09/04/2015

Arctic Climate Change, Pot Pesticides, and Student Data

11:49 minutes

At a global conference to discuss priorities in the Arctic, President Obama said that climate change was “a challenge that will define the contours of this century more dramatically than any other.” How does this sentiment hold up in light of the recent decision to open up the Arctic to drilling? Science journalist Brooke Borel, of Popular Science and the blog Our Modern Plagues, discusses this and other science stories in the news this week.

Plus, learning apps are beginning to find their way into the classroom. But with the introduction of any new technology comes the collection of big data. Are these learning tools worth the potential trade-off in privacy? New York Times reporter Natasha Singer tells us the good and bad of collecting student data.

Segment Guests

Brooke Borel

The author of the blog Our Modern Plagues, Brooke Borel is also a contributing editor for Popular Science. She’s based in Brooklyn, New York.

Natasha Singer

Natasha Singer is a technology reporter for The New York Times in New York, New York.

Meet the Producer

About Alexa Lim

Alexa Lim was a senior producer for Science Friday. Her favorite stories involve space, sound, and strange animal discoveries.