20:55
From Skyscrapers to Sand Thieves—Digging Into The World Of Sand
Each year, we use nearly 50 billion tons of sand and gravel worldwide. Is that sustainable?
The Man Who Builds Beaches
In this excerpt from “The World in a Grain,” beach sand is gold. Illegal sand mining and rising seas are shrinking beaches, but this man is working to replenish them.
7:52
This Dust Cloud Has A Silver Lining—Fewer Hurricanes
Why an African dust storm can mean fewer severe storms in the Atlantic.
6:48
Blissed Out On Earth’s Blingy Core
Plus, the search for virtual particles and a distant planet gets swallowed by its sun.
23:09
Pioneering Western Water Management Strategies
The 19th-century geologist John Wesley Powell charted paths through the American West—and proposed ideas about developing the land with climate and ecology in mind.
25:57
Chasing Whales Through Time
Paleontologist Nick Pyenson pieces together the evolutionary story of how whales came to be the majestic, awe-inspiring animals we know today.
Earth’s History In A Column Of Coral
Take a look back in time by examining x-ray images of the insides of corals.
7:43
The Best Studied Volcano On The Planet
Plus, researchers uncover the reproductive trickery of stick bugs and a high stakes game of “Pandemic” gets real.
12:00
Looking Ahead To Hurricane Season
Forecasters use statistics and modelling to estimate the number of major tropical storms and hurricanes in the months ahead.
34:25
How Seafaring Scientists Are Mapping The Deep
Scientists are discovering new species nearly everywhere they look in the deepest parts of the ocean. Two of them make a case for why this remote habitat is worth our close attention.