How On Earth

Soccer Headers and Brain Damage (starts 1:00) New research about long term effects of soccer heading — the practice of hitting a soccer ball with the head, indicates a brain damage risk, even without “official” concussions.

Teen Raptor Survey (starts 3:00) Naturalists Steve Jones and Elena Klaver lead the Boulder Teen Naturalists on a survey of wintering raptors.   Another event coming up, for bird lovers, is the Audubon Xmas Bird Count.

Gaia Theory for the 21st Century  (starts 11:30)   Martin Ogle explains Gaia Theory, Model and Metaphor for the 21st Century.  He’s presenting this Thursday at the Lafayette Public Library.

Host/Producer/Engineer: Shelley Schlender
Executive Producer: Susan Moran
Contributors: Benita Lee

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:56 — 37.0MB)

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Bird Feather Fossils  (starts 1:00)  give new evidence about what we know, and don’t know, about how flying feathers evolved.

Boulder Naturalist Steve Jones  talks about the movement to stop naming birds after people. (starts 2:30)

Host/Producer/Engineer: Shelley Schlender
Executive Producer: Susan Moran
Headline contributors: Beth Bennett

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:58 — 37.0MB)

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As part of the KGNU Fund Drive, this episode of How on Earth features excerpts of Beth Bennett’s interview of Dr. Gavin Francis about his book Recovery: The Lost Art of Convalescence. We explore the difference between sickness and health, and the gap between them: Recovery. Based on decades of treating disease and injury, Dr Francis proposes a more active role of the individual in their recovery.  We also talk about the importance of self-care and compassion, the role of the environment we create for ourselves, and the importance of caregivers.

Producer/Engineer: Joel Parker
Hosts: Joel Parker, Shelley Schlender
Feature Contribution: Beth Bennett
Executive Producer: Susan Moran

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:50 — 38.2MB)

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Fall bird migration is reaching its peak, with billions of birds traveling thousands of miles, mostly at night.  We talk with Kyle Horton, director of Colorado State University’s AEROECO Lab, and a key member of BirdCast, which is a collaboration with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.  Kyle Horton shares the history of “weather radar” use in bird forecasting, plus refinements and algorithms, that fine tune the forecasts.  We learn about BirdCast’s nationwide live migration maps, and bird migration forecasts for a city or a county, such as Boulder County Migration Forecasts.  Additionally, we talk with AeroEcolab scientists Annika Abbott and Mikko Jimenez.

In the last 50 years, North American bird populations have dropped 30%.  Light pollution draws many migrating birds to their death.  The BirdCast Lights Out program encourages people and cities to turn out nonessential lights during key periods of bird migration in their areas.

Host/Producer: Shelley Schlender
Executive Producer: Beth Bennett

Listen to the show:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:56 — 37.2MB)

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