Category Nature

These stories celebrate the world’s incredible natural wonders. From breathtaking landscapes to the tiniest creatures on Earth, the natural world has the power to remind us it’s still an amazing world.

16 min read

Your Local Bees Need a Place to Stay: Shifting Spotlight to Native Bees Near You

The honey bee came to America with European colonialists, and has stolen the show in bee conservation. 4,000 other bee species have been calling America home for far longer, and are vital to the health of the American biosphere. Our local bees need our help too—and here’s how you can be their eco-hero!

5 min read

Image: A woman wearing a snorkel treading in the water at sunset, much like the VR do when spotting sharks for surfers in Réunion.

Shark Spotters: The Safety Team Working the World’s Best Waves

Deep in the Indian Ocean sits the island of Réunion, a French department that finds itself along the “shark highway” and is notorious for its encounters, yet famous for its waves straight out of a surfer’s dream. So, how can surfers and sharks peacefully coexist? As always, there’s a solution to the problem. Introducing: Réunion Island’s shark spotters!

18 min read/watch

Image: Glowing feathers of a Nicobar Pigeon at Birdworld in Kuranda, Australia displaying their iridescence.

Feathers, Puddles, and Bugs: The Science Behind Iridescence in Nature

If you’ve ever scratched your head wondering why the shimmering plumage of a peacock is so mesmerizing, or became hypnotized by the colors in a dragonflies wings and wished you knew why, you’re in luck! Read on as we discover the mystifying physics behind one of nature’s most beautiful visual tricks.

20 min read/watch

Image: Two whales spy hop to see the world around them above the water

Here’s What Killer Whales Have in Common with Your Grandmother!

Killer whales have more in common with your grandmother than you may think. It's a fascinating story and an opportunity for all of us to easily make the world a little better place today! Turns out, some wise elders of the Pacific Northwest, grandmother killer whales, are at a tipping point for their survival, but we can influence that quickly. This is an amazing story and a chance to be change-makers!

Image: Normal cells of human connective tissue in culture at a magnification of 500x.

Unveiling Hidden Beauty: 17 Microscopic Wonders You Need to See Today

Join us on a short journey to a fascinating yet underappreciated world that exists all around us: the microscopic world. Tiny as it may be, this shockingly awe-inspiring world occupies more of Earth than we ever will.

Image: Large waterfall running between two green mountains

Witnessing Nature’s Roar: The Heart-Pounding Ancient Art of Waterfall Climbing in Japan

When was the last time you had your breath taken away by the natural world? For Sawanobari climbers, these moments are all around them as they scale Japan's magnificent waterfalls and experience the raw power of some of nature's most beautiful features, in a whole new way!

Image: Man standing underneath a rock arch looking up at the stars of the night sky

80% of the World Lives Beneath Light Polluted Skies. We Can Change That by Tonight

When was the last time you gazed up at the stars of the night sky? Imagine if future generations didn't have access to that wonder? Light pollution impacts 80% of humanity, and it can have serious impacts on our health and the planet. Here are the people working to save our dark skies and the easy ways you can make a positive impact too.

5 min read

Image: One of the organization's ferrets poking its head out of a pipe.

Ferrets: History’s Most Helpful Cable Guys

You may think of them as a stinky pet, but ferrets are truly talented critters! Read on to see what sets them apart from other mammals, and how they have been helping us humans out of tight spots for over 2000 years!

54 min watch

Your Backyard at Night: What the Critters Can Teach Us with Topher White (Episode #135)

This chat with conservation innovator Topher White will give you a feeling of celebration and wonder. In 2013, he created the ingenious Rainforest Connection, a nonprofit which is helping to preserve biodiversity in 34 countries and counting. And now, he is launching another pioneering technology! But this time, it’s one we can all bring to our own backyards, neighborhoods, and even on vacation. All of that, in the service of making a personal connection with the natural world around us, in fascinating and delightful ways.

Image: A monarch butterfly sits on an orange flower.

Monarch Butterfly Migration: A Breathtaking Journey

The Monarch Butterfly migration is one of the most remarkable journies on this planet. Join us for the breathtaking details, on a journey of your own to explore the science, culture, and conservation. In the end, we'll stand in awe of this feat of nature!

Image: a large school of silver fish swimming around a coral reef

NASA Technology is Being Used to Save Coral Reefs

Coral reefs are some of the most important ecosystems on the planet to each and every one of us, but few realize the connection. You may know coral is in danger, but the future isn't as dark as we so often hear. Meet the people who are hard using amazing, cutting-edge technology to save our corals and building a brighter future for us all!

APOPO’s Highly Trained Rats Could Save Your Life with Dr. Cindy Fast (Episode #131)

Dr. Cindy Fast tells us about the fascinating and groundbreaking work of an organization in Africa that has realized the potential in a common local animal, and turned it from “pest” to “hero.” Remarkable gains in landmine clearing, stopping the spread of tuberculosis, and even search and rescue techniques are being made… all from the discovery of a novel partnership: one between humans and… African giant pouched rats! Listen in to learn about the fantastic work of nonprofit, APOPO.