The Future of Everything

Best of: The future of coastal erosion


Listen Later

It’s summertime, and for many of us that means a recreational trip to the beach or coast. Worldwide, billions of people live year-round near a coastline, and these settings can be responsible for everything from buffering storms and preventing sea-level rise to fishing, flourishing tourism, and trade. For all these reasons, the acceleration of coastal erosion is an important topic to understand. A couple years ago, we sat down with Jane Willenbring, a geoscientist who says that by studying what coastlines looked like long ago, we can better understand where they are headed and how to protect them. No matter where you live, we hope you’ll tune in to better understand the forces behind coastal erosion.

Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to [email protected].

Episode Reference Links:

  • Stanford Profile: Jane Kathryn Willenbring

Connect With Us:

  • Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website
  • Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon
  • Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Introduction

Russ Altman introduces guest Jane Willenbring, a professor of Earth systems at Stanford University.

(00:01:30) What Causes Coastal Erosion

The natural processes that build up or break down coastal regions.

(00:02:58) When Coastlines Grow

Where and how coastal buildup can still occur, especially near rivers.

(00:04:11) Measuring Coastal Erosion

The technological and geological measurements used to track change.

(00:06:12) Dating Coastal Rock

Using cosmic radiation to help measure long-term erosion rates.

(00:07:48) Archaeology & Shifting Settlements

How ancient coastal settlements reflect environmental change.

(00:09:03) Tectonics vs. Erosion

Differentiating between sea level rise and tectonic land uplift.

(00:10:09) Infrastructure at Risk

The dangers of coastal erosion to critical infrastructure.

(00:12:12) Science Meets Policy

Why long-term erosion timelines complicate policymaking.

(00:14:11) Real-World Responses

Examples of successes and failures due to policy inaction.

(00:15:14) Disadvantages of Building Bridges

The unintended effects of building bridges and barriers.

(00:16:11) “Unzipping” Landscapes

How rivers and streams carve landscapes from the inside out.

(00:17:47) Sea Level Rise & Coastal Changes

The mechanics of sea level rise and how it increases erosion.

(00:19:25) Beaches as Natural Defenses

Why wide beaches are crucial to the protection of coastlines.

(00:20:42) Cliff Collapse & Beaches

What happens when sand is lost due to erosion or human intervention.

(00:22:11) The Social Impacts of Coastal Erosion

The effects of coastal erosion on different socioeconomic classes

(00:24:11) Public Health Risks of Coastal Erosion

The different health and infrastructure risks posed by unmanaged erosion.

(00:26:05) Vegetation, Kelp, & Green Solutions

The potential for vegetation and kelp to help soften coastal impact.

(0028:43) Conclusion

Connect With Us:

Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website

Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon

Connect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Future of EverythingBy Stanford Engineering

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

127 ratings


More shows like The Future of Everything

View all
Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders (ETL) by Stanford eCorner

Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders (ETL)

709 Listeners

Economist Podcasts by The Economist

Economist Podcasts

4,175 Listeners

Freakonomics Radio by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Freakonomics Radio

32,166 Listeners

Acquired by Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal

Acquired

4,274 Listeners

Gartner ThinkCast by Gartner

Gartner ThinkCast

112 Listeners

NVIDIA AI Podcast by NVIDIA

NVIDIA AI Podcast

341 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

112,335 Listeners

Masters of Scale by WaitWhat

Masters of Scale

3,980 Listeners

Bold Names by The Wall Street Journal

Bold Names

1,449 Listeners

Big Brains by University of Chicago Podcast Network

Big Brains

472 Listeners

Physics World Weekly Podcast by Physics World

Physics World Weekly Podcast

79 Listeners

Stanford Legal by Stanford Law School

Stanford Legal

41 Listeners

MIT Technology Review Narrated by MIT Technology Review

MIT Technology Review Narrated

258 Listeners

Hard Fork by The New York Times

Hard Fork

5,489 Listeners

The Joy of Why by Steven Strogatz, Janna Levin and Quanta Magazine

The Joy of Why

493 Listeners

HBR On Strategy by Harvard Business Review

HBR On Strategy

78 Listeners