This Green Earth

Native herpetology coordinator Alyssa Hoekstra talks about the different types of rattlesnakes in Utah and their important role in our ecosystem. Then, Walt Meier, senior research scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center, talks about the current state of arctic sea ice. In March, arctic sea ice was at its lowest ever recorded for that month, measuring six percent below the long-term average.

Amanda Rodewald is the Senior Director of the Center for Avian Population Studies at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Rodewald takes us through the finding of the recently-released State of the Birds report and shares which bird species are struggling and which are thriving.Award-winning environmental journalist Sophie Yeo author of "Nature's Ghosts, The World We Lost and How to Bring it Back" joins the show. She examines how the planet would have looked before humans scrubbed away its diversity: from landscapes carved out by megafauna to the primeval forests that emerged following the last Ice Age.

Ryan Langendorf, a professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, shares a recent study shedding light on sea otters as a keystone species helping to regenerate kelp forests. Then, marine biologist Ronja Steinbach talks about the world of marine fungi and the role they are playing in degrading plastics. Her research highlights a largely untapped resource that is helping to remove plastics from the ocean.

Terry Masear, a hummingbird rehabilitator, author and star of the acclaimed 2024 Sundance film, "Every Little Thing," highlights the hummingbird's ecological importance and inspires conservation efforts. Then, award-winning author Stephanie Anderson talks about her new book, "From the Ground up: The Women Revolutionizing Regenerative Agriculture."

Award-winning author Zak Podmore talks about his latest book, "Life After Dead Pool: Lake Powell’s Last Days and the Rebirth of the Colorado River." Then, local conservation easement landowner Wes Siddoway shares more about his family’s decision around land preservation.

Darren Parry, former chairman for the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation, highlights the deep connection between Shoshone people and the land and shares how traditional practices reflect sustainability and environmental stewardship.Then, conservation biologist and author Thor Hanson shares ways in which to see nature through a different lens, providing a new perspective on its many wonders, in his new book "Close to Home."

Award-winning birder and acclaimed writer Pete Dunne shares remarkable stories of our feathered friends in his latest book, "The Courage of Birds." Then, David George Haskell illuminates and celebrates the emergence of the varied sounds of our world starting with the origins of animal song and traversing the whole arc of Earth history in his book, "Sounds Wild and Broken."

Jackson Looseyia, Solaash Morompi, and Tim Lapage talk about the new Ripoi Nature Conservancy in Maasai Mara, Kenya. The conservancy was created to expand the protected land for wildlife. Then, marine biologist and National Geographic Explorer Greg O'Corry-Crowe talks about a new study regarding a unique species of freshwater seals. He also shares details about the health and wellbeing of beluga whales and the elusive narwhal.

Dr. Joan Maloof, Professor Emeritus at Salisbury University and founder of the Old-Growth Forest Network, discusses her new book "Nature’s Temples: A Natural History of Old-Growth Forests." Then, Dr. Kerry Cook, professor at The University of Texas at Austin teaching graduate Atmosphere and Ocean Dynamics as well as Global Warming courses in the Department of Geological Sciences, talks about the second edition of her book "Climate Dynamics."

Conservationist and author Thor Hanson discusses his book, “Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid: The Fraught and Fascinating Biology of Climate Change.” Then, author Susan Casey shares more on her writings, including her latest book, “The Underworld: Journeys to the Depths of the Ocean.”