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  • Connecting Cultures and Cosmos with Ed Krupp

    Connecting Cultures and Cosmos with Ed Krupp
    2025/07/23
    Dr. E.C. “Ed” Krupp joins Alan on this episode of AMSEcast to discuss the Griffith Observatory and his role as its longtime director. Now in its 90th year, the observatory remains a hub for public astronomy, drawing over 1.6 million visitors annually. Ed shares its educational mission, including a fifth-grade program and immersive exhibits like “Water is Life.” He also discusses archaeoastronomy, the cross-disciplinary study of ancient skywatching, and how visiting historical sites deepens our understanding of past cultures. From the Hopi village of Walpi to upcoming lunar livestreams at Chimney Rock, Ed continues to connect humanity’s cosmic curiosity across centuries through science, culture, and wonder. Guest Bio Dr. E.C. “Ed” Krupp has served as director of the world-renowned Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles since 1974, guiding it through transformative changes and welcoming over 1.6 million visitors annually. Under his leadership, the observatory has become the most visited public observatory on the planet. Ed is also a leading authority in the field of archaeoastronomy—the study of how ancient cultures understood the sky—and has authored several acclaimed books, including Skywatchers, Shamans & Kings: Astronomy and the Archaeology of Power. Known for his engaging insights and deep knowledge, Ed continues to inspire public curiosity about the cosmos and our place within it. Show Highlights
    • (1:43) When Griffith Observatory was established and its mission
    • (4:38) Exhibits and programs offered at the observatory
    • (8:51) How they work with students
    • (11:37) When archeoastronomy began to develop
    • (17:02) How astronomical knowledge shapes our place in society and culture today
    • (19:45) Places Ed has visited that have had the most impact on his work and life
    • (25:13) What still perplexes Ed Krupp after all his traveling and learning
    • (26:56) What’s next for Ed and the observatory
    Links Referenced
    • Skywatchers, Shamans & Kings: Astronomy and the Archaeology of Power: https://www.amazon.com/Skywatchers-Shamans-Kings-Astronomy-Archaeology/dp/0471329754
    • Website: https://griffithobservatory.org
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    32 分
  • The keys to innovation

    The keys to innovation
    2025/07/06

    Highlights of conversations about innovation from AMSEcast. The Podcast of the American Museum of Science and Energy.
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    4 分
  • AMSE Science Report: Walter Borneman recently spoke to us about his book, MacArthur at War: World War II in the Pacific

    AMSE Science Report: Walter Borneman recently spoke to us about his book, MacArthur at War: World War II in the Pacific
    2025/07/05

    Noted historian Walter Borneman recently spoke to us about his book, MacArthur at War: World War II in the Pacific. Few characters loom as large in that war than Douglas MacArthur, and Walt’s book gives a terrific look at how this enigmatic man helped lead our nation to victory over the Japanese.

    After his narrow escape from the Philippines as the Japanese invaded, MacArthur set up his headquarters in Australia in a time that looked very bad for the allies. Walt offers unique perspective on MacArthur’s field of operations as the allies began to turn the tables against the Japanese empire.
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    4 分
  • AMSE Science Report Al Romig

    AMSE Science Report Al Romig
    2025/07/05

    On this episode, being recorded at the National Academy of Sciences Building in Washington, DC, I’m very honored to be joined by Dr. Alton D. Romig, Jr. Al has had a truly exceptional career, full of more awards than I can list today. Most recently, for example, the 2024 IEEE McClure Citation of Honor for engineering leadership, and more positions than I can include today, but they’ve included leadership roles at Sandia National Lab, service as vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Development Programs, better known to all of us as the famous Skunk Works. And currently, Al serves as Executive Officer of the National Academy of Engineering.
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    4 分
  • Kathleen Carlucci, the Director of the Thomas Edison Center talks history

    Kathleen Carlucci, the Director of the Thomas Edison Center talks history
    2025/07/05

    We always celebrate at our museums the rich history of American innovation, but we’re putting a special spotlight on that history as we approach the nation’s semiquincentennial in 2026.

    To help us with that, we spoke on our podcast, AMSEcast, with Kathleen Carlucci, the Director of the Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park. Thanks to his host of revolutionary innovations and inventions, Thomas Edison changed our world with technologies like the phonograph, motion pictures, electric light, and the list truly goes on and on. Altogether he obtained 1,093 US patents, and 1,250 patents in 34 other countries. At Menlo Park in New Jersey, Edison gathered an incredible team in one place to conceive and create these inventions, starting the whole concept of research and development and what we call today “Big Science.”
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    4 分
  • Gunpowder: From Alchemy to Empire with Jack Kelly

    Gunpowder: From Alchemy to Empire with Jack Kelly
    2025/07/02
    Jack Kelly joins Alan on this episode of AMSEcast to talk about his book Gunpowder: Alchemy, Bombards, and Pyrotechnics. They discuss gunpowder’s accidental invention in 10th-century China and its explosive mix of saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur. Kelly explains how gunpowder shaped science and warfare, fueling revolutions in physics, ending the era of castles, and powering colonial empires. Though once too expensive for civilian use, gunpowder later drove mining and infrastructure projects before being replaced by safer, more powerful explosives like dynamite. Kelly also previews his upcoming book on Thomas Paine, highlighting Paine’s role as both Enlightenment thinker and Revolutionary soldier. Guest Bio Jack Kelly is an award-winning historian, journalist, and novelist, as well as a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellow. His work has appeared in publications like The Wall Street Journal and American Heritage, and he’s been featured on NPR, PBS, and the History Channel. Jack’s books explore pivotal moments in history with vivid storytelling and sharp insight. His titles include Heaven’s Ditch: God, Gold, and Murder on the Erie Canal and God Save Benedict Arnold: The True Story of America’s Most Hated Man. His upcoming book is Gunpowder: Alchemy, Bombards, and Pyrotechnics, an explosive history of invention and empire. Show Highlights
    • (1:24) When the Chinese invented gunpowder and when it arrived in Europe
    • (2:35) The ingredients of gunpowder
    • (3:54) Why saltpeter is such a challenging ingredient to produce
    • (5:43) Challenges faced by European engineers in the production of gunpowder
    • (8:34) What the development of chemistry revealed about how gunpowder works
    • (10:46) How gunpowder influenced sciences like physics in Europe
    • (12:51) When guns and cannons were introduced
    • (14:12) Gunpowder’s impact on European architecture, such as castles
    • (16:39) The commercial uses of gunpowder
    • (20:12) Replacements for gunpowder in weapons and other explosives today
    • (22:51) Modern uses for black powder
    • (24:26) What Jack Kelly is currently working on
    Links Referenced
    • Heaven’s Ditch: God, Gold, and Murder on the Erie Canal:
    • https://www.amazon.com/Heavens-Ditch-Jack-Kelly-audiobook/dp/B01HU77DIC/
    • God Save Benedict Arnold: The True Story of America’s Most Hated Man: https://www.amazon.com/God-Save-Benedict-Arnold-Americas-ebook/dp/B0BQGFMLFK/
    • Gunpowder: Alchemy, Bombards, and Pyrotechnics: The History of the Explosive that Changed the World: https://www.amazon.com/Gunpowder-Alchemy-Bombards-Pyrotechnics-Explosive-ebook/dp/B009IU57IS/
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    28 分
  • Future-Focused Research with Dr. David Sholl

    Future-Focused Research with Dr. David Sholl
    2025/06/18
    16 分
  • Tracks Across America with Simon Cordery

    Tracks Across America with Simon Cordery
    2025/06/11
    Alan Lowe speaks with Dr. Simon Cordery about the transformative role of railroads in American history. From the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1828 to a national network by 1916, Cordery details how rail shaped commerce, industry, and infrastructure. He also explores regulation, from early oversight efforts to the 1980 Staggers Act, which revitalized the struggling industry. The conversation touches on Amtrak’s dependence on subsidies, the challenges of expansion, and the promise of high-speed rail. Cordery also previews his book on Albert Pullman, a largely forgotten innovator behind the Pullman Company’s early success and a symbol of overlooked entrepreneurial ambition. Guest Bio Dr. Simon Cordery is Chair of the History Department at Iowa State University and a leading scholar of American labor and transportation history. He previously served as department chair at Western Illinois University and Monmouth College. Dr. Cordery has authored several acclaimed books, including Mother Jones: Raising Cain and Consciousness and The Iron Road in the Prairie State: The Story of Illinois Railroading. His forthcoming work, Gilded Age Entrepreneur: The Curious Life of American Financier Albert Benton Pullman, explores the overlooked legacy of the elder Pullman brother and offers fresh insight into the entrepreneurial spirit of 19th-century America. Show Highlights
    • (2:14) When railroads first arrived in America and how quickly they spread
    • (6:18) Changes in the business world that supported and continued railroad expansion
    • (7:16) The impact of government oversight as the industry develops
    • (14:47) When deregulation of the railroad industry occurred and the effects it had
    • (19:46) The effects railroads had on labor organization and the labor market in America
    • (22:32) How railroad expansion affected how we keep time throughout the U.S.
    • (24:28) The effect of digital technology on the American railroad industry
    • (31:47) Is high-speed rail a profitable enterprise?
    • (35:23) Simon Cordery’s upcoming book, Gilded Age Entrepreneur: The Curious Life of American Financier Albert Benton Pullman
    Links Referenced
    • Mother Jones: Raising Cain and Consciousness: https://www.amazon.com/Mother-Jones-Raising-Consciousness-Biography/dp/0826348106
    • The Iron Road in the Prairie State: The Story of Illinois Railroading: https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Road-Prairie-State-Railroading-ebook/dp/B017SJ126Q
    • Gilded Age Entrepreneur: The Curious Life of American Financier Albert Benton Pullman: https://www.amazon.com/Gilded-Age-Entrepreneur-American-Financier-ebook/dp/B0DVMQHYWP
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    40 分