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The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education, and research.On this episode, we’ll learn how an endangered antelope was born to a mother of a separate species.A new report from New York examines declining public-school enrollment.And lawmakers are celebrating the return of whole milk to the cafeteria.

Ten years ago, there were about 1,200 satellites in orbit around the earth. Now there are about 12,000 and the numbers are growing rapidly. Starlink alone has 9,000 satellites in its communications swarm and may in a few years have as many as 42,000. By 2040, there may be more than 100,000 active satellites circling Earth.

Climate change is making air quality worse in many parts of the world. Rising temperatures increase ground-level ozone and more frequent wildfires release harmful smoke and particulates into the air. These shifts, together with ongoing pollution from vehicle exhaust and industrial emissions, are leading to longer and more intense episodes of unhealthy air.

We are all aware of the dangers of second-hand smoke. It is why smoking is not allowed in almost all public spaces. But a new study has revealed a persistent and evolving threat to indoor air quality known as third-hand smoke.

Playlist as aired on March 21st, 2026

Exposure to mercury is dangerous. In adults, high levels of mercury can cause heart disease as well as severe damage to the brain and central nervous system. For fetuses and babies, it can cause significant developmental delays and possibly lower I.Q. scores and impaired motor skills.

Forests are fundamental to life on Earth. They store carbon dioxide, regulate water cycles, stabilize soils, and provide habitat for countless species. Forests also supply people with food, wood, and shade that helps cool communities during hot weather.

In sci-fi movies, a nerdy scientist might transport himself to another dimension. In popular fiction, to qualify as another dimension means a realm must be something beyond the four dimensions of everyday reality, and thus be totally inaccessible, like public restrooms in New York. But might they really exist?

In early February, the Trump administration formally rejected the scientific finding that greenhouse gases threaten human life and wellbeing. Known as the endangerment finding, the 2009 ruling empowered the Environmental Protection Agency to impose regulations that limit carbon dioxide, methane, and other pollution from oil and gas wells, tailpipes, smokestacks and other sources that burn fossil fuels.

The oceanic conditions that create the planet’s most powerful hurricanes and typhoons are heating up in the North Atlantic and Western Pacific, fueled by warm water that now extends far below the ocean surface. These expanding hot spots can supercharge the strongest storms.