Ryan Rykaczewski describes one of the most massive migrations on the planet, driven by the sun. Image by Tintinnidguy (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons 

#ExplainTheSun  - The Largest Migration on The Planet

Ever sit down on a city park bench and immediately notice your shoulders relax? Or feel your heart begin to pound as you navigate a tricky, crowded intersection? If so, then you know the power of the built environment to affect our bodies, brains, and behavior.

Cognitive neuroscientist Colin Ellard has made a study of how our city grids, storefronts, and streetscapes shape us. He’s led volunteers outfitted with sensors on walking tours through cities like Berlin and Mumbai, and watched subjects navigate virtual green spaces in his VR lab. Ellard joins Ira to talk about how we can measure the physical and mental effects of our streetscapes—and use that knowledge to build better.


Can Science Help Build Happier Cities?

Once, there was the ordinary incandescent light bulb. It shone brightly, but wasted much of the energy put into it as heat. Then came the compact fluorescent. And as costs have dropped, consumers have increasingly been switching to light-emitting diode (LED) technology for many lighting applications, in an ongoing search for a more efficient bulb. Now, in work published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, researchers report that nanophotonic devices may be able to breathe new life into old incandescent technology. Marin Soljačić and Ognjen Ilic, two authors of the study, explain how they’ve been able to “recycle” some of the incandescent bulb’s wasted heat and re-emit it as visible light, boosting efficiency.

For the Lowly Incandescent Bulb, a Ray of Hope

Science, technology, and other cool stuff from public radio's Science Friday. It's brain fun, for curious people. From WNYC Studios.

Can Science Help Build Happier Cities?

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