Joining us today is Dr. Jackson Njau, a paleoanthropologist working to understand how early humans evolved and why. Hear about his work in Olduvai Gorge, a key anthropology site in Tanzania, how our brains have grown over time (as hard as that may be to believe sometimes), and a favorite dish of his - Ndizi.

Today we get to know Dr. Travis O'Brien, a climate scientist who looks at and models extreme weather and other climate phenomena that could impact our day-to-day lives. We get to hear about some of his more recent work, including using climate models, his time at a national lab and how that works, and a really interesting time living on an alpaca ranch.

Joining us today is Dr. Ed Herrmann, a microbiologist by training who is a geoarchaeologist by way of the pharmaceutical industry and beer brewing. His geoarchaeology work draws on and builds from his experience and time in both of these seemingly unrelated fields that makes for a really exciting and unique perspective.

Listen in today and get to know Dr. Julia Kelson, a sedimentary geochemist looking at past Earth climates. Julia talks us through how she entered the field (you might say it runs in the family), some of her field experiences, and a bit about what work is like in the lab.

Today Dr. Michael Hamburger, an earthquake seismologist and hazards specialist, joins us. We'll hear about his atypical journey into the geosciences, some incredible field experiences, and his time rubbing elbows with some of the Who's Whos of the climate world.

Today we get to chat with Dr. Andrea Stevens Goddard, a low-temperature thermochronologist (and proud Hoosier!) looking at how sediment is moved and stored in geologic basins.

Welcome to Earth on the Rocks with your host, me - Dr. Shelby Rader! On this episode, we dive in to what to expect for the rest of the season and hear a bit about how I ended up in the field.