Jes Burns
Oregon Public BroadcastingJes Burns is a reporter for OPB's Science & Environment unit. She previously worked for the NPR affiliate KLCC in Eugene as a reporter and the local All Things Considered host. Jes has also worked as an editor and producer for Free Speech Radio News and has produced reports as a freelance producer for NPR, Sirius Radio's OutQ News and The Takeaway. Jes has a degree in English literature from Duke University and a master's degree from the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communications.
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Oregon scientists say farmers can future-proof their livelihoods (and the planet) by pairing agriculture and solar power production in the same fields. They’ll save water and make money, all while feeding and electrifying the world. -
The scientists aboard the research vessel Thompson are trying to answer complicated questions about what makes volcanos, specifically the Axial Seamount, tick. But sometimes the most serious scientific inquiry can face "crabotage." -
No technology even comes close to the speed and sensitivity of insects and animals when it comes to detecting odors. Now, engineers in Washington have built a moth/drone cyborg called the “Smellicopter” to tap into that insect superpower. It combines the mobility of the drone with the scent sensitivity of moths to detect chemical leaks, explosive devices and even people buried under rubble. -
What if we could harness brainwaves to get better sleep? -
Air quality monitoring by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality in 2020 detected elevated levels of chemicals known to cause cancer. A new agency analysis suggests these compounds could be connected to wildfire smoke. -
Oregon researchers working in Antarctica have found evidence that one of the world’s largest glaciers is undergoing serious deterioration. -
Two of the Klamath Basin's native suckers are in big trouble. The endangered populations are declining fast. But scientists and the Klamath Tribes are looking for solutions that can bring the fish back. -
Research out of the University of Oregon shows that, even on the cloudy western side of Oregon, a large chunk of our heating needs could be met with a few well-positioned skylights. -
What happens if you feed cannabis to sheep? It’s a question that livestock scientists are actually wondering about at Oregon State University. They’re trying to develop a new animal feed market for industrial hemp. OPB science reporter Jes Burns recently joined JPR’s Liam Moriarty to explain what they’re up to. -
A research expedition out of Newport has made a significant discovery about a little-known and rarely-seen beaked whale off Oregon’s coast. -
Recent rain and wind across Western Oregon provide an early fall warning that winter weather is coming. And with it, could come a hazard we really haven’t had to deal with before: flash flooding. -
An Oregon gray wolf’s epic walkabout in Southern California is pushing the boundaries of the endangered species’ range.
