How do the objects we rely on come to be made? What goes into creating them? How did they become so vital to us? And what is the environmental impact of living ...
Jon Lampley on blowing his trumpet, outdoor venues and the ethics of AI in music
Renowned trumpeter Jon Lampley performs on national TV in the Stephen Colbert house band, to stadiums of people, and alone in his small home studio - but which does he prefer? Jon tells Dr Anna about the significance of his custom-built trumpet, his unique sound and his most memorable performances. They are also joined by Shawn Lyndon, Chief Digital Officer at Rio Tinto, to explore the balance between analogue authenticity and digital convenience. Shawn shares how digitization enhances their operations, from environmental preservation to making sites safer. Listen to find out about the positive impacts of AI on creativity as well as the ethical considerations surrounding its use, and how digital advancements might democratise creativity in the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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24:26
Dr Adam Rutherford on bodies, blue-sky projects and blue-blooded crabs
Geneticist Dr Adam Rutherford relies on refrigeration to preserve the unique DNA samples that underpin his lab work. Furthermore, as he explains to Dr Anna, fridges are good for keeping his beer cold! In an episode all about research and development, Adam and Anna are joined by Marie-Pierre Paquin, Head of Science and Partnerships at Rio Tinto, to explore how a mix of curiosity, diligence and data leads to scientific breakthroughs. Listen to find out how many periodic table elements are in the human body, why some parts of the world are richer in DNA samples than others, and why certain crustaceans have blue blood. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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24:48
Get ready for Series 2
Series 2 of Things You Can’t Live Without is coming soon. Here’s Dr Anna Ploszajski with a preview of what you can expect. Make sure you follow the show to hear new episodes as they launch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Hod Lipson’s Graphics Processing Unit: AI, robots eating robots and the unsung material that helps power our computers
Hod Lipson - Columbia University professor and award-winning robotics researcher - shares with Dr. Anna the one item he can’t live without - his Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). The conversation reveals how much GPUs underpin our electronic world, and how one somewhat unsung element - boron - is at the heart of making them work. Rio Tinto’s Chief Executive, Minerals, Sinead Kaufman, unpicks what boron is, how it’s extracted, and what needs to be done to keep us having the electronic devices so many of us rely on. We also look at how AI might have a role to play in the future of mining, why boron is “the WD-40 of the world” and what’s being done to help sustainability by “robots eating robots”! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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24:45
Dr. Leah Alconcel’s Lasers: Missions to Jupiter, space junk and the future of communications
Spacecraft engineer Dr. Leah Alconcel joins Dr. Anna to tell her about the one item she can’t live without - her lasersFrom sending spacecraft to Saturn to the possibility of being able to watch TikTok in outer space, Dr. Leah shares the critical role that lasers have in her life. We are joined again by Rio’s Chief Scientist, Nigel Steward, who reveals how lasers are in fact a fundamental part of everyone’s daily lives and the role of the very small but powerful metals called Rare Earths which ironically (and thankfully) are not that rare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How do the objects we rely on come to be made? What goes into creating them? How did they become so vital to us? And what is the environmental impact of living with them, now and into the future? Join material scientist Dr Anna Ploszajski as she welcomes different guests including scientists to discuss the truths about our reliance on the earth’s resources – and to look at what needs to happen to create a sustainable future for the everyday items we have come to rely on. Things You Can’t Live Without is brought to you by Rio Tinto. Available wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Canada - english