Rare earth-hunting in US coal country; China's military might; Uighurs in Xinjiang and more.

This week on the program: • Cornell Anthropology Professor Magnus Fiskesjö talks (1:34) with Paulina Glass about how developments in a remote province in western China are setting off alarm bells in the White House and in the international community. • Then (15:25) we’ll get some strategic perspective on the actual and overblown threats posed by the rising power of China’s military and economy — with Dr. Robert Farley of the University of Kentucky. • And we’ll end (28:53) with a look at some of the latest research in coal — with UK’s Jim Hower, Jack Groppo and Daniel Mohler — and how elements left behind by burning the stuff winds up powering some of today's most important military equipment, as well as the device you might be using right now.