North Gate Radio

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May 1st, 2012

May Day!

Welcome to our May Day show, where we explore the reasons why we don’t officially celebrate workers on May 1st in the United States, but the rest of the world does. We’ll also take a look at the way brains work, both human and feline. We look at how the Internet can change a human brain, and how a trained cat behavior consultant can change the way a cat thinks, too. We’ll also hear from UC Berkeley Neuroscientist Jack Gallant about the technology his lab is developing to decode signals from the human brain. We can’t read your minds, but we think you’re going to like this show!

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Music in this show:
“Fat Cat Keeps Fatter” – Squirrel Nut Zippers
“I Spy” – Guster
“Journey to the center of your mind,” – The Amboy Dukes
“Love Cats” – The Cure
“Mean Eyed Cat” – Johnny Cash
“Mind Eraser” – The Black Keys
“What’s the Ugliest Part of Your Body?” – Frank Zappa

Photo caption: May Day in Wheatley, UK. Photo by Flickr user net_efekt, cc.

Segments From This Show:

May Day: The original Labor Day

May first is known internationally as the International Workers’ Day; it is a holiday in over eighty countries around the world. In many countries, Labor organizations stage protests, marches and other popular events. Yet, in America, life goes on as in any other day. What many don’t know, however, is that the mere concept of May Day originated in nineteenth century America, at a time where workers struggled for shorter working hours, higher pay and paid holidays. Francisco Perez digs up the story of this forgotten holiday.

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For information about May First events in the Bay Area, click here.

Photo credit: Flickr user jvoves, cc.

Live from Occupy Oakland

Stacey Kennelly gives us a live report from Jack London Square in Oakland this morning, where Occupy protesters staged one of many rallies.

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Photo credit: Alexis Kenyon.

This is your brain on the Internet

With the expansion of the internet, the way human beings process information is being reshaped. Scientists believe this constant flow of content increases our ability to multitask at the cost of our ability to remain focused on one topic. Spencer Whitney finds out how the internet is changing the way the human brain processes information.

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To read more of what Nicholas Carr has to say about the Internet and our brains, click here.

Photo credit: Mike Licht, NotionsCapital

Pictures from the mind

UC Berkeley neuroscientist Jack Gallant is working on technology uses brainscans to replay images you’ve seen. While the technology is in its infancy, the potential for machines that can read our minds is there. Gallant sits down with reporter Laura Hautala to drop some science on North Gate Radio.

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Photo credit: Flickr user Jason Langheine, cc.

To see the YouTube video of the Gallant lab’s results, click here.

Help for a bad cat

We’ve all known one in our lifetime: a scratching, hissing, ill-behaved kitty. But an uptick in the number of cat behavior consultants is helping people realize they don’t have to live with a bad cat. So are “cat whisperers” for real? Stacey Kennelly has the story.

[audio:http://journalism.berkeley.edu/projects/radio/ngr/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/cats_final_for_air.mp3
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Photo credit: Stacey Kennelly.