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Laws of Notion is a podcast by the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, where we push against our preconceived beliefs and think critically about the world around us.
Each season, we’ll tell a story about an issue facing a community, where there are no easy answers. Listen to explore the interconnections between science, policy, and our human nature.
Copyright: ©2022 Denver Museum of Nature & Science. All rights reserved.
In our second and final episode of Coal at Sunset: Still Burning, we talk with members of the close-knit community of Craig. While lawyers argue over Section 202(c) in Washington and Denver, the community is living with the uncertainty the federal order created while building toward a future beyond coal. From a power plant worker turned whiskey distiller to people trying to navigate uncertainty while planning for the future, this is a story about what transition actually looks like on the ground: nonlinear, messy, unfinished, and human.
Learn more about the podcast at coalatsunset.org/ and lawsofnotion.org.
Sign up for the Institute for Science & Policy's mailing list.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube.
If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation.
The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society's greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity.
Credits:
Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock
Editing, marketing: Tricia Waddell
Editing, fact-checking, production: Jordan Marks
Sound design: Seth Samuel
We're going back to Craig, Colorado, a story we took on in 2021 about the pending closure of a local coal plant that has served as the town's financial backbone for half a century. Now, a federal emergency order is upending the plan to close the plant. We'll look at the order itself, the economics underlying it, and the decisions that drove the transition away from coal in the first place.
Learn more about the podcast at coalatsunset.org and lawsofnotion.org.
Sign up for the Institute for Science & Policy's mailing list.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube.
If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation.
The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society's greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity.
Credits:
Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock
Editing, marketing: Tricia Waddell
Editing, fact-checking, production: Jordan Marks
Sound design: Seth Samuel
In our final episode re-release of Coal at Sunset, we look ahead to 2030. There are estimated to be more than a thousand ghost towns in Colorado. Each one represents a failed economic transition. In 2019, Colorado created the first state-level Office of Just Transition in the nation. It was designed to help coal towns like Craig strategize for the future. Will it be enough to support the residents? And what other opportunities could be on the horizon for a town moving beyond what has defined it for so long?
Created by the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and produced in partnership with House of Pod.
Learn more about the podcast at coalatsunset.org and lawsofnotion.org.
Sign up for the Institute for Science & Policy's mailing list.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube.
If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation.
The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society's greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity.
In episode 2 of our re-release of Coal at Sunset, we dive into the Colorado legislature's boldest step yet toward addressing climate change. In 2019, House Bill 1261 committed Colorado to a 50% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and a 90% reduction by 2050. The bill signaled the beginning of the end for coal plants in the state. For some, the bill was seen as an overreach and another example of the glaring rural-urban divide in America today. When big industries fail or move away, bad things can happen to the small towns that rely on them. Can Craig succeed where others failed?
Created by the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and produced in partnership with House of Pod.
Learn more about the podcast at coalatsunset.org and lawsofnotion.org.
Sign up for the Institute for Science & Policy's mailing list.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube.
If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation.
The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society's greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity.
It's been almost five years since our very first season: Coal at Sunset: A Colorado Town in Transition. In 2021, we went to Craig, Colorado, as it grappled with the forthcoming closure of the coal plant and mine that economically anchors the town. But in 2026, a new federal intervention requires the plant to remain open for the time being, putting the town in limbo. So, we are re-releasing our original story about a town on the front lines of the energy transition. Over the next three encore episodes from our archive, you'll meet the people on the ground grappling with the move away from coal.
In this episode, hear from the CEO at the center of that decision, a coal worker bracing for change, and one local business owner who's already looking for ways to reinvent the town's identity. Along the way, learn more about the science and economics of coal amidst a rapidly changing renewable energy landscape.
Created by the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and produced in partnership with House of Pod.
Learn more about the podcast at coalatsunset.org and lawsofnotion.org.
Sign up for the Institute for Science & Policy's mailing list.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube.
If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation.
The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society's greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity.
This whole series started with a vote.
That vote not only revealed the ongoing debate about reintroducing the gray wolf to Colorado, but also who gets to make decisions and what the best way to do that is. In this interview with direct democracy expert Dr. John Matsusaka, we break down how this system of government functions more broadly, when it is most effective, and the philosophy behind it. The discussion illuminated that what happened in Colorado in 2020 wasn't just a wildlife story; it was a democracy story too.
Learn more about the podcast at institute.dmns.org/gray-territory and lawsofnotion.org.
Sign up for the Institute for Science & Policy's mailing list.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube.
If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation.
The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society's greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.
Credits:
Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock
Editing, production, marketing: Tricia Waddell
Editing, fact-checking, production: Jordan Marks
Sound design: Seth Samuel
Original music: Composed and performed by Brett Kretzer. Fiddle played by Andy Reiner. Banjo and backing vocals by Dr. Joy Adams.
Additional music: Epidemic Sound
David Mech has been researching wolves since 1958 and has authored hundreds of articles and 13 books on wolf behavior and ecology. From his decades of studying wolves across the globe, including Isle Royale, Minnesota, Canada, Italy, Alaska, Yellowstone, Ellesmere Island, and elsewhere, to modern wolf management and conservation, David has witnessed and helped shape decades of evolving scientific understanding. In our deep dive interview with David, hear some of his key learnings, from the now-debunked "alpha wolf" concept to the nuanced realities of predator-prey dynamics and trophic cascades, along with his views on the complexities of managing wolves in human-dominated landscapes.
Learn more about the podcast at institute.dmns.org/gray-territory and lawsofnotion.org.
Sign up for the Institute for Science & Policy's mailing list.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube.
If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation.
The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions for society's greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.
Credits:
Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock
Editing, production, marketing: Tricia Waddell
Editing, fact-checking, production: Jordan Marks
Additional research: Kate Long
Sound design: Seth Samuel
Original music: Composed and performed by Brett Kretzer. Fiddle played by Andy Reiner. Banjo and backing vocals by Dr. Joy Adams.
Additional music: Epidemic Sound
In our final episode, we examine what the future might hold for wolves, ranchers, advocates, and the people working every day to move us beyond conflict and simplified narratives. From museum specimens that document our shared history to voices on the ground navigating life with the gray wolf, we explore whether Colorado can move beyond the mistrust and pendulum swings toward something sustainable. Because the wolf story is just beginning, and coexistence isn't a destination, but an ongoing practice of adaptation, humility, and seeing the humanity in those with whom we disagree.
Learn more about the podcast at institute.dmns.org/gray-territory and lawsofnotion.org.
Sign up for the Institute for Science & Policy's mailing list.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube.
If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation.
The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society's greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.
Credits:
Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock
Editing, production, marketing: Tricia Waddell
Editing, fact-checking, production: Jordan Marks
Sound design: Seth Samuel
Original music: Composed and performed by Brett Kretzer. Fiddle played by Andy Reiner. Banjo and backing vocals by Dr. Joy Adams.
Additional research: Kate Long and Max Neumeyer
Additional music: Epidemic Sound
Recording Studio: Denver Community Media
There are many tools being tested and deployed to help make coexistence with wolves a reality. Range riders provide a human presence on the landscape night after night to keep wolves at bay. Ongoing conversations between wolf advocates and ranchers to build understanding. Raising money across the state to support non-lethal deterrents for the people who need them most. Testing modern-day technologies like AI alongside traditional ones out in the field to give ranchers a toolbox of options to protect their livestock. In this episode, we learn about the range of solutions being used on the ground to reduce conflict with wolves -- and each other.
Learn more about the podcast at institute.dmns.org/gray-territory and lawsofnotion.org.
Sign-up for the Institute for Science & Policy's mailing list.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube.
If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation.
The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society's greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.
Credits:
Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock
Editing, production, marketing: Tricia Waddell
Editing, fact-checking, production: Jordan Marks
Sound design: Seth Samuel
Original music: Composed and performed by Brett Kretzer. Fiddle played by Andy Reiner. Banjo and backing vocals by Dr. Joy Adams.
Additional music: Epidemic Sound
Recording Studio: Denver Community Media
The reintroduction of wolves has created a new reality for many ranchers. While many expected challenges when reintroducing a large predator, the experience on the ground has proven to be both more complex and emotional than they anticipated. The story of the Copper Creek wolf pack brought this to the forefront and has dominated Colorado news headlines. Not only were they some of the first wolves born from the reintroduction effort, but also because of their threat to livestock. In this episode, we grapple with the early years of wolf reintroduction. What's working and what's not? And how do we balance what we owe nature with what we owe each other?
Learn more about the podcast at institute.dmns.org/gray-territory and lawsofnotion.org.
Sign-up for the Institute for Science & Policy's mailing list.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube.
If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation.
The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions on society's greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.
Credits:
Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock
Editing, production, marketing: Tricia Waddell
Editing, fact-checking, production: Jordan Marks
Sound design: Seth Samuel
Original music: Composed and performed by Brett Kretzer. Fiddle played by Andy Reiner. Banjo and backing vocals by Dr. Joy Adams.
Additional music: Epidemic Sound
Recording Studio: Denver Community Media
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