In this episode, the Yackers mete out harsh justice for the “savage beast” fluorine, while floating a partial pardon for marriage enthusiast Henry VIII. In Western Australia, they wander the Pilbara Craton looking for signs of a deep impact. And closer to home, they wade into the dubious waters of Spunky Creek with Candice Miller of Blue Thumb.

Got a question, comment, or correction? Yack right back at us at YacketyScience@gmail.com.

Theme music: “Funky Machine” (ID874) by Lobo Loco (Accessed through FreeMusicArchive.org.; CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

Production help provided by Scott Gregory.

Yackety Science is recorded at the studios of Public Radio Tulsa, Kendall Hall, University of Tulsa, and at the Center for Creativity at Tulsa Community College.

Guest Host: Candice Miller

Candice Miller has been a Blue Thumb Educator for the state of Oklahoma since 2013. Miller coordinates water monitoring with volunteers, conducts biological collections in streams, and educates students and the general public around the state. In addition, Miller was Project Wet Coordinator from 2016-2024. A national program, Miller was Oklahoma state representative where she held formal and informal water education in addition to coordinating the annual H2Oklahoma Water Festival. She has a BS in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology from University of North Dakota, an MS in Biological Sciences from Eastern Illinois University, and additional graduate work from Oklahoma State University.

Links:

The Oldest Crater Ever Discovered

A Paleoarchaean impact crater in the Pilbara Craton, Western Australia by Kirkland et al. (Nature Communications; March 2025)

Biased Sex Ratios

Is sex at birth a biological coin toss? Insights from a longitudinal and GWAS analysis

(Science Advances; July 18, 2025)

Blue Thumb Oklahoma

Water Quality Data and Volunteer Opportunities

Disappearing Science

EPA Cuts

• About the Office of Research and Development (ORD)

• Trump administration shuts down EPA's scientific research arm by Rob Stein (NPR; July 20,2025)

• Dismantling EPA’s research office jeopardizes environmental safety, public health, and US competitiveness (PNAS; June 11, 2025)

NWS Cuts

• NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory

• Trump Administration Wants to Close Down Key Weather Labs Nationwide by Emily Kennard (Oklahoma Watch, July 8, 2025)