Perpetual Notion Machine

There’s an air of excitement in late autumn as we prepare to witness one of the world’s greatest animal migrations. Sandhill Cranes have returned from the brink of extinction and are crossing the continent by the tens of thousands again and they’re coming right through Wisconsin!

Dr. Richard Beilfuss, President and CEO of the International Crane Foundation (ICF), joins host Patrick Sajbel to talk about the Sandhill Crane migration and the upcoming Great Midwest Crane Fest held jointly by the Aldo Leopold Foundation and ICF in Baraboo, WI on Nov. 10-12, 2022.

As a professional Hydrologist, Beilfuss has been worked on water management and wetland restoration across Asia and Africa. And he also talks about Wisconsin’s crane families, teenage crane gangs and even public displays of affection by crane couples.

 

Photo credit: Ted Thousand

 

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On tonight’s episode of Perpetual Notion Machine host Emily Morris speaks with Antarctic explorer and creative director Ariel Waldman (arielwaldman.com).

She is a National Geographic Explorer who created the project Life Under the Ice (lifeundertheice.org), an interactive online portal where you can zoom in on the extremophiles that live under the ice in Antarctica; author of the book What’s It Like in Space? Stories from Astronauts Who’ve Been There; and host of several series on YouTube about tiny organisms and science expeditions (https://www.youtube.com/arielwaldman).

Photo by henrique setim on Unsplash

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Pleasant to nose and soothing to the mind, some scents evoke calmness and peace. Others remind us of the holidays – the smell of pumpkin pie in the fall, sticky cinnamion in the summer. Or, the smell of your favorite perfume/cologne.

Yet, these scents aren’t just for us; specific scents evoke defense mechanisms for plants/trees. Imagine the smell of cut grass; it may not be for your nostrils. On Perpetual Notion Machine, host Anita Nsubuga explores the world of scents with author Elise Vernon Pearlstine and her new book, “Scent: A History of Fragrance”. They discuss what scents are. They explore the history of famous scents. They also explain the differences between spices, incenses or fragrant woods. Additionally, they explain the intriguing world of perfumes.

Should you have a good nose to smell scents for a living?

What is the king of spices?

Chocolate or vanilla?

Use your nose. Stay tuned!

 

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The Madison Public Library debuted it Naturalist in Residence Program in September 2022. Join Perpetual Notion Machine host Catherine Garvens, Madison Public Library (MPL) Community Engagement Librarian Kristina Gómez, and MPL Naturalist-in-Residence John C. Newman to learn more about this this series of nature experiences aimed to inspire wonder and stewardship of the world around us, as well as recognizing our place within it. The residency will include nature-inspired art activities, walks in beautiful new places, taking a deep look at the familiar and ordinary, and expanding our idea of what was, is, and will be.

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This week on PNM, Emily and Serena have a new installment of science news, where we round up some intriguing science news from around the world and in our neighborhood, offer up some PSAs and other announcements, and send you off to some area events.

On sweat-powered bacterial batteries: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/08/220802153311.htm

On the Blue Planet Prize: https://news.wisc.edu/uw-scientist-wins-blue-planet-prize/

On breaking down forever chemicals with hot soap soup: https://www.science.org/content/article/simple-mix-soap-and-solvent-could-help-destroy-forever-chemicals

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It is 8am,on a wintry Monday. You have your coffee cup in hand as you rush towards the bus stop. It is the middle of winter, so the buses are taking longer than usual. Checking your phone, you learn that the blizzard has caused an accident on the main highway. Alternate routes on your map app appear (like magic) just as you brace for a hectic start to your week.

How did the app configure your route so fast? Within seconds, your headache of a route has turned into a minor hurdle. How, you ask? Math. Mathematics, the silent hero of the modern world. On Perpetual Notion Machine, host Anita Nsubuga explores math and its modern-world applications with guest Laura Albert, from UW Madison’s School of Industrial & Systems Engineering.

We learn how math optimizes our world. Math is more than theorems; it is practical and effective in many aspects of our modern way of life. What’s Math Got to Do With It – a lot, as we will soon find out.

Stay tuned!

Image courtesy of: Gerd Altmann (geralt) on Pixabay

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There’s no time like a beautiful August day to head to the UW Arboretum. Join us for a guided walking tour of the Longenecker Horticultural Gardens. Curator David Stevens leads Perpetual Notion Machines’ Patrick Sajbel on this special field visit.

Listen about the history of the Arboretum and the special flora and fauna (!) that live in the Longenecker Botanical Gardens, including selected rare species like the American Chestnut, a maple tree shaped like a pencil and the mobile sculptures that move in the wind like maple seed pods (or samaras) of the state trees of Wisconsin.

The Gardens are a major free resource for the study of landscape plants for educators and open to the public.

Originally broadcast in two pieces on August 11 and September 15, 2022. Photo courtesy Patrick Sajbel.

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The lifecycle of monarch butterflies is one of the most remarkable of any migrating species. As familiar as these beautiful insects are, last month monarchs were listed as endangered species. In this edition of the Perpetual Notion Machine, host Patrick Sajbel welcomes Dr. Karen Oberhauser to explain what is happening in the monarch population and what can be done.

Oberhauser is Director of the University of Wisconsin Arboretum and the founder of the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project. Karen is a Wisconsin native, researcher and educator. She earned degrees at Harvard, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Resources noted for monitoring monarchs and citizen science programs are linked here: Monarch Joint Venture, and Journey North

Linked here are resources for growing milkweed and supporting monarchs in Wisconsin. Gly

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If you’re bored this summer, look no further than the local library! This week on PNM, we spoke with Liz Boyd, marketing specialist at the Madison Public Library. There are so many interesting events coming up for a wide range of age groups. More information is available in the links below.

 

GENERAL RESOURCES

Dream Bus: dreambus.org

Request an addition to the collection: https://www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/node/add/rfp

Suggest a Website/Service: https://www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/resources/eresources/suggest

Library Programming Application: https://www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/events/library-programming-application

Kanopy (MPL’s new video streaming service): madpl.org/kanopy

Early Childhood STEM Kits: https://www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/kids/educators/stem-kits

A Wild Rumpus + AnjiPlay: madpl.org/anjiplay

New Community Events Page (Includes Parks Alive description): madpl.org/communityevents

 

STEM PROGRAMS FOR SUMMER

Can find all events on our public calendar: madpl.org/calendar

Teen & Tween Minecraft Club at Lakeview Library

Mondays, 4-5:30PM, weekly throughout summer and continue in the fall

STEM in the PM at Sequoya Library

Fridays, 1-3PM (Weekly June 17-August 19)

Science Club at Pinney Library

July 7, 1-3PM on the Pinney Patio (recurring weekly on Thursdays)

Get creative and messy with hands-on activities designed to explore different scientific concepts. Activities include making invisible ink, cooking s’mores using a homemade solar oven, sprouting lima beans in bags and more!

Maker Mondays at Goodman South Madison Library

Started June 26, 11AM-1PM (recurring weekly)

 

Lego Clubs:

Lego Free Build at Sequoya Library

Monday, July 11, 2-3:30PM

Summer Lego Club at Pinney Library

Wednesday, July 13, 3:30-4:30PM

LEGO Club is back this summer! Join us for open-ended LEGO play on 2nd Wednesdays (August 10), for ages 5 to 12. Leave your own LEGOs at home – we’ve got plenty to share!

Lego Club at Central Library

Saturday, July 16, 1:30-3PM

August 20, 1:30-3PM

 

 

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This week on PNM, Emily and Serena embark on an experimental episode of PNM science news chat, where we round up some intriguing science news from around the world and in our neighborhood, offer up some PSAs and other announcements, and send you off to some area events.

On bees and other fish:

Classification for conservation: https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/article262045952.html

Bumblebee declines: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1014743108

How to help native bees in Wisconsin: https://www.jsonline.com/story/life/home-garden/2022/04/13/how-help-wisconsins-disappearing-native-bees-your-yard-rusty-patched-endangered-bumble-honey/9502576002/

Fight the bite:

Preventing mosquito bites: https://www.mosquito.org/news/360420/Fight-the-Bite.htm

Preventing tick bites: https://co.lincoln.wi.us/health/page/keep-your-eyes-open-ticks-summer

Dry your boat:

Stopping the spread of invasive species: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/newsroom/release/59506

Look up:

Universe in the park: http://www.astro.wisc.edu/uitp/schedule.html

 

 

Image: Bumblebee Cichlid, by Dominic Lemoine Photography

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