History And Science Of Chickens, Climate Activism, Pipeline Movie. April 28, 2023, Part 1

Published: April 28, 2023, 4:46 p.m.

Dirty Diapers Reveal How Germy Babies\u2019 Microbiomes Are\nIn a new study, researchers picked through the dirty diapers of more than 600 infants. Those stinky diapers were a gold mine of info\u2014they contained more than 10,000 virus species. And though it may sound terrifying, those viruses play a key role in babies\u2019 microbiomes. Guest host and SciFri producer Kathleen Davis talks with Katherine J. Wu, staff writer at The Atlantic about this story and other science news of the week. They chat about climate change\u2019s influence on the twilight zone, what critters can be found on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a surprising twist in the story of Mars\u2019 moon Deimos, the impressive sleeping habits of elephant seals, and why insects seem to flock to the light when it\u2019s dark out.\n\n\xa0\nFrom Backyards To Barn Yards, The Surprising Science Of Chickens\nRaising backyard chickens continues to grow in popularity. The number of households in the United States with a backyard flock jumped from 8% in 2018 to 13% in 2020, according to a survey by the American Pet Products Association. But our fondness for chickens is hardly new. The relationship between humans and chickens goes back thousands of years, to when humans began domesticating the red junglefowl native to Southeast Asia.\nGuest host Sophie Bushwick has a compre(hen)sive conversation with Tove Danovich, freelance journalist and author of the new book Under the Henfluence: Inside the World of Backyard Chickens and the People Who Love Them, about how she was charmed by her own backyard chickens, the history of their domestication, and the surprising science of chicken intelligence.\n\n\xa0\nWhy Climate Activists Are Turning To Drastic Measures\nFor Earth Day this year, people all over the world took to the streets to demand climate action. But as large and loud as these protests can be, they are often met with inaction. So activists are ramping up their efforts. Just within the last year, we\u2019ve seen people chain themselves to banks, throw mashed potatoes at a Monet painting, shut down highways, and even glue themselves to museum walls, all in the name of climate justice. Those actions went viral and really seemed to strike a nerve. How did we end up here? Guest host Kathleen Davis talks with Dr. Dana Fisher, professor of sociology at the University of Maryland College Park, about the state of climate activism and the tactics at play.\n\n\xa0\nRecasting The Climate Movement In \u2018How To Blow Up A Pipeline\u2019\nClimate activism is getting the big screen treatment this spring, with the new film \u201cHow to Blow Up a Pipeline.\u201d This action-packed heist film follows a group of young climate activists, disillusioned by the slow pace of climate action, who decide to take drastic action in the name of the climate. What follows is a tense \u2018will they-won\u2019t they\u2019 story set in Texas oil country. The name of this movie comes from a 2021 nonfiction book by Andreas Malm. That book is a manifesto that argues that property damage and sabotage is the only way forward for climate activism. The movie features characters who struggle with this question, and whether there\u2019s a different way to accomplish their climate goals.\nGuest host Kathleen Davis speaks with Ariela Barer, who co-wrote, produced, and acted in the film. They chat about bringing this complicated topic to the big screen, and creating characters reflective of the real-life climate movement.\n\n\xa0\nTranscripts for each segment will be available the week after the show airs on sciencefriday.com.