Tears and fears

We were back at Smiths for another Ockham's Razor recording. OR is the famed principle of parsimony but it's also an ABC RN series where invitees speak for ~10 mins on science-related topics of their choice. This session was less well attended than the previous one we attended, presumably given this time of Coronavirus. (I write within the incubation period of that event, but at least I am alone at my desk). There were six speakers in two sets of three, introduced by host Bernie Hobbs. Bec Colvin (ANU) spoke of binaries in the discussion of climate change and the related dysfunctional conflicts. She posited three causes/considerations: ideological bundling, importance of the messenger and importance of framing. Yep, I can see all this and they are all relevant to good discussion, but I thought further of issues of truth and its accepted sources, the obstinate commitment of Tea Party right wing, media and think tanks and funding for climate denial. But fair enough: we agreed on these further issues when we chatted and she only had 10 minutes! Meredith Hope (ANU) spoke about water and the Murray and specifically a project to combine photos, videos and "sonification" of riverine sounds into a public display. The Music School in involved in this. Sadjad Soltanzadeh (UNSW) talked of the power of teams in sports. A classic example is the "Miracle on Ice" where a US team of college-level amateurs with a fitting tactical plan beat a Russian team of professional sporties. The themes were: there's no such thing as a perfect team, numbers are overrated and team cohesion if more important that star players. Michelle McCann (Solarshare and ex-ANU) spoke on the expansion of solar farms offering some hope on climate. Her visit to a huge solar farm led her to call it a "massive array of hope". Michelle has twice held the world record for most efficient solar cells, so she knows something. And a final call: keep anger and have hope (essentially Gramsci's "Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will"). Clint Therakam (UNSW Space) spoke on satellites, their capabilities, design and build and future, reminding us of small amateur groups who have built satellites. BTW, the requirements are power, comms, computers (from Raspberry Pi up, from $66), sensors, guidance and housing. Not easy but not impossible. Kate Grarock (ANBG) spoke of nature as her "happy place" and retreat, of hiking and species discovery and the sorrows of our recent fires and smoke and hailstorm and the deflation of her environmentally aware friends. This is "just a taste" of our climate future but nature is "incredible at recovery". Of course there's only so much one can impart in 10 minutes and, if you are interested in science, you may be aware of all these matters. Nonetheless, these are fascinating insights and welcoming encounters. For me, the most intriguing aspects were a discussion with Bec at interval where she expanded on issues of climate communications (and promised me a copy of her recent paper) and the intensely touching and revealing fact that two speakers were on the verge of tears while speaking of climate: this in the context of warnings of civilisational collapse. This is telling. Let no-one say we weren't warned.

ABC Radio National recorded six sessions of Ockham's Razor at Smiths. Bernie Hobbs (host) introduced Bec Colvin, Meredith Hope, Sadjad Soltanzadeh, Michelle McCann, Clint Therakam and Kate Grarock

Cutting to the quick

Smiths again but for radio this time. ABC Radio National was recording several 10-min installments of its science comment snippets called Ockham's Razor. The chairs were lined up and the audience was larger and greyer than normal. Local ABC radio host Lish Feyer introduced seven commentors over two hours. No questions, but responsiveness (laughs, cheers) welcomed. It was quite a fascinating collection. Physiotherapist Bernie Bissett spoke of exercising the diaphragm in patients on respirators. There's been observed some atrophy of the diaphragm after just 18 hours on a ventilator! Ronald Yu presented his "Big Bran" project, "Mac" concept and the combination of the two as the "Big Mac" theory. Basically, it's combating obesity and malnutrition (they can go together) through improving the bran layer on rice and the fibre in the grain's core and combining the two, then applying to other grains. Katherine Thurber promoted a more positive approach to reporting issues in the media. "Deficit discourse" leads to public negativity and private internalisation in issues such as alcohol and drugs use by Aborigines and others. I missed some of the statistical justification but it's clear that we tend to the negative in many media stories and this is socially damaging and militates against fixes. Engineer Eleanor Huntington spoke of reimagining the role of engineering (to assist people with scitech), how new branches appear at times of social stress (as now), how in a creative sense it's matter of problem finding, not problem solving. Her suggestions are to elevate engineering to a systems level, to invent relevant engineering disciplines and to introduce engineering to a new generation. Space scientist Anna Moore promoted Australia's potential major role in space. The space industry is already worth $4b in Australia and it is now increasingly accessible to small business and individuals. Australia has strengths from where, what and who we are (well located, urbanised and educated). She made three predications for 2050: Australia as centre for a solar system broadband communications hub; Australian cities as "space-enabled" (as in self drive cars); a space elevator located in Australia (this is aiming high!). Millie Sutherland described the use of Predator-proof sanctuaries to protect native fauna in danger of extinction from foxes, cats, etc. She specifically spoke of our own local Mulligan's Flat Woodland Sanctuary and the protection of the Balbo (Ngunnawal name for the Eastern Betong). Finally, amateur dramatist Max Halupka spoke on the Web and Internet and its use as a memory aid and how this affects our thinking on what we know (thus false news, conspiracies, etc). Technology described as a transactive memory partner so we know where information is held rather than hold it in our minds (books have done this for centuries but never so quickly and easily). Also, how the distributed Web is becoming a collection of "key pillar sites" that herd users. Resultant effects are on human cognition (limits to self-understanding), provision and consumption of information and the resultant impacts, influences on society of all this, and how individuals construct their beliefs, identities and illusions of self-knowledge. Are we there already? Varied, intelligent, informed, if very short and lacking in discussion. Entertaining and informative.

Lish Feyer introduced Bernie Bissett, Ronald Yu, Katherine Thurber, Eleanor Huntington, Anna Moore, Millie Sutherland and Max Halupka for the live recording of seven installments of Ockham's Razor at Smiths. ABC Radio National, Lish Feyer, Bernie Bissett, Ronald Yu, Katherine Thurber, Eleanor Huntington, Anna Moore, Millie Sutherland, Max Halupka, Ockham's Razor