One thing we love about living in Colorado is the endless natural wonders. And not just the obvious stuff like the mountain scenery or the majestic wildlife.
Conversations about science generated some of the In The NoCo team鈥檚 favorite interviews of 2024.
Several guests talked about signature crops like the Pueblo chile or the Palisade Peach. But other guests taught us about more unusual topics, like a cave near Boulder where a family discovered a new species of arachnid. Or the site of an underground blaze left behind by coal miners more than a hundred years ago. Or an emerging technology that could simulate a conversation with a dead loved one.
Here are some of our favorite science conversations of 2024, from the wondrous to the slightly icky:Love Palisade Peaches? Here's what makes them delicious, according to science
Late in the summer, farmers markets get more crowded as people line up to buy peaches grown in western Colorado, often by the crate. But what is it that makes the Palisade peach so craveable? It鈥檚 more than just pride in our local produce, as CSU Extension horticulture expert Jeff Pieper explained. The secret lies in the particular microclimate and unique terrain found in Palisade and other fruit-growing regions on the Western Slope.
Can a CU insect expert warn the U.S. about a honeybee crisis before it鈥檚 too late?
You may have heard that bee populations are declining at an alarming rate. But you may not have heard of the tiny tropoleilops mite that鈥檚 emerging as a threat to honeybees in Asia and Europe. University of Colorado researcher Dr. Samuel Ramsey 鈥� better known as Dr. Sammy to his thousands of YouTube fans 鈥� is on a mission to share his enthusiasm for insects with the world. He explained the slightly horrifying science behind how these tiny parasites attack pollinators, and how taking action now could help prevent a global honeybee pandemic.
Cave crawl leads to a Colorado family鈥檚 discovery of a tiny, new scorpion-like species
Lots of families enjoy things like board games, picnics, or riding bikes when they鈥檙e together. For David Steinmann and his family, their favorite hobby involves crawling around in dark caves, searching for tiny creatures. These caves are a treasure trove of new species, and Steinmann has discovered dozens of them. (He can鈥檛 recall exactly how many.) In this interview, Steinmann shared his excitement over his most recent discovery 鈥� a tiny cave-dwelling pseudoscorpion named Larca boulderica.
An underground fire near Boulder has burned for more than a century. Here鈥檚 the plan to finally extinguish it
How do you put out a fire that鈥檚 burned underground for decades? For starters, hire crews to dig it up and keep thousands of gallons of water on hand as a precaution. This interview looked at the science behind an unusual brand of firefighting in a state where several dozen coal seam fires have burned below the surface for years.
Can new technology reconnect us with a dead loved one? Meet CU鈥檚 鈥榞enerative ghosts鈥� expert
Lots of us 鈥� maybe all of us 鈥� have wished we could hear from a loved one who passed away. University of Colorado researcher Jed Brubaker has a plan to make that idea real. One possible model could be a chatbot that answers your questions by combing through your relative鈥檚 letters and diary entries. Jed offered others some other visions of what a 鈥済enerative ghost鈥� could look like and talked about how it feels to experiment with reconnecting with the dead.
Using 3D printing to build homes could transform the housing business. A Greeley company wants to lead the way
Alquist 3D thinks its technology for building homes just might solve the nation鈥檚 housing shortage 鈥� and maybe the world鈥檚 too. Company founder Zach Mannheimer talked with Erin about how he got the idea for a company that specializes in 3D-printed homes, and why he wants to transform the housing industry while working from the company鈥檚 new headquarters in Greeley.
Meet the agriculture professor who gave Colorado its own signature chile pepper 鈥� and sparked a rivalry with New Mexico
CSU professor Michael Bartolo didn鈥檛 set out to create a new variety of chile pepper. He was simply experimenting with a bag of pepper seeds that had belonged to his uncle. Less than a decade after planting those first seeds, Colorado had its first signature chile variety 鈥� and a friendly rivalry with neighboring New Mexico鈥檚 famous Hatch chiles. The story of the Pueblo chile is deeply rooted in the state's culture, Bartolo says, going back through generations of farmers in southern Colorado, including members of his own family.
Why are Dark Sky communities spreading across Colorado?
On cold winter nights, the night sky might be one of the most spectacular sights you can see in Colorado. Those views of the cosmos might also be a major tourist draw. Erin spoke with a man who鈥檚 helped several Colorado towns reduce light pollution, preserve their view of the stars and spread the sense of awe he feels when he looks up after dark.
