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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Southwest of Camp Verde along Salt Mine Road are some low, bright white mounds — evidence of rock salt deposits, found in bands up to 60 feet thick in the Verde Formation. -
Aquatic animals spring to life when rainwater collects in the sandstone potholes of the Colorado Plateau’s high deserts. These temporary pools range from a few inches to 50 feet deep and may last only a short while before they evaporate. -
Unlike their nearest relatives, zone-tailed hawks display slightly V-shaped wing postures and rock from side to side when soaring. That’s the same way turkey vultures soar. -
Over half of venomous snake bites in the U.S. occur due to improper handling or attempts to kill rattlesnakes. So, learning how to safely deal with these animals is important. -
Over 100 years ago, a scientist theorized that three of Earth’s longer cycles could explain long-term climate changes. These are called the Milankovitch cycles. -
Juneteenth observes the date in 1865 when enslaved African Americans were freed in Texas. But Black motorists well into the 20th century still experienced segregation and discrimination. -
Arizona’s share of the National Old Trails Road was the first transcontinental route for newfangled motorcars, envisioned in 1912, as a wave of automobile popularity engulfed America. -
When you think of our Nation’s oldest settlements, stories of Plymouth Rock, Jamestown or Albany may come to mind. Yet America’s oldest towns are actually right here on the Colorado Plateau — Oraibi in Arizona and Acoma Pueblo in New Mexico. -
June is the month for roses and the Territorial Women’s Rose Garden in Prescott has nearly 300 varieties. Collectively, they honor the women who lived in and helped shape the Arizona territory before it became a state. -
The shrinking shoreline of Lake Powell has revealed a wonder: an extraordinary collection of fossil bones from the Early Jurassic period that offers a glimpse into the life of a now-extinct creature called a tritylodontid.
