Trekking Around The World With Ira
Wish you were here! Ira gives us a little taste of local science as he travels the world.
For three weeks, Ira is temporarily leaving the host chair and traveling to Southeast Asia. Never fear, he’s still on the lookout for local science—from critters in caves to diverse ecosystems—and sending us audio postcards along the way.
Ira gives us an update from Hạ Long Bay in the northern part of Vietnam. The area is known for the giant limestone karsts that dot the turquoise water, but it’s also rich in biodiversity with 507 species of plants, 19 varieties of mangroves and 71 bird species.
In downtown Ho Chi Minh City, also known by its former name Saigon, Ira came across a tribute to famous scientists at the Central Post Office. The names of Luigi Galvani, Ben Franklin, Michael Faraday, and others circle around the French colonial designed building.
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Ira Flatow is the founder and host of Science Friday. His green thumb has revived many an office plant at death’s door.
Alexa Lim was a senior producer for Science Friday. Her favorite stories involve space, sound, and strange animal discoveries.
Lauren J. Young was Science Friday’s digital producer. When she’s not shelving books as a library assistant, she’s adding to her impressive Pez dispenser collection.