Nature's Archive

Today the podcast is going off the rails. That’s right, we’re discussing rails - you know, those absurdly sneaky, pancake-thin wetland birds you’re ten times more likely to hear shouting from the cattails than actually see. These fascinating birds are full of many secrets. Despite their atypical size, shape, and short wings, many migrate great distances. Their reclusive behavior makes them particularly hard to study, but thankfully we have Dr. Auriel Fournier, a leading rail researcher and ...

Nature is a very broad term, and as we often discuss on this show, everything is connected. Geology impacts soil, which dictates what plants can grow. But if we pull back even further, the ultimate engine driving our planet's systems is the Sun. So when I think of Nature’s Archive—and that big concept of "Nature"—I love bringing these grand, foundational subjects into our scope. Today is one such instance. Our guest is Dr. Ryan French, a solar astrophysicist and author who specializes in stud...

From the archive... It’s summertime, and around the globe record heat is dominating, from Europe to the midwest, and across the oceans as well. As you know, heat is a key driver to wildfires. In fact, it is one of the three key ingredients, along with fuel and oxygen. Global oxygen levels, at least within our lifetimes, aren’t going to change much. But heat and fuel can and will change. Obviously, heat is increasing, so one variable is driving more fire potential. And in many areas, fuel is ...

Have you ever noticed how certain sounds, voices, or songs can instantaneously transport you to another world? Whether it’s a track from high school or the specific creak of a childhood porch, audio has a unique "backdoor" into our deepest memories and emotions. In this episode, we explore how to tap into that same principle to radically deepen our connection to nature. While we are biologically biased to navigate the world through a visual "spotlight," we often miss the 360-degree sanc...

Long time listeners know that I’m a huge fan of iNaturalist. Their app literally changed my life by dramatically improving my relationship with, and knowledge of nature. And iNaturalist is much more than just a nature identification app. When you use iNaturalist, yes, you get a helping hand in identifying plants, animals and fungi. But you’re also contributing to perhaps the largest community science dataset on Earth, which starts to get to the heart of iNaturalist’s mission. After our Jumpst...