Lichen and Robots

Ralph Pope may know everything you ever wanted to know about lichens but were afraid to ask. His new book explores the down and dirty clingy tree huggers in exquisite detail. We'll find out why tenacious flora thrive in such lousy weather, and what's so cozy about a rock.

We'll also talk with Bruce Donald, a Dartmouth researcher who's helped create the world's smallest untethered, controllable robot. You can read more about the tiny machine and watch videos about it by clicking here.

We end the show with a song by The Everyday Visuals. The New Hampshire band's album "Media Crush" addresses the difficulty of getting radio play in an increasingly overcrowded industry.