That's What I Call Science!
National award-winning radio show and podcast bringing a fresh new perspective on the issues that matter to you from the heart of Tasmania. We cover all things Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths and Medicine (STEMM) from medical marijuana to science behind mental health issues, we feature expert guests and get to the guts of the issue.
That's What I Call Science!
Episode 329: Getting to the Root of Climate History
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
How much can a tree tell us about the climate? Quite a lot, it turns out.
This week, we chat with Dr Kathryn Allen from the University of Tasmania, one of Australia’s few dendroclimatologists, about how she uses tree rings to reconstruct past climates and environmental change.
Kathryn shares her unconventional pathway into science and how she built a career in climate research. Along the way, we explore how tree rings record rainfall, temperature and drought, what these natural archives can reveal about past climate variability, and why this research is so important for understanding our changing world. She also shares a few memorable fieldwork stories from her adventures collecting samples in the field.
From climate science to tree-ring detective work, this episode offers a fascinating look at the hidden stories written in wood.
Show theme music: Kevin MacLeod
Thank you to the whole TWICS team for the incredible behind-the-scenes volunteering every week!
Host: Dr Hannah Moore
Production: Dr Meredith Castles (@MeredithCastles)