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Big day, y’all. Today is publication day for our favorite climate scientist. Dr. Kate Marvel wrote a book called Human Nature: Nine Ways to Feel About Our Changing Planet. Head to your local bookstore and find it on the shelves — hot off the presses! (Support your local bookstores not the big baddies, obvi.)
If you don’t know Kate, well, she’s the best. She started out as an astrophysicist. And then because, in her words, Earth is “the only good planet” and the other ones are “garbage,” she became a climate scientist — a NASA climate scientist. She is, at the time of publishing this, a researcher at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (one of the world’s leading research centers), where she specializes in climate modeling. But given the various infuriating shenanigans of the Trump administration 😤, in particular their retrograde anti-climate science nonsense, who knows how much longer that will remain the case...
The science of climate modeling is complex. But one of Kate’s superpowers is explaining complex things in elegant, succinct, and delightful ways. So, I was excited to read an advance copy of her book, which is organized into chapters for each of nine different emotions – from wonder, to fear, to love – as a framework for exploring the science and stories behind climate change.
I wrote a blurb for the back cover of Human Nature:
“This is the best climate book I’ve ever read. It’s magnificent—both planetary and personal, saturated with electric metaphors, incisive vignettes, legitimately funny jokes, and an unflappable, knowing love for Earth, our home.”
Which is to say, buy this book and enjoy this conversation with Dr. Marvel: her science origin story, what her book is all about, how climate science is under attack by the Trump administration — and what that means for Kate’s work, and all of us.
Kate’s CALLS TO ACTION
Stand up for our ability to understand the Earth aka climate research. Call your representatives and senators. Call your mom and tell her to call her reps and senators.
Learn a bit more about climate science.
Mentioned in this episode
Alarmed by Trump Cuts, Scientists Are Talking Science. For 100 Hours. covered by New York Times
Kate’s book: Human Nature: Nine Ways to Feel About Our Changing Planet
CREDITS
This episode was made possible with the support of Future Being, a grantmaking and special projects studio which supports the healing of our planet and the safeguarding of biological and cultural diversity.
This show is produced and edited by Matthew Nelson/Stramash Media and me (Ayana), with help from Jenisha Shrestha. And many thanks to our guest Dr. Kate Marvel.
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