KNAU update for Dec. 15

Nearly everyone who lives on the Colorado Plateau is familiar with the extensive Pinyon-Juniper woodlands. The stunted trees look tough and unbreakable, but the Pinyon-Juniper community is fragile and slow to recover when disturbed. Learn more at KNAU.org.

CAT scans are revealing more information about life in Pompeii, an ancient Italian city buried under the volcanic ash of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. The findings are the focus of a new exhibit at the Arizona Science Center in Phoenix. Learn more at KNAU.org.

Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye says he has signed a contract to purchase software to implement an emergency system for Amber Alerts, wildland fires, hazardous waste spills, weather notification and road closures. Learn more at KNAU.org.

The House Natural Resources Committee held a hearing Tuesday on whether to reverse a 20-year ban on new uranium mining claims on a million acres near the Grand Canyon. A representative of the mining industry and a member of the Havasupai Tribal Council were among those who testified. Learn more at KNAU.org.