Distillations #104 – Essential Elements – Earth

This is the first of a four-part series on the original four Greek elements: Earth, Air, Water, and Fire. For EARTH, we focused on the Marcellus Shale, the natural gas-rich geologic formation stretching through parts of Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. It’s a highly controversial topic getting a lot…

Pulse of the Planet – Maple Seed Drop 3

In this Pulse of the Planet segment, UC Merced professor Christopher Viney and Kids’ Science Challenge winner Olivia Smith-Donovan talk about how to build something BIG based on a natural phenomenon that is, in fact, very, very small. This is the final segment in the series I helped write and produce for the KSC bio-inspired…

Pulse of the Planet – Maple Seed Drop 2

The next in the series of segments I produced for Jim Metzner’s Kids’ Science Challenge. In this one, UC Merced professor Christopher Viney talks about how maple seeds fall ever so gently to the ground. Maple Seed Drop – How it Works: Scientists are baffled by the way in which a maple seed spins to…

Distillations #103 – Herbal Remedy

Another reason I love Distillations – a whole show on medicine you can GROW. A segment on digitalis – the heart medication in the form of the lovely foxglove. And producer Joel Rose takes us on a walking tour of Lancaster Farmacy – just like a CSA, but focused on medicine instead of traditional food…

Pulse of the Planet – Floppy Flier

This is a series I helped write and produce for Jim Metzner’s Kid Science Challenge, a national competition for 3rd to 6th graders. The theme for this challenge was bio-inspired design, and the winner was Delaware 5th grader Olivia Smith-Donovan. She traveled to California to meet with UC Merced professor Christopher Viney to help make…