Earth Notes
Every Wednesday
Earth Notes, KNAU’s weekly environmental series, explores the Colorado Plateau by telling stories of the intricate relationships between environmental issues and our daily lives. Rooted in science and wrapped in human interest, the two-minute-long segments encourage listeners to think of themselves as part of the solution to environmental problems.
Latest Episodes
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Ancient agave plants are helping researchers uncover clues about the people who lived in the Southwest more than 1,000 years ago. -
That unmistakable smell after rain has a name: petrichor. It's been signaling the arrival of rain for millions of years. -
Magpies have earned a bad rap as the bully in the birdyard — some even call them the birds everyone loves to hate. But the often-misunderstood magpie may deserve a little more credit than they get. -
The barrel cactus won’t slake your thirst on a hot desert day. It’s named for its stout shape, not its contents. -
How will future inhabitants on Mars and the Moon get their veggies? Northern Arizona University doctoral candidate Laura Lee has been seeking the answer to that question. -
A project below Glen Canyon Dam is targeting invasive smallmouth bass that threaten native fish in the Colorado River. -
The Bradford pear was one of the most widely planted ornamental trees in North America. But it's now largely considered invasive and outlawed in several states. -
High summer temperatures make Flagstaff’s thin air feel even thinner. Density altitude affects your body, turning a simple mountain hike into a tough physical workout. -
The San Francisco Peaks volcanic system includes some tiny residents — small, rare plants that grow in difficult terrain. Citizen scientists are trying to document them. -
Have you ever noticed a large, fuzzy, brightly-colored ant moving rapidly along the ground? Commonly called velvet ants, these aren’t ants at all. They’re actually wingless wasps.
