What on Earth?

It’s a wild ride these days on our planet. Buckle up, because scientist (and actual pilot) Johanna Wagstaffe is here to help you make sense of our changing world, where the climate is warming just as everything else can feel like a hot mess. Every week, Jo and our team of journalists illuminate the ways humans are transforming Earth, and reveal a little wonder along the way. Our podcast, videos and radio show deliver science-backed answers to your questions, and help you understand what’s a real solution and what’s screwing things up.

What on Earth? is a news podcast hosted by CBC, with 406 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

CBC hosts What on Earth?, a news show with 406 episodes published.

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  What on Earth?

  Can AI save the planet before it kills us all?

  Oct 3, 202625 min

  Depending on who you ask, AI could usher in a green utopia – or the apocalypse. Between those two extremes is a much less hypothetical reality: the technology’s huge impact on our environment now. But tech leaders like NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang suggest it's all worth it, because AI can solve climate problems in the future. So when it comes to emissions cuts, what’s AI done for us lately? And what’s at stake for the climate as more and more chatbots come online?  Guest names:   Ketan Joshi, climate writer, analyst and advocate Another What On Earth? episode you might like: Will Alberta data centres really curb their water use?   Background reading:   Could AI really 'kill all humans'? Breaking down the dire warnings about the technology's existential risk What's behind the growing backlash toward AI data centres? Have you got something to say about this episode? Email us at earth@cbc.ca This episode includes a clip from the Ezra Klein Show, published by the New York Times, September 2026.

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  What on Earth?

  The weatherman who spoke the truth – and paid the price

  Sep 26, 202625 min

  When a meteorologist took a job in Iowa, he was excited to make his forecasts matter to viewers by bringing in climate impacts that were relevant to their lives, like rising costs and energy independence. But then the backlash began, escalating to a death threat.  He's not the only one. At climate week in New York City, a group of meteorologists gathered to share stories about speaking to often polarized audiences. When facts become political, how can climate change's frontline communicators stick to the science?  Guests: John Morales is the Founder & Lead Meteorologist at ClimaData, a weather consulting firm  Chris Gloninger is a meteorologist and senior climate scientist with the Woods Hole Group Background reading:   The Weatherman Who Tried to Bring Climate Science to a Red State I’ve Been a Meteorologist for 40 Years. Here’s Why I Got Emotional About Hurricane Milton. Other What On Earth? Episodes you might like: Is it going to get harder to forecast hurricanes in Canada?   Have you got something to say about this episode? Email us at earth@cbc.ca

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  What on Earth?

  There's a lot on Carney's plate. Is our climate plan cooked?

  Sep 19, 202625 min

  As parliament gets back in session, there’s a lot going on: a trade war, talk of Alberta separation, and international alliances being redrawn. Prime Minister Mark Carney has been clear: he doesn’t think the old climate plan he inherited from the Trudeau government holds up to Canada’s new reality. So, where does climate fit in what Carney calls the next “world order?” Two of our political journalists break down what we know so far, and what they’re watching for next. Guests: David Thurton is a senior reporter with CBC’s parliamentary bureau in Ottawa Aaron Wherry is a senior writer with CBC’s parliamentary bureau in Ottawa Video: Are Canada’s climate plans cooked? Other What On Earth? episodes you might like: Critics say the math isn’t mathing on Ottawa’s climate plans Is Canada really a climate leader? Background reading: Liberals remove layer of review process for energy projects, backing off bypassing at-risk species protections Canadians should prepare for a 5 C hotter future, report warns Carney says Trudeau-era climate plan was 'too expensive' and 'divisive' Have you got something to say about this episode? Email us at earth@cbc.ca

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  What on Earth?

  Is this Super El Niño a peek into forever weather?

  Sep 12, 202625 min

  It’s gonna be a record-breaking few months of weather. A natural surge of warm ocean water is colliding with a planet hotter than at any point in human history – meaning more heat, more floods, more droughts. Some think this Super El Niño offers a window into what climate change will bring, and that it could help us prepare for the decades to come. Scientist Rosa Vásquez Espinoza takes us to Peru, where the phenomenon begins, and where officials have already declared a state of emergency due to heavy, unseasonal rains causing devastation for communities in the Andes and elsewhere. Then, we hear from Andrew Dessler, climate scientist at Texas A&M University, about how this Super El Niño is interacting with climate change and what this year’s weather could teach us about how to adapt to a warmer world. And we wrap with what this all means for Canada. Bill Merryfield from Environment and Climate Change Canada answers pressing questions about the season ahead – such as, “should I buy a ski pass?” Guests: Rosa Vásquez Espinoza, founder of founded Amazon Research Internacional Andrew Dessler, Director, Texas Center for Extreme Weather at Texas A&M University Bill Merryfield, research scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada Video: I’ve tracked El Niño for years. I’ve never seen this before Background reading: 'Super' El Niño didn't cause this year's fires and heat waves, but it's about to take us on a 'wild ride' This episode features a clip from Saturday Night Live, created by Lorne Michaels, performed by Chris Farley, 1997, SNL Studios.

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  What on Earth?

  Introducing our new host, Johanna Wagstaffe

  Sep 9, 20263 min

  She's a CBC science journalist, meteorologist and seismologist. Now she’s taking the helm as the host of your favourite climate change podcast. All summer long, Jo and the team have been cooking up new ideas and stories to help you make sense of our changing world, at a time when the climate is warming and everything else can feel like a hot mess. Have we piqued your interest yet? Good. Here’s a quick rundown of what you can expect from the new season.  

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