Utah Unearthed: Microscopic Marvels of Desert Potholes
Episode Synopsis
When visiting Moab, it’s easy to be enthralled with the massive geology of red-rock cliffs, canyons, and arches, but on close inspection any visitor can discover a world of microscopic wonders right beneath their feet. In this episode of Utah Unearthed, the team speaks to Dr. Tim Graham, a pothole ecologist and self-described “desert rat” who has spent the last 40 years on the Colorado Plateau studying desert potholes and the fascinating invertebrates they contain.
Upon hearing Graham express his long-lasting wonder for tadpole shrimp, fairy shrimp, and other hearty invertebrates that inhabit Utah’s ephemeral pools — along with their strategies for survival, any listener will be inspired to get down on their belly (as long as the sandstone isn’t scorching hot) for a closer look at the next pothole they find. Be sure to bring a magnifying glass!
There are documented cases of eggs sitting in a paper sack on a shelf in a lab somewhere for 50 years. And you pull them out and you can put those eggs in water and they'll hatch. They've taken them out into space. They've taken them outside the spacecraft into the vacuum of space, the full ionizing radiation of the sun — and brought them back to Earth, put them in water, and they hatch. They're incredibly resistant to pretty much any environmental insult that you can think of, even ones that they probably have never experienced, like being out in space.
About Utah Unearthed
Season 1 of Utah Unearthed takes you deep into the iconic red-rock terrain of Moab — a mecca for outdoor adventure and a hotspot for ecological curiosity. Each episode, the team interviews a different scientist from a different discipline who will help both hosts and listeners unearth Utah’s incredible natural history. This podcast supports the Museum’s mission to illuminate the natural world and the place of humans within it. Learn more about the podcast here.
The hosts of Utah Unearthed include Aidan Bailey, an NHMU school outreach coordinator, Dr. Randy Irmis, NHMU’s curator of paleontology, and Andy Connolly, a former NHMU science communications specialist who now works with the Kansas Geological Survey. The show is produced and edited by Mark Johnston. Series logo by Will Shepherd.
