Kunc's Colorado Edition

Coloradans who struggle with anxiety or depression will soon have a new treatment option. Psychedelic treatment with a licensed therapist– will be as legal in Colorado as prescription antidepressants. Colorado voters approved this. Starting in April, licensed healing centers can offer psychedelic therapy using psilocybin, the psychedelic component in some mushrooms.  We wanted to understand what psychedelic therapy looks like before it becomes more widespread.  Dr. Scott Shannon founded the Wholeness Center in Fort Collins, which offers an array of treatments for mental health, including for anxiety and depression. He’s offered psychedelic therapy for eight years and treated thousands of patients. (He’s worked with psychedelics while following the old laws that existed until this year.) Scott and other therapists who support access to psychedelics say it could change the way we treat mental health problems in Colorado. He walked host Erin O’Toole through a typical psychedelic therapy session.  Sign up for the

When Colorado writer X. Ho Yen was a kid, he loved to read science fiction.   X. Ho Yen is autistic. He liked how some sci-fi stories, like the Star Trek series, depicted a more enlightened future society where neurodivergent people were treated equally.   Eventually he began writing his own science fiction novels. His newest release is titled Space Autistic Author’s Puzzling Innerverse. It’s different from his other books: It’s a series of puzzles that reveal the plot of a story as you solve them.    X. Ho Yen spoke with ITN’s Erin O’Toole about the new book, his influences and how science fiction resonated deeply with him as a child. Check out a recent profile of the author from The Colorado Sun. Correction: An earlier version of this episode gave the incorrect city of residence for X. Ho Yen. He lives in Centennial. Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the sho

If you think of Baroque music, it might bring to mind ornate-sounding pieces by composers like Bach, Vivaldi or Handel. But a pair of concerts in Denver this weekend will offer listeners a different flavor of Baroque music – one that blends European-style harmonies with rhythms and percussion from Mexico and other Latin American countries. The performances, by the Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado, focus on Latin American Baroque. The program will explore on the writings and music of Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, an artist who lived in Mexico in the 1600s. University of Denver musicologist and viola da gamba player Zoe Weiss will lead the concerts at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Denver. Zoe talked with host Erin O’Toole about why she’s eager to play this music in Colorado. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Th

Visitors to Colorado ski resorts can ride to the top of the mountain in a sleek gondola, or take a high-speed, four-person chairlift.  Or, if they head to one of the state’s smallest resorts, they can ride up in a trailer pulled by a snowcat. Cuchara Mountain Ski Park in southern Colorado operates on weekends without a functioning ski lift, and serves just a few dozen skiers per day. They charge $40 for a daily pass when many of their gigantic competitors charge more than $200.  Cuchara recently received a $250,000 grant from the state to help with operating costs. We wanted to know more about how a small, nonprofit ski resort sustains itself in a state where behemoth ski resorts are the norm. Ken Clayton is with the Panadero Ski Corporation that manages Cuchara. He talked with Erin O’Toole about why he believes the place has a bright future and what makes it special. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearin

You may have heard the recent news of a scandal involving state lab technicians who falsified some test results of drinking water. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment suspended further testing for now, saying the results couldn’t be trusted.  You may also have heard about bogus test results in monitoring for water contamination near oil and gas wells around the Front Range.   On top of that, you might also recall hearing about tainted DNA test results at the state crime laboratory earlier this year. The issue potentially may have affected hundreds of criminal cases.  Colorado has multiple investigations into mishandling of data at several state labs.  These scandals might make you wonder if you should be concerned about your health and safety.  “The thing that really connects them is that they all involve some element of science, and some element of the scientific process being subverted,” says John Ingold, reporter with The Colorado Sun who focuses on health and healthcare coverage.  He’

When it’s time to get a good night’s rest, women have it harder than men. Women are more likely than men to have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  But the treatments that doctors prescribe for sleep disorders, like medication or different bedtime routines, may be based more on data about male sleep patterns than female sleep patterns.  That's a key takeaway from a new study out of the University of Colorado. The findings could eventually lead doctors to rethink how they treat sleep problems -- especially in women. Rachel Rowe is Assistant Professor of Integrative Physiology at CU, and she worked on the study. Rowe joined Erin O’Toole to explain her research and how sleep medicine as we know it may be short-changing women who experience sleep problems.* * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by ratin

Have any of your New Year’s resolutions included to live a happier life this year? If you said yes, one recent study suggests you’re probably not alone.  Americans feel less happy than in previous years, according to the recent World Happiness Rep, which collects data on happiness from countries around the world every year. The U.S. finished 23rd, behind countries like Kuwait and Slovenia.  So we wanted to find some expert advice on how to be happy in 2025. Luckily, the University of Colorado has its own happiness expert. Dr. June Gruber is Associate Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at CU Boulder and she teaches a class on happiness.  Erin O’Toole talked with Gruber to get her best advice on being happy. She said it starts with shifting your perspective a little.  Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and P

The start of a new year often involves making changes in pursuit of a healthier life.  For many of us, that means fewer processed foods, more veggies, and – maybe – a few more trips to the gym.   Or perhaps your resolution is to work on relationships – to make new friends or reconnect with existing ones. After all, friendships are a key part of our well-being. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy says loneliness is an epidemic that harms mental health and even physical health.   But what’s the best way to make friends? How do you rekindle a relationship that’s gone quiet? And how do you nurture your current friendships?   For answers, we reached out to Natalie Pennington, assistant professor of communication studies at Colorado State University. She studies the importance of friendship in our lives, and co-leads the American Friendship Project, an ongoing study of the state of connectedness in the U.S. She joined host Erin O’Toole to share practical tips on how to build new friendships – or reconnect with friend

When someone dies nowadays, their online accounts and social media profiles can become a poignant online memorial. Or sometimes, those accounts can become a hassle for grieving loved ones.   For many people who have recently lost someone, knowing what to do with a loved one’s online accounts is a mystery.  Sometimes an account gets deleted by the organization that manages them. Sometimes the account gives the impression that the dead person is still alive. Or th account might simply sit unused.  A new clinic set up by a University of Colorado researcher provides guidance and aid in handling digital accounts after someone passes away. It’s a free help desk called the Digital Legacy Clinic. Professor Jed Brubaker founded the clinic and oversees its operation.  Brubaker joined Erin O’Toole to discuss the unusual task of managing our online accounts for after we’re gone. He said it’s a reflection of how we mourn in a more digital age.  Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Sto

Colorado teachers say their students are missing something that helps determine their academic success. Call it grit.  If a student who struggles with math studies hard and performs well on their math test, that’s grit. If they complete a homework assignment that was tough to finish, that's also grit.   Erica Breunlin covers education for The Colorado Sun. Since the pandemic, she says teachers have told her they’re seeing less grit in the classroom. And that’s leading to lower test scores for K-12 students.  Breunlin recently wrote about grit, and the strategies some educators and parents have developed to build more of it in their kids. She joined host Erin O’Toole to share what she learned. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad Turn

An electrical grid on the moon. It’s an idea that could eventually power a small lunar colony and help take space travel to a new level.  And research by two Colorado School of Mines graduate students may help make it a reality.  Chris Tolten and Ken Liang built a prototype of that lunar grid and presented it during a recent competition run by NASA. The prototype worked – and Chris and Ken won a half-million-dollar prize to continue developing their idea.  Their vision ultimately includes mining minerals found on the moon to fuel lunar habitats, rovers, and spacecraft heading to more distant points in the solar system. They’ve also launched a company, Orbital Mining Corporation, to pursue their goals. Tolten and Liang joined host Erin O’Toole to share more about their work, and how the future of space travel may be just a step closer than we think. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people

These shorter, colder days over the midwinter holiday are the perfect time to break out that bag of roasted Pueblo chile peppers some of us have kept stashed in the freezer since the fall. They're just waiting to be turned into a big batch of spicy green chile.  And for many pepper aficionados, only the Pueblo chile will do.   But the popularity of these Colorado-grown peppers is a relatively recent phenomenon. Farmers in Pueblo and other parts of Colorado have been growing different kinds of peppers for decades, but the state didn’t really have its own signature variety of chile until the early 2000s.  That’s when Dr. Michael Bartolo, an agriculture professor with Colorado State University, developed the unique Mosco variety of the Pueblo chile. And in a few short years, they’ve become a regional rival to New Mexico’s more famous Hatch chiles. Host Erin O’Toole spoke with the now-retired Bartolo earlier in the year to learn more about why chiles are such a point of pride for some people. It was one of our fa

The Denver Museum of Nature and Science made an exciting announcement this year: A new species of cave-dwelling pseudoscorpion had been discovered in the foothills outside Boulder. Researchers named it Larca boulderica – a nod to the city of Boulder – and say the only place on the planet where you’ll find it is in just two caves near the Boulder Flatirons.    We reached out to David Steinmann, the research associate with the Museum of Nature and Science who found the new species. We thought he’d want to talk about his once-in-a- lifetime discovery. Instead, he told us that for him, it wasn’t a singular event at all. In fact, he kind of specializes in hunting for new species, and says he’s found at least 50 of them.  Steinmann joined host Erin O’Toole to talk about his unusual work, and what exactly a pseudoscorpion is. As we listen back to some of our favorite science-related interviews of 2024, we’re revisiting this one today.  * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedbac

Scientists have found a promising new way to break down harmful “forever” chemicals.  Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, are found in many household products including nonstick cookware or waterproof clothing. They’ve also found their way into our drinking water, our food and our bodies. They’re called forever chemicals because they were designed and manufactured to never break down – which means, after they’ve been used in manufacturing or in our homes, they’ll continue to circulate in the environment for thousands of years. Studies have linked PFAS exposure to conditions like decreased fertility, cancer and a higher risk of obesity. But researchers at Colorado State University and the University of Colorado Boulder say they’ve found a way to break down PFAS – using light. The process is similar to the way plants use photosynthesis to make energy from sunlight. “We need to be able to produce these chemicals in a way that doesn’t compromise our future generations,” says CSU pro

It wasn’t that long ago that some doctors would use lobotomies as a treatment for mental illness, or insomnia, or severe headaches. That wouldn’t happen now – but modern medicine has made some weird, often tragic turns to get to where it is now.  Similarly, our modern roadways are designed with what amounts to junk science, according to author Wesley Marshall . He says it’s time for a wake-up call.  Marshall, who teaches civil engineering at the University of Colorado Denver, thinks the way our streets and highways are built contributes to tens of thousands of unnecessary crashes and deaths each year.  He recently published his research and ideas in a book, provocatively titled “Killed by a Traffic Engineer.”  In the third installment of In The NoCo’s Holiday Book Club, we’re listening back to a conversation between Wes Marshall and In The NoCo’s Brad Turner. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help m

A unique retelling of the holiday classic ‘The Nutcracker’ explores the history and cultural importance of Denver's Five Points neighborhood.   The Five Points Nutcracker replaces the story’s traditional characters with significant figures from Denver’s African American community. Five Points was once known as the “Harlem of the West.”  Duke Ellington’s jazz version of the music is the backbone of the production, and was the inspiration for the show’s director, Larea Edwards.  The production features actors and dancers from the performing arts group LuneASeas. Musicians from the Boulder Philharmonic will join jazz artist Tenia Nelson to perform the Ellington score.  Edwards spoke with ITN’s Erin O’Toole about the production. Performances take place Friday through Sunday at the Savoy Denver. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite po

Eye doctors today perform surgeries that would have seemed unthinkable a century or two ago. They can remove cataracts, correct someone’s vision with Lasik surgery, or do a cornea transplant to relieve pain or restore someone’s sight. But one procedure they can’t do at the moment is a full eye transplant for vision restoration. And that prevents doctors from treating some more serious eye conditions.  Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus want to change that. A team there was recently awarded up to $46 million to figure out how to make successful eye transplants a medical reality.  Dr. Kia Washington is leading the team’s research. And she refers to the project as a “moonshot.”  Host Erin O’Toole spoke with Washington about what makes eye transplantation so complex, and why this research could create huge advances in eye medicine. Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people

When it comes time to decorate for the holidays, for many people a beautiful Christmas tree is the most essential piece.   And some people simply don’t want to let their Christmas tree go. So, they bring a live potted tree into their home, and then move it to their yard after the holidays to enjoy for years to come.   If that sounds like your kind of Christmas, our guest today has some tips to make it a reality. John Murgel is a horticulture specialist with Colorado State University Extension. He says opting for a living Christmas tree isn’t a totally off-the-wall idea, but it’s certainly not for everyone. He spoke with ITN’s Erin O’Toole about everything you need to know before you try to turn a potted holiday tree into a forever tree in your yard.* * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O

The ingredients you select when you cook dinner can make a huge difference in your household’s carbon emissions.  Mark Easter explores that idea in his book The Blue Plate: A Food Lover’s Guide to Climate Chaos, He’s a retired ecologist in Fort Collins who studies the carbon footprint of the food we eat. His book walks readers through the typical ingredients of a home cooked dinner. Then, Mark explains the carbon footprint of each ingredient and how to reduce that footprint by making smarter purchases at the grocery store. Today, in the second installment of In The NoCo’s Holiday Book Club, we’re listening back to a conversation between Mark Easter and In the NoCo’s Brad Turner. Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerTheme music by Robbie

Tim McKay is a Denver artist who fills colorful, sprawling canvases with geometric figures. His paintings can span 12 feet or larger. But a year ago, a diagnosis threatened to disrupt his career. Doctors told him he had Parkinson’ s disease – a condition that would slowly take away his ability to use his muscles.  McKay responded by making art that reflects how the disease is changing his ability to paint. He started painting on smaller canvases, which require less energy and mobility than his larger pieces. And in some cases, when he had a clumsy moment as he was painting, he left evidence of those mistakes in the work. He spoke with ITN’s Erin O’Toole about how Parkinson’s has changed his work – and the process of documenting his journey through this project, called One to Somewhere. Tim McKay’s paintings are on display at Pirate Contemporary Art in Lakewood through Sunday, December 15.