A show where curiosity and the natural world collide. We explore science, energy, environmentalism, and reflections on how we think about and... more
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