Episode summary introduction: In this episode of Storybook Earth, Jess brings us a beautiful tale of her time spent exploring the wonders of Tibet, and how she unraveled her path to geology. Listen as she shares memories of her father and how his connection to his daughter led Jess to embark on a trip through the mountains of Tibet as a young graduate student. From this incredible experience, Jess is now able to explain some of the complex geology that characterizes the Himalayas, one of the most famous mountain ranges in the world. Join Jess for the most thrilling and moving episode of S ..read more

Episode summary introduction: In this episode of Storybook Earth, Jess unravels the amazing geologic history of the Grand Canyon! If you have never been to this incredible geologic wonder before, then this episode is the perfect place to begin. Jess leads you through time as if you were walking the Canyon yourself. She also details a few spectacular must-see lookouts as well as some of the current geological investigations surrounding the mysteries of the Grand Canyon rocks. This is an episode you don’t want to miss, so join us for a trek through time in this week’s Storybook Ea ..read more

Episode summary introduction: In this episode of Storybook Earth, Jess shares the stories of zircons and why they have become a cornerstone of geochronology, or, the study of geologic aging. Find out how Jess discovered her passion for zircon geochronology, what zircons are, where you can find them, and why they can be compared to the rings of a tree. You’ll be surprised how much tree rings, clocks, and rocks have in common in this intriguing episode of Storybook Earth. Resources associated with this episode: Arizona Laserchron Center, University of Arizona Host Information: Jess Kap ..read more

Episode summary introduction: In this episode, Jess begins our story with the mountains of Tibet, a landscape shaped by time, and an encounter with a lone wolf. From this beautiful setting, Jess tells the tale of oxygen. Oxygen has a varied and interesting history on Earth, and evidence of its existence in the distant past is still visible today in something called a banded iron formation. Listen to this beautifully told episode of Storybook Earth to discover the complex and striking history of oxygen and the banded iron formation. Resources associated with this episode: American Museum o ..read more

Episode summary introduction: In this episode of Storybook Earth, Jess tells how some rocks’ stories begin with color. Being able to detect pattern and color is an important tool for any scientist, geologists included. But, color can also be deceiving. Why? Well, Jess can tell you! In a tale woven with color Jess explains the significance of certain colors, which colors can be deceiving, and how the color of a rock can help you to identify how it was formed. Join Jess and learn the stories about the colors beneath your feet in this episode of Storybook Earth. Resources associated wit ..read more

Episode summary introduction: In this episode of Storybook Earth, Jess will tell the story of rocks. Did you know that there are many different kinds of rocks? Do you know how they are made? Well, Jess has all the answers and will share the ins and outs of the earth under your feet. She will even share her favorite rock type! Who knows, maybe by the end of this episode of Storybook Earth you will have a favorite type of rock too. Resources associated with this episode: American Museum of Natural History – Three Types of Rocks Host Information: Jess Kapp is an associate professor ..read more

Episode summary introduction: In this episode of Storybook Earth, Jess tells the intricate tale of faults. She will talk about exactly what a fault is, how it is formed, as well as the different kinds of faults...yes, there are more than one! She will even talk about her own experiences with faults and a special one close to her home in Tucson, Arizona. Tune into this exciting episode to discover the story the Earth has to tell about geologic faults and where you might be able to see one yourself, because they are all around. Main points/Main Episode Takeaways Resources associat ..read more

Episode summary: In this episode of Storybook Earth, Jess shares her own experiences with the natural environment of her childhood home and how its unique landscape was shaped by glacial activity during the ice ages of geologic history. What are ice ages? How do they happen? When was the last one? Jess has answers to all of these questions in this beautiful story of the ice ages. Resources for further inquiry: • Milankovitch (Orbital) Cycles and Their Role in Earth’s Climate, By Alan Buis, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, February, 2020 https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2948/milankovitch-orbital ..read more