Author: Shelley Schlender

Flying into Methane (5:10 – 13:40) Susan Moran talks with the director of Boulder’s Scientific Aviation, Steve Conley, about how his company’s painstaking and nauseating flights documented the Los Angeles methane blowout and the huge amount of pollution it created  . . . equivalent of 600,000 cars driving for an entire year!  Conley also explains why we need more flights like these to find other major gas leaks.  

Climate Change on Steroids (14:04 – 23:59) Shelley Schlender talks with CU-Boulder PhD candidate Kika Tuff.  Tuff’s research on thermal biology is showing how cutting down trees at the edge of a forest puts climate change on steroids and may spell disaster for heat-sensitive animals. 

Headlines (00:57 – 4:55) – CU scientists document that Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) emissions are higher than industry is reporting, Colorado student scientist wins 3rd place at national event, Denver Science Museum hosts special day for girls & science.

Hosts: Shelley Schlender, Susan Moran
Producer: Shelley Schlender
Engineer: Shelley Schlender
Additional contributors: Alejandro Soto
Executive Producer: Joel Parker

Hunter Lovins – Regenerative Economics (Starts 2:42) One of the world’s leading voices for the environment is urging the world to work for even more than a sustainable economy.  She says it’s time for a regenerative economy.  That’s the message from Boulder County resident, Hunter Lovins.  Lovins heads up Natural Capitalism Solutions, and she’s a sought after speaker around the world, as well as here in Colorado.  To give you an idea about what the vision of Lovins for a regenerative economy, here is an excerpt from a recent talk about the Future of Humanity.  This talk was recorded in Boulder as part of the Colorado Chautauqua Events series, in conjunction with the Boulder City Club.

For the extended version of this talk, go here.

Host: Kendra Krueger
Producer: Shelley Schlender
Engineer: Kendra Krueger
Executive Producer: Beth Bennett

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:49 — 23.6MB)

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Beyond Words (starts 5:00) Last week, we brought you excerpts from an interview with MacArthur Genius Grant Award winner, scientist and naturalist, Carl Safina, about his ground-breaking book:  Beyond Words – What Animals Think and Feel.  Last week’s excerpts focused on elephants and then on the mysterious accounts of killer whales assisting people in danger at sea.  This week, we bring you more from “Beyond Words”  Safina takes us to the world of wolves in Yellowstone.  And we’ll look again at killer whales, and how they fare when captured for the entertainment trade.

Hosts: Susan Moran & Kendra Krueger
Producer: Shelley Schlender
Engineer: Kendra Krueger
Executive Producer: Beth Bennett

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:32 — 23.4MB)

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Up Close and Personal – Astrophysicist Joel Parker (starts 3:00)  talks about why he volunteers to educate people about science and outer space.

Beyond Words:  What Animals Think and Feel, by Carl Safina.  (starts 4:10) We talk with MacAurther Grant winner, naturalist and scientist, Carl Safina, about his new book.  His publisher has kindly offered a limited number of these books as a gift to listeners who call and pledge their support to KGNU.

Hosts: Shelley Schlender and Joel Parker
Producer: Shelley Schlender
Engineer: Shelley Schlender
Executive Producer: Beth Bennett

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:49 — 22.7MB)

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Rock Arch Stability (Starts 5:24) How on Earth’s Daniel Strain  talks to Jeffrey Moore, a geologist who studies the West’s iconic rock arches — and watches them for signs that they’re about to collapse.  

Neonicotinoids and Silent Spring – (Starts 15:33) We share a story from H2O radio warning about a pesticide that’s linked to the collapse of honeybee colonies, and growing concerns that it’s dangerous for other forms of life, it’s persistent in the environment and might bring about a new Silent Spring.  This information will be part of this week’s Western Apicultural Society conference in Boulder.  

Hosts: Shelley Schlender and Daniel Strain
Producer: Shelley Schlender
Engineer: Shelley Schlender
Executive Producer: Susan Moran

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:43 — 27.1MB)

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Fingerprint Hand Gun.  (starts at 5:45) How on Earth’s Shelley Schlender talks with Boulder teen scientist Kai Kloepfer, who is creating a “Smart Gun” that won him first prize in engineering at the INTEL international science fair and a $50,000 grant from the Smart Tech Challenges Foundation.  Kloepfer’s goal is to prevent accidental shootings of children.  His gun fires only when the user’s fingerprint is authorized.

High Altitude Observatory.  (starts at 11:35) Director Scott McIntosh talks with How on Earth’s Joel Parker about the observatory and its 75th year celebrations.

 

 

 

Hosts: Joel Parker, Kendra Krueger
Producer: Shelley Schlender
Engineer: Shelley Schlender
Headline Contributors: Shelley Schlender
Executive Producer: Susan Moran

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:08 — 28.8MB)

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Mooo-ving Cattle Near the Niobrara (starts 4:28) We talk with Steve Hicks, director of the USFW  Niobrara Wildlife Refuge complex near Valentine, Nebraska and join the Rocking Arrow Ranch on a cattle moo-oo-vve designed to help maintain the quality of wild grasslands

 

The Savory Institute (starts 10:05)  We talk with Boulder’s grazing think tank, The Savory Institute, founded by Allan Savory, about holistic grazing strategies that have the potential to restore grasslands that have been degraded through overgrazing . . . or undergrazing.

Hosts: Shelley Schlender
Producers: Shelley Schlender
Executive Producer: Susan Moran
Headline contributions: Daniel Strain, Beth Bennett

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:37 — 21.6MB)

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(Main Feature Start Time 6:00) We talk with CU students, former students and their advisor about how a student built science instrument called the Student Dust Counter managed to travel billions of miles on the New Horizons spacecraft, and what happens with its project to study space dust, now that it’s near Pluto.

Hosts: Shelley Schlender, Kathy Frasier
Producer: Shelley Schlender
Engineer: Shelley Schlender
Executive Producer: Susan Moran

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:40 — 20.8MB)

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