KGNU - How On Earth

Today’s show features the following interviews, by How On Earth’s Susan Moran and guest host Ted Wood. Photo credit: Mike Fernandez/Audubon Audubon’s Climate Watch (start time: 4:03) Starting on Jan. 14, the Audubon Society will launch a month-long citizen science program to better understand how birds are responding to climate change. This comes at a time when, according to a 2019 Audubon report, up to two-thirds of North American birds are vulnerable to extinction due to climate change. But the Climate Watch program is one of many opportunities to protect birds.  Alison Holloran, executive director of Audubon Rockies, discusses the program and how you can get involved. Conservation on the Edges (start time: 13:26) Charismatic predators like polar bears, grizzlies, and tigers, get lots of attention, and for good reason. But many lesser known species, particularly those living in extreme environments–including muskoxen, wild yaks, takins and saigas–are also important species. They have been the research focus of Joel Berger, a professor of wildlife conservation at Colorado State University. He’s also senior scientist at Wildlife Conservation Society.  Berger’s latest book is Extreme Conservation: Life at the Edges of the World.  Hosts: Susan Moran, Ted Wood Producer: Susan Moran Engineer: Maeve Conran Executive Producer: Beth Bennett Additional Contributor: Beth Bennett Listen to the show here:

Black Hole Image from New Scientist This week on How on Earth, Angele and Beth distill some of the top science news of the past year and decade, ranging from the first image of a black hole, as seen here, to DNA sequencing of ancient genomes, some new hominid ancestors, advances in AI, and more! Hosts: Beth Bennett & Angele Sjong Producer: Beth Bennett & Angele Sjong Engineer: Beth Bennett Executive Producer: Joel Parker Listen to the show:

At COP25, Tashiana Osborne (far right), Sarah Whipple (2nd from right), CSU Prof. Gillian Bowser (2nd from left) and colleagues. Photo credit: Adewale Adesanya COP25 Postmortem (start time: 3:35) Earlier this month many nation’s leaders, as well as scientists, environmental activists, companies and others gathered in Madrid for a two-week United Nations climate summit. The conference, called COP25, is rooted in the 2015 Paris Agreement, which is a blend of pledges from about 200 nations to dramatically slash their planet-warming emissions. Next year’s meeting is when signatory nations will update their actual commitments. So, what happened at the recent climate summit, and what’s next? How On Earth host Susan Moran today interviews two scientists who attended COP25.  Tashiana Osborne is a PhD candidate in atmospheric and oceanic science at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, at UC San Diego. And Sarah Whipple is a PhD candidate in ecology at Colorado State University. Hosts: Susan Moran, Joel Parker Producer: Susan Moran Engineer: Joel Parker Executive Producer: Joel Parker Listen to the show here:

Prof Marie BanichFour years ago Beth interviewed Professor Marie Banich, a neuroscience researcher at the University of Colorado here in Boulder. She had just received a major grant from NIH to characterize how brain regions involved in decision making and judgment change as children grow up. In the past four years she has assembled a multi-site team of neuroscientists and experts in developmental psychology who have begun testing the 11,000+ 8-10 year olds enrolled in the massive study. To find more detail, see her lab website (https://www.colorado.edu/faculty/banich/research/research-interests). Hosts: Beth Bennett & Angele Sjong Producer: Beth Bennett Engineer: Beth Bennett Executive Producer: Joel Parker Listen to the show:

The Heliopause Voyager Passes Through the Heliopause   (Starts 1:00) LASP scientist Fran Bagenol explains how the over 40 year old Voyager Mission, that launched in the 1970s is still providing incredible surprises, including passing through the border between the solar system and “outer space.”  As part of making that journey, the Voyager spacecraft have passed through cosmic plasma that has temperatures of 60,000 F.  Bagenol will explain how that’s possible . . . and why Voyager could pass through that incredible heat unscathed.   Fiske Planetarium will present a special show about Voyager in March. courtesy audubon.org Boulder Xmas Bird Count  (Starts 13:45)  Naturalists Steve Jones and Scott Seevers   explain how  to join Boulder’s December 15th Xmas bird count, and why the scientific data gathered by citizens during this event is so important.  All ages are welcome , and all regions have these counts, from Boulder to beyond.  For more info, go here.   Host/Producer/Engineer: Shelley Schlender Additional Contributions:  Joel Parker Executive Producer: Joel Parker

Tashiana Osborne launching weather balloons in Ukiah, Calif. Photo credit: Maryam Asgari-Lamjiri COP25 & Climate Change (start time: 1:07): Next month (Dec. 2-13), the United Nations global climate change summit, known as COP25, will take place in Madrid. Many scientists, environmental nonprofits, students, activists will also attend side events related to the UN sustainable development goals (SDG). The goal of COP over the years has been to reduce emissions of planet-warming gases. The talks stem from the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement, which essentially is a mix of pledges from about 200 nations to dramatically cut their greenhouse emissions. The countries are not legally bound to meet their targets, but they are supposed to report their progress to the UN. Under the Obama administration, the U.S. vowed to reduce emissions about 28 percent below 2005 levels, by 2025. But earlier this month, the Trump administration announced that it will begin a year-long process to withdraw the U.S. from the international accord. The stakes are extremely high. How On Earth’s Susan Moran and guest-host Tom Yulsman discuss COP25 and what’s at stake with Gillian Bowser, an ecologist and research scientist at Colorado State University who has studied international climate and biodiversity conventions and has attended several COP summits; and Tashiana Osborne, a PhD candidate at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, who is studying the effects of atmospheric rivers, and who will attend COP25. Tom Yulsman, a CU Boulder journalism professor and blogger, offers his expertise as a climate-focused science journalist. Hosts: Susan Moran, Tom Yulsman Producer: Susan Moran Engineer: Joel Parker Executive Producer: Joel Parker Listen to the show here:

BUZZ:  Inside the Minds of Thrill-Seekers, Daredevils and Adrenaline Junkies.    We speak with clinical psychologist and author, Ken Carter about his new book BUZZ, and high-sensation seekers who can’t get enough “new” and love to seek out more.  Carter is a consultant for the Denver Science Museum’s Extreme Sports exhibit, running through spring 2020.  He speaks at the Boulder Bookstore Wednesday Nov 6th.  Check out his sensation-seeking survey on how to rate your own thrill-seeking . . . or chill-seeking, personality. Host, Producer, Engineer: Shelley Schlender

How To [starts at 4:30] Our guest for this episode is Randall Munroe, perhaps best known for his comic xkcd, and author of the books “What If” and “Thing Explainer”.  Randall has figured out how to do many things, so he wrote a new book appropriately called “How To”, which promises to provide absurd scientific advice for common real world problems.  Absurd?  Sometimes. (well, often actually)  Amusing and informative?  Definitely.  Have you ever wanted to build a lava moat?  Have you ever wondered what kind of gas mileage  your house would get on the highway?  What are the energy requirements and logistics of boiling vs. freezing a river?  And what about landing an airplane on a submarine?  All of those questions and more (pirates!) are addressed in “How To”, and we talk about some of them in  this episode of How on Earth. Host, Producer, Engineer: Joel Parker Listen to the show:

Almost Human – The Story of Julius, the Chimpanzee Caught Between Two Worlds (Extended Version) by Alfred Fidjestøl.  This is the full version of the interview.

Almost Human:  The Story of Julius, the Chimpanzee Caught Between Two Worlds.  In this fall pledge drive show, we feature  Alfred Fidjestøl‘s new biography about one of Europe’s most famous chimpanzees.   (We’ll broadcast the full interview with Alfred Fijestol at a later date.) Hosts: Shelley Schlender & Chip Grandits Producer/Engineer:  Shelley Schlender Executive Producer: Joel Parker