The Best Of Our Knowledge

The documentary “Common Ground,” a follow-up to 2020’s “Kiss the Ground,” examines the U.S. agricultural system and the industrial threats to the nation’s farmland. On this episode of The Best of Our Knowledge, we’ll speak with film co-director Josh Tickell. And advanced 3D imaging is letting scientists examine and share museum specimens in a new way.

Hairy bodies. Compound eyes. Feather-like antenna. The perhaps misunderstood moth is in the limelight in the experimental documentary film, “The Night Visitors.” The movie provides a glimpse into a world many of us overlook. We’ll speak with filmmaker Michael Gitlin.

The April 8th solar eclipse will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for millions. We’ll meet students who are using balloons to study the celestial event. And what’s better than a sturdy pair of shoes? Horseshoes, that is. We’ll learn about a program that is educating future farriers.

From Mexico to Maine, the April 8th solar eclipse will carve a path of darkness across North America. We’ll learn how NASA is preparing to study the event. And commercial interest in space is at an all-time high. We’ll learn more from the U.S. Office of Space Commerce.

What’s your favorite board game? We’ll explore the history of board games in America. And we’ll visit an upstate New York woodworking shop that is opening its doors to the community.

In an age of smartphones and streaming, where physical media is disappearing, we’ll take a trip to the largest collection of popular music in the world – and meet the man who has dedicated most of his life to cataloguing recordings and historic materials. And we’ll attend a groundbreaking for a new middle school in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

On this episode of The Best of Our Knowledge: In a changing climate, researchers around the world are asking citizen scientists to use their smartphones to help monitor beach erosion and storm damage. And we’ll find out why company Columbia Sportswear is currently displaying its logo on the moon.

Beyond teaching a life-saving skill, competitive swimming can forge life-long bonds. We’ll visit a club swim team in the Hudson Valley. A college in Colorado offers a unique major in Adventure Education. And a student research project at the University of West Florida is shining a light to help detect Alzheimer’s disease.

On this episode of The Best of Our Knowledge: A mild winter allows for an early prescribed fire. We’ll speak with acclaimed jazz trumpeter and music educator Sean Jones. And a push by public colleges and universities in New York aims to get more students involved in producing local news.

On this episode of The Best of Our Knowledge: Hamilton College has named its next president. We’ll speak with Steven Tepper, who is currently serving as a dean at Arizona State University. And a new summer program aimed at helping middle and high school teachers incorporate lessons on ecology and climate change into their curriculums.

The theories of 19th Century evolutionists Charles Darwin and Herbert Spencer changed how scientists view the world. But one topic that seemed to stump both great thinkers was music. We’ll speak with music theorist and author Miriam Piilonen about her book, which lends a fresh eye to old ideas about music and evolution.

Following the resignation of former president Claudine Gay, Harvard University is at the center of the debate over free speech on college campuses.  On this week's episode of The Best of Our Knowledge, we’ll speak with a member of a faculty organization defending the rights of students to protest violence against Palestinians. And we’ll speak with the supervisor of the Onondaga Nation Farm.

On this episode of The Best of Our Knowledge: Universities across New York state studying AI are banding together to unlock the potential of the technology to benefit public good. We’ll speak with a researcher who has been working to develop classroom curricula surrounding the rapidly advancing technology.   And 2023 was the warmest year on record. We’ll learn more from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

On this episode of The Best of Our Knowledge: We’ll learn about the world’s most formidable creatures. National Geographic writer Jen Szymanski will speak with our Jody Cowan about her latest book for young readers, “Deadliest Animals on the Planet.”   And we’ll learn about ice yachts – the fastest craft on the planet at the turn of the 20th Century.

On this episode of The Best of Our Knowledge: We’ll have a conversation with Dr. Carl Safina, an ecologist and author of Alfie & Me: What Owls Know, What Humans Believe.  The book tells the story of an orphaned owl who was cared for by Carl and his wife Patricia during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the large impact a little owl had on their lives.

On this episode of The Best of Our Knowledge: The Israel-Hamas war has intensified debate over free speech on college campuses.  And we’ll speak with an internationally-known advocate for human rights in the West Bank about how the war has affected learning and the natural environment.

On this episode of The Best of Our Knowledge: The Vermont State Colleges system, which is transforming into the Vermont State University, has selected a new chancellor.  We’ll learn about an ancient Iranian tradition celebrated during the winter solstice. And the race is on to establish a national semiconductor technology center.

On this episode of The Best of Our Knowledge: Many educators will say teaching can be a thankless job. A new app aims to help the entire school community share praise. We’ll speak with the CEO of company HiLight.  And with the College of Saint Rose set to close in June, a nearby college wants to help students continue their studies.

On this episode of The Best of Our Knowledge: The College of Saint Rose, a private liberal arts college in New York, recently announced it would close at the end of the academic year.   Education advocates brace for budget cuts in the nation’s largest public school system.   And varsity hockey players try a new version of their sport.

On this week's The Best of Our Knowledge: As American students are facing more than $1.7 trillion dollars in student loan debt, some private sector companies are now exploring their own student loan repayment programs.   A LEGO building challenge gets kids to dive into a fun learning experience.   Hearings were held in Vermont to examine changes to how the state’s Agency of Education approves independent schools.  And a new program in one public school system is working to foster a more productive and supportive community.

On this episode of The Best of Our Knowledge: President Biden in October issued an executive order on artificial intelligence. We’ll unpack the order meant to mitigate the risks of the technology.   A new fellowship aims to bring scientists and researchers into state government.    And an exhibit at Vassar College highlights the personal papers of a renowned 2oth Century poet.

On this episode of The Best of Our Knowledge: An invasive insect, the Emerald Ash Borer poses threats to America’s forests. A federally-supported study is using parasitoid wasps to control the arboreal pasts. And we’ll visit an environmental science professor in the field, as students collect trail cameras as part of a national study on mammal populations.

On this episode of The Best of Our Knowledge: We’ll join researchers collecting ticks during the fall peak of arachnid activity.  After a smoky summer, wildfire smoke detectors have been installed across New York state.  A championship basketball coach gears up for a fresh challenge.  As more colleges and universities are making courses in STEM a priority, one university is also bolstering its efforts to help students retain their education in complex subjects.  And officials in Burlington, Vermont recently energized a solar facility that will serve as a research and training facility for university students.