Shows
Outside/InOnce in a blue moonThe next blue moon isn’t until May 2026, but luckily for you, you won’t have to wait that long to hear the Outside/In team answering listeners’ questions. This time, we’re exploring why blue moons are cool (or even what the heck a blue moon even is) and other seasonably appropriate curiosities.What’s all the fuss about a blue moon?Should we leave the leaves?Which is a more sustainable choice: real or fake Christmas trees?What happens to Christmas tree stumps?What does all that road salt do to the environment?Featuring Asmeret Asefaw Ber...
2025-01-0229 minOutside/InNo Regrets CoyoteCoyotes are a sort of goldilocks animal. They can be active during the day, and at night. They can hunt in groups, or survive solo. They’re wolfish enough to survive in the wild, dog-like enough to blossom in the big city. That adaptability has arguably made coyotes one of the most successful mammalian predators on the planet. It’s also given them a reputation as opportunistic villains that prey on neighborhood garbage, livestock, and (occasionally) household pets. So what makes these animals so special? And if coyotes are so good at living amongst us, how do w...
2024-12-1931 minOutside/InMaking the most of ‘stick season’Hear ye, hear ye! Winter is fast approaching, and it is time for our fifth annual ‘surthrival’ special, in which the Outside/In team reframes the endurance sport that is winter. We’ve got suggestions for thriving during the cold-season, which we hope will help you positively look forward to dirty snow banks and single-digit temperatures.This year, though, there’s a twist. A listener asked us for advice on what to do before the snow starts to fall, when it’s gray and bleak. This is that dingy in-between period, known in New England as ‘stick season.’
2024-12-0550 minOutside/InWhat's living under your porchA few months ago, producer Marina Henke saw two skunks sprint under her porch. Since then, she can’t stop wondering what’s really going on beneath her feet.And as it turns out, she’s not the only one. Every day across the country, homeowners are waging wars with the animals who stake out our porches, decks and crawl spaces. Have we as humans inadvertently designed luxury apartments for “unwelcome” wildlife? And is that necessarily a bad thing? In a new edition of our (long-retired!) 10x10 series we’re going under the porch. So, grab your hea...
2024-11-1423 minOutside/InThe Night OwlsFor over ten years, biologist Mark Higley has been stalking the forests of the Hoopa Valley Reservation with a shotgun. His mission? To save the northern spotted owl. The threat? The more aggressive barred owl, which has spread from eastern forests into the Pacific Northwest.The federal government plans to scale up these efforts and kill hundreds of thousands of barred owls across multiple states. But can the plan really save the northern spotted owl? And is the barred owl really “invasive”… or just expanding its range? In this episode, Nate Hegyi dons a headlamp and hea...
2024-11-0730 minOutside/In"Primitive, Unconfined Recreation"When KALW’s Marissa Ortega-Welch hit the Pacific Crest Trail, she used her preferred method of navigation: an old-fashioned trail map. But along the way, she met a couple who only used phones to guide them, a Search and Rescue team that welcomes the power of GPS, and a woman who has been told her adaptive wheelchair isn't allowed in official wilderness areas (not actually true).So… does technology help people access wilderness? Or does it get in the way? This week’s episode comes to us from “How Wild” produced by our friends at KALW Public...
2024-10-0333 minOutside/InThe cold, hard truth about refrigerationIn the early 1900s, people didn’t trust refrigerated food. Fruits and vegetables, cuts of meat… these things are supposed to decay, right? As Nicola Twilley writes, “What kind of unnatural technology could deliver a two-year old chicken carcass that still looked as though it was slaughtered yesterday?”But just a few decades later, Americans have done a full one-eighty. Livestock can be slaughtered thousands of miles away, and taste just as good (or better) by the time it hits your plate. Apples can be stored for over a year without any noticeable change. A network called the “cold...
2024-09-1929 minOutside/InThe Mississippi CyborgFor more than two hundred years Americans have tried to tame the Mississippi River. And, for that entire time, the river has fought back. Journalist and author Boyce Upholt has spent dozens of nights camping along the Lower Mississippi and knows the river for what it is: both a water-moving machine and a supremely wild place. His recent book, “The Great River: The Making and Unmaking of the Mississippi River” tells the story of how engineers have made the Mississippi into one of the most engineered waterways in the world, and in turn have transformed it into a bit...
2024-09-1223 minOutside/InThe $1,000 balloonHelium is full of contradictions. It’s the second most abundant element in the universe, but is relatively rare on Earth. It’s non-reactive, totally inert—yet the most valuable helium isotope is sourced from thermonuclear warheads. And even though we treat it as a disposable gas, often for making funny voices and single-use party balloons, our global supply of helium will eventually run out. That’s because, at a rate of about 50 grams per second, this non-renewable resource is escaping the atmosphere for good. In this edition of The Element of Surprise, our occasional series abo...
2024-09-0536 minOutside/InSaving the tallest trees on EarthRedwood National and State Parks are home to giants: coast redwoods that can grow as tall as a thirty-story building. These ancient California forests support hundreds of different species, and store more carbon than any other forest on the planet. But in the last century, 95% of them were felled by loggers. Now, scientists have discovered a surprising strategy to foster the next generation of old-growth redwoods… and it involves chopping some of the younger trees down.This week’s episode comes to us from “THE WILD with Chris Morgan,” produced by our friends at KUOW. Chris has...
2024-08-0139 minOutside/InHot Olympic Summer: Is Paris Greenwashing the Games?Will Simone Biles live up to her moniker as greatest gymnast of all time? Will Lebron James and Team USA continue to dominate men's basketball? And will the Paris 2024 Games be the most sustainable in modern Olympic history?While billions of viewers tune in for the drama of athletes competing on a global stage, climate scientists are tuning in to Paris's climate promises – from the locally sourced catering and carbon neutral Olympic cauldron, to head-scratching “solutions” like a sidewalk made of seashells, and not installing air conditioning in athletes’ housing.Are these solutions making a differenc...
2024-07-2526 minOutside/InEvery bite is a storyYou might not think much about the sticky bottle of vanilla sitting in the back of your pantry. But that flavor – one of the most common in the world – has a fascinating history, involving a fickle orchid and a 12-year-old enslaved boy who made the discovery of a lifetime. That’s the sort of tale that attracts poet Aimee Nezhukumatathil. From peacock feathers to the sounds of garden insects, her work is known for magnifying the wonders of the natural world. Her latest book of essays, “Bite by Bite: Nourishments and Jamborees,” explores the unexpected connections between food, memor...
2024-07-1825 min
Outside/InThe Potato ShowConsider the potato. The typical potato is not all that pretty. They can be beige and lumpy, dusty and speckled, and on top of that, they even sprout alien-like tentacles. Further, no one really knows what to make of the potato. Is it a vegetable, or so starchy that we should really consider it a grain? It’s time for answers. The Outside/In team ventures into the potato patch and presents three stories on this “fifth most important crop worldwide.” Part 1: An artist vaults the humble potato to luxury status.Part 2: A...
2024-06-2735 minOutside/InEd Yong and The Spoonbill ClubEd Yong’s writing about the pandemic in Atlantic Magazine was read by millions of Americans. He won a Pulitzer Prize in 2021 for his coverage. But behind the scenes, he was struggling with burnout, anxiety and depression. Host Nate Hegyi sits down with Ed for a conversation about how he decided to step back from pandemic reporting, the benefits (and possible drawbacks) of birdwatching for mental health, and the unexpected club that’s bringing two halves of his life together. Featuring Ed Yong. SUPPORTOutside/In is made pos...
2024-06-2021 minOutside/InThe Winter RangersDuring their twelve seasons as winter rangers in Yosemite National Park, Rob and Laura Pilewski have learned a thing or two about what it means to love a place – and a person.This episode comes to us from the wonderful folks at The Dirtbag Diaries, another podcast that features stories about conservation, epic adventures, and more. Featuring Rob and Laura Pilewski SUPPORTOutside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In. Follow Outside/In on Instagram or join our p...
2024-06-1335 minOutside/InWolves, water, and global weirdingWhat do wolves, waste-water treatment plants, and the Gulf Stream have in common? This episode, that’s what! It’s that wonderful time when we comb through all your wonderful questions and call up some scientists to help us answer them. Some of the more unlikely things that get brought up include dinosaur pee, abandoned shopping carts, and wolves preying on cheese curds. Here’s what’s on the docket:Why is dog saliva slimier than human saliva? Why do wolves get relocated in the middle of winter?What if the Gulf Stream “shut down?”How do wastewater...
2024-06-0621 minOutside/InDead bird rabbit holeEvery December, during the Christmas Bird Count, tens of thousands of volunteers look to the skies for an international census of wild birds. But during migration season, a much smaller squad of New York City volunteers take on a more sobering experience: counting dead birds that have collided with glass buildings and fallen back to Earth. In this episode, we find out what kind of people volunteer for this grisly job, visit the New York City rehab center that takes in injured pigeons, and find out how to stop glass from killing an estimated one bi...
2024-05-3030 minOutside/InThe Department of Living AnimalsThe Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington, DC is sometimes called “the people’s zoo.” That’s because it’s the only zoo in the country to be created by an act of US Congress, and admission is free.But why did our federal government create a national zoo in the first place?Producer Felix Poon has the scoop – from its surprising origins in the near-extinction of bison, to a look at its modern-day mission of conservation, we’re going on a field trip to learn all about the National Zoo.Featuring Kara Ingraham, Dani...
2024-05-2327 minOutside/InThe Kings and Queens of "the Water Prom"The Colorado River – and the people that rely on it – are in a state of crisis. Climate change and overuse are taking a significant toll. Seven states must compromise and reach a solution to prevent the river from collapsing.In late 2023, tensions were running high between the major players in the water world as they convened at the annual Colorado River conference in Las Vegas. LAist Correspondent Emily Guerin was there, seeking to learn as much as she can about the people with the most power on the river, including a sharply-dressed 28-year-old from California. This...
2024-05-0941 minOutside/In‘Til the landslide brings it downWhen officials commissioned a set of updated hazard maps for Juneau, Alaska, they thought the information would help save lives and spur new development. Instead, the new maps drew public outcry from people who woke up to discover their homes were at risk of being wiped out by landslides.What’s followed has been a multiyear project – not to address the challenges posed by climate-fueled landslides – but to alter, ignore, or otherwise shelve the maps that outline the threat in the first place.Host Nate Hegyi visits Juneau to see one example of why, across the co...
2024-04-2529 minOutside/InMeet the meatfluencersShirtless influencers on TikTok and Instagram have acquired millions of followers promoting the carnivore diet. They say studies linking meat consumption and heart disease are flawed — and plant foods are making people sick. "Western medicine is lying to you," says content-creator Dr. Paul Saladino, who co-owns a company selling desiccated cattle organs.The online popularity of the carnivore diet is undeniable. Yet, no controlled studies have been published confirming its advertised benefits. Our friends at WBUR’s podcast Endless Thread look at how social media cooked up the anti-establishment wellness trend. SUPPOR...
2024-04-1154 minOutside/InReefer madness, the CBD bubble, and the future of hempHemp used to be a staple of life in America. King James I demanded that colonists produce it. Hemp rope and fabric were ubiquitous throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. The USDA even produced a WWII newsreel called “Hemp for Victory.”But other materials came to replace hemp – wood pulp for paper, and cotton and synthetics for fabric. Why?For that matter, what is hemp? Is it different from weed? And does it actually have 25,000 uses as its proponents claim?Featuring Hector “Freedom” Gerardo, David Suchoff, John Fike, and Danny Desjarlais. SUPPOR...
2024-04-0426 minOutside/InThe story you won’t hear in Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer”Editor's Note: This episode first aired in July, 2023With 'Oppenheimer,' director Christopher Nolan turned the Manhattan Project into an Academy-Award-winning blockbuster. The film is set in Los Alamos, where the first atomic bomb was tested. But few people know the history of Carrizozo, a rural farming area downwind of the test.Radioactive fallout from the bomb settled on everything: the soil, gardens, and drinking water. Cow’s milk became radioactive. Later, hundreds of people developed radiogenic cancers. The people of Carrizozo were among the first people in the world exposed to a nuc...
2024-03-1434 minOutside/InYou can make kids hike, but you can’t make them hikersIf you grew up with family members who pushed (or dragged) you onto the trail, chances are you have strong memories associated with hiking. Epic vistas… swarms of black flies… and your dad’s terrible homemade gorp. Whether you grow up to see them as personal triumphs or family fiascos, those early adventures can shape your perception of the outdoors for life.Can parents shape kids into hardcore hikers? And what happens when your best-laid plans go off the map?Featuring Sarah Lamagna, Nick Capodice, Daisy Curtin, Niles Lashway, Sarah Raiche, Tiffany Raiche, and Phineas...
2024-03-0734 minOutside/InHunters do cryIn the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York, dozens of strangers gathered together in the woods for three straight days. Their mission? Teach people of color how to kill, gut, and butcher a deer for the first time.Producer Felix Poon was there as a first-time hunter. He wanted to know: what does it feel like to take an animal's life to sustain your own? Given the opportunity… would he pull the trigger?In this episode we follow Felix out of his depth and into the woods, to find out if one weekend can convert a...
2024-02-2237 minOutside/InThe plot thickensA lot of discussion about sustainability revolves around the trash and waste we leave behind. But at some point, every human being will die and leave behind a body. So what should we do with it? Casket? Cremation? Compost? And does our choice actually have a meaningful impact on the soils and skies around us?Today, we’ve got another edition of our segment, “This, That, or the Other Thing”, where Outside/In’s unofficial decomposition correspondent Felix Poon investigates how we can more sustainably rest in peace. Featuring Regina Harrison, Katrina Spade, and Matt Scott
2024-02-0132 minOutside/InBlue is the loneliest colorOnce in a blue moon the Outside/In team opens up the mailbag and answers your questions about the natural world. This time, they all share a preoccupation with a particular hue: blue. Come along as we learn about the differences between European and Aztec conceptions of the color blue, how construction workers build offshore turbine foundations under the deep blue sea, and why the most exciting picture astronauts took during Apollo 8 wasn’t of the lunar surface. Questions:I’ve heard the color blue is rare in nature. Is that true? Are blue eyes di...
2024-01-2526 minOutside/InNot everyone is wild about wild horsesSupport Outside/In before February 5th, and your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar! Donate $8 per month, and we’ll send you a pair of NH-made Merino wool socks from Minus33. For many, wild horses are a symbol of freedom, strength, and the American West. But to some they’re a symbol of colonialism and an ecological nuisance. Host Nate Hegyi visits a rancher on the Blackfeet Reservation, where free-ranging horses have become more plentiful than deer. They’re outcompeting cattle for forage and putting livelihoods at risk. One potential solution? Slaughter.In this episode...
2024-01-1828 minOutside/InPigeons are weirdSupport Outside/In during our Jan/Feb fundraiser and your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar! Plus, if you donate $10 per month we’ll send you a pair of NH-made Merino wool socks from Minus33. Did you know that the humble pigeon is related to the dodo, makes milk (pigeon cheese, anyone?) and even played a role in the French Revolution? Surely this often-dismissed bird deserves some recognition. Well, on this episode we’re diving deep into the biology and history of Nate’s favorite overlooked animal, as explored by the brilliantly titled (and produced) podcast, What The...
2024-01-1127 minOutside/InThe Oatly ChroniclesIn 1994, the world’s first oat milk company was born in Sweden. Three decades later, Oatly is on a high-stakes mission to defeat the dairy industry by becoming the biggest plant-based brand the world has ever seen. So…can a start-up from Malmö save us all through capitalism? And how much damage is our affection for dairy doing to the planet? This week, we’re featuring the first of a three-part series from the wonderful folks over at The Europeans podcast. SUPPORTListen to the rest of The Europeans series on Oatly here...
2024-01-0432 minOutside/InDragons, trolls and pine treesEven though you can explore its entirety from the comfort of a living room beanbag, the world of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (commonly just referred to as 'Skyrim') is vast. The video game contains cities, villages, high waterfalls that cascade into deep pools, and packs of wolves that roam the edges of misty alpine forests. Skyrim is celebrated for the intricacy of its environment and is one of the top-selling video games of all time.But if you spend enough time in a fantasy, it might change how you relate to the real world....
2023-12-2836 minOutside/InBaby it’s GREAT outside: 12 more tips for embracing winterIt’s Outside/In’s annual winter “Surthrival” show, in which a panel of podcast and radio journalists serve up their personal tips for staying warm, cozy, and active all winter long. From ice-fishing to spicy novels, we’ve got suggestions that’ll get you outside when the adventurous spirit takes hold, and others for days when it’s too darn cold out. This year, we’re joined by Berly McCoy, producer of NPR’s Shortwave podcast, Olivia Richardson, reporter for New Hampshire Public Radio, and Nick Capodice, co-host of Civics 101. You can read our full list of suggest...
2023-12-2138 minOutside/InIs 'Yellowstone' ruining Montana?It’s tough to see your hometown portrayed in television and movies. New Englanders roll their eyes at overly quaint shots of church steeples and fall foliage. Minnesotans balk at the over-the-top accents in ‘Fargo.’ And now Montanans are struggling with the way the state is portrayed in the hit television series ‘Yellowstone.’The show stars Kevin Costner as the gravelly-voiced patriarch of the Dutton ranching family. They own a sprawling cattle operation on the edge of Yellowstone National Park and they will do whatever it takes – including a whole lot of murder – to protect their way of life from w...
2023-12-1429 minOutside/InDear ChatGPT: Are you a climate solution? Or climate problem?Some people think artificial intelligence is the best thing since sliced bread. Others say it’s the beginning of a science-fiction apocalypse. At COP28 – the U.N. Climate Change Conference – tech companies are saying AI is key to unlocking a more efficient future. But what if the truth is less sensational than all that? In this episode, how AI tools are helping and hurting efforts to curb climate change. From satellite-based flood maps to the growing energy cost of programs like ChatGPT, we’ll survey the use of artificial intelligence as a tool for climate action… an...
2023-12-0730 minOutside/InThe secret lives of bugsIt’s time again for our listener mail roundup, and this week, the theme is bugs, bugs, and more bugs. We discover what’s happening inside the chrysalis of a monarch butterfly, find out why fruit flies seem to spontaneously generate from over-ripe fruit, and ask if meat-eaters really are sweeter to mosquitoes. Plus, a cautionary tale about leaving the window screens open. What happens inside a chrysalis during metamorphosis?How does bioluminescence work?Are mosquitoes good for anything?Featuring Karen Oberhauser, Deidre Gibson, and Lyric Bartholomay. SUPPORTOutside/In is made p...
2023-11-1628 minOutside/InEnvironmental disinformation is getting weirderDuring disasters, people flock to social media to share warnings, coordinate in real time, and share images of the destruction. But others use the chaos of breaking news events to spread false information. On today’s episode, we’re exploring the rise of fake news in the environmental space, from #HawaiiNotUkraine, to a news site spreading climate disinformation in Wyoming. Plus, we speak to the people fighting back, including a community fact-checker correcting earthquake disinformation on X. SUPPORTOutside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustain...
2023-10-1925 minOutside/InClose Encounters with Mato TipilaBecome a sustaining member today. For $5 a month, we'll send you an Outside/In baseball cap. The first 250 people to donate during our fall fund drive will also receive a "ginkgo love" sticker. Support Outside/In today!As of late, Endless Thread co-host Ben Brock Johnson has been obsessed with a rock in Wyoming, a lot like the protagonist of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. But you won't find Ben in the kitchen, making a replica of the rock out of mud and chicken wire. Instead, you'll find him and co-host Amory Sivertson in th...
2023-10-0539 minOutside/InWhere there’s smoke, there’s ireBecome a sustaining member today. For $5 a month, we'll send you an Outside/In baseball cap. The first 250 people to donate during our fall fund drive will also receive a "ginkgo love" sticker. Support Outside/In today!Earlier this year, our host Nate Hegyi picked a fight with Ryan Zinke. Zinke is the former Interior Secretary under Trump – the guy who rode into office on horseback. In the midst of an awful few days in June, when Canadian wildfire smoke blanketed the entire east coast, Zinke took to Twitter and argued that the solution was “active...
2023-09-2827 minOutside/InThe greatest disaster story of all timeHelp us celebrate our 250th episode by becoming a sustaining member today. For $5 a month, we'll send you an Outside/In baseball cap. The first 250 people to donate during our fall fund drive will also receive a "ginkgo love" sticker. Support Outside/In today! From Dante’s Peak and Twister, to the twin apocalypse movies Armageddon and Deep Impact, Outside/In senior producer Taylor Quimby was raised on disaster movies. But with real climate-related catastrophes popping up more and more, one has to wonder:... what is it about disaster stories that were s...
2023-09-2130 minOutside/InThe last great tripIn the midst of a battle with cancer, Kathy Kral found herself facing another diagnosis: major depression.So, Kathy signed up for a clinical study to see if psilocybin – the psychedelic compound found in “magic mushrooms” – could help her confront her fears about cancer and death, as well as her deepest inner demons.Featuring Kathleen Kral, Manish Agrawal, and Norma Stevens. SUPPORTOutside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In. Talk to us! Follow Outside/In on Instagram...
2023-09-1431 minOutside/InLet's talk boundariesIt’s time again for our listener mail round-up, and this week, the theme is borders and boundaries. We learn what it means to define the “end of an era,” explore how close is too close to a black hole, and discuss the power of animal urine. Plus, we hear the story about the time the U.S. and Great Britain almost fought a border war… because of a pig. How do different animals mark their territory?How does surveying work?How close do you have to be to get pulled in by a black hole?How do historian...
2023-09-0723 minOutside/InAfter the avalanche: rescue gone wrongOn a bluebird day, in April of 2019, Snow Ranger Frank Carus set out to investigate a reported avalanche in the backcountry of Mt. Washington. He found a lone skier, buried several feet under the snow. He was severely hypothermic but alive.Wilderness EMTs can work for decades and never encounter this particular situation. And what happened next was an attempted rescue that people in Northern New England are still learning from. What happens when a rescue goes wrong? And how do first responders cope when an opportunity to save someone’s life slips through their fin...
2023-08-3134 minOutside/InOf lab mice and menAt any given time, millions of lab mice are being used in research facilities nationwide. And yet nearly all of them can be connected back to a single source: The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine, where the modern lab mouse was invented.What started as a research project aimed at understanding heredity is now a global business. Research on lab mice has led to more than two dozen Nobel prizes, helped save countless human lives, and has pushed science and medicine to new heights. But behind it all is a cost that’s rarely discussed outside of...
2023-08-2438 minOutside/InWhat the heck is El Niño, anyway?In case you hadn’t heard, El Niño is back in the news, and this time it’s pushing global temperatures to the 1.5-degree climate threshold, giving us a sneak preview of a world scorched by global warming. But when it comes to El Niño, the first question on people’s minds is usually…wait…what the heck is El Niño again?Well, today on Outside/In we’ve got answers. Plus, we ask how to tell if extreme weather events are caused by climate change or by El Niño, and consider what this El Niño can...
2023-08-1720 minOutside/InDrilled: The PanicAt Outside/In, we often talk about the challenge of covering climate in a way that doesn’t leave us feeling hopeless or overwhelmed. For us, that’s often meant staying curious and keeping a sense of humor. But a few years ago, investigative journalist Amy Westervelt had another idea. Why not use one of podcasting’s most popular genres—true crime—to tell the story of climate change? From greenwashing to climate denialism and corporate propaganda, Drilled makes accountability journalism a thrill to listen to, while consistently being one of the most informative sources for in-depth...
2023-08-1034 minOutside/InIf houseplants could talk: communication and the natural worldIt’s our listener mail round up, and this week it’s all about communication in the natural world, like: how do migratory animals teach their young how to migrate and where to go? Do sharks smell underwater? And, are plants talking to each other?Plus, a mini-story about a lost baby squirrel and a Bluetooth speaker.Take a listen!How do young animals know how to migrate?Can plants talk to each other?What makes an animal a pest?How do shark noses work underwater?Featuring: Patrik Byholm, Richard Karban, Bethany Brookshire, and...
2023-08-0323 minOutside/InOppenheimer's omissionWith 'Oppenheimer,' director Christopher Nolan has turned the Manhattan Project into a summer blockbuster. The film is set in Los Alamos, one of the primary places where the first atomic bomb was developed. But fewer people know the history of Carrizozo, a rural farming area downwind of the Trinity test — and a community still dealing with the fallout to this day.Radioactive fallout from the bomb settled on everything: the soil, gardens, and drinking water. Cow’s milk became radioactive. Later, hundreds of people developed radiogenic cancers. The people of Carrizozo were among the first...
2023-07-2033 minOutside/InDo your doo diligenceMost dog owners know they’re supposed to scoop the poop. But when a pup does the deed off the trail, a lot of otherwise responsible citizens find themselves wondering… Is it really better to pick it up in a plastic bag and throw it in the garbage? Isn’t dog poop… natural?Listen to the latest edition of This, That, or The Other Thing: our series about the little decisions we make in life to try and build a more sustainable world – whether they have any effect and what we can do instead if they don’t...
2023-06-2926 minOutside/InIs Biden a good climate president?As a candidate, Joe Biden called himself a climate change pioneer. He promised a green energy revolution. More renewables, way less fossil fuels, and a carbon-neutral economy by 2050. So two years in, how’s he doing?Outside/In host Nate Hegyi speaks with a political scientist and an environmental activist to figure out where Biden has pushed his climate agenda, where he hasn’t, and whether he’s an octopus or a bighorn sheep. Featuring: Aseem Prakash, Jean Su SUPPORTOutside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to...
2023-05-2525 minOutside/InA tale of two deserts: Are Saudi cows to blame for Arizona's water crisis?While the taps are running dry and reservoirs are disappearing in Arizona, a corporate farm from Saudi Arabia is pumping massive amounts of groundwater to grow alfalfa for cows back in the Middle East. Now, after years of inaction, Arizonans are pointing the finger at what they see as a foreign invader slurping up the last gulps of a diminishing water supply.But the truth is more complicated. In this episode, we dig deep into the history of Arizona’s water crisis and uncover a tale of dates, camels and dairy cows, and try to find...
2023-05-1124 minOutside/InIt's not easy being evergreenThe team peers into the Outside/Inbox to answer listener questions on the theme of “green,” a prompt which sends us exploring the hanging gardens of Babylon, xeriscaping, and the evolution of the human eye.1: What’s the benefit of being evergreen?2: How water-friendly is my lawn?3: How many city buildings have green roofs?4: Why did we evolve to see so many different shades of green?Featuring Georgia Silvera Seamans, Rubab Saher, Kate England, Abraham Wu, and Adriana Briscoe.Special thanks to Steven Peck. How to subm...
2023-05-0424 minOutside/InThe city inside a glacierIn the late 1950s, engineer Herb Ueda Sr. traveled to a remote Arctic military base. His mission? To drill through nearly a mile of ice, and extract the world’s first complete ice core.To finish the job, he and his team would endure sub-zero weather, toxic chemicals, and life inside a military base… which was slowly being crushed by the glacier from which it was carved. Producer Daniel Ackerman takes us inside Camp Century, and explains how a foundational moment in climate science is inextricably linked with the story of the United States military. F...
2023-04-2734 minOutside/InThe Race to Net Zero: will EVs get us there fast enough?Transitioning to electric vehicles is essential to meeting our climate goals. But there are so many barriers to overcome – from expanding EV charging infrastructure, to updating the power grid, to mining the metals that make batteries go.In the first of a two-part series on decarbonizing transportation, we try to answer the critical question: is it all happening fast enough to avoid the worst climate impacts?Featuring: Craig Bentley, Nora Naughton, Sara Baldwin, Thea RiofrancosIf you’ve got a question for the Outside/Inbox hotline, give us a call! We’re always lookin...
2023-04-1329 minOutside/InThe “extreme” beat: whale hearts, mudslides, and moreWhat’s the slowest heartbeat on the planet? What’s it like to live with zero sunlight? If you’ve ever picked up a copy of the Guinness Book of World Records, you know that people are drawn to extremes, be they geographical, philosophical, or biological. So this week, we’re cracking open the Outside/Inbox to answer your questions about the outer limits of life on Earth. We’ll learn about how landslides are way more common than you might think, why frogs are practically undead, and how researchers stay motivated through an Antarctic winter. ...
2023-01-2626 minOutside/In13 tips on how to "surthrive" this winterIt’s Outside/In’s annual winter show, in which the team gathers around the proverbial fire to share our best ideas towards becoming better friends with winter. The dream is to not just survive, but thrive – dare we say, to “surthrive” – and embrace the season, both the cold and the cozy.This year, we’re joined by the wonderful Mara Hoplamazian, climate and environment reporter at New Hampshire Public Radio. You can read our list here. We’d also love to hear your recommendations! We might even play them on the podcast or share your tips in our...
2022-12-0142 minOutside/InLegends of the fall: fallout shelters, dreams of falling, and autumnal vibesIt’s time to open our mailbag and answer your questions about fall – and not just the season. We’ve interpreted the theme to include everything from dreams about falling to fallout shelters and, um, tornadoes. Plus, we reveal the long-anticipated winner of our poll on best alternatives for replacing the term “leaf-peeping.”Question 1: Why do so many have recurring dreams about falling?Question 2: How do tornadoes figure in myths around the world? Question 3: How deep does a fallout shelter need to be? Question 4: Are berries ripening earlier because of climate ch...
2022-11-0324 minOutside/InWhy do we stare at fire and other existential questionsIt’s that time again when we open our mailbag to answer your (oh-so-delightful) questions. This time, we deliberate over what seagulls are doing so far from the sea, the reason that staring at fire is so compelling, why dogs kick up dirt after they poo, and other timeless inquiries.Submit your own question (the weirder the better) on Instagram, via email at outsidein@nhpr.org, or by calling our Outside/Inbox hotline: 1-844-GO-OTTER. Question 1: Would ice age humans still think of ice as ‘cold?’Question 2: Why do we like to stare at fire...
2022-09-1528 minOutside/InYour Wildest Wildlife EncountersEver have an unexpected animal encounter that leaves you filled with adrenaline? Or awed by the natural world? Or filled with fear? On this episode, we hand over the reins to the folks at Every Little Thing, a Spotify-exclusive podcast hosted by Flora Lichtman.They asked their listeners for stories about extreme animal run-ins, and boy did folks deliver…. From a tangled antlers conundrum, to a life-altering encounter with jellyfish, these are animal stories that will make you laugh, sweat, and want to stay on the boat. Thanks to Cory, Sara, Geoff and ever...
2022-09-0821 minOutside/InFrog Sex, Tree Soap, and Other Signs of SpringIt’s that time again, when scientists everywhere hold their breath as we open our listener mailbag. It’s spring in the northern hemisphere, so the theme of the questions in this episode is “growth” — with the exception of the last question, which is… kind of the opposite.Question 1: Um, what are those frogs doing? (go to our website to see the picture)Question 2: What’s that white foam that forms on trees when it rains?Question 3: Does moss get damaged when you walk on it?Question 4: What’s the best filling for rais...
2022-05-2628 minOutside/InOutside/Inbox: You Can't Get Further Outdoors than SpaceIn this episode, the final frontier of the outdoors: space! From rocket particles, to ominous theories about what might happen if we ever make contact with aliens, we’re launching into uncharted territory to answer your questions about outer space. And speaking of uncharted territory, we’re kicking this episode off with a very important introduction: our new host Nate Hegyi is picking up the mic for the first time. Question 1: How do I become a backyard astronomer? Here are seven Tips for getting started. Question 2: How sustainable is space travel? Question...
2022-03-2430 min