Science Weekly: Olivia Judson on the importance of daring experiments

The biologist and author discusses why scientists need to take risks. Plus, faith and particle physics, and why doodling in meetings shows you're really concentrating

On this week's podcast, why scientists experiment and how a career in particle physics doesn't mean you can't believe in God.

Biologist and author Olivia Judson tells us where scientists are missing out in their quest for knowledge. They should take more risks and never assume they know anything, she says – experimentation is always the answer.

Particle physicist turned theologian John Polkinghorne tells Ian Sample how he quantifies his religious beliefs. John's scientific work was on elementary particles, and he played a significant role in the discovery of the quark. But in 1979 he left physics to become an Anglican priest and he has since published books on how religion and science can co-exist. His new book – Questions of Truth – proposes answers to questions such as, can you prove God exists, and is he actually a delusion?

In the Newsjam, we discuss why the word "dirty" is most in danger of going the way of the dodo, Nasa's doomed Orbiting Carbon Observatory and why doodling while you listen to this podcast shows that you ARE paying attention.

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