Podcasts about Desert Research Institute

Guests: Kumud Acharya President, Desert Research Institute

Guests: Kumud Acharya President, Desert Research Institute

Was Rome's fall due to heavy metal poisoning making Romans dumber?Ice cores that preserve traces of atmospheric pollutants through history have revealed that industrial activity by Romans – particularly the use and production of lead – meant the air the Romans breathed was heavily contaminated. The levels were high enough to cause neurological problems, including a drop in cognitive function across the population. Joe McConnell and his team at the Desert Research Institute published their findings in the journal PNAS.Bats are surfing storms to make migration easierMigrating bats in Europe have to fly up to 2000km while pregnant, but they've figured out how to get a lift from the weather. The bats have been observed waiting for storm fronts, and then surfing the strong winds in front of the storm to save energy during their migration. Dina Dechmann from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour, and colleagues, were able to tag bats with tiny specialized sensors to track their nocturnal movements during migration. Their paper was published in the journal Science.Squirrels have developed a taste for vole fleshSquirrels in California have been taking advantage of a boom in the population of tiny rodents called voles – by hunting and eating them. This widespread carnivorous behaviour was captured for the first time on videos and photos by a team led by behavioural ecologist Jennifer Smith, as a part of a long-term study of the squirrels. The researchers found dozens of instances of the squirrels killing the voles, which they say changes our fundamental understanding of ground squirrels. Their paper was published in the Journal of Ethology.EEG tattoos could outperform standard electrodes EEG is a valuable technology that allows researchers to monitor the electrical activity of the brain, but standard EEG electrodes are cumbersome and are hampered by the difficulty of attaching them. A new temporary EEG tattoo, made by printing conductive ink on the scalp, could be a step ahead. Luize Vasconcelos, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Texas at Austin helped create this ink. The research is published in the Cell Press journal Cell Biomaterials.To monitor cat brain waves, researchers made them cute hatsAude Castel, a veterinary neurologist from the Université de Montréal, and her team were  studying chronic pain in cats — and ways to alleviate it — when she realized that she could crochet hats for the cats and add EEG electrodes to them in order to study their brains. Their research was published in the Journal of Neuroscience Methods. When North America went to the dogs (or vice-versa)Researchers examining canid bones from Alaska dating to the last ice age have been intrigued by the complex picture it shows of dog domestication at the time. Their findings were published in the journal Science Advances. Signs of the animals' diet are preserved in the bones, and shows that humans were clearly feeding their dogs, a clear sign of domestication. François Lanoë from the University of Arizona led the work.

Guests: Kumud Acharya, President, Desert Research Institute

Guests: Kumud Acharya, President, Desert Research Institute

The latest data on forest fires confirms what many long feared: Forest fires are becoming more widespread and burning at least twice as much tree cover today as they did two decades ago.

How does snow form? Is it true that no two snowflakes are the same? And did you know that snowflakes are actually called snow crystals? Anika and Esther find out all the ice cold snow facts with Meghan Collins, research scientist at the Desert Research Institute in Nevada. Enjoy a new episode every fortnight, and if YOU have a big Fact Detective question, send it to factdetectives@kinderling.com.au    Guests: Meghan Collins, research scientist at the Desert Research Institute in NevadaHosts: Anika and Esther   Production: Cinnamon Nippard   Sound design: Josh Newth   Executive Producer: Lorna Clarkson    Hear it first on LiSTNR.   Listen ad-free on Kinderling. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kumud Acharya, President of the Desert Research Institute (DRI), joins us for an insightful conversation today. Born and raised in Kathmandu, Nepal, his journey began with an inspiring educational pursuit. After earning his undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering in India, he sought further knowledge in the US, culminating in a Ph.D. in science and aquatic ecology, with a graduate degree in Environmental Engineering along the way. Today, we explore his passion for ecological engineering and the remarkable career path that led him to DRI in Las Vegas. Joining DRI as an assistant research professor in 2006, he steadily rose, becoming the esteemed president in 2020. Kumud highlights DRI's innovative environmental projects, particularly the highly recognized cloud seeding initiative. He concludes by sharing his passion for travel and offering valuable advice to young people: work hard.Desert Research Institute: https://www.dri.edu/

This week on the show, Petrendologist Charlotte Reed and Michael Fleck, DVM talk with Dawn Pfendler, CEO of Hawaii Animal Rescue Foundation, discussing what is happening with the animals of Maui; and, Dr. Mary Cablk, Professor Emeritus at Desert Research Institute about the human remains dogs working in Maui.

The Desert Research Institute has been sending free STEM curriculum units to Nevada teachers for a decade now. This year they've added sixty new so-called green boxes.

I had a research zealot moment and was reflecting on how much reading I did years ago on endurance sports hydration. I was digging around a bit again and came across an interesting study on dog hydration by exercise science great D.B. Dill who was part of the former Harvard Fatigue Lab about 100 years ago which did a significant amount of research on endurance runners. Dill went on to work at the Desert Research Institute in Boulder City, NV and conducted decades of research on hydration in extreme environments and was even helpful to NASA during the 1960s. Here are a few of his findings on dog hydration. Enjoy.*Reference: "An Interview with David Bruce Dill" by Luise A. Soholt (1975)*Photo Credit: Ron Jones

What removing grass means for Nevada, why you should care about campaign finance and more from IndyFest 2022. This week host Jacob Solis talks with scientists at the Desert Research Institute about how changing landscaping and moving away from grass will save Southern Nevada water, but what else will it do? After that, host Joey … Continue reading "Changing landscaping for a changing climate" The post Changing landscaping for a changing climate appeared first on The Nevada Independent.

What removing grass means for Nevada, why you should care about campaign finance and more from IndyFest 2022. This week host Jacob Solis talks with scientists at the Desert Research Institute about how changing landscaping and moving away from grass will save Southern Nevada water, but what else will it do? After that, host Joey … Continue reading "Changing landscaping for a changing climate" The post Changing landscaping for a changing climate appeared first on The Nevada Independent.

Bri Hernandez Rosales is a graduate research assistant at the Desert Research Institute in Reno, Nevada and did her graduate thesis on the feasibility of rainwater harvesting for a local tribe. I interviewed Bri two days before she walked the stage to receive her master's degree in hydrologic sciences. We talked about her interest in water resources, her research on rainwater harvesting and her desire to make a difference in underserved communities.

The American West is in the throes of a two-decade-long drought.  The climate there is getting warmer and drier, which has led to increasing demand for water resources from both humans and ecosystems.  According to a new study by the Desert Research Institute and collaborators, the atmosphere across much of the U.S. is also demanding […]

While precipitation like rain and snow get all the attention, the amount of evapotranspiration - water transferred from land and planets to the atmosphere - is also critical to water management. But there hasn't been an effective tool for farmers, communities, and other water stakeholders to track evapotranspiration. Enter OpenET, a powerful platform that provides easily accessible satellite-based estimates and allows users to explore data down to a quarter-acre resolution or at a broader scale for millions of fields. The development and uses of OpenET is discussed in this episode with Robyn Grimm, Director of Climate Resilient Water Information Systems at the Environmental Defense Fund, and Forrest Melton, Research Scientist at California State University Monterey Bay. Robyn and Forrest talk about building OpenET through a massive partnership, which involves NASA, Google, EDF, the Desert Research Institute, and a variety of federal agencies and universities. They also discuss pilot projects across Western states and how the tool can support irrigation efficiency, groundwater management, and trading programs.Find all episodes at https://www.waterloop.orgwaterloop is made possible in part by grants from the Walton Family Foundation and Spring Point Partners. waterloop is sponsored by High Sierra Showerheads, the smart and stylish way to save water, energy, and money while enjoying a powerful shower. Use promo code Loop20 for 20 percent off at https://www.highsierrashowerheads.com​​​

The Truckee River is looking frighteningly low toward the end of 2021. Our guest for this episode is environmental storyteller and Truckee River expert Kelsey Fitzgerald. She is a graduate of the Reynolds School of Journalism who earned her Master's degree here in 2015 and started the website truckeeriverguide.org/ The website is a citizen interactive field guide to plants and wildlife along the majestic and rugged Truckee River. She's also a science writer for the Desert Research Institute.

An overseas research team has linked soot preserved in Antarctic ice to fires set in Aotearoa New Zealand, by Māori settlers, 700 years ago. The researchers say the finding is a dramatic example of early humanity's environmental impact. However, there has been some criticism here in New Zealand about the research. Joseph McConnell is an environmental scientist at the Desert Research Institute in Reno, Nevada. He spoke to Kim Hill.

An overseas research team has linked soot preserved in Antarctic ice to fires set in Aotearoa New Zealand, by Māori settlers, 700 years ago. The researchers say the finding is a dramatic example of early humanity's environmental impact. However, there has been some criticism here in New Zealand about the research. Joseph McConnell is an environmental scientist at the Desert Research Institute in Reno, Nevada. He spoke to Kim Hill.

In the wake of an attention-grabbing new report by the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, atmosphere research scientist Benjamin Hatchett of the Desert Research Institute joins Branching Out to talk about a 2019 study he worked on detailing the warming climate in Ventura County.Branching OutFind us on TwitterEmail us at branchingout@theacorn.comFollow Allison M.SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!Oak & Iron craft cocktail barOn Twitter and Instagram2967 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks(805) 630-1638Maid in America HousecleaningCall for a free estimate! (805) 499-7259MaidInAmericaOnline.comSupport the show (https://www.theacorn.com/subscribe/)

September 1, 2021 In today's episode I talk about the Caldor Fire bearing down on my city's neighboring town South Lake Tahoe, using weather modification to extinguish fires, fire as a means of getting people off the land, China's weather modification programs, the Desert Research Institute's weather modification programs, Russia uses cloud seeding to extinguish Siberian fires, people's reluctance to accept conspiracy fact, covid, vaccination, Afghanistan, and much much more! I also play music by Nas, Black Thought, Royce da 5'9, Eminem, and Czarface. https://homagethelionkiller.com/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/caldor-fire-lake-tahoe-cbs-news-2021-09-01/ https://www.ctif.org/news/russia-fights-siberian-forest-fires-manipulating-rain-clouds https://www.nbcnews.com/news/weather/first-light-shines-parts-new-orleans-after-hurricane-ida-n1278205 https://www.9news.com.au/world/afghanistan-news-ninja-missile-killed-isisk-bombers-us-air-strike/10e50dad-a0de-472c-9024-62d65072141a https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/bladed-incredibly-precise-us-secret-hellfire-missile-used-afghanistan-airstrikes-against-isisk-1847238-2021-08-30 https://www.dri.edu/cloud-seeding-program/what-is-cloud-seeding/

As wildfires ravage hundreds of thousands of acres across California, more is being learned about the damaging effects of their smoke. This week on 'Everything Under the Sun', Host, Dean DeVore welcomes Daniel Kiser, an assistant research scientist at Desert Research Institute in Nevada and Jonathan Porter, Senior Vice President, Weather Content and Forecast Operations to discuss a recent study linking wildfire smoke to an increased risk of contracting COVID-19. Download the new AccuWeather app today, available now in the App Store on iOS and in the Google Play Store - https://accuweather.onelink.me/dZpv/49183895 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Intern Chanel Pulido talks with Daniel Kiser of the Desert Research Institute and Professor Luke Montrose about the interplay of wildfire smoke and COVID-19. Then, Reporter Daniel Rothberg sits down with Host Joey Lovato to talk about why the largest solar energy project in Nevada was canceled. At the end of the show, … Continue reading "Wildfire smoke linked to COVID, a canceled solar project, and new child tax credits" The post Wildfire smoke linked to COVID, a canceled solar project, and new child tax credits appeared first on The Nevada Independent.

This week, Intern Chanel Pulido talks with Daniel Kiser of the Desert Research Institute and Professor Luke Montrose about the interplay of wildfire smoke and COVID-19. Then, Reporter Daniel Rothberg sits down with Host Joey Lovato to talk about why the largest solar energy project in Nevada was canceled. At the end of the show, … Continue reading "Wildfire smoke linked to COVID, a canceled solar project, and new child tax credits"

This week, Intern Chanel Pulido talks with Daniel Kiser of the Desert Research Institute and Professor Luke Montrose about the interplay of wildfire smoke and COVID-19. Then, Reporter Daniel Rothberg sits down with Host Joey Lovato to talk about why the largest solar energy project in Nevada was canceled. At the end of the show, … Continue reading "Wildfire smoke linked to COVID, a canceled solar project, and new child tax credits"

COVID-19 cases rose by an estimated 18% during a period when heavy wildfire smoke blanketed the Reno area. The findings suggest that the smoke from wildfires increase the rate of COVID-19 transmission. KUNR Morning Edition host Noah Glick spoke with Daniel Kiser, an assistant research scientist with the Desert Research Institute and the co-lead author of the new study , to learn more.

May 27, 2021 In today's episode of Knowledge With Homage I talk about mountain biking in Lake Tahoe, radio towers killing trees, a story of how the landslide at Slide Mountain happened, chemtrails, weather modification, the Desert Research Institute, how vaccines were always the end game, vaccine passports, nanobots, mind control, Jose Delgado, the upcoming wildfire season, drought in the USA, possibility of famine, and I play music by Nems, Ghostface, and The Pharcyde. https://homagethelionkiller.com/ https://www.activistpost.com/2021/05/and-a-famine-is-looming-over-the-united-states.html

Exposing Mold - Episode 7 - Debunking Mold Avoidance MythsIn this episode, Erik clears the air on all things mold avoidance.  If you've been affected by mold and want to contribute to our efforts, visit our Patreon or GoFundMe page to donate today.Patreon - patreon.com/exposingmoldGoFundMe - gofund.me/daf1233eWe understand the huge financial loss mold causes. You can do your part by Liking, Sharing, and Commenting on our content. We need your support to raise awareness of this devastating illness so that people can get the help they deserve.Transcript:English - https://bit.ly/3tPh9hL Spanish - https://bit.ly/3opHz8W Resources:[1] Tahoe outbreak - https://nyti.ms/2QCZA77 [2] Algae blooms - https://bit.ly/3dWhmuW [3] Desert Research Institute cloud seeding  - https://www.dri.edu/cloud-seeding-program/ [4] Desert Research Institute cloud seeding map & Erik's maps - https://www.dri.edu/cloud-seeding-program/, https://bit.ly/3nC95zC, https://bit.ly/3nwheVX, [5] Lisa Petrison , mystery toxin- https://bit.ly/3uUu03I [6] Stachybotrys & Chaetomium toxin producers -  https://bit.ly/2S4M0Kg, https://bit.ly/3xHLcuX, https://bit.ly/3ueJHlY, https://bit.ly/3uq1WEQ, https://bit.ly/3y4iDrV, https://bit.ly/3oorzUI, https://bit.ly/2QorP9z [7] Toxins stored in tissues - https://bit.ly/3ygYK0L, https://bit.ly/3fkRngd [8] Cloud seeding, Lake Tahoe - https://bit.ly/3aLHMxE, https://bit.ly/3xyhuso, https://bit.ly/3xyM5py, https://bit.ly/2PwgQdD [9] Nanoparticles bypassing BBB - https://bit.ly/33RKsWx, https://bit.ly/2Rn7UIw, https://bit.ly/3w9zHuB, https://bit.ly/3wc3pPW, https://bit.ly/3tMABf6 [10] Gerald Kennedy & CDC epidemiologist  - https://bit.ly/3eNLFEt Support the show (https://www.gofund.me/daf1233e)

This week, Environmental Reporter Daniel Rothberg talks with the Desert Research Institute's Dr. Monica Arienzo about the effects that disintegrated plastics have on the environment. Then, Host Joey Lovato talks with Education Reporter Jackie Valley and Assistant Editor Michelle Rindels about the state of play for school funding in Nevada, which hasn't been changed in … Continue reading "Understanding microplastics, and the latest on school funding" The post Understanding microplastics, and the latest on school funding appeared first on The Nevada Independent.

This week, Environmental Reporter Daniel Rothberg talks with the Desert Research Institute’s Dr. Monica Arienzo about the effects that disintegrated plastics have on the environment. Then, Host Joey Lovato talks with Education Reporter Jackie Valley and Assistant Editor Michelle Rindels about the state of play for school funding in Nevada, which hasn’t been changed in … Continue reading "Understanding microplastics, and the latest on school funding"

November 23, 2020. Topics discussed include the new mandates handed down by the king, pre-covid days, predictive programming, movies about pandemics, manipulated perception of the healthcare industry through fictional programming, suppression of alternative remedies, anti-vax hysteria, covid vaccine, 5G, the Internet of Things, EM radiation, origins of the coronavirus, artificially induced coronavirus using 5G, GMO's, nanotechnology, DARPA, weather modification and Bill Gates, the Desert Research Institute, changes since Covid, and so on and so on. Thanks for listening. Links referenced in podcast: https://homagethelionkiller.com/ https://www.rgj.com/story/news/2020/11/22/nevada-governor-provide-update-covid-19-response/6383258002/ https://search.darpa.mil/?page=1&pagesize=10&query=nanotechnology& https://eri-summit.darpa.mil/docs/20180725_1345_NZERO_edited.pdf https://www.dri.edu/research-areas-index/#weathermodification https://www.dri.edu/cloud-seeding-program https://byebyebluesky.com/ https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/07/bill-gates-funded-solar-geoengineering-could-help-stop-global-warming.html https://carnicominstitute.org/ https://www.eetimes.com/darpa-research-advances-for-near-zero-power-sensors/# https://www.zdnet.com/article/what-is-the-internet-of-things-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-iot-right-now/ https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/11/top-quotes-on-building-resilience-and-restoring-confidence/ https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/11/the-great-reset-building-future-resilience-to-global-risks

Part 1: Climate Change, Wildfires, and Weather Guest: Tim Brown is Research Professor of Climatology at the  Desert Research Institute in Reno, Nevada and Director of The Western Regional Climate Center. Part 2: “A Place To Breathe”, New Documentary on Immigration Guest: Michelle Grace Steinberg is a Bay Area filmmaker and Nutritionist at Street Level Health Project in the Fruitvale Area in Oakland.  She directed and co-produced with Robyn Bykofsky “A Place To Breathe.”  Now premiering at the 19th San Francisco Documentary Festival. The film is available online until Sept 20th  on the 19th SF Documentary Festival web page (Click Here). A Q&A session will be hosted on Thursday Sept 17th at 8pm Pacific Time by the producers Michelle Steinberg and Robyn Bykofsky.  Photo credit: Underexposed Films   The post Climate Change and Wildfires & “A Place To Breathe”, New Doc Film on Immigration appeared first on KPFA.

Dr. Kristen Lani Rasmussen is Assistant Professor in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University. Research in Kristen’s lab focuses on studying extreme events, particularly weather events such as heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, hail storms, and other events that have a big impact on humans and society. She is interested in examining these extreme event systems in the context of our current climate and how they may change in the future. In addition to spending quality time with her fantastic family, Kristen enjoys playing jazz trumpet. She has played jazz and bluegrass music with various bands in Colorado. Kristen received her bachelor’s degree in meteorology and mathematics as well as music from the University of Miami. She then attended the University of Washington where she was awarded her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Atmospheric Sciences. Afterwards, Kristen conducted postdoctoral research at the National Center for Atmospheric Research before joining the faculty at Colorado State University. She has received a number of awards and honors in her career, including the Peter B. Wagner Memorial Award for Women in Atmospheric Science from the Desert Research Institute, the College of the Environment Outstanding Community Impact Award from the University of Washington, and the Very Early Career Award from the American Meteorological Society’s Mesoscale Processes Conference. In addition, she was recently awarded the Graduate Mentoring and Advising Award from Colorado State University as well as the George T. Abell Outstanding Early Career Faculty Award from the College of Engineering at Colorado State University. In our interview Kristen tells us more about her life and science.

Pat Mulroy - The Art of Negotiation A leader in the international water community for more than 25 years, Pat Mulroy serves as a Senior Fellow for Climate Adaptation and Environmental Policy and also as a Practitioner in Residence for the Saltman Center for Conflict Resolution at the UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law.  She also holds a faculty position at the Desert Research Institute, where she serves as the Maki Distinguished Faculty Associate. Mulroy also serves on the Wynn Resorts Ltd Board of Directors. Pat is an expert in the art of negotiation. Today we hear the story of how she negotiated some of the biggest deals in Nevada's storied history.       This Episode of The My Story Podcast is Sponsored by Furnace Hills Coffee Company Use Coupon Code MyStory to save 25% on your next order from Furnacehillscoffee.com The My Story Podcast is a production of ConjoStudios, LLC For professional, award-winning production, visit: www.conjostudios.com Like the music on the show? Check out Drew Davidsen's music at www.drewdavidsen.com Check out our pics on Instagram: @MyStoryPodcast Send us a tweet @MyStory_Podcast And LIKE us on Facebook. We like to be liked.

In the third episode of Knowledge With Homage I give some firsthand accounts of my experience with the so called "chemtrail movement." I talk about my first experiences with the phenomenon and my initial thoughts toward it then go on to tell stories about interviewing the Director of Weather Modification at the Desert Research Institute in Reno, NV. I also go on to tell a story of a strange experience in NYC that led to some serious eyeball problems.

Robb Smith is a leader and social innovator in human development and integral metatheory, advising entrepreneurs, executives and thought leaders on leading-edge social innovation, vertical development, leadership development and company growth. He is CEO and co-founder, with American philosopher Ken Wilber, of Integral Life, a digital hub supporting the global trend towards meta-integrative human capacities (representing ~4% of adults in advanced economies). At Integral Life, he has spearheaded dialogues, courses and events that build skills and tackle pressing problems, including climate change and the rise of populism and the end of US hegemony. He has produced media and events that include Full Spectrum Mindfulness, The Future of Christianity, The Fourth Turning, WhatNEXT, Beyond Seeking, the Climate Leadership Campaign and Loving Completely. He was founder and CEO of Chrysallis, the world's most comprehensive human development app, which offered hundreds of practices across more than 50 areas of human life. Chrysallis was nominated for the 2015 Goldman Sachs Healthcare Startup of the Year and the IONS award for Transformational Technology before being acquired in 2016 by ADURO, where he now chairs the Advisory Board and supports Fortune 500 companies to deploy full-spectrum human performance initiatives. He was a co-founder and partner in Nevada Ventures, the state's first venture capital fund, dedicated himself to building Nevada's innovation economy (syndicating over $200 million in capital). He is a former director of Alere, a three-time Inc. 500 awardee, which became the largest population health management company in the United States. Robb is a graduate of University of Nevada, the Venture Capital Institute and held the Certified Management Accountant and Certified in Financial Management designations. He is a fellow of Desert Research Institute, a former fellow of Aspen Institute and former trustee of Nevada Museum of Art. He was named to Nevada Top 20 under 40 lists in three different decades and in 2012 he was nominated for the TED Prize. He gave a TEDx talk in 2013 on The Transformational Life. In a mushed up world of Politically Correct, hard right, hard left, #metoo, identity politics, too much/too little sexualization in the media, the rise of the fundamentalist view, this podcast provides contours for most of these experiences. www.robbsmith.com We experienced some minor technical issues with the recording. They do not take away from the conversation.

Brett Scharffs of BYU Law on the Supreme Court's ruling re: free speech and the rights of same-sex couples. Jani Radebaugh of BYU discovered methane dunes on Pluto. Joe McConnell of the Desert Research Institute explains how the Roman Empire made its mark on Greenland. Thomas O'Halloran of Northwestern Univ targets cancer with arsenic. Rod Gustafson of Parent Preview reviews "Adrift." Willie Harrison and Dave Brown of BYU share a new tech for wireless security.

Last week NDOW received a call from one of our partner agencies, Desert Research Institute in Reno to look into a great horned owls nesting on the DRI building. NDOW and DRI are working on a way to allow the public to view the nesting, while leaving the owls in peace. We sat down Denise Hammond and Jaquelyn Davis with Desert Research Institute, and NDOW’s Supervising Biologist David Catalano to explain.

Today’s guest on STEM-Talk is Dr. Chris McKay, a leading astrobiologist and planetary scientist with the Space Science Division of the NASA Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. Chris’s interview covers a diverse range of topics ranging from the origins of life to the possibility of manned missions to Mars. For the past 30 years, Chris has been advancing our understanding of planetary science. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University in 1975 with a degree in physics and earned a doctorate in astrogeophysics at the University of Colorado in 1982. He was a co-investigator on the Huygens probe to Saturn’s moon Titan in 2005, the Mars Phoenix lander mission in 2008, and the current Mars Science Laboratory mission. His research at NASA has focused on the evolution of the solar system and the origin of life. He also has been heavily involved in NASA’s Mars missions including the current Mars rover — Curiosity.  In addition, Chris has thought deeply about the human exploration of Mars. He has spent considerable time studying polar and desert environments to better understand how humans might survive in Mars-like environments. His research has taken him to the Antarctic Dry Valleys, the Atacama Desert, the Arctic, and the Namib Desert. In 2015, the Desert Research Institute named Chris the Nevada Medalist, which is the highest scientific honor in the state. Links: STEM-Talk Episode 33, interview with NASA’s Natalie Batalha - http://www.ihmc.us/stemtalk/episode-33/ Chris McKay’s NASA profile page - https://spacescience.arc.nasa.gov/staff/chris-mckay/ Show Notes 3:53: Ken and Dawn welcome Chris to the show. 4:05: Dawn asks Chris if it is true that the television series Star Trek inspired him to take up science and start studying planets as a kid. 4:34: Dawn comments on how Apollo happened almost 50 years ago when Chris was a teenager and asks him where he was for Apollo 11 and what it meant to him. 5:24: Ken asks Chris how he learned about Florida Atlantic University, as it was a relatively new university at the time, and asks Chris why he chose it. 6:54: Dawn asks Chris if he was thinking about becoming an astronaut when he decided to major in physics. 7:27: Ken asks Chris what it was like to be a summer intern in the Planetary Biology program at the NASA Ames Research Center around 1980. 8:52: Dawn asks Chris how he chose the University of Colorado, where he earned a PhD in astrogeophysics. 10:42: Dawn asks Chris to discuss his transition from mechanical engineering to astrogeophysics. 12:11: Ken discusses how Chris ended up back at NASA Ames as an astrobiologist and planetary scientist after graduate school. 13:53: Dawn comments how Chris’s research is taking him to extreme places, and asks him to explain what extremophiles are and what their relevance is in the search for life beyond Earth. 17:26: Dawn comments on her experiences searching for extremophiles while working on cave diving projects. 18:12: Dawn asks Chris what his most recent search experience for extremophiles on our planet was. 19:49: Dawn asks Chris what he takes to be the most exciting extremophile discovery out of all of the work he has done. 22:40: Dawn asks Chris to talk about his favorite and least favorite aspects of field research. 24:06: Ken asks Chris to define some terms related to the search for life beyond Earth. Specifically,  whether we have a definition for life itself and if not, what exactly we are searching for when we say we are searching for life. He also asks Chris to talk about alien life and how it differs from life on Earth. 26:21: Ken asks Chris how tough it would be to recognize alien life if it is based on fundamentally different chemistry than life on Earth. 29:16: Ken asks Chris where NASA’s secret alien life storage room is. 31:03: Ken asks Chris what the scientific importance of discovering life in another world is.

May the 4th Be With You - Star Wars Day - is now celebrated around the world! We check in with Disneyland Paris, Las Vegas and right here in Los Angeles for an interview-packed episode. Martin Keeler attended “Star Wars Soiree” at Disneyland Paris with DJ Elliot. This is the first after-hours, hard-ticketed event Disneyland Paris has ever done. Martin gives us the details and whether or not “Star Wars Soiree” will return next year. On May the 4th, we moderated a DK panel and signing for the Star Wars: A Visual Encyclopedia Book Tour featuring Tricia Barr (Fangirls Going Rogue / FanGIRL Blog) and Adam Bray (Star Wars / Marvel author). We recap the experience and bring you audio from the event. Amanda Bond and Gabriel Colbaugh (Saber Guild) donned their Jedi outfits and battled Stormtroopers on TV to promote an awesome event: "May Science Be With You 2017" hosted by the Desert Research Institute of Las Vegas. They helped promote science and STEM through Star Wars. Also on this episode: Giveaway WINNER ANNOUNCED! Skywalker Shout-Outs and Skywalker of the Week WHERE WE WILL BE (IN REAL LIFE) 9/1/17: John Williams at the Hollywood Bowl! Join us from 5:30-7:00 for a picnic before the concert at Picnic Area 14. September 17-22, 2017: Skywalking HALLOWEEN ON THE HIGH SEAS Disney Cruise! To get more info, email Randy Crane at cruise@storiesofthemegic.com to get a free, no obligation quote. You're not committing to anything, just getting information with that request. In the Comments section mention "Skywalking Through Neverland" so Randy Crane knows you want to be part of our group. SUPPORT THE SHOW Skywalking Through Neverland T-Shirts at TeePublic! Check them out HERE. CONTACT US Instagram: http://instagram.com/skywalkingpod Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkywalkingPod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skywalkingthroughneverland Join us every week on Periscope for a behind-the-scenes look at our show. We also bring you to Disneyland, Red Carpet Events and Theme Park Openings. Send emails to share@skywalkingthroughneverland.com and follow us on Facebook. If you dug this episode, click over to iTunes | Stitcher | YouTube and leave us a review! Never Land on Alderaan!  

May the 4th Be With You - Star Wars Day - is now celebrated around the world! We check in with Disneyland Paris, Las Vegas and right here in Los Angeles for an interview-packed episode. Martin Keeler attended “Star Wars Soiree” at Disneyland Paris with DJ Elliot. This is the first after-hours, hard-ticketed event Disneyland Paris has ever done. Martin gives us the details and whether or not “Star Wars Soiree” will return next year. On May the 4th, we moderated a DK panel and signing for the Star Wars: A Visual Encyclopedia Book Tour featuring Tricia Barr (Fangirls Going Rogue / FanGIRL Blog) and Adam Bray (Star Wars / Marvel author). We recap the experience and bring you audio from the event. Amanda Bond and Gabriel Colbaugh (Saber Guild) donned their Jedi outfits and battled Stormtroopers on TV to promote an awesome event: "May Science Be With You 2017" hosted by the Desert Research Institute of Las Vegas. They helped promote science and STEM through Star Wars. Also on this episode: Giveaway WINNER ANNOUNCED! Skywalker Shout-Outs and Skywalker of the Week WHERE WE WILL BE (IN REAL LIFE) 9/1/17: John Williams at the Hollywood Bowl! Join us from 5:30-7:00 for a picnic before the concert at Picnic Area 14. September 17-22, 2017: Skywalking HALLOWEEN ON THE HIGH SEAS Disney Cruise! To get more info, email Randy Crane at cruise@storiesofthemegic.com to get a free, no obligation quote. You're not committing to anything, just getting information with that request. In the Comments section mention "Skywalking Through Neverland" so Randy Crane knows you want to be part of our group. SUPPORT THE SHOW Skywalking Through Neverland T-Shirts at TeePublic! Check them out HERE. CONTACT US Instagram: http://instagram.com/skywalkingpod Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkywalkingPod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skywalkingthroughneverland Join us every week on Periscope for a behind-the-scenes look at our show. We also bring you to Disneyland, Red Carpet Events and Theme Park Openings. Send emails to share@skywalkingthroughneverland.com and follow us on Facebook. If you dug this episode, click over to iTunes | Stitcher | YouTube and leave us a review! Never Land on Alderaan!  

Matt Reeves teaches in the Geological Sciences Department at UAA . This presentation coincides with the audio podcast of his talk at the event "New UAA Faculty discuss their exciting work in Hydrology, Resource Economics, and Climate Change" which begins 03:56-24:50 min with Q &A until 35:55 min. Matt Reeves received ah.D. in Hydrogeology from the University of Nevada, and worked as a Research Professor at Desert Research Institute.