How an elite university became a gruesome stop on a nationwide network of human remains trading.

A scholar and an activist make an uncompromising ultimatum.

A classroom display of human skulls sparks a reckoning at the Penn Museum in Philadelphia.

A visit to a modern-day bone library, and a fight over the future of ethical science.

A map, a compass, a smartphone, an adaptive bike… What counts as “technology” on the trail?

The team checks our voicemail and makes a shocking discovery.

Refrigerated food used to be seen as unnatural. Now, it’s warped our very definition of the word “fresh.”

How we turned one of our country’s biggest rivers into a machine - and what happens when that machine starts... more

The coolest and most uplifting element is rarer than you might think.

When fear is almost fun... and when it’s just plain terrifying.

How new findings in plant behavior science are raising questions about plant life, awareness, and even “intelligence.”

We’re outsourcing one of the most important human skills to satellites and smartphones. What would happen if GPS disappeared?

What the nose knows, why smells have such a powerful connection to memory, and Nate’s fix for garlic breath hypersensitivity.

Can scientists foster old-growth redwoods… by cutting some of the younger ones down?

Paris wants a gold medal in sustainability. Should they get one for greenwashing instead?

Poet and author Aimee Nezhukumatathil dishes up three flavors that have connected her to others – one familiar, one sweet,... more

From the station that makes Outside/In, a powerful new series about one of the biggest youth detention scandals in American... more

There are more than 9,000 satellites orbiting the planet. The vast majority are owned and operated by one company: Starlink.

In which we reconsider the humble spud.

Ed Yong won a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on the pandemic. Now, he’s found another way to help: birding.

Could your relationship survive twelve winters in the most remote areas of Yosemite National Park?

We open the mailbag to answer your questions about dog drool and waste-water treatment, plus, we debunk a climate narrative... more

Want to know how hundreds of millions of birds die every year? Just look out the window.

From the near-extinction of bison to “panda diplomacy": the story of our National Zoo

How often do you think about the Roman Empire?

The Colorado River is disappearing – can one Gen Z dealmaker help save it?

From Napoleon's cutlery to the WWII occupation of Greenland, we dig up the hidden history behind the most abundant metal... more

What happens when the growing threat of landslides collides with a housing crisis?

If we’re in the middle of a mass extinction, shouldn’t more species be going extinct?

Some social media influencers tout the all-meat diet and say that plants are making people sick. The science says otherwise.

Is hemp overhyped? Or is it a planet-saving super plant?

In which we consider Flaco the Eurasian eagle owl, impulse goat purchases, and a big night for salamanders. Plus, our... more

The SEC is trying to make sustainable investing easier. But can you save for retirement in a way that’s both... more

Host Nate Hegyi looks at the hidden history behind the world’s first radioactive fallout.

We gather tips on how to manipulate — er, inspire kids into liking the outdoors, and stories of what happens... more

Grass is the sand-killer.

Producer Felix Poon exits his comfort zone and picks up a crossbow, to find out if one weekend in the... more

Who should wear the crown of GSOAT (Greatest Species of All Time), and are humans even in the running?

Life on a scientific mission to one of Antarctica’s most remote glaciers.

What’s the greenest way to die: casket, cremation, or compost?

Roses are red, violets are… red-absorbing? We tackle your questions on the illusory essence of nature’s most elusive color.

What happens when a symbol of the American West is also a nuisance?

Thought these frequently frowned-upon birds were boring, metropolitan pests? Think again.

In 1994, the world’s first oat milk company was born in Sweden. Three decades later, Oatly is on a high-stakes... more

How game designers created the 'natural world' of Skyrim

The weather outside is frightful, but don’t let that stop you from having a wonderful winter.

‘Yellowstone’ is one of the most popular television shows in the country. What does it get right – and wrong... more

AI is a powerful tool for climate science. It’s also a dangerous distraction.

A brief history of the national agency tasked with predicting the future

From turtles to cougars, the answer to the roadkill epidemic might require more infrastructure, not less.

We peek inside the chrysalis and answer your questions about mosquitoes, fireflies, and more.

What if apples have more in common with American immigrants than they do colonial heritage?

Let’s do the time warp again

Nate discovers a colony of bats living in the siding of his new house and is forced to either evict... more

We tracked down the people fighting fake news on social media to ask them how they do it. .

Please fasten your seatbelts. The future of decarbonized aviation is preparing for take-off.

Endless Thread’s Ben Brock Johnson is obsessed with a National Monument that goes by many names.

Republicans say the solution to wildfires is more logging. Are they right?

You think the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs was bad? Wait until you hear about the Siberian Traps.

Can psilocybin help cancer patients confront their feelings about death?

Spaghettification by black hole, the power of animal urine, and the end of an era.

How do wilderness EMTs cope when a rescue goes wrong?

The story of how a leading eugenicist and a handful of wealthy automakers helped engineer the modern lab mouse.

We’re talking about the OG climate mystery known as El Niño. What is it? How did it get its name?... more

A true crime story about Big Oil, climate action, and the invention of “corporate free speech.”

From ultrasonic beats made by tomato plants to the nose of the shark and the migration of the monarch butterfly,... more

It's not just grapes.

With the film ‘Oppenheimer’ coming out this week, host Nate Hegyi takes a look at the hidden history behind the... more

The world is literally getting noisier. How can we manage our sonic landscapes?

We eat more shrimp than any other seafood in this country. So times should be really good for shrimpers, right?... more

You’re hiking with your dog when poop happens. It’s natural to let it decay in the woods, right? Or is... more

When you're standing on the edge of a cliff, have you ever felt an inexplicable urge... to jump?

Synthetic clothes are made from fossil fuels, and cotton is water intensive. But figuring out what fabrics are best for... more

A drag show in rural North Carolina, a plot to attack the power grid in Baltimore, and a forest in... more

The first of two episodes exploring the changing landscape of environmental protest in the United States, from Standing Rock to... more

President Joe Biden has kept – and broken – a lot of promises on climate change.

A parajumper candidate finds himself facing elimination for the most surprising reason: he can hold his breath way too long.

Arizona is rapidly depleting its water sources – is a Saudi Arabian alfalfa farm to blame?

Our latest round of listener questions has us exploring xeriscaping, green roofs, and the evolution of the human eye.

The Cold War mission to extract the world’s first complete ice core.

Electric vehicles are part of the solution to climate change. But what if they’re also part of the problem?

We need to electrify transportation if we’re going to avoid the worst climate impacts. Will we make it in time?

What caused the Peranos to abandon their dogs and screw so many people over? Nate enlists the help of a... more

Nate flies to Minnesota to follow a new lead about the New Zealand racing team.

Outside/In host Nate Hegyi gets a surprising tip that leads him into the frozen and tight-knit world of competitive sled... more

“We’re just one dead body away from Tiger King.”

Wherefore art thou, potpourri?

“Whoever owns the soil, it is theirs up to Heaven and down to Hell."

When a producer learns about a "toxic, self-cloning worm”, she starts sounding the alarm about impending eco-doom. Until, that is,... more

Despite being the only rodent with a holiday to its name, groundhogs are often considered pests.However, these natural-born diggers have... more

We explore the outer limits of life on Earth and answer your “extreme” questions in another edition of the Outside/Inbox.

It's always ourselves we find in the sea.

Reducing your dinner plate’s carbon footprint is easy, but putting its impact into perspective is anything but.

“I remember getting out of the water, laughing like I hadn't laughed in years.”

The third rail of environmental activism, the unlikely last-minute deal at COP27, and why tearing down renewable energy is sometimes... more

“I knew that I had to find my way back to that bird.”

Winter is coming. The team advises on living your best life.

Wait… an opossum has how many vaginas?

“If the money was right, I’d die out here for my family.”

You’ll never hear the term “leaf-peeper” on this show again.

When fear is almost fun – and when it’s only terrifying.

If we’re in the middle of a mass extinction, shouldn’t more species be going extinct?

Veterinarians and vet technicians are being forced to choose between taking care of animals and taking care of themselves.

Planting a tree often is almost a shorthand for doing a good deed. But such an act is not always... more

Of fire and ice, seagulls and dog poop.

Animal stories that will make you laugh, sweat, and want to stay on the boat.

For some, the Berkeley Community Garden is a multicultural oasis. To others… it’s just a pile of trash.

Is it safe to grow vegetables in your backyard garden?

Americans love a lawn. But keeping the grass green comes at a cost — especially in the desert.

A debate about evolutionary “success.” Who should wear the crown of GSOAT (greatest species of all time), and are humans... more

Nearly a hundred million acres of the truth about America.

How Yellowstone came to be.

Last summer, former Outside/In host Sam Evans-Brown quit journalism to become a lobbyist for clean energy.

Meet the people who study dead bodies at a human decomposition facility.

The New York State Court of Appeals has ruled against expanding human rights to animals.

Do blockbuster movies have an obligation to accurately represent science?

A court case about a Bronx Zoo elephant could pave the way for animals to gain basic human rights.

“Can I say that on public radio?”

How do wilderness EMTs cope when a rescue goes wrong?

When you're standing on the edge of a cliff, have you ever felt an inexplicable urge... to jump?

Three hundred years ago this Easter, Europeans landed on what they called “Easter Island.” Countless stories have been told of... more

What if the internet was only available 95% of the time?

Could genetic modification change conservation as we know it?

Boldly trying to answer listener questions no podcast has answered before (maybe).

Whether you grow them, collect them, or grind them up and swallow them, antlers are one of the most astonishing... more

What if apples have more in common with American immigrants than they do colonial heritage?

There's a new burger in town.

Why do so many people report feeling depressed after hiking the Appalachian Trail?

The search for new language to imagine our climate future.

“No, there is nothing special about me. But what I have glimpsed is vastly important.”

Could a farming manual change the world?

On May 21, 2021, an influential environmental activist died of Covid-19 and you probably didn’t hear about it. Sunderlal Bahuguna’s... more

Maybe the most adorable climate solution ever.

Winter is an endurance sport. Pack a puzzle.

We’ve got answers to your burning questions, and even settle a family debate that’s been smoldering for generations.

A vegetarian-turned-hunter brings two podcast hosts into a forest in Germany.

Thieving bears, vultures who vandalize… What happens when animals break human laws?

What happens when your community becomes the subject of a global mystery? A parable of human failure and ecological collapse?... more

There’s a type of travel industry which defines itself as different: ecologically minded, even “responsible.” It’s a type of travel... more

The Great Himalayan National Park in India is among the most dramatic landscapes on Earth. Count the layers in a... more

We introduce our new mailbag segment: the Outside/Inbox, where we answer your questions about the natural world. This time:  Question 1: What... more

Once upon a time, potpourri was a popular way to freshen up a space. Now, for some, it feels a... more

Science journalist and sci-fi novelist Annalee Newitz thinks and writes a lot about the future. But in their latest book,... more

This week, we’re sharing an episode from The Experiment, a podcast from The Atlantic and WNYC that tells “stories from... more

As we wave off our erstwhile host as he moves on to new adventures, we recall a drive through the... more

To be profitable, the offshore wind industry requires vast sums of money only accessible to some of the world’s biggest... more

Billions of dollars in investment will rain down on the cities that are best positioned to launch America’s offshore wind... more

The promise of the nascent American offshore wind industry meets an unlikely foe: squid fishermen in Rhode Island. Forces collide... more

Ten years ago, a Kennedy and a Koch shared the same goal: stop Cape Wind, America’s would-be first offshore wind... more

Picture this: thousands of wind turbines off the Atlantic coast, each one taller than the Washington Monument. Offshore wind is... more

A new series and an announcement. After 20 years of politicization and red tape, the U.S. is moving full speed ahead... more

We’re exposed to plenty of invisible risks in our daily life: toxic compounds in the fabric of our couches, contaminants... more

Geologist and writer Lauret Savoy considers fossil hunting and historical inquiry to be versions of the same pursuit. In Trace: Memory,... more

While sand beaches comprise just over 30% of the world’s ice-free shorelines, the collective idea of the sand beach can... more

When composer and traveling musician Ben Cosgrove was just 7 years old, he wrote a song called “Waves”. Since then,... more

Even in the quietest of times, sand beaches are defined by movement and change. “I think it's fair to say the... more

This week, we’re featuring an episode from How To Save A Planet, a podcast about climate change hosted by Dr.... more

This special BONUS episode of Outside/In was sponsored and selected by our lovely donors. Thank you for your support! Gutters can... more

In the early 1900s, an Ohlone woman named Isabel Meadows was recorded describing her longing to eat acorn bread again.... more

Another edition of Ask Sam, where Sam answers listener questions about the natural world. This time, questions about hugging trees,... more

A lot of us may feel like our time and attention is not our own, and can easily disappear into... more

When producer/reporter Dan Taberski collected data about the long-running reality TV show Cops, he found that it depicts a distorted... more

For many of us during the pandemic, the dark and cold of winter brings a special sense of dread. But... more

This week, we’re featuring an episode from A Matter of Degrees, a podcast about climate change hosted by Dr. Leah... more

In the coming decades, the scale of climate migration could be dizzying. In one projection, four million people in the... more

Marty, Maine coon cat, 12-year resident of the Mount Washington Observatory, and the highest-altitude feline in the Northeastern United states,... more

A carbon offset is a simple premise: if you take a cross-country flight and are responsible for a half ton... more

Throughout the 20th century, conservationists and environmentalists have looked to protect wildlife and biodiversity through the creation of parks and... more

Another year… another record-breaking wildfire season. Thanks to climate change the fire season now starts sooner and ends later.  Scientists... more

Planting a tree often becomes almost a shorthand for doing a good deed. But such an act is not always... more

Listeners submit their cases for the best fruit ever, and we explore the intersections of fruit, food, and colonialism. Featuring Alicia... more

In one version of a sustainable, carbon-neutral future, the world’s cars will transition from fossil fuels to electricity. Right now... more

Fred Tutman is a voice for Maryland’s Patuxent River. In 2004, he founded Patuxent Riverkeeper, an environmental advocacy organization. ... more

There are places on the map where roads end. The Darién Gap, or el Tapon del Darién, is one of them.... more

Are snow-making machines an example of climate adaptation, or an example of an emissions feedback loop? Does the fire risk... more

The world of Skyrim is vast. The video game contains cities, villages, and rugged wilderness: high waterfalls cascading into deep... more

In this update, we tally your votes and announce the winner of our fruit fight. What seed-bearing plant ovary will... more

In 2016, we produced an episode about the ginkgo tree titled "Ginkgo Stink." With its fan-shaped leaves and golden fall foliage, the... more

For months, producer Taylor Quimby has been trying to craft a story about spicy peppers. Every one of his pitches... more

The experience of public outdoor spaces isn't the same for everyone. Today, we explore birding while Black (and #blackbirdersweek) and... more