Kgnu - How On Earth

In this follow-up episode of our "Graduation Special" we talk with three more guests graduating with science Ph.D.'s from the University of Colorado in Boulder.  They join us to talk about their thesis research, their grad school experiences, and what they have planned next: Carleigh Samson - Environmental Engineering Program Topic: Modeling Relationships between Climate, Source Water Quality and Disinfection Byproduct Formation and Speciation in Treated Drinking Water   Patrick Barbour - Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Topic: Property-Guided Synthesis of Tricyclic Indolines to Confront Antibiotic Resistance in Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Greg Thompson - Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Topic: Advances in a Microphysics Parameterization to Predict Supercooled Liquid Water and Application to Aircraft Icing Host / Engineer : Shelley Schlender Producer : Joel Parker Executive Producer : Shelley Schlender Listen to the show:

The graduation season is upon us and our guests in today's show will be graduating with science Ph.D.'s from the University of Colorado in Boulder.  They join us to talk about their thesis research, their grad school experiences, and what they have planned next: Greg Salvesen - Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences Topic: Rethinking Accretion Disks Around Black Holes   Jesse Nusbaumer - Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Topic: An Examination of Atmospheric River Moisture Transport and Hydrology Using an Isotope-enabled Climate Model Odessa Gomez - Environmental Engineering Program Topic: Characterizing Responses of Primary Biological Aerosols to Oxidative Atmospheric Conditions   Host / Producer / Engineer : Joel Parker Executive Producer: Shelley Schlender Listen to the show:

(Starting at 6:30) FLOWS bridges social justice and environmental issues. FLOWS provides leadership training opportunities, green job skills, and free energy and water upgrades while building partnerships between CU students and staff and community members.  They partner with and work primarily for low-income communities for water and energy conservation (the communities most in need of lower energy and water bills).  They joined us to talk about their new training program coming up this May.  Find out more about their program here . (Starting at 20:14)Michael Skirpan is a PhD candidate at the University of Colorado Boulder in the Computer Science Department. He worked with a collaborative team to create a project called quantified self, an immersive data experience that debuted the last weekend in April.  Listen in to hear more about this half performance-half data experience and find out when it will be happening again here. Hosts:Kendra Krueger Producer: Kendra Krueger Engineer: Kendra KRueger Additional

((Starts 00:00)) We speak via Skype with Renowned English Ornithologist Tim Birkhead, about “The Most Perfect Thing.”  That’s the title of his new book.  It’s all about taking a scientific look inside, and outside, a bird’s egg. Host:  Shelley Schlender Producer:Shelley Schlender Engineer:Shelley Schlender Executive Producer: Shelley Schlender

Host Beth Bennett interviews Bob Crifasi, author of A Land Made of Water (starts at 4'55"). Bob works in water management and planning and is an environmental scientist with over 25yr experience. He was the Water Resources Administrator for the city of Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks Dept. He has served on board of directors of 11 ditch companies and as the president of several, supervising all aspects of ditch operation. Hosts: Beth Bennett, Alejandro Soto Producer: Beth Bennett Engineer: Maeve Conran Additional contributions: Shelley Schlender Executive Producer: Shelley Schlender Listen to the show:

This special edition of How on Earth is produced in conjunction with the Conference on World Affairs.  Our guests are two of the participants of the Conference: astrobiologist Dr. David Grinspoon and physicist Dr. Sidney Perkowitz.  In keeping with the traditional format of the conference panels, our guests will start by talking about their interpretation of the topic "Across the Universe - You Can't Get There From Here", and we’ll go from there and see where in the universe we end up. Host / Producer / Engineer : Joel Parker Executive Producer: Shelley Schlender Click below to listen to the show:

Prairie Fire (start time: 0:57) Journalist and Megafire expert Michael Kodas discusses the raging Kansas prairie fire and how it compares to wildfires in Colorado. Pacific Temperatures Predict New York Heat Waves (start time: 6:58) Climatologist Karen McKinnon says it's possible to use precise monitoring of Pacific Ocean surface temperatures to predict heat waves on the East Coast 50 days in advance. Mapping Nitrogen Pollution (start time: 15:45)  CU scientist Sam Simkin explains how human-caused nitrogen pollution  may be killing off plant diversity throughout the US . . . and his maps show where. Hosts: Shelley Schlender, Susan Moran Producer: Shelley Schlender Engineer: Shelley Schlender Additional Contributions: Tom Yulsman Executive Producer: Joel Parker Click below to listen to the show:

Mind+Body Science (start time: 4:52): If you've ever struggled  to decide whether to see a Western conventional doctor or an  “alternative” medical practitioner for ailments ranging from a compromised immune system to irritable bowel syndrome, you are aware of a deep divide between the two camps. Dr. Jo Marchant, a British geneticist and science writer, has delved into the science and politics of mind-body connections in her new book. It’s called Cure: A Journey into the Science of Mind Over Body. She discusses this journey with host Susan Moran. (We played snippets from the interview during the recent  pledge-drive show. Thanks to you, listener-members, for your support! And thanks, Crown Publishers, for allowing KGNU to give copies of Cure to those who pledged during the show. Headlines (0:56 - 4:30) 1) Analyzing the molecular signature from our body's microbial communities might be used in the future to link suspects to crimes definitively. 2) New research explores whether molecules behave like predatory

In today's spring pledge-drive show we play clips from an interview with  Jo Marchant, author of the new book Cure: A Journey into the Science of Mind Over Body. (Stay tuned for the extended interview on next Tuesday's show.) And we highlight another book, Sex in the Sea: Our Intimate Connection with Sex-Changing Fish, Romantic Lobsters, Kinky Squid, and Other Salty Erotica of the Deep, by Marah Hardt. Call KGNU (303-449-4885) or pledge online (www.kgnu.org) and you will have the chance to make either of these books yours. Hosts: Susan Moran, Joel Parker Producer: Susan Moran Engineer: Joel Parker Additional contributions: Beth Bennett Executive Producer: Joel Parker Listen to the show here:

Today's show offers two features: High School STEM Stars (start time: 5:00): Developing polymers to reduce waste from biodiesel production. Using 3D printing to design ocean textures, such as fish gills and waves, that blind students can use in textbooks to better understand nature. These are the kind of vexing challenges of seasoned scientists. Well, a select group of high school students here on the Front Range are also diving into this research, through the University of Colorado's Photo-Origami Research Project. It's part of the Research Experience and Mentoring (REM) program. Our guests--Lindsey Welch, a sophomore at Centaurus High; and Tyco Mera Evans, a senior at Northglenn High-- will give poster presentations at the Emerging Researchers National Conference in STEM, in Washington, D.C.  this week. Joining them in the studio is Kathryn Penzkover, who directs high school programs through CU Science Discovery. Sex & Evolution Beneath the Waves (start time: 14:45) Ever wonder about the sex lives of gende

Interview with LIGO Scientist Dr. Matt Evans (6:22): The recent big news in physics was the announcement of the first direct detection of gravitational waves.  The detection was made by the LIGO project, which stands for "Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory".  Reports have said that this is a confirmation of general relativity and a new way to view the universe.  To help us understand that, and why this is such a significant achievement, we have on the phone Dr. Matthew Evans, an Assistant Professor of Physics at MIT.  Dr. Evans is a member of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration and the chair of the Advanced Interferometer Configurations working group.  His research focus is on gravitational wave detector instrumentation, and the fundamental sensitivity of gravitational wave detectors. And here you can see the signal and hear the "chirp" of a graviational wave! Hosts: Kendra Krueger, Joel Parker Producer: Kendra Krueger Engineer: Kendra Krueger Additional Contributions: Beth Bennett Executive

The Glucocorticoid Receptor (starts at 5:30): We interview Dr. Miles Pufall who studies the glucocorticoid receptor, a protein in cell membranes that is the target of drugs used to treat a variety of conditions from asthma to cancer. Binding cortisol causes the receptor to be moved to the nucleus where it turns on (or off) numerous genes. One of the big questions is how does each cell type 'know' which genes should be targeted? Hosts: Beth Bennett, Joel Parker Producer: Beth Bennett Engineer: Beth Bennett Additional Contributions: Joel Parker, Susan Moran Executive Producer: Joel Parker Listen to the show:

Winter Stars (starts at 5:30).  We talk with Dave Sutherland, an interpretive naturalist with Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, about winter star-gazing.  This program is tied to an upcoming concert performance by the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra on February 12, 2016.  More information about the Boulder night hikes and other programs can be found at:  www.naturehikes.org and to find out more about for the starry concert and to purchase tickets, check out http://boulderphil.org/site/concerts/spheres-of-influence Pollinators and Insecticides (starts at 10:06).  Although they may be hidden in the chill of winter, crickets, bees and thousands of other insects play a critical role year-round in how we grow the food we eat. Dr. Jonathan Lundgren, a South Dakota-based entomologist, talks with host Susan Moran about how predator insects serve as biological pest controls. Dr. Lundgren's research on adverse effects of a controversial class of insecticides, called neonicotinoids, on pollinators such as honeybe

Electric Car Road Trips (starts 3:42): We go on a road trip with How on Earth's Shelley Schlender to see how all-electric vehicles are exceeding “range anxiety” by driving coast to coast, all on electricity.  Along the way we talk with Boulder Nissan's Nigel Zeid about regional plans to help more drivers "plug in" and with Hunter Lovins, head of Natural Capitalism Solutions. Renewable Energy Nation (starts 11:53): Joel Parker talks live with NOAA scientist Alexander MacDonald and Christopher Clack, a mathematician at the University of Colorado-Boulder. They have developed a model that demonstrates how the entire U.S. can run on solar and wind power--with existing technologies, with no batteries, and at lower cost than today's prices--within 15 years. For more information, see this video and these animations of: U.S. Wind Power Potential U.S. Solar Power Potential U.S. Power Flow (added 2018 January 1 : see this article https://futurism.com/macro-grids-future-renewable-energy/) Hosts: Joel Parker, Beth Be

Using the Microbiome to Determine Time of Death (starts at 5:40): This week on How on Earth, we speak with Jessica Metcalf, an evolutionary biologist, who studies bacteria, specifically the microbiome. One of her research interests is using molecular biology to address basic hypotheses about the role of microbes in corpse decomposition. The time since death, or postmortem interval, also known as (PMI), is important for criminal investigations because it can lead to the identification of the deceased and validate alibis. PMI is critical to both forensic science and pop culture (e.g. TV shows Bones, CSI). Recently she co-authored a paper published in Science, describing how various species of the microbiome can be used to accurately and repeatedly determine the post-mortem interval. Host: Beth Bennett Producer: Beth Bennett Engineer: Maeve Conran Executive Producer: Joel Parker Listen to the show:

Today's show of How on Earth starts with headlines about dark matter, genetic mysteries, jealous monkeys, and polar bears.  We then present a short feature of BBC's Science in Action about the Hubble Space Telescope. This is shorter than our usual How on Earth show due to technical difficulties with the phone system for our feature interview with entomologist Jonathan Lundgren; that feature will appear in a future show. Hosts: Susan Moran, Joel Parker Producer: Susan Moran Executive Producer and Engineer: Joel Parker Headline Contributions: Susan Moran, Beth Bennett, Joel Parker Click below to listen to the show:

Hunter Lovins – Regenerative Economics EXTENDED VERSION.  This is the extended version of the fall 2015 talk by Hunter Lovins, recorded by Shelley Schlender. Lovins heads up Natural Capitalism Solutions, and she’s a sought after speaker around the world, as well as here in Colorado. She gave this talk, including visuals, and called it Regenerative Economics.  This talk was recorded in Boulder as part of the Colorado Chautauqua Events series, in conjunction with the Boulder City Club. For the broadcast version of this talk, GO HERE.

Our Microbes, Ourselves, Dec. 31, 2015: Roughly one hundred trillion bacteria are living, and gorging, in our gut--all the more so during the indulgent holidays. Microbes influence our health and well-being, by affecting our gut directly, as well as the crops we eat and the soils in which we grow crops. These microbial communities  – called the gut microbiome -- have been linked to many disorders, including obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, cancer, immune disorders, and even mental illness. We are just at the dawn of a new era of microbial treatments for many illnesses. After a recent How On Earth show generated so much interest, we decided to bring our guest, Amy Sheflin, back for an hour-long call-in show on A Public Affair on KGNU. Amy is a doctoral student at Colorado State University in food science and human nutrition. She studies how the food we eat alters the microbial communities in our gut, and how those microbes in our bodies influence our overall health. For more info on the gut micro

Hunter Lovins - Regenerative Economics (Starts 2:42) One of the world’s leading voices for the environment is urging the world to work for even more than a sustainable economy.  She says it’s time for a regenerative economy.  That’s the message from Boulder County resident, Hunter Lovins.  Lovins heads up Natural Capitalism Solutions, and she’s a sought after speaker around the world, as well as here in Colorado.  To give you an idea about what the vision of Lovins for a regenerative economy, here is an excerpt from a recent talk about the Future of Humanity.  This talk was recorded in Boulder as part of the Colorado Chautauqua Events series, in conjunction with the Boulder City Club. For the extended version of this talk, go here. Host: Kendra Krueger Producer: Shelley Schlender Engineer: Kendra Krueger Executive Producer: Beth Bennett Listen to the show:

Climate Change and Cities (starts at 5:05)  Sea level rise, severe storms, heat waves – these are just a few of the challenges cities might be facing as the climate changes in the next few decades.  So how should they adapt to cope with such events? And with urban developments being one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, what can they do to mitigate their impact? These are questions that the Urban Climate Change Research Network has set out to address in its Second Assessment Report on Climate Change and Cities.  The report gives the expected climate projections for 100 cities along with guidance on increasing resilience and reducing impact.  The Network released its summary for city leaders at the Paris talks only three weeks ago, and Boulder’s Paty Romero Lankao was there to promote the report — she was a co-editor of the report and coordinating lead author of the chapter on governance. Dr. Lankao is a research scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research who investigates