How On Earth

Science Journalism with Miles O’Brien // Acetaminophen and Autism

This episode features Miles O’Brien, a science journalist who has been a correspondent for PBS News and CNN. He talks about his experience breaking in to science journalism, past and current science reporting, public and political views of science, the value of scientific research, and some particular stories including beavers, prostheses, and climate change research in Antarctica. This feature is an interview by KBUT‘s Toni Todd and shared with us via Rocky Mountain Community Radio.

And we also have a report on the recent government claims about autism and use of acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol) during pregnancy, which is disputed by researchers and medical groups. We provide the full transcript of the press conference held by SciLine of the American Association for the Advancement of Science with Brian Lee, a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at Drexel University.

Host: Joel Parker
Show Producer/Engineer: Joel Parker
Executive Producer: Susan Moran
Additional contributions: Shelley Schlender

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:00 — 37.1MB)

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What About All Those Body Products We Buy?

On this week’s How On Earth, Beth spoke with two cosmetic chemists, hosts of the podcast The Beauty Brains. We touched on some basic questions I have regarding some of the universe of products, such as shampoos, body lotions and sun screens. Beauty Brains Perry Romanowski and Valerie George, are both veteran cosmetic product developers who have worked on some of the most popular beauty products in the world. They’ve written dozens of science articles and books. Their book, Beginning Cosmetic Chemistry is used in several college programs. You can find transcripts of their podcast episodes on their website.

Executive Producer: Susan Moran
Show Producer: Beth Bennett

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:57 — 31.1MB)

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Menopause, Hormone Therapy, Science

Menopause & HT (start time: 0:58) It happens to every woman with a uterus who reaches midlife. Menopause is a major hormonal transition that, although very challenging for some women, is natural, and (get this!) even advantageous to civilization. Think grandmothers! Yet menopause has been largely dismissed by the medical community. As a result, too many women suffer through menopause in pain, shame, and loneliness. In this week’s show, host Susan Moran interviews Dr. Jen Gunter, a gynecologist and specialist in chronic pain medicine. She wrote the book The Menopause Manifesto (2021), and she’s among a growing cadre of medical practitioners who are pushing to bring more information to women about what to expect during menopause and about treatment options, including hormones.
Resources: The Menopause Society; Australasian Menopause Society

Host/ Show Producer: Susan Moran
Engineers/technical assistants: Shelley Schlender, Maeve Conran
Executive Producer: Susan Moran
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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:30 — 37.8MB)

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The (ever-changing) Scoop on Vaccines

On this week’s How on Earth, Beth describes recent developments in defunding NIH research and CDC limits on vaccine availability; then digs into vaccine safety and development with global vaccine expert, Dr Dr Kawsar Talaat. Dr Talaat is a physician who is board certified in Pediatrics, Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases and whose research focuses on vaccines. She has worked on clinical trials for a variety of vaccines, including influenza, malaria, Ebola, and several gut bacteria. Currently, Dr. Talaat oversees COVID-19 vaccine trials in adults and children, and is Johns Hopkins Principal Investigator for the CDC Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment project.

Executive Producer: Susan Moran
Show Producer: Beth Bennett

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:23 — 24.7MB)

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Climate Change, Astronomy, Canine Astronauts

Climate change. Astronomy. A canine astronaut. They intersect in our guest, astronomer and author Dr. Jeff Bennett. Among other things, we focus on climate change and policy – present and future.

Dr. Bennett got his Ph.D. in Astrophysics from the University of Colorado, and he served two years as a Visiting Senior Scientist at NASA Headquarters, where he was the first scientist hired within a science division specifically to leverage science missions for education. As an author, Dr. Bennett has written college textbooks in astronomy, mathematics, statistics, and astrobiology, and a freely available, interactive digital textbook about Earth and Space Science for middle- and high-school students. He also has written popular books that include a series for children about an intrepid astronaut dog named Max, who goes to the Moon, Mars and elsewhere.

A particular topic we plan to delve into today with Dr. Bennett is regarding his book titled: “A Global Warming Primer: Pathway to a Post-Global Warming Future”. A current issue is the EPA’s proposal to rescind the 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding. The comment period for the proposed rule change has been extended to September 22. Other issues include the Department of Energy’s recent report critical of climate change research (see rebuttals of the report by Dr. Bennett and others), and whether NASA will continue doing climate and other Earth-based science.

Host: Joel Parker
Show Producer/Engineer: Joel Parker
Executive Producer: Susan Moran

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:09 — 35.9MB)

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Bill McKibben – Here Comes the Sun

US Critical Earth Metals “Hiding in Plain Sight” (starts 1:00) Colorado School of Mines has just published a new study that indicates the US has enough critical earth metals to stop importing them from other countries . . . if we develop the capacity.

Bill McKibben – Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization. (starts 3:15) Celebrated environmental journalist and activist Bill McKibben will be part of a nationwide “Sun Day” day of action September 21st, celebrating the power of clean energy.. McKibben will be in Boulder Tuesday, September 23rd for a book talk at 6:30 pm at Unity of Boulder Church.

Executive Producer: Susan Moran
Show Producer:Shelley Schlender
Additional Contribution: Benita Lee

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:58 — 37.1MB)

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Wildfires in a Changing Climate

On this week’s show we replay an interview from two years ago with author John Valliant on his then-newly released book, Fire Weather, the story – and much more- of the groundbreaking wildfire that devastated the oil sands capital city of Fort McMurray in Alberta. Given the current outbreaks of Colorado wildfires, getting bigger and harder to contain each year, Valiant’s message of the changing nature of these horrifying disasters is ever more pertinent. Also, headlines on the evolving nature of science in another changing climate of federal oversight.

Executive Producer: Susan Moran
Show Producer:Beth Bennett
Additional Contribution: Joel Parker

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:40 — 22.4MB)

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Climate Science, Human Lives at Risk

Standing Up for Science (start time: 6:39) Since President Trump began his second term in January, his administration has been on a rapid-fire campaign to slash federal funding for scientific research, particularly in the fields of climate and earth systems science. Colorado is feeling the pain. President Trump’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2026 includes steep cuts in funding to NOAA, or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which funds and manages research on wildfires, extreme heat waves, floods, and much more. NOAA contributes a huge amount to Colorado’s economy, and its research helps saves lives. The proposed budget cuts would likely result in the shuttering of two cooperative institutes in Colorado that are affiliated with and largely funded by NOAA. Those are the Cooperative Institute for Research on Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at CU Boulder, and the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) at Colorado State University. In today’s show, host Susan Moran talks with Dr. Waleed Abdalati, director of CIRES and a professor of geography at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Hosts: Susan Moran, Joel Parker
Show Producer: Susan Moran
Engineer: Joel Parker
Show contributor: Juanita Huérfano
Executive Producer: Susan Moran

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:37 — 24.4MB)

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The Vera Rubin Observatory

The history of astronomy has many stories of trying to understand our universe, and those stories are connected by a common thread: looking at the sky, whether with our eyes or with increasingly powerful telescopes. The newest entry in this telescopic journey is the NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory. Located in Chile, this observatory has an audacious goal: to repeatedly observe the entire sky visible from its location every few nights, with a project called the Legacy Survey of Space and Time.

To talk about the Vera Rubin observatory and its science goals, our guest today is Dr. Tony Tyson, Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of California, Davis. Dr. Tyson’s research focuses on experimental physics and cosmology, and he is the Observatory’s Chief Scientist.

Host: Joel Parker
Show Producer/Engineer: Joel Parker
Executive Producer: Susan Moran
Additional Contributions: Beth Bennett

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:24 — 37.6MB)

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50 Years of Open Space! // Heart Attack and Stroke Risk from Common Sugar Substitute

A Common Sugar Substitute Increases Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke. (starts 11:00) CU-Boulder Integrative Physiologist Chris DeSouza explains his recent study that shows why the commonly used artificial sweetener, Erythritol, may be increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

50 Years of Open Space! (Starts 1:00) Boulder County Parks and Open Space staff members share how local citizen activists helped protect natural lands in and around Boulder. This is an excerpt from the podcast series, Voices of Open Space.

Hosts: Shelley Schlender and Beth Bennett

Show Producer: Shelley Schlender
Executive Producer: Susan Moran

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:58 — 37.1MB)

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