LIVE TV

© 2025 WGCU News

PBS and NPR for Southwest Florida

LIVE TV

Donate

Play Live Radio

Next Up:

0:00

0:00

0:00 0:00

Available On Air Stations

Giant Dust Storm On Mars Threatening To End NASA's Opportunity Rover

NPR

By Joe Palca

Published June 13, 2018 at 4:48 PM EDT

Global map of Mars showing a growing dust storm as of June 6, 2018. The map was produced by the Mars Color Imager (MARCI) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft.

Copyright 2018 NPR

Joe Palca

Joe Palca is a science correspondent for NPR. Since joining NPR in 1992, Palca has covered a range of science topics — everything from biomedical research to astronomy. He is currently focused on the eponymous series, "Joe's Big Idea." Stories in the series explore the minds and motivations of scientists and inventors. Palca is also the founder of NPR Scicommers – A science communication collective.

See stories by Joe Palca

More from WGCU

Education

Matter of Cape Coral coach's resignation is closed, says Lee Schools spokesman

Dayna Harpster

High school coach resigns over alleged sexual activity with a parent on campus. Some parents want him reinstated.
Crime

Fraud alert issued over special event permits in Fort Myers Beach

WGCU Staff

Fort Myers Beach is issuing an alert regarding fraudulent invoices for special event permit after it was made aware of fraudulent invoices being sent to individuals who have recently submitted Special Event Permit applications.
Investigation

Revolving Door 101: Corcoran’s former firm is racking up contracts with state universities – including his own

Bob Norman and Kevin Danko/Florida Trident

After Richard Corcoran left his role as Florida’s education commissioner in 2022, he joined the lobbying firm Continental Strategy LLC, where he began cashing in on his political connections. State records show Corcoran lobbied for his clients almost exclusively the office of Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close political ally who’d appointed him not only as education commissioner but also to the Florida Board of Governors, which oversees the state university system.

Business/Economy

Lee BIA's Build My Future Lee County event offers opportunity to students in construction trades

Michael Braun

Local construction industry leaders took a crack this week at showing area high school students how building a future isn't just a play on words.
Science/Tech

Rescue drones assisting Venice First Responders

WGCU News

Florida is one of the national leaders in drownings, with nearly 400 people dying every year from unintentional drowning. When it comes to rescue operations, every second matters.
Immigration

Sarasota County Sheriff's Office cashes in on ICE crackdown

Alice Herman/Suncoast Searchlight

As the federal government intensifies its immigration crackdown, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office has emerged as one of the Suncoast’s most active partners with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In recent months, Sheriff Kurt Hoffman’s deputies have patrolled the Everglades immigration jail known as “Alligator Alcatraz” and shuttled immigrants between detention facilities in Florida, earning more than $280,000 in state funding for the work. Meanwhile, the number of ICE detainers — which keep people up to 48 hours past their release date for possible detention and deportation — have quadrupled this past year inside the already crowded county jail.