KGNU - How On Earth

Cognitive Scores on New Drugs versus Bredesen Program (on right) source Apollo Health Various experts share pros and cons about Lecanemab (starts 1:00) the newly approved drug for Alzheimer’s. Dale Bredesen of Apollo HealthCo (starts 5:30) shares his criticisms of the new Alzheimer’s drug and gives recommendations for better ways to improve cognition. Links to topics mentioned in this show: American Alzheimer’s Association Statement urging Medicare and Medicaid pay the (estimated) $26,000 annual cost for Lecanemab, per person. Olive Oil reduces Dementia Risk Harvard Study shows a 29% reduction in risk of dying from Dementia among people who consume a little olive oil every day, compared to people who don’t consume olive oil. Aricept is  associated  with faster long-term memory decline  Aricept is often prescribed for improving cognition among people diagnosed with memory impairment.  A second study  reports that among people who take drugs like Aricept, “previous analysis of observational studies indicates such individuals experience greater rate of decline on cognitive testing than those not receiving such medications.” Previous Science Show Interviews . . . about Dale Bredesen:  Alzheimer’s Reversal (The Health Hacker’s Group, APOE4.Info and Dale Bredesen’s book The End of Alzheimer’s ) New Treatments for Alzheimer’s (Dale Bredesen’s book, The First Survivors of Alzheimer’s) Salmonella Biofilms (How non-human, Curli Amyloid Protein similar to the beta amylooid proteins created within our bodies, can enter the bloodstream from intestinal infections such as e-coli and salmonella) Leprosy Tango  This skit is by a health expert on leprosy.  It includes the lyrics. Executive Producer: Beth Bennett Show Producer: Shelley Schlender Additional Contributions: Stacie Johnson and Beth Bennett Engineer: Shannon Young    

Colorado’s Solid Power Solid State electric car battery Better Electric Car Batteries are a key to moving toward all-electric cars.  While the standard liquid lithium ion/graphite battery is making advancements, this week’s show focuses batteries that add new materials to the mix for batteries that could be safer, faster charging and longer range.  Featured are Colorado’s Solid Power solid state battery, the Sila Battery that includes silicon, and the new Nyobolt‘battery that uses the rare earth metal niobium.  Experts who provide explanations include Doug Campbell, Solid Power cofounder and former CEO, John Capodilupo, CoFounder of WHOOP! Fitness tracker (WHOOP is the first commercial product using a new  – in this case, Sila’s), industry analyst Mark Newman, plus a common sense look at batteries from Shelley’s neighbor Bill. RELATED SHOW:  Recycling Lithium Ion Batteries Executive Producer: Beth Bennett Show Producer: Shelley Schlender Engineer> Shannon Young Listen to the show:

On today’s show, Beth speaks with Michael Stein, primary care physician and researcher, who has been writing about medicine and public health for decades. In Me Vs Us, he instigates a conversation about how we might change the current situation in which public health loses out to individual medicine and how public health nevertheless holds the solutions to our most concerning health crises, such as Covid-19 and obesity. In the end, Stein argues, we need to recover and sharpen our sense of health based on a reverent appreciation of both the health care and public health perspectives. Executive Producer: Beth Bennett Show Producer: Beth Bennett Additional Contributions: Benita Lee and Shelley Schlender Engineer Shannon Young Listen to the show:

cc NOAA Science Graphic We share the science team’s top science stories of 2022: DART Asteroid Deflection (Starts 1:00) mRNA Vaccine for RSV (starts 3:30) Bumblebees Like to Play (starts 6:00) Sexual Pleasure in Female Snakes (starts 8:30) Alphafold Protein Folding  (starts 11:00) CU Boulder Scientists Make Graphyne (starts 13:30) Chatty Chatbots Can Backfire (starts 18:00) Ancient DNA Indicates Greenland Was Tropical (starts 20:50) James Webb Telescope (starts 23:00) Executive Producer: Susan Moran Show Producer: Shelley Schlender/Beth Bennett Additional Contributions: Beth Bennett, Joel Parker, Benita Lee, Jill Sjong Engineer: Shannon Young

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope – JWST – was launched one year ago on December 25th, 2021.  We talked with scientists and engineers about JWST’s first year and some of the projects it is being used for.  In this first part of our JWST special, our guests are: Dr. Naomi Rowe-Gurney (Planetary Scientist Postdoctoral Researcher, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and the University of Maryland) gives an overview of the JWST instrument suite Dr. Christine Chen (Associate Astronomer, Space Telescope Science Institute) talks about the JWST proposal process and how the scientists get their data Dr. Ryan Lau (Assistant Astronomer, NOIRLab) discusses his project:  Establishing Extreme Dynamic Range with JWST: Decoding Smoke Signals in the Glare of a Wolf-Rayet Binary Check out Part 2 of this feature (2023 Jan 31) Host & Producer: Joel Parker Executive Producer: Susan Moran Featured Music: “Floating in Heaven” by Graham Gouldman and Brian May Listen to the show:

In today’s show Beth talks with Aric Prather, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of California, San Francisco, where he co-directs the Aging, Metabolism, and Emotions Center. A licensed clinical psychologist, he has helped hundreds of patients improve their sleep. In his new book, The Sleep Prescription, Dr. Prather describes the solutions that he uses in the clinic to regain normal sleep. In our conversation, Dr. Prather shares the science behind the simple yet effective techniques that can restore one’s sleep. Executive Producer: Susan Moran Show Producer: Beth Bennett Additional Contribution: Shelley Schlender Engineer: Shannon Young Listen to the show:

Unruly Planet (start time: 5:31) This week on How On Earth Susan Moran interviews science journalist Madeline Ostrander about her recently published book, At Home On An Unruly Planet: Finding Refuge On A Changed Earth. The author reflects on what it means to reimagine the concept of home, and to literally find a secure home, in this era of upheaval and change. The book, and our conversation today, explore the predicament of climate refugees as well as heroic individuals who are proactively working to preserve and recreate communities. Hosts: Susan Moran, Joel Parker Producer: Susan Moran Engineer: Joel Parker Executive Producer: Susan Moran Headline Contributors: Beth Bennett, Shelley Schlender Listen to the show here:

This week on How on Earth Beth talks to Dr. Robynne Chutkan, about her newest book, The Anti-Viral Gut, in which she describes research elucidating the protective role of the microbiome. Many studies have confirmed the link between the health of our microbiome—the trillions of bacteria that live in our digestive tract—and our likelihood of getting devastating viral illnesses like COVID-19. Low-fiber diets, limited exposure to nature, and overzealous use of antibiotics can disrupt the microbiome. In her recent book, Chutkin lays out a plan for anyone trying to avoid or recover from a viral illness to rehab their gut microbes and restore their health. Executive Producer: Susan Moran Show Producer: Beth Bennett Additional Contributions: Shelley Schlender Listen to the show:

How on Earth’s Beth Bennett talks with authors Ridge Shinn and Lynne Pledger about how regenerative grazing can replace corn-based feedlots, which are responsible for significant climate emissions, nitrogen pollution, and animal suffering. Their book, Grass-Fed Beef for a Post-Pandemic World, outlines a hopeful path out of our broken food system via regional networks of regeneratively produced meat. They talk about how this ancient method of animal husbandry can restore degraded farmland, increase biodiversity, combat climate change by reducing emissions and sequestering carbon and produce nutrient-dense, healthy meat for consumers.  More information at Big Picture Beef. Also, Shelley Schlender talks with Sarah Johnson, a professor of food, science and human nutrition at Colorado State University, about a recent study indicating that in mice prone to artery disease, those that ate belgian endive reduced the instability of artery plaques. That may be important, because in people, unstable plaques can trigger heart attacks. Hosts: Joel Parker, Beth Bennett Producer: Joel Parker Additional contributions: Shelley Schlender Executive Producer: Susan Moran Listen to the show:

High angle close-up of pieces of recyclable garbage on conveyor belt inside waste management facility. Recycling: Obstacles and Progress (start time: 4:35): This week’s How On Earth focuses on the state of recycling and composting in Colorado and well beyond. A newly published report by Eco-Cycle and CoPIRG shows that Colorado ranks well below the national average, and below its own goals, on recycling and composting. But the report also highlights some recently passed legislation that could help dramatically improve the landscape, by holding producers responsible for the waste that their products generate. Host Susan Moran interviews Suzanne Jones, executive director of Eco-Cycle; and Anja Brandon, the U.S. plastics policy analyst at Ocean Conservancy, an environmental nonprofit organization. Host, Producer: Susan Moran Engineer: Shannon Young Executive Producer: Susan Moran Headline Contributors: Beth Bennett, Shelley Schlender Listen to the show here: