EarthSky 90 Second podcast

Elke Anklam describes nanofoods' benefits and possible risks

deborahbyrd@earthsky.org (EarthSky) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:00:00 -0600

Elke Anklam: What is nanofood? It's food which contains some tiny elements - "nanomaterials" - in the food, to make it more tasty or bring more nutrients to the body, or it is produced using nanotechnology. [...]

Peter Moeller has discovered a bacteria-fighting sea sponge

deborahbyrd@earthsky.org (EarthSky) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:00:00 -0600

The oceans still contain mysteries with the potential to help humanity. For example, scientists have discovered a sea sponge they say could help fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria. [...]

Karen Goldberg trying to make natural gas more accessible fuel option

deborahbyrd@earthsky.org (EarthSky) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:00:30 -0600

Karen Goldberg: It's a really difficult transformation. It's been a holy grail in catalytic chemistry to try to do this reaction. [...]

Steve Monismith tracks water in the San Francisco Estuary

deborahbyrd@earthsky.org (EarthSky) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:00:10 -0600

Steve Monismith: This network of islands and marshes - what do we want it to be, as a natural functioning system, and what's realistic given the fact that there are 38 million people living in California using water that comes from there. [...]

Reza Fazel says medical imaging carries risks

deborahbyrd@earthsky.org (EarthSky) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:00:06 -0600

Reza Fazel: If the test is being done for a clear medical reason and the patient can expect any benefit from that based on getting a diagnosis or being treated, then that benefit will easily outweigh the small radiation risk. [...]

David Freyberg on costs and benefits of dams in 21st century

deborahbyrd@earthsky.org (EarthSky) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:00:03 -0600

David Freyberg: If I could sort of focus people's attention, I would focus attention on local dams, many of which are quite small, many of which are more or less invisible to the local community. [...]

Christopher Flavin says wind power surging in popularity worldwide

deborahbyrd@earthsky.org (EarthSky) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 04:00:44 -0500

Christopher Flavin: Wind power is the only large-scale source of carbon-free electricity being brought into the world's electricity grids today. [...]

James Hughes: 'New Jersey conservation linked to critical issues'

deborahbyrd@earthsky.org (EarthSky) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:00:47 -0500

James Hughes: By inhibiting future congestion, by preserving open space land and inhibiting over-development, New Jersey becomes a much more attractive place to live. [...]

Lorraine Remer tracks airborne dust from outer space

deborahbyrd@earthsky.org (EarthSky) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:00:47 -0500

Lorraine Remer: From satellites, we're able to look at the Earth as a unit, as a globe, as one thing. And nothing brings it home more to me than to watch dust plumes start from one continent and visually see them cross oceans and reach another continent. [...]

Wangari Maathai, Nobel laureate, on planting trees and protecting forests

deborahbyrd@earthsky.org (EarthSky) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:00:32 -0500

Saving Earth's tropical forests will help avoid the worst effects of climate change. That's according to environmentalist and Nobel Peace laureate Wangari Maathai. She founded the Green Belt Movement, which has planted over 40 million trees across Africa. We spoke to her by phone. [...]

Peter Moyle says fresh water stresses causing global fish decline

deborahbyrd@earthsky.org (EarthSky) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:00:15 -0500

Peter Moyle: Fresh water makes up one-hundredth of one percent of the water on the planet. That's just a tiny little amount, and we humans of course depend on that water - and so do the fish. [...]

Jeffrey Sachs on trying to feed 9 billion people by 2050

deborahbyrd@earthsky.org (EarthSky) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:00:07 -0500

Jeffrey Sachs: We're having a very big problem feeding a world population of 6.8 billion people. First of all, there are about 1 billion people who are chronically hungry, but more than that, the way we produce food is having very dangerous effects on the whole world's environment. [...]

Serge Wich says orangutan whistle may provide clues to human speech

deborahbyrd@earthsky.org (EarthSky) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:00:00 -0500

Bonnie, an orangutan at the National Zoo in Washington D.C., has an unusual skill: She can whistle. Bonnie spontaneously began whistling after hearing a caretaker whistle. This surprised Serge Wich, a scientist at the Great Ape Trust of Iowa. He thinks Bonnie's whistling could provide clues abo [...]

Paul Davies studies possibilities of life beyond Earth

deborahbyrd@earthsky.org (EarthSky) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:00:00 -0500

Paul Davies: I don't think anybody expects to go to Mars and find cats and dogs walking around, but I think there's a good chance that there's microbial life in the deep subsurface. And so, the same thing here on Earth. [...]