Spotify has ended our show. Thank you to everyone who listened, who left messages, who agreed to be interviewed, who shared their stories and their time. We loved making Every Little Thing with you.
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Goodbye

Has ELT ever been stumped? Producer Phoebe Flanigan tells us about the one that (almost) got away. 
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Cracking A Mysterious Fortune

Caller Janice accidentally flushed a favorite earring down the toilet and she wants to know where it ended up. Sewer experts Ted Gogol and Bruce Todd take us on a journey down the pipes, and historian Andrew Wallace Hadrill digs up a tale about the ancient jewelry that shared a similar fate.
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Sewer Secrets: Flushed But Not Forgotten

This week we’re pulling on an old favorite, one leg at a time: When did pants become a thing? Clothing researcher Ulrike “Rike” Beck and historian Adrienne Mayor unravel how this relatively recent invention turned the clothing world upside down. With special guest Emily Spivack.
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When Did Pants Become a Thing?

Listener Ben couldn’t stand baby talk — until he had a baby of his own. Now he can’t stop talking in a cutesy wootsy voice. Why did he go googoo for his baby, and is this something people do all over the world? Baby talk researcher Cody Moser breaks it down, and ecologist Mirjam Knörnschild tells us about another animal that talks to its young in a special widdle way.

An earlier version of this episode misidentified one of the languages spoken. We've corrected the error.


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Why Do We Baby Talk?

This week, we’re diving into a favorite episode. Caller Liana wants to know: How did goldfish come to dominate our fish bowls and pet stores? Pet historian Kasey Grier goes deep into the history of America’s favorite finned pet. Plus, goldfish freak Dave Mandley introduces us to the fanciest fish money can buy.
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Why Goldfish Swam Into Our Living Rooms

Today’s episode comes from our friends at How to Save a Planet. They’re answering a question lots of ELT listeners have asked: What’s the deal with lawns? HTSAP’s Daniel Ackerman talks to lawn expert Peter Groffman, who shares some surprising findings from his 20 years studying lawns. Plus, some tips for creating a climate-friendly yard. To hear more climate-change stories that inspire, check out How to Save a Planet on Spotify.
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Should You Pass on Grass? From ‘How to Save a Planet’

Caller Clay has a problem: when she hears bad news, she can’t help but smile. What’s causing Clay’s chagrined grin, and can she learn to tame it? Social psychologist Oriana Aragon tells us why Clay’s face might not mesh with her feelings, and professional smile-stifler Jacques Bailly spells out how he keeps a straight face.
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Why Does Bad News Make Me Smile?

Caller Christy needs to know if she’s lying to her kid. She’s been reading a children’s book about chameleons to her daughter, and she’s wondering if it’s accurate. Chameleon expert Russell Ligon gives us the real story on chameleons and color change. Plus, biologist and head of Skype a Scientist Sarah McAnulty tips us off about nature’s top doyens of disguise.
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Chameleons: Kings of Camouflage … or Not?

A listener wants to know: is it time to expunge the sponge? We soak up some food science knowledge from experts Ian Shaw, Kathryn Boor and Renée Goodrich.
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Should I Scrap My Sponge?

Caller Kelli has an issue: whenever she daydreams about her crush, she sneezes. Kelli wants to know why her steamy thoughts trigger projectile snots, and whether other people fanta-sneeze. We dig around for answers with ear, nose and throat surgeon Mahmood Bhutta and neuroscientist and daydreaming expert Chantel Prat.
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Naughty Thoughts Make Me… Sneeze?

We asked you for stories about your most extreme animal run-ins, and we got a flock of them. From a tangled antlers conundrum, to a toothy underwater panic, and a life-altering encounter with jellyfish, your animal stories made us laugh, sweat and want to stay on the boat. Thanks to Cory, Sara, Geoff and everyone who called in with a wild animal tale.
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Your Wildest Wildlife Encounters

This week, we’re revisiting caller Sadera’s burning question: When there’s a wildfire, how do we figure out what caused it? Fire investigator Paul Steensland tells ELT what he searches for in the burnt landscape, and the clues that can lead him to the cause.
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What Sparked That Wildfire?

This week, a tangled tale from the archives. Kate, a “hair is life” kind of person, asks about the invention that keeps her hair out of her face. Hair stylist and archaeologist Janet Stephens takes us into the history of hair care, and scrunchie queen Rommy Revson tells the story of an invention that changed up-do’s forever.
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Meet the Scrunchie Queen

This week, we’re resurfacing a favorite episode. Caller Jessica wants to know what lives under our city streets. Urban evolutionary biologist and rat expert Jason Munshi-South takes us into the subways and sewer systems of NYC to meet the creatures who live there. Plus, animal behavioral scientist Jennifer Verdolin delivers the 411 on another underground underdog: prairie dogs.
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What Lurks Under Our Cities?

This week, we’re revisiting a favorite episode. Caller Elle wants to know: how did we decide that pink is for girls and blue is for boys? Textiles and clothing historian Jo Paoletti and cultural historian of medicine, gender and the body Hanne Blank tell us how pink and blue got gender-coded.
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Pink for Girls, Blue for Boys — Why?

Caller Lindsay wants to know: Why the flock do pigeons seem to prefer grimy city streets over picture-perfect pastures and wide open spaces? Urban wildlife researcher and pigeon stalker Elizabeth Carlen helps us get to the bottom of this perplexing paradox. Turns out, we’re partly to blame.
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Why Pigeons Took Over Cities

Caller Sarah had a question about the ghosts of birth control past. Lawyer-turned-historian Elizabeth Koester tells us a haunting tale about the Canadian woman who was arrested for talking about contraception and the man who wanted to see her put on trial.
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Birth Control’s Haunting History

We asked you to share your most cherished voicemails, and you flooded the ELT hotline with hilarious and heartfelt messages. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories. And if you have a voicemail you can’t delete, it’s not too late to call and tell us about it. Call 833-RING-ELT.
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The Voicemail You Can’t Delete

The Westminster Kennel Club dog show is approaching and we dug up one of our favorite episodes to celebrate. Terriers have won Best in Show at Westminster 48 times. Dachshunds? Never. Listener Yona wants to know why terriers triumph and dachshunds never get their due. Dog show judge Laurie Williams and dachshund-diehard Kim McCalmont take us behind the scenes of the dog show world.
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