality of Time, and then work through various philosophical positions that arise from it. Included in the discussion are presentism, eternalism, the block universe model and the arrow of time.
Jun 19, 2016•55 min•Season 3Ep. 24
In this episode we open the account of the temporal realist beginning with Isaac Newton and John Locke. We then look at the a priori idealism of Immanuel Kant before ending on the reformulation of physics by Albert Einstein and his concept of relativity in space-time.
Jun 12, 2016•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 23
We look at how various ancient philosophers and theologians conceptualized time. We look at the paradoxes of Eleatic school of Parmenides and Zeno, the response of Aristotle and the later reconsideration of the topic by Augustine. This week is spend looking at early versions of idealism and relationalism with just a brief mention of realist concepts like relativity and frames of reference.
Jun 05, 2016•53 min•Season 3Ep. 22
A short explanation of the recent lack of new content from the podcast and what the plan is going forward.
May 29, 2016•7 min•Season 3Ep. 21
In this episode we look at subdividing the day with the development of time keeping devices from the gnomon and sundials to atomic clocks.
May 15, 2016•55 min•Season 3Ep. 20
We look at the development of the modern western calendar from prehistory through the time of the Roman Kings to the reforms of Julius Caesar (the Julian Calendar) and Pope Gregory XIII (the Gregorian Calendar). Modern attempts at calendar reform are also discussed including the World Calendar and the International Fixed Calendar.
May 01, 2016•53 min•Season 3Ep. 19
We look at the rediscovery of astronomical texts by western Europe from the time of the Plague of Justinian to the Great Mortality. The work of Martianus Capella, Isidore of Seville, Gerard of Cremona, Averroes and Johannes of Sacrobosco is examined and placed in a wider historical context.
Apr 24, 2016•52 min•Season 3Ep. 18
A brief scientific biography of the Islamic physicist, Ibn al-Haytham. We look at his work in optics, mathematics, astronomy and the development of a method of scientific inquiry.
Apr 17, 2016•46 min•Season 3Ep. 17
In this episode we look at the astronomical work done during the Golden Age of Islamic Science. This includes the work sponsored by the Abbasid caliph al-Ma'mun, the work of al-Balkhi, al-Battani, al-Biruni and ibn al-Haytham. We conclude with material covering the Andalusian Revolt and the Maragha Revolution.
Apr 10, 2016•50 min•Season 3Ep. 16
In this episode we look at the role of astronomy in the culture of the Inca Empire and Kogi Tribe. We examine the Cusco, Coricancha and the ceques and huacas that embody Inca religious practice along with the city of Machu Picchu. Finally, we look at the woven universe of the Kogi tribe of northern Colombia.
Apr 03, 2016•39 min•Season 3Ep. 15
A look at the work of Ptolemy's Mathematical Treatise, otherwise known as the Almagest. Hipparchus, precession, the Library of Alexandria and the broader Greco-Roman world are also discussed.
Mar 27, 2016•49 min•Season 3Ep. 14
We look at the failure of the Eudoxian model of homocentric spheres and the models of Aristarchus of Samos, Apollonius of Perga and Hipparchus to proposed to replace it. We also discuss the ideas of scientific realism and instrumentalism with respect to Hellenistic astronomy.
Mar 20, 2016•46 min•Season 3Ep. 13
A look at the evidence gathered by the Greek, Hellenistic and Arabic natural philosophers that determined the size and shape of the Earth. Aristotle's lines of evidence are discussed as are the measurements of Eratosthenes, Posidonius and al-Biruni. We also take a look at the myth that it was Columbus who first thought the Earth was round and how it arose.
Mar 13, 2016•42 min•Season 3Ep. 12
A look at Greek astronomy from the time of Hesiod and Homer to the spherical model of Aristotle. The writings of Thales, Empedocles, the Pythagoreans and Plato are considered before moving to the sphere's of Eudoxus and Callipus and the synthesis of physics and astronomy by the tutor of Alexander the Great.
Mar 06, 2016•1 hr 2 min•Season 3Ep. 11
A discussion of some aspects of Mesoamerican astronomy including the Mayan calendar with its Calendar Round and Long Count Calendar and the cities of Chichen Itza, Palenque, Teotihuacan and Tenochtitlan.
Feb 28, 2016•55 min•Season 3Ep. 10
In this episode we look at the practice of Babylonian astronomy and the tools that made it possible: cuneiform writing and arithmetical mathematics.
Feb 21, 2016•50 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Some unscripted thoughts about the detection of gravitational waves by direct observation by LIGO. We briefly discuss some aspects of Einstein's Theory of Relativity, how interferometers work and what the significance of the detection is. We also look at how experimental science is done and communicated.
Feb 14, 2016•59 min
This week we look at the narratives, sites and artifacts of the native North Americans in their practice of religion and astronomy. We look at the traditions Chumash tribe of California, the kivas and spirals of the peoples of the Four Corners region including the Hopi, Navaho, Zuni and Anasazi, the Medicine Wheels of the central plains and the mounds and woodhenges of the Cahokia site of Mississippian peoples of Illinois.
Feb 07, 2016•50 min•Season 3Ep. 8
A discussion of the motions of the planets in the night sky and some of the cultural associations that go with them. Observations such as retrograde motion, maximum elongation, conjunction and opposition are examined.
Jan 31, 2016•39 min•Season 3Ep. 7
In this episode we discuss the astronomy of the early dynastic period of China including the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties. Specific attention is paid the the idea of the Mandate of Heaven and its relation to circumpolar astronomy.
Jan 24, 2016•49 min•Season 3Ep. 6
An examination of the motion of the Sun through the sky. We discuss the use of gnomons to make measurements and the Sun's path through the Zodiac on the ecliptic with special attention to the equinoxes and solstices. We conclude with an discussion of the yearly calendar in many cultures.
Jan 17, 2016•41 min•Season 3Ep. 5
This episode focuses on the practice of ancient Egyptian astronomy and its relationship to the culture's religion and agriculture. Particular attention is paid to the motions of Sirius, the Great Pyramid at Giza, the "Stretching the Cord" ceremony and the association of the pharaohs with the Sun and heavens.
Jan 10, 2016•54 min•Season 3Ep. 4
In this episode we consider observations of the moon and the role it has in keeping time and representing resurrection in the heavens. Defined are both sidereal and synodic months and well as lunar calendar years.
Jan 03, 2016•34 min•Season 3Ep. 3
This episode is a guided tour of the night sky looking in each of the cardinal directions. East or orient for rising, West or occident for setting, north for circumpolar stars and south for the Zodiac.
Dec 27, 2015•29 min•Season 3Ep. 2
In the introductory episode of our new season, we lay out the course for our next journey into the realm of cosmology. We will begin with the by considering our modern disassociation with the sky and unfurl our sails to reconnect in the ways the most ancient astronomers did.
Dec 25, 2015•19 min•Season 3Ep. 1
In this episode, we talk about the history of metallurgy from the paleolithic to contemporary times including the use of copper, the development of bronze and steel technology and modern techniques that have shed light on how metals acquire the properties we find so useful.
Dec 20, 2015•41 min•Season 2Ep. 52
In this last episode on Richard Feynman, we cover his work in condensed matter physics on superfluidity and superconductivity, the development of V-A meson theory and parton theory. We also discuss his work with the presidential commission's investigation of the Challenger explosion.
Dec 16, 2015•59 min•Season 2Ep. 51
In this continuation of our biography of the life and scientific work of Richard Feynman, we look at the work for which he would win his Nobel prize. Beginning with his move to Cornell after the end of the Manhattan Project, we cover his full development of the path integral formulation of quantum mechanics, it's application to renormalization of quantum electrodynamics and the development of his Feynman Diagram. We also consider the contributions of Julian Schwinger and Freeman Dyson.
Dec 08, 2015•33 min•Season 2Ep. 50
