Welcome to “Tell Me Something,” a weekly feature that invites local scholars to share a single interesting, insightful, or cool thing they’ve learned in their careers that most people don’t know, which can help us better understand our world or give us new perspectives on common issues.
This week, Aaron welcomes UNC biologist Eric Riddell to discuss the extreme biodiversity of North Carolina’s salamanders – which is greater here than anywhere else in the world. That’s partly because they lack lungs, and partly because of North Carolina’s unique geology. (In addition to their diversity, they’re also extremely numerous – as Riddell learned himself very quickly, the first time he went there for field research.)
97.9 The Hill WCHL and Chapelboro.com are your headquarters for local news and local voices in Chapel Hill-Carrboro. Every weekday morning, 97.9 The Hill’s Aaron Keck chats with government officials, UNC scholars, business and nonprofit leaders, area musicians, and others in our community as they share their thoughts, their experience, and their expertise on the central issues of today. Click here to listen back to all of Aaron’s conversations – and tune in to “This Morning with Aaron Keck” at 7:30 a.m. on 97.9 The Hill to hear those conversations live.
You can also listen to “This Morning with Aaron Keck” on Spotify. Click here to follow Aaron and listen to all his segments, from local news to fun features to hard-hitting interviews.
Listen:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe:
Related Stories
‹
![]()
Tell Me Something: How to Classify a Tomato, with UNC's Melanie FeinbergIs a tomato a fruit or a vegetable? According to UNC's Melanie Feinberg, the technically correct answer is: both.
![]()
Tell Me Something: The Best Spot for Dinosaur Hunting, with UNC's Jordan ClaytorUNC's Jordan Claytor discusses an isolated spot in Montana that turns out to be the best place in the world to study dinosaur extinction.
Ralph Baric, 3 Other UNC Researchers Chosen for National Academy of SciencesFour UNC researchers, including leading coronavirus expert Ralph Baric, recently earned one of the most prestigious honors for scientists and engineers in the United States. The National Academy of Sciences inducted Baric, as well as Kerry Bloom, Joseph Kieber and Edward Salmon, into its ranks on April 26, announcing the quartet as part of an […]
Who's Excelling? What Could Improve? Positional Midseason Grades for UNC FootballUNC sits at 4-2 overall and 2-1 in ACC play halfway through the 2026 football season. The Tar Heels have already matched their win total from a season ago and now have a very reasonable path to a bowl berth in Bill Belichick’s second year. Here are my midseason grades for each Carolina position group: […]
UNC Women's Basketball Ranked No. 12 in 2026-27 AP Preseason PollHead coach Courtney Banghart and UNC checked in at No. 12 in the AP Preseason Top 25 poll, which was released Tuesday. It’s the third consecutive year and fourth overall in Banghart’s tenure that the Tar Heels have been ranked inside the top 15 in the preseason poll. Comin' in at No. 𝟭𝟮 in the […]
UNC Reaches Deal with Trump Administration's Justice Department to End Civil Rights InvestigationsUNC agreed to terms outlined by both departments to curb race-based considerations in admissions practices and strengthen policies responding to antisemitism.
100 Years of Kenan Stadium: Rick Steinbacher Invades SpainRick Steinbacher, UNC's senior associate athletic director for facilities, has a lot on his plate when the Tar Heels play at Kenan Stadium.
2026 UNC Football Opponent Preview: SyracuseUNC will return home to host Syracuse at Kenan Stadium Saturday night. The Orange enter 2-4 overall and 0-4 in ACC play. Syracuse’s only FBS win this season was an overtime victory at UConn earlier in October. The Orange have lost to Cal, Pitt, Virginia and Louisville in the ACC. Fran Brown is in his […]
UNC's Peyton Seelmann Named ACC Linebacker of the WeekUNC’s Peyton Seelmann was named the ACC’s Linebacker of the Week Monday in recognition of his performance in the Tar Heels’ 24-20 win at Duke. Peyton Seelmann is your ACC Linebacker of the week! pic.twitter.com/ddQ4wQ3Jkk — Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) October 19, 2026 Seelmann was all over the field Saturday in Durham, leading all players with […]
UNC Men's Basketball Unranked in 2026-27 Preseason AP PollMichael Malone’s Tar Heels will not be ranked at the outset of the 2026-27 season. The AP Top 25 preseason poll was published Monday morning, and UNC was not included. Florida reigns supreme at No. 1 in the poll, followed by No. 2 Duke, No. 3 Illinois, No. 4 UConn and No. 5 Arizona. Elsewhere […]
›
