John Monahan

University of Maryland theoretical physicist Sylvester “Jim” Gates was awarded the National Medal of Science by President Obama. Prof. Gates directs the University’s Center for String and Particle Theory; he was the first African-American to ever hold an endowed chair in physics at a major U.S. research university. He joins us to discuss his ideas about the universe, with Midday on Science contributor John Monahan. (Original Air Date: April 8th)

Fossil-crazed science writer Brian Switek joins Midday contributor John Monahan to talk about his passion for excavating, and his most recent findings in the fields of paleontology and dinosaur science. Switek is the author of My Beloved Brontosaurus: On the Road with Old Bones, New Science, and Our Favorite Dinosaurs. Also, a look at the impending arrival of the cicada.

University of Maryland theoretical physicist Sylvester “Jim” Gates was awarded the National Medal of Science by President Obama. Prof. Gates directs the University’s Center for String and Particle Theory; he was the first African-American to ever hold an endowed chair in physics at a major U.S. research university. He joins us to discuss his ideas about the universe, with Midday on Science contributor John Monahan.   

Unmanned aerial vehicles are moving from military use into civilian hands. In fact, a law passed by Congress this year requires the FAA to open U.S. skies to widespread drone use by 2015. We look at how these robots could be used -- or abused. Our guests: ChrisAnderson, CEO of 3D Robotics, founder of DIY Drones, and former editor of Wired; Midday science contributor John Monahan; and JayStanley, senior policy analyst with the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy and Technology Project, and editor of the ACLU’s Free Future blog.  

Will 3-D printing change the world? That’s a question being posed in the wake of a flurry of recent technological developments that are making 3-D printing cheaper than ever. Midday on Science contributor John Monahan explains the phenomenon, how it could transform traditional manufacturing, and the ethical questions it raises. 

After saying little about it during his campaign for re-election, President Obama put global warming front and center during his second inaugural address, saying failure to address the problem would betray “our children and future generations.” But what exactly does he plan to do? Midday on Science contributor John Monahan returns to continue our coverage of climate change following the hottest year on record in the U.S. in more than a century. Also joining us is New York Times environmental blogger Andrew Revkin.

Whether it was Super Storm Sandy, the Mars landing of NASA’s Curiosity rover or the discovery of the Higgs boson, 2012 was marked by major science news. Midday science contributor John "Mad 4 Science" Monahan counts down his top 10 science stories from the year, and takes our Midday science quiz.

With the popularity of the CSI television shows it might seem like every police department and prosecutor’s office across the country employs high-tech science to solve even the most basic of crimes. But, according to legal expert David Harris, with the exception of DNA work, law enforcement has not embraced science and often resists it, many times at the expense of the accused.

With the national political conventions behind us, Midday contributor and science educator John Monahan lays out how Republicans and Democrats regard science education, climate change, stem cell research and space exploration.

Last week, a powerful solar storm shook the Earth's magnetic field. Midday contributor, science teacher and author John Monahan explores the phenomenon of solar flares and talks about the problems they could cause in the future. We'll also discuss the state of science education in Maryland and the nation, and the recent National Brain Bee held in Baltimore with University of Maryland neuroscientist Norbert Myslinski.