>> Ted: NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON, A KEY NATIONAL FIGURE IN THE PRO TRUMP FAKE ELECTOR SCHEME MEET WITH ARIZONA PROSECUTORS.

>> A LOOK TO CONTROL WILD CAT SUBDIVISION THAT DO NOT HAVE AN ASSURED WATER SUPPLY.

>> AND WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM RHESUS MONKEYS WHO SHARE 96% OF THE SAME D.N.A.

AS HUMANS.

>> THIS IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FRIENDS OF PBS, MEMBERS OF YOUR PBS STATION.

>> Ted: GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M TED SIMONS.

AN INVESTIGATIVE TEAM FROM THE ARIZONA ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE WAS SCHEDULED TO MEET TODAY WITH KENNETH CHESEBRO, THE ONE TIME DONALD TRUMP ATTORNEY WHO O ORCHESTRATED FAKE ELECTOR SPOT WAS SIX IN NEVADA WERE INDICTED ONE WEEK AFTER KENNETH CHESEBRO WAS INTERVIEWED THERE.

>>> OTHER HEADLINES, A SPECIAL COUNSEL PROSECUTED DONALD TRUMP ON SCHEMES TO OVERTURN THE 2020 ELECTION ASKED THE U.S. SUPREME COURT TO RULE ON THE IDEA THAT TRUMP IS IMMUNE FROM PROSECUTION.

THAT IDEA COMES FROM TRUMP WHO CONTENDS HE'S PROTECTED FROM THE PROSECUTION OF CRIMES COMMITTED WHILE IN OFFICE.

SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH ASKED THE HIGH COURT TO RULE BEFORE AN APPEAL'S COURT MADE A DECISION DUE TO THE LENGTH OF TIME IT MAY TAKE AND SUBSEQUENT APPEAL SHOULD TRUMP LOSE THAT DECISION.

>>> THE SUPREME COURT REFUSED TO TAKE UP A CASE ON WHETHER OR NOT STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CAN BAN CONVERSION THERAPY FOR LGBTQ CHILDREN.

COURT TURNED AWAY THE APPEAL INVOLVING THE STATE.

JUSTICES SAMUEL ALITO, CLARENCE THOMAS AND BRETT KAVANAUGH WANTED THAT HEARD BUT IT TAKES FOUR.

THE HIGH COURT DISMISSED THREE CASES CHALLENGING FEDERAL COVID VACCINE MANDATES.

CASES WERE FILED THAT REQUIRED FEDERAL WORKERS TO GET VACCINATED.

LOWER COURTS RULED AGAINST THE CHALLENGES, BUT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS RESCINDED VACCINE REQUIREMENTS WHICH MAKES THE CASES MOOT ACCORDING TO THE COURT.

>>> AS WE MENTIONED, KENNETH CHESEBRO, A FORMER ATTORNEY FOR DONALD TRUMP WAS SET TO MEET WITH THE ARIZONA ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE TODAY AND THIS IS PART OF AN INVESTIGATION INTO A FAKE ELECTOR'S SCHEME DESIGNED TO REPLACE THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE REPRESENTATIVES WITH THE GROUP OF PRO TRUMP REPUBLICANS PRETENDING TO BE QUALIFIED ELECTORS.

WE WELCOME STACY BARCHENGER COVERING THE STORY.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> THANK YOU, TED.

>> Ted: FIRST OF ALL, DID THEY MEET?

>> I'M TOLD Mr. CHESEBRO DID COME.

DETAILS WERE THERE.

>> Ted: WILL IT STAY FOR A MEETING TOMORROW OR IS THAT UP IN THE AIR?

I THINK THAT'S UP IN THE AIR.

A LOT OF THIS, PUBLIC DETAILS ARE SCARCE, SO I BELIEVE TODAY.

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE FUTURE MEETINGS.

WHAT WE DO KNOW IS IN TERMS, WHO IS KENNETH CHESEBRO?

>> SO AS YOU MENTIONED, HE WAS A TRUMP CAMPAIGN ATTORNEY AND PEOPLE NOW KNOW HIS NAME BECAUSE BACK IN 2020, THREE YEARS AGO NOW, HE WROTE A SERIES OF MEMOS FOR THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN BASICALLY PROVIDING LEGAL ANALYSIS OF WHAT IS SORT OF COMMONLY CALLED THIS "FAKE ELECTOR'S SCHEME."

IT WAS THE SUGGESTION OR THE LEGAL THEORY THAT PEOPLE WHO WERE TRUMP ELECTORS IN SEVEN STATES COULD SAY WE'RE THE LEGITIMATE ELECTORS FOR CONGRESS NOT TO CERTIFY JOE BIDEN'S WIN.

>> Ted: AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS SO MANY DIFFERENT TIMES BUT TO REHASH, WHY WOULD A GROUP OF ANYONE GETTING TOGETHER DECIDE THEY ARE DULY ELECTED ELECTORS AND WHY WOULD THEY THINK THAT THEY ARE?

I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS.

THERE HAS TO BE A BASIS ON SOMETHING, IS THERE NOT?

I THINK THAT'S A BIG QUESTION FOR THIS ONGOING INVESTIGATION, IS WHAT THEY KNEW AND DIDN'T KNOW.

AND THERE WERE 11 IN ARIZONA AND THEY ARE NOT TALKING TO PRESS A LOT, PROBABLY BECAUSE THEY'RE UNDER INVESTIGATION, RIGHT?

BUT WHAT THEY HAVE SAID IS THEY BELIEVED THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTION SO THEY WANTED TO CREATE THIS SORT OF MECHANISM SO IF THE ELECTIONS WERE OVERTURNED, THEN TRUMP COULD BE CHOSEN AS THE PRESIDENT.

LET ME JUST SAY, DOZENS OF LAWSUITS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, THE SENATE BALLOT REVIEW, JOE BIDEN WON.

>> Ted: THE INTERESTING THING IS, DID THEY SAY IF THE ELECTION WERE OVERTURNED BECAUSE I THOUGHT THIS WAS SOMETHING THEY DIDN'T EVEN MENTION.

NOT ONLY DID THEY NOT MENTION, BUT THIS LETTER SENT TO MIKE PENCE.

>> IN TWO OTHER STATES, THE ELECTORS FOR TRUMP SAID THAT "IF" THAT EDUCATION SCAPE HATCH, IF YOU WILL AND THAT DOESN'T EXIST IN ARIZONA AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COULD MAKE THIS INVESTIGATION REALLY UNIQUE.

>> Ted: AND Mr. KENNETH CHESEBRO PLEADED GUILTY TO FALSE DOCUMENTS AND THAT'S WHY HE'S ASKED -- DOES THEY HAVE HE HAVE TO GIVE OVER DOCUMENTS?

>> FARCEHE WOULD COOPERATE IN GEORGIA AND HE HAS COOPERATED IN OTHER STATES, INCLUDING NEVADA, WHERE HE TESTIFIED BEFORE THE GRAND JURY A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I BELIEVE.

I SPOKE TO HIS ATTORNEY, ROBERT LANGFORD FROM LAS VEGAS AND HE TOLD ME THAT CHESEBRO IS WILLING TO TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT THE EVENTS THAT LEAD UP TO THAT TO WHOEVER WILL LISTEN.

>> Ted: THAT'S A BIT OF ABOUT-FACE, IS IT NOT?

>> CRIMINAL CHARGES IN GEORGIA ARE PROBABLY A MIND CHANGER.

[ Laughter ] >> Ted: THE 11 FAKE ELECTORS IN ARIZONA, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF STATE LAWMAKERS IN THAT GROUP.

>> SENATE, SENATOR JAKE HOFFMAN, ANTHONY KERN AND OUR FORMER REPUBLICAN PARTY CHAIRMAN, KELLY WARD AND HIS HUSBAND ARE ON THOSE RECOGNIZABLE NAMES.

>> Ted: THERE WAS A LETTER SIGNED BY, I THINK, CURRENT AND FORMER LAWMAKERS AND THAT LETTER TO PENCE, SAYING, WHAT, ACCEPT THESE FOLKS AND THE WHOLE IDEA WAS TO DELAY AND TO DELAY TO ALLOW PENCE AND THE HOUSE TO OVERTURN THE VOTE, TRUE?

>> YES.

ABSOLUTELY.

YOU KNOW WHETHER THAT MEETS A CRIMINAL LIABILITY THRESHOLD, WE WILL SEE, BUT, YOU KNOW, REMEMBER AT THAT TIME, DONALD TRUMP HAD BEEN CASTING DOUBT ON THE ELECTION EVEN BEFORE NOVEMBER OF 2020 AND IT LEAD TO THE SORT OF MOVEMENT, IF YOU WILL, OR ENTRENCHED DISBELIEF IN ELECTION SYSTEMS AND THAT'S LEAD TO ALL OF THE THREATS AND PROBLEMS SINCE THEN.

IT'S LEAD TO TAXPAYER SPENDING UPWARD OF FIVE MILLION DOLLARS ON THIS BALLOT REVIEW THE SENATE CONDUCTED.

IT'S THE TRUST IN THE SYSTEM THAT BIDEN WON.

IT WAS PROVEN TO BE A FREE AND FAIR ELECTION.

>> Ted: BUT THE FAKE ELECTOR BUSINESS, I MEAN, THEY CALL THEMSELVES DULY ELECTED AND THAT HAD A STATE SEAL AND CALLED IT A "JOINT RESOLUTION."

I'M SORRY, BUT NONE OF THIS WAS REAL.

>> RIGHT, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT KRIS MAYES AND HER OFFICE WILL FIGURE OUT HOW FAR THAT GOES.

>> Ted: WHY HAS IT TAKEN SO LONG FOR CRONKITENEWS.AZPBS.COMS CRONKITENEWS.AZPBS.COMSKRIS MAYES TO GET TO THIS?

>> HER PREDECESSOR, MARK BRNOVICH, TOOK A DIFFERENT APPROACH AND WE KNOW HE WAS ASKED TO INVESTIGATE BUT IT WAS HER OFFICE IN JANUARY, AFTER SHE WAS SWORN IN THAT TOOK THIS UP AND LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION.

>> Ted: HIS OFFICE TOOK A NO-HANDS APPROACH, RIGHT?

>> AND WAS CRITICIZED FOR FOSTERING DOUBT THAT WE KNOW WAS UNFOUNDED.

>> Ted: SO WHAT IS NEXT?

AGAIN, FROM WHAT YOU KNOW AND SEEN IN OTHER STATES, HOW LONG COULD THIS GO ON?

IT SOUNDS THIS HAS A WAYS TO GO BEFORE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE MAKES AN ANNOUNCEMENT.

>> A WAY TO GO IS FAIR.

ONE THING IN NEVADA, CHESEBRO TESTIFIED BEFORE THE GRAND JURY AND HERE HE SPOKE TO INVESTIGATORS.

SO VIEWERS WHO ARE IN TUNE WITH THE CRIMINAL PROSECUTES PROSECUTION KNOWS THERE A BIG GAP.

AND THEN AN INVESTIGATION MONTHS OUT, WHO KNOWS.

>> Ted: BUT YOU HAVE TO CAREFUL ONE WOULDCAREFUL, I WOULD THINK, YOU DON'T WANT TO GET TOO FAR INTO NEXT YEAR BECAUSE THERE'S AN ELECTION NEXT YEAR.

ONE OF THE FOCUSES IS ON THE GUY MORE THAN LIKELY TO BE A CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT AGAIN.

>> TO YOUR POINT, TWO OF THE PEOPLE WHO SIGNED ONTO THE ARIZONA DOCUMENT ARE SITTING LAWMAKERRED RUNNING FOR OTHER OFFICES.

>> Ted: WELL, STACY, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND CLEARING UP WHAT LITTLE WE KNOW.

[ Laughter ] >> HAPPY TO HELP.

>> Ted: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UP NEXT, RECOMMENDATIONS TO PRESERVE WATER FROM THE GOVERNOR'S WATER POLICY COUNCIL.

♪♪ >> I'M CHUCK AND WELCOME TO THE TENTH SEASON OF "CHECK, PLEASE, ARIZONA."

IN THIS EPISODE, WE'RE ENJOYING BE ITALIAN, VEGAN AND MODERN CUISINE AND LET MEET OUR DINER.

>> IT WAS LIKE WE WERE EATING BACK IN ITALY.

>> IT'S THE BEST FOOD I'VE HAD.

ANYTHING YOU ORDER WILL BE PHENOMENAL.

>> NEXT TIME, I'LL START WITH DESSERT.

>> THURSDAY NIGHT AT 7:00 ON ARIZONA PBS.

>> FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELTS.

>> THESE ARE YOUR IMMIGRANT ANCESTORS.

>> NEVER ANTICIPATED THIS.

I'M FOREVER CHANGED.

>> I'M PLEASED TO TELL YOU, YOU'LL BE FINDING YOUR ROOTS.

>> I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT WE FOUNDED, BUT WHAT WE FOUND WAS YOU.

>> COMING IN JANUARY TO ARIZONA PBS.

>> Ted: THE GOVERNOR'S WATER POLICY COUNCIL RECENTLY LOOKED AT WAYS TO PRESERVE BOTH RURAL AND URBAN GROUNDWATER WITH A FOCUS ON PREVENTING THE PROBLEM OF WILDCAT SUBDIVISIONS THAT HAVE NO ASSURED WATER SUPPLIES.

HALEY PAUL IS A MEMBER OF THE GOVERNOR'S WATER POLICY AND THE ARIZONA POLICY DIRECTOR OF AUDO AUDOBAHN SOUTHWEST.

GOVERNOR'S WATER POLICY COUNCIL.

WHAT IS THAT GROUP AND WHAT WERE THEY ASSIGNED TO DO?

SO GOVERNOR HOBBS BACK IN MAY TASKED US WITH MODERNIZING THE GROUND MANAGEMENT AND SHE GAVE US A TALL ORDER.

IN SIX MONTHS, SHE WANTED RECOMMENDATIONS TO HOW TO EITHER LEGISLATIVELY OR ADMINISTRATIVELY IMPROVE ARIZONA'S GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT.

IT IS FROM TRIBE TO CONSERVATION GROUPS TO AGRICULTURE TO MUNICIPALITIES, COUNTY REPRESENTATION, A BROAD SWAN SWATH OF ARIZONA'S COMMUNITY.

>> Ted: HOW MUCH AGREEMENT WAS THERE ON THE COUNCIL FOR RECOLLECTIONS AND JUST FOR RECOGNIZING THE ISSUES AS THEY ARE?

>> THAT'S WORTH STAYING ON FOR A MOMENT.

THERE WAS A LOT OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT WE HAVE PROBLEMS WE NEED TO ADDRESS AND TO SECURE ARIZONA'S WATER FUTURE, WE NEED TO DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES.

OVERALL, OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FROM THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE ENDED UP SUBMITTING AND FORWARDING ONTO THE GOVERNOR.

>> Ted: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND WE'LL START WITH RURAL GROUNDWATER BECAUSE THAT IS BIG WITH THE STATE.

WHAT ARE THE BE ISSUES ISSUES AND WHAT ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS?

>> IN OVER 80% OF THE STATE, THERE'S NO GROUNDWATER.

IT'S USUALLY THE DEEPEST WELL WINS AND AT THE COUNCIL, CAN YOU BUILD OFF OF WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN THE PAST AND ASKED FOR BY RURAL COMMUNITIES AND CAN YOU COME UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION SO THERE'S ANOTHER WAY, ANOTHER OPTION FOR RURAL ARIZONA TO MANAGE ITS PRECIOUS GROUNDWATER SUPPLIES.

>> Ted: AND ARE THERE IDEAS OUT THERE?

>> THERE IS A RURAL GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT AREA FRAMEWORK AND SO IT'S NOT LEGISLATIVE LANGUAGE.

IT'S BIG CONCEPTS AND THE BIG PRINCIPLE IS LET LOCAL, RURAL ARIZONA COMMUNITIES DECIDE HOW THEY'RE GOING TO PLAN, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO MEET THEIR GOALS TO PROTECT THEIR WATER FUTURE.

IT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU SEE NOW WHICH IS ACTIVE MANAGEMENT AREAS WHICH IS PRESCRIPTIVE AND THEY COME WITH THINGS BAKED.

BUT THIS CONCEPT, RURAL GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT ALLOWS LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO DECIDE HOW THEY WANT TO MANAGE THEIR GROUNDWATER, WHAT THE GOALS SHOULD BE AND WHAT PLAN THEY SHOULD MAKE TO REACH THAT GOAL ALL WITH THE BACKS AND SUPPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES.

>> Ted: WHAT ABOUT MONITORING AND METERING WELLS?

THAT SOUNDED LIKE A DIVISIVE ISSUE?

WHY, AND IS THAT SOMETHING COULD BE ON THE HORIZON?

>> YEAH.

SO THE DEPARTMENT THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, THROUGHOUT THE GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL PROCESS REALLY WAS GREAT ABOUT SHOWING US THE DATA THAT THEY HAVE THROUGHOUT ARIZONA.

AND SO SOME OF THE EXAMPLES WERE THESE INDEX WELLS THAT THEY'VE HAD GOOD MEASUREMENT ON FOR 20 YEARS AND THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OF THEM.

SO THE DEPARTMENT IS EAGER TO HAVE MORE DATA SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE A MORE COMPLETE PICTURE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE GROUNDWATER LEVELS OF VARIOUS GROUNDWATER BASINS.

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR COMMUNITIES TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION, SO WHETHER IT'S THROUGH GROUNDWATER MODELING TO SHOW YOU WHAT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR AREA OR OVERALL HOW ARE THE GROUNDWATER LEVELED IN YOUR AREA, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE GET FOR DATA.

THAT'S ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS PUT FORWARD WAS, BETTER MONITORING AND REPORTS ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE STATE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE BETTER AND MORE INFORMED DECISIONS.

>> Ted: THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A PUSHBACK AND WHAT ARE THE REASONS?

>> I THINK ASKING DIRECTLY TO THE FOLKS IMPACTED BY THIS WOULD BE A GREAT WAY TO GO.

BUT OVERALL, I THINK PEOPLE ARE WORRIED THAT WITH DATA BEING PUBLICALLY AVAILABLE, WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN FOR THEM?

>> WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON IS THAT IF WE HAVE MORE DATA, WE CAN MAKE BETTER DECISIONS AND PROVIDE BETTER TOOLS AND INFORMATION FOR COMMUNITIES SO THEY CAN MAKE BETTER DECISIONS.

DATA REALLY IS POWER AND WE CAN FIGURE OUT WAYS TO MAKE SURE DATA IS PROTECTED FOR INDIVIDUALS, BUT I THINK HAVING THAT INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR GROUNDWATER LEVELS.

>> Ted: LET'S TALK ABOUT WILDCAT SUBDIVISIONS.

FIRST OF ALL, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT AND HOW BIG OF AN ISSUE IS THIS IN ARIZONA?

WE KNOW ABOUT THE RIO VERDE FOOTHILLS AND IS THIS GOING AROUND THE STATE, AS WELL?

>> THE GOVERNOR'S POLICY COUNCIL DEALT WITH THE ROAD GROUND WATER ISSUE AND WITHIN THE AREAS THAT HAVE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT.

SO IT'S CALLED ACTIVE MANAGEMENT AREAS.

WHAT ARE THE LOOPHALLS WE'RE DEALING WITH AND THE PROBLEMS TO FIX AND WILDCAT'S SUBDIVISION WAS ONE AND RIO VERDE COMES UP.

BUT BASICALLY, A WILDCAT SUBDIVISION WHETHER PURPOSEFULLY OR UNINTENTIONALLY, SIX LOTS OR LESS ARE DEVELOPED AS A SUBDIVISION ON PURPOSE IN ORDER TO AVOID HAVING TO PROVE YOU HAVE 100 YEARS WORTH OF WATER.

SO IT'S A WAY THAT PEOPLE MAY BE WERE GETTING AROUND THE RULES THAT IF YOU'RE IN AN ACTIVE MANAGEMENT AREA AND YOU BUILD HOUSES, A SUBDIVISION, YOU HAVE TO PROVE THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH WATER FOR 100 YEARS BEFORE YOU CAN SELL ANY LOTS.

THAT'S A GOOD THING.

WE WANT TO SEE THAT CONSUMER PROTECTION UPHELD AND SO WHAT THE COUNCIL WAS ADDRESSING IS WILDCAT SUBDIVISION WHERE PEOPLE WERE SKIRTING THE RULES AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO STRENGTHEN THAT AND THAT'S IN THE PROPOSAL.

>> Ted: THIS STA LITTLETHIS IS CONFUSING AND YOU HAVE A LOT AND IT'S X AND YOU DECIDE TO DIVIDE BY FIVE DIFFERENT THINGS, WHEN THE LOT WAS PREVIOUSLY NOT SUBDIVIDED, WAS IT, IF IT IN AN ACTIVE MANAGEMENT AREA, DID THAT TOTAL LOT, WAS THAT BEHOLDEN TO THE 100 YEAR SUPPLY?

>> NO, THERE'S A CARVE-OUT FOR FIVE HOUSES OR LESS, WHERE YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE PROVING OF 100 YEARS WORTH OF THE WATER.

>> Ted: WOW!

>> THAT'S A LEGISLATIVE RELIC AND FLUCTUATED THE RESEARCH PRESENTED TO US IN THE COUNCIL.

THAT NUMBER FLUCTUATED FROM FOUR TO SIX AND WE DON'T KNOW WHY.

SO, BASICALLY, THE BIGGER ISSUE, I THINK, IS MAKING SURE WHEN WE BUILD HOMES, WE'RE SHOWING CONSUMERS THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH WATER AND YOU HAVE THAT CONSUMER PROTECTION AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE TRYING TO ADDRESS HERE.

>> Ted: BEFORE YOU GO, RELATIVELY QUICKLY BECAUSE WE'RE RETURNING OUTRUNNING OUT OF TIME, HOW DO YOU GET THIS PASSED THE LEGISLATURE?

>> I THINK THE FACT THAT THE GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL WAS ABLE TO COME UP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS IN SIX MONTHS SHOWS YOU WE'VE BUILT OFF OF THE MOMENTUM.

WE HAVE PROBLEMS AND WE NEED TO ADDRESS THEM AND TO SECURE THAT, WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION.

>> Ted: GOVERNOR'S WATER POLICY COUNCIL, HALEY, THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> TONIGHT ON THE NEWS HOUR, CIVILIANS IN GAZA STRUGGLED TO GET THE AID THEY NEED IN THE MIDST OF THE WAR.

THAT'S COMING UP AT 6:00 ON ARIZONA PBS.

>> Ted: ASU RESEARCHER NOAH SNYDER MACKLER STUDIES RHESUS RHESUS MONKEYS ON ON AN ISLAND OFF THE COAST OF PUERTO RICO AND THEY SHARE 94% OF THE SAME D.N.A.

AS MONKEYS.

JOINING US NOW IS NOAH SNYDER MACKLER FOR EVOLUTION AND MEDICINE.

WELCOME TO HORIZON.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE.

>> Ted: MONKEY ISLAND, THIS IS OFF PUERTO RICO, HUH?

>> YES, SO IT'S THIS RESEARCH ISLAND FORMED BACK IN THE 1930'S AND IT'S ABOUT A LITTLE LESS THAN A MILE OFF THE SOUTHEAST COAST OF PUERTO RICO AND ONLY THE RHESUS MONKEYS LIVE THERE.

>> THERE WERE 400 THAT CAME OVER AND NOW THERE ARE ALMOST TWO THOUSAND.

>> Ted: 94% OF THE SAME D.N.A.

AS HUMANS AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN TERMS OF PHYSIOLOGY OR RESEARCH?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

IT MEANS WE SHARE SO MUCH OF OUR ORGAN SYSTEMS, OUR BODIES AND BRAINS AND MUCH OF OUR BEHAVIOR WITH THEM BECAUSE OF THIS LONG-SHARED EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY.

IN THE FACT THEY LIVE IN SOCIAL GROUPS WHERE THEY HAVE SOCIAL LIVES THAT ARE SIMILAR TO OURS.

>> Ted: WE'RE TALKING EYES, LUNGS, HEARTS, VERY SIMILAR?

>> THE WHOLE THING, YES.

>> Ted: MORE THAN 80 YEARS AND OVER THOSE 80 YEARS, WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED ABOUT THE MONKEYS AND HAS STUDYING MONKEYS TAUGHT ABOUT OURSELVES?

>> IT WAS STARTED FOR SORT OF TWO PURPOSES.

ONE WAS A BREEDING COLONY BECAUSE THE RHESUS MONKEYS ARE THE PREMIERE BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH MODEL.

MODEL AND TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR ECOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR AND WHAT MAKES THESE MONKEYS TICKED.

WE LEARNED ABOUT THEIR SOCIAL LIVES, REPRODUCTIVE LIVES AND WHAT GIVES MONKEYS AN ADVANTAGE OVER OTHEROVER THE COURSE OF THE STUDY.

IN RECENT HISTORY, WE LEARNED MORE ABOUT COLLECTING BLOOD SAMPS AND DOSAMPLES AND WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THEIR BODIES IN THESE VARIED ENVIRONMENTS.

>> Ted: I THINK I READ SOMEWHERE THEY'RE SOCIALLY INTELLIGENT.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

>> THEY KNOW WHO THEIR FRIENDS ARE AND WHO THEY ENEMIES OR KNOW WHEN THEY'RE MORE DOMINANT AND THEY CAN SOCIALLY NAVIGATE A SITUATION.

>> Ted: AND THEY HAVE BEST FRIENDS, THAT KIND OF THING?

>> THEY HAVE BEST FRIENDS.

>> Ted: FEMALE-LEAD SOCIETIES, DID I GET THAT CORRECT?

>> THE FEMALES FORM THE BACKBONE OF THE SOCIETY, MOMS, GRANDMOTHERS, AUNTS, DAUGHTERS AND MALES GO OFF TO OTHER GROUPS.

>> Ted: MALES, WHEN THEY REACH A CERTAIN AGE, THEY BREED WITH OTHERS AND THAT'S HOW THE POPULATION GOES.

I WOULD IMAGINE THAT IT IT'S BETTERED FOR THE GENES IF YOU MIX AND MATCH WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS.

>> ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

THIS IS THE NATURAL BEHAVIOR OF MANY SPECIES ONE SEX STAYS HOME AND THE OTHER JOINS ANOTHER GROUP PREVENTING INBREEDING.

>> Ted: THE ADAPTABILITY OF THESE MONKEYS BECAUSE THERE WAS A HURRICANE IN 2017.

>> YES.

>> Ted: THAT DECIMATED THIS ISLAND AND FIRST OF ALL, HOW WAS IT AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THESE MONKEYS?

>> HURRICANE MARIA JUST SMASHED TO THE SOUTHEAST COAST OF PUERTO RICO AND MONKEY ISLAND IS, IT'S ON THE SOUTHEAST OF PUERTO RICO AND IT WAS DEVASTATED FOR THE PEOPLE.

THESE MONKEYS WERE, YOU KNOW, REALLY IMPACTED BY THIS.

MORE THAN 70% OF ALL OF THE VEGETATION AND TREES LIKE THAT WERE DESTROYED.

BUT THEY SURVIVED, WHICH IS KIND OF AMAZING.

>> Ted: HOW DID THEY SURVIVE?

>> TO BE A FLY ON THE WALL WHEN THAT HURRICANE PASSED OVER AND TO SEE THAT, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.

WE HAVE NO IDEA.

WE ASSUMED AS RESEARCHERS THAT THIS WAS THE END OF THAT COLONY BECAUSE THIS WAS SUCH A BIG TRAUMATIC NATURAL DISASTER.

BUT, IN FACT, THE AMOUNT OF DEATH AFTER THE HURRICANE WAS JUST A BLIP ON THE RADAR IN THEIR ENTIRE HISTORY AND NOWHERE OUT OF THE ORDINARY OF ANIMALS THAT DIE FROM NATURAL CAUSES FROM LIVING.

>> Ted: SEEMS LIKE A COMMUNAL ACTIVITY, SHARED SPACES.

COULD THAT HAVE BEEN A FACTOR?

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SAW AFTER THE HURRICANE IS THAT THEY BECAME MORE SOCIALLY TOLERANT.

WHAT THAT MEANS, EVEN IF IT WASN'T THEIR FRIENDS OR ONE OF THEIR FRENEMIES, THEY WERE ABLE TO SHARE THESE TIGHT SPACES BECAUSE THERE WERE LIMITED RESOURCES AROUND.

SO YOU CAN THINK ABOUT THE FACT IF THIS HURRICANE IS HAPPENING, THERE'S ONE PART OF THE ISLAND TO BE ON WHEN THE HURRICANE IS GOING OVER WHERE YOU CAN SHIELD YOURSELVES.

>> Ted: THAT INCIDENT AND OVERALL, WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT US BY WAY OF THEM?

>> YEAH, SO BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS SORT OF CAPTIVE NATURAL POPULATION THAT ARE SIMILAR TO US, WE'RE ABLE TO LOOK AND SEE HOW DOES THIS NATURAL DISASTER, HOW DOES THIS TRAUMATIC EVENT AND THE FALL-OUT IMPACT THE PHYSIOLOGY OF THESE ANIMALS.

THEY AREN'T ABLE TO LEAVE AND SOME THINGS WE DO IS TO TRY AND UNDERSTAND THE AGING PROCESS OF THE ANIMALS.

SO WHAT WE FOUND WAS THAT ANIMALS THAT LIVED THROUGH THE HURRICANE, THAT HURRICANE EVENT ACTUALLY ACCELERATED THE AGE OF THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEM BY ABOUT EIGHT TO TEN HUMAN YEARS.

>> Ted: WOW!

UNBELIEVABLE RESEARCH AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS WITH US AND NOAH SNYDER MACKLER, CENTER FOR EVOLUTION AND MEDICINE, THANK YOU, SIR.

GOOD STUFF!

THAT'S IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US AND YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.