Songbird accents, eating rats, and why we need the moon
Outside/In
by NHPR
12h ago
It’s that special time again! Scientists everywhere hold their breath as the team opens the Outside/Inbox and answers listener questions about the natural world. In this episode, we consider Flaco the Eurasian eagle owl, an impulsive goat purchase, and a big night for salamanders. Plus, we’re graced us with Nate’s rendition of a Tom Waits song.  Questions: What would NYC look like in 50 years if humans disappeared? What if the earth had no moon? Could humans survive a worst-case climate scenario? Do birds have regional accents? How do we keep wildlife safe when crossing the road? Featur ..read more
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In search of an ethical 401k
Outside/In
by NHPR
1w ago
To save for retirement, common knowledge says to “diversify your portfolio.” Give your cash to a company so they can invest it into hundreds of other companies on the stock market. But unless you’ve gone out of your way to change it, your portfolio probably has little to do with your values.  For example, there are climate activists invested in fossil fuel companies. Staunch vegans putting some of their hard-earned income into Tyson Foods. On the flip side, there are climate deniers with money in Tesla! So is there a way to save for retirement that’s both good for your pocketbook… and goo ..read more
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The story you won’t hear in Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer”
Outside/In
by NHPR
2w ago
Editor's Note: This episode first aired in July, 2023 With 'Oppenheimer,' director Christopher Nolan turned the Manhattan Project into an Academy-Award-winning blockbuster. The film is set in Los Alamos, where the first atomic bomb was tested. But few people know the history of Carrizozo, a rural farming area downwind of the test. 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 ..read more
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The disappearing dunes of 'Dune'
Outside/In
by NHPR
1M ago
A century ago, coastal dunes threatened to overwhelm the city of Florence, Oregon. The sand swallowed roads, highways, and houses. When “Dune” author Frank Herbert visited the area in 1957, he was stunned by the awesome power of the sand. Eventually, it inspired his fictional desert planet, Arrakis. But now, the dunes that inspired “Dune” are disappearing.  To solve the sand problem, the US Forest Service planted dunes with non-native beachgrass, hoping its strong roots would keep the dunes in place. The strategy worked… too well. The grass spread, out-competing native species and transfo ..read more
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Hunters do cry
Outside/In
by NHPR
1M ago
In the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York, dozens of strangers gathered together in the woods for three straight days. Their mission? Teach people of color how to kill, gut, and butcher a deer for the first time. Producer Felix Poon was there as a first-time hunter. He wanted to know: what does it feel like to take an animal's life to sustain your own? Given the opportunity… would he pull the trigger? In this episode we follow Felix out of his depth and into the woods, to find out if one weekend can convert a longtime city-dweller into a dedicated deer hunter. Featuring Dorothy Ren, Brando ..read more
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What's the most successful species on Earth?
Outside/In
by NHPR
1M ago
Editor's note: This episode was first published in July, 2022. Humans have had an impressive run thus far; we’ve explored most of the planet (the parts that aren’t underwater anyway), landed on the moon, created art and music, and made some pretty entertaining Tik Toks.  But we’ve survived on the planet for just a fraction of the time horseshoe crabs and alligators have. And we’re vastly outnumbered by many species of bacteria and insects.  So what is the most successful species on Earth? And how do you measure that, anyway?  From longevity and happiness, to sheer numbers, we p ..read more
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The edge of the ice
Outside/In
by NHPR
1M ago
Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica is massive, bigger than the state of Florida. If it collapses, it could reshape every coast on this planet during this century. That’s why it’s sometimes known as “the Doomsday Glacier.” And yet, until recently, we knew very little about it. Because Thwaites is extremely remote, reachable only by crossing the wildest ocean on the planet, scientists had never observed its calving edge firsthand.  In 2019, a ground-breaking international mission set out to change that, and writer Elizabeth Rush was on board to document the voyage.  We caught up with her t ..read more
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The plot thickens
Outside/In
by NHPR
2M ago
Support Outside/In before February 5th and your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar! Donate $8 per month and we’ll send you a pair of merino wool socks from Minus33 (they’re made in New Hampshire!).  A lot of discussion about sustainability revolves around the trash and waste we leave behind.  But at some point, every human being will die and leave behind a body.  So what should we do with it? Casket? Cremation? Compost? And does our choice actually have a meaningful impact on the soils and skies around us? Today, we’ve got another edition of our segment, “This, That, or the ..read more
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The Oatly Chronicles
Outside/In
by NHPR
3M ago
In 1994, the world’s first oat milk company was born in Sweden. Three decades later, Oatly is on a high-stakes mission to defeat the dairy industry by becoming the biggest plant-based brand the world has ever seen.  So…can a start-up from Malmö save us all through capitalism? And how much damage is our affection for dairy doing to the planet? This week, we’re featuring the first of a three-part series from the wonderful folks over at The Europeans podcast.    SUPPORT Listen to the rest of The Europeans series on Oatly here.  Outside/In is made possible with listener support ..read more
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Dragons, trolls and pine trees
Outside/In
by NHPR
3M ago
Even though you can explore its entirety from the comfort of a living room beanbag, the world of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (commonly just referred to as 'Skyrim') is vast. The video game contains cities, villages, high waterfalls that cascade into deep pools, and packs of wolves that roam the edges of misty alpine forests. Skyrim is celebrated for the intricacy of its environment and is one of the top-selling video games of all time. But if you spend enough time in a fantasy, it might change how you relate to the real world. In this favorite Outside/In episode, first released at the start of ..read more
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