Month: January 2011
Pulse of the Planet Daily Audio
Fire Ants – The Phorid Fly
Ecologists are looking to a parasitic fly as a natural means of controlling Brazilian fire ants.
January 28, 2011Fire Ants – A Mound of Trouble
Brazilian fire ants are challenging to control because of their adaptability and their web of chemo-communication.
January 27, 2011Fire Ants – Ecological Bullies
You could say Brazilian fire ants are at the top of “America’s Most Unwanted” list.
January 26, 2011Fire Ants – Wreaking Havoc
Infestations of Brazilian fire ants in the southeastern United States are like a scenario from a sci-fi thriller.
January 25, 2011Star Lore – Planets and Kings
Throughout history, mortals have projected their earthly beliefs onto the sky.
January 24, 2011Star Lore – Pyramids
For the pharaohs of ancient Egypt, the pyramids may have been their “stairway to heaven”.
January 21, 2011Star Lore – Comets
For thousands of years comets have been looked upon as dire omens for the future, but these celestial phenomenon are actually messages of the past.
January 20, 2011Star Lore – Layers of Lore
The night sky is rich with millennial lore.
January 19, 2011Star Lore – Uses
Throughout history disparate cultures have looked to the stars to navigate and to time their harvests.
January 18, 2011Star Lore – Orion
It may look like Orion’s belt to us, but other cultures have had their own interpretation of this striking group of stars.
January 17, 2011Alaskan Russian Orthodox Christmas – Christmas Gifts
In rural Alaska, carolers wend their way from house, carrying an ornate star, and sharing in communal gifts.
January 14, 2011Alaskan Russian Orthodox Christmas: Starring
Russian traders left the legacy of their traditions in Anchorage Alaska, including the Christmas-time practice of “starring”.
January 13, 2011Blue Whales
They dominate the ocean’s soundscape with a pitch perfect trans-oceanic call.
January 12, 2011Roma – Amplified Music
Roma music is eclectic, contemporary, and loud!
January 11, 2011Roma – Census
For Roma, census-taking is not just a matter of counting heads.
January 10, 2011Roma – Nomadic
Roma, or “gypsies” are not aimless wanderers, as centuries old belief has portrayed them.
January 7, 2011Roma – Origins
Scholars are demystifying the origins of the Roma/gypsy culture.
January 6, 2011Ice – An Amazing Substance
We explore some of the secrets behind ice’s unusual properties.
January 5, 2011Ice – Organic Antifreeze
How do small creatures make it through the brutal winter months?
January 4, 2011Ice – Flakes and Frost
How is it that every snowflake is unique? It’s all in the fall!
January 3, 2011Hawaiian-Japanese New Year – Food
For one listener who grew up in Hawaii, New Year’s day always meant a feast of traditional Japanese foods.