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The Big Why
The Big Why
Montana Public Radio

Answers to your questions — big or small — about anything under the Big Sky. Let's see what we can discover together!

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Episodes

Help protect public media from congressional funding cuts

Public media faces its most urgent threat yet. Congress will soon vote on whether to eliminate $1.1 billion in already-approved... more

10 Jun 2025 ·
Why are there so many snakes on Montana's roads?

A state program lets Montana nonprofits design special license plates to help raise funds for their organization. There’s an option... more

05 Jun 2025 · 8 minutes
The Pig Why: How Montana pork producers bring home the bacon

This week’s topic comes from a listener who asks, ‘Why is there no hog industry in Montana?’ While Montana famously... more

22 May 2025 · 8 minutes
The Big Why: Where do the buffalo roam?

In 2023 the Blackfeet Nation released bison into the Chief Mountain area along the border of Glacier National Park. The... more

24 Apr 2025 · 8 minutes
The Big Why: Spinning tales of mystery and murder on the Madison

In the '90s, whirling disease hit trout populations hard in Montana, at one point leading to a 95% decline in... more

10 Apr 2025 · 8 minutes
The state lottery was meant to help fund schools. Does it?

When voters authorized the Montana Lottery in 1986, the promise was that lottery revenues would be used for education funding.... more

27 Mar 2025 · 8 minutes
What is 'conifer expansion' and how does it affect the water supply?

More than half a million acres in southwest Montana have been impacted by conifer expansion. It used to be that... more

13 Mar 2025 · 8 minutes
Why does the state have a Spanish name? Why so many Rock Creeks? 'And-aconda?' Racetrack?

Why does the state have a Spanish name? Why so many Rock Creeks? What's the deal with 'And-aconda'? Racetrack? This... more

27 Feb 2025 · 8 minutes
How does winter snowpack affect summer wildfires?

As summer heats up in Montana, so does wildfire season. This raises the question, does winter snowpack really correlate to... more

13 Feb 2025 · 8 minutes
Join us for our 60th anniversary party on Feb. 7th!

Come celebrate MTPR’s 60th anniversary with a birthday bash on Feb. 7th at the Union Club in Missoula! It’s a... more

03 Feb 2025 ·
The Big Why
Help protect public media from congressional funding cuts
The Big Why