Keeping it Cool: Sea Otters, New Cars and Old Forests
April 9 | Meet biologists in Washington state exploring the surprising connection between sea otters and climate change; take a test drive in California with some new hydrogen-powered cars that only emit water vapor; and find out how scientists in Wisconsin are working to build a more resilient forest. Also, discover how some Galapagos penguins are surviving warmer temperatures.
Inventing the Future: Bikes, Bugs and Fashionistas
April 2 | Go behind the scenes with a North Carolina inventor bridging the gap between bicycles and cars with his sun-powered velomobile; meet an Ohio engineer transforming flies into fishmeal; and visit students in Nebraska converting corn husks into fashion. Also, discover a vast network of ocean observatories offering unprecedented views of the Pacific seafloor.
From Farm to Fork to Fuel
Discover innovative approaches for producing and maximizing our food resources. Explore how a Milwaukee farmer feeds a growing urban population, discover strategies for reducing food waste in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, and go behind the scenes at a North Carolina facility that turns cooking grease into fuel. Plus, check out gardens on wheels in Omaha, Nebraska.
Next Meal:Engineering Food
Are the benefits of genetically engineered foods worth the risks? Explore the science behind GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and their pros and cons. Find out why growers of soybeans, corn and sugar beets across the United States have overwhelmingly adopted genetically engineered crops. And discover how scientists are using engineering to create crops that could fight hunger in developing countries. Plus, meet activists who are pushing for regulations like labeling.
Lake Tahoe: Can We Save It?
Lake Tahoe’s clear, blue waters attract 3 million visitors to California and Nevada each year. But the lake is still paying the price of the rampant development that took place in the 1960s and now faces a new threat in climate change. Meet the small army of scientists and others who toil behind the scenes to turn back the clock to a time when you could see 100 feet down into the lake.
America’s Energy Future
From fossil fuels to renewables, the race is on to find better ways to manage and maximize our energy sources. Tour a massive solar farm in California, investigate the impacts of fracking on Ohio’s groundwater supplies and join Missouri University students as they compete to build the most energy-efficient house in America.
Reawakening Extinct Species
New genetic technologies are making it possible for scientists to attempt de-extinction. Around the world, researchers are working to bring back the woolly mammoth, a frog that gestated its young in its stomach, and here in the U.S., the passenger pigeon – which was once so abundant it darkened the sky. Is it right to turn back the clock?
Back to the Wild: Wolves, Seeds and Bees