The Armen Show – Page 2 – Science + Technology Podcast for the Lifelong Learner

218: Professor David Hu | Animal/Robotic Movement, Fluid Mechanics, And More In “How to Walk on Water and Climb up Walls”

The way that organisms move is a precursor to how robots will map their movements out. Animals can do things like walk on water and climb up vertical surfaces, and knowing how this works is useful. Professor David Hu of Georgia Tech explores these topics in his book How to Walk on Water and Climb up Walls.

Professor Hu is Associate Professor of Fluid Mechanics at The George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech. He runs the Hu Laboratory for Locomotion at his institution. He got his Bachelors and Masters, along with his PhD in Mathematics, at MIT. Most of his research focuses on hydrodynamics and elasticity problems as they relate to biology.

Show notes:

what biolocomotion is involved with, and how evolution has impacted animals and the insect world in terms of movement
why looking at nature is a good way to get ideas for mechanical devices that are more effective or better maintaining
where Professor Hu looked for inspiration, or bioinspiration, to see what the next item of research would be
how insects or animals can walk on water based on surface tension
what kinds of analysis it requires to be able to take a guess regarding locomotion and test it out in terms of basis
how body movements and material properties have to be looked at as a pair to be able to decipher their value
what kinds of animals need to undulate or slither to be able to get the most efficiency for their movement
how some of these advances connect to upcoming robots that are able to touch and move things in a more gentle way than current robots

I was glad to have Professor Hu on the show. He is a personable individual with a good sense of humor. You can check out his book on Amazon, look at his research articles, or look at his lab page.

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217: Vince Beiser | How Sand Served As A Natural Resource That Transformed Civilization

Sand is one of the overlooked natural resources of the world, and is a huge part of the cities that we live and transport around in. In his book The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How it Transformed Civilization, journalist Vince Beiser speaks to the importance of this resource, as well as the stories related to its acquisition and usage.

Vince has served as a journalist in over 100 countries, reported from California’s harshest prisons, ridden with first responders, and contributed to Wired, The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, the LA Times, and more. He continues to work as an award-winning journalist based in Los Angeles.

Show notes:

why sand on beaches is at risk of being reduced all around the world
how violence is attached to battles for sand in some parts of India and elsewhere
where sand operations have allowed for building of whole cities
what sand is used to build, and what other substances come from sand
how reinforced concrete became the main element for strong buildings
how more cars leads to more paved road, which led to more cars
why is it worthwhile to look at sustainability and personal usage of cars and fuel sources in relation to sand limits and violence related to it

I was glad to have Vince on the show. You can check out his book The World in a Grain on Amazon, or check out his website.

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216: Professor Steven Strogatz | Calculus, Biological Dynamics, And More From His Book “Infinite Powers”

Calculus is a branch of mathematics that speaks to the flow of our society. You might think of derivatives and integrals, but you can also think of it as deconstruction and reconstruction. Professor Steven Strogatz of Cornell University wrote Infinite Powers: How Calculus Reveals the Secrets of the Universe to detail how calculus links with universal dynamics.

Professor Strogatz is the Jacob Gould Schurman Professor of Applied Mathematics at Cornell University. He graduated from Princeton University with a degree in mathematics, attended Trinity College and completed his doctoral work in applied math at Harvard, and then did a postdoctorate at Harvard and Boston University. He then taught at MIT, and then joined Cornell faculty in 1994, where he currently continues to teach.

Some of the items Professor Strogatz has worked on include biology as it relates to math, geometry of supercoiled DNA, sleep-wake cycle dynamics, 3D chemical wave topology, collective behavior of oscillators, and social system structural balance. There is a theme of waves across many of the categories. He has worthwhile papers on these topics, along with co-authoring the 6th most cited physics paper of all time(which is also the 63rd most cited research article of all time), on small-world networks.

Show notes:

how Professor Strogatz got to being a researcher and math professor
where he attended, and the takeaways that he got at those institutions
what small-world networks bring to the table as advantages
what similarity worm neural networks have with the power grid of the western United States
why Calculus is linked to rules of growth, laws of motion, and more
when math can apply in your day-to-day life, and why it is valuable to have a sense of the dynamics you see
how calculus is connected to HIV clearance and immune response in the body, through exponential growth curves
what math feedback from teachers can do to student’s esteem levels

You can check out on Professor’s Strogatz website, which has all his research articles, or see his book on Amazon. It was great to have him on the show, and connect with someone interested in some of the same topics as myself.

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215: Leveraging Your Strengths, And Some Words About Nipsey Hussle

You have a set of strengths and built up investments that is your source of highest energy. It is worth working from that, instead of starting items from scratch. One is way more motivating than the other. On episode 215 of the show, I discuss this concept.

As well, I want to include material on Nipsey Hussle and his passing, along with how it relates to leverage.

Show notes:

why you should leverage the strengths that you have
how looking at what you have is inspiring as compared with the alternative viewpoint
what you can do to use leverage for your workouts
when to apply points of leverage to your being
how social connections connect to this concept, with some efforts of yours being the priorities
why certain places give you more leverage than others, and how to get a sense of where they are
how to see where you have already built up leverage and investment, in order to expand on it
why Nipsey Hussle knew this concept and applied it to his efforts
how he impacted his community, and the message to take away
what it means to be valuable to others around you

Glad to have you listening on episode 215 of the show. The show you know about. On to the next.

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214: Paty Ramirez | Life Coaching With Care, Meditation, And Broad Perspective

Caring is something we look to see more of. In episode 214, transformational life coach Paty Ramirez joins to discuss what got her into coaching, how she has applied her abilities, the importance of meditation, and more.

This episode was recorded at Pan Pacific Park in West Hollywood.

Show notes:

where Paty has been at recent times in her life
what caused Paty to get into life coaching in the first place
how the best teachers are the ones who have gone through the process for themselves
how some of her clients have been impacted by her working with them
what Paty brings to life coaching that separates her from others
how you can do meditation in different ways, and what it provides
what broad perspective can do to someone stuck in a labyrinth of their own making
and more

Glad to have Paty on the show~

Check out @selflovemafia on Instagram

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213: Nick Tovar | Scientific Thinking, IT For Surgical Imaging, Technology Viewpoints, And Gaming

Scientific thinkers get along. Guest Nick Tovar on episode 213 is my friend of a long time, and both of us think about and keep up with recent science and technology.

Nick does IT for a company that makes imaging products that doctors use for surgeries and related applications.

Show notes:

how we met and our background in activities we have done
why upcoming technology is valuable and how it is being used
what Nick thinks about AI, 3D printing, VR, and ore
where we went to school or were at during different times of our life
what kinds of games Nick has played, along with my connection to such games
how Nick thinks about life perspective in relation to productivity, competition, learning, and more
what Nick has in mind as a goal or goals for 2019

Glad to have Nick on the show~. He may return at a later time to discuss specific scientific research articles or related concepts with me.

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212: Doruk Gundogan | From Lawyer To Actor, Observation, Questioning Everything, And Life Shifts

You might know of Doruk Gundogan from his lawyering (word I just made up) after studying law at Cambridge, or you may know of him currently as an actor in the United States. Doruk joins us on episode 212 of the show to let us know about his story and perspective, and how an observational style gives a sense of self.

Show notes:

why observation is a big basis for how you understand others and develop your own style in response
how the small details of a person’s actions and behaviors can say a lot about who they are in a short period of time
how not being too concerned with your success in a category gives you a big advantage in the category
what kind of risk it is to change up your living situation or profession in a world where these things are commonly fixed in place
how the visceral response to the uncomfortable leads to the expression of our internal humanity that was there the whole time
why it is very valuable to question all that is around you
how Doruk had a long-term plan to shift to his current acting role that felt more appropriate as a thing
battle between me and Doruk inspired by no one else who was there

Glad to have Doruk on the show~

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211: Mimmy Loftin: Views On Love And Sexuality For Teens And Tweens In “Your Body Is A Gift”

We bring a variety of perspectives to The Armen Show podcast, and this episode is no exception. Guest Mimmy Loftin is author of an upcoming book about sexuality, love, and relationships.

I always like to support creators doing their thing, because they are able to reach out to someone who meshes well with them.

In this episode, we discussed:

sections of her book, from the broad to the narrow to the self-focused
ways that consistent use of pornography during formative teenage years impacts future ability to connect
conquest philosophy and how it has limiting features
the ways that sex has developed over recent decades in the media

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210: Self-support, Non-process, Limbic Resonance, Adversity, And Context

The stream of consciousness is back in place for episode 210, which reminds us of the 210 freeway in Los Angeles.

Show notes:

why the steps along the way are not so relevant to me, but the stepping beyond past elements is
why you should support the things that you have made or done, regardless of how significant or insignificant they have been
how limbic resonance is the main feature pulling you and others to social networks and related applications
what adversity leads to as far as content creation in our society, and how adversity is the base for most of what we see as breakout material
how context is placed much more heavily than content in the eyes of the collective, with context always serving as the base in viewer’s minds while they examine your content

Links to material mentioned in the episode:

Elon Musk interview on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast

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209: Recent Postings, Statistics, Other Shows, Quote Posts, And Broad Vision

The Armen Show comes forward with variety on this one where it returns to me bringing you the updates and stream of consciousness.

On this one, I bring up:

recent postings that have been on the show
some of the statistics associated with the show, and how they have improved over time
other podcasts and the comparisons with them
example include Conan’s new podcast, the Impaulsive one, and Srini’s Unmistakeable Creative podcast
I look at what kinds of things others are doing that I do differently
quote posts I have done on Instagram and their reach to a new demographic that likes the presentation of them
how the oldest individuals have a broad perspective, and an upcoming guest may be of that age group
various insights I like to share

Glad to have you listening through to this point. The show continues onward with flow.

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208: Erika Madison | Nutrition, Vulnerability, Stories, And Perspectives

Nutrition and health are two cornerstones of a good existence. Episode 208 of the show comes with guest Erika Madison, who I have known for many years. Erika is a grad student in a Nutrition Masters program in Seattle, Washington.

We discussed many topics, including:

nutrition and the items that Erika is working on, including a community assessment project
some of the background behind how we know each other
vulnerability and the power of releasing your emotion or affected self out into the world, as similarly described by Brene Brown
stories from my recent happenings, as well as some local stories of note
snowmaggedon in Seattle, and snowboarding which was done by us
what it takes to reach the point where you are on the border of improving or upgrading your abilities

Glad to have Erika on the show, and let’s continue to more great material

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207: Carl Zimmer | Science Writing, Evolution Through Time, And His “What Is Life” Podcast

Prolific science writing in the topics of evolution, parasites, and the brain is the domain of author and New York Times columnist Carl Zimmer, who joins us on episode 207 of the show.

Carl Zimmer reports from the frontiers of biology, where scientists are expanding our understanding of life. Since 2004 he has written about science for the New York Times, where his column “Matter” has appeared weekly since 2013. He is a popular speaker at universities, medical schools, museums, and festivals, and he is also a frequent on radio programs such as Radiolab and This American Life.

Zimmer’s career began at Discover, where he went on to serve for five years as a senior editor. In addition to his work for the New York Times, he has written articles for magazines including National Geographic, Wired, and The Atlantic. Zimmer is the author of thirteen books about science. His latest is She Has Her Mother’s Laugh: The Power, Perversions, and Potential of Heredity.

In this episode, we discussed:

Carl’s career and what led up to his current position as author and writer
his new podcast titled “What Is Life?”, involving numerous scientists and individuals with perspectives on the matter
specific episode topics and guests which were part of the set
how physicist/astrobiologist Sara Walker from ASU said we should think that aliens may not introduce themselves so we need to understand how to reach out
Professor Jim Cleaves point that there were not big efforts to find the origin of life 200 years ago
Jeremy England of physics at MIT, and his view of life as a way to dissipate energy, related to entropy theory
Steven Benner, scientist at the Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, and his view that life wouldn’t need to be RNA, DNA, or carbon-based like we are
Kate Adamala, chemist at University of Minnesota, and her interest in building a synthetic cell at her protobiology lab
how Carl formulated his book She Has Her Mother’s Laugh
Carl’s experience writing a column for The New York Times
why risk-taking is necessary to not remain at a plateau point

I was glad to have Carl on the show. You can check him out on Twitter @carlzimmer, take a look at his new podcast What Is Life?, or check out his book She Has Her Mother’s Laugh on Amazon.

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206: Professor Alan Jasanoff | The Connection Between Brain And Body, And More From “The Biological Mind”

The connection between the brain, body, and mind is the connection between the subunits of our living world. Professor Alan Jasanoff, director of the Center for Neurobiological Engineering at MIT, explored this topic in his book The Biological Mind.

Professor Jasanoff obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Biochemical Sciences at Harvard College. After completing his Masters in Chemistry at the University of Cambridge, UK, he returned to Harvard University to commit to his PhD studies in Biophysics. Jasanoff joined the faculty of the Department of Biological Engineering at MIT in 2004.

In my episode with Professor Jasanoff, we discussed:

his career and the steps that led him to where he is
the philosophy of neuroscience, and the reductionist mindset
the use of fMRI for brain imaging and understanding of the pathways
some of the analogs between a brain and a computer
how the external world is linked to the internal
ways that imaging has changed in the field in recent years
how parts of the brain are activated by emotions, but are not the only regions involved in such activity
the way that emotions light up sensations throughout the body
how the processes performed by the brain are connected to stimuli
scientists keeping track of the current research in their industry

Glad to have Professor Jasanoff on the show. You can check out his faculty page, look at his PubMed Publications list, or check out The Biological Mind on Amazon.

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205: Professor Charles S. Cockell | Astrobiology, And How Physics Shapes Evolution, In “The Equations of Life”

Biology will reach out to the endless openness, but it will be limited and managed by physics and the equations that govern our universe. In this episode, we discuss with Professor Charles S. Cockell of the University of Edinburgh about topics in his book The Equations of Life.

Before Professor Cockell taught in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh, he was a Professor of Geomicrobiology and microbiologist with the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge. He got his doctorate in Molecular Biophysics at Oxford University, and has published over 300 scientific papers in the categories of astrobiology, geomicrobiology, and life in extreme environments. As well, he has contributed to plans for Mars exploration.

In my episode with Professor Cockell, we discussed:

Professor Cockell’s fascination with space and biology
the progression he made in his career to the University of Edinburgh
what kind of research he performed in his time at the Antarctic
examining life at the boundaries of what is physically viable
where in our solar system may have opportunity for viability
what kinds of studies Professor Cockell has been part of designing
involving incarcerated individuals in a moon-like confinement study
a ladybug physics project that the professor set for his students
predictability of biology and physics, and thoughts on free will
how the things around us are not so out of place based on the laws
the Great Filter that Professor Hanson from episode 202 spoke about
the power laws connecting metabolism and energy production
how the sky can be perceived differently on different parts of the Earth
features of individuals that are taken note of, like being open-minded

You can check out his university page, look at his list of publications, or head to his book’s Amazon listing. It was great to have him on, and we connected on some key topics.

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204: Simone Albuquerque | Ecology, Sustainable Farming, And Water Management

Farming and ecology is the cornerstone of what we eat and how we live. Welcome to episode 204 with UC Santa Cruz student and educator Simone Albuquerque~.

Simone is a thoughtful individual who looks at and feels the interplay between the way that farming is done, from pesticides used to workers involved, and the end result of crops that are used for cooking and eating. This holistic view is a broad sense that is necessary to build toward sustainable long-term results for us as a people.

On this episode, we discussed:

how Simone looks at the complex interactions among species happening in farms and gardens
whether people in farm labor or related fields make a livable income, and its connection to the food that comes out
strawberries and a pesticide associated with it
crops that are endemic to an area, and the inefficiency associated with growing plants where they are not suited for
species that are at risk of disappearing around the world
some native nuts that grow in California
the systems in place to collect or manage water absorption in this drought-filled region of the world
how Simone speaks to/interviews people related to food justice and more
building riverbeds to allow for water flow/capture that waste less water
where Simone is on the here-and-now versus dopaminergic spectrum
the book Tending The Wild by Kat Anderson
a message for all the people

Glad to have Simone join on this one.

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203: Romeo | DJing Hip Hop On The Radio, From Power 106 to 93.5 KDAY

Welcome to episode 203 of the show, where we have radio DJ, host, and personality Romeo from 93.5 KDAY, and previously Power 106 with Dejai of the Goodfellas, joining as a guest~.

From his public bio, “Growing up in the music business, Romeo always wanted to be a singer and a writer, but he never thought that his career and blessings would come through the radio. After meeting someone in his apartment complex, the conversation came up about radio and the rest is history.

Fifteen years later, Romeo has sung the National Anthem for the Lakers, Sparks, Dodgers, Kings, and LA Galaxy. He has also produced jingles for BET — all the while maintaining a great career in radio. He says waking up doing the Morning Show on 93.5 KDAY has been a longtime dream that has now come true.”

On this episode, we discussed:

how he started his career at Power 106, and how he got on to there with his friend Dejai
some of the individuals who Romeo has met along the way, like Aaliyah, Jennifer Lopez, or DJ Quik, and some stories related to them
information about the radio industry and about song selection
music and performing that Romeo has done in the past, and will do
how 93.5 KDAY and Power 106 are connected as radio networks
Romeo’s leadership ability and where it comes from
being heard, standing out, and being humble
how Romeo got back into radio after being off of it for some time
how hip hop has adjusted in form over the last decade or two
where to get fuel for the fire of your motivation
and did a paired freestyle to each other’s beats

You can check out Romeo on the radio in Los Angeles on 93.5 KDAY, see him at public events related to the radio station, or listen to him on the podcast “Tha Goodfellas and Porscha Coleman ‘UNCUT’.

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202: Dr. Robin Hanson | Career, Viewpoints And Articles From His Blog “Overcoming Bias”

Welcome to episode number 202, with Dr. Robin Hanson, co-author of The Elephant in the Brain: Hidden Motives in Everyday Life.

Robin Hanson is associate professor of economics at George Mason University, and research associate at the Future of Humanity Institute of Oxford University. He has a doctorate in social science from California Institute of Technology, master’s degrees in physics and philosophy from the University of Chicago, and nine years experience as a research programmer, at Lockheed and NASA.

On my episode with Dr. Hanson, we discussed topics and tangents connecting off of his blog articles and book messages, including:

having a thing, whether it be a viewpoint or something you stand for
hidden motives and the ways they can be look at more rationally
the concept of the Great Filter, which is a viewpoint about the universe and lack of activity beyond our planet
viewquakes, and the ability to bring individuals to growth through change of their thinking that is not rigid
a message to young eccentrics, the value and efficiencies that they have, and how they can look at themselves
the way that Edward Snowden was a form of hero, and what kinds of traits Dr. Hanson might look for in relevant individuals
Black Mirror translating some of the scientific messages available to a broader audience
how stories are used by people, and if they are somewhat religious in the way that they function
more topics on the mindset that you take to a difficulty

You can check out Dr. Robin Hanson’s blog at Overcoming Bias, look at his faculty page, or check out his biography. You can also take a look at my past text interview with Dr. Hanson and his The Elephant in the Brain co-author Kevin Simler.

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201: Dr. Daniel Z. Lieberman | Dopamine, Creativity, Love, And Progression In “The Molecule of More”

Dr. Daniel Z. Lieberman, co-author of The Molecule of More: How a Single Chemical in Your Brain Drives Love, Sex, and Creativity–And Will Determine the Fate of the Human Race, joins on episode 201 of the show~.

He divides his time between teaching, writing, and patient care. He is a clinical psychiatrist who received his medical degree from New York University School of Medicine, after undergraduate work at St John’s College. He is Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at George Washington University, and is also Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs.

In this episode, we discussed:

Dr. Lieberman’s career, and the steps he took to be where he is at
some of the nice features of the Great Books program at St. John’s College
the details of his co-written book that focuses on dopamine
anticipatory effects and the connection to the unexpected
how drugs give hits of dopamine, and the pull to return to them
percentages of rewards needed to keep people playing games or using social media
desire dopamine versus control dopamine, and how dopaminergic individuals can flourish
agentic and affiliative relationships, and the people who prefer each type
control dopamine’s importance inhibiting aggression driven by passion
7R variant of the D4 receptor gene for dopamine and its link to migration
conservative and liberal perspective, and their connection to a dopamine or H&N(here-and-now) based set of neurotransmitters
liability of dopaminergic individuals, and their elements of most success
how to take into account one’s state for balance purposes
and more

You can check out his website here, or take a look at his book The Molecule of More on Amazon. It was voted on Forbes as one of the Must-Read Brain Books of 2018.

Glad to have Dr. Lieberman on the show.

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200: Professor Scott E. Page | Modeling, Complex Systems, And Applications In “The Model Thinker”

welcome Professor Scott. E Page, Ph. D., of the University of Michigan, to episode 200 of the show
he currently teaches complex systems, computer science, and economics
also has taught an online course to initially 60000 people, and then a million people in its second iteration
on this episode, we discussed his career, many of the models presented in the book, and some applications of them in this world
many-models approach to modeling, that helps prevent modeling gaps
Markov models and their ability to represent an equilibrium state, with percentages representing transfer from one state to another
the impact of diversity on complex systems, which has been a large part of Professor Page’s focus, also in his earlier books The Diversity [Bonus] and Diversity and Complexity
how socioeconomic status is more likely to continue at the lower and upper bounds than for middle class folks, though they are 50% likely
discussion about entropy as representation of uncertainty, and how it differs from variance equitability of options
the Matthew effect of some support for something causing more support for it, causing a snowball
opioid models, and some of the issues with their treatment
we covered other topics not listed here, and it was great to speak with Professor Page about his material, which I am also interested in
you can check out The Model Thinker on Amazon, look at Professor Page’s Michigan webpage, or look at a listing of all his books.

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199: Yossef Sagi | Spiritual Guidance Of Consciousness To Connection And Individuality

welcome Yossef to episode 199 of the show(last of the 100s)
this episode was recorded in Culver City and and set in place by Melanie
Yossef is a professional trainer coach from a spiritual framework
we discussed many elements of internal being
a story related to his kindergarten teacher and our impact on others by being our selves as we are
helping people build self-love instead of seeking what’s wrong with them
getting back to being a student when away from your craft for too long
how figures are often deified when there could be more focus on letting each of us be our own great light
going with your inner feeling as you progress through an endeavor or connection
Yossef’s participation in a repressive group and how he started to see it as off, and then exiting and seeing that kind of form
preventing oneself from hitting a plateau of growth that is comfortable
Yossef’s great message of what he would say to all
a cool description of myself and my way of action
great to have Yossef on the show~
the podcast he mentioned that he was on is RichardListens

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