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    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    How bees play a crucial role in our food chain

    Much of the food we eat -- fruit, vegetables, nuts -- are all pollinated by bees. But bees are dying, and their hives are disappearing. Bees now have to be sent around the country to pollinate crops.

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    By Madeleine Brand • Aug 14, 2018 • 48m Listen

    Much of the food we eat -- fruit, vegetables, nuts -- are all pollinated by bees. But bees are dying, and their hives are disappearing. Bees now have to be sent around the country to pollinate crops. We learn more about the nature of bees, and what’s at stake if their numbers continue to plummet.

    Image of a honey bee pollinating a daisy by Joe Black.

    In this episode

    5 stories
    1. 0:00

      Can Bird save their scooters in Santa Monica?

      Santa Monica is in the process of selecting vendors for a new scooter program that it hopes to launch in September.

      Read the story
      9 min
    2. 9:16

      Why did Paul Manafort's defense team not call a witness on his behalf?

      It’s day 11 of Paul Manafort’s tax and bank fraud trial. On Monday, the prosecution rested its case. Today, the defense did the same, without calling a single witness. Final arguments are scheduled for Wednesday.

      Read the story
      7 min
    3. 16:30

      The case for getting white people to voluntarily desegregate public schools

      It’s been more than 60 years since Brown v. Board of Education, and research shows that children of all races learn better in integrated schools. But today, most kids will start classes in schools that are highly segregated.

      Read the story
      9 min
    4. 25:52

      Honey is just bee vomit -- and other fun facts about bees

      Most food relies on bees -- fruit, vegetables, nuts, and plants that animals eat. They’re all pollinated by the hard-working bee. But bees are dying, and their hives are disappearing. No one really knows why.

      Read the story
      13 min
    5. 39:15

      Why TV writers' rooms are shrinking

      The writers’ room is changing in fundamental ways. With the arrival of the gig economy, there are shorter jobs, so-called “mini writers’ rooms,” two or three weeks of work, and no guarantees.

      Read the story
      10 min
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Madeleine Brand

      Host, 'Press Play'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Sarah Sweeney

      Vice President of Talk Programming, KCRW

    • KCRW placeholder

      Michell Eloy

      Former Producer/Line Editor, Press Play

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Amy Ta

      Digital News & Culture Editor

      News

    In this episode

    5 stories
    1. 0:009 min

      Can Bird save their scooters in Santa Monica?

    2. 9:167 min

      Why did Paul Manafort's defense team not call a witness on his behalf?

    3. 16:309 min

      The case for getting white people to voluntarily desegregate public schools

    4. 25:5213 min

      Honey is just bee vomit -- and other fun facts about bees

    5. 39:1510 min

      Why TV writers' rooms are shrinking

    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand