Wow. I've listened to about half of the episodes at this point and I just listened to this episode, which is my all time favorite. Each time I begin an episode, I hope for it to be as good at this one. I got chills when Steve Strogatz said, "There's a law of nature." I'm so inspired. Thank you for creating such a great show :)

Hi guys, I recently discovered your show and LOVE IT. Amazing stuff. Had a quick question for you on your yellow fluff program.
Jad - at about 28 minutes into the program, you made a statement that was something to the effect of, "I dont think anything we have learned in the last couple hundred years would lead me to believe that we are the center of anything." This was in response to assigning purpose to our being intelligent.
Without ascribing an argument for or against intelligence, I would offer a rather significant scientific finding that points directly to us as being central -
Einstein's theory of relativity. In a nut shell, the laws of physics are entirely dependant upon YOU, the observer. Jad, YOU are the center of the Universe, and so am I.
Thanks for the great show.
-Joe

I'm currently taking a graduate level chemistry class and just happened to listen to the 'Yellow Fluff' podcast the other day, how ironic! Loved the periodic table song :)
I LOVE your show - keep up the great work!

Love the show, but I agree about all the sound effects. Once in awhile is fine, but it really gets to be irritating. My son screamed "Turn it off!!!" when the periodic table cheerleaders started. Ugh.

The part about Oliver Sacks having a periodic table in the bathroom was funny but not that uncommon. I have a periodic table shower curtain. I googled it after I saw it on the Big Bang Theory. The periodic table wasn't fun when I was in school, but I love it now!

Does anyone know the name of the song that plays at the end of the botfly segment, as the biologist is saying that the botfly larvae did not survive? It's the plaintive woodwind solo... sounds very familiar.

I LOVE RADIOLAB!!!!! I am SO hooked... Keep doin' what you're doin'

THANK YOU

jenny - that's the Prelude from J.S. Bach's first cello suite in G

Can anyone clue me in as to the title and composer of that very familiar, very tremulous bit of violin solo occurring near the end of the periodic table story?

The questions that the show inspired (planted) was what is the relationship between discovery and invention?

Invention:
1: discovery , finding
2: productive imagination : inventiveness
3 a: something invented: as (1): a product of the imagination ; especially : a false conception (2): a device, contrivance, or process originated after study and experiment b: a short keyboard composition featuring two- or three-part counterpoint
4: the act or process of inventing

Discovery
1 a: the act or process of discovering b (1)archaic : disclosure (2)obsolete : display cobsolete : exploration
2: something discovered
3: the usually pretrial disclosure of pertinent facts or documents by one or both parties to a legal action or proceeding

Those are the definitions for the terms in question. I have to start there but I think most people consider the difference is that a discovery is gotten by observation and invention is a creation of the imagination.

The questions: Could God be the universe? If there is no difference between the metaphorical version of God and the universe and the laws that guide it does it make either less "magical"? Science and Religion started out as the same thing (how man explains the universe). Are there laws (order) at work that give rise to these discoveries? Are these "laws" only observed because we are human and hardwired to find order or are humans the product of the laws and obverse the laws because they dictate that we are to do so? lol, do the laws that define the universe give rise to humans (or humanlike beings) just for us to observe them? how different is that from a God what creates an entire universe to give rise to humans just so they admire/worship him/her/it?

In answer to Fiona's question (1/30/09), it's from the first movement (Prélude) from Bach's Cello Suite no. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007.

Hey Fiona, the music you asked about is
J.S. Bach's Cello Suite 1, Prelude in G major.

Here is my favorite version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCd8107kiPg

What is the music playing toward the end of the Oliver Sacks segment, around the times 16:40-17:50?

Found this video on the other comments section:
http://polardiscovery.whoi.edu/expedition2/video-camper2.html
If you look around that website there are also some pictures.

First: If I could marry Radiolab, I would.

Second: I just watched Werner Herzog's new film, "Encounters At the End of the World" -- in which Herzog travels to Antarctica, and documents the continent, as well as the strange and fantastic people that inhabit and study that landscape. A brilliant film well worth the time of any human that is fascinated by the intersection of science and imagination.

AND ALSO! I believe that there is little bit of footage of the famed YELLOW FLUFF. Sadly, I am no biologist -- and this yellow fluff may be another yellow fluff. It's likely just SOME yellow fluff. Just watch the movie, and take whatever kind of yellow fluff you can get.

This is my favorite episode so far. Every section was interesting and frequently hilarious. While the last part was revolting it was also fascinating. Love the show!

Eric - I guess you are right but really, Robert Krulwich should lay off. Also he laughs at everything. I mean how funny is science really. It's grating.

08Nova-

If you think Radiolab is a science podcast then you don't really understand what it is that they are doing. This episode in particular is meant to talk about that moment of Awe in discovery, but I think that is a good description of the overall goal of Radiolab. If it was just a science podcast, then why all the sound effects, why all the audio attempts at visualization and understanding? I think the beauty of this podcast is that it attempts to extrapolate science and explore the ideas of science in ways that are accessible and awe inspiring. I actually enjoy the times when radio lab is brave enough to draw back the curtain of awe and ask questions about what is behind it. Whether I like what they find behind that curtain or not.

A science podcast is no place for Robert Krulwich's religious views. Robert Krulwich, keep your mouth shut when the time comes, which it does in every podcast, that you think the answer involves some grand designer of the universe. I'm not here for a sermon from church! Example from the podcast:
Robert: "You know in the Bible God creates a bit of the universe every day. But at the end of each day, almost as a necessary function, God says 'and it was good.'"
Jada: "He gives himself a grade."
Robert: "So maybe in a way this is just the atom's way of admiring itself. 'Cause what is a scientist, just a bunch of atoms."
Jada: "Yeah you know, it's a nice idea. But actually in the end I don't buy it. No. Because he's saying, the purpose of the universe is to create thinking beings, like us to examine it, and the best examiners of them all are the physicists. Well guess what, here's a physicist... I don't think anything that we've learned in science in the past couple hundred years would lead us to believe we are the center of anything."
Robert: "Well I think most scientists in the world would agree with you."
Jada: "And one more thing."
Robert: "But I don't care!"
Jada: "Just on the level of aesthetics, of beauty, isn't it more beautiful to think that this is all an accident?" Robert: "I HATE that idea."
Jada: "Why?"
Robert: "I HATE... You think that all of this beauty coming into being by accident is better..."
Jada: "Than having some purpose? Because if it has a purpose it means it's supposed to be here and if it's supposed to be here then it's just somehow a little less amazing. Do you know what I mean?
Robert: "Yes. I just think you're wrong."

Jad, Robert, RadioLab Team,

As always, you have produced entertaining and thought provoking content. Thank you.

I would differ with Alan Lightman's perspective. If we cross reference Brian Greene's words in the RadioLab podcast of The (Multi) Universe(s), about the predictability of a bird's flight, with this broadcast, it’s not just two people who can have the same scientific idea, but also an artistic construct. Believe it has something to do with a shared set of experiences, shared similar or identical input, and the persons’ similar capacity to interpret that input; and we, as humans, have constructed our society to distinguish between science and art, and existence itself has no such constraints, which it has placed upon itself.

I agree with Paul Davies that the universe has engineered humans, and/or other life to enable them to understand the cosmos design, self comprehension, because after all, we are a part of the cosmos. It makes sense that the cosmos would birth, and gradually achieve self awareness..?

However, I disagree with Paul Davies that science is somehow greater in value than art. What we call art is the way the human mind is able to understand, and interpret the cosmos design when we are not able to articulate it precisely in mathematical, science equations. When art is appreciated collectively, by people other than the creator of the poem or painting, its like collectively accepted 'truth' akin to the collective acceptance of mathematical, scientific equations describing the cosmos.

The periodic table of elements - 'Human Construct or [cosmic] Divine Order'

Again, it people's tendency to categorize, why can’t it be ‘One' and the same…?

I love this show, but having a bunch of kids screaming the periodic table is not cute or fun, it's really annoying and a little painful.

The final section was very unpleasant. Count me as one person who was relieved to discover that the fly couldn't survive in the temperate zone of Boston. Yikes.

I was so excited by the first 2 stories on this podcast (the periodic table 10 commandments and the 2 researchers studying a problem light years away and coming to the same conclusion) and the question introduced of science, are we discovering or imposing things like the periodic table? Are we uncovering patterns or inventing them to make the universe accessible? I really lost some sleep turning this question and it's implications over and over in my head.

I would have loved it if the last half hour continued on this tack. This episode is exactly why I love radio lab and it's ability to ask big questions of good science. Thanks for ruining my sleep!!

The link seems to be broken, i can only listen to a few seconds. Also the podcast download stops after a about 700k.

I would like to have the names of the guests on this show. Why is there no "other information" on the website? Also I've said it before, if you guys would tame the special effects a little bit the show would be a lot better.

Fantastic episode yet again! I second Johnlos - anyone have any links to some videos of this yellow fluff?

I just loved this episode..I laughed out loud when Jad and Robert described how they crammed into Oliver Sacks' toilet to discover a periodic table there...But it really conveys the excitement of discovery in science.

u know where videos of the 'yellow fluff' can be found? a cursory google search turned up nothing...

The episode doesn't show up in the podcast/rss feed.