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Researchers in the Pacific Northwest are trying to save sunflower sea stars that have been disappearing in recent years. These brightly colored, voracious predators with up to twenty-four arms are dissolving into piles of goo, and over 95% of them are gone. Listen to hear what is causing the sunflower sea stars to vanish and learn how researchers have formed special bonds with the creatures as they work to save an endangered species.
Story Length: 4:59
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June 16, 2021
3:09
A visitor to rural Botswana might notice an odd sight: eyes painted on the rear ends of cows. It all began when farmers started complaining that predators, including lions and leopards, were killing their cows, which has contributed to the endangerment of the cats. Enter two Australian biologists with an unusual idea: painting eyes on the rumps of cows to confuse the predator cats. Listen to hear the scientists explain more about their novel idea and how well it worked.
Read MoreJune 2, 2021
3:57
Fishing vessels near the Galapagos Islands, off the coast of Ecuador, are threatening the shark population by accidentally catching the animals in their fishing nets. The Galapagos is home to dozens of different shark species, and some are nearing extinction. Even a special area of the ocean set aside to protect the sharks has not solved the problem. Listen to a professor explain more about the threat to Galapagos sharks and how they might be better protected.
Read MoreDecember 4, 2019
3:38
Residents of Asheville, North Carolina find bears eating out of dog bowls, rummaging through garbage, and shaking seeds out of bird feeders. Instead of controlling the large population of black bears living in the area, the city lets them roam free. Asheville citizens have found ways to coexist with the large and sometimes dangerous woodland creatures that wander into their neighborhoods. Listen to hear a bear-friendly resident share strategies for living safely with local black bears.
Read MoreSeptember 18, 2019
3:42
People have noticed more fireflies, or “lightning bugs,” than usual in Chicago this summer. In this story, a scientist who has been studying these insects explains why he thinks fireflies are currently thriving in the area, what this might mean for local ecosystems, and what can be done to help cultivate the firefly population. Listen to learn more about these popular summer insects and how they “light the way” in the ecosystems where they live.
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