engineering

Life on Mars? Explorations of a SETI Planetary Scientist-PPW093

Life on Mars? Dr. Jr. R. Skok of the SETI Institute discusses Current and Upcoming Exploration and Research on MARS Dr. Skok, explorer and planetary scientist with SETI, earned his B.S. at Cornell University and his Ph.D. from  Brown in Geological Sciences. In the spring of 2017, he took part in an international scientific expedition • Read More »


Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change  (IPCC) 2018 -PW092

The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change  (IPCC) 2018 predicts far more dire and rapidly escalating consequences of Climate Change than any IPCC analysis thus far, and calls for a historically unprecedented  transformation of the world economy to avert the worst of the damage. Two of the IPCC’s authors, Dr. Nathalie Mehowald of Cornell and • Read More »


Wind Turbines and the Forest Fires of August-PW079

Report on last summer’s forest fires in British Columbia, Canada, as well as a rebroadcast of an interview with solar and wind expert Chris Bley. Find out what’s new in the wind turbine industry that could be scaled up even farther and why this clean energy source could help solve some of our problems. Original • Read More »


Micro-Hydro Power Guru Don Harris – PW070

Ever thought of making your own electricity in a nearby stream? We’ll talk with Don Harris, world-class guru on micro-hydropower and inventor of the Harris Hydroelectric Permanent Magnet Turbine about his experiences with these low-cost, high-return devices. Don lives up in the hills in the off-grid community of “Last Chance”, north of Santa Cruz, but • Read More »


Green Skyscrapers? Tiny Changes Can Save Big Energy-PW067

What’s so green about skyscrapers? What are the top three best ways to “green them up”? How long until owners recoup their investment in green retrofits? Find out with green building guru, Barry Giles, CEO of BREEAMUSA. Barry is the CEO of BREEAM USA and BuildingWise, as well as a LEED Fellow and a BREEAM • Read More »


Climate Restoration: Pipe Dream or Survival Strategy?-PW062

Peter Fiekowsky is an entrepreneur committed to leaving a world we’re proud of for our  children.  He is a founder of initiatives in climate restoration: 300×2050.com  and Healthy Climate Alliance. Founder and president of AVI LLC. Board  member of Repower Capital Inc. MIT physicist with 27 patents. Peter is an expert at identifying  and specifying • Read More »


The Best of Planet Watch 2017-PW051

Happy New Year from Joe and Rachel! Welcome to a new bunch of shows and an expanding network of radio stations running the program. In the coming year we’ll have more interviews with leading scientists and engineers and big thinkers helping us figure out how to live more wisely on this planet. For this week, • Read More »


Solar Car Racing Champion – PW026

Solar energy! The sun can provide clean energy and can save you money. Find out from solar expert Jack Martin how he won a solar car race with a vehicle he built,  and why. Community College teacher “Sustainable Jack”, who has taught solar installation to thousands, discusses alternative energy and environmental issues on his show • Read More »


Fog Into Water: Dr. Dan Fernandez-PW020

If you live in London or San Francisco, a constantly renewing source of water hovers all around you: Fog. Planet Watch interviews  California State University Monterey Bay scientist Dr. Dan Fernandez about his work capturing moisture from fog and how that research may someday allow all of us to have water making machines in our • Read More »


Micro-Hydro Power Guru Don Harris – PW013

Ever thought of making your own electricity in a nearby stream? We’ll talk with Don Harris, world-class guru on micro-hydropower and inventor of the Harris Hydroelectric Permanent Magnet Turbine about his experiences with these low-cost, high-return devices. Don lives up in the hills in the off-grid community of “Last Chance”, north of Santa Cruz, but • Read More »