Finding Genius Podcast

In this episode, we sit down with Joan Cohen to discuss her latest book, The Deepfake: A Novel . Newly released in April 2024, Joan takes us on a journey into the life of Sylvie,  an employee at an AI company. In this gripping story, we are confronted with the ethics of AI, corporate scandals, and a woman’s self-discovery. This incredibly well-timed and thought-provoking narrative highlights the potentially harmful effects of powerful technology with wisdom – with an added bit of romance, too…  Joan is a Massachusetts-based author with a background in sales & marketing at computer hardware and software companies. Once she retired, she returned to school to pursue an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Since then, she has written two books, including The Deepfake and her 2019 release, The Land of Last Chances: A Novel . Join us now to explore: Why Joan decided to write a book on AI. When and why creatives started paying attention to AI. The difference b...

The queen bee has to get it right when she mates, because she only has one intense mating session for the duration of her life. The queen bee's anatomy and basic honey bee biology work together for success and Julian Rangel Posada tells listeners how. Listen and learn Why the queen flies a mile away to mate as well as other interesting details of honey bee social behavior,  What the exact mechanics of honey bee mating are and why drones are "expensive" to maintain, and What she's researching about pollen choice and lipid-to-protein ratios that help bees maintain health and improve recovery from viruses they contract from types of mites. Juliana Rangel Posada is an associate professor of apiculture in the Department of Entomology and leads the Texas A&M University Honey Bee Research Program. She studies biotic and abiotic factors affecting bee health. The number one problem for honey bees is the varroa mite, and she starts the conversation addressing how he...

From smelly footprints and dances to furry coats and long tongues, Professor Dave Goulson from the University of Sussex talks about it all. We often refer to “bees” as though there’s only one kind, but in fact, over 20,000 species of bee have been identified. Goulson shares fascinating data and insights primarily on two: the bumblebee and the honeybee . Press play to discover: How bumblebees and honeybees differ (in many, many ways!) What two critical pieces of information are conveyed by the waggle dance of honeybees What sensing ability of bees explains why a bee may or may not choose to land on a flower for pollen or nectar Goulson’s lifelong captivation by insects led to a fascination of bees in his adult life, and for the past 25 years, he’s been studying them. Initially, the focus of his research was on the foraging strategies of different species of bee, but it’s since shifted to an investigation of why bee populations are declining, and what can be done about it. As a ...

One in every three bites you take are made possible by honey bee pollination. Keeping bees healthy and productive is essential. Honey bee reproduction depends on a queen's ability to have one mating session, store sperm for years, and lay about 1,000 eggs a day during the warmer months: an amazing honey bee characteristic among many. Brandon Hopkins shares fascinating honey bee behavioral adaptations in this discussion. Listen and learn How a queen's anatomy and sperm morphology work to make this reproduction effective, What storage methods are best for honey bees to make the large almond yield in California possible, and How these storage methods also work best to deter certain types of mites from overtaking colonies.  Brandon Hopkins is an assistant research professor and the apiary and laboratory manager with the Washington State University Apiary Program. Studying reproductive biology across different animals led him to a honey bee obsession. "They're fas...

Bee keeping is an ancient practice: even prehistoric cave paintings in Spain depict a keeper reaching for a hive to collect honey while holding a smoker to calm the bees. Cameron Jack shares some of the more interesting details of this ancient art with lucky listeners. Tune in and hear How honey bee characteristics , bee anatomy , and evolution have led to optimal frame and hive size for beekeepers to follow, Why bees are considered a superorganism, which means a honey bee can't survive on its own, and is organized by queen, brooders, and workers, and Why Cameron Jack's prime interest is managing honey bee diseases and pests and what are the main areas of concern.  Cameron Jack holds the unusual position of one-hundred percent lecturer at the University of Florida. He's still involved in research and extension work, but his full lecturer designation means his beekeeping course list at the University of Florida is probably the most extensive college-level beekeeping ...

It's estimated that 20% of our food is dependent on honey bee pollination. Meanwhile, recent news has highlighted concerns like viral diseases of the honey bee to mites to invading "killer" bees. It's hard to keep straight where honey bee diseases and treatments stand. This conversation does the trick, leaving listeners with a clear and fascinating vision of what's up with the honey bee. Listen and learn Where do our current North American honey bee populations stand and where do they fit in the larger picture of bees worldwide, What pests and diseases of the honey bee and control measures are entomologists most involved with, and How do these concerns fit within agricultural, ecology, and the backyard beekeeper. Jamie Ellis is the Gahan Endowed Professor in the Entomology and Nematology Department at the University of Florida. Fascinated with bees since childhood, he took care of his first honey bee hive at age 12 and hasn't looked back since. He...

It's hard to imagine a world without honey, much less all the fruits they pollinate. That's one reason Zachary Huang's research into honey bee stressors is so important. Listen in as he teaches listeners about Primary bee stressors, including parasites, pathogens, pesticides, and agricultural transportation, In-depth information regarding their primary stressor, the Varroa   mite and how it harms the honey bee, and Honey bee characteristics that make them especially vulnerable to these stressors. Zachary Huang is an associate professor in the Department of Entomology at Michigan State University. He's also an avid photographer of all-things-honey bee, including the plants they pollinate. Honey bees face many stressors and are on the decline. Researchers across the country are trying to figure out why. Dr. Huang tells listeners about the Varroa destructor mite, which hitchhiked from Brazil or Asia on bees into North America. These purplish-red mites are about t...