KGNU - How On Earth

CU Boulder Computer Scientist Aaron Clauset says military leaders frequently underestimate the ultimate length and size of a war. Clauset offers a new way to measure wars, not just by counting deaths at a war’s end – his research shows how death rates change, throughout a war. This provides insights into what causes wars to … <a href="https://howonearthradio.org/archives/10739" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Measuring War: Aaron Clauset"</span></a>

Forests Vanishing in Wake of Megafires (start time: 7:55) Increasingly large and hot wildfires are turning many conifer-dominated forests in the western U.S.and Canada into shrublands or grasslands, largely by making it impossible for ponderosa and other pines to reseed themselves. The stakes are high, for flora and wildlife, as well as humans. For instance, … <a href="https://howonearthradio.org/archives/10725" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "How Megafires are Transforming Conifer Forests"</span></a>

Teaching through screens is part of getting kids ready for the digital world. But when do tech and screens help students and when do they get in the way? CU-Boulder Journalism Student Juliana Krigsman explores these questions with teachers, with Boulder Valley School District’s Academic Services Director Lynn Gershman, and with CU-Boulder Psychology and Neuroscience … <a href="https://howonearthradio.org/archives/10716" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Screens & Tech Safety . . . in Schools"</span></a>

Climate “hushing” (start time: 5:41) Since President Trump began his second term as president in January, 2025, his administration, at a dizzying pace, has attacked climate change as a Democratic elite “hoax” and gutted federal funding for climate-related research and institutions. Partly in response to these attacks, and in an attempt to appeal to more … <a href="https://howonearthradio.org/archives/10708" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Moving Beyond Climate “Hushing”"</span></a>

In her new book, The Power of the Pause: 90 Seconds to Calm, Reset, and Reconnect, Jillian Pransky teaches readers how a brief 90-second break can help regulate the nervous system and stop automatic, reactive habits. Today, we get into some of the science underlying the utility of the pause, but further, we can easily … <a href="https://howonearthradio.org/archives/10703" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Take a Pause – With Jillian"</span></a>

A heart attack forced Boulder community leader and journalist Sam Fuqua to need emergency care. While being wheeled into the operating room, Sam hoped to soothe his anxiety by hearing some favorite music. His hope had scientific merit. Studies like this indicate that surgery patients who get to choose what music plays during surgery, … <a href="https://howonearthradio.org/archives/10690" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Operation Music – Why or Why Not?"</span></a>

Colorado River Water (starts 1:00) Steep cuts are ahead in the use of Colorado River water by Arizona and California. But what about Colorado? For answers, we talk with CU-Boulder’s Doug Kenney, water law expert and chair of the Colorado River Project. Ghostbots (starts ) AI apps offer to help people “talk” with the dead. … <a href="https://howonearthradio.org/archives/10687" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Colorado River // Ghostbots"</span></a>

What is a wilderness, really? Here in the US we think of it as undeveloped land, put aside to appreciate its beauty and remoteness. In other lands and cultures, wilderness is a powerful, ancient concept, at the intersection of landscape, philosophy, and ecology. For thousands of years, people have sought out uncontrolled, unknown, or uncharted … <a href="https://howonearthradio.org/archives/10678" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Just What is Wilderness?"</span></a>

Gardens are popping up everywhere, from community plots to elementary school yards to vertical plantings. A unique approach proposed by award winning British landscaper, Harry Holding, is integrating the edible aspect of vegetable gardens with the esthetic side of flower, bush and tree landscapes. Harry is a renowned garden designer known for his award-winning creations … <a href="https://howonearthradio.org/archives/10672" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Eat Your Garden!"</span></a>

Microplastics: Health Concerns, Solutions (start time: 6:02) The Environmental Protection Agency recently issued a new rule related to monitoring 30 unregulated chemicals in drinking water that could pose human health risks. While the list includes pesticides and so-called “forever” substances, it omits microplastics, as well as pharmaceuticals. That’s despite pressure from Democratic politicians, as well … <a href="https://howonearthradio.org/archives/10660" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Plastics: Health Risks & Solutions"</span></a>

Poking the Squid – Good Reads calls author and illustrator Perrin Roosevelt Ireland’s new book a brilliantly funny, beautifully illustrated graphic nonfiction book that shatters our puritanical and binary notions of nature.. Hosts/Producers/Engineers: Shelley Schlender, Joel Parker Executive Producer: Beth Bennett

Parenting Across the Animal Kingdom (start time: 5:02) As humans, we tend to think that we raise our children with more care than any other animal on the planet. After all, human kids depend on their parents on average for much longer than do those of any other species. But are we really so unique … <a href="https://howonearthradio.org/archives/10643" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Childrearing Tips (and Cautionary Tales) From the Animal Kingdom"</span></a>

Global conflicts are revealing vulnerabilities in the global reliance on imported fossil fuels and centralized power. Energy Analyst Kyle Datta says energy security needs may speed the adoption of renewables and “as a side effect,” reduce the rise of global warming. For Datta’s full speech, which he presented with videos at the 2026 Gold Lab … <a href="https://howonearthradio.org/archives/10632" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Kyle Datta – Energy Security, War & Renewable Energy"</span></a>

Complex Animal Networks (start time: 7:17) As humans, we’re all familiar with, as we live in and are members of, nations. But most of us don’t think of non-human species, be they tiny ants or beavers or bears, in this context. But Ryan Huling does, and he hopes you will, too. In this week’s How … <a href="https://howonearthradio.org/archives/10623" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Hidden Nations of Animals"</span></a>

Climate Change & Action: From the Arctic to Colorado (start time: 2:33) Twenty years ago the Academy-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth was released in theaters nationwide. It sparked millions of people to ask themselves, How can I wake up and do something to help solve, not just contribute to, the climate crisis? The film helped … <a href="https://howonearthradio.org/archives/10609" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Climate Change: Perils and Progress"</span></a>

Protest It, Respect It, Defend It, Use It (starts 1:00) Friday at Denver Patagonia and Saturday at Boulder Patagonia environmental activists Annie Leonard and André Carothers discuss their new book Silent Sky (starts 2:00) Viva Theater celebrates the unsung heroism of female astronomer Henrietta Leavitt. Silent Sky runs April 22 – June 7th at Boulder’s … <a href="https://howonearthradio.org/archives/10594" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Silent Sky // Gold Lab Symposium"</span></a>

On this week’s How on Earth, Beth speaks with author, psychologist, and aging explorer Alan Carpenter to discuss the paradigm shift on aging he espouses. Following a life changing accident, he turned his life around by diving into the science of healthy aging. In his book, Choose Better, Live Better, he outlines 9 avenues one … <a href="https://howonearthradio.org/archives/10590" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "A Longer Healthier Life"</span></a>

The Loneliness Epidemic – Social media fuels extra risk. Especially vulnerable are people undergoing transitions . . . such as college students, who today share what can lead loneliness and how to heal from it. CU-Boulder senior Lorraine Healey also talks with Colorado State University “Friendship Researcher” Natalie Pennington about why times of transition can … <a href="https://howonearthradio.org/archives/10579" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "The Loneliness Epidemic – CSU Researcher Natalie Pennington"</span></a>

On this week’s How on Earth, Beth speaks with Suzanne Simard, professor and researcher at the University of British Columbia, about her book, WHEN THE FOREST BREATHES, both a call to action, and a journey into the heart of British Columbia’s old growth forests and the indigenous communities that live there, and her efforts to … <a href="https://howonearthradio.org/archives/10573" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Forest as Superorganism: What it means to Clearcut."</span></a>

Buy Now Pay Later – is this lending service simply enticing, or is it addictive? For the GenZ 20 somethings that are its biggest users, is Buy Now Pay Later a danger or a deal? CU Boulder student and Howonearth volunteer Juliana Krigsman speaks with students about this, plus Adam Brown – director of New … <a href="https://howonearthradio.org/archives/10565" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Buy Now Pay Later – Enticement or Addiction?"</span></a>