KGNU - How On Earth

In this week’s show, Beth talks with epidemiologist Genevieve Wojcik. We spoke about her work standardizing what is called the Polygenic Risk Score. This is a composite risk factor, extracted from information on many individual genes that can contribute to a disorder or genetic character. To find out more about her research visit her website. Executive Producer: Joel Parker Producer: Beth Bennett Additional Contributions:Joel Parker Listen to the Show:

(Entire Show)  Larry Gold, Boulder entrepreneur and scientist, invites listeners to register on line for the 12th annual GoldLab symposium.  Due to COVID, it’s a virtual symposium this year, Thursday and Friday, May 13-14.   Extended version coming soon.   Executive Producer: Joel Parker Show Producer & Host: Shelley Schlender

With graduation season upon us, today’s edition of How on Earth is our annual “Graduation Special”. Our guests in the studio today are scientists who have or will soon receive their Ph.D. in a STEM-related field.  They talk about their thesis research, their grad school experiences, and what they have planned next. Kate Doubleday – CU Boulder, Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering Topic: Development and Application of Probabilistic Solar Power Forecasts for the Day-Ahead Unit Commitment   Jason Silver – CU Boulder, Chemical and Biological Engineering Topic: The Role of Stiffness and YAP/TAZ Mechanotransduction during Muscle Regeneration   Zach Ulibarri – CU Boulder, Physics Topic: Experimental Studies of the Genesis and Detectability of Complex Organic Molecules and Isotopic Ratios in Hypervelocity Impact Ice Spectra Host / Producer : Joel Parker Listen to the show:

On this week’s show, Beth talks with author Doug Bierend about his new book, In Search of Mycotopia. He introduces us to an incredible, essential, and often denigrated kingdom of life: the fungi. A growing community of mushroom-mad citizen scientists and devotees are expanding the uses and availability of myriad fungi. From decontaminating landscapes and waterways to achieving food security and novel drugs, you’ll hear about it all. Show Producer: Beth Bennett Executive Producer: Beth Bennett Additional Contributions: Shelley Schlender Listen to the show:

BURNOn today’s show, Beth talks to Herman Pontzer about his new book, Burn, a deep dive into how the human body evolved, and how our species’ deep past shapes our health and physiology. His writing includes fascinating glimpses into both field projects in small-scale societies, including hunter-gatherers and subsistence farmers, in Africa and South America, as well as lab research on energetics and metabolism.(Note: due to the tragic mass murder in Boulder last week, last week’s show was delayed.) Host:Beth Bennett Producer:Beth Bennett Listen to the show:

This week on How on Earth we speak with Ainissa Ramirez, materials scientist and author of The Alchemy of Us:  How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another.   In this book, she examines eight inventions and reveals how they shaped the human experience.      Listen to how our sleep and language were influenced by some of these inventions.  Learn the history about how photographic film was developed, and the surprising use of technological advances in some of our most iconic cameras. Hosts:   Jill Sjong and Beth Bennett Executive Producer:  Beth Bennett Listen to the show:

This week on How on Earth, Beth talks with Dr Paul Cohen, a physician-scientist whose research focuses on obesity and metabolic disease. They spoke about his recent study highlighting the link between brown fat and positive health outcomes in cancer, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. Their converstiaon starts at about 5 minutes. You can read the research study here. Producer: Beth Bennett Host: Beth Bennett Additional Contribution: Joel Parker Executive Producer: Beth Bennett Listen to the show:

detail of bee or honeybee in Latin Apis Mellifera, european or western honey bee sitting on the violet or blue flowerThis week, Beth talks to Prof. Mike Breed, of the University of Colorado, about his longtime research on honeybees. The interview starts at about 6 min. They explore some fascinating aspects of bee biology, and some of the problems facing these amazing creatures, as well as what you can do to attract and support them. Here are some tips from the CSU extension service for providing habitat and food sources. Host: Beth Bennett Executive Producer: Beth Bennett Show Producer: Beth Bennett Listen to the show:

MitochondriaBeth talks with Steven Engle, Chief Executive Officer and Director of CohBar, Inc, a biotechnology company developing mitochondria-based therapeutics to treat chronic diseases and extend healthy lifespan. The company’s lead compound, CB4211, is in early stage clinical trial for fatty liver disease and obesity. The company also has four preclinical programs, two in cancer, one in fibrotic diseases, one in type 2 diabetes, and one, which we discuss here, in COVID-19 associated acute respiratory syndrome. You can find more at the company website. The interview starts at about 6 minutes. Host:Beth Bennett Executive Producer: Beth Bennett Show Producer: Beth Bennett Listen to the show:

  We speak with CU-Boulder Geneticist Tom Johnson about his ground-breaking research into the genetics of aging and ways to improve lifespan and healthspan.  We feature excerpts from Ariel Lavery’s StoryCorps interview with her dad, Tom Johnson, and we speak with Johnson about his recent diagnosis of Lewy Body Dementia. Executive Producer: Beth Bennett Producer: Shelley Schlender