Environment

Reading The Rocks In Kansas City

Susan B. Wilson — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:37:17 +0000

Imagine a Kansas City covered by ice sheets, oceans that ebb and flow, or lush rain forests with soaring ferns and palm trees.

These were some of the different landscapes that covered this area millions of years ago. UMKC geosciences professor emeritus Richard Gentile says we learn all this by “reading the rocks” beneath our feet.

Missouri River Home To Endangered Pallid Sturgeon

Grant Gerlock — Mon, 06 May 2013 13:00:10 +0000

The volunteer crew members pulled on their life jackets and climbed into a flat-bottomed aluminum boat at a ramp near Nebraska City, Neb. They came out early on a cold, gray April morning hoping to catch an endangered pallid sturgeon.

Efforts To Restore Missouri Elk Herd Succeeding

Véronique LaCapra — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:09:46 +0000

Efforts to reestablish an elk population in southeastern Missouri are now in their third year, and the Missouri Department of Conservation considers the project a success.

There are close to 70 elk now living in parts of Carter, Shannon and Reynolds counties, with another 50 arriving in May.

A number of calves have been born at Peck Ranch, including this 2011 newborn.

New KC Library Bridges Centuries, Riles Historians

Alex Smith — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 00:42:42 +0000

Say you’re researching for a book report. Or looking up local history. Maybe you want to learn to some do-it-yourself home repair. Chances are good you’ll log on to the internet and get your answers in a few minutes without leaving your chair.

This leaves old-fashioned libraries with a problem: how to get people back to the stacks.

One local library has a unique solution for facing the future by embracing the past. The new branch of the Mid-Continent Public Library literally joins a 21st century building with a pre-Civil War home.

But not everybody is happy about it.

Pollinators: Butterflies And Bees

Bill Anderson and Matthew Long-Middleton — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 00:25:51 +0000

Who doesn’t love Monarch Butterflies? Could you imagine the loss we would feel if they disappeared? Our guest on Central Standard today will talk to us about the decline of monarch butterfly populations. It comes down to a loss of habitat. We discuss the severity of the situation and what we can do to help turn things around? We also discuss threats to bees and the implications of having another pollinator at risk. Our guest works for K-U. Orley “Chip” Taylor is a trained insect ecologist and founded Monarch Watch some 20-years ago. It’s an opportunity to learn about monarch butterflies….

Wolf Creek 'Degraded' But Making Progress

Bryan Thompson — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 13:05:40 +0000

After a series of problems, the operators of the only nuclear power plant in Kansas say they're making progress toward satisfying the concerns of federal regulators.

Nature In The City: KC In Spring

Suzanne Hogan, Matthew Long-Middleton and Claire McInerny — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:39:34 +0000

After a drawn out winter where we in Kansas City found ourselves hibernating through the snow and ice of March, spring has finally sprung. The trees are blooming and the landscape is finally peppered with color as plants and wildlife emerge from dormancy. On this Central Standard, we explore the nature around us as we transition into Spring.

Spring Turkey Season Starts In Kansas

Laura Spencer — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:54:56 +0000

April 1st marks the start of spring turkey season in Kansas for archers, youth and disabled hunters.

In the early 1960s, wild turkeys were reintroduced to the state, and almost every county now has a huntable population.

Mike Miller with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism, says turkeys are anything but easy prey.

“When everything works out right it can be a really easy exciting hunt, for any hunter, especially a young hunter, just because of what you see and what you hear, and the whole build up as you get into shotgun range,” says Miller.

Ice Sheets and CReSIS

Maria Carter and Matthew Long-Middleton — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 00:42:44 +0000

Most of the freshwater on earth isn’t held in rivers, lakes or streams. It’s in massive ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland. Those ice sheets hold a valuable record about the past climate of earth, but now they are melting at an increasing rate. Professor Prasad Gogineni of Kansas University and director of the Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS) joins us to discuss how scientists are studying this phenomenon.

Stargazing in KC

Jeremy Bernfeld, Matthew Long-Middleton and Claire McInerny — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:36:40 +0000

Looking up at the sky is something we do everyday; maybe to check the weather, see if the sun is poking out and you need a jacket, and for some, to discover more about the universe we live in.

The Science of Energy

Brian Ellison, Matthew Long-Middleton and Claire McInerny — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:52:48 +0000

Decades ago, scientists and energy experts predicted that 2013 would include flying cars and that by now, oil would be a thing of the past. But the state of our energy consumption in America has stayed somewhat the same, while causing intense political discussion on the matter.

Getting To Know Your Neighborhood Crow

Suzanne Hogan — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 23:28:52 +0000

The American Crow is a smart and wary social bird with all black feathers, black talons and a black beak. Every once in a while during the winter, you can see thousands of these crows gathering in certain spots around parts of Kansas City. Over the past 50 years, crows have been congregating more and more in urban environments – and if you’ve been in the middle of a dive-bombing murder, you know they create quite the disturbance.

Preventing Roof Collapses

Dan Verbeck, Sylvia Maria Gross and Monica Sandreczki — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 23:09:41 +0000

The heavy snow last week caused several roof collapses around the Kansas City area. And several more buildings were evacuated for fear of a collapse, including a Macy’s in Overland Park. KCUR’s Dan Verbeck sat down with Overland Park Code Administrator, Tim Ryan, to find out more about addressing and preventing roof collapses.

Snow Snarls Traffic, More Snow Expected

Frank Morris and Dan Verbeck — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 00:56:26 +0000

It was a bad day to try to get around in Kansas City. KCI essentially closed at mid-morning with about 300 flights cancelled. Although flights are expected to resume later tonight, more cancellations are all but certain tomorrow morning. Driving was terrible, too.

Gas Leaks: What You Need To Know

Laura Ziegler — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:58:56 +0000

Tuesday evening’s tragic explosion and fire on the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City may have some asking basic questions about gas leaks.

Here’s a brief primer:

How do I know if I have a gas leak?

If it’s a natural gas leak, you will smell it.

It’s an unpleasant smell, like rotten eggs.

Natural gas goes through a lot of processing before it can be used as fuel.

After all the other chemicals are taken out, what’s left is methane.