The Story

No sunsets or sun rises. Twenty below zero is the average summer temp. No leaving in the winter, unless it’s an emergency. That’s all in a day’s work for the employees in Antarctica. Jerry Macala did a stint at the South Pole from 2001 to 2002. He says his time there was life changing. Now, he’s trying to save a piece of South Pole history: he’s trying to salvage a giant dome that’s being decommissioned. Dick talks with Jerry about what it’s like to work in Antarctica.

As the final Space Shuttle retires, engineer Vance Gloster remembers the first shuttle landing in 1981. Next to the astronauts, he may have had the best view - from the "radar hill" at Edwards Air Force Base. Vance was there monitoring the tracking system he designed and built. Vance talks with guest host Sean Cole about his part in the first space shuttle landing.

Herding cattle away from the Texas wildfires.

Politicians are all talking about alternative sources of energy. One such energy source is hydroelectric power, something Fred Ayer knows a lot about. Fred is a fisheries expert who's been involved with hydroelectric projects for decades. After emotional court battles over dam construction took a personal toll on him, Fred started consulting with environmental groups. He talks to Dick Gordon about how he now uses his expertise to  bring together opposing sides. Recently, he helped negotiate the successful purchase of three dams along the Penobscot River. also, finding a new faith.