Barkley Marathons, OSIRIS REx, Oyster-Inspired Glass

Running the World’s Hardest Race Guest: Gary "Lazarus Lake" Cantrell, race director, Barkley Marathons This ultramarathon tests the limits of human endurance and fortitude, even for the elite.  Collecting Asteroid Samples Before They Hit Us Guest: Harold C. Connolly, Mission Sample Scientist and Co-Investigator, OSIRIS-REx Mission, NASA Because asteroids represent the pieces of space rock from which our planet is made, NASA is in the middle of an asteroid sample return mission. They have sent a small spacecraft to Bennu—an asteroid not only exemplary of other asteroids, but the most likely to impact our planet in the future. The Serendipitous Discovery of Olive Oil’s Secret Power Guest: Gary Beauchamp, Director and President Emeritus, Monell Chemical Senses Center Gary Beauchamp was sitting atop a mountain in Sicily when he drank extra virgin olive oil straight for the first time. The liquid fat burned the back of his throat causing him to cough. The burning sensation reminded him of the taste of liquid ibuprofen. Could olive oil have anti-inflammatory properties, just like that drug?    Oyster-Inspired Glass Can Bend Without Breaking Guest: Francois Barthelat, Professor, Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Bioinspiration, McGill University A new form of glass has been modeled after mother of pearl in oyster shells—and it is much better than any glass we’ve seen before.