Month: January 2008
Pulse of the Planet Daily Audio
Science Diary: Acoustical Ecology – Sounds
How healthy is an ecosystem? Shh! Just listen, and you’ll have some idea.
January 30, 2008Science Diary: Acoustical Ecology – Spring Peeper
How do frogs react as a motorcycle cruises past their wetland habitat?
January 29, 2008Knitting: Machine
For the past twenty-five years, a pair of sisters have been making wool socks- from sheep to finished product.
January 28, 2008Damselfish: Location, Location, Location
Damselfish are a discerning lot when it comes to selecting a “home”.
January 25, 2008Bullfrogs – Reducing
Catching bullfrogs is no longer child’s play.
January 24, 2008Earth’s Magnetic Field: Reversal
Did you know that the current “North Pole” is really a south pole?
January 23, 2008Thaipusam – Trance
The Hindu festival of Thaipusam is a day where devotees turn their attention away from the physical world.
January 22, 2008Science Diary: Sharks – Reeling In
In the Pacific Ocean, a shark abundance survey team catches, calms and tags sharks, in an effort to monitor their population.
January 21, 2008Science Diary: Tundra – Stored
Stored in Alaska’s icy tundra is carbon, hundreds and thousands of years old. Global warming may unlock this carbon, which could result in a runaway greenhouse effect.
January 18, 2008Finch: Gender Gap
Researchers host a virtual “dating game” to learn how female finches ultimately choose their mates.
January 17, 2008Alaskan Russian Orthodox Christmas – Christmas Gifts
In rural Alaska, carolers wend their way from house, carrying an ornate star, and sharing in communal gifts.
January 16, 2008Alaskan Russian Orthodox Christmas: Starring
Russian traders left the legacy of their traditions in Anchorage Alaska, including the Christmas-time practice of “starring”.
January 15, 2008Science Diary: Tundra – Pulling Roots
Even on a balmy day in Alaska, ice can be found just below the surface of the soil. But as global warming melts this ice, the ecosystem may be in jeopardy.
January 14, 2008Science Diary: Tundra – Pumping Carbon
How would you measure the release of carbon from the vast landscape of Alaska’s tundra? Think small.
January 11, 2008Science Diary: Tundra – Clipping
Science Diarist Ted Schuur is in Alaska’s northern latitudes, using ordinary garden clippers and canning jars to conduct cutting edge climate research.
January 10, 2008Science Diary: Tundra – Finding a Sample
Climate change is having a significant impact on Alaska’s tundra. And as frozen soils melt, the release of carbon may have a significant impact on our climate.
January 9, 2008Science Diary: Tundra – Change
What does climate change mean north of the Arctic Circle? Scientists are examining the effects of ground thaw on plants and soils.
January 8, 2008Plough Monday – Tradition
Imagine a holiday like Halloween, with a bit of Mardi Gras thrown in, and you’ll have a pretty good idea of what Plough Monday was like – in 18th century rural England.
January 7, 2008Plough Monday – Purpose
Once a year, riotous behavior gave farm workers an escape from social constraints in 18th century England.
January 4, 2008Three Kings Day – The Magi
One of our listeners returns to his homeland of Puerto Rico each year for the celebration of the Epiphany.
January 3, 2008Three Kings Day – Parranda
“It’s Christmas caroling – Puerto Rican Style!” In the days leading up to the Feast of Epiphany, the sounds of Parrandas are heard throughout the island.
January 2, 2008Three Kings Day – Holiday Foods
In Puerto Rico, Three Kings Day is a festival for the palate, with savory traditional foods such as roasted pig.
January 1, 2008Hogmanay: Biggest Day of the Year
Scottish culture preserves New Year’s Day as the most important family holiday.