USGS Multimedia Gallery for Audio Tag: human

Science Helping to Save Lives in Africa

jrobertson - at - usgs.gov (Jessica Robertson) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:00:00 EDT

Drought in Africa is of increasing concern as millions are suffering from malnutrition and difficulty growing crops and supporting livestock. Stunted growth in children due to malnutrition was also recently linked to climate change. Join us as we talk with USGS scientists Jim Verdin, Jim Rowland and Chris Funk about what is being done to help.

Disease Detectives: Investigating the Mysteries of Zoonotic Diseases

mlubeck - at - usgs.gov (Marisa Lubeck) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:00:00 EDT

Zoonotic diseases are those that are spread between wildlife and humans, and are an increasing health threat in the U.S. and throughout the world. As such diseases emerge, scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey and other wildlife health agencies must embark upon complex investigative work to determine what these diseases are, where they come from, and how they’re transferred across species. Jonathan Sleeman, director of the USGS National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin, Discusses the critical role science plays in unraveling the mysteries of these zoonotic diseases.

Coal and Human Health

Kara Capelli — Wed, 9 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Did you know that natural resources like coal can have impacts on human health?

USGS Energy Resources Program Coordinator Brenda Pierce discusses an emerging area of study called ‘medical geology’ and the connections between natural resources and human health. We also hear from USGS scientists Bill Orem and Calin Tatu, who are researching links between coal and a kidney disease called ‘BEN’ in the Balkans.

Mercury Contamination in Fish Nationwide

Jennifer LaVista — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Mercury contamination was detected in every fish sampled in 291 streams across the country. About a quarter of these fish were found to contain mercury at levels exceeding the criterion for the protection of people who consume average amounts of fish, established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

We talked to Lia Chasar, lead ecologist on the USGS study.

Contaminants in 20 Percent of U.S. Private Wells

Jennifer LaVista — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EDT

More than 20 percent of private, domestic wells contain at least one contaminant at levels of potential health concern. About 43 million people—or 15 percent of the Nation's population—use drinking water from private wells, which are not regulated by the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

USGS scientist Leslie Desimone discusses the new study, the contaminants found, and the implications for society.

Why Do Minerals Matter?

jrobertson - at - usgs.gov (Jessica Robertson) — Fri, 5 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT

You might be surprised where minerals pop up; they're just about everywhere. We sit down with Kathleen Johnson, USGS Mineral Resources Program Coordinator, as she walks us through just how valuable minerals are to our lives.