Tag 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.

61 min listen

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.

Image: Three farming machines detasseling corn in Illinois. These machines may soon be operated by artificial intelligence

Artificial Intelligence is Revolutionizing Farming. Here’s How

In the next 30 years, we will have to drastically change the way we feed the world. Our food future may rely on combining the wisdom of generations of farmers with the precision and power of artificial intelligence. Here’s what that future looks like!

Image: Two boats headed up a river in the Amazon rainforest

Can Technology Help the Rainforests?

The Amazon Rainforest keeps our air clean and breathable, is largely responsible for our chocolate, vanilla, and coffee, and is home to 10% of the world's species, including some of the most interesting and unique creatures on Earth. And yet, illegal loggers and deforestation threaten this important ecosystem. But now, researchers from Imazon have found a way to help politicians and activists take proactive steps against illegal roads and prevent deforestation before it happens.

5 min read

How This Hero Conservation Dog Fought to Save the World’s Only Ground-Nesting Alpine Parrot

The mountains of New Zealand are home to a fascinating community of inquisitive, mischievous parrots who make their homes not in the trees but on the ground. They are called kea, and over the last 200 years their populations have been decimated, placing them on the endangered species list. With unnatural foes attacking their nests, an unexpected hero has come to their rescue. He doesn’t wear a cape but rather a collar, and with his sidekick, Corey Mosen, Ajax the border collie-cross has devoted his life to keeping kea safe.

59 min listen

How 82 Million Minutes of Rainforest Audio Could Save Your Life with Bourhan Yassin (Episode #124)

It is possible to save all the remaining rainforests in the world when we connect three things: technology, imagination, and our love for the world. Our guest today, Bourhan Yassin, is CEO of a nonprofit—the Rainforest Connection (RFCx)—that has been working towards doing exactly that since 2014. Their founder discovered that we could use simple cell phone technology to detect and stop illegal logging, and in less than a decade, the RFCx has expanded into using sound and machine learning to protect biodiversity in all kinds of places.

Image: One adult bison and two bison calves, roaming in a field of green grass.

The Birth of the First Baby Bison in this Region in Thousands of Years

Bison are ecosystem engineers, making their environments better simply by existing there. Formerly native to England, they slowly disappeared over time. But now, thousands of years later, a bison has given birth in the United Kingdom, marking a true win for rewilding efforts in the region.

63 min listen

A Brain in Each Leg? Follow Your Curiosity to the Bottom of the Ocean with Nathan Robinson (Episode #120)

Having filmed bioluminescent shrimp 4,700 feet beneath the sea and studied light as the world’s potentially most common communication method in the world, Dr. Nathan Robinson’s deep sea discoveries lead the world in exploring the depths of our ocean and changing the way we see this largely unexplored landscape. He spots opportunities for wonder everywhere, and celebrates them with a sense of awe that is infectious. Taking us to the most extraordinary realms on our planet, Nathan’s work and enthusiasm have the power to move mountains… and it may already have.

Image: A frog on a lilypad in a wildlife pond

Take Your Backyard from Wasteland to Wildlife Wonderland in 365 Days

Many of us count on nature for inspiration, wellness, and wonder. But what are we giving back to it? Meet the nature enthusiast who built an entire living pond in his backyard to attract local wildlife. And in turn, discover for yourself how quickly, and beautifully, things can get wild.

5 min read

Image: Three Andean children standing next to an alpaca in Cusco, Peru, smiling.

How Indigenous Knowledge Helped Plant Over 3 Million Trees in the Andes

Over 30 years, the work of one man eventually brought together 25,000 families to make an immeasurable difference in the lives of his community for generations to come. Using Indigenous knowledge to save the planet saves lives, and that has never been easier. How, you ask?

Image: Weeds growing in the cracks of a sidewalk, and a pair of floral patterned rain boots.

Stop and Smell the…Weeds? A Reminder that Wonder is All Around You!

Weeds are seen as pests, but what if we thought of them as miraculous, instead? Is it possible that we have been wrongfully hating weeds for years, seeing their ability to grow anywhere as a great nuisance instead of a remarkable feat?

65 min listen

Don’t Look for Connection in Nature, Listen for It with Liz McKenzie (Episode #105)

If there are times when a moment of delightful joy or wonder would save the day for you, then our guest today has a message that will be a gift that keeps on giving. Liz McKenzie is an expert in giving us all access to the quiet, small wonders - usually just steps away - in a window sill, balcony, our own backyard, or a nearby park. No vacations are necessary to “get out into nature” and feel its calming warmth. It’s all around us all the time, and listening for it might be the greatest joy of all.

65 min listen

Take a Walk with a Doctor: Understanding Yourself Through Nature with Jonathan Reisman M.D. (Episode #99)

The best medicines for overwhelm these days are joy and wonder. Both, when you can get it! And today’s guest, Dr. Jonathan Reisman, brings us exactly that. He is a pediatrician and ER physician with a penchant for adventure travel, nature and food, and connecting ideas that no one ever thought to combine. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Washington Post, Slate, and Discover Magazine and now he has a book that is one of the best “bedside reads” you might ever come across: The Unseen Body: A Doctor's Journey Through the Hidden Wonders of Human Anatomy.

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