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Science Friday > Archives > 2002 >
March
> March 22, 2002:
Hour One: Stream Contaminants
/ Controlling Machines Through Thought
Last week, the U.S. Geological Survey said a survey of 139 streams
in thirty states detected dozens of drugs, hormones, and household chemicals
in the waterways. Some of these pollutants appear to have passed through
water treatment facilities (which are primarily designed to target bacterial
contaminants) unscathed. This hour, we'll talk about what the U.S.G.S.
found, and what scientists know--or don't know--about how these chemicals
might affect the environment and human health.
Plus, we'll hear about a new study with monkeys that--if the results
hold true for humans--may one day let paralyzed patients control computers
and robots with their thoughts. The technique, using tiny sensors implanted
into a monkey's motor cortex, allowed it to accurately move a mouse
pointer around a screen without moving its arm.
Call in with your comments and questions at 1-800-989-8255, and share
your opinions online in our Listeners' Lounge (registration required).
Guests:
Herb Buxton
Coordinator, Toxic Substances Hydrology
Program
U.S. Geological Survey
Trenton, New Jersey
Rebecca Goldburg
Senior Scientist
Environmental Defense
New York, New York
Lynn Goldman
Former Assistant Administrator, Office
of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances (1993 to 1998),
Environmental Protection Agency
Pediatrician and Professor, Environmental
Health Sciences
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School
of Public Health
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland
John Donoghue
Chairman, Department of Neuroscience
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island
Books/Articles Discussed:
Related Links:
USGS
News Release
National
Reconnaissance of Emerging Contaminants
What's
in Our Wastewaters and Where Does it Go?
American
Chemical Society: Environmental Science & Technology Hot Article
Water
Treatment Path
The
Water Treatment Technology Center
Research
Needs and Gaps for Assessing the Ultimate Importance of PPCPs as Environmental
Pollutants
American
Water Works Association -Endocrine Disruptors
LA
Times: In Breakthrough, Monkey Think, Computer Do
Brown
University Press Release: 01-098 (Brain and Cursor)
Technology
Review - Brain Power
Technology
Review - Brain-Machine Interface
This segment produced by: Karin Vergoth
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