Shiela Reaves, Professor of Life Sciences Communication at UW-Madison, discusses the connection between neuroscience and the visual brain. Reaves explores the power of visual images and color in early survival tactics, the ability to notice depth, and finding patterns.

Roger Hanlon, Senior Scientist at the Marine Biological Laboratory, explores how and why ocean species camouflage themselves. Hanlon shows how the patterns that octopi, cuttlefish, and squid use allow them to hide from or become predators.

Bruce Beihoff, Technical Director at the UW-Madison Grainger Institute for Engineering; Josh Arnold, Associate Director of Clean Energy & Sustainability at Navigant; and Gary Radloff, Principal at The Radloff Group, discuss emerging energy technologies. The panel looks at the energy storage, economics, manufacturing and supply chains for new energy systems.

Dhanansayan Shanmuganayagam, Assistant Professor in the Department of Animal Sciences, and Charles Konsitzke, Associate Director of the Biotechnology Center at UW-Madison, discuss the use of swine to study human diseases. Pigs have a similar anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology to humans and can be studied to find effective diagnosis and therapeutic technologies.

Karen Schloss, Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at UW-Madison, discusses how people infer meaning from colors and how that understanding influences their perception of the world.

Ronald Numbers, Professor Emeritus in History of Science and Medicine at UW-Madison, discusses the historical and current resistance to evolution. Numbers addresses the opposition to teaching evolution in schools.

Scott Spoolman, Author of “Wisconsin State Parks: Extraordinary Stories of Geology and Natural History,” discusses the geologic history that hikers and travelers can observe while visiting the Wisconsin State Park system.

Ned Noel, Associate Planner at the City of Eau Claire, discusses the issues surrounding rising temperatures and discusses the use of renewable energy in the Eau Claire area. Manus McDevitt, Founding Principal of Sustainable Engineering Group, shares the work being done towards creating one hundred percent renewable energy in Madison.

Kenneth Bradbury, State Geologist and Director of the WI Geological & Natural History Survey at UW-Extension, explains the connection between wetlands, surface water, and groundwater and the ability of the water systems to change over time. Bradbury discusses how the glacial geology of the upper Midwest effects the groundwater and the wetlands.

Jo Handelsman, Director of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery at UW-Madison, discusses the viruses, fungi, bacteria and other microorganisms classified as microbes. Handelsman explains that the study of these pathogens led to an understanding of the immune system, the causes of infectious diseases, and the need for vaccinations.