Forensic anthropologists study the process of human decomposition at Western Carolina University’s Forensic Osteological Research Station to understand and solve real-life situations, including murder and mishaps, to learn how a person died and what happened to their remains.

Water flows downhill and with it comes pollution that affects life in and along the rivers and the ocean. Scientists analyze mountain fish and coastal blue crabs to learn what's flowing downstream in North Carolina's waterways.

Scientist/comedian Tim Lee talks about his background in science & his upcoming comedy tour. A biologist by training, Dr. Lee holds degrees from UC San Diego & UC Davis. He spent years developing simulation & analytical models of population dynamics before he discovered that this bored him & he turned to comedy. His standard method of presentation is performing a "parody" of a science seminar.

The Appalachian Mountains, with dense forest cover, make western North Carolina a unique laboratory from which to monitor air quality and atmospheric conditions and their impact on ecosystems.

Tidal creeks are the link from stormwater runoff to the estuaries and the ocean. Researchers are studying the dynamics of tidal creeks and what lives in them so communities can better protect this unique, fragile and vital habitat for coastal life.

NC Museum of Natural Sciences researchers discovered fossils of an unknown dinosaur while working in Utah. Using a few bones they'll learn the creature's size, diet, age and other features. This mystery dino could become the museum's first holotype, the example with which other species are described.

Entrepreneurs in Asheville take green vehicles to a new level, utilizing mechanical engineering and electronics to create an electric assist recumbent vehicle.

Scientists are studying what effect a warming climate will have on NC's $75M Christmas tree industry, which ranks 2nd in the country in Christmas tree sales.

Aquaponics is a system for farming fish and plants together in a mutually beneficial cycle. Fish produce waste that is a fertilizer for plants while plants suck up the nutrients as they purify the water. The system is efficient and environmentally friendly. A farm in Norwood, NC is pioneering the technique.

The acorn is not only a symbol of fall, but the nuts are a baseline indicator of the current and future health of the forest ecosystem. U.S. Forest Service researchers studying acorns find a bounty of acorns indicates healthy trees and a plentiful food supply for the creatures that form the base of the forest food chain.