This 48-minute radio broadcast discusses the future of cosmology with scientists from a meeting on that subject in Cleveland in October 2003. The conference aimed to tackle some big questions for thinking about the universe - from the prospects for the existence of extra dimensions, to the best tools to push the frontiers of astrophysics. Topics discussed include dark energy fueling the accelerating ... Full description.

The first of these two radio broadcasts is a 14-minute segment that discusses the controversy over using the word 'evolution' and how education officials in the state of Georgia reconsidered a controversial plan that would have stricken the word from the state science curriculum, to be replaced with the phrase 'biological change over time'. The second segment is a 33-minute long discussion with physicist ... Full description.

This radio broadcast explores the science, history and culture of the beach; the problems of beach erosion as a result of sea levels, storms and overdevelopment; and where the best beaches are and why they are the best. The show discusses the natural fluctuations of the amount of sand on beaches, how beaches rebuild themselves, efforts at beach replenishment, the formation of barrier islands, the ... Full description.

This radio documentary provides an at-length discussion of the problem of global warming. Topics include evidence of climate change over the last 140,000 years, obtained by drilling core samples into polar ice sheets; the possibility of disruption in the system of global oceanic currents; and ideas on how to reduce the human contribution to global warming. The broadcast is 51 minutes and 40 seconds ... Full description.

This radio broadcast describes the El Nino climate phenomena of 1998 and how the El Nino weather pattern caused untold damage and unusual climate effects in 1998. This sound clip lasts 3 minutes and 26 seconds. Full description.

This radio broadcast describes a report in the latest issue of the journal Science that says humans may have been responsible for wiping out some of the largest animals on Earth thousands of years ago. The show reports findings in Australia that point to animal extinctions being caused by human fires, and also considers whether extinctions may have been caused by natural fires or disease. This clip ... Full description.

This radio broadcast reports that a lakebed in Ecuador contains a geologic record of the past 15,000 years of El Nino activity. Evidently, El Nino phenomena were not always so severe. Some scientists have theorized that as El Nino got worse, it actually affected the development of ancient cultures. This sound clip lasts 3 minutes and 38 seconds. Full description.

New Planets / SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) is a 48 minute radio broadcast that discusses three new planets discovered orbiting distant stars; how best to communicate with ET intelligence; and the progress of the radio-based search for ET intelligence. The new planet finds are smaller than previous extrasolar planet discoveries, on par with the planet Neptune in our solar system. ... Full description.

This 48 minute radio broadcast discusses how a switch between using fossil fuels - oil, coal, natural gas - with cleaner burning hydrogen might occur, thereby lowering production of the greenhouse gas (carbon dioxide) and stopping global warming. The show also considers a report published in the journal, Science, that says no new technology is needed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. There is discussion ... Full description.

This 48 minute radio broadcast contains three fish tales. First discussed is the fact that researchers have found that much of the fish sold as red snapper in the United States may actually be something else. The show explores the unusual behavior of the midshipman fish, which hums to attract a mate. New research indicates a connection between the hormone levels in the female of the species and its ... Full description.