World Events, Climate Responsible Travel, Anxious Middleschoolers

British Politics, Afghan Peace and the Risk of Miscommunication Leading to War with Iran Guest: Quinn Mecham, Professor of Political Science, Brigham Young University Britain’s ambassador to the US has resigned after several days of criticism from President Trump. The Ambassador, Kim Darroch, came under fire from the Trump administration when secret diplomatic cables leaked to a British tabloid over the weekend. In the memos, Ambassador Darroch describes President Trump as “insecure” and his administration as “inept.” President Trump shot back on Twitter, calling the ambassador a “pompous fool” and saying the White House would no longer work with him. This comes at a particularly tricky time for the British government where Prime Minister Theresa May is on her way out and Brexit remains stalled. Travel Guru Rick Steves on Climate-Responsible Vacationing Guest: Rick Steves, Travel Guide, TV/Radio host, Owner of Rick Steves’ Europe That epic trip to Europe that you’ve been dreaming of –or maybe already booked (lucky you!) –has a financial cost, obviously. What about the environmental cost? One round-trip flight to Europe emits roughly as much carbon dioxide, per passenger, as six months of driving your car. If we’re concerned about our carbon emissions fueling climate change, maybe we ought to stick to staycations? Why Transitioning from Elementary to Middle School is so Difficult for Students Guest: Heidi Gazelle, PhD, Associate Professor of Family and Child Science, Florida State University Don’t look now, but the new school year is coming fast. It’ll be time to shop for supplies and clothes before you know it. Remember how exciting it was anticipating a new teacher and grade in elementary school? And how terrifying it was to transition out of that safety into the chaos and hormones of middle school?  Permafrost Releasing Greenhouse Gases as it Thaws Guest: Jordan Wilkerson, PhD Student in Atmospheric Chemistry, Harvard We’ve got a feedback loop going on in the Arctic where, as the atmosphere warms, th