Podcast Archive
Our Water, Our Health in Rural Appalachia
West Virginia is home to the newest national park, New River Gorge, known for its world class white water rafting. It is also home to some of the worst drinking water in the United States. The juxtaposition of the two could not be more clear. Old habits die hard, and in a state where an
Don’t take them for granite: The whimsical world of granite outcrops
When most people picture landscapes of wildflowers, they often picture bright pastels of yellow, blue, and pink against a backdrop of prairie grass. Others may think of the chorus of spring ephemerals blooming in the understory of the woods. Folks from the west coast may even imagine a blanket of desert annuals blooming in synchrony
Machine Learning for Ecologists and Other Interesting People
Every spring, graduate students at the Odum School of Ecology at the University of Georgia organize a short weekly seminar around an interesting theme. This year, the theme is “Machine Learning for Ecologistsâ€. At first glance, machine learning may not seem very related to a discipline mostly concerned with the distribution and abundance of organisms,
An ode to herbalism, seeking help outside of disparities
A brief history of herbalism Herbalism began to grow its roots many years ago through African and Indigenous American culture and practices. It seeks to combine the knowledge of plants and plant extracts for healing purposes, whether that is mental, physical, or spiritual healing. Specific herbs are utilized for their ability to treat specific ailments.
Long term ecological research is our crystal ball
How might climate change affect the environment in 50 or 100 years? To even begin to answer this pressing question, we need work that can accurately describe changes in the environment to predict the future. Long term ecological research (abbreviated as LTER), describes studies interested in environmental processes that last for at least one year
Embryonic development from ancient myth to present day
In writing this piece, I wanted to interview someone on the often overlooked inclusion of creation myth in developmental biology. I reached out to my former professor, Dr. Wolkow, because he was passionate about ancient mythology and effective at engaging his students. Dr. Wolkow is a senior lecturer at UGA who teaches classical mythology from
COVID-19 Uncertainty: The Effects of Unprecedented Times
How uncertainty has impacted our lives during the pandemic. It has been almost two years since COVID-19 was thrust into the forefront of everyone's mind. Many of us are still waiting for things to go back to normal, or at least for things to feel a little more right. Despite adjusting somewhat to this “new
A botanical and medicinal history of Echinacea, a native plant of the Southeast
In Native American culture, the purple coneflower was used to treat poisonous bites and stings, toothaches, reduce inflammation, sore throat, colds, and so much more. In a way, this botanical miracle was used as a cure-all and was used to treat ailments more than any other medicinal plant. The purple coneflower, also known scientifically as
Sus scrofa: The Notorious Sibling of the Pig Family
When you think of farm animals, what comes to your mind? Cows, chickens, pigs, goats, sheep, horses, and so on? Each animal on the farm serves a key role in providing us with food or resources to use. But before we industrialized and invested into the farming industry, these animals were found in the wild.
Natural Philosophers and Seekers of Truths: The Missing “Ph” in “PhD”
The History of the PhD While many students aim to earn their PhDs, few know the philosophical history of the degrees they are pursuing. The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD or DPhil) began as the degree awarded in recognition of advanced scholarship and acknowledging that recipients had expertise needed to teach at a university level. These
Behind Brown Eyes: Theory of Mind in our Canine Companions
Have you ever looked at your favorite pet and wondered exactly what's going on behind those soulful, amber eyes? For a long time, scientists believed that only humans possessed something called Theory of Mind, that is, the understanding that one is a conscious being, and that others also possess a consciousness of their own. Theory