Episode 8.3: Solving mysteries with tree rings
Tree rings are more than just wood — they’re history’s diary and Grant Harley is a master interpreter
BY Leigh Cooper and Danae Lenz
Photo by University Visual Productions
October 14, 2024
Meet Grant Harley, an associate professor in the Department of Earth and Spatial Sciences at University of Idaho who has dedicated his lab to answering questions using tree rings. He is joining us to discuss climate change, crime fighting, volcanic eruptions and lost forests.
Email us at vandaltheory@uidaho.edu.
Have you ever counted the rings of a tree?
If you have ever seen a tree stump, you’ve gotten a look as history’s diary — tree rings. But have you ever tried to read the diary? Through the fascinating science of dendrochronology, the study of tree rings, Harley unlocks a wealth of information about our planet’s — and even our civilization’s — past. Tree rings act as nature’s detailed record by tracing climate change and natural disasters, uncovering historical events and solving crimes. Harley welcomes listeners into the world of trees rings. After explaining how scientists interpret tree rings, he shows how he has put his knowledge into action through real-world applications. Harley describes confirming the authenticity of Stradivarius violins, tracking volcanic eruptions, solving recent crimes using forensic techniques and even memorializing enslaved individuals through historical coffin studies. Join us as we uncover how dendrochronology bridges the past and present, providing critical insights into climate science, history and environmental change.
Music
“Young Republicans” by Steve Combs via freemusicarchive.org, not modified.
“Bouncing Ideas” by Christian Schlumpf via Amphibious Zoo.