omega tau » podcast (en)

124 – The Concordia Sailplane

MaNo — Mon, 06 May 2013 18:33:33 +0000

This episode is a conversation with Dick Butler, pilot and head of design and construction for Concordia, currently the world’s most advanced sailplane. In the episode we discuss the team behind Concordia, the design challenges, the unique aspects of construction as well as Dick’s preliminary experience flying the airplane.

122 – Artificial Intelligence

MaNo — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 08:45:16 +0000

In this episode we talk to UT Austin’s Ray Mooney about artificial intelligence. We start out by providing an overview over the field in general. We discuss some historical aspects as well as some of its subfields. We then spend some time looking at Ray Mooney’s own specialties: machine learning and natural language processing. We conclude the episode with a brief conversation about IBM’s Watson, the computer than won the jeopardy game.

121 – Perceptual Systems

MaNo — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:49:11 +0000

In this episode we discuss perception and perceptual systems with Wilson S. Geisler, who is the director of the Center for Perceptual Systems at UT Austin. We discuss perception in general and about approaches used in perception research including neuroscience and computation and modeling. We discuss in some detail Bill’s own field work work on vision and visual perception.

120 – Flying CAE’s Falcon 50 Simulator

MaNo — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 19:21:24 +0000

This episode covers my flights in CAE‘s Dassault Falcon 50 simulator at CAE’s Dallas/Ft. Worth Training Center. In the episode we first talk to the head of business aviation operations about CAE’s flight training branch in general. The main part of the episode covers my three short flights in the Falcon 50 simulator with my flight instructor Paul Gilbert. In the third part, Paul and I talk about his job as a simulator flight instructor in general. And yes, I managed to land the plane several times :-)

119 – Chaos

MaNo — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 14:09:39 +0000

This episode is about chaos, or more specifically non-linear dynamics and sensitive dependency on initial conditions. We talk to Harry Swinney and Michael Marder, both from UT Austin’s Center for Nonlinear Dynamics. We discuss the basics of chaos, the kinds of systems that exhibit chaotic behavior, fractals, the phase space and the strange attractor. We also discussed practical applications of chaos theory and Harry’s and Michael’s current work.

117 – Genetics, Computational Biology and Social Behavior

MaNo — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 12:01:14 +0000

This episode is a conversation with UT Austin’s Hans Hofmann about a number of related topics in biology. We start with computational biology and bioinformatics (the original topic of the episode). From there we moved into genetics and DNA sequencing as an example for where comptutational biology is used. Finally, we talked about Hans’ own research on biological foundations of social behavior.

Listener Survey Results

MaNo — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 13:45:06 +0000

In this episode we discuss the results of the recent listener survey. We discuss the overall structure of the audience and also look at some of the suggestions for improvement you gave us as part of the feedback. One result of the survey is that very few people listen only to the German episodes — this is why we publish the survey results only in English :-)

116 – Walking in Space

MaNo — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 14:34:54 +0000

In this episode we talk about extra-vehicular activities, also known as spacewalking, with former astronaut Tom Jones. In the episode we cover the underwater training in the Neutral Buoyancy Lab, we talk about the preparation of the space walk in the shuttle, and of course we discuss the spacewalking itself. In particular, we talk about Tom’s participation in the STS-98 spacewalks that installed the Destiny lab onto the ISS.

Note: I forgot in the episode to thank some listeners for the questions they contributed: Daniel Hölbling, Andrew Moylan, Henning Krause, Mathias Menzer, Ekki Beyer-Christoph, Jake Brownson, Clive van Hilten, and somebody called Tim. Sorry for that.

115 – Biosphere 2

MaNo — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 09:09:14 +0000

This episode is a conversation with Mitchell Pavao-Zuckerman about Biosphere 2. In the episode we discuss Biosphere 2 itself, its history and the missions that have been run there. We then discuss today’s research at Biosphere 2: among others, this includes the Landscape Evolution Observatory and the Green Roofs project.

113 – The (creation of the) Moon

MaNo — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 08:30:29 +0000

This episode covers the moon, and in particular, its creation. We talk to the two scientists who came up with the theory of the moon’s creation that is still prevalent today: Don Davis and Bill Hartmann In the episode we discuss in detail their theory that the moon has been created by an impact event into earth, as well as some of the history of this theory. We also discuss other space related topics such as water on the moon, human vs. robotic space flight, and flights to Mars.

112 – Planetary Science and Comets

MaNo — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 11:31:06 +0000

This is the first of two episodes recorded at the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona. This episode has two interviews. The first one, with Mark Sykes, the director of PSI, is about the PSI and planetary science in general. The second interview is with Beatrice Mueller about her research area, comets.

111 – Optical Astronomy and the Large Binocular Telescope

MaNo — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 16:05:24 +0000

This epsiode covers my visit at the Large Binocular Telescope near Tucson, Arizona. The episode is mostly a conversation with the telescope’s director, Richard Green. We talk about optical astronomy in general and the LBT in particular. I also talk to a scientist who is currently observing at the telescope as well as a telescope operator.

110 – Curiosity’s Landing on Mars

MaNo — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 16:50:36 +0000

This episode is a conversation with JPL‘s Anita Sengupta about Curiosity’s landing on Mars. We first discuss the landing process itself and then focus on various aspects of the landing, in particular, the parachute. Next we discuss the development and test of that parachute. We conclude the episode with a general discussion about Mars Science Lab, Curiosity and space flight in general.

109 – Flying the U-2 Dragon Lady

MaNo — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 17:26:36 +0000

This is the long-awaited episode about the Lockheed U-2 Dragon Lady reconnaissance airplaine, the highest-flying jet-powered airplane currently in use. Our guest in the episode is Carl LaRue who has been flying the U-2C and the U-2R in the 60s and 70s. In the episode we discuss the airplane itself, the challenge of flying it, as well as a number of anecdotes surrounding the Dragon Lady.

U-2 Videos:

Links:

106 – Game Theory

MaNo — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 10:52:06 +0000

In this episode we talk to Ryan Murphy of ETH Zuerich about Game Theory. We introduce the topic in general, discuss a number of important games and also address their applicability for various other sciences, including biology, politics and economics.

104 – Space Flight Dynamics

MaNo — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 19:01:01 +0000

In this episode we talk to Rainer Kresken of ESA ESOC Darmstadt about orbital mechanics and space flight dynamics. We have obviously addressed this topic in earlier episodes, this episode really diggs down deeper, and helped me understand the concepts and the challenges much better.

102 – Discovering the Higgs

MaNo — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 20:06:11 +0000

This episode wraps up our recent coverage on particle physics by discussing in some detail the recent discovery of a Higgs particle. Our guest in this episode is Kerstin Borras who heads up the CMS group at DESY. We recap the role of the Higgs very briefly, look in some detail at the two detectors CMS and ATLAS, discuss the importance of the famous five sigma and look at the process by which such a discovery is confirmed and (re-)checked.

The recent particle physics episodes: The Standard Model, Neutrinos, Antimatter, and Controlling the LHC Beam.

Links:

100 – System Health Management

MaNo — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 05:59:39 +0000

In this 100th episode of omega tau we talk to Dr. Stephen B. Johnson about system health management, a set of techniques and processes used to improve system dependability. The episode is based on a book Stephen co-edited, and as a consequence of Stephen’s background, we use aerospace examples in this episode. We discuss the fundamental concepts such as functions, states and the state vector, failures and faults. We then discuss the influence of complexity on failures, as well as human involvement. We discuss means to prevent failures such as fault isolation, redundancy and model adjustment. We conclude the three-hour conversation by looking at the future of systems engineering and system health management with a particular focus on formal methods.

If you are interested in fault tolerance in software, I suggest you listen to part 1 and part 2 of the interview with Bob Hanmer on SE Radio.

98 – Kitepower: Airborne Wind Energy

MaNo — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 18:37:25 +0000

This episode is a conversation about airborne wind energy. In particular, we talk to Roland Schmehl who leads a team of researchers and engineers at TU Delft who develop the Kitepower system. In this system, kites are automatically flown in a pumping pattern to extract energy from wind as an alternative to classical ground-based wind turbines. In the conversation we cover the benefits of airborne wind energy in general and of kites in particular and we cover in some detail how the Delft system works technically.

97 – How Apollo Explored the Moon

MaNo — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 16:11:08 +0000

This is the long-awaited follow-up to the first Apollo episode, once again with W. David Woods, author of How Apollo Flew to the Moon. In this episode we cover that part that we omitted in the first episode: the time on the moon. We talk about life support, the various scientific instruments and experiments as well as the technology and use of the lunar rover (about which David is actually writing another book).

96 – Controlling the LHC Beam

MaNo — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 07:30:54 +0000

In this fourth (and for the time being, last) episode in the series on physics at CERN we look at the LHC from the perspective of the beam producers, and more specifically, from the perspective of the control system for the LHC. To this end, we first talk to Vito Baggiolini, a software engineer in the controls group, and then we talk to Felix Ehm, a technical engineer for the beam control system. In the episode we recap what the LHC does and how it does it (you may want to re-listen to Episode 30 on the LHC), discuss the hardware elements used for beam control, some of the safety and security systems, as well as about the software aspects of the system.

I would like to thank Chris Mann from Mannmade Productions for letting me use the soundtrack of his LHC video in this episode.

After recording the episode, Vito noticed a couple of errata in the conversation:

03:35 LEP was shutdown at the end of 2000, not in 2003
04:45 CLIC study: the CLIC study facility at CERN is small (150m), only a real linear collider will be 30 km or longer
07:30 There are not 5 but 6 LHC experiments (Atlas, CMS, Alice, LHCb, TOTEM, LHCf)
28:53 Beam dump material is graphite framed in concrete, there is no copper.
30:00 Loosing the beam in an uncontrolled manner would not “destroy all our precious magnets”, but it could destroy a few magnets and other precious equipment.
53:12 Real-time feedback is given only to corrector magnets, not all. The beam is instable (like a helicopter) only during the ramp.
56:00 In 2011 we have had magnet quenches, but only at low energy levels, not at high energy.
56:50 UFOs = Unidentified Falling (not Flying) Objects
59:30 You have to take a key to show if your inside or outside the tunnel (not the inside or outside the beam)

And, as usual, here are some links:

95 – Antimatter

MaNo — Thu, 17 May 2012 18:49:17 +0000

This episode is a conversation with CERN’s Niels Madsen about Antimatter. We first discuss theoretical aspects about the topic, and then focus on the ALPHA Experiment. Since Niels is an experimentalist and has helped building essential parts of the experiment, we discuss the experiment in some detail.

94 – Neutrinos

MaNo — Sat, 05 May 2012 06:56:22 +0000

In this episode we discuss neutrinos. In the first part we talk with CERN’s Gian Giudice about the theory of neutrinos; we also discuss what it would mean if they were actually faster than light. Part two is a conversation with Edda Gschwendtner about the CERN Neutrinos to Gran Sasso experiment and the OPERA detector.

CERN Neutrinos to Gran Sasso
Gran Sasso National Laboratory
Gran Sasso Lab Layout (Picture)
Gran Sasso Lab Entrance (Picture)
OPERA Detector (Picture)
Neutral Current
MINOS/NuMI
Cherenkov Radiation
Photomultiplier
Super-Kamiokande
IceCube
OPERA
OPERA Detector (Diagram)
OPERA Picture Gallery
ICARUS
CERN SPS
Slide Deck on Cern Neutrinos to Gran Sasso Setup

93 – The Standard Model of Particle Physics

MaNo — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 18:32:49 +0000

This is the first episode in a series of episodes on particle physics and related research at CERN. In this episode we are talking to John Ellis about the standard model of particle physics, which is the current “big picture” about how subatomic matter and fields work.

92 – Building and Living on the ISS

MaNo — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 08:34:58 +0000

This episode is a conversation with ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli about the construction of and life on the ISS. As part of the STS-120 shuttle mission, Paolo was involved in installing the Harmony Module onto ISS. Later he served as a flight engineer on board ISS, as part of Expeditions 26 and 27. In the episode we talk about his two missions and compare the experiences on the Shuttle, the ISS and the Soyuz.

91 – Flying the SR-71 Blackbird

MaNo — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 17:27:50 +0000

In this episode we discuss the world’s fastest and highest flying jet-powered aircraft ever built, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. Our guest is Col. (Ret) Richard Graham, a former SR-71 pilot. Our conversation is loosely based on his book Flying the SR-71, and we discuss the challenge of flying the SR-71. As a consequence of its unique capabilities and its engine and inlet design, the aircraft posed a number of very specific challenges on the pilot.

86 – Roller Coaster Design

MaNo — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:39:50 +0000

In this conversation with Nick Weisenberger of Coaster 101 we discuss some of the engineering aspects that go into coaster design. We cover accelerations, speed control, banking as well as various kinds of lifts and other launch systems.

83 – How Apollo Flew to the Moon

MaNo — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:43:47 +0000

This episode is a conversation with W. David Woods about his wonderful book How Apollo Flew to the Moon where he describes in great length all the detail a geek wants to know about how the Apollo spacecraft and the flights to the Moon worked. In the episode, we basically go through an Apollo mission and discuss aspects such as the mission structure, the workshare between the crew and mission control, communication and telemetry, guidance and navigation, approach, landing and re-launch on the Moon as well as re-entry and landing on earth.

Apollo Flight Journal
How Apollo Flew to the Moon: David’s Site, and at Amazon
Saturn V
Apollo
John Houbolt
Hohmann transfer orbit
Inertial measurement unit
Apollo Guidance Computer
DSKY
Unified S-Band
Quindar tones
8 Ball (you can buy it :-))
REFSMAAT
PAD
Hypergolics
Celestial mechanics

81 – Geophysical Modeling in Oil Exploration

MaNo — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 16:47:03 +0000

This episode is a conversation with Michael Commer of the Berkeley Lab about geophyiscal modeling in oil exploration. We start with a brief discussion about how oil gets created and in which geological formations it can be found. We then proceed to talk about various means of finding oil using various means and techniques. The majority of the episode’s conversation revolves around how numerical mathematics can help interpret, refine and work with exploration results.

76 – The European Transonic Windtunnel

MaNo — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 17:11:35 +0000

This episode is a conversation with Dieter Schimanski, the Manager Test & Operations of the European Transonic Windtunnel. In late June of 2011 I had the chance to visit the facility. The episode starts out with a one hour conversation about aerodynamics and the concepts behind the ETW. The rest of the episode is essentially an audio report of the tour I took of the facility. To better grasp the magnitude of the facility, I recommend you take a look at the picture gallery.

73 – Flight Testing at NASA Dryden

MaNo — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:59:36 +0000

In this episode I talk with NASA Dryden Test Pilot Dick Ewers about his work now and in the past. We start by revisiting his test pilot training at the US Navy Test Pilot School, and proceed to talking about his involvement in early F-18 flight testing. We then compare this work to the F-18 work he does today, using the aeroelastic wing and autonomous air refuelling projects as examples. We conclude our conversation by discussing his pole overflights with the DC-8, as well as his hurricane penetration flights with that same aircraft.

Bio Dick Ewers

Dick and “his” F-18

NASA Dryden

Very nice Video about Flight Testing at Dryden

B-1

US Navy Test Pilot School

A-4

A-7

F-15

F-86

Active Aeroelastic Wing Project

B-52

U-2

Aerial Refuelling

Autonomous Aerial Refueling

Autonomous Aerial Refueling: The Video

Autonomous Aerial Refueling: Another Video

DARPA

Autonomous Formation Flying

Why Geese fly in Formation

V-Formation Flight of Birds

Pitot Tube

71 – Oracle Racing’s USA 17

MaNo — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 06:33:35 +0000

This episode is a conversation with Mike Drummond, the Executive Designer for OracleRacing. We talk about the USA 17 yacht which won the 33rd America’s Cup. We talk about the characteristics of the boat, the design process and how the boat is driven during a race.

70 – Viruses, Bacteria and other Parasites

MaNo — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 17:33:23 +0000

In this episode we talk to fellow podcasters Vincent Racaniello and Dickson Despommier about viruses, bacteria and other parasites. Among other topics we discuss what each kind of parasite is made of an how they interact with the human organism (in good and bad ways).

67 – Rendering the World with Outerra

MaNo — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 17:16:12 +0000

In this episode we talk with Brano Kemen about his Outerra project, a 3D planetary engine for seamless planet rendering from space down to the surface.. We discuss the history of the project, its most interesting features, some of the physics, as well as some details about the rendering in the system. I highly recommend taking a look at the Outerra Youtube Channel, specifically the Himalaya Trip and the Apache flight.

/63/ The Cassini Mission to Saturn

MaNo — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 15:44:49 +0000

This episode is about the Cassini Mission to Saturn. We talk with Nora Kelly Alonge, a Project Science System Engineer and Science Planning Engineer at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. In the episode we cover the Cassini spacecraft’s structure and sensors (and its lander, Huygens), some of the relevant science, as well as the challenge of coordinating science and engineering requirements on the mission.

/59/ Bitcoin – a Digital, Decentralized Currency

MaNo — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:34:49 +0000

This episode covers Bitcoin, a digital, decentralized currency. In our conversation with Gavin Andresen, the technical lead of the project, we cover basic economics of money, the way users interact with Bitcoin, as well as the technical implementation of the system. Bitcoin uses a couple of clever ideas about implementing distributed clocks and global ordering, and is a very nice example of applied cryptography.

/54/ Quantum Computing

MaNo — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 15:49:12 +0000

In this Episode, we talk about quantum computing. Our guest is Martin Laforest from the Institute for Quantum Computing at the University of Waterloo, Canada. We start with some physics basics, and then cover topics ranging from how quantum computing works, which different models of quantum computing are explored, current and future uses of the approach as well as the current state of the art. This is one of the more propellerhead-oriented episodes, so make sure you listen carefully :-)

/49/ Chip Production and Waferscanners

MaNo — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 07:22:17 +0000

In this episode we take a look at microchip production, with a special focus on waferscanners. To do this, we talked with Wilbert Albers of ASML, the leading waferscanner manufacturer in the world. In the episode, we talk about the overall chip production process (from silicon sand over wafer cutting to lithography and etching), and then we talk about the challenges of building high-precision, high-throughput waferscanners.

/46/ The NASA TC4 Project

MaNo — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 15:57:35 +0000

This is a conversation with Brian Toon about the NASA TC4 project. TC4 stands for “Tropical Composition, Cloud and Climate Coupling” and deals with the chemical, dynamic, and physical processes occurring in the tropical upper troposphere and tropopause transitional layer. In our conversation we cover some of the scientific goals of the project, the tools and technologies used (aircraft and satellites) as well as the general project organization. A later episode will cover the project from the perspective of an ER-2 pilot.

/43/ Flying the Space Shuttle

MaNo — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 19:17:17 +0000

In this episode we talk with Duane “Digger” Carey about flying the US Space Shuttle. We cover all the major phases of a shuttle flight (countdown, launch, orbit insertion, on orbit, breaking, reentry and landing) and discuss the activities of the pilot and commander. We also cover briefly some of the Shuttle’s systems. We conclude the episode with a brief look at Shuttle pilot and commander training.

Duane’s website
Duane “Digger” Carey at Wikipedia and Official NASA Bio
Digger’s flight, STS-109
The US Space Shuttle at NASA and at Wikipedia
Book: Jenkins, Space Shuttle, The History of the National Space Transportation System
MIT Open Courseware, Lecture Series on the Space Shuttle
APU
Launch Control Center
Mission Control Center
Open Loop Controller
SSME (Space Shuttle Main Engines)
SRB (Solid Rocket Booster)
Shuttle Abort Modes
Orbital Mechanics
delta-v
OMS (Orbital Maneuvering System)
RCS (Reaction Control System)
Vernier Thruster
Hubble Space Telescope
HSI (Horizontal Situation Indicator)
Artificial Horizon (Attitude Indicator)
Fly-by-Wire
TPS (Thermal Protection System)
ILS (Instrument Landing System)
MLS (Microwave Landing System)
Head-Up Display
STA (Shuttle Training Aircraft)
omega tau episode on the Vertical Motion Simulator
KC-135, and NASA’s version, the Vomit Comet
T-38 Talon
Duane’s commander, Scott Altman

/39/ Electron Microscopes

MaNo — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:11:20 +0000

This is an episode about electron microscopes with Bernard van Vlimmeren and Kees Kooijman of FEI Company. Among other things, we talk about the various kinds of electron microscopes, the components that go into electron microscopes, the important role of the sensors and a couple of example applications.

/36/ The 360 World Record

MaNo — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 08:00:48 +0000

This episode is a conversation with Flavien Guderzo (First Officer) and Tom Zorman (Operations) about the 360 World Record, where a crew of three and a couple of journalists flew around the world in a North American Sabreliner, establishing a new world record. In the episode we talk about the preparations for the flight as well as the flight itself from the perspective of the flight crew, as well as from the perspective of the operations on the ground.

360 World Record
Flavien Guderzo
Tom Zorman
Sonnig SA
JetEx
North American Sabreliner
F-86 Figher
Images of the plane at airliners.net
FAI
Steve Fossett and his Global Flyer record plane
Supercritical wing
Radio Navigation
VOR (Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Range)
NDB (Non Directional Beacon)
LORAN (Long Range Navigation)
FMS (Flight Management System)
Great Circle
GPS
ILS (Instrument Landing System)

The music in this episode is taken from X, the new album by Spock’s Beard.

/34/ Space Medicine and Telemedicine

MaNo — Tue, 18 May 2010 19:43:59 +0000

This episode is a conversation with NASA “space doctor” Jim Logan about space medicine and telemedicine. We start by defining the two concepts and how they relate. We then delve deeper into various specific medical issues in space (such as fluid shifts, bone mass loss and radiation). Next up is a discussion of the history of telemedicine and its relationship to space medicine, which leads us to looking astronauts can be treated for “normal” diseases from ground. We concluse the episode with an outlook on how telemedicine might develop in the future.

/33/ Deep Wreck Diving

MaNo — Thu, 06 May 2010 19:38:31 +0000

This episode is a conversation with John Chatterton about deep wreck diving. We cover some of the dangers and challenges, as well as the fascination of the sport. We also talk about the discovery of U 869, which was mainly John Chatterton’s achievement (as documented in the book Shadow Divers).

John Chatterton‘s website
Deep Wreck Diving (Wikipedia)
U 869 (Wikipedia)
Shadow Divers book, audio book

/31/ The Millennium Simulation

MaNo — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 18:12:49 +0000

This episode is a conversation with Volker Springel about the Millenium Simulation, which at the time was the largest simulation of the growth of cosmic structure, including a detailed model for the formation of galaxies and supermassive black holes. In the episode we talk about the physical/cosmological background, the simulation process and approach as well as some details about the hard- and software.

Volker Springel’s Website
The Millenium Simulation (Wikipedia)
VIRGO consortium
Cosmic Background Radiation (Wikipedia)
COBE Satellite (Wikipedia)
WMAP Satellite (Wikipedia)
Dark Matter (Wikipedia)
Dark Energy (Wikipedia)
Numerical Simulations (Wikipedia)
Fortran and C programming languages (Wikipedia)

/30/ The Large Hadron Collider

MaNo — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 09:38:07 +0000

This episode is a conversation with CERN’s Rolf Landua about the Large Hadron Collider. We start out by discussing the science and theory behind the LHC what the LHC aims to research, including the higgs boson, the standard model, super symmetry and extra dimensions. We then talked about how the LHC works (proton source, acceleration, superconducting magnets). We conclude the conversation by looking at the LHC experiments and discussing in some detail how the ATLAS detector works.

Rolf Landua website and at spiegel.de
CERNwebsite and info at Wikipedia
The Large Hadron Collider website and at Wikipedia
ATLAS Experiment
CMD Experiment
ALICE Experiment
LHCb Experiment
Big Bang
Peter Higgs
Higgs Boson
Spin
Boson
Fermion
Standard Model
Charm Quark
W and Z bosons
Weak Interaction
Tau Lepton
Neutrino
Super Symmetry
Planck Energy
Graviton
Grand Unified Theory
Superstring theory website, and at Wikipedia
Planck Length
LEP collider
Quarks
Gluons
CP Violation
Silicon Strip Detectors in ATLAS
Calorimeter
Hadronic Shower

/28/ Neutron Science at the ILL

MaNo — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:38:18 +0000

This episode covers neutron science at the Institut Laue Langevin in Grenoble. Helmut Schober and Ulli Köster cover what neutron science is used for, some interesting scientific experiments conducted at ILL as well as the physical fundamentals and the workings of the reactor and the detectors. We conclude the epsiode with a discussion of the ILL as a “research service facility” that offers all-around research support to visiting scientists.

/26/ Satellite Buses

MaNo — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:53:53 +0000

This is an episode on how satellites work with James Penson from Surrey Satellite Technology. Specifically we talk about satellite buses, the infrastructure part of the satellite on which the (typically scientific) payload is mounted. The conversation covers structure, thermal protection, energy supply, communication, guidance and attitude control as well as propulsion. This will be the last episode on space related topics for the time being :-)

/25/ Aerodynamic Lift Explained

MaNo — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:42:54 +0000

This episode is a bit different. I produced it together with Joe D’Eon from the wonderful Fly With Me podcast. Together, we explored the question of how aerodynamic lift really works – in other words: why airplanes fly. He went out and asked a fellow pilot about what he thinks how lift works. I went to the University of Stuttgart’s Intitute for Aero- and Gasdynamics and talked with Thorsten Lutz. He explained the details of how it works. If his explanation still doesn’t do it for you, take a look at Wikipedia. They have a couple of nice illustrations.

/23/ Ares Orion and Small Satellites at NASA Ames

MaNo — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 19:19:24 +0000

This is the third and final episode covering the interviews I did when I was visiting NASA Ames. It consits of two interviews. The first one is about Ames’ involvement in the Ares/Orion projects which are part of the Constellation moon/mars exploration programme. I talk about this with Dr. George Sarver. The second part of the episode covers small satellites and why they are becoming more and more important (compared to traditional, larger satellites). In this part, my guest is Elwood Agasid.

/22/ Nuclear Fusion at MPI für Plasmaphysik

MaNo — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:06:10 +0000

This episode covers my visit to the Max Plack Institut for Plasmaphysik where I spent a couple of hours with Matthias Reich talking about nuclear fusion. The episode has three parts. In part one we talk about the scienfic and physical basics of nuclear fusion. Part two covers some of the ways the MPI facilities work, and part three discusses the ASDEX Upgrade experiment at IPP in Garching.

/21/ Space Mission Control at ESA’s ESOC

MaNo — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:25:47 +0000

This episode covers my visit at the European Space Agency’s (ESA) European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt,Germany. After a short tour of the facilities with Andreas Schepers I had the chance to interview Uwe Feucht (Head of Flight Dynamics Division) on space flight dynamics and Paolo Ferri (Headof the Solar and Planetary Missions Division) on Mars Express, Venus Express and Rosetta.

Keplers Law of Planetary Motion
Orbital Classifications
Escape Velocity
Gravity Assist/Swing-By
Special Relativity
Rosetta at ESA and at Wikipedia
Mars Express at ESA and at Wikipedia
Venus Express at ESA and at Wikipedia
Ulysses at ESA and at Wikipedia
Cluster Mission at ESA and at Wikipedia

/19/ The Vertical Motion Simulator at NASA Ames

MaNo — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 07:38:28 +0000

This episode is a conversation with Bimal Aponso (branch chief for the Aerospace Simulation Research and Development Branch) about the NASA Vertical Motion Simulator at Ames. The VMS is the world’s largest flight simulator, and provides unrivaled realism regarding the accelerations and “feeling of real flight” it can create.
In the episode we first talk about how the VMS works, and how it is different from other flight simulators. We then cover some of the use cases for VMS (research, astronaut training) and discuss a couple of past research projects where VMS has been used. Finally, we take a tour of the actual simulator, and I get to see the cabin for the cockpits of the Space Shuttle and the Altair Lunar Surface Access Module

VMS Website
Bimal Aponso’s bio
Flight Simulation @ Wikipedia
Flight Dynamics @ Wikipedia, explains a number of the concepts and terms referred to in the episode

/18/ Astrobiology at the NASA Astrobiology Institute

MaNo — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 07:35:35 +0000

This episode is a conversation with Dr. Carl Pilcher, the director of the NASA Astrobiology Insititute at NASA Ames Research Center. The conversation comes in two parts. Part one covers the conceptual basics of astrobiology and life: what is life, what are the preconditions for life to exist, how to recognize it, etc. Part two looks at the process of trying to find places in the universe that could host life, primarily astronomical observations and missions to other planets.

About the NASA Astrobiology Insititute and Carl Pilcher, its director (at the bottom)
The NAI Director’s Seminar, a collection of video presentations on astrobiology
Wikipedia’s pages on life and astrobiology
The SETI Institute and their Podcast
Astronomycast, the podcast about astronomy

/16/ Radio Astronomy and the ALMA Telescope

MaNo — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:04:12 +0000

This episode is a discussion about radio astronomy and the ALMA observatory with ESO’s Robert Laing, the European instrument scientist for ALMA. The episode has three parts. The first part talks about the science of radio astronomy: current challenges and physical basics. The second part adresses how observing with radio astronomy actually works: the principles behind telescopes and how they are built and operated. Part three then looks at the ALMA observatory specifically, a new, large sub-millimeter radio interferometer currently built in the Atacama Desert in Chile.

/11/ Synchrotron Radiation Science at ESRF

MaNo — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 12:42:57 +0000

This episode is an interesting discussion about the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France. I had a chance to talk to Claus Habfast, physicist and head of communications for ESRF. ESRF is an accelerator facility the creates high-energy x-rays that are used for experiments in various areas of science, from biology to physics to materials science and chemistry. In the episode, Claus talks about how ESRF works, highlights a couple of interesting recent experiments and puts ESRF into the context of other accelerator laboratories.

/10/ (Marillion) Music Production

MaNo — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:53:42 +0000

This episode is a discussion with Mike Hunter, the producer of Marillion. We discuss various aspects of modern music production, from recording to sudio quality, to effects to mastering and live performances.

Effects: compression, reverb, echo/delay, EQ, limiting
Software: ProTools, Melodyne
Loudness War

/7/ Flight in a Motorglider (English Only!)

MaNo — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 08:36:31 +0000

This episode is the English version of Episode 1, the flight in the motorglider.

Deutsch-Sprechende: Diese Episode nicht runterladen, es ist dasselbe wie in Episode 1, nur auf English!

The episode is a flight in a self-launching sailplane. I mainly describe take-off and landing. The episode is a mix between narration and live recordings from the cockpit.

	DS during landing. You can clearly see the positively extended flaps and the extended air brakes.
	Before take of, at dawn.
	Detail shot of the 50 hp AE50R rotary engine. The engine stays in the fuselage during operation, only the prop and cooler are extended.
	The cockpit.
	After landing at dawn.
	During climb.
	In front of the trailer, elevator already removed.

Please ignore this:
My Podcast Alley feed! {pca-19d037b535124bd167f88aadfdb9d0a3}

/6/ Computational Thinking

MaNo — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 08:13:47 +0000

This episode is a discussion with Jeannette Wing on Computational Thinking. Citing the website of Carnegie Mellon’s Center for Computational Thinking website, “computational thinking is a way of solving problems, designing systems, and understanding human behavior that draws on concepts fundamental to computer science.”. As a consequence of computing being more and more important for today’s science, “computational thinking has to be a fundamental part of the way people think and understand the world.”. Jeannette is a leader in this field, and we discuss various aspect of the topic in this show: what computational thinking is, examples of its importance in various fields of science and strategies about how it can be taught to pupils, students and scientists.

Jeannette’s website
The original CACM article that made me (Markus) aware of the topic
Carnegie Mellon’s Center for Computational Thinking
Computer Science Teachers Association
Computer Science Unplugged
Peter Denning’s Great Principles of Computing
Markus’ presentation on Fundamentals of Software Architecture

… and if you liked the music: Portal – Blood Red Tape

/5/ Earthrace – Around the World in a Powerboat

MaNo — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 09:02:54 +0000

This episode is a conversation with Pete Bethune, the skipper of Earthrace. Earthrace has broken the world record for circumnavigation of the world with a powerboat. They did it being CO2-neutral and by using as many eco-friendly resources as possible, spreading the message that being ecological doesn’t mean to go back to the stone age and not have fun anymore. In the episode, Pete talks about the environmental background as well as the fun, challenges and scares of circumnavigating the globe in a powerboat; he also describes the boat itself, with its special “wave-piercing” hull.

/4/ Commercial Space and SpaceShipOne

MaNo — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 21:17:24 +0000

In this episode Markus discusses commercial suborbital space flight and SpaceShipOne with Dan Linehan, author of SpaceShipOne – An Illustrated History, a beautiful book explaing all aspects of this magnificient flying machine.

In the episode we cover history, technical background, flight testing and the (successful!) record attempt of SpaceShipOne as part of the Ansari X-Prize. We also talk about commercial suborbital space flight in general.

Pictures on SpaceShipOne @ Google
Space Ship One Homepage
Burt Rutan, the brain behind SpaceShipOne
Scaled Composites, the company who built SpaceShipOne
The Ansari X-Prise
Dan’s Homepage
Dan’s Book on SpaceShipOne