Most Americans can look down at their phone and see a prediction of the future. How is that even possible?Well, this episode from Civics 101 is all about the weather – from early predictive methods and almanacs to the National Weather Service's modern-day practices of collecting, analyzing, and sharing a staggering amount of data.Featuring Kris Harper and Felicia Bowser SUPPORTClick here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In.Check out more episodes from Civics 101.Follow Outside/In on Instagram and X, or discuss episodes in our private listener group on Facebook. CREDITSThis episode of Civics 101 was produced by Hannah McCarthy with Nick Capodice and Christina Phillips.Outside/In is hosted by Nate Hegyi. The team also includes Taylor Quimby, Justine Paradis, and Felix Poon. The executive producer of Civics 101 and Outside/In is Rebecca Lavoie.Civics 101 and Outside/In are productions of New Hampshire Public Radio.If you’ve got a question for the Outside/Inbox hotline, give us a call! We’re always looking for rabbit holes to dive down into. Leave us a voicemail at: 1-844-GO-OTTER (844-466-8837). Don’t forget to leave a number so we can call you back.

How does the National Weather Service work?

For humans, roads epitomize freedom. For wildlife, it’s a different story: a million animals are killed by cars every day in the US alone.How did our infrastructure turn so deadly? And what are people trying to do about it?In this episode, we look at how two very different species are impacted by roads. Along the way, we visit a turtle rescue clinic, hear about a celebrity cougar that was trapped in the Hollywood Hills, and find out what it took to fund what will soon be the world’s largest wildlife bridge.Featuring Ben Goldfarb, Alexxia Bell, Natasha Nowick, and Michaela Conder. 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 or Twitter, or discuss the show in our private listener group on Facebook.  LINKSFrom bears to badgers, and crocodiles in Florida to salamanders in Vermont – check out these videos of wildlife crossings in action across the country. (NYTimes)Check out Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet, by Ben Goldfarb.Read more about The Turtle Rescue League in Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell, by Sy Montgomery.Engross yourself in the stories of the National Park Service’s Puma Profiles of the Santa Monica Mountains. CREDITSHost: Nate HegyiReported, produced, and mixed by Felix Poon.Edited by Taylor Quimby.Our team also includes Justine Paradis.Rebecca Lavoie is our Executive Producer.Music for this episode by Jay Varton, Rand Aldo, and Blue Dot Sessions.Theme music by Breakmaster Cylinder.Outside/In is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio.

Why did the road cross the chicken?

It’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 possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In. Subscribe to our newsletter (it’s free!).Follow Outside/In on Instagram or join our private discussion group on Facebook. LINKSLearn more about our mosquito expert, Lyric Bartholomay, in this video about her and her work.This National Geographic article has a good overview of bioluminescence, plus some great photos.Consumer Reports details how it tests bug spray and lists some high-performing products. CREDITSHost: Nate HegyiReported, produced, and mixed by Taylor Quimby, Justine Paradis, and Felix Poon.Executive producer: Rebecca LavoieMusic by Blue Dot Sessions.Our theme music is by Breakmaster Cylinder.Outside/In is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio Submit a question to the “Outside/Inbox.” We answer queries about the natural world, climate change, sustainability, and human evolution. You can send a voice memo to outsidein@nhpr.org or leave a message on our hotline, 1-844-GO-OTTER (844-466-8837).

The secret lives of bugs

Forget about beer, or even water; it was hard apple cider that was THE drink of choice in colonial America. Even kids drank it! And since it’s made from apples – the “all-American” fruit – what could be more American than cider?But apples aren’t native to America. They’re originally from Kazakhstan.In this episode we look at the immigration story of Malus domestica, the domesticated apple, from its roots in the wild forests of Central Asia, to its current status as an American icon. And we look at how apples and cider were used in some of America’s biggest migrations – from Indigenous tribes who first brought apples west across the continent, to the new immigrants who are using hard cider to bridge cultures and find belonging.  Featuring Soham Bhatt and Susan Sleeper Smith.Special thanks to everyone Felix spoke to at the Cider Days Festival, including Judith Maloney, Carol Hillman, Ben Clark, Ben Watson, Charlie Olchowski, William Grote, and Bob Sabolefski.Editor’s Note: This episode first aired in February of 2022. 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, or discuss episodes in our private listener group on Facebook.  LINKSHow to Make Hard CiderGeorge and Ursula Granger: The Erasure of Enslaved Black Cidermakers, by Darlene Hayes.An Apple Commons, reflections by Melissa Maddens on what it means to forage from wild apple orchards – relics of this country’s history of dispossessing Indigenous people of their lands.Open Spaces Cider – Melissa Maddens’ cidery focuses on reparations and reconciliation for living off a land that was taken from Indigenous peoples. CREDITSReported, produced and mixed by Felix PoonEdited by Taylor Quimby, with help by Justine Paradis, Jessica Hunt,  and Rebecca Lavoie.Host: Nate HegyiExecutive producer: Rebecca LavoieMusic for this episode by Jharee, Kevin MacLeod  and Blue Dot Sessions.Our theme music is by Breakmaster Cylinder.Outside/In is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio If you’ve got a question for the Outside/In[box] hotline, give us a call! We’re always looking for rabbit holes to dive down into. Leave us a voicemail at: 1-844-GO-OTTER (844-466-8837). Don’t forget to leave a number so we can call you back.

As American as hard apple cider: an immigrant food story

According to our unscientific office poll, the annual changing of the clocks has all the popularity of a root canal. With few exceptions, people described the shift to and from Daylight Saving Time as disorienting, arbitrary, and unwelcome.On a more existential level, winding the clocks back and forth reminds us that no matter how concrete minutes and hours may feel, the way we perceive time is fluid. Time flies when you’re having fun. A watched pot never boils. So to celebrate (or perhaps protest) another year setting back the clocks, the Outside/In team has uncovered four mini-stories that will poke at, stretch, or even obliterate your perception of time. From “time expansion experiences,” to time-space synesthesia, to the slow-motion life of a fly, prepare for a totally different type of time warp.Featuring Steve Taylor, Rhitu Chatterjee, Kevin Healy, Katherine Akey, and Patricia Lynne Duffy.

Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana

Depending on who you ask bats are either a favorite mascot of spooky season, a dangerous nuisance and vector for rabies, or a charismatic group of nocturnal mammals in need of protection. So when Outside/In host Nate Hegyi moved to the countryside of Montana and discovered a colony of bats living in the siding of his new house, he was forced to make a decision. Evict the bats that pest control people suggest could be endangering his family? Or try and embrace his inner Bruce Wayne? Featuring: Susan Tsong, Steph Hunt, Mike Hegyi, Penny Hegyi, Christine Bellis SUPPORTOutside/In is listener-supported. Become a sustaining member today for $5 a month, and we'll send you an Outside/In baseball cap.  Subscribe to our (free) newsletter.Follow Outside/In on Instagram or Twitter, or join our private discussion group on FacebookCREDITSHost: Nate HegyiReported and produced by Nate HegyiEdited by Taylor QuimbyOur team also includes Felix Poon and Justine ParadisRebecca Lavoie is our Executive ProducerMusic for this episode by Blue Dot SessionsOutside/In  is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio

Bat Out of Hell Ranch

During 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 sustaining member of Outside/In. Subscribe to our newsletter (it’s free!).Follow Outside/In on Instagram or join our private discussion group on Facebook.Submit a question to the “Outside/Inbox.” We answer queries about the natural world, climate change, sustainability, and human evolution. You can send a voice memo to outsidein@nhpr.org or leave a message on our hotline, 1-844-GO-OTTER (844-466-8837). LINKSThis article, written before Elon Musk took over X, profiled Celeste Labedz and some other folks fighting diisonfmration on social media (Poynter)Check out Caroline Orr Bueno’s substack newsletter, Weaponized, and her piece about the #HawaiiNotUkraine hashtag. Jem Bartholomew’s story about the sudden growth of a Wyoming news site that’s rife with climate disinformation (CJR)  CREDITSHost: Nate HegyiReported and produced by Jeongyoon HanMixed by Taylor QuimbyEdited by Taylor Quimby, with help from Nate Hegyi and Felix Poon. Our staff also includes Justine Paradis.Rebecca Lavoie is NHPR’s Director of On-Demand Audio.Music by Blue Dot SessionsOur theme music is by Breakmaster Cylinder.Outside/In is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio

Environmental disinformation is getting weirder

Become 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!Flying is a mess. Underserved airports, a global pilot shortage, and incessant extra fees… not to mention, of course, the emissions. But, in 2022, an aviation start-up debuted “the world’s first all-electric passenger plane.” They say that electric flight can help address not only emissions, but also entrenched problems in the entire aviation system. Can it? Featuring Noah Karberg, Lynnette Dray, Dan Wolf, and Greg Davis, with appearances by Jim Goddard, Scott Genthner, Joe Urbanski, and Bill Guinee. SUPPORTOutside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member. Subscribe to our (free) newsletter.Follow Outside/In on Instagram or Twitter, or join our private discussion group on Facebook LINKSWhy do airlines try to sell you credit cards? Because “airlines are just banks now.” (The Atlantic)Experts told us the aviation system is, by and large, quite safe… but it might be more complicated. (New York Times)  CREDITSOutside/In host: Nate HegyiReported, produced, and mixed by Justine Paradis Edited by Taylor QuimbyOur team also includes Felix Poon. NHPR’s Director of Podcasts is Rebecca LavoieMusic by bomull, Bill Vortex, Guustavv, Xavy Rusan, Bonkers Beat Club, Nul Tiel Records, Adelyn Paik, Shiruky, Uncle Bibby, Scott Gratton, and Blue Dot Sessions.Outside/In is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio.

Do airports dream of electric planes?

Become 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 this episode, traversing Reddit and TikTok, YouTube, and the actual state of Wyoming to find out why hundreds of thousands of people have been drawn to a monolith that has so many names and meanings.This episode is part of Endless Thread’s latest 4-part series called Parks! SUPPORTOutside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In. Subscribe to our newsletter (it’s free!).Follow Outside/In on Instagram or join our private discussion group on Facebook.Submit a question to the “Outside/Inbox.” We answer queries about the natural world, climate change, sustainability, and human evolution. You can send a voice memo to outsidein@nhpr.org or leave a message on our hotline, 1-844-GO-OTTER (844-466-8837). CREDITSOutside/In is hosted by Nate Hegyi. Our team includes Taylor Quimby, Justine Paradis, and Felix Poon. Our Executive Producer is Rebecca Lavoie.This episode of Endless Thread was produced by Ben Brock Johnson, co-hosted by Amory Sivertson, and produced by Samata Joshi, Grace Tatter, and Quincy WaltersIt was mixed and sound-designed by Paul Vaitkus.Endless Thread is a production of WBUR. Outside/In is a production of NHPR. 

Close Encounters with Mato Tipila

Become 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 forest management.” Nate assumed that was a political code word for more logging, something Republicans have been pushing for years. But instead of firing back, he decided to fact-check his assumptions and study up. Why are Canadian wildfires getting so intense? Is it possible to stop the smoke by logging the boreal forest? And what would Teddy Roosevelt have to say about this?!Featuring Phil Higuera, John Vaillant, Ryan Zinke, and Courtney Shultz. SUPPORTOutside/In is made possible with listener support.   Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In. Subscribe to our newsletter (it’s free!).Follow Outside/In on Instagram or join our private discussion group on Facebook.Submit a question to the “Outside/Inbox.” We answer queries about the natural world, climate change, sustainability, and human evolution. You can send a voice memo to outsidein@nhpr.org or leave a message on our hotline, 1-844-GO-OTTER (844-466-8837). LINKSCheck out our episode about prescribed burns (10X10: Pine Barrens).The NPS has a good overview of how indigenous fire practices shaped North America.“As Canada reels from wildfire, First Nations hope for larger role” (Al Jazeera) CREDITSHosted, reported and produced by Nate HegyiEdited by Taylor Quimby and Rebecca LavoieOur team also includes Justine Paradis, Jeongyoon Han, and Felix Poon. Rebecca Lavoie is our Executive ProducerMusic by Blue Dot SessionsOutside/In is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio 

Where there’s smoke, there’s ire

Help 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 so appealing in the first place? Do they have anything redeeming to teach us about ourselves or our planet? Taylor attempts to answer that question (and weirdly enough, to celebrate Outside/In’s 250th episode) by looking back at one of the planet’s all-time worst disasters: The Permian-Triassic Extinction Event, or as it’s sometimes called “The Great Dying.” Featuring Michael Benton. SUPPORTOutside/In is made possible with listener support.   Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In. Subscribe to our newsletter (it’s free!).Follow Outside/In on Instagram or join our private discussion group on Facebook.Submit a question to the “Outside/Inbox.” We answer queries about the natural world, climate change, sustainability, and human evolution. You can send a voice memo to outsidein@nhpr.org or leave a message on our hotline, 1-844-GO-OTTER (844-466-8837). CREDITSHost: Nate HegyiReported and produced by Taylor QuimbyMixed by Taylor QuimbyEditing by Rebecca Lavoie and Nate Hegyi.Executive producer: Rebecca LavoieMusic by Blue Dot Sessions.Our theme music is by Breakmaster Cylinder.Outside/In is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio

The greatest disaster story of all time

In 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 or Twitter, or discuss the show in our private listener group on Facebook. Submit a question to our Outside/Inbox. We answer queries about the natural world, climate change, sustainability, and human evolution. You can send a voice memo to outsidein@nhpr.org or leave a message on our hotline, 1-844-GO-OTTER (844-466-8837). LINKSCan Psychedelic Therapy Offer a Sense of Peace for the Dying?The Sunstone Psilocybin Playlist patients listen to during their psychedelic tripsCitationsIn the psilocybin study Kathy Kral participated in, 80% of participants experienced a significant reduction in depression, and half were no longer depressed at all. These results were persistent even a year and a half after their psilocybin sessions.Psychedelics cause hallucinations because they compromise the part of the brain that processes what you see, and promote communication between different parts of your brain that usually don’t talk to each other.Risks associated with psilocybin range from nausea and increased heart rate, to Hallucination Persisting Perception Disorder where people continue having hallucinations for months or years after the trip has ended. But magic mushrooms had the lowest rates of associated emergency room visits out of any drug surveyed by the Global Drug Survey in 2019, 2020, and 2021. And researchers have found that psychedelics are not addictive in lab animals, and the lethal dose of psilocybin is so high that overdoses are impractical and rare.  CREDITSHost: Nate HegyiReported, produced, and mixed by Felix PoonEdited by Taylor Quimby with help from Rebecca Lavoie, Nate Hegyi, Justine Paradis, and Jeongyoon Han.Rebecca Lavoie is our Executive ProducerSpecial thanks to Evan Craig, Heather Honstein, Kathryn Tucker, and Erinn Baldeshwiler.Music for this episode by Blue Dot Sessions, Pawan Krishna, the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra, and Paul De Bra.Theme music by Breakmaster Cylinder.Outside/In is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio.

The last great trip

It’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 historians decide how to categorize chunks of time?Featuring Eric Salovich, Naoufal Souitat, Dagomar Degroot, and Christine Wilkinson. 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 or Twitter, or discuss the show in our private listener group on Facebook. Submit a question to our Outside/Inbox. We answer queries about the natural world, climate change, sustainability, and human evolution. You can send a voice memo to outsidein@nhpr.org or leave a message on our hotline, 1-844-GO-OTTER (844-466-8837). CREDITSHost: Nate HegyiReported and produced by Nate Hegyi, Taylor Quimby, Justine Paradis, Felix Poon and Jeongyoon Han. Edited by Taylor QuimbyExecutive Producer: Rebecca Lavoie Music by Blue Dot Sessions.Outside/In is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio

Let's talk boundaries

On 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 fingers?Editor’s Note: This episode first aired in May of 2022, and was later honored with a National Edward R. Murrow Award for News Documentary. Featuring: Denise Butler, Frank Carus, Jeff Fongemie, Nicholas WeinbergSUPPORTOutside/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 and Twitter, or discuss episodes in our private listener group on Facebook. Submit a question to our Outside/Inbox. We answer queries about the natural world, climate change, sustainability, and human evolution. You can send a voice memo to outsidein@nhpr.org or leave a message on our hotline, 1-844-GO-OTTER (844-466-8837).LINKSLearn more about avalanche safety here.Read the Wilderness Medical Society Journal article about this incident here.CREDITSHost: Nate HegyiReported and produced by: Jessica HuntMixer: Taylor QuimbyEditing by Taylor Quimby and Nate Hegyi, with help and feedback from Rebecca Lavoie, Justine Paradis, Felix Poon, Erika Janik, Sam Evans-Brown, Jimmy Gutierrez, and Christina Philips.Rebecca Lavoie is our Executive ProducerSpecial Thanks to: Matt Dustin, Ty Gagne, Frank Hubbell, and Andrew Parrella. Music for this episode by Blue Dot Sessions.Outside/In  is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio.

After the avalanche: rescue gone wrong

At 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 the ethics boards that determine how lab mice are used.   In this episode, we hear the story of how a leading eugenicist turned the humble mouse from a household pest into science’s number one guinea pig. Plus, we get a rare peek inside the Jackson Laboratory - where over 10,000 strains of lab mice DNA are kept cryogenically frozen. Featuring Bethany Brookshire, Kristin Blanchette, Lon Cardon, Rachael Pelletier, Karen Rader, Nadia Rosenthal and Mark Wanner.SUPPORTOutside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In. Subscribe to our newsletter (it’s free!).Follow Outside/In on Instagram or join our private discussion group on Facebook.Submit a question to the “Outside/Inbox.” We answer queries about the natural world, climate change, sustainability, and human evolution. You can send a voice memo to outsidein@nhpr.org or leave a message on our hotline, 1-844-GO-OTTER (844-466-8837).LINKSKaren Rader’s book, Making Mice: Standardizing Animals for American Biomedical Research, 1900-1955, is a definitive source on the birth of the lab mouse…Curious to learn more about pests? Take a look at Bethany Brookshire’s book, Pests: How Humans Create Villains.This piece from the New Yorker questions the assumptions and ethical choices scientists have made by using lab mice in sterilized lab environments.In this New York Times essay, Brandon Keim explores how some ethicists want to reduce harm to animals used for research through a new model: repaying them. CREDITSProduced by Jeongyoon HanMixed by Taylor QuimbyEditing by Taylor Quimby, with help from Nate Hegyi, Rebecca Lavoie, Justine Paradis, and Felix PoonExecutive producer: Rebecca LavoieMusic by Blue Dot Sessions, Spring Gang, and El Flaco Collective. Our theme music is by Breakmaster Cylinder.Outside/In is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio

Of lab mice and men

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 tell us about our climate future.Featuring Kim Cobb, Emily Becker, and Ángel Muñoz. 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 or Twitter, or discuss the show in our private listener group on Facebook. Submit a question to our Outside/Inbox. We answer queries about the natural world, climate change, sustainability, and human evolution. You can send a voice memo to outsidein@nhpr.org or leave a message on our hotline, 1-844-GO-OTTER (844-466-8837). LINKSRead Kim Cobb’s 2016 article, A bittersweet victory for an El Niño chaser – Cobb explains how her research on corals gives us a surprisingly accurate history of El Niño events going back as far as 7,000 years ago.The National Weather Service for the UK has a great video explainer of El Nino, as well as over a hundred other short videos on their YouTube channel explaining various weather and climate phenomena like jet streams, global circulation, and the Coriolis effect.For more science-talk on El Nino, check out the ENSO Blog, where climate scientist Emily Becker is a lead writer. CREDITSHost: Nate HegyiReported and produced by Felix PoonEdited by Taylor Quimby with help from Justine Paradis and Nate Hegyi.Rebecca Lavoie is our Executive ProducerSpecial thanks to Jeongyoon Han for playing the violin, and Michael Prentky for the timpani recording.Music for this episode by Blue Dot Sessions, Walt Adams, and Brightarm Orchestra.Outside/In  is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio

What the heck is El Niño, anyway?

At 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 climate news.So today, we’re featuring the first episode of their latest three-part series: “Herb.” This is the story of Herb Schmertz, the political strategist-turned-oil-man who popularized corporate personhood, and how it's become one of the biggest problems facing climate action today. Featuring Robert Kerr and Robert BruhlRead the episode transcript. SUPPORTOutside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In. Subscribe to our newsletter (it’s free!).Follow Outside/In on Instagram or join our private discussion group on Facebook.Submit a question to the “Outside/Inbox.” We answer queries about the natural world, climate change, sustainability, and human evolution. You can send a voice memo to outsidein@nhpr.org or leave a message on our hotline, 1-844-GO-OTTER (844-466-8837). CREDITSThis episode of Drilled was written and reported by Amy Westervelt. It was produced and sound designed by Martin Zaltz Ostwick. Sound engineer: Peter Doff Additional reporting by Julia ManepelaFact checking: Wudan YanOutside/In is hosted by Nate Hegyi. The team also includes Tayor Quimby, Justine Paradis, Felix Poon, and Jeongyoon Han. Outside/In’s executive producer is Rebecca LavoieOutside/In is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio

Drilled: The Panic

It’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 Stephen Kajiura. 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 or Twitter, or discuss the show in our private listener group on Facebook. Submit a question to our Outside/Inbox. We answer queries about the natural world, climate change, sustainability, and human evolution. You can send a voice memo to outsidein@nhpr.org or leave a message on our hotline, 1-844-GO-OTTER (844-466-8837). LINKSVisit outsideinradio.org for video of a Bluetooth speaker-assisted baby squirrel rescue.On animal migration:A magnetic compass aids monarch butterfly migrationPaternal transmission of migration knowledge in a long-distance bird migrantOn plants talking:Rumor Has It…: Relay Communication of Stress Cues in PlantsTowards understanding plant bioacousticsOn what makes an animal a pest:The long history of speed at Reuters about carrier pigeons and The Tastiest Bird You Can Legally Eat about the tastiness of pigeon meat, also known as squabBurmese Pythons: The Giant Invasive Snake at Risk in Its Native LandOn sharks:Check out the Shark Lab at Florida Atlantic University.Scientists believe sharks came into existence about 400 million years ago. CREDITSHost: Nate HegyiReported and produced by Felix Poon, Jeongyoon Han, Taylor Quimby, and Jessica HuntEdited by Taylor QuimbyRebecca Lavoie is our Executive ProducerSpecial thanks to Lani Asuncion and Angus MurphyMusic for this episode by Blue Dot SessionsOutside/In  is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio

If houseplants could talk: communication and the natural world

Wine is considered to be an expression of a place and climate, a reflection of centuries-old traditions. But these days, a lot of wine is a product of an industrialized agricultural system, and just as processed as the bulk of products in the grocery store. Today on Outside/In, we take a look at what really goes into your wine, and at a growing movement exploring just how “natural” wine can be. Featuring Julia Furukawa, Helen Johannesen, and Lee Campbell, with appearances by Lucy Leske, Steve Paradis, Jenny Paradis, Elsie Turner Matthews, and Samuel Golding. SUPPORTOutside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member. Subscribe to our (free) newsletter.Follow Outside/In on Instagram or Twitter, or join our private discussion group on Facebook LINKSLee Campbell is a partner in a Virginia winery called Common Wealth Crush. Helen Johannesen is a partner in Jon & Vinny’s and Helen’s Wines, a wine shop and delivery club in Los Angeles. She’s also the host of Wineface podcast, with episodes covering the basics of natural wine, a deeper dive on the specific grapes (like pinot noir), and an introduction to certain styles, like orange wine. Julia Furukawa is the host of All Things Considered at New Hampshire Public Radio. Check out her investigative reporting on a lack of evidence for some claims of Abenaki ancestry in New England.  5 tips for navigating the world of natural wine1. As Helen Johannesen likes to say, “wine is for enjoying and wine is for everyone,” but it’s also a luxury. Still, you can get natural  wines for $20 a bottle or less. The hard part is finding them.2. If you’re trying to figure out whether a wine is natural or not, turn the bottle around and look at the importer on the back. There are certain importers who seek out small producers who are aligned with the natural wine movement. A couple of importers with such a reputation are Zev Rovine and Jenny & Francois.3. If possible, find a local brick-and-mortar wine shop. They’re more likely to help you find a natural wine. Plus, wine shops often offer free or low-cost tastings, which can help you figure out what you like without spending a ton of money. There are online wine subscription services that have natural wines as well.4. If you’re just dipping your toe into the natural wine world, start with what you like. If you love Sauvignon Blanc, try a natural bottle of the same variety.5. Last, have a good time! Don’t get intimidated or think that you have to be completely pure about it. Again, in the end, wine is supposed to be fun.-Justine P. CREDITSOutside/In Host: Nate HegyiHosted, reported, written, and produced by Justine Paradis Mixed and edited by Taylor QuimbyOur team also includes Felix Poon and Jeongyoon Han. Executive producer: Rebecca LavoieMusic by Matt Large and Blue Dot SessionsOutside/In is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio.

What's really in your wine?

With '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 people in the world exposed to a nuclear blast. More than 75 years later, their families are still fighting for medical compensation from the federal government.Host Nate Hegyi traveled to New Mexico to visit the Trinity Site, and to hear the stories of so-called ‘downwinders’.Featuring: Paul Pino, Tina Cordova, Ben Ray LujanEditor's note: A previous version of this description incorrectly described Los Alamos as the site of the first atomic bomb test. The actual test took place in the White Sands Missle Range.SUPPORTOutside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In. Subscribe to our newsletter (it’s free!).Follow Outside/In on Instagram or join our private discussion group on Facebook.Submit a question to the “Outside/Inbox.” We answer queries about the natural world, climate change, sustainability, and human evolution. You can send a voice memo to outsidein@nhpr.org or leave a message on our hotline, 1-844-GO-OTTER (844-466-8837). LINKSThe federal government has produced a few studies on the fallout from Trinity. This one from Los Alamos found that there was still contamination in the area in 1985. Another, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, produced one of the most in-depth histories of the fallout from Trinity and the government’s reaction.The National Cancer Institute found that hundreds of people likely developed cancer because of the fallout. The history of Trinity is full of strange little details, like the desert toads that were croaking all night. You can find affidavits and first-hand accounts of the fallout from Trinity at the Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium website. This review by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists explains why it’s so hard to determine a definitive death toll for the U.S. bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during WWII.  CREDITSHost: Nate HegyiReported and produced by Nate HegyiEdited by Taylor QuimbyEditing help from Rebecca Lavoie, Justine Paradis, Felix Poon, and Jeongyoon HanRebecca Lavoie is our Executive ProducerMusic for this episode by Blue Dot SessionsOutside/In is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio

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