Tuesday, November 18th – from HPR2, it’s The Conversation
Genetics & Sexual Orientation/”Gay Gene” Study: Dean Hamer
In 1993, Molecular Biologist, Dean Hamer, was working for the National Institute of Health. That year, he published the first study to suggest a specific section of the X chromosome named Xq28 that could hold a gene or genes to predispose male homolsexuality. His work was hotly debated to say the least. This week, the journal Psychological Medicine published a study that replicated his findings on a much larger scale. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development study used a larger sample… 409 gay brothers instead of the 38 pairs that formed the basis of Dean Hamer’s study. And while scientists have not yet isolated the gene or genes that may code for homosexuality, Dean Hamer is feeling vindicated.
Intro Music: Snake and Hip Drop by The Sound Stylistics
Outro Music: Backyard Quiz Theme by Jon de Mello
HTY’s “Rockin’ the Holidays with Rakugo!”: Yasu Ishida
Around the 10th century, monks in Japan, concerned about losing their audience during sermons, came up with their own variations on traditional storytelling, and in the process created a new and wonderfully simple form of theater. Rakugo uses a lone narrator and two simple prop - a fan and a piece of cloth - to conjure all sorts of images, characters, and events. Yasu Ishida, author and director of a new Honolulu Theater for Youth production, has adapted rakugo to the modern stage with HTY’s production of “Rockin’ the Holidays with Rakugo!” He joined us in-studio to talk about it.
Intro Music: Rising by Yoshida Brothers
Outro Music: Wakimizu by Yoshida Brothers
Ocean Warming Research: Axel Timmermann
As we went to the weekend, the International Pacific Research Center at UH M?noa released some news: this summer showed the highest global mean sea surface temperatures ever recorded since measuring started. That included the record breaking el nino year, 1988. UH oceanography professor, Axel Timmermann, has been studying the variability of the global climate system. He is the lead reseacher of the findings and he joined the show with an update.
Intro Music: Oceanic Glow by Obfusc
Outro Music: Homebrew by The Sound Stylistics
Ecopoets: Stephen Collis “Writing the Pacific Plastic Patch”
From the beginning, North American poets have seen themselves as custodians of nature -- and each new generation has watched the natural abundance that once defined the country progressively slip away. Stephen Collis, eco-poet, is one of three visiting writers who are in town to ask us to think about what we throw away – and how it’s all too likely to end up in the Pacific Plastic Patch.
Intro Music: Slide Show by El Michel's Affair
Outro: Aguilas and Cobras by Brownout
