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How Redlining Shaped Baltimore\u2019s Tree Canopy\nRedlining was pervasive in American cities from the 1930s through the late 1960s. Maps were drawn specifically to ensure that Black people were denied mortgages. These discriminatory practices created a lasting legacy of economic and racial inequality which persists today.\nLess obvious is how redlining has shaped nature and the urban ecosystem. A recent study found that previously redlined neighborhoods in Baltimore have fewer big old trees and lower tree diversity than other parts of the city. These findings are part of the Baltimore Ecosystem Study, a collaborative research project which has tracked the city\u2019s changing urban environment for the past 25 years.\nBut it\u2019s not all bad news. The city has a comprehensive tree replanting initiative and is now working to restore its tree canopy. In 2007, Baltimore set a goal to increase the tree cover from 20% to 40% by 2037. Since then, officials have been working closely with non-profit community organizations to plant trees all over the city\u2014especially in previously redlined and otherwise under-served neighborhoods.\nIra talks with Karin Burghardt, assistant professor of entomology at the University of Maryland about her latest research into the effect of redlining on Baltimore\u2019s tree ecosystem. And later, Ira speaks with Ryan Alston, communications and outreach manager for Baltimore Tree Trust, which has planted over 16,000 trees in the city to date.\n\n\xa0\nWhat\u2019s Going On Underground With Gophers?\nPocket gophers, also known as gophers, are often viewed as a pest species. But their extensive tunnel networks are good for soil and help shape healthy ecosystems everywhere gophers are found.\nProducer Christie Taylor talks to two University of Florida researchers who investigated the mystery of the pocket gopher\u2014why does a single gopher build such a large network of tunnels?\nWhat they found led to deeper questions about how gophers get enough food for their extensive energy needs, and whether they might even be cultivating roots in a deliberate act of farming. Plus, why pocket gophers deserve our appreciation as ecosystem engineers.\n\n\xa0\nHow This Chemist Is Turning Agricultural Waste Into Water Filters\nActivated carbon filters have become common household items as water filters in pitchers, or directly on your faucet. These activated carbon filters are also used in industrial processes like wastewater treatment and to filter out chemicals released in smokestacks.\nDr. Kandis Leslie Abdul-Aziz, assistant professor of chemical and environmental engineering at University of California Riverside, has created activated carbon filters from agricultural waste like corn stover and orange peels.\nAbdul-Aziz talks with Ira about her research, and what it will take to shift manufacturing processes to be more sustainable and less harmful to the planet.\n\xa0\n\n\xa0\nThe Nose Knows When It\u2019s Cold\u2014And It May Get You Sick\nIt\u2019s something most of us know from experience: When it\u2019s cold outside, you\u2019re likely to see a lot of people sneezing and coughing. Upper respiratory infections, like the flu, colds or even COVID-19 are common in winter. But understanding the biological reasons why hasn\u2019t been known\u2014until now.\nResearchers at Mass Eye and Ear cracked the mystery in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology last month. The study points to the cold-sensitive nose\u2014specifically extracellular vesicles inside nose cells\u2014as the key immune response impacted by temperature. It turns out that a temperature drop of about 40 degrees Farenheit triggers a severe decrease in the quantity and effectiveness in EVs, decreasing the body\u2019s ability to prevent infection.\nIra speaks to the study\u2019s lead author Benjamin Bleier, associate professor at Mass Eye and Ear in Boston, Massachusetts, about this breakthrough and the impact it could have on future treatments for respiratory illness.\n\n\xa0\nBy Hiding Their Blood, These Frogs Pull Off The Ultimate Disappearing Act\nGlass frogs have a superpower: If you look at them from above, they look like regular green frogs. But if you flip one over, you can see right into their bodies: hearts, intestines, bones, and all.\nAs these frogs doze off, however, something changes: They disappear. Well, almost. A new study shows that the frogs can hide their red blood cells as they sleep, becoming expert camouflagers.\nDr. Carlos Taboada, a biologist at Duke University, is a co-author on this study and he joins Ira to talk about the glass frogs\u2019 tricks.\n\n\xa0\nTranscripts for each segment will be available the week after the show airs on\xa0sciencefriday.com.