January 22, 1981 - Dr. Bevan French, National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s discipline scientist for planetary materials, discusses the space program. Topics include data from Voyager and Pioneer spacecraft, and the new space shuttle program. French also answers listener questions. Dr. French analyzed rocks brought back from the moon. He also helped train NASA Apollo astronauts in geology.
February 7, 1981 - On this Weekend program, Robert Dunn, of the Minnesota Waste Management Control Board, discusses waste and hazardous waste sites control in Minnesota. Topics include burial of waste and recycling options. Dunn also answer listener questions.
March 18, 1981 - Results show water quality has shown marked improvement since Reserve Mining stopped discharge of taconite tailings directly into Lake Superior. Environmentalists believe fibers found in the taconite tailings have carcinogenic characteristics of asbestos.
June 10, 1981 - Mark Ascerno, entomologist at University of Minnesota, discusses common and uncommon pest problems in the home and garden. Ascerno also answers listener questions.
June 26, 1981 - Dr. Gough Reinhardt, physicist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California; and Dr. Frank Barnaby, director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, debate at the Science Town Hall Meeting titled, “Nuclear Weapons Technology: Do We Need It?” The meeting was held at the St. Paul-Ramsey Arts and Science Auditorium and presented guests' differing views of nuclear weapons technology and the value and uses of nuclear science. MPR’s Rich Dietman moderated debate.
August 7, 1981 - Lou Breimhurst, executive director of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, discusses various environmental and hazardous waste issues in the state. Breimhurst also answers listener questions.
December 19, 1981 - On this Weekend program, MPR’s Rich Dietman talks with Mike Collins, University of Minnesota computer analyst programmer, about home computers. Topics include understanding difference between software and hardware, education courses, and various features. Collins also answers listener questions.
January 29, 1982 - In this Science Town Meeting, held at Arts and Science Center Auditorium in St. Paul, Dr. Elisabeth Mann Borgese, professor in the Training Program for the Management and Conservation of Marine Resources in the department of Political Science at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, speaks on the future use of the resources of the sea and progress toward international treaties and agreements on such uses of the ocean. MPR’s Rich Dietman hosts and moderates’ program.
February 12, 1982 - In this Science Town Meeting, held at Arts and Science Center Auditorium in St. Paul, Bruce Small, an environmental engineer and author, speaks on formaldehyde and indoor air pollutants. Small’s address is titled “Indoor Pollution: Home, Deadly Home.” MPR’s Rich Dietman hosts and moderates’ program.
February 26, 1982 - In this Science Town Meeting, held at Arts and Science Center Auditorium in St. Paul, Dr. Arthur Harkins, Associate Professor of Future Studies at the University of Minnesota, speaks on co-existence of humanity and robots. Harkin’s address is titled "A Robot in Your Life." Following Harkins address, a counter-response is given by Dr. Arthur Norberg, director of the Charles Babbage Institute for the History of Information Processing and associate professor of computer science at the University of Minnesota. Norberg speaks on negative aspects in culture, and the unknown of technological use and response. After speeches, Harkins and Norberg answer questions from the audience.