Guest: Scott D. Sampson, Ph.D.

In the past twenty-five years, more "new" species of dinosaur were discovered and named than in all prior history. Today on Focus, we'll talk to leading expert Scott D. Sampson about the story of the dinosaurs from their origin to their sudden demise. We'll also discuss how further knowledge about the dinosaurs gives us a better view of the entire natural world.

Guest: James Chatters.

One of the oldest human skeletons found to date is referred to as "Kennewick Man." This skeleton was discovered by two young men along the Columbia River in 1996 and brought to the attention of James Chatters, a forensic anthropologist and our guest today on Focus. Controversy arose when the U.S. government reclaimed Kennewick Man and placed him in storage—but Chatters had done enough tests to reveal the skeleton to be nearly 9,500 years old. Today on Focus, Chatters will explain how, armed with this information, he set out on a multicontinental quest to understand the origins of Kennewick Man.

Guest: Bryan Sykes.

What if we could trace our genetic makeup all the way back to fewer than ten primeval individuals? In fact, says geneticist Bryan Sykes, we can. He joins us today on Focus to explain how the study of a 5,000-year-old man's frozen remains in Italy led to the discovery of a particular strand of DNA that can be traced back to seven prehistoric women: The Seven Daughters of Eve.

Guest: Heather Pringle.

We most often associate mummies with ancient Egypt, but they can be found in a surprising number of places. They have much to tell us, says science journalist Heather Pringle, about medicine, religion, beauty, and even politics. The author of The Mummy Congress joins us today on Focus to talk about her worldwide travels to talk with a number of scientists who have devoted their lives to the study of mummies.

Guest: Steven Jay Gould.

The Burgess Shale is a small limestone quarry in the Canadian Rockies. Seemingly unobtrusive, it in fact holds the remains of a 530-million-year-old sea and all the creatures that dwelled within it. Paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould joins Focus today to talk about the Burgess Shale and what it can tell us about evolution and natural history.