What You Need to Know About Protests in Belarus (0:33)

Guest: Quinn Mecham, Professor of Political Science, Brigham Young University

Citizens in Belarus continue large street protests calling for their long-time leader, Alexander Lukashenko, to resign. The public protests have been ongoing since mid-August when President Lukashenko won re-election. Demonstrators say the election was rigged.

 

Bringing Back the American Chestnut (24:05)

Guest: William Powell, Professor and Director, Council on Biotechnology in Forestry, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York

The American Chestnut used to be one of the most common trees in North America. Today, it’s basically extinct because of a fungus. Scientists have created a genetically modified version of the American Chestnut that resists the deadly fungus that's in the process of getting approval from the US government to be released into the wild.

 

An Ancient Dolphin You Would Not Want to Swim With (43:33)

Guest: Robert Bossenecker, Paleontologist, College of Charleston

25 million years ago “swimming with the dolphins” would not have been a smart vacation choice. The dolphin of that era was 15-feet long, had really sharp teeth and was the top predator of its ecosystem. So, more like a killer whale than Flipper.

 

Pizzas Don’t Grow On Trees—But Pizza Farms Have Been a Pandemic Commodity (52:52)

Guest: Emily Knudsen, Founder, Pleasant Grove Pizza Farm 

Restaurants have struggled during the pandemic, but one food niche that has done surprisingly well in the current climate is pizza farms. Especially in the Midwest, business has been booming.

 

Native American “Good Fire” Could Reduce Catastrophic Wildfire in the West (1:06:35)

Guest: Don L. Hankins, Professor of Geography and Planning, California State University, Chico, Member of Plains Miwok Tribe

In California on Monday, President Trump blamed catastrophic wildfires in the west on states failing to sufficiently manage their forests. California Governor Gavin Newsom acknowledged in a meeting with the President on Monday the state must do more to manage vegetation that fuels wildfires. But he also blames climate change, which President Trump denied is a problem. Let’s take a closer look at this idea of forest management–and how traditional fire management practices of indigenous people may hold some answers.

 

A New Trend: Parents Moving in with Their Adult Children (1:26:03)

Guest: Georgia Lee Hussey, Financial Planner, Founder, Modernist Financial

A lot of millennials are finding themselves stuck with their parents and having to factor them into their life financial plan. More and more people have little to no retirement, so they have to move in with their adult children. The number has doubled since the 90s, and it’s only expected to get worse.