If you listen to the radio, you have probably listened to a Pulse of the Planet episode at least once. Episodes are only two minutes in length and they are often dispersed throughout the day’s program, in between regular radio shows.
Pulse of the Planet is a radio show about Planet Earth, including nature, culture, and science, blending interviews with extraordinary natural sound. It is broadcast over 252 public and commercial stations around the world and on the Armed Forces Radio Network, reaching over one million listeners weekly.
This show is also available as a podcast. Check it out on iTunes, where a free new episode is available each weekday.
Produced by Jim Metzer, this great science outreach program featured VTSuN members on numerous occasions and you can listen to the individual episodes by clicking on the links below.
Ebola virus transmission
A series on the transmission of Ebola virus via the air route aired in December 2014 featuring VTSuN professor Linsey Marr:
1. Ebola – Unlikely Airborne
2. Ebola – Unexpected Vector
Nanotechnology
A series on nanotechnology was originally broadcasted in November 2014 featuring VTSuN associate director Marina Vance:
1. Ancient Nanotechnology
2. Small Is Not Enough
3. Nano Medicine
4. Nano Inventory
Geoengineering
An episode with the VTSuN co-director Mike Hochella, Nanoparticles – Ocean Fertilization aired in March 2013.
Nanoparticles in the environment
A series entitled “How Toxins Move” was broadcasted June – August 2007, featuring Mike Hochella and Kelly Plathe (’10 PhD from the Hochella group):
1. Clark Fork River
2. Hours in the Library
3. Headwaters
4. Restoration
5. Comparison
6. Shelved
7. Samples
8. Found It!
For more outreach initiatives, check out our website.
Mike Hochella talking about outreach at @VTSuN in the @ICTASVT program reviews. Mentioning the great @PulsePlanet pic.twitter.com/62H7CR2IEo — VTSuN (@VTSuN) October 2, 2014
A great journey of #nanoparticles in the #environment with Pulse of the Planet & VTSuN’s Mike Hochella @PulsePlanet http://t.co/fGVNr1PteM
— VTSuN (@VTSuN) March 26, 2013
Virginia Tech’s episodes of Pulse of the Planet! @PulsePlanet http://t.co/9VQIipmK9f
— VTSuN (@VTSuN) January 15, 2014
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tm2EzyMNUs4]
About the Author: Marina Vance is the Associate Director for VTSuN: Virginia Tech’s Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology and a research scientist of the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science (ICTAS) at Virginia Tech.
Follow @marinavance
Nina; thank you for this posting. When I saw Time Magazine’s 2014 “Person of the Year”, I couldn’t help but think of Linsey Marr and other researchers whose work, largely unnoticed by the public, is such an important part of meeting the challenge of the Ebola virus and other diseases.
Jim Metzner
Thank you for your comment, Jim! And thank you for your inspired work listening to the sounds of the planet and to the scientists working hard on keeping it!