Best of: This Most Excellent Canopy

A lyrical ode to our atmosphere: the invisible, underappreciated substance that makes all life on Earth possible.  There are quite a few things working against us when it comes to acting on climate change—not least of them, the simple fact that we literally can’t see the atmosphere, or how we’re changing it.  In this episode, we take a guided tour of the Earth’s atmosphere to understand the science, beauty, and wonder of our “magical safety blanket.” Our tour is led by a trio of scientists: astrophysicists Dr. Anjali Tripathi and Dr. Hannah Wakeford, and hydroclimatologist Dr. Francina Dominguez.  Join us in giving the atmosphere its due. This episode originally aired on February 8, 2022. Find the transcript for this episode here. Please share Threshold with friends, family, and community. Sign up for our newsletter, a monthly invitation to explore our relationships with the changing planet. Stay in touch with us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook or at listeners@thresholdpodcast.org

Om Podcasten

Threshold is a Peabody Award-winning podcast about people and the planet. Each season, we do a deep dive into one pressing environmental story, exploring it through the intersections of science, politics, culture, and environmental justice. We aim to make space for thoughtful, honest, and intersectional conversations about human relationships with the natural world. Season 4: "Time to 1.5" documents this profound moment in human history, when the window for keeping global heating to 1.5ºC is still open—just barely. Season 3: "The Refuge." The controversy over drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Season 2: "Cold Comfort." Climate change in the Arctic through the eyes of people who live there. Season 1: "Oh Give Me a Home." Can we ever have wild, free-roaming bison again?