Nuts and Bolts
The ingenuity of simple inventions

How frequently do you think about fasteners like screws and bolts? Probably not very often. But some of them a storied history, dating back to Egypt in the 3rd century BC. They aren’t just ancient history. They help hold up our bridges and homes today. Join us as we dissect a handful of engineering inventions that keep our world spinning and intact.

Guests:

Roma Agrawal – structural engineer and author of “Nuts and Bolts: Seven Small Inventions That Changed the World (in a Big Way)“

Ron Gordon – watchmaker, New York City

Featuring music by Dewey Dellay and Jun Miyake

Your Big Picture Science Hosts:

Seth Shostak Host and Producer, Big Picture Science – Senior Astronomer, SETI Institute

Molly Bentley Executive Producer and Co-Host, Big Picture Science 

About Big Picture Science:

Big Picture Science is a weekly, one-hour radio show and podcast produced at the SETI Institute. Hosted by Seth Shostak, SETI Institute Fellow and Senior Astronomer, and science journalist Molly Bentley, Big Picture Science reports on modern science and technology with smart and humorous storytelling.

Themed episodes feature interviews with top scientists and technology innovators. All episodes try to answer the question, “so what?” Why does this research matter?

Big Picture Science topics range from the microbiome to virtual reality, from the physics of motion to the intelligence of animals. Every month one episode is devoted to critical thinking in “Skeptic Check”, which separates fact from fiction in topics such as Bigfoot and UFOs.

And of course we cover science related to the work of the SETI Institute.