Y Life Science

The Provo River Delta and the June Sucker

Leah and Samantha visit with Paula Trater, a biological technician for the Utah Reclamation, Mitigation, and Conservation Commission. They discuss various aspects of the Provo River and focus on the new Provo River Delta project. Leah and Samantha were camp counselors in the summer of 2025 and spent a lot of time on the delta, teaching kids about the June sucker and how the delta is key to helping recover this species.This episode was published on December 2, 2025

Green-blooded Skinks of Papua New Guinea

In this episode of the Y Life Science podcast, graduate student Taylor Probst and Dr. Alison Whiting, curator of herpetology, discuss the genus Prasinohaema. Their research on this group of skinks is particularly compelling, as these animals possess green blood. Tune in to learn more about their work and the efforts underway to better understand this unique phenomenon.This episode was recorded on November 25, 2025.

Discovering Cryptic Plant Species in our own Backyard

In this episode of Y Life Science, we talk with Dr. Leigh Johnson, curator of the Bean Life Science Museum herbarium, about how plant species are named and classified. Using the genus Navarretia as a case study, Dr. Johnson explains how herbaria support research on plant diversity, species boundaries, and evolution.This episode was recorded on November 14, 2025

Forest Fires and Desert Fires

Dr. Sam St. Clair and graduate student, Ryan Pienaar discuss their ecological research, specifically looking at fires in both desert and forest ecosystems. They talk about how their studies have identified factors in both systems.This episode was recorded on April 18, 2025

Earth as a Space Lab: Sand Dunes in Alaska

Sylvia and Leah team up with Dr. Jani Radebaugh and Emma Gosselin to uncover how Earth’s sand dunes—specifically those in Alaska—help scientists decode landscapes on other planets. A quick dive into the surprising ways our world mirrors worlds far beyond.This episode was recorded on April 18, 2025