In this week’s episode, host Daniel Raimi talks with Erika Wise, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Wise discusses some of her research, which combines tree ring data with historical climate data drawn from artifacts such as ship logs and diaries, to provide insights about the North American climate of the mid-1800s. Wise enumerates the strengths and weaknesses of different types of paleoclimate records and historical sources. She also highlights the importance of understanding past climate patterns and extreme weather events, which can help inform contemporary adaptations to extreme weather and climate change.

References and recommendations:

“Sub-Seasonal Tree-Ring Reconstructions for More Comprehensive Climate Records in US West Coast Watersheds” by Erika K. Wise; https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2020GL091598

“Climate Factors Leading to Asymmetric Extreme Capture in the Tree-Ring Record” by Erika K. Wise and Matthew P. Dannenberg; https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2019GL082295

“Saving Us” by Katharine Hayhoe; https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Saving-Us/Katharine-Hayhoe/9781982143831

“Getting to the Heart of Science Communication: A Guide to Effective Engagement” by Faith Kearns; https://islandpress.org/books/getting-heart-science-communication