Kgnu - How On Earth

This week’s How On Earth offers two features: Deep-sea coral reef discovery (start time: 0:58)  Scientists recently discovered and mapped the largest known deep-sea coral reef in the world. It’s located up to 200 miles off the U.S. Atlantic Coast, and it’s larger than Vermont. The news comes as a bright spot for oceans and … Continue reading "Deep-sea Coral Reefs//Mineral-Mining"

In this week’s show Beth speaks with author Annabel Abbs-Streets about her new book, SLEEPLESS: Unleashing the Subversive Power of the Night Self, in which she dives into both the science of sleep and sleeplessness, and a new perspective on life after midnight. Executive Producer: Joel Parker Show Producer: Beth Bennett Listen to the show:

This week on How on Earth Beth speaks with Mattie Matsch, deputy director of Boulder’s Eco-Cycle. We spoke about the challenges of recycling plastics. As consumers, it’s vital to be aware of these challenges and the limitations they impose on the types of plastic we can toss in the barrel for pickup. Executive Producer: Joel … Continue reading "Myths and Facts about Plastic Recycling"

Boulder native and wildlife photographer John Weller talks about his efforts to save The Ross Sea in Antarctica.  The Ross Sea is the world’s largest Marine Protected Area.   Weller’s photobooks and documentary films have been a big part of explaining why this area is special, and why protecting it is a crucial part of … Continue reading "John Weller – Saving Antarctica"

This week’s How On Earth features the following: How Environmental Toxins Harm Maternal Health (start time: 1:30) Being exposed to wildfires and other forms of air pollution can wreak havoc on anyone’s health. If you’re pregnant, or  socioeconomically disadvantaged, you are particularly susceptible to the negative effects of airborne contaminants. How On Earth’s Susan Moran, … Continue reading "Air Pollution+Maternal Health"

This is the first episode of a series where we hear about recent research presented at the American Astronomical Society (AAS) January 2024 meeting. Magnetic Braking in Old Stars (starts at 3:13)  Dr. Travis Metcalfe from the White Dwarf Research Corporation talks about studies of one particular star, 51 Peg, that has gone through magnetic … Continue reading "Astronomy Highlights: Stellar Magnetic Fields, Zooniverse"

Ibogaine for Traumatic Brain Injury – The Science journal Nature has published a small case study about Special Forces veterans who suffer from traumatic brain injury . . . they report good results from one single dose of the illegal psychedelic Ibogaine . . . with careful supervision. Ibogaine – Huberman Lab discussion with Nolan … Continue reading "Traumatic Brain Injury & Ibogaine – Andrew Linares"

On this week’s show, we focus on the ongoing challenge of climate change. In addition to headlines about this issue, we replay an interview with author John Vaillant, who has written extensively about the natural world over his long career. In his new book, Fire Weather:A True Story from a Hotter World, he explores the … Continue reading "A New Year and the Same Old Environmental Issues"

  We share the How on Earth team’s picks for of science stories of 2023: Superconductor Hopes And Failures (starts at 1:47) New Weight Loss Drugs (starts at 5:56) Hot Temperatures (starts at 9:27) Asteroid Autumn (starts at 12:29) Bird Population Decline (starts at 16:51) Sickle Cell Disease Treatment (starts at 22:29) Executive Producer: Joel … Continue reading "Science Stories from 2023"

STEM ed accessibility (start time: 2:03): It’s challenging enough learning science, technology, engineering and math when you can clearly see the physical models or images of neurons on a screen.  So, imagine the hurdles faced by students who are blind or otherwise visually impaired? In this week’s show, host Susan Moran interviews two chemists who … Continue reading "STEM Ed: Improving access for the blind, etc."

On this week’s show, Beth speaks with Dr Afton Hassett, psychologist and pain researcher about her book, Chronic Pain Reset: 30 Days of Activities, Practices, and Skills to Help You Thrive. Not just a guide for evaluating pain and its triggers, her book offers straightforward and often fun strategies to move past chronic pain. Dr. … Continue reading "Chronic Pain: A New Approach"

Climate Change & COP28 (start time: 1:30) A major global climate conference is taking place now in Dubai, amidst a year of record-breaking heat, wildfires, floods and more around the world.  COP28 is short for the 28th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The aim of the conference … Continue reading "COP28 Climate Summit: Pledges & Realities"

Soccer Headers and Brain Damage (starts 1:00) New research about long term effects of soccer heading — the practice of hitting a soccer ball with the head, indicates a brain damage risk, even without “official” concussions. Teen Raptor Survey (starts 3:00) Naturalists Steve Jones and Elena Klaver lead the Boulder Teen Naturalists on a survey … Continue reading "Teen Raptor Survey//Gaia Theory for 21st Century"

In addition to recent news about possible therapies to restore lost sense of smell due to COVID, we do a deep dive into the How on Earth archives to bring you some still-relevant stories from past Thanksgiving episodes: Start with some happiness (2015 Nov 24) A main course wild turkeys in North America… (2011 Nov … Continue reading "Ghosts of Thanksgiving Past"

The Power of Poop (start time: 5:41)  This potent byproduct of our digestive system holds the promise of being a big part of the solution to several public health and environmental challenges of our time, such as drinking water scarcity and degraded cropland. In this week’s show, How On Earth’s Susan Moran interviews Dr. Bryn … Continue reading "From Sewage to Planet Savior?"

Bird Feather Fossils  (starts 1:00)  give new evidence about what we know, and don’t know, about how flying feathers evolved. Boulder Naturalist Steve Jones  talks about the movement to stop naming birds after people. (starts 2:30) Host/Producer/Engineer: Shelley Schlender Executive Producer: Susan Moran Headline contributors: Beth Bennett

In this Halloween episode, we talk with Dr. Adam Frank, an astrophysicst/astrobiologist at the University of Rochester, about his recent book: The Little Book of Aliens. We hear some of the stories and learn about the science of life “out there” – astrobiology – and the past, present, and future search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Host/Producer/Engineer: Joel … Continue reading "The Little Book of Aliens"

Over the Seawall (start time: 7:33): One of the key things that makes us human is our ability to problem-solve.  But often our engineered fixes backfire and even make the problem we’re trying to solve much worse. How On Earth host Susan Moran interviews journalist Stephen Robert Miller about how this applies to massive seawalls, … Continue reading "Climate Change Maladaptations"

In this episode of How on Earth we hear the full interview Beth did with physician and author Gavin Frances. They spoke about his book, RECOVERY: The Lost Art of Convalescence. He emphasizes the importance of taking an active role in one’s recovery and outlines many paths one can take in doing so. It is … Continue reading "Convalescence: The Art of Recovery"

As part of the KGNU Fund Drive, this episode of How on Earth features excerpts of Beth Bennett’s interview of Dr. Gavin Francis about his book Recovery: The Lost Art of Convalescence. We explore the difference between sickness and health, and the gap between them: Recovery. Based on decades of treating disease and injury, Dr … Continue reading "Recovery – The Lost Art of Convalescence / Fund Drive"