This time on The Children’s Hour, we’re joined by three cave biologists who are researching life underground. Dr. Diana Northup is a Visiting Associate Professor, BiologyProfessor Emerita, College of University Libraries & Learning Sciences at the University of New Mexico, Jenny Hathaway is the biologist inside Dr. Northup’s laboratory, and Ryan Ozatalar is an undergraduate studying biology, graduating in Spring 2023. 

We will learn basic facts about caves, like how they are formed and where we can find them. Plus Dr. Northup and her team are on the cutting edge of biological discoveries inside caves. We find out about microbes and extremophiles which inhabit all caves, even ones with air that is toxic for humans. 

Learn a lot more about caves and Dr. Diana Northup in PBS Nova: The Mysterious Life of Caves.

The National Park Service has also created a Kids Guide to learn even more about caves.

Caves.org is where to find out more about the National Speleological Society. Do you live in New Mexico?

https://sandiagrotto.org/ is how to reach the local Albuquerque grotto.

This episode is mixed with great music, and was produced by Christina Stella, with help from Eli Henley and Katie Stone. Our program was recorded at the Outpost Performance Space in Albuquerque New Mexico. Our engineer was Chad Scheer.

© 2023 The Children’s Hour Inc.

All photographs © Kenneth Ingham and used with permission.