PODCAST

How On Earth

The KGNU Science Show

science natural sciences

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25:46

This Ordinary Stardust: A Scientist’s Path from...

How On Earth ·

2025/03/11

We speak with Environmental Scientist Alan Townsend about his new book, This Ordinary Stardust: A Scientist’s Path from Grief to Wonder. It chronicles what happened when his family received two unthinkable, catastrophic diagnoses: his 4-year-old daughter and his brilliant scientist wife developed unrelated, life-threatening forms of brain cancer. As he witnessed his young daughter fight … Continue reading "This Ordinary Stardust: A Scientist’s Path from Grief to Wonder"

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27:17

Train Wolves AND Humans to Coexist

How On Earth ·

2025/03/04

On today’s show, Beth speaks with two experts on animal behavior and training about the wolf reintroduction project in Colorado – wins and losses. Mary Angilly is an advocate for force-free, evidence-based training in dogs and other animals. For decades Marc Bekoff has researched animal behavior, cognitive ethology (the study of animal minds), behavioral ecology, … Continue reading "Train Wolves AND Humans to Coexist"

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26:58

Tom Cech: The Catalyst

How On Earth ·

2025/02/25

The Catalyst: RNA and the Quest to Unlock Life’s Deepest Secrets CU Boulder Nobel Prize-Winning Scientist Tom Cech says that RNA has long been the biochemical backup singer that slaves away in the shadows of the diva. In his new book, The Catalyst, Cech puts RNA in the spotlight, along with dazzling … Continue reading "Tom Cech: The Catalyst"

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27:09

Tackling Landfill Methane Emissions

How On Earth ·

2025/02/18

Tackling CH4 emissions from landfills (start time: 5:59) Methane is an extremely potent greenhouse gas, and its emissions have been rising recently in the U.S. The largest source of methane emissions is oil and gas production, followed by livestock farming. The third largest source of methane emissions is landfills. Food scraps, yard debris, paper and … Continue reading "Tackling Landfill Methane Emissions"

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24:39

How a Soil Bacterium Can Affect Mental and Physical...

How On Earth ·

2025/02/10

On today’s show, Beth speaks with CU scientist Christopher Lowry. Dr. Lowry’s research program at CU Boulder focuses on understanding stress-related physiology and behavior with an emphasis on the microbiome-gut-brain axis. He describes his recent finding that exposure to a harmless soil bacterium protects mice from the weight gain and inflammation stemming from a diet … Continue reading "How a Soil Bacterium Can Affect Mental and Physical Health"

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24:05

Gang Science – David Pyrooz

How On Earth ·

2025/01/28

CU Boulder Criminologist David Pyrooz explains the science of understanding gang violence. He shares why immigrant gangs such as Tren de Aragua catch so much media attention, even though they represent only a small part of national gang violence. Pyrooz also shares what drives gangs, ways to reduce gang violence, and his personal work with … Continue reading "Gang Science – David Pyrooz"

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26:13

What’s Up with the Polio Vaccine?

How On Earth ·

2025/01/22

Today on How on Earth, Beth speaks with Professor Vincent Racaniello of the Columbia University Medical Center. He has been studying viruses, particularly the polio virus, for over 40 years. Professor Racaniello is passionate about teaching virology to the World. His virology lectures can be found on YouTube. He blogs and produces the podcast ‘This … Continue reading "What’s Up with the Polio Vaccine?"

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26:42

Plastic Pollution: Sources, Impacts, Solutions

How On Earth ·

2024/12/10

Tackling Plastic Pollution (start time: 3:50) In this week’s show, host Susan Moran interviews science journalists Fionna Samuels, an assistant editor at Chemical & Engineering News, a publication of the American Chemical Society; and Priyanka Runwal, an associate editor at C&EN. Along with other colleagues, they wrote cover articles in the November 28th issue of … Continue reading "Plastic Pollution: Sources, Impacts, Solutions"

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26:50

Eight-Legged Wonders: The Surprising Lives of Spiders

How On Earth ·

2024/10/01

Local Science/Nature Calendar (starts 1:00) We share news about the Marshall Mesa Trailhead Closure to eliminate burning underground coal, CSU Professor Mark Easter talks about the Blue Plate Book Launch, THIS THURSDAY at Boulder’s Patagonia Store, and a Hiking Song:Vocal Improvisation in the Wild, NEXT THURSDAY October 9th. EIGHT-LEGGED WONDERS: The Surprising Lives of Spiders … Continue reading "Eight-Legged Wonders: The Surprising Lives of Spiders"

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27:46

The Carbon Footprint of Food

How On Earth ·

2024/09/24

The Blue Plate in a Red-hot World (start time: 7:46) While adding cream to your morning cup of coffee, or digesting the hamburger that you grilled last night, you might not have been asking yourself, What’s the carbon footprint of these ingredients and meals? Understandable. Our guest today, ecologist Mark Easter, however, has pondered this … Continue reading "The Carbon Footprint of Food"

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23:54

Hoofbeats – Horses & Human History//Colorado Wolf...

How On Earth ·

2024/09/17

Wolf Family Recaptured (Starts 1:40) Colorado Parks & Wildlife did not reply to our request for an update on the fate of Colorado’s newly captured wild wolf family. CU Boulder Professor Marc Bekoff did, offering suggestions for how to improve human-wolf interactions under the voter mandate to reintroduce wolves to Colorado. Go here for … Continue reading "Hoofbeats – Horses & Human History//Colorado Wolf Family ReCaptured"

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51:38

Colorado Wolves Recapture – Marc Bekoff Extended...

How On Earth ·

2024/09/17

This is an extended interview with CU Boulder Wildlife Expert Marc Bekoff about challenges and possibilities with Colorado Wolf Reintroduction. For the broadcast interview, GO Here. And here is an AI-generated written transcipt.

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25:23

The Emotional Lives of Animals

How On Earth ·

2024/09/17

In this week’s show Beth spoke with Marc Bekoff, well known and loved for his decades of research into animal behavior, emotion and cognition, about the new edition of his classic book, The Emotional Lives of Animals. Marc Bekoff is professor emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. For decades … Continue reading "The Emotional Lives of Animals"

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26:58

SOLO: Building a Remarkable Life of Your Own – Peter...

How On Earth ·

2024/09/03

SOLO: Building a Remarkable Life of Your Own. CU Boulder Professor, Behavioral Economist and book author Peter McGraw uses statistical data and personal anecdotes to explain the growing worldwide trend for adults to live “Solo.” (for Cat Ladies song, go here) Show Producer and Host: Shelley Schlender Executive Producer: Susan Moran

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27:00

Science from The Moon

How On Earth ·

2024/08/27

When people talk about going to the Moon, it is often in terms of establishing a station there, or finding water, or doing science about the Moon such as studying moon rocks. But we can do interesting science from the Moon that can’t be done on Earth, which is our topic today with guest Dr. … Continue reading "Science from The Moon"

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26:59

Wildfires & Smokey Skies

How On Earth ·

2024/07/30

Wildfire smoke has marred the Front Range in recent weeks, due to Megafires that are likely to become more frequent. And more smoke is likely. Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World (Starts 00:00) Beth Bennett speaks with author John Vaillant about the Canadian firestorm that forced 100,000 people to run for their … Continue reading "Wildfires & Smokey Skies"

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29:14

Curious Patterns of Chickadees

How On Earth ·

2024/07/23

Clever Chickadees on the Front Range (start time: 4:20) Many of us wake up these days to a chorus of songbirds, including mountain and black-capped chickadees. Host Susan Moran interviews Scott Taylor, an ecologist at CU Boulder and director of the Mountain Research Station near the Continental Divide, about a multi-year study, the Boulder Chickadee … Continue reading "Curious Patterns of Chickadees"

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26:24

“Compostable” Product Truths & Lies

How On Earth ·

2024/07/02

Making “Compostable” Products Truly Compostable (start time: 0:56) You’ve probably wracked your brain at some point trying to figure out whether the compostable-labelled clamshell or the green-tinted plastic cup you got at a restaurant is truly compostable. Many products contain misleading and outright false claims, leaving consumers confused about how to do good by the … Continue reading "“Compostable” Product Truths & Lies"

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26:55

Bees and Other Bugs

How On Earth ·

2024/05/28

This week on How on Earth, we revisit bees and pollination biology. Beth spoke with Professor Michael Breed about honeybees and other pollinators. These insects provide crucial service to our agricultural systems by pollinating flowers whose seeds and fruit produce our foods. But many of us ignore or take them for granted. The Colorado State … Continue reading "Bees and Other Bugs"

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27:31

Birds & Habitat Preservation

How On Earth ·

2024/05/21

Birds of Spring, Habitat Preservation (start time: 3:08) It’s springtime, when many of us are woken up at the crack of dawn by a chorus of chickadees or other songbirds outside. To celebrate these emblems of spring, and World Migratory Bird Day (May 18), How On Earth’s Susan Moran interviews two bird/nature experts about the state … Continue reading "Birds & Habitat Preservation"

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