Kunc's Colorado Edition

The start of a new year often involves making changes in pursuit of a healthier life.  For many of us, that means fewer processed foods, more veggies, and – maybe – a few more trips to the gym.   Or perhaps your resolution is to work on relationships – to make new friends or reconnect with existing ones. After all, friendships are a key part of our well-being. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy says loneliness is an epidemic that harms mental health and even physical health.   But what’s the best way to make friends? How do you rekindle a relationship that’s gone quiet? And how do you nurture your current friendships?   For answers, we reached out to Natalie Pennington, assistant professor of communication studies at Colorado State University. She studies the importance of friendship in our lives, and co-leads the American Friendship Project, an ongoing study of the state of connectedness in the U.S. She joined host Erin O’Toole to share practical tips on how to build new friendships – or reconnect with friend

When someone dies nowadays, their online accounts and social media profiles can become a poignant online memorial. Or sometimes, those accounts can become a hassle for grieving loved ones.   For many people who have recently lost someone, knowing what to do with a loved one’s online accounts is a mystery.  Sometimes an account gets deleted by the organization that manages them. Sometimes the account gives the impression that the dead person is still alive. Or th account might simply sit unused.  A new clinic set up by a University of Colorado researcher provides guidance and aid in handling digital accounts after someone passes away. It’s a free help desk called the Digital Legacy Clinic. Professor Jed Brubaker founded the clinic and oversees its operation.  Brubaker joined Erin O’Toole to discuss the unusual task of managing our online accounts for after we’re gone. He said it’s a reflection of how we mourn in a more digital age.  Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Sto

Colorado teachers say their students are missing something that helps determine their academic success. Call it grit.  If a student who struggles with math studies hard and performs well on their math test, that’s grit. If they complete a homework assignment that was tough to finish, that's also grit.   Erica Breunlin covers education for The Colorado Sun. Since the pandemic, she says teachers have told her they’re seeing less grit in the classroom. And that’s leading to lower test scores for K-12 students.  Breunlin recently wrote about grit, and the strategies some educators and parents have developed to build more of it in their kids. She joined host Erin O’Toole to share what she learned. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad Turn

An electrical grid on the moon. It’s an idea that could eventually power a small lunar colony and help take space travel to a new level.  And research by two Colorado School of Mines graduate students may help make it a reality.  Chris Tolten and Ken Liang built a prototype of that lunar grid and presented it during a recent competition run by NASA. The prototype worked – and Chris and Ken won a half-million-dollar prize to continue developing their idea.  Their vision ultimately includes mining minerals found on the moon to fuel lunar habitats, rovers, and spacecraft heading to more distant points in the solar system. They’ve also launched a company, Orbital Mining Corporation, to pursue their goals. Tolten and Liang joined host Erin O’Toole to share more about their work, and how the future of space travel may be just a step closer than we think. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people

These shorter, colder days over the midwinter holiday are the perfect time to break out that bag of roasted Pueblo chile peppers some of us have kept stashed in the freezer since the fall. They're just waiting to be turned into a big batch of spicy green chile.  And for many pepper aficionados, only the Pueblo chile will do.   But the popularity of these Colorado-grown peppers is a relatively recent phenomenon. Farmers in Pueblo and other parts of Colorado have been growing different kinds of peppers for decades, but the state didn’t really have its own signature variety of chile until the early 2000s.  That’s when Dr. Michael Bartolo, an agriculture professor with Colorado State University, developed the unique Mosco variety of the Pueblo chile. And in a few short years, they’ve become a regional rival to New Mexico’s more famous Hatch chiles. Host Erin O’Toole spoke with the now-retired Bartolo earlier in the year to learn more about why chiles are such a point of pride for some people. It was one of our fa

The Denver Museum of Nature and Science made an exciting announcement this year: A new species of cave-dwelling pseudoscorpion had been discovered in the foothills outside Boulder. Researchers named it Larca boulderica – a nod to the city of Boulder – and say the only place on the planet where you’ll find it is in just two caves near the Boulder Flatirons.    We reached out to David Steinmann, the research associate with the Museum of Nature and Science who found the new species. We thought he’d want to talk about his once-in-a- lifetime discovery. Instead, he told us that for him, it wasn’t a singular event at all. In fact, he kind of specializes in hunting for new species, and says he’s found at least 50 of them.  Steinmann joined host Erin O’Toole to talk about his unusual work, and what exactly a pseudoscorpion is. As we listen back to some of our favorite science-related interviews of 2024, we’re revisiting this one today.  * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedbac

Scientists have found a promising new way to break down harmful “forever” chemicals.  Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, are found in many household products including nonstick cookware or waterproof clothing. They’ve also found their way into our drinking water, our food and our bodies. They’re called forever chemicals because they were designed and manufactured to never break down – which means, after they’ve been used in manufacturing or in our homes, they’ll continue to circulate in the environment for thousands of years. Studies have linked PFAS exposure to conditions like decreased fertility, cancer and a higher risk of obesity. But researchers at Colorado State University and the University of Colorado Boulder say they’ve found a way to break down PFAS – using light. The process is similar to the way plants use photosynthesis to make energy from sunlight. “We need to be able to produce these chemicals in a way that doesn’t compromise our future generations,” says CSU pro

It wasn’t that long ago that some doctors would use lobotomies as a treatment for mental illness, or insomnia, or severe headaches. That wouldn’t happen now – but modern medicine has made some weird, often tragic turns to get to where it is now.  Similarly, our modern roadways are designed with what amounts to junk science, according to author Wesley Marshall . He says it’s time for a wake-up call.  Marshall, who teaches civil engineering at the University of Colorado Denver, thinks the way our streets and highways are built contributes to tens of thousands of unnecessary crashes and deaths each year.  He recently published his research and ideas in a book, provocatively titled “Killed by a Traffic Engineer.”  In the third installment of In The NoCo’s Holiday Book Club, we’re listening back to a conversation between Wes Marshall and In The NoCo’s Brad Turner. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help m

A unique retelling of the holiday classic ‘The Nutcracker’ explores the history and cultural importance of Denver's Five Points neighborhood.   The Five Points Nutcracker replaces the story’s traditional characters with significant figures from Denver’s African American community. Five Points was once known as the “Harlem of the West.”  Duke Ellington’s jazz version of the music is the backbone of the production, and was the inspiration for the show’s director, Larea Edwards.  The production features actors and dancers from the performing arts group LuneASeas. Musicians from the Boulder Philharmonic will join jazz artist Tenia Nelson to perform the Ellington score.  Edwards spoke with ITN’s Erin O’Toole about the production. Performances take place Friday through Sunday at the Savoy Denver. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite po

Eye doctors today perform surgeries that would have seemed unthinkable a century or two ago. They can remove cataracts, correct someone’s vision with Lasik surgery, or do a cornea transplant to relieve pain or restore someone’s sight. But one procedure they can’t do at the moment is a full eye transplant for vision restoration. And that prevents doctors from treating some more serious eye conditions.  Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus want to change that. A team there was recently awarded up to $46 million to figure out how to make successful eye transplants a medical reality.  Dr. Kia Washington is leading the team’s research. And she refers to the project as a “moonshot.”  Host Erin O’Toole spoke with Washington about what makes eye transplantation so complex, and why this research could create huge advances in eye medicine. Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people

When it comes time to decorate for the holidays, for many people a beautiful Christmas tree is the most essential piece.   And some people simply don’t want to let their Christmas tree go. So, they bring a live potted tree into their home, and then move it to their yard after the holidays to enjoy for years to come.   If that sounds like your kind of Christmas, our guest today has some tips to make it a reality. John Murgel is a horticulture specialist with Colorado State University Extension. He says opting for a living Christmas tree isn’t a totally off-the-wall idea, but it’s certainly not for everyone. He spoke with ITN’s Erin O’Toole about everything you need to know before you try to turn a potted holiday tree into a forever tree in your yard.* * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O

The ingredients you select when you cook dinner can make a huge difference in your household’s carbon emissions.  Mark Easter explores that idea in his book The Blue Plate: A Food Lover’s Guide to Climate Chaos, He’s a retired ecologist in Fort Collins who studies the carbon footprint of the food we eat. His book walks readers through the typical ingredients of a home cooked dinner. Then, Mark explains the carbon footprint of each ingredient and how to reduce that footprint by making smarter purchases at the grocery store. Today, in the second installment of In The NoCo’s Holiday Book Club, we’re listening back to a conversation between Mark Easter and In the NoCo’s Brad Turner. Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerTheme music by Robbie

Tim McKay is a Denver artist who fills colorful, sprawling canvases with geometric figures. His paintings can span 12 feet or larger. But a year ago, a diagnosis threatened to disrupt his career. Doctors told him he had Parkinson’ s disease – a condition that would slowly take away his ability to use his muscles.  McKay responded by making art that reflects how the disease is changing his ability to paint. He started painting on smaller canvases, which require less energy and mobility than his larger pieces. And in some cases, when he had a clumsy moment as he was painting, he left evidence of those mistakes in the work. He spoke with ITN’s Erin O’Toole about how Parkinson’s has changed his work – and the process of documenting his journey through this project, called One to Somewhere. Tim McKay’s paintings are on display at Pirate Contemporary Art in Lakewood through Sunday, December 15.  

Picture this: It's a summer day. You’re on a ship on the Arctic Ocean. You scan the horizon... and you don’t see any sea ice on the surface of the water.  For much of our history, this would be a surreal scenario. The Earth’s northernmost region is typically covered in sea ice and snow year-round. But a University of Colorado researcher says that vision is going to become a reality. And the first ice-free day on the Arctic Ocean may be closer than we think.  Dr. Alexandra Jahn, associate professor in the department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at CU Boulder, is part of an international research team that used climate models to predict when the first ice-free day in the Arctic might occur.  They found that day could happen within the next 20 years – and possibly in as few as three years.  “It will be a stark contrast, seeing this transition from this very white Arctic to now a blue Arctic,” Jahn said. “I think that will have a really big and stunning impact on people.” The team’s findings were recently

Forty years ago, a Denver radio talk show host named Alan Berg was assassinated. He was shot in his driveway by members of a militant, white supremacist group known as The Order. The group was active in the early 1980s, and one of their goals was to spark revolution against the American government. A new movie tells that story, and explores the FBI investigation into the group. The movie, called The Order, is based on a book by Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt, who were both investigative journalists at the Rocky Mountain News at the time Alan Berg was killed.  Kevin Flynn, who now works as a Denver city councilman, joined Erin O’Toole to talk about the story, why the new film feels relevant today. Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerThem

Columbus B. Hill was a pivotal figure in Colorado’s culinary history. He was a Black man originally from Missouri – and he was possibly the most popular barbecue chef in Denver in the late 1800s. His food was so good that it was served to thousands of people at official functions at the state Capitol.  But even among hardcore barbecue fans, very few people know his name. And his legacy wasn’t always well cared for. In 1923, Hill was buried in Denver’s Riverside Cemetery without a headstone.  Denver author and barbecue historian Adrian Miller has been on a mission to change that. He devoted an entire chapter to Columbus B. Hill in his book Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue. He championed Hill’s induction into the American Royal Barbecue Hall of Fame in 2023. And last September, he honored Hill with a memorial dedication at his burial site. Adrian Miller joined ITN’s Erin O’Toole a few days before that ceremony to share the story of the “best barbecue man in the West.”  We’re revi

Your social media use may affect your career prospects more than you think. If you’ve been job hunting recently, you know what to do on LinkedIn:. You keep things professional and probably not too controversial.  But a University of Colorado researcher says what you do on other platforms – like Facebook or X or BlueSky – might matter more than you think. Jason Thatcher has been studying how hiring managers use social media to make decisions about candidates. And he found 60 percent of hiring managers decide who to interview or who to hire, in part, by checking out applicants’ social media accounts.  So how do your Facebook rants about the recent election affect your chances of landing your dream job? What can you do to make your social media accounts more appealing to hiring managers? . And what are the red flags that hiring managers look for?  In the NoCo’s Brad Turner spoke with Thatcher about what he’s observed.  You can also check out Jason’s previous In The NoCo interview, on how to limit “technostress”

Every December, Santa Claus literally does the impossible: He delivers presents all over the world with a team of flying reindeer. So when someone becomes a stand-in for Santa at your local mall, or work party, those are big boots to fill.  But as it turns out, being Santa is a teachable skill. Susen Mesco founded Professional Santa Claus School in Denver in 1983. She says more than 5,000 Santas have attended over the years. And that means she has four decades of expertise in getting your local Santa acting and looking his best.  Susan got her start back in 1982 when her event planning business got an offer to train and manage some Santas at local malls. And she saw a lot of room for improvement. "I went around spying on my competitor, and what I actually found was everything not to do,” she said. “Mommies were miserable. Children were being forced at Santa. Santa was cranky and slouchy, and his beard was falling off. So I went to work writing kind of a manual.”  Host Erin O’Toole talked with Mesco about what

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. And many of us are dreading the moment when someone brings up politics at the dinner table.   Family members might want to debate how Harris performed as a candidate or the merits of who Trump picked for his cabinet. Or a hundred other post-election topics that might make you feel a little bit less than thankful to be with your family on Thursday.  Natalie Pennington, an assistant professor of communication studies at Colorado State University, studies the dynamics of friendship and relationships – and the challenges of maintaining connections across the political divide. She spoke with ITN’s Erin O’Toole to share some simple strategies to help you avoid Thanksgiving dinner drama. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel Lavery

One of the most unusual stories in recent memory about Colorado’s oil and gas industry popped up in the town of Erie. It was actually about what happens underneath Erie.   A company wanted to access some underground oil and gas located beneath the town. But Erie has more than 30,000 residents. So putting a fracking operation in the middle of neighborhoods and schools wasn’t going to be very popular.  Instead, the company, called Extraction Oil and Gas, proposed a plan to do what’s called horizontal drilling. They would set up their equipment on the outskirts of Erie – in unincorporated Weld County – which has fewer restrictions on drilling.  Then they would drill horizontally for as far as five miles to the west – to tap into the oil and gas beneath the town.  But some residents in the town pushed back, saying they don’t want to live on top of an oil and gas operation.  And now state regulators have had to get involved. KUNC’s Rae Solomon has been following this story. Solomon spoke with In the NoCo’s Brad Tu