Town Hall Seattle Science Series
342 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 12 ratingsThe Science series presents cutting-edge research about biology, physics, chemistry, ecology, geology, astronomy, and more. These events appeal to many different levels of expertise, from grade school students to career scientists. With a range of relevant applications, including medicine, the environment, and technology, this series expands our thinking and our possibilities.
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Episodes
227. Jeffrey McKinnon: Our Ancient Lakes
February 27, 2024 21:05 - 1 hour - 84.8 MBDiscover the unexpected diversity, beauty, and strangeness of life in ancient lakes — some millions of years old — and the remarkable insights they yield about the causes of biodiversity. Most lakes are less than 10,000 years old and short-lived, but there is a much smaller number of ancient lakes, tectonic in origin and often millions of years old, that are scattered across every continent but Antarctica: Baikal, Tanganyika, Victoria, Titicaca, and Biwa, to name a few. Often these lakes a...
226. Dr. Linda Eckert with Diane Mapes: Empowering Change in Cervical Cancer Prevention
February 25, 2024 21:43 - 1 hour - 74 MBDelve into the urgent and critical issue of cervical cancer prevention with Dr. Linda Eckert. Cervical cancer claims the lives of almost 350,000 women each year, a staggering toll that is compounded by the fact that the disease is nearly 100% preventable. Dr. Linda Eckert, a leading expert in cervical cancer prevention, brings her wealth of experience to the forefront in her book, Enough. Dr. Eckert intertwines evidence-based information with the poignant narratives of women who have batt...
225. Practicing the Art of the Heart: Promoting Personal Healing and Greater Peace in Challenging Times
February 20, 2024 17:00 - 1 hour - 72.7 MBJoin Rebecca Crichton in conversation with Andrea Cohen, a long-time facilitator of Compassionate Listening practices. Andrea will share personal stories of how these practices have transformed conflicts – with families, friends, and within challenged communities – into relationships based on greater understanding, caring, and connection. Andrea Cohen, MSW, is a certified Compassionate Listening facilitator. She is the author of Practicing the Art of Compassionate Listening and director ...
224. Dr. Jen Gunter with Amy Bhatt: Decoding Menstruation
February 09, 2024 22:06 - 52 minutes - 60.5 MBDelve into the insightful world of reproductive health with Dr. Jen Gunter. In her latest book, Blood, Dr. Gunter dispells myths and misinformation about menstruation with a foundation of scientific facts and medical expertise. Known for her evidence-based approach, Dr. Gunter addresses questions you may have never thought to ask about menstrual bleeding and offers a clear and informative guide to reproductive anatomy. Covering topics from the endometrium’s intriguing connection to the...
223. Britney Daniels: The Cost of Caregiving
January 24, 2024 21:01 - 1 hour - 82.3 MBHave you ever wondered what your nurses’ lives are like outside of the hospital? In a new memoir, Journal of a Black Queer Nurse, Nurse Britney Daniels divulges the details of her day-to-day life. From braving the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic to giving her own clothes to a patient who was unhoused to transporting bodies to overflowing morgues (and experiencing her own physical ailments as a result), to advocating for patients of color in the face of systemic racism and more, th...
222. Understanding Your Pelvic Floor With Dr. Peg Maas, DPT
January 16, 2024 23:06 - 53 minutes - 61.5 MBTake a moment to appreciate the humble but essential set of muscles we call the pelvic floor. When the pelvic floor is working well, our bladder, bowels, and sexual functioning are more likely to be trouble-free. If they aren’t working well, people can experience incontinence, constipation, pain, and a host of other troubles. Out of embarrassment or discomfort with the topic, people often turn to unreliable sources for information and help. Dr. Peg Maas, DPT, is a Board Certified Pelv...
221. Cat Bohannon with Bonnie Garmus: The Evolution of the Female Sex
November 27, 2023 21:12 - 1 hour - 77.1 MBWhy do women live longer than men? Why do women have menopause? Why do girls score better at every academic subject than boys until puberty, when suddenly their scores plummet? And does the female brain really exist? Considering the science and data collection methods we currently have, it is somewhat of a wonder that there is so little known about biology as it relates to sex, as well as our behavior. Author and Researcher, Cat Bohannon, argues that these questions should have been invest...
220. Jim Al-Khalili: The Joy of Thinking and Living Scientifically
November 17, 2023 21:07 - 1 hour - 77.4 MBToday’s information (and misinformation) overload is difficult and confusing to navigate. Post-truth politics and conspiracy theories abound. Science and scientists are under growing suspicion, causing even more confusion and unrest. At the same time, we need science to survive today’s biggest threats like pandemics and climate change. To bridge this gap, acclaimed physicist and New York Times bestselling author Jim Al-Khalili wants us all to start thinking like scientists. Al-Khalili be...
219. Salmon, Cedar, Rock & Rain: Exploring Olympic National Park
October 24, 2023 20:46 - 1 hour - 82.3 MBIn the Pacific Northwest, many of us delight in Olympic National Park, a UNESCO natural World Heritage Site, located right in Seattle’s backyard. Yet the famed park is just the center of a much larger ecosystem including rivers that encompass old-growth forests, coastal expanses, and alpine peaks, all rich with biodiversity. For tens of thousands of years, humans have thrived and strived alongside this area. To tell the story of this place, award-winning poet and nature writer Tim McNulty ...
218. Michèle Lamont: How We See Others
October 23, 2023 00:25 - 1 hour - 80.1 MBWhy does it seem like some people matter more than others? Why are some given higher status or more recognition? And how do we broaden the circle of those who belong in society? Harvard sociologist Michèle Lamont examines these questions and unpacks the power of recognition—how we perceive others as visible and valued. She draws from her new book, Seeing Others, and nearly forty years of research and interviews to show how we need new narratives for everyone to feel respect and assert thei...
217. Tanmeet Sethi, M.D. with Rebekah Borucki - Reclaiming Our Power: Using Joy and Imagination to Disrupt Oppressive Systems
October 20, 2023 20:41 - 1 hour - 74.3 MBThe concept of finding joy has gone mainstream. Its benefits are well known: joy can improve overall well-being, strengthen relationships, and even extend lives. Yet for many, especially folks in marginalized communities, joy is elusive. Seattle-based Integrative Medicine Physician and activist Tanmeet Sethi wants to prove that joy really can be for everyone. In her book, Joy Is My Justice, she claims that the nervous system can shift its biochemistry into joy at the cellular level. She be...
216. Denise Malm: Personal Safety Nets – The Next Generation
October 11, 2023 00:23 - 52 minutes - 59.5 MBJoin Denise Malm, Social Worker and Geriatric Mental Health specialist, as she dives into the fascinating world of Personal Safety Nets (PSN) and their role in combating the growing issue of loneliness and isolation in our society. Discover how this concept, born in 2007 thanks to Judy Pigott and Dr. John Gibson, offers creative ways to build meaningful relationships. Malm will uncover the potential of PSN to enhance connections and boost health and well-being as we age. Denise Malm, LSWAI...
215. Ben Goldfarb with Brooke Jarvis - Life is a Highway: Protecting Wildlife through Road Ecology
October 02, 2023 19:40 - 1 hour - 90.6 MBDid you know that there are 40 million miles of roadways on earth? While roads are practically invisible to humans, wild animals experience them entirely differently. Conservation journalist Ben Goldfarb has explored the environmental effects of this ubiquitous part of the modern world. In his book, Crossings, Goldfarb explains how creatures from antelope to salmon are losing their ability to migrate in search of food and mates; invasive plants hitch rides in tire treads; road salt conta...
214. Stephen M. Gardiner: Climate Justice: Past, Present, and Future
July 07, 2023 01:40 - 1 hour - 90.1 MBAs awareness of the current climate crisis grows, we can’t help but wonder how the decisions of the past will affect our future. In Stephen M. Gardiner’s Dialogues on Climate Justice (co-written by Arthur R. Obst), we follow a cast of fictional characters as they experience the very real consequences of climate change. Spanning from the election of Donald Trump in 2016 until the 2060s, Gardiner’s protagonist, aptly named Hope, spurs conversations exploring the many aspects of the climate ...
213. Peter Gleick: The History of Water
July 05, 2023 19:46 - 1 hour - 79.5 MBFrom the very creation of the planet to the present day, water has always been central to life on Earth. And while the amount of water on our planet has not changed, it has, in fact, changed the world. It has shaped our very existence. Renowned scientist Peter Gleick sheds light on water’s long history in his book, The Three Ages of Water. Gleick recounts how water has developed civilizations and empires, and driven centuries of advances in science and technology — from agriculture to aque...
212. Leroy Hood and Nathan Price with Jim Heath: Can Data Stop Disease?
June 29, 2023 20:27 - 1 hour - 83.5 MBTaking us to the cutting edge of the new frontier of medicine, a visionary biotechnologist and a pathbreaking researcher show how we can optimize our health in ways that were previously unimaginable. We are on the cusp of a major transformation in healthcare—yet few people know it. At top hospitals and a few innovative health-tech startups, scientists are working closely with patients to dramatically extend their “healthspan”—the number of healthy years before disease sets in. In The Age o...
211. Rachel Nuwer with Dr. Sunil Kumar Aggarwal: The Ecstasy of Potential
June 27, 2023 19:49 - 1 hour - 71.9 MBHow did the psychedelic drug MDMA emerge from the shadows to the forefront of a medical revolution? What potential does it hold to help us? What do you think of when you hear the abbreviation MDMA? Often seen as a party drug and vilified as a Schedule I substance that would supposedly eat holes in users’ brains, MDMA (also known as Molly or Ecstasy) has remained controversial. However, the substance is now being hailed as a therapeutic agent that could transform the field of mental health,...
210. Jennifer Levin with Rebecca Crichton: Presence within Absence – Connections with the Deceased
June 22, 2023 19:00 - 1 hour - 68.7 MBWe are all in relationships with people who have died. Whether they are our friends and family members, partners or teachers, we have all had to accept their absence from our lives. How do we remember, memorialize, and communicate with them? We will share the many ways we continue to feel the presence of people significant to us. Join Rebecca Crichton, Executive Director of Northwest Center for Creative Aging and Dr. Jennifer R Levin, licensed marriage and family therapist and recogniz...
209. Grace Stanke, Miss America 2023 with Scott Montgomery: Nuclear Energy, Climate Change, and Young Women in STEM
June 20, 2023 20:51 - 1 hour - 91 MBA conversation about nuclear energy, climate change, and inspiring young women to go into STEM fields. On December 15, 2022, Grace Stanke, a senior at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, studying nuclear engineering, took home the Miss America crown along with the scholarship of the Miss America Organization. She additionally won in a talent category for her classical violin performance. As Miss America 2023, Grace is embarking on a year of service taking her on a tour across the coun...
208. UW Engage Science 2023: Violet Sorrentino & Tessa Code
June 13, 2023 19:56 - 1 hour - 77.3 MBUW Engage Science sees a future where every graduate student has access to science communication training, and therefore good science communication becomes the norm. The outcome is an increased public trust and positive attitude toward science, ultimately strengthening the connection between the public and scientists. Join us for a look at the forefront of research in our region and meet the students who are leading the latest wave of scientific discovery. Violet Sorrentino: How tiny worms ...
207. Philip Plait: A Sightseer’s Guide to the Universe
June 12, 2023 19:47 - 1 hour - 114 MBOn a starry night, nothing inspires such deep wonder as staring into the vastness of space, imagining what curiosities might lie beyond our reach. This year we have seen several space-related news stories that managed to break through the usual slew of politics and economics. In February, we were met with headlines that reported a piece of the sun had broken off its surface and formed a swirling vortex around its north pole. In January, we were told that the Earth’s perpetually spinning co...
206. UW Engage Science 2023: Rory Mcguire, Keenan Ganz, & Rasika Venkataraman
June 08, 2023 18:53 - 1 hour - 93.9 MBUW Engage Science sees a future where every graduate student has access to science communication training, and therefore good science communication becomes the norm. The outcome is an increased public trust and positive attitude toward science, ultimately strengthening the connection between the public and scientists. Join us for a look at the forefront of research in our region and meet the students who are leading the latest wave of scientific discovery. Rory Mcguire: Automating science...
205. Kaylin Ellioff, Samantha Borje, & Sonya Jampel: UW Engage Science 2023
May 31, 2023 22:16 - 1 hour - 89.9 MBUW Engage Science sees a future where every graduate student has access to science communication training, and therefore good science communication becomes the norm. The outcome is an increased public trust and positive attitude toward science, ultimately strengthening the connection between the public and scientists. Join us for a look at the forefront of research in our region and meet the students who are leading the latest wave of scientific discovery. Kaylin Ellioff: Understanding the...
204. Dementia-Friendly Seattle: Sandy Sabersky and Marigrace Becker
May 26, 2023 20:13 - 1 hour - 71.6 MBDid you know the Puget Sound region is known as a place where people with Dementia are respected, welcomed, and fully belong? Sandy Sabersky, Co-Founder of Elderwise® and co-author of The Elderwise Way, A Different Approach to Life with Dementia, will share how Spirit-Centered Care® provides connection and meaning for people with dementia as well as a way for care partners to grow. Marigrace Becker, Program Manager of Community Education and Impact at the UW Memory and Brain Wellness Cen...
203. UW Engage Science 2023: Megan Gialluca, Abi Elerding, & Emma Scalisi
May 25, 2023 19:23 - 1 hour - 88.3 MBUW Engage Science sees a future where every graduate student has access to science communication training, and therefore good science communication becomes the norm. The outcome is an increased public trust and positive attitude toward science, ultimately strengthening the connection between the public and scientists. Join us for a look at the forefront of research in our region and meet the students who are leading the latest wave of scientific discovery. Megan Gialluca: Using water to ai...
202. Joan Maloof - The Secrets of Trees
May 18, 2023 22:31 - 1 hour - 70 MBStanding in an old-growth forest, you can instinctively sense the ways it is different from forests shaped by humans. These ancient, undisturbed ecosystems are increasingly rare and largely misunderstood, but American environmentalist Joan Maloof knows these forests intimately and has been studying and writing about them for decades. In the newly revised and expanded edition of her book, Nature’s Temples: A Natural History of Old-Growth Forests, she continues to deepen our understanding of t...
201. Brian Lowery: Who Are You?
May 09, 2023 20:36 - 1 hour - 68.8 MBThere’s nothing we spend more time with, but understand less, than ourselves. You’ve been with yourself every waking moment of your life. But who — or, rather, what — are you? In Selfless, Social psychologist and Stanford professor Brian Lowery argues for the radical idea that the “self” as we know it — that “voice in your head” — is a social construct, created in our relationships and social interactions. We are unique because our individual pattern of relationships is unique. We change b...
200. Rebecca Heisman with Sally James: Where Do the Birds Go?
April 18, 2023 18:41 - 51 minutes - 59.2 MBFor the past century, scientists and naturalists have been steadily unraveling the secrets of bird migration. How and why birds navigate the skies, traveling from continent to continent — flying thousands of miles across the earth each fall and spring — has continually fascinated the human imagination, but only recently have we been able to fully understand these amazing journeys. Although we know much more than ever before, even the most enthusiastic birdwatcher may not know how we got ...
199. Derek Sheffield, CMarie Fuhrman, and Elizabeth Bradfield - Defining Cascadia: A Cultural Celebration
April 14, 2023 00:46 - 1 hour - 70.8 MBWhat comes to mind when you think of the Pacific Northwest? You might think of land forms like the Cascade Mountains, Olympic Peninsula, and the Willamette Valley, or of the Coast Salish and other Indigenous peoples who lived here since time immemorial. Or perhaps you’d think of urban centers like Vancouver, Seattle, or Portland, and the city-dwellers who call them home. And don’t forget the iconic flora and fauna that live and grow here –– lush ferns and mosses, huckleberries, salmon, orcas...
198. Katie Davis - The Role of Digital Media in the Ages and Stages of Growing Up
April 05, 2023 19:13 - 59 minutes - 68.2 MBChildren are encountering technology at younger and younger ages, which leads many parents to ask: how do children engage with technology at each stage of development and how can they best be supported? From toddlers who are exploring their immediate environment, to twentysomethings who are exploring their place in society, technology inevitably and profoundly affects human development. What happens to the little ones, the tweens, and the teenagers when technology — ubiquitous in the world...
197. Nathan Sackett, Jane Adams, and Mike Moon - Seniors and Psychedelics
March 30, 2023 20:18 - 1 hour - 89.5 MBIs Seattle having a “Mushroom Moment?’” As research into the therapeutic use of psychedelics increases, we are learning about how the many findings benefit seniors. This lively and informative panel includes Dr. Nathan Sackett, an addiction psychiatrist, and focuses on the intersection between substance use and psychiatric disorders; Jane Adams, Ph.D., journalist, coach, and psychologist whose writing about psychedelics has been published in Psychology Today, Next Avenue, and Post Alley; ...
196. Christopher J. Preston - Tenacious Beasts
March 23, 2023 23:26 - 1 hour - 87.5 MBThe news about wildlife is dire — more than 900 species have been wiped off the planet since industrialization. Against this bleak backdrop, however, there are also glimmers of hope and crucial lessons to be learned from animals that have defied global trends toward extinction. Bear in Italy, bison in North America, whales in the Atlantic. These populations are back from the brink, some of them in numbers unimaginable in a century. How has this happened? What shifts in thinking did it demand...
195. David B. Auerbach - Automation vs. Humanity
March 22, 2023 19:41 - 1 hour - 77.3 MBAre the autonomous digital forces jolting our lives – as uncontrollable as the weather and plate tectonics – transforming life, society, culture, and politics? David Auerbach’s exploration of the phenomenon he has identified as the meganet begins with a simple, startling revelation: There is no hand on the tiller of some of the largest global digital forces that influence our daily lives: from corporate sites such as Facebook, Amazon, Google, YouTube, Instagram, and Reddit to the burgeon...
194. Barbara Rae-Venter - Cracking the Case of the Golden State Killer
February 22, 2023 23:45 - 1 hour - 73.4 MBFor twelve years the Golden State Killer terrorized California, stalking victims and killing without remorse. Then he simply disappeared, for the next forty-four years, until an amateur DNA sleuth opened her laptop. In I Know Who You Are, Barbara Rae-Venter reveals how she went from researching her family history as a retiree to hunting for a notorious serial killer — and how she became the nation’s leading authority on investigative genetic genealogy, the most dazzling new crime-fighting we...
193. Ginny Ruffner with Dr. Jim Heath - The Intersection of Art and Science
February 15, 2023 21:01 - 1 hour - 71.7 MBWhile many would think art and science are two vastly different disciplines, one common driver often motivates them both – curiosity. Ginny Ruffner – who currently has a retrospective exhibition open at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art on the topic of “What if?” – has worked at the intersection of art and science for decades. Her curiosity around biological concepts has propelled her to invent answers to “what if?” questions about the nature of the world around us. The experimental work...
191. Orly Lobel with Beverly Aarons: Greater Humanity through Greater Technology
December 16, 2022 21:26 - 1 hour - 71 MBHow much does the general public really trust tech? Despite increased scrutiny and critique of digital platforms, renowned tech policy scholar Orly Lobel defends digital technology, including AI, as a powerful tool we can harness to achieve equality and a better future. Lobel recognizes the criticism of big data and automation, and she does not refute the many challenges that technology presents — but at the same time, Lobel encourages us to improve it. We cannot stop technological devel...
192. Eric H. Chudler: The Human Brain from A to Z
December 16, 2022 19:00 - 1 hour - 81.1 MBThe brain has fascinated scientists and philosophers alike for thousands of years. What’s really going on up there? Just ask neuroscientist, Eric H. Chudler. As the executive director of the Center for Neurotechnology at the University of Washington in Seattle, Chudler is poised to help you get to know your brain. His latest book on the subject, Neuropedia: A Brief Compendium of Brain Phenomena, is less of a textbook and more of a beautifully illustrated, alphabetic meandering through all th...
190. Karen Bakker with Sally James: Uncovering the Secret Sounds of Life
October 28, 2022 00:57 - 1 hour - 93.5 MBHave you ever wished that animals or plants could talk to us? As it turns out, they can. The natural world is teeming with conversation, though many of it is beyond human hearing range. Scientists are using groundbreaking digital technologies to uncover these sounds, revealing vibrant communication in the Tree of Life. In The Sounds of Life: How Digital Technology Is Bringing Us Closer to the Worlds of Animals and Plants, Karen Bakker, Professor and director of the Program on Water Governa...
189. Meghan O’Rourke with Jim Heath - The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness
October 20, 2022 19:27 - 1 hour - 70.3 MBA silent epidemic of chronic illnesses afflicts tens of millions of Americans: These are diseases that are poorly understood, frequently marginalized, and can go undiagnosed and unrecognized altogether. In her latest book – The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness – renowned writer Meghan O’Rourke delivers a revelatory investigation into this elusive category of “invisible” illness that encompasses autoimmune diseases, post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, and now long COVID, syn...
188. Bryn Nelson with Sally James - Unlocking the Secrets — and the Science — of Poop
October 13, 2022 17:09 - 1 hour - 85.7 MBWe all do it, but we hardly ever talk about it. After all, human feces isn’t exactly a popular topic of discussion. We’d simply like to flush it and forget about it. Researchers, however, want to change all that. That’s because our body’s natural byproduct may be the key to solving some of today’s biggest problems. Local, award-winning journalist and microbiologist Bryn Nelson, Ph.D., is determined to shift our mentality around poop. In his book, Flush, Nelson shares how human waste holds ...
187. Geoffrey L. Cohen with Ruchika Tulshyan - The Data Behind Divisiveness
October 06, 2022 23:06 - 1 hour - 84.4 MBHow did we become so deeply divided? In 2019, hate crimes reached a ten-year high in the United States. In 2020, 40% of each political party deemed supporters of the opposing party “downright evil.” In addition to division across political lines, rampant discord is likewise rooted in other hot-button issues like race, religion, gender, and class. Despite one in five Americans suffering from chronic loneliness, it seems that we are collectively determined to distance ourselves from those who ...
186. Blaise Aguera y Arcas and Melanie Mitchell with Lili Cheng: How Close Are We to AI?
July 29, 2022 21:26 - 1 hour - 117 MBBuilding Policy Update: As of June 1, 2022, masks remain required at Town Hall Seattle. Read our current COVID-19 policies and in-building safety protocols. Thu 7/14, 2022, 7:30pm Blaise Agüera y Arcas and Melanie Mitchell with Lili Cheng How Close Are We to AI? BUY THE BOOKS Ubi Sunt By Blaise Agüera y Arcas Artificial Intelligence: A Guide for Thinking Humans By Melanie Mitchell Artificial Intelligence (AI), a term first coined at a Dartmouth workshop in 1956, h...
185. David Montgomery and Anne Biklé: What Your Food Ate
June 28, 2022 21:48 - 1 hour - 66 MBYear after year, the quality of the world’s agricultural soil is degrading, which deeply impacts the quality and quantity of the food that we grow. Further, there’s a clear link between the health of our soil and the health of humans. What does that mean for us? Eventually we’ll face an existential crisis of the world’s food supply and our health. Fortunately, experts are studying how to improve our outlook, and two of them happen to live in Seattle. David R. Montgomery and Anne Biklé beli...
184. Dr. Maria Carrillo with Denise Whitaker—Advancing the Science: The Latest in Alzheimer’s and Dementia Research
June 22, 2022 00:48 - 1 hour - 59.1 MBAlzheimer’s is a global health problem with more than 6 million people living with the disease in the U.S. alone. Tremendous gains have been made in the understanding of the science and basic biology underlying Alzheimer’s and other dementias. These advances are leading to great strides in strategies for prevention, detection, diagnostics and therapeutic interventions. The Alzheimer’s Association is a global leader in research, mobilizing the field to advance the vision of a world without Al...
183. Cleo Wölfle Hazard with Stephanie Clare: Queer Trans Ecologies and River Justice
June 14, 2022 17:54 - 1 hour - 60.7 MBFrom the grasslands of the Columbia Plateau to the rich valleys west of the Cascade Mountains, There are over 70,000 miles of rivers in Washington state. Rivers are vital to our region’s ecosystems, hosting a wide diversity of living things in their waters and along their banks – our beautiful state would not be what it is without our waterways. How might we better understand rivers and ensure their vitality now, and in the future? According to queer-trans-feminist river scientist Cleo Wöl...
182. Liz Carlisle with Latrice Tatsey and Hillel Echo-Hawk: Climate, Justice, and the Deep Roots of Regenerative Farming
June 07, 2022 22:47 - 1 hour - 58.2 MBThere’s a powerful movement happening in farming today, and it’s not a movement focused on flashy technology or producing food faster or at larger scales. Instead, it’s a movement that centers on farmers reconnecting with their roots, reviving their ancestors’ methods of growing food, healing their communities, and ultimately fighting climate change. In her new book, Healing Grounds, Liz Carlisle shared the stories of Indigenous, Black, Latinx, and Asian American farmers who are restoring...
181. Leah Thomas with Hannah Wilson: The Intersection Between Environmentalism, Racism, and Privilege
May 17, 2022 22:50 - 57 minutes - 53.4 MBAs the threats of climate change become more urgent than ever, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and unsure about what to do. The problems — and their solutions — seem unwieldy and complicated. But what if we embrace the complexity of the climate crisis and create solutions that are just as intertwined as the issues? That’s where intersectional environmentalism comes in. Leah Thomas, a prominent voice in the field and the activist who coined the term “Intersectional Environmentalism,” offered...
180. Don Stuart with Addie Candib: No Farms, No Food
May 03, 2022 19:39 - 1 hour - 61.6 MBFarmers and environmentalists haven’t always seen eye-to-eye about the best ways to manage agricultural landscapes, but America’s farms are vital to preserving ecosystems and a stable climate. How might the two come together to unite for the common good? In No Farms, No Food, longtime farm, fisheries, and environmental policy advocate Don Stuart took readers inside the political and policy battles that determine the fate of our nation’s farmland. Stuart traced the history of agriculture co...
179. Elena Conis with Sally James: The Rise, Fall, and Toxic Return of DDT
April 26, 2022 23:27 - 1 hour - 62.3 MBIn the 1940s, the insecticide DDT was widely used to combat insect-borne human diseases like malaria and control insects in agricultural applications, gardens, and inside homes. In the 1950s, it became evident that the pesticide was causing extensive health and environmental damage. In 1962, Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring alerted the public to the long-lasting dangers of pesticide use. And in 1972, the United States EPA issued an order for DDT’s cancellation due to adverse environmenta...
178. Jane McGonigal with Margaret Morris: How to See the Future Coming and Feel Ready for Anything
April 19, 2022 20:30 - 1 hour - 55.9 MBThe COVID-19 pandemic — one of the most disruptive events in human history — has made it more challenging than ever to feel prepared, hopeful, and equipped to face the future with optimism. How do we map out our lives when it feels impossible to predict what the world will be like next week, let alone next year or next decade? Humans aren’t particularly fond of uncertainty, but what if we had the tools to help us feel more secure and shape our futures? Future forecaster and game designer J...