WaveLengths is produced by Pam White and hosted by BIO5 Institute member Dr. Vicki Chandler.
WaveLengths VI
Celebrating 50 years of astronomy
Kitt Peak National Observatory, founded in 1958 as a national observatory from a selection pool of more than 150 sites in mountain ranges across the United States, is part of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) and is home to a diverse collection of observatories, for both nighttime study and daytime observation of the Sun. Kitt Peak is home to the largest collection of optical telescopes in the world, with 25 optical and two radio telescopes. The observatory sits atop a 6,875 foot mountain on the Tohono O’odham Nation, southwest of Tucson, a remote location where scientific research has been conducted for over 50 years.
The importance of dark skies
While Southern Arizona is a premiere place to view the stars, light pollution from population growth is threatening this window to the universe. Fortunately, Arizona has decades of experience in using high quality, dimmer outdoor lighting that enables night time activities for people while also protecting its heritage of dark skies.
World's largest binocular telescope
High atop Southeastern Arizona's Mount Graham, at almost 11,000 feet, is the most powerful telescope in the world: the Large Binocular Telescope, or LBT. This great optical/infrared telescope uses two 8.4 meter-diameter mirrors, and is a technical marvel that will image planets outside of our solar system and peer back in time to the birth of our universe.
Galileo's vision in a box
What better way to capture a child’s interest in science than to give her a way to build her own telescope? Introducing the Galileoscope: not a toy, but a high-quality, low-cost, easy to assemble telescope kit designed in Southern Arizona specifically for the International Year of Astronomy 2009. The Galileoscope's simple design allows anyone to see the same celestial wonders that Galileo first glimpsed 400 years ago, and thousands of these telescopes have already been sold worldwide in conjunction with the highly successful Year of Astronomy.
Survey of the sky
What are the chances of an asteroid hitting Earth? Recently, a black spot was discovered on Jupiter, the result of an impact from a giant piece of rock or ice that slammed into it. If anything that size had hit the Earth, it would have been curtains for us. Mount Lemmon, just outside of Tucson, is the home of a telescope that tracks the skies each light looking for Near Earth Objects, or NEOs. The Catalina Sky Survey is funded by NASA to spot and catalogue objects larger than one kilometer in diameter, or about two-thirds of a mile. Last year alone, a record number of 565 NEOs were discovered by the Sky Survey. What will it spot next?
WaveLengths V
Local grower improves efficiency
Most people have no idea where their food comes from, what the quality is or how far it traveled to get to their plate. The high energy costs of importing produce from far away are making locally-grown foods more popular than ever. Meet two Tucson growers with a budding business on the banks of the Rillito River.
Ethanol production in Arizona
Although Arizona is not known for its corn crop, it may surprise some to learn a large facility here produces enough ethanol to supply the entire state and parts of Southern California. Making ethanol fuel is a fairly easy process and uses crops such as sugarcane and corn… yet more research needs to be done to find the most energy efficient sources to make ethanol even more sustainable.
Biodiesel as sustainable energy
Besides ethanol, biodiesel will have an important role as an alternative fuel. Currently, Americans use almost a billion gallons of biodiesel a year… it burns cleaner than diesel and is made from natural renewable sources such as vegetable oils. WaveLengths looks at a team of researchers hoping to make biodiesel even more sustainable.
Harnessing solar energy
The sun, especially in Arizona, is the most available energy source. Plants convert light from the sun into food, but man is still not completely efficient at converting light into electricity. There are several existing methods, but it’s too early to know which technology will rise as the most practical. For one researcher, finding the best way to harness solar energy is both a personal and professional quest.
Recycling to protect the planet
Many believe that over time the trash in landfills will breakdown… but scientific studies have shown otherwise. In fact, researchers have found even newspapers can last for decades. If we want to protect our planet and reduce our carbon footprint, one of the most significant things we can do is recycle. WaveLengths looks at the Tucson and Pima County recycling statistics and the processes which can make a difference.
WaveLengths IV
Sustaining Life
The iPlant Collaborative is a massive undertaking funded by the National Science Foundation and involving some of the most advanced life scientists and researchers in the world. But what is it and why should you care? WaveLengths presents a visual primer for this important multi-billion dollar project.
Darwin’s Lab
This year marks the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniversary of his revolutionary book on the theory of evolution, “On the Origin of Species.” WaveLengths follows Darwin’s path with Galapagos specialist Yar Petryszyn and award-winning University of Arizona ecologist Michael Rosenweig to the place that triggered Darwin’s discoveries on natural selection… the exotic Galapagos Islands. How much have the islands changed since Darwin first saw them in 1831?
Unnatural Evolution
Like the Galapagos Islands, the Grand Canyon is a geographically isolated area with its own unique plants and animals. However, in 1966, the Glen Canyon Dam was built on the Colorado River to provide electricity for the region’s growing population. How has the dam impacted this incredible natural wonder? Robert Webb, a hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, has been monitoring the river since the dam first began operation, and his dramatic findings will surprise you.
Life Elsewhere in the Solar System
NASA is planning a massive space mission to be launched around 2020 for the far reaches of the solar system to look for signs of life. Choosing the ideal destination has been a big issue in the science community. Many scientists say Saturn’s moon Titan -- with its large methane lakes -- holds the most promise… while others believe Jupiter’s moon, Europa, and its salty ocean, holds the key. WaveLengths talks with experts on both sides of the debate and find out which moon NASA decided to shoot for… and why.
WaveLengths III
Impressions
There’s a real concern that fewer students in the United States are pursuing careers in science and technology. WaveLengths visits a unique high school class to see how one teacher is making a difference by inspiring kids who may one day solve some of the world’s problems.
Retreating Glaciers
Jonathan Overpeck, a University of Arizona Professor of Geosciences and co-director of the UA’s Institute for Environment and Society, is a leading authority on climate change and is one local scientist analyzing the many factors of global warming and the consequences of continuing warming trends. Studies show climate change affecting glaciers all over the world….and the ones melting the fastest can be found in the beautiful Patagonia region of Argentina.
Desert Tortoise Decline
What is happening to the popular Desert Tortoise? A recent study finds regional tortoise populations declining, and environmentalists want them listed as an endangered species. WaveLengths profiles Cecil Schwalbe, Ph.D. - an ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey who has been who has been tracking the Desert Tortoise for more than two decades and says several environmental factors could be taking a toll on their numbers.
HiRise Camera
Alfred McEwen , Ph.D., a UA planetary geologist and principle investigator of HiRise, knows that one way to learn about changes on Earth is to look at features on other planets. The University of Arizona campus is home to the Operations Center for NASA’s orbiting HiRise Camera, which has captured thousands of the most detailed images ever taken of the Mars surface -- enabling scientists to understand the Red Planet better than they ever have before.
- Nov. 15th 6:30 p.m. on PBS-HD
- Nov. 16th 1:30 a.m. on PBS-HD
- Nov. 19th 9:30 p.m. on PBS-HD
- Nov. 20th 2:30 a.m. on PBS-HD
- Nov. 27th 9:30 p.m. on UA Channe
- Nov. 28th 5:00 p.m. on UA Channel
- Nov. 30th 6:00 a.m. on UA Channel
WaveLengths Host Vicki Chandler is the former director for the BIO5 Institute and currently lives in the San Francisco Bay area as Chief Program Officer for the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, which directs philanthropic funding toward transformative scientific research.
Chandler continues to devote time to research programs at The University of Arizona, including an involvement in the iPlant Collaborative, a National Science Foundation program creating a comprehensive global plant life database.
Sustaining Life
WaveLengths Host Vicki Chandler is the former director for the BIO5 Institute and currently lives in the San Francisco Bay area as Chief Program Officer for the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, which directs philanthropic funding toward transformative scientific research. Chandler continues to devote time to research programs at The University of Arizona, including an involvement in the iPlant Collaborative, a National Science Foundation program creating a comprehensive global plant life database.
Darwin’s Lab
Michael L. Rosenzweig is an ecologist at the University of Arizona and is the 2008 recipient of the prestigious “Eminent Ecologist Award” from The Ecological Society of America. Rosenzweig also founded and developed the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona in Tucson, now a major center for the study of Evolutionary Ecology. He has published a number of books on the origins and conservation of species diversity.
Yar Petryszyn is retired from the University of Arizona’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and was the longtime associate curator of The Mammal Collection. Petryszyn has lead tours for National Geographic of the Galapagos Islands and is currently a naturalist to the Galapagos for the Smithsonian Institute.
Unnatural Evolution
Robert H. Webb is a hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. His research -- which spans the disciplines of climatology, plant ecology and geomorphology -- focuses on historic changes in arid environments that can be attributed to climatic fluctuations or human effects. His book, Grand Canyon, a Century of Change, is based on seven months fieldwork in Grand Canyon National Park.
New Path to Life?
Jonathan I. Lunine is Professor Planetary Sciences and of Physics at the University of Arizona. He’s a Distinguished Visiting Scientist at NASA¹s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where he serves as a member of the Director¹s Advisory Council. His research interests include the evolution of giant planets, the evolution of Titan’s atmosphere and surface processes, and organic chemistry leading to the origin of life.
Richard J. Greenberg is Professor of Planetary Sciences and Professor of Teaching and Teacher Education at the University of Arizona. In addition, he is Principal Investigator in NASA’s Planetary Geology and Geophysics program and is also a member of the Galileo spacecraft Imaging Team, where his research has focused on characterizing and interpreting Jupiter¹s satellite Europa.
