Rachel Cramer
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Harvest Public Media
Researchers recently traced the birthplace of the world’s dominant cotton species to the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. Their sleuthing also uncovered a treasure trove of genetic diversity in wild populations, which could eventually make the crop more resilient.
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An exhibit at the International Spy Museum explores the use of camouflage in war, espionage and how it relates to surveillance and deep fakes today. We hear about the exhibit from the vice president of exhibits and collections, Katheryn Keane. Then, University of Northern Iowa camouflage expert Roy Behrens wrote the introduction to the exhibit and joins the show. Later in the program, a conversation with Isabela Muzzio about how politics impact our memories. (This show was originally produced Feb. 17, 2026.) -
Construction is underway on a new Innovation and Discovery Lab at Iowa Lakeside Laboratory that will expand hands-on learning for students of all ages. The new space will also support research to better understand and protect the water quality of the Iowa Great Lakes. -
Elizabeth Wehrle, of Montezuma, received a quadruple organ transplant earlier this year with a new liver, kidney and retransplanted lungs. This week, she returns home.
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Plenty of kids dream of being an astronaut and exploring space. These Iowans landed their far-out jobs working with NASA and being involved with the Orion Artemis II mission. -
Brazilian microbiologist Mariangela Hungria was told she could never make a career researching environmental agriculture practices. Today, she is the 2025 World Food Prize Laureate. She joins the show to discuss how her groundbreaking research in soil microbiology and biological nitrogen fixation has transformed global agriculture. Hungria shares the impact her science-loving grandmother had on her life and explains how science and sustainability can coexist to feed the planet’s growing population. (This episode was originally produced on Oct. 20, 2025)
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Effective vaccines have transformed the world. Robust support for vaccination in the United States allowed us to eradicate Smallpox and eliminate polio, diphtheria, rubella and congenital rubella syndrome and, of course, measles. But a seismic shift that has taken place in recent years. Vaccine uptake is declining and measles outbreaks have emerged in the United States. Vaccines are the theme of this year's Darwin Day, an annual celebration in Iowa City of science, scientists and their contributions to humanity. Darwin Day guests and speakers join this episode to discuss the science behind vaccines, vaccine hesitancy and vaccine advocacy.
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University of Iowa surgeon Dr. Ramy El-Diwany performed the first robotic living donor nephrectomy, which will lead to more precise surgeries and quicker recovery for kidney donors. UIHC hopes this will mean more living kidney donations. On this News Buzz edition, Ben Kieffer speaks with Dr. El-Diwany, but first, we get a legislative update from Statehouse reporter Katarina Sostaric, Clark Kauffman shares a recent First Amendment case in Newton, and we meet one of the Coralville residents who organized against the city's recently rescinded AI-camera contract.
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The International Spy Museum in Washington D.C. will feature the art of visual deception in its new exhibit, "Camouflage: Designed to Deceive." We hear about the new exhibit from the vice president of exhibits and collections, Katheryn Keane. Then, University of Northern Iowa camouflage expert Roy Behrens, who wrote the introduction to the exhibit, joins the program. Then, Isabel Muzzio grew up during a violent time in Argentina, but found that years later, some from her community viewed those events much differently. Today, she studies how memories are altered and joins the show to talk about how our politics impact our memories.
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New research on outer space, including simulating driving on the moon and studying the white dwarf stars. Then, remembering Dr. William Foege, whose public health contributions were essential in eradicating small pox.
