Sun bear is so sad.

Greetings, friends. I learned this spring that the website that hosts KXUA's podcasts decided to drop our account and erase our files. It was a mistake, but the damage was done. Thus, when you click on podcast links in this blog, they will lead to a dead end.

If any of you have saved podcasts from the show's 2.5 years, I would appreciate it so much if you would dropbox them to naturewithmojo@gmail.com. I too had a file mishap last winter, in which all my music files were erased. And I had only just begun re-downloading my podcasts to make sure I had my NYSK library when KXUA lost its library.

Thanks to all. And stay tuned, for there is more NYSK on the horizon later this year.
Mojo

End of an era

Well my friends, I'm finally getting around to posting my last podcast (download here) for NYSK at KXUA. In August, I moved to Conway, AR, to work as a professor of biology at Hendrix College. It's the end of the semester now so I actually have a moment to make this last post!

Since the show started in January 2009, NYSK has brought you everything in nature that rocks! In this final episode, we revisited some of the topics, people, places, and music that have been featured throughout the last two and half years. Thanks to everyone for supporting the show and providing feedback. I hope this show has satisfied your curiosity about the natural world in some ways, but also stimulated it in others.  Also, a big thanks goes to the resources that made it all happen (e.g. the Macaulay Library, TNC’s Nature Stories, Scientific American’s 60-second Science)! Finally, a big FAT thank you goes to KXUA, for providing this nature nut with an outlet of expression for her love of the natural sciences and music.

As for the future, this might not be the end of the road for NYSK. Hendrix College also has station (KHDX), and I wouldn't be surprised if there are bird calls being broadcast from its studio sometime in the near future. Stay tuned!

All About Animal Communication

Singing Yellow Warbler

For the May 4th and May 11th shows, we covered topics in animal communication. In the first installment, we covered the definition of animal communication and channels through which animals communicate (e.g. visual, auditory, chemical). (No podcast was able to be posted of this show… sorry!).

Photuris firefly preying on another firefly species

In the May 11th episode (download podcast here), we continued our discussion of animal communication with the evolution of animal signals. Download the podcast to learn about competing theories for the function of communication, how raw materials for communication become ritualized over time, and some factors that shape the evolution of signals. We concluded with dishonesty in signaling, as represented by the female Photuris firefly, which mimics the flashes of females from another firefly species. The poor, unwitting males, thinking they’re coming in for some sweet love, are instead captured and devoured by the deceitful Photuris!

Some news stories from the two episodes...

• Beaver dam partially contains oil spill
• Insect "helmet" derived from another pair of wings
• Does this gene make me look fat?
• Climbers leave rare plants' genetics on the rocks

American Alligator

Some of the critters we heard from over the two weeks included the Saddleback Tamarin, Wild Turkey, and American Alligator (pictured right).

My goodness we heard some rockin' music during these episodes, including tracks from artists such as Cat Power, Audible, Television, The Chemical Brothers, The Big Sleep, Cut Copy, LCD Soundsystem, Thelonius Monk, and more!

Amazing Animal Architects

In the April 27th episode (download podcast here), we learned about some crafty critters and their architectural masterpieces, including termite mounds (pictured left), which have “air conditioning” and can be up to 30-ft tall (that's like a mile-high in the termite world)! Other natural "buildings" that made the list included huge beaver dams, socialable weaver condos, mud dauber death chambers, and massive spider webs! Thanks to the folks at cracked.com who continue to put together these comic lists of fascinating stories from the natural world.

 In the news...

• Don't touch that armadillo! It might carry leprosy.
• Perception of gravity is relative.
• A positive outcome for re-wilding!

Nine-banded Armadillo

We listened to some interesting vocalizations including the Nine-banded armadillo, American Beaver, and Prairie Dog.

As for music, we heard from folks like Modest Mouse, Darwin Deez, Velvet Underground, Electralane, Headlights, Sparklehorse, and more! Good times!

One year later

For the April 20th show (downlaod podcast here), we took a look at current perspectives on the oil spill in the Gulf that occurred one year ago this day. The theme that floats to the top is that although the spill did not result in the level of catastrophe we feared, we cannot truly understand its economic and ecological impacts after just one year. This story is far from over. Check out this video to hear from John Fitzpatrick, the director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, to learn more.

In the news...

• Unknown illnesses affect LA oil spill crews
• Oil spill also mean air pollution
• The Nature Conservancy works to restore the Delta and Gulf

Roseate Spoonbill

We heard from critters affected by the oil spill such as the Brown Pelican. Roseate Spoonbill, Northern Gannet, Gulf Coast Toad, and Bottlenose Dolphin.

Some great music was featured as well, such as Johnny Cash, The Band, Emmy Lou Harris & Willie Nelson, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Tab Benoit, The Standells, and more!

Move on out!

And we're back! After a month break, NYSK returned with the April 13th show, which featured animal migration (download podcast here). Migration is more than just traveling to new destination; it also requires a return to the original location. Scientists believe that many animals migrate in order to follow resources and reduce competition, particularly during the breeding season when parents need food and shelter for their offspring. Depending on the species, different animals use various tools to get from A to B. Such tools include magnetic cues, a star compass, and physical landmarks. For more information on animal migration, listen to the podcast!


The news in nature had some wild stories:

• Germ-free brains in toads
• A reserve created for the 'Asian Unicorn'
• M. barkeri eats acid and makes landfills a nicer place to live

For the sound quiz, we heard from some migratory birds that make their way through Arkansas about this time of year. They included the Veery, Blackburnian Warbler (pictured right), and Tennessee Warbler.

Some great music was also featured, with tracks from the likes of Robert Johnson, Neko Case, The Breeders, Islands, and more!

Spring without NYSK

The show is taking a break for a short time because Razorback Softball is broadcasting during my regularly scheduled time slot. Never fear, you can enjoy the bursting buds of springtime (like this Cercis canadensis) until we return on April 11th!

Works of Aldo Leopold

The March 2nd episode (download podcast here) was inspired by an event held at Hobbs State Park on March 5th that celebrated Aldo Leopold, an early 20th century naturalist who is considered by some to be the grandfather of the conservation movement. Leopold's most famous work, A Sand County Almanac, beautifully expresses his ideas about the relationship between man and nature. For some excerpts from his works, click here.

The news in nature:

• Worms are divided after all
• The sixth mass extinction
• Eastern cougar extinct
• Rose colored glasses make a happy marriage

Veery

As for music, we heard from Nick Drake, Almanac Singers, The Whites, Neil Young, and more! We even heard from our friends the thrushes, including the Hermit Thrush and Veery.

Hydrofracturing in Arkansas

For the February 23rd episode (download podcast here), Dr. Matt Moran of Hendrix College visited the studio to discuss the practice of hydrofracturing in Arkansas. Hydrofracturing, or hydraulic fracturing, has become a popular method for extracting natural gas from shale formations around the United States. Dr. Moran spoke to us about the environmental, economic, and personal impacts of this practice. Download the podcast above to hear more about this issue.

Monday, February 28th, 2011, Hendrix College will host a screening of the Oscar-nominated film “Gasland”, which documents the stories of people involved with and affected by hydrofracturing. The creator of the film, Josh Fox, and local officials will participate in a panel discussion the following Tuesday on Hendrix campus. For more information, click here or contact Dr. Moran at moran@hendrix.edu

As for the news in nature...

• Why was the earthquake in NZ so devastating?
• Schools should teach process of science
• Eating insects to slow global warming

Some artists featured included: The Pixies, Wildbirds and Peacdrums, Ryan Adams, Devendra Banhart, Beck, John Prine, Neil Young, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Hayes Carll, and the Grateful Dead.

Dog breed diversity

On the February 16th, 2011 episode of NYSK (download podcast here), we talked about the Westminster Kennel Club's dog show. I enjoy watching this event because it reminds me of the power of selective breeding, also known as artificial selection. For instance, compare the Pekingnese pictured above to the Scottish Deerhound (Best in Show, 2011) below. Can you believe these two dogs are the same species- Canis lupus familiaris? Darwin appreciated artificial selection so much that he used it as an illustration for how the process of natural selection works.

The diversity of dog breeds has been (and still is) important to humans for several reasons. For example, we historically used certain breeds for specific tasks, such as rooting out rodents from holes (e.g. terriers) and guarding property (e.g. mastiffs). Dogs today are still worked around the world for things like hunting, herding, and guarding, but more often we find ourselves utilizing them as companions.

Westminster Kennel Club's annual dog show allows us to marvel at the different breeds, but we should not forget our little buddies that reside in temporary shelters, just waiting for a loving person to adopt them. For information on a shelter in your area, visit animalshelter.org and use your zip code to search for a shelter.

As always in the show, we listened to fun music, mostly dog-related, such as the Scooby Doo theme, Elvis's "Hound Dog", and Patti Page's "How Much Is That Doggie in the Window".