Dr. Naomi Vaughn of the University of East Anglia in Norwich, UK pushes hard on a wide-ranging conversation aimed at understanding the strategies for removing carbon from the atmosphere,  the impact and viability of solar geoengineering and more.

Chris Helzer from The Nature Conservancy in Nebraska discusses grassland ecology and conservation, fire, grazing, climate change and the idea of "invasive" species.

Dr. Demian Saffer from UT-Austin discusses earthquakes -- natural and anthropogenic -- the impact of fluid and fluid pressure beneath our feet, future fossil fuels, fracking and more.

Fast-paced conversation with the Dean of UNMC's College of Public Health.  We discuss current Covid-19 infection and vaccination statuses in Nebraska, nationally, and the world. Covid-19 genesis, difference between coronaviruses and influenza, MERS/SARS, vaccine development, effectiveness and oversight, predicting/monitoring future pandemics, public trust.

A discussion with Reverend Parisa Parsa about the impact of technology on our civic discourse and the work Cortico is doing to use tech in a more "pro-social" way.

Statistics are everywhere and whether you like it or not, inferences and decisions are constantly made around them.  This conversation is aimed at making you better consumer of the data and stats that surround us everyday.

Covid has put too much on Alex's plate and this conversation with Lydia Foundation Board Member Ty Walker is an attempt at reboot.  We cover mental health during the pandemic, Stoic philosophers and why Alex does the podcast.

Dr. Peter Simi from Chapman University describes the research surrounding violent extremism and right wing domestic extremism in particular.

A great conversation with University of Nebraska - Omaha Professor Justin Nix about police use of force, bias in policing, how we compare to other countries and alternative models of law enforcement.

Guest Host and Lydia Foundation Board Member Ty Walker interviews Dr. Christine Chasek from University of Nebraska - Kearney about the science behind mental health and wellbeing.

Dr. Janine Bempechat from Boston University helps us understand who homework helps and if we should we should make our kids do it.

"Nutrient Pollution" is becoming a(nother) major flashpoint between rural and urban communities and we discuss the farm contribution to the Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico, algal blooms in our surface waters, what it means for our drinking water, and the difficulty of decreasing this fertility-laden runoff.  Dr. Matthew Helmers is the Director of the Iowa Nutrient Research Center and he helps us understand a complex issue with no simple answers.

Forty-seven states have legalized some form of Medical Marijuana, but Idaho, South Dakota and Nebraska have yet to join the party.  Dr. Bia Carlini of the University of Washington's Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute discusses the current state of research into cannabis and what it has to offer therapeutically.

The podcast has been slacking as our farming season has come on strong, but here is a recap with some highlights from Season 1, a short update on where the podcast is heading in Season 2 and details on our new sponsor, The Lydia Foundation for Social Engagement.

A wide ranging discussion with Dr. Chuck Francis from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln about alternative approaches to farming.  We discuss organic agriculture, cover crops, soil health, "feeding the world" and Chuck takes a well-earned opportunity to wax poetic.

Put your nerd hat on -- we cover a lot of ground in this fast-paced discussion with Dr. Frank Mitloehner of the University of California-Davis about the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the meat and dairy we consume.  We consider how livestock emissions compare to other sectors of the US and global economies, the carbon footprint of vegetarian diets and what is the most effective way to reduce individual carbon emissions.

Dr. David Hemenway from Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health takes us through what's known about gun violence and what can be done to decrease it.  We discuss suicide, gun access, mental health, video games and much more.

Dr. Matthew Peavy talks math, encryption technologies and really, really, really, really, really, really, reallyreallyreally big numbers.  This will seriously blow your mind and we have some fun along the way too.

How is electricity generated? Coal, Nuclear, Hydro, Wind, Solar -- how do all of these create the power we are so dependent on? How is power stored and delivered? We tackle these subjects and work to understand the intricate challenges of increasing our renewable energy portfolio with Dr. Jerry Hudgins of the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

Dr. K. Michelle Peavy of Evergreen Treatment Services in Seattle, Washington helps us understand opioid, methamphetamine and alcohol addiction. Plus the science of treatment -- what actually works to break the cycle of addiction?

Dr. Jenna Gibbs of the University of Iowa’s Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health discusses a sampling of common agricultural chemicals and their impact on human health.

Dr. Jennifer Kuzma from NC State walks us the complicated world of regulations (or lack thereof) that control how genetically engineering plants and animals make into our world and onto our plates.  Perhaps our most interesting conversation yet!

Many parts of the world struggle with limited water resources and seemingly unlimited demands on them. We discuss water laws nationwide with Don Blankenau, of Blankenau, Wilmoth and Jarecke (even more boring than a scientist: a lawyer!). We have a specific focus on Nebraska to understand issues like surface water and groundwater rights, river compacts between states, and priority of use between cities, agriculture and industry, but also learn about novel cases working their way toward the...

A conversation with Dr. Dan Thomson, Professor of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University, about production livestock agriculture and cattle in particular. How are antibiotics and hormones used? How do they affect human health? How is "animal welfare" defined in livestock agriculture? Do Confined Animal Feed Operations (CAFOs) meet standards of animal welfare?