Curiosity Weekly - Episode: The La Brea Tar Pits Are a Climate Crime Scene!

Release Date: August 6, 2025
Host: Dr. Samantha Amin
Guest: Dr. Reagan Dunn, Deputy Director and Assistant Curator at La Brea Tar Pits Museum
Additional Guest: Ali Moore, Leader in Insect Agriculture

1. Introduction

In this episode of Curiosity Weekly, Dr. Samantha Amin delves into pressing environmental and scientific topics, ranging from climate change's subtle impacts to groundbreaking paleontological discoveries and innovative approaches to global food security. The episode is structured around three main segments: methane emissions from dairy farms, the preservation and study of fossils at the La Brea Tar Pits, and the burgeoning field of insect agriculture.

2. Methane Emissions and Climate Change

Timestamp: 04:20 – 21:52

Dr. Amin begins by addressing the often-overlooked greenhouse gas, methane, highlighting its significant yet transient impact on global warming. Unlike carbon dioxide, methane:

• Potency: "Methane accounts for about 11% of global emissions by mass, but it's more potent than carbon dioxide at first," (04:20).
• Longevity: Methane "breaks down quickly within a decade or so," making its warming effects powerful but short-lived compared to the persistent insulation caused by carbon dioxide.

A significant portion of California's methane emissions stems from "the breakdown or decay of any organic material," notably "about a quarter of California's methane emissions comes from decomposing cow poop on farms" (04:20). Dr. Amin explains the common misconception that methane primarily originates from "cow farts," clarifying that manure management is a major source.

Innovative Solutions: Anaerobic Digesters

A collaborative effort between the University of California, Riverside, a dairy farm, and California Bioenergy has pioneered the use of anaerobic digesters to mitigate methane emissions:

• Mechanism: These digesters "seal the manure pond" with a "giant balloon-like tarp," trapping methane for conversion into "renewable natural gas."
• Effectiveness: Post-implementation, methane emissions were "reduced by around 80%," showcasing the digester's efficacy (04:20).

Challenges:

Implementing anaerobic digesters is resource-intensive, requiring "permits, money, and a lot of upkeep and monitoring to prevent leaks" (04:20). Despite these hurdles, targeting methane alongside carbon dioxide is deemed essential for a comprehensive strategy against climate change.

3. La Brea Tar Pits and Paleontology

Timestamp: 07:08 – 21:52

Dr. Amin introduces Dr. Reagan Dunn, a paleobotanist at the La Brea Tar Pits Museum, to explore the significance of this unique fossil site.

Significance of La Brea Tar Pits:

• Fossil Preservation: The tar pits are "seeps of petroleum that have come from the oil field below" Los Angeles, creating "sticky traps" over the last "50,000 years." These traps have preserved "bones and insect bodies and plant parts" in "near pristine condition" (07:16).

• Ecological Insights: The site offers a snapshot of Los Angeles during the Pleistocene, likened to "the African savanna today," with "at least 230 species of vertebrates" inhabiting the area (08:32).

Preservation Process:

Dr. Dunn explains the preservation akin to "pickle plants" in oil, where "oil is impermeable to water and to oxygen," preventing decay and oxidation. This results in fossils that are "perfectly sort of pickled in asphalt specimens" (09:37).

Paleobotanical Focus:

As a paleobotanist, Dr. Dunn highlights the diverse plant fossils preserved at La Brea, including:

• Wood and Leaves: Well-preserved leaves and wood structures that appear "like they just fell off the tree yesterday."
• Seeds and Phytoliths: Tiny but durable components like seeds and silica-based phytoliths require "high-powered microscopes" for study (12:21).

Research Highlights:

• Megafauna Extinction: The tar pits provide critical data on the extinction of Ice Age megafauna. A pivotal study revealed that "between 13,200 years ago and 13,000 years ago, populations of all of our large beasts disappeared pretty much in a geologic instance," a span of just "200 years" (15:59).

• Climate Factors: This extinction coincided with "extreme warming, about 5.5 degrees Celsius," prolonged droughts, and a surge in wildfires. Dr. Dunn attributes the wildfires to both "climatic conditions" and "human-induced ignitions" due to increasing human populations in Southern California (17:23).

• Ongoing Projects: Current research includes a comprehensive study on bird populations, with findings indicating that "20 of those [140 species] went extinct," representing a "14% extinction of the birds" (21:01).

Notable Quote:

"If there's a story you're dying for us to cover, just let us know... you just might hear it on a future episode." – Dr. Samantha Amin (02:08)

4. Insect Agriculture and Entomophagy

Timestamp: 23:02 – 34:22

Transitioning from paleontology, Dr. Amin introduces Ali Moore, an advocate and leader in insect agriculture, to discuss entomophagy—the practice of eating insects.

Global Perspective:

• Prevalence: While "bugs aren't exactly a staple on our dinner plates" in Canada and the US, "about 2 billion people" globally include insects in their diets, particularly in "Asia, Africa, and Central and South America" (23:02).

Role in Food Security:

Ali Moore emphasizes that insects could significantly address the "global protein gap" and enhance food security by:

• Efficiency: Insects like crickets use "about 80% less water" and "12 times less feed than cows." They are "incredibly efficient" and suitable for "urban farming or the future of space travel" (24:26).

• Nutritional Benefits: Insects offer "all nine essential amino acids," with specific species like crickets providing "more iron than spinach" and mealworms being rich in omega fatty acids (25:43).

Farming Practices:

Insect farming is distinct from traditional livestock farming:

• Resource Use: Requires significantly less land and water.
• Bioconversion: Insects can "clean up our soil" by converting organic waste into "protein and fertilizer" (24:48).
• Scalability: For instance, "a vertical farm of crickets will produce as much protein as a pasture full of cows," demonstrating high scalability in limited spaces (27:01).

Safety and Sustainability:

• Consumption Safety: Insect farming practices are "very clean and regulated," ensuring safety for consumption. However, precautions include avoiding wild-caught insects due to potential pollutants and allergens (28:36).

• Environmental Impact: Insects contribute to "bioremediation," enhancing soil health by improving water retention and reducing nutrient runoff (29:19).

Challenges and Innovations:

Moore identifies the "Black Soldier Fly Larva" as a promising species for future agricultural applications due to their efficiency and sustainability (29:55). Additionally, recent advancements in understanding "insect frass" (fertilizer waste) highlight its benefits for soil health, emphasizing the role of insects in "planetary health" (29:43).

Notable Quote:

"Insects are not warm-blooded so they don't waste energy converting feed into like heat and other things." – Ali Moore (24:48)

5. Conclusion

This episode of Curiosity Weekly underscores the interconnectedness of climate change, environmental stewardship, and scientific innovation. From mitigating methane emissions to unraveling ancient biodiversity and pioneering sustainable food sources, the discussions illuminate both the challenges and solutions pivotal for a sustainable future.

Listeners are encouraged to:

• Engage: Share stories or scientific topics they'd like covered in future episodes.
• Explore Further: Visit Energy Trust of Oregon at energytrust.org and learn more about Ali Moore’s work at buggable.com.

Produced by:
Wheelhouse DNA Team
Senior Producer & Editorial Correspondent: Teresa Carey
Producer: Chiara Noni
Audio Engineer: Nick Kharisimi
Head of Production: Cassie Berman

Produced for: Warner Bros. Discovery Curiosity Weekly

Stay curious and keep exploring the wonders of science with Dr. Samantha Amin on Curiosity Weekly.