November 22, 2024
On the 50th anniversary of Lucy’s discovery, paleoanthropologists reflect on what she taught us about ourselves. Plus, divers have recovered seeds of a long-lost rye variety from a 146-year-old shipwreck in Lake Huron. And, a potato researcher explains potato varieties, potato nutrition, and some tubular tuber facts.
22:24
Moth Magic: Nature’s Underappreciated Night-Dweller
Do moths deserve their unflattering reputation? A museum curator and moth-lover sets the record straight.
33:40
PFAS Chemicals, And You
Meet the lawyer suing on behalf of all U.S. people with PFAS in their blood.
The Farmer Who Took On One Of The World’s Biggest Chemical Corporations
When the cattle on Wilbur Earl Tennant’s farm began to mysteriously fall ill and die, he suspected it wasn’t what the animals were eating—it was what they were drinking.
The Rare, Native Species Haunting The Appalachian Mountains
While you dressed up as a witch or zombie this Halloween, these North Carolinians took the form of something much scarier: local species at risk.
The Complicated Sex Lives Of Venus Flytraps
How do Venus flytraps survive if they end up eating their pollinators?
Making Space For Black Software
From playing with computers to building networks: How the space for Black Software was made.
6:57
Quantum Supremacy Is Here—Allegedly
Google says its quantum computer has achieved in just 200 seconds what would take a supercomputer thousands of years. But IBM is pushing back.
4:42
Reducing Runoff To Protect The Gulf
A ‘dead zone’ in the Gulf of Mexico has states along the Mississippi working to reduce nutrient runoff.
23:06
The Black Engineers Who Opened Up The Computer Revolution
African American software engineers and entrepreneurs at the forefront of the development of the World Wide Web.
21:58
Mucus: It’s Snot What You Think
Mucus gets a bad rap for its “ick” factor, but this slimy substance supports all kinds of life on our planet.
33:23
Las vidas enredadas de tus vecinas las arañas
Desde la construcción de telarañas hasta cómo desafían la física con sus catapultas de seda, las arañas guardan muchos secretos. Conoce a los científicos tratando de descubrirlos
33:23
The Tangled Lives Of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider
From web weaving to silk-slinging physics, spiders are full of secrets. Meet the scientists trying to unwind them.
The Ensnaring Strands Of Spider Silk
Spider webs are not just a nuisance in your home. This researcher is untangling the genetics of the silken scaffolding.
12:10
As U.S. Drags On Climate Action, Mayors Take The Lead
Mayors from 435 U.S. cities have signed on to follow the Paris Climate Agreement.
23:15
How ‘Proactive Policing’ Might Impact Health
There is some evidence to suggest that proactive policing tactics, which include “stop-and-frisk” and “hot spots” policing, are effective in reducing crime, but at what cost?
8:54
Digging Into Ancient Clam Aquaculture
What the clam gardens of Indigenous people in the Pacific Northwest can teach us about sustainable aquaculture
13:31
We Choose To Go To The Moon… But When?
The Trump administration’s goal of getting American boots back on the moon by 2024 may have hit a snag.
Buscando una salida ante el aumento del nivel del mar y crecimiento de ríos
El aumento en inundaciones causado por cambios climáticos obliga a propietarios de vivienda a desalojar. La idea comienza a ser aceptada por algunos.
33:57
As Seas Rise And Rivers Flood, Communities Look For A Way Out
Retreating from flooding caused by climate change may seem unappealing. But communities are increasingly embracing the idea.