Episode summary: In this episode of Storybook Earth, Jess shares her own experiences with the natural environment of her childhood home and how its unique landscape was shaped by glacial activity during the ice ages of geologic history. What are ice ages? How do they happen? When was the last one? Jess has answers to all of these questions in this beautiful story of the ice ages.

Resources for further inquiry:

• Milankovitch (Orbital) Cycles and Their Role in Earth’s Climate, By Alan Buis, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, February, 2020 https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2948/milankovitch-orbital-cycles-and-their-role-in-earths- climate/

• How They Were Made, Sea Grant, University of Wisconsin https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/resources/the-formation-of-the-great-lakes/how-they- were-made/

Host Information: Jess Kapp is an associate professor of practice in the geosciences department at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, and a member of the Geology Podcast Network. Her research background is in using geochronology to better understand magma dynamics and tectonics. She is also deeply involved in geoscience education, particularly general education for non-science majors, and is dedicated to accessible and inclusive teaching. She enjoys the outdoors, travel, and spending time with her family. She is also the host of the podcast Plucky Ladies, an exploration of female curiosity, perseverance, and feats of excellence, available on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and her website. As a member of the Geology Podcast Network, she promotes earth science education and enjoys sharing her love of the Earth. Find Jess on Facebook, UofAZ, and Twitter.