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American chestnut trees once towered over the landscape, dominating forests in parts of the eastern United States. But in the late 1800s, a fungal blight virtually wiped them out across the country.
In February 2026, chestnut restoration scientist Jared Westbrook joined Host Ira Flatow to talk about how new genetic work could speed up efforts to breed fungal resistance into hybrid chestnuts and create a heartier chestnut population.
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Segment Guests
Jared Westbrook
Dr. Jared Westbrook is Director of Science for the American Chestnut Foundation in Asheville, North Carolina.
Segment Transcript
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Meet the Producers and Host
About Ira Flatow
Ira Flatow is the founder and host of Science Friday. His green thumb has revived many an office plant at death’s door.
About Charles Bergquist
As Science Friday’s director and senior producer, Charles Bergquist channels the chaos of a live production studio into something sounding like a radio program. Favorite topics include planetary sciences, chemistry, materials, and shiny things with blinking lights.