When we told psychologist Joshua Jackson that we were going to ask him to have a discussion with an expert in tree genetics, he wasn’t sure how it would go. But after the conversation, Jackson marvelled at just how interconnected their two worlds of research were.
We think you will, too.
This week on the program, we’re talking about how to use genetics to reduce pollution. Then we’re going to talk about how words that convey emotion overlap and diverge as they evolve in different languages. And then, as we’re wont to do, we’re going to bring these two very different areas of research together.
Joining us on the line from Corvallis, Oregon, is Steve Strauss. He is a professor of forest biotechnology in the department of forest ecosystems and society at Oregon State University, and his genetic transformation lab has produced thousands of transgenic trees. He last joined us to talk about how genetic engineering can be used to keep trees from growing where they’re not supposed to grow, and he’s back today to talk about a recent study that demonstrates that poplar trees can be genetically modified to reduce negative impacts on air quality.
And also with us on the line from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, is Joshua Jackson. He was the first author on a study, recently published in the journal Science, that shows the impact of culture on the way we describe emotion.
