Kgnu - How On Earth

COP25 Postmortem (start time: 3:35) Earlier this month many nation’s leaders, as well as scientists, environmental activists, companies and others gathered in Madrid for a two-week United Nations climate summit. The conference, called COP25, is rooted in the 2015 Paris Agreement, which is a blend of pledges from about 200 nations to dramatically slash their planet-warming emissions. Next year’s meeting is when signatory nations will update their actual commitments. So, what happened at the recent climate summit, and what's next? How On Earth host Susan Moran today interviews two scientists who attended COP25.  Tashiana Osborne is a PhD candidate in atmospheric and oceanic science at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, at UC San Diego. And Sarah Whipple is a PhD candidate in ecology at Colorado State University. Hosts: Susan Moran, Joel Parker Producer: Susan Moran Engineer: Joel Parker Executive Producer: Joel Parker Listen to the show here:

Four years ago Beth interviewed Professor Marie Banich, a neuroscience researcher at the University of Colorado here in Boulder. She had just received a major grant from NIH to characterize how brain regions involved in decision making and judgment change as children grow up. In the past four years she has assembled a multi-site team of neuroscientists and experts in developmental psychology who have begun testing the 11,000+ 8-10 year olds enrolled in the massive study. To find more detail, see her lab website (https://www.colorado.edu/faculty/banich/research/research-interests). Hosts: Beth Bennett & Angele Sjong Producer: Beth Bennett Engineer: Beth Bennett Executive Producer: Joel Parker Listen to the show:

Voyager Passes Through the Heliopause   (Starts 1:00) LASP scientist Fran Bagenol explains how the over 40 year old Voyager Mission, that launched in the 1970s is still providing incredible surprises, including passing through the border between the solar system and "outer space."  As part of making that journey, the Voyager spacecraft have passed through cosmic plasma that has temperatures of 60,000 F.  Bagenol will explain how that's possible . . . and why Voyager could pass through that incredible heat unscathed.   Fiske Planetarium will present a special show about Voyager in March. Boulder Xmas Bird Count  (Starts 13:45)  Naturalists Steve Jones and Scott Seevers   explain how  to join Boulder’s December 15th Xmas bird count, and why the scientific data gathered by citizens during this event is so important.  All ages are welcome , and all regions have these counts, from Boulder to beyond.  For more info, go here.   Host/Producer/Engineer: Shelley Schlender Additional Contributions:  Joel Parker Exe

COP25 & Climate Change (start time: 1:07): Next month (Dec. 2-13), the United Nations global climate change summit, known as COP25, will take place in Madrid. Many scientists, environmental nonprofits, students, activists will also attend side events related to the UN sustainable development goals (SDG). The goal of COP over the years has been to reduce emissions of planet-warming gases. The talks stem from the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement, which essentially is a mix of pledges from about 200 nations to dramatically cut their greenhouse emissions. The countries are not legally bound to meet their targets, but they are supposed to report their progress to the UN. Under the Obama administration, the U.S. vowed to reduce emissions about 28 percent below 2005 levels, by 2025. But earlier this month, the Trump administration announced that it will begin a year-long process to withdraw the U.S. from the international accord. The stakes are extremely high. How On Earth's Susan Moran and guest-host Tom Yulsman disc

BUZZ:  Inside the Minds of Thrill-Seekers, Daredevils and Adrenaline Junkies.    We speak with clinical psychologist and author, Ken Carter about his new book BUZZ, and high-sensation seekers who can't get enough "new" and love to seek out more.  Carter is a consultant for the Denver Science Museum's Extreme Sports exhibit, running through spring 2020.  He speaks at the Boulder Bookstore Wednesday Nov 6th.  Check out his sensation-seeking survey on how to rate your own thrill-seeking . . . or chill-seeking, personality. Host, Producer, Engineer: Shelley Schlender

How To [starts at 4:30] Our guest for this episode is Randall Munroe, perhaps best known for his comic xkcd, and author of the books “What If” and “Thing Explainer”.  Randall has figured out how to do many things, so he wrote a new book appropriately called "How To”, which promises to provide absurd scientific advice for common real world problems.  Absurd?  Sometimes. (well, often actually)  Amusing and informative?  Definitely.  Have you ever wanted to build a lava moat?  Have you ever wondered what kind of gas mileage  your house would get on the highway?  What are the energy requirements and logistics of boiling vs. freezing a river?  And what about landing an airplane on a submarine?  All of those questions and more (pirates!) are addressed in "How To", and we talk about some of them in  this episode of How on Earth. Host, Producer, Engineer: Joel Parker Listen to the show:

Almost Human - The Story of Julius, the Chimpanzee Caught Between Two Worlds (Extended Version) by Alfred Fidjestøl.  This is the full version of the interview.

Almost Human:  The Story of Julius, the Chimpanzee Caught Between Two Worlds.  In this fall pledge drive show, we feature  Alfred Fidjestøl's new biography about one of Europe's most famous chimpanzees.   (We'll broadcast the full interview with Alfred Fijestol at a later date.) Hosts: Shelley Schlender & Chip Grandits Producer/Engineer:  Shelley Schlender Executive Producer: Joel Parker

We talk with University of Colorado Scholar in Residence Jorge Perez-Gallego about many non-traditional paths one might take after getting a science Ph.D. as well as CU’s Grand Challenge and the fascinating intersection of science and art through the Nature, Environment, Science & Technology (NEST) Studio for the Arts. Host, Producer, Engineer: Joel Parker Additional Contributions: Shelley Schlender Listen to the show:

Beth interviews neuroscientist and addiction researcher Scott Swartzwelder who talks about his research on reversing alcohol-induced brain damage in young rats. In past work, Professor Swartzwelder and colleagues have identified specific areas of the brain damaged by drinking, especially in adolescent rats. In this interview, he describes, how this damage occurs, and amazingly, how treatment later in life can actually reverse it. Hosts: Beth Bennett & Angele Sjong Producer: Beth Bennett Engineer:Beth Bennett Additional Contributions: Angele Sjong Executive Producer: Joel Parker Listen to the show:

Amazon Burning - (starts 3:15) CU Boulder Earth Lab Director Jennifer Balch explains how the burning of the tropical rain forests may destroy them, and ways to protect the forests and sustainable development Hosts: Shelley Schlender, Susan Moran Producer/Engineer: Shelley Schlender Executive Producer: Beth Bennett

Tackling ozone pollution in Colorado (starts at 3:55): Cooler fall weather might soon bring back the bluebird skies we all love. But last year ozone levels in the Denver metropolitan area were high enough to prompt state health officials to issue ozone action alerts an average of once a week. (This summer has fared somewhat better.) During these ozone alerts, health officials recommend that children, the elderly and people with compromised lungs do not exercise outdoors. Hosts Daniel Glick and Susan Moran interview John Putnam, the environmental programs director for Colorado’s Department of Public Health and Environment, about the science, the sources (the largest being oil and gas operations), the health impacts, and policy approaches to ozone pollution. Governor Jared Polis named Putnam to tackle, among other things, a longstanding problem with the state’s air quality: parts of the state have been out of compliance with federal Clean Air Act standards for more than a decade. Last year, the Environmental Pr

On this week's show Beth speaks with Vicki Vargas-Madrid, Program Administrator for the Denver Lights Out Program. This program is part of the Denver Sustainability Office, which seeks to conserve energy and promote sustainable lifestyles. They discuss the program’s efforts to reduce bird mortality following collisions with windows by reducing night time illumination. To learn more or volunteer for the program, visit their Lights Out Denver. Host: Beth Bennett Producer: Beth Bennett Engineer: Beth Bennett Additional Contributions: Joel Parker Executive Producer: Beth Bennett Listen to the show:

Creative (Climate) Communications [starts at 7:40] As a climate scientist Professor Max Boykoff is part of a community that has been persistently making the case that global warming is a serious problem, with severe and widespread consequences and that human activity is contributing to the problem and significant changes in human behavior is instrumental to addressing the problem, and averting disaster. Despite advances in the realm of science, the effort to change attitudes, habits, beliefs and ultimately behavior and policy, has not been nearly successful enough.  And so Max Boykoff, as Director of the Center for Science and Technology Policy Research, studies, specifically in the realm of science, how opinions are formed, why arguments are believed or dismissed, what really works to motivate individuals to change habits and what really works to impel societies and governments to switch policies and priorities.  With global warming the stakes could not be higher. And so this sets the stage for his latest b

Edible Bugs (Entire Program) When it comes to an animal that has high quality proteins and fats, plus a very small environmental footprint, there's more bang to the bug.  We talk about, and taste, edible bugs with Wendy Lu McGill, founder of Rocky Mountain Micro Ranch, and Amy Franklin, Founder of Farms for Orphans that teaches orphanages in Africa how to grow edible insect larvae as food for the orphanages.   Terry Koelling and his grandchildren have their first ever, on purpose, taste of insects, and chefs at Denver's Linger Restaurant explain why Linger offers entrees that feature edible bugs -- and they even see if Koelling and his grandchildren will eat them. Host, Producer, Engineer:  Shelley Schlender Executive Producer:  Beth Bennett

GLEE (starts at 8:06) We just recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first Moon landing.  After the Apollo missions, scientists have returned to the Moon with robotic missions because of the scientific clues the Moon can provide about the history of the Earth and the solar system, as well as learning more about the lunar environment and resources in preparation for an eventual return of humans - perhaps for the long term. The journey to the Moon and space research often evokes images of large complex spacecraft costing hundreds of millions of dollars.  However, a new project plans to take a new approach: sending hundreds of much smaller and much less expensive spacecraft.  This project is called the Great Lunar Expedition for Everyone, or GLEE, and our guests today are here to talk about GLEE, how it will work, and what science they plan to do. Victor Andersen is a Research Manager at the Colorado Space Grant Consortium that is one of the groups leading the project.   Tristan Schoeman is a student

In this episode, Beth speaks with Dr Marc Bubbs, author of Peak: The New Science of Athletic Performance, his book exploring the fundamentals of high performance. He offers science-based strategies on nutrition, training, sleep, recovery, and stress management to optimize performance for all levels of athletes and trainers. You can read more about the book here and you can find his podcast here. Host: Beth Bennett Producer: Beth Bennett Engineer" Beth Bennett Executive Producer: Beth Bennett Listen to the show:

  Slime:  How Algae Created Us, Plague Us, and Just Might Save Us.  (Starts 00:00) We speak with science writer Ruth Kassinger about her acclaimed new book, which  Kirkus Review describes as "accessible and enthralling."   Nature Science reports that Kassinger’s book, “ is a real pleasure. " Publisher’s Weekly writes, “ Kassinger turns an obscure subject into delightful reading.” Host, Producer, Engineer:  Shelley Schlender Executive Producer:  Beth Bennett  

The PUNCH mission (starts at 8:05) NASA’s new mission to study the Sun is called PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere).  In this episode of How on Earth we talk with solar physicist Dr. Craig DeForest, the Principal Investigator of the PUNCH mission.  Dr. DeForest is a Program Director at the Boulder office of Southwest Research Institute, and he explains how PUNCH will use polarimetry to study the outer part of the solar atmosphere, the million-degree hot corona, and how it interacts and evolves into the solar wind. Host, Producer, Engineer: Joel Parker Additional Contributions: Beth Bennett, Shelley Schlender Executive Producer: Beth Bennett Listen to the show:

Despite all the advances in modern medical science, a diagnosis of Cancer often casts a pallor of hopelessness, for both the patient and the practitioner.  For many types the prognosis is often poor; the cure is often worse than the disease; victory is usually called simply remission, temporary, perhaps fleeting.  One might think the inability to find a cure indicates bafflement by our scientists and stagnation in our efforts.  According to Professor Michael Kinch, there is in fact a frenzy of activity by scientists and doctors. And a recent spate of breakthroughs, developing treatments based on the inherent powers of our immune systems, represent not a refutation of all we have known before, but a continuation of efforts made by medical pioneers stretching back over a century.  His latest book is titled The End of The Beginning: Cancer, Immunity and the Future of a Cure.  Kinch was a professor at Purdue University, where he researched breast and prostate cancer.  He then went on to found an oncology program