The earth has experienced five mass extinctions since life first formed on this planet four billion years ago, with the result that 99.99 percent of every species the earth has ever seen is now extinct. Most scientists agree that we live now in the midst of a sixth mass extinction event, one potentially caused by […]
Foraging, Wild Edibles, and the Arboretum
In this episode of the Perpetual Notion Machine, PNM’s hunter/gatherer Lincoln Tice explores the search for wild edibles, or in other words, foraging. With a little bit of education, anyone can find edible plants and fruits right from their own backyard or neighborhood. Lincoln’s guest is Kelly Schwartz, who just happens to also be a […]
Phenology of Snow and the Subnivium
Tonight’s episode of the Perpetual Notion Machine is all about a winter’s treat – snow, or a lack of it this winter. But while we play and make snowmen in the snow, there’s plenty going on by critters and plants underneath the snow cover. In fact, one of our guests tonight, Jonathan Pauli from UW-Madison’s […]
Chronic Wasting Disease
Last week, PNM’s Lincoln Tice explored the sustainability of hunting, primarily as a source for food. Tonight, Lincoln continues the discussion with an epidemic that’s infecting deer populations throughout the state, Chronic Wasting Disease. His guest is Michael Samuel, Professor Emeritus in forest and wildlife ecology at UW-Madison. CWD is a fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting […]
The State of The Lower Wisconsin Riverway
In 1947, ecologist Aldo Leopold wrote, ““Yet there remains the river, in a few spots hardly changed since Paul Bunyan’s day; at early dawn…one can still hear it singing in the wilderness…Perhaps our grandsons, having never seen a river, will never miss the chance to set a canoe in singing waters.” Thanks to the Lower […]
Karner Blue Butterfly and Recovery
There are over 1,200 species on the Endangered Species List. In Wisconsin, the Gray wolf gets a lot of publicity, having been listed and then delisted quite a few times in recent years. But the tiny and delicate Karner Blue butterfly has been listed since 1992. The species have all but disappeared in New England, […]