Living on Earth

North Atlantic Right whales were once so thoroughly hunted they nearly went extinct. When hunting these mammals was outlawed, they slowly started to bounce back, but today Right whales are dealing with newer deadly threats, such as fishing gear entanglement and warming in the Gulf of Maine. So, it’s a relief to advocates to have a successful calving season like this year with 23 new calves, the most since 2009. Also, scientists in the UK were able to use genetically modified bacteria to turn plastic bottles into the common pain reliever acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol and Tylenol. The lead researcher speaks with us about the potential applications of this biotech breakthrough. And Nigerian conservation ecologist Iroro Tanshi rediscovered the short-tailed roundleaf bat in 2016, after decades when it was believed extinct in the region. The species is still critically endangered, with habitat loss from wildfires as one of its top threats. So Iroro joined with local groups to start a community-led program to develop safer field burning practices and wildfire fighting strategies, and she is the recipient of the 2026 Goldman Environmental Prize for Africa. --- You can help support our free public radio show and podcast, for free, by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. It’s one of the best ways to help other listeners find Living on Earth! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While honeybees get most of the buzz, most bees don’t produce honey, and most don’t even live in colonies. Instead, they’re solitary bees who build individual nests. A study details an astonishing finding of several million solitary bees in a cemetery in Ithaca, New York. And monarch butterflies can travel thousands of miles each year between Mexico and North America in an epic relay race of multiple generations. Thanks to new technology, our phones and other Bluetooth devices can now tell us what paths these brave little insects take on this journey. Also, lush peonies, delicate hydrangeas, and vibrant roses burst into bloom in early summer, filling gardens and parks with color and fragrance. But flowers are more than their beauty. They’re some of the oldest beings on Earth, and they played a large role in shaping the natural world as we know it. Author and biologist David George Haskell joins us to discuss his 2026 book, How Flowers Made Our World: The Story of Nature’s Revolutionaries. — Find photos, transcripts, links to more information about these stories, and much more at the Living on Earth website, loe dot org! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Current climate change has been well underway for decades, but the rate of that change is now going up so fast that people are noticing things like tornados and extreme heat waves are occurring in places where they have rarely been seen before. How greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, the loss of reflective ice and snow, and other changes are causing the Earth to retain extra heat energy from the Sun.   Also, decades ago, the Los Angeles basin was often cloaked in a thick blanket of choking smog, but today the skies are comparatively clear. This striking improvement was no accident and is a testament to how scientists, government, and engaged citizens can work together to solve difficult environmental problems. UCLA Environmental Law Professor Ann Carlson reflects on that success as described in her 2026 book, Smog and Sunshine: The Surprising Story of How Los Angeles Cleaned Up Its Air.   And one of the national parks you might visit this summer, or any time of year is Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado, with the tallest dunes in North America. That’s where Living on Earth Explorer in Residence Mark Seth Lender watched the landscape and a local herd of elk as weather came in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices