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Dive deep into the world of science and engineering with engaging discussions and thought provoking debates. The team share insights from careers in science and engineering, combining expert knowledge and scientific thinking with a touch of humour to make even the most complex topics accessible and entertaining for both enthusiasts and casual listeners. Sometimes we’re funny, often we’re opinionated, always we’re entertaining. Support us: https://ko-fi.com/techspeak_podcast X/Twitter: @TechnicallySp11 Instagram: technicallyspeaking.podcast Reddit: techspeak_podcast Email: techspeak.podcast@gmail.com
Episodes

Thursday Jun 01, 2023
How could artificial intelligence affect healthcare?
Thursday Jun 01, 2023
Thursday Jun 01, 2023
Could artificial intelligence take some of the most highly skilled jobs? Would you want to see an AI for healthcare and get a diagnosis? Would you trust it more than a real life person? Laura, Antonia and Sarah discuss all this and more. Sarah uses her considerable experience as a medical doctor and teaching of surgery to guide us through the pros and cons of AI in healthcare and the team speculate on what the future might hold. Ever thought about what you'd want your ideal doctor to act like?

Thursday May 18, 2023
Does 3D printing help engineering?
Thursday May 18, 2023
Thursday May 18, 2023
The technology to print in 3D has been around for a while and it’s used to do some really cool stuff. Laura and Rwayda discuss an amazing new type of material that can be given different properties simply by turning tiny mechanical gears which could be used to make robots and more. They look at how houses can be printed out of concrete to create visually appealing designs that can outlast traditional construction techniques and they speculate on what the future might hold. Could we use artificial intelligence to help print new materials?

Thursday May 04, 2023
What are eFuels?
Thursday May 04, 2023
Thursday May 04, 2023
Hydrocarbons have been really helpful to humankind and some technology relies so heavily on them that we'll not stop using them any time soon. Antonia, Jasmin, Sophie and Alasdair discuss eFuels which are a new source of hydrocarbons that could replace fossil fuels. Sophie and Alasdair talk about the company they have founded called Carbon Neutral Fuels which aims to suck carbon dioxide out of the environment and turn it into fuel for airplanes. The team discusses the different technologies to do this as well as what else it could be used for.
They also touch on TRLs (Technology Readiness Levels - a way of describing how mature a technology is) and explain some of the terminology used in this new and fast-growing industry.

Thursday Apr 20, 2023
What is chaos theory?
Thursday Apr 20, 2023
Thursday Apr 20, 2023
We've seen it used a lot in the movies so Antonia, Laura and Emma discuss what chaos theory menas to physicists along with uses in weather prediction, biochemistry, economics and more. They also have a bit of wild speculation about how it could be used to produce some uplifting storylines.

Thursday Apr 06, 2023
What’s the beef with collagen?
Thursday Apr 06, 2023
Thursday Apr 06, 2023
Recent news has reported that the sale of collagen supplements is making a huge contribution to deforestation. Antonia, Ellie and Laura talk about what collagen is, why we need it, how our bodies make it and whether supplements can help. They also dive into the news articles that link this beauty product to deforestation and question just how big the link is.

Thursday Mar 23, 2023
Heart of Glass: Societal implications of nuclear glass
Thursday Mar 23, 2023
Thursday Mar 23, 2023
Nuclear waste is hugely important for society; the UK has used nuclear power for decades and now we need to safely and responsibly dispose of the waste. Laura talks to Penny Harvey and Petra Tjitske Kalshoven, two anthropologists at the University of Manchester and part of The BEAM research network. They discuss how nuclear waste can be locked away deep underground in a specially engineered facility, the process to find a site for the facility, and how communities can learn more about this process. They also talk about glass as art and its use in other practical applications, and our relationship with this material.
Heart of Glass is an exhibition at Florence Arts Centre in Egremont, West Cumbria, UK. The exhibition is on 24th March to 30th June and features images taken at a microscopic scale of nuclear waste glass.
The exhibition is supported by The University of Manchester and involves The BEAM nuclear and social research network.

Thursday Mar 16, 2023
Heart of Glass: Creativity in art and science
Thursday Mar 16, 2023
Thursday Mar 16, 2023
You may not realise it but scientists are just as creative as artists. Laura is joined by Tamas Zagyva, a research associate at Imperial College London, and Bridget Kennedy, an artist and lecturer in fine art at Newcastle University, to talk about how they find inspiration, what sort of emotions their work evokes, and what sort of skills are required in their respective disciplines.
Heart of Glass is an exhibition at Florence Arts Centre in Egremont, West Cumbria, UK. The exhibition is on 24th March to 30th June and features images taken at a microscopic scale of nuclear waste glass.
The exhibition is supported by The University of Manchester and involves The BEAM nuclear and social research network.

Thursday Mar 09, 2023
Heart of Glass: The science of vitrification
Thursday Mar 09, 2023
Thursday Mar 09, 2023
Vitrification – the process of making glass – is used to immobilise nuclear waste and also happens naturally in the earth. Laura talks to Tracey Taylor from the UK’s National Nuclear Laboratory about the glass making process and to Brian O’Driscoll, a geologist from the University of Ottawa in Canada, about natural glass and why researching this material is so important.
Heart of Glass is an exhibition at Florence Arts Centre in Egremont, West Cumbria, UK. The exhibition is on 24th March to 30th June and features images taken at a microscopic scale of nuclear waste glass.
The exhibition is supported by The University of Manchester and involves The BEAM nuclear and social research network.

Thursday Mar 02, 2023
Hot news!
Thursday Mar 02, 2023
Thursday Mar 02, 2023
We're part of an exhibition where science becomes art!
Heart of Glass is an exhibition at Florence Arts Centre in Egremont, West Cumbria, UK. The exhibition is on 24th March to 30th June and features images taken at a microscopic scale of nuclear waste glass.
The exhibition is supported by The University of Manchester and involves The BEAM nuclear and social research network.

Thursday Feb 23, 2023
How does materials science affect our lives?
Thursday Feb 23, 2023
Thursday Feb 23, 2023
It may not be a very well-known discipline but materials science is really important. Laura, Jasmin and Emma discuss how graphene is made, what makes it a wonder material, what it can be used for and how it can contribute to making environmentally friendly products. They also talk about a much more mature material which influenced the second industrial revolution: steel. This alloy might be old technology but it’s vital for modern life.
This episode was recorded with an audience from the Engineering Development Trust's Routes to STEM course.