Educational Podcasts from the Northern California Natural History Museum

The NCNHM is proud to offer educational podcasts. You can find a variety of offerings including Blue Dot Reports, audio recording of some of our Museum Without Walls Programs, and special programs like the David Quammen recordings.

Click on a link to listen to one of these archived shows through your browser, or right click to save the file for your portable device.

Blue Dot Reports

The Blue Dot Report is provided in cooperation with Northstate Public Radio, KCHO, 91.7 and KFPR, 88.9 FM, hosted by Dave Schlom, and produced by Joe Oleksiewicz. The show is now sponsored by a generous gift from PG&E. You can hear the show Thursdays at 6:44 PM and Fridays at 7:35 AM.

MP3 Link	Show topic
59	“Atlas of The Ocean Winds” JPL Scientist W. Timothy Liu describes how scatterometry from satellites is used to map the average wind speeds for the Earth’s oceans. Some of the highest average ocean wind speeds are even found right here in Northern California.
58	“The New Milky Way” Cal Tech Astronomer Michelle Thaller explains the latest model of the Milky Way galaxy based on maps made by the orbiting Spitzer Infrared Telescope.
57	“Phoenix Landing!” Deputy Project Scientist Deborah Bass from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory updates us on the first two weeks of science operations for the polar lander on Mars.
56	“Meteoroids on The Moon” Bill Cooke from NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office at the Marshall Spaceflight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Bill talks about a program to monitor the Moon for impacts in order to insure the safety of future lunar explorers.
55	“Our Endangered Fisheries” Dr. Frank Schwing, Director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s environmental research division at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center in Pacific Grove on the Chinook Salmon fishery and how we can consume seafood in a sustainable way.
54	“Seismic State of The State” Southern California Earthquake Center Director Thomas Jordan talks about the latest probability maps for earthquakes in California.
53	Carolyn Porco, leader of the Cassini Imaging Team returns to talk about Enceladus, Pangea Day and her role as science advisor on the new Star Trek film.
52	Australian paddlers use satellite data to cross the Tasman Sea. Interview with Josh Willis, oceanographer from NASA/JPL.
51	Cal Tech Astronomer Michelle Thaller on a new book that brings the wonders of astronomy to the blind.
50	News summaries on total eclipse of the Moon, coral bleaching caused by ocean warming, Lake Mead could be dry by 2021, Carolyn Porco named science advisor for the new Star Trek film and more…
49	NASA Planetary Scientist Jennifer Heldmann on Ames Research Center’s role in returning to the Moon.
48	NASA historian Eric Conway on the historic launch of Explorer 1, America’s first satellite.
47	Tony Song of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory on Tsunami prediction.
46	Brian Grigsby, director of the ASU Mars Education Program on using the red planet to bring hands on science experience to K-12 students.
45	Mike Everhart on the “Oceans of Kansas.” Paleontologist talks about his role as an advisor on the National Geographic IMAX film Sea Monsters.
44	Award winning San Francisco Chronicle science writer David Perlman on covering science for one of the nation’s leading newspapers.
43	Summary of 2007 stories including NASA’s Return to The Moon, Allen Telescope Array, Phoenix Polar Lander launch, Rovers continue exploring Mars, Cassini discoveries at Saturn, IPCC wins Nobel Prize and more.
42	William Patzert, NASA JPL Oceanographer on the Jason satellite’s space based studies of sea level and global warming.
41	Debra Fischer from S.F. State on her studies of a possibly earthlike extra solar planet.
40	Lava Beds National Monument Physical Scientist Shane Fryar talks about the park's possible designation as a Dark Sky Preserve.
39	Dave talks about the meaning of Sputnik on the 50th anniversary of its launch.
38	Award winning science writer Timothy Ferris talks about his PBS special Seeing in the Dark.
37	News summary: Climate change and hurricanes, Delta pumps shut down to aid Delta Smelt, Google Sky and the Aurigid Meteor shower studied from aircraft.
36	San Diego State's Eric Sandquist on their undergraduate research program in astronomy held each summer.
35	News summary: Largest exoplanet to date discovered, variable star with a comet-like tail, Great Lakes shrinking due to drought.
34	NASA planetary scientist Deborah bass talks about the Mars Phoenix Lander mission that will search for underground water near the Martian North Pole.
33	News summary: Dust storm on Mars threatens rover mission, Cassini discovers Saturn's 60th moon, cleaning house on the International Space Station adds to space junk orbit, precipitation patterns linked to climate change.
32	Boston University geologist Farouk El-Baz on how remote sensing satellites are helping to find water under the Sudan. The Darfur crisis is based on regional drought.
31	University of Washington oceanographer John Delaney on the NEPTUNE underwater remote sensing ocean observatory to be deployed off the Pacific Northwest coast.
30	Rick Fienberg, editor of Sky and Telescope magazine talks about the world's most prestigious popular astronomy publication.
29	NASA planetary scientist Jennifer Heldmann talks about the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite mission to the Moon scheduled for launch in 2008.
28	News summary: Exoplanet Gliese 581c has a runaway greenhouse effect, Pluto demoted yet again, Spirit and Opportunity roving Mars, explanation of the summer solstice.
27	Angela Torretta of Turtle Bay Exploration Park talks about the exhibition "Alien Earths: Are We Alone?" The search for life beyond Earth.
26	Lassen Volcanic National Park spokesperson Karen Haner on the low snow pack that has led to an early opening of the park road and accelerated the construction of the new visitor's center.
25	News roundup: A new remote sensing ocean observatory to be built off the coast of Washington gets funded, alternative fuels and the latest on the Gliese 581 planetary system.
24	NASA climate scientist Gavin Schmidt discusses climate change and his work with realclimate.org -- one of the web's premier science sites devoted to climate issues.
23	SETI Institute astronomer Seth Shostak on the discovery of Gliese 581c and the possibility that it is an earthlike planet.
22	News roundup including: Volcanically active Mt. Baker in Washington, Polar icecap melting three times faster than expected by the IPCC, the discovery of an Earth-like planet (Gliese 581c).
21	Blue Dot Hawaii! CSU Chico Geology students Madeleine Flandreau , Jeremiah Moody, and Tom White in a live interview about their spring break volcanology field trip to the Big Island with Professor Rachel Teasdale.
20	News roundup including: Ground Zero for Global Warming: The Arctic, NASA's Earth Observation Satellite program in jeopardy, The Galapagos in peril, Evidence of water on another world beyond the solar system and the most symmetrical deep space object ever observed.
19	Carolyn Porco, leader of the Cassini Imaging Team on exploring Saturn and how you can share the experience at www.ciclops.org--one of the coolest science sites on the Internet!
19 extended	An intimate and in-depth conversation with one of the world's leading planetary scientists and one of the finest scientific communicators since the passing of her friend, the late Carl Sagan. Carolyn talks about the Cassini Imaging Team's web site and the last scheduled multibillion dollar planetary spacecraft exploring the beauty and mystery of Saturn and it's icy moons. She shares her views on NASA's budget and describes the privilege and responsibility that goes with being a lead scientist involved in exploration. As a bonus, Dave quizzes her on her favorite musical group--four guys from Liverpool who hit it pretty big!
18	Ann Druyan discusses her late Husband Carl Sagan's role as a supporter of women in science. She discusses three powerful role models for women pursuing a career in science and how Ellie Arroway, the main character in the novel and film Contact was named.
18 extended	Tyanna Schlom and Joe Oleksiewicz interview Ann Druyan on Carl Sagan's role as a supporter of women in science in a special, extended interview available only on the NCNHM site. She also talks about her work to develop a solar sail to test the feasibility of a more efficient means of space travel.
17	NASA Ames Research Center scientist Jennifer Heldmann on her field studies of Lassen Volcanic National Park's snowpack as a terrestrial analog to features seen on Mars. Explanation of "watermelon" snow.
16	A news roundup of geologic interest - a piece of the Earth's oceanic crust is missing, a Yucatan underwater cave system discovered, a volcano threatens people in Ecuador and hiker's maps of Mars.
15	CSU Chico geology professor Rachel Teasdale on her participation in an international field study of a volcanic center in Chile.
14	News summary featuring stories on this year's climate data and how it relates to the topic of climate change.
13	Paleontologist and NCNHM Director Greg Liggett on Northern California's fossil wonders - a look at ancient life in the north state.
12	CSU Chico Professor of Environmental Science and IPCC author Jeff Price on global warming.
11	Dr. Robert Nelson of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on discoveries of liquid methane lakes on Saturn's moon Titan by the Cassini orbiter.
10	An account of viewing the elusive but spectacular Comet McNaught - one of the brightest comets in a century featuring noted Northern California comet hunter Don Macholz.
9	Former Apollo astronaut Rusty Schweickart discusses the hazards of Earth crossing asteroids and how they might be safely deflected.
8	Interview with Kris Koenig and the astronomy series sponsored by the NCNHM and the Kiwanis Chico Community Observatory.
7	Headlines in science news 2006, space shuttles and their replacements, robots and water on Mars, Saturn's moons, Pluto's demotion, Allen Telescope Array, climate change, earthquakes, and more!
6	Tribute to Carl Sagan, his life and words.
5	How to get started star gazing, telescope and binocular buying guide.
4	Interview with geologist Rachel Teasdale on volcanoes of Northern California.
3	Gentry Lee, Jet Propulsion Laboratory Chief Engineer and co-creator of Carl Sagan's PBS series "Cosmos," comments on mentoring the best and brightest young engineers and the future of NASA's robotic space exploration program.
2	Summary of news including: Pluto, definition of planets, space station golf, frog extinction, climate of Mars.
1	Intro to series, the kinds of programs the series will cover, open sky planetarium at the Kiwanis Chico Observatory, Mars global surveyor spacecraft, and other topics.
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Museum Without Walls Audio files from Spring 2007. Each program is over an hour long, and includes questions and answers sessions.

Dr. Jeff Price, Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, CSU, Chico
"Climate Change: State of the Art" (audio mp3 file)

Dr. Mike Abruzzo, Department of Biological Sciences professor emeritus, CSU, Chico
"Stone Agers in the Fast Lane: An Evolutionary Perspective on the Survival of Homo sapiens" (audio mp3 file)

Dr. Kristina Schierenbeck, Department of Biological Sciences, CSU, Chico
"Fast-food and Kudzu: The Problems of Biotic Homogenization" (audio mp3 file)

Dr. James Pushnik, Department of Biological Sciences, CSU, Chico
"Why All This Talk About Sustainability? What Is It and Do We Need It?" (audio mp3 file)

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David Quammen visited Chico State on March 11, 2008 as part of the On the Creek Lecture Series. His visit was sponsored by the NCNHM, the College of Natural Sciences, and Chico Performances.

While here, he gave a program for students, where he spoke about his career, the process of publishing, how he got into science writing, and his own adventures. Click here to hear the 53 minute presentation (the first few minutes were not recorded due to technical difficulty).

Quammen also participated in a panel discussion on Infectious Disease and Human Evolution. Click here to listen to the 55 minute discussion.