When officials commissioned a set of updated hazard maps for Juneau, Alaska, they thought the information would help save lives and spur new development. Instead, the new maps drew public outcry from people who woke up to discover their homes were at risk of being wiped out by landslides.
What’s followed has been a multiyear project – not to address the chal ... Show More
Today
A dry river runs through it
Albuquerque and the Rio Grande go hand in hand. The river cuts right through town, which means if you leave your office at closing time, you could have your feet in the water before 6. But, not this past summer. This August, along the river’s middle section, more than a hundred m ... Show More
33m 44s
Sep 9
Did #savethebees get it wrong?
Noah Wilson-Rich has made it his mission to save the bees — from colony collapse disorder, loss of habitat, and disease. He’s doing this not just as a scientist, but also as an entrepreneur. But is that a good thing? And what happens when you think you know the answer to a soluti ... Show More
31m 32s
Oct 2022
Predicting Landslides: After Disaster, Alaska Town Turns To Science
On August 18, 2015, in Sitka, Alaska, a slope above a subdivision of homes under construction gave way. This landslide demolished a building and killed three people. Today on the show, host Emily Kwong recounts the story of the Kramer Avenue landslide and talks about how scientis ... Show More
14m 21s
Jun 2023
Give Rivers Space: The Simple Flood Risk Fix
With much of California's massive snowpack yet to melt, downstream communities remain on high alert for flooding. Hundreds of homes were destroyed or damaged during the record-breaking winter, which tested the state's aging flood infrastructure. To prevent flooding, communities o ... Show More
10m 25s
May 2018
The Race to Save Arctic Cities As Permafrost Melts
This storyoriginally appeared on CityLaband is part of theClimate Deskcollaboration. In Russia, buildings are sagging and crumbling. In Greenland, a wildfire broke out last year. And in Alaska, entire villages may be relocated because the land upon which they’re built is no long ... Show More
14m 14s