Alle afleveringen
417 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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It’s like riding a bike
4 november 2026 · 36 min
To hear an ad-free version of this episode, join our Patreon. Lees meer
Producer Felix Poon used to be a reckless moped driver who weaved in between semi trucks. Now he’s a cautious cyclist constantly looking over his shoulder for the slightest sign of danger, wondering why he still bikes at all.
To figure it out, Felix enlists the help of other cyclists. A city bike commuter who dismisses his mom's concerns about his safety. A self-identified "fat" woman who gets back on the bike after years of not biking. And a father who wished his son would risk the kind of scraped knees and broken bones he got when he was a kid.
Together, Felix and the gang consider what biking means to their lives, and what, at the end of the day, gets them back on the saddle.
Featuring Reece Taylor Williams, Marley Blonsky, and Taylor Quimby.
Produced by Felix Poon. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org
CONNECT WITH US
To share your questions and feedback with Outside/In, leave a voicemail on our listener hotline, 1-844-GO-OTTER, or email outsidein@nhpr.org. We answer questions about nature, climate change, sustainability, humans and evolution, and more. No question is too serious or too silly.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram, TikTok, or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
The “Four Types of Cyclists” paper was written for the city of Portland, Oregon to try to understand risk tolerance and whether people choose to bike or not. Which type are you?
Photojournalist Reece Taylor Williams’ “Self-portrait, Die in for cyclists killed in hit-and-runs in New York City, City Hall Park, August, 26, 2026” (Instagram)
Learn more about Marley Blonsky’s size inclusivity work through the organization she cofounded called All Bodies on Bikes.
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Operation Night Cat Update: New Plea Deals and Charges
29 oktober 2026 · 15 min
“Operation Night Cat” is a special series from NHPR’s Document team and Outside/In. Lees meer
Since we first brought you this series in November 2025, there have been two big updates. Host Nate Hegyi sits down with producer Jason Moon to explain.
Missed it the first time? Check out the original three-part series here.
CONNECT WITH US
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to join our Patreon and get ad-free episodes of the podcast.
To share your questions and feedback with Outside/In, leave a voicemail on our listener hotline, 1-844-GO-OTTER, or email outsidein@nhpr.org.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram, TikTok, or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
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Zombies, jack-o’-lanterns, and our spooky scary skeletons
28 oktober 2026 · 31 min
On a recent fishing trip, Nate came across a bone-chilling sight. It was a salmon that seemed kind of… dead. Its skin was falling off, it smelled horrible, and it didn’t have any eyes. Turns out, Nate had stumbled onto a (barely) living example of a recent listener question: “Are there any real-life zombies?” Lees meer
From mutant looking fish to the science behind mysterious lights that flicker in cemeteries, in this Outside/Inbox roundup the team takes on your Halloween curiosities.
Here’s the questions we cover…
Are there any real-life zombies?
Are bone conduction headphones better or worse for preventing hearing loss?
Can you eat those giant decorative pumpkins?
What’s the science behind will o’ the wisp lights?
Featuring Daniel Teske, Rick Neitzel, and Richard Zare. Thanks to Amelia, Shaina, and Meg for their questions.
Our next roundup theme is all about the cold! Send us your questions and you might hear them on the show. Email outsidein@nhpr.org or leave a voicemail at 1-844-GO-OTTER.
Produced by Marina Henke, Felix Poon, and Nate Hegyi. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org
Episode logo artwork adapted from “Will o' the Wisp and the Snake” by Hermann Hendrich (Public Domain).
CONNECT WITH US
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to join our Patreon and get ad-free episodes of the podcast.
To share your questions and feedback with Outside/In, leave a voicemail on our listener hotline, 1-844-GO-OTTER, or email outsidein@nhpr.org.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram, TikTok, or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service have a lengthy page detailing the horrors of zombie salmon. You have been warned.
The current pumpkin record-holder we mentioned was a recent upset! Congratulations to Ron Wallace in Greene, Rhode Island.
Hermann Hendrich’s 1901 painting, “Will-o'-the-wisp Dance.”
You can read Richard Zare’s 2025 paper presenting his microlightning theory …
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Why these food safety experts will eat rare steak, but not buffet fruit salad
21 oktober 2026 · 35 min
Can you eat a tuna sandwich if it sits in your backpack all day? Is ceviche risky? And, after Hot Cyclospora Summer, are we allowed to eat lettuce yet? Lees meer
We brought your food safety questions to Don Schaffner and Ben Chapman, scientists and hosts of the podcast Risky or Not?, and they delivered.
Plus, we ask them what they put on their plates — or better yet, what they avoid — and, in a time of big cuts and recalls, if the US food safety system is getting less safe.
Featuring Don Schaffner and Ben Chapman.
Produced by Justine Paradis and Nate Hegyi. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org. Episode art adapted from photo by arbyreed on Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).
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The secret origins of commercial coyote urine
14 oktober 2026 · 33 min
Last spring, a curious listener called with an unusual question about coyote urine. Is it – as advertised by companies who sell it – an effective, all natural pest deterrent? And more importantly: “Who are the coyotes that are providing this urine?” Lees meer
Since then, producer Taylor Quimby has been trying to find out… and with literal gallons of the stuff available online, he discovered the answers aren’t pretty.
Today on Outside/In, we peek inside the unregulated Pandora’s box of urine farming. Does it work? Is it ethical? And is anybody willing to actually talk about it?
Featuring Jeannie Bartlett, Caroline Long, Ed Brookmyer, Laura Koivula.
This episode was first published in August 2025.
Produced by Taylor Quimby. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
CONNECT WITH US
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to join our Patreon and get ad-free episodes of the podcast.
To share your questions and feedback with Outside/In, leave a voicemail on our listener hotline, 1-844-GO-OTTER, or email outsidein@nhpr.org. We answer questions about nature, climate change, sustainability, humans and evolution, and more. No question is too serious or too silly.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram, TikTok, or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
This 1998 study assessed coyote urine as a deterrent for deer, and found (with some caveats) a 15-24% reduction in deer browsing after exposure to the urine.
However, coyote urine had no measurable effect on the deer browsing of yew saplings in this more recent study.
Websites for some coyote urine brands, like PredatorPee.com and Shake-away animal repellents, claim that they source urine from regulated farms that treat animals humanely, but did not provide more information when asked.
This article from Cleveland.com details the conditions at The Grand River Fur Exchange, a fur and urine farm where hundreds of animals were found in poor condition after the owner’s …
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The deer sharpshooters of Maui
7 oktober 2026 · 35 min
Maui has a problem: too many deer, not enough hunters. So on a dark, humid night, Nate joined a group of elite hunters as they endeavor to turn an ecological nightmare into a source of profitable, high-protein venison. Lees meer
Over the course of a few hours, he watches the employees of Maui Nui Venison methodically shoot dozens of deer, collect their carcasses, and speed them to a mobile slaughterhouse for processing – all under the watchful eyes of the USDA.
Can you bring the efficiency of the slaughterhouse to the natural world? And is commercial hunting a solution for America’s over-abundance of deer?
Featuring Keahi Camara, Erin Yamauchi, Jake Muise, Yasmin Tayag and Jay Marcoullier
Produced by Nate Hegyi. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org
CONNECT WITH US
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to join our Patreon and get ad-free episodes of the podcast.
To share your questions and feedback with Outside/In, leave a voicemail on our listener hotline, 1-844-GO-OTTER, or email outsidein@nhpr.org. We answer questions about nature, climate change, sustainability, humans and evolution, and more. No question is too serious or too silly.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram, TikTok, or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
Read Yasmin Tayag’s argument that Americans must start eating more deer.
A University of Wisconsin professor outlined how commercial hunting would work in the U.S. in a 2011 paper.
Check out photos and videos of my trip with Maui Nui venison at our Patreon.
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Decoding nature's symphony
30 september 2026 · 33 min
In 1985, electronic music pioneer Bernie Krause was asked to step in to help save a stranded humpback whale. Krause was known back then for being an evangelist of Moog synthesizers, not a whale whisperer. But from that moment he would go on to become a foundational scientist in the new field of ecoacoustics, or soundscape ecology. Lees meer
In this episode producer Patrick McNameeKing talks to three scientists from the growing field of ecoacoustics. From saving Humphrey the humpback whale, to eavesdropping on frogs, they share what ecoacoustics tells us about the biodiversity of our world, and why they still have hope.
Featuring Bernie Krause, Brian Pijanowski, and Ximena Bernal.
Produced by Patrick McNameeKing. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org
SUPPORT
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to join our Patreon and get ad-free episodes of the podcast.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram, TikTok, or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
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A dry river runs through it
24 september 2026 · 34 min
Albuquerque and the Rio Grande go hand in hand. The river cuts right through town, which means if you leave your office at closing time, you could have your feet in the water before 6. Lees meer
But, not this past summer. This August, along the river’s middle section, more than a hundred miles ran dry. What scientists have warned about for decades – the gradual aridification of the desert Southwest – finally arrived in Albuquerque.
So, what was it like for the people who flocked to the river daily? Our producer Marina Henke went to Albuquerque to hear from them directly.
Featuring Laura Paskus, David Gutzler, Matt Springer, Kim Eichorst and Alida Davila.
Produced by Marina Henke. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org
CONNECT WITH US
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to join our Patreon and get ad-free episodes of the podcast.
To share your questions and feedback with Outside/In, leave a voicemail on our listener hotline, 1-844-GO-OTTER, or email outsidein@nhpr.org. We answer questions about nature, climate change, sustainability, humans and evolution, and more. No question is too serious or too silly.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram, TikTok, or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
Laura Paskus wrote a whole book about climate change in New Mexico. It’s called At the Precipice. You can also find her work on Substack.
You can find out more about the Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program (BEMP) here.
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Foiled! Napoleon's cutlery and the Aluminati
16 september 2026 · 31 min
You might associate it with the foil that wraps leftover pizza and the shiny craft beer cans sold in breweries, but aluminum is literally everywhere. Scoop up a handful of soil or gravel anywhere on Earth and you’ll find atoms of bonded aluminum hidden inside. Lees meer
But even before it was used in everything from airplanes to deodorant, the trade of aluminum minerals helped color the world, finance the Vatican, and led to the mass collection of human urine.
In this installment of “The Element of Surprise” — a series all about the hidden histories behind the periodic table’s most unassuming atoms, isotopes, and molecules — we’re talking about aluminum.
This episode was first published in 2024.
Featuring Saleem Ali.
Produced by Taylor Quimby. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org
CONNECT WITH US
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to join our Patreon and get ad-free episodes of the podcast.
To share your questions and feedback with Outside/In, leave a voicemail on our listener hotline, 1-844-GO-OTTER, or email outsidein@nhpr.org. We answer questions about nature, climate change, sustainability, humans and evolution, and more. No question is too serious or too silly.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram, TikTok, or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
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Did #savethebees get it wrong?
9 september 2026 · 32 min
Noah Wilson-Rich has made it his mission to save the bees — from colony collapse disorder, loss of habitat, and disease. He’s doing this not just as a scientist, but also as an entrepreneur. Lees meer
But is that a good thing?
And what happens when you think you know the answer to a solution, only to realize that you got it wrong? “The ‘save the bees’ movement is canceled,” he says. But what should we do in its place?
Featuring Noah Wilson-Rich, and Lauren Ponisio.
Produced by Felix Poon. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
Cover image credit: Corner Shop Communications for The Biodiversity Lab.
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Cosmic earthquake pizza
2 september 2026 · 32 min
When an Outside/In listener asked the team to weigh in on a debate between him and his wife, perhaps we should have hesitated. But it was too good to resist. Lees meer
“We have eighteen-year old twin boys, and sometimes they leave pizza out on the counter. She's convinced it's bad for your health — and I don't think so! Is pizza left overnight on the counter bad for you?” Anthony asked.
For some members of the team, the answer was vindicating. For others, it was unmooring.
Beyond settling this marital debate, in this Outside/Inbox roundup, the team offers our insights on animal perception of earthquakes, the apple supply chain, and finally answers a personal question that a surprising number of you have posed.
Featuring Don Schaffner, Martin Wikelski, and Thiago Campbell. Thanks to Anthony, Carolyn, Mande, and Charles for their questions.
We want your questions on food safety! You might hear them on the show. Send them to outsidein@nhpr.org or leave a voicemail at 1-844-GO-OTTER.
For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
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Scientists spoke up against a de-extinction company. Then the smears began.
26 augustus 2026 · 32 min
When evolutionary biologist Vincent Lynch heard the news that a $10 billion biotech company had brought the once extinct dire wolf back to life, he called foul. He took to the media to argue that these overhyped headlines threatened public trust in science. Lees meer
And that's when things started to get weird.
In a story that feels like it came right out of Jurassic Park, we look into the murky world of "dark PR" and discover what happens when the principle of scientific discourse challenges the power of corporate science.
Featuring Howard Wolinsky, Vincent Lynch and Nic Rawlence
Produced by Nate Hegyi. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
SUPPORT
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Follow Outside/In on Instagram, TikTok, or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
You can read Howard’s entire investigation over at EMBO Reports.
Check out this example of one of the critical stories about Vincent.
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City Summer, Country Summer
19 augustus 2026 · 32 min
Growing up, Kiese Laymon thought of himself as a city kid. But he spent his childhood with a foot in two worlds: his mom’s house in the capital city of Jackson, Mississippi and his grandma’s house in a rural country town. Lees meer
It wasn’t until Kiese left Mississippi that he came to understand that this question of city versus country actually meant a lot more. It carries a lot of baggage: the tensions between north and south, tectonic historical forces, and the contradictions of life in Mississippi.
In this episode, originally published in 2025, our producer Justine Paradis sits down with writer Kiese Laymon for a conversation on this question of country versus city, what that has to do with the history of Black life in this country, and the story of Kiese’s first children’s picture book, his latest in a lifelong exploration of a complicated love of Mississippi.
Featuring Kiese Laymon.
Produced by Justine Paradis. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
SUPPORT
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to join our Patreon and get ad-free episodes of the podcast.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram, TikTok, or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
Kiese Laymon’s first children’s book, City Summer, Country Summer.
If you’d like to read more by Kiese, we recommend “Da Art of Storytellin’ (A Prequel)”, his essay about Outkast, his grandmother, and stank. (Oxford American)
Kiese adapted City Summer, Country Summer from this 2020 prose-poem essay. (New York Times)
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If climate change were a choose-your-own-adventure story
12 augustus 2026 · 33 min
Dean Russell had just wrapped several reporting projects on climate change, mental health, and COVID. “My world was just so serious,” he said. That’s when his boss approached Dean with an idea. What if they made a fiction podcast about climate change? Lees meer
At first Dean wasn’t sold, but a few years later he’s become a full believer, and is the co-creator of WBUR’s The Midnight Rebellion, a choose-your-own-adventure podcast set in a futuristic climate-ravaged Boston.
This week we’re sharing the first episode of the series. But we also hear from Dean directly about what it was like to tackle such a different kind of storytelling and why he thinks embracing a format borrowed from a hit book-genre of the nineties is so apt for exploring climate action.
Featuring Dean Russell, and the cast of The Midnight Rebellion.
To hear the rest of the series, subscribe to The Midnight Rebellion wherever you get your podcasts.
Interview portion produced by Taylor Quimby. The Midnight Rebellion is produced by Dean Russell. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
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The Willy Wonka factory of product testing
5 augustus 2026 · 32 min
Producer Felix Poon goes on a field trip to the headquarters of Consumer Reports, where they test snow blowers on wet sawdust, drop bicycle helmets on anvils, and cover space heaters in towels to see how long it takes them to catch fire. Lees meer
How do they come up with this stuff? And, in a world of rampant consumerism, can Consumer Reports really be a force for good?
Featuring Barrie Rosen, Paul Hope, Chris Regan, Scott Collum, Matt Schimmenti, Indu Sunkara, Paolo Fu, Sana Mujahid, Joan Muratore, and Phil Radford.
Produced by Felix Poon. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
SUPPORT
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to join our Patreon and get ad-free episodes of the podcast.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram, TikTok, or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
In Consumer Reports’ very first issue were investigations into the difference between Grade A versus Grade B milk (there was none) and the practice of “slack-fill,” when cereal companies put more air than cereal in their cereal boxes.
Learn more about some of the topics referenced throughout the episode:
Gas vs. Battery Lawn Mower: Which Is Better?
Battery Platform Buying Guide
Reducing the Risk of Arsenic in Rice
Do you have the right to repair?
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Fiasco al fresco
29 juli 2026 · 31 min
At the height of summer, when so many of us are grabbing picnic blankets, hitting the beach, and embracing an al fresco lifestyle, a tale of two outdoor events gone spectacularly wrong. Lees meer
Featuring Anika Krause, Samuel Edward-Cook, Eloise Barker, Simon Vargas, and Stephen Deng.
Produced by Marina Henke. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org
SUPPORT
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to join our Patreon and get ad-free episodes of the podcast.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram, TikTok, or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
You can watch the 2014 production of Titus Andronicus on the Globe’s website. As discussed, it’s incredibly bloody.
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Night Owls
22 juli 2026 · 32 min
For over ten years, biologist Mark Higley has been stalking the forests of the Hoopa Valley Reservation with a shotgun. His mission? To save the endangered northern spotted owl. How? By shooting the more aggressive barred owl, which has spread from eastern forests into the Pacific Northwest. Lees meer
In 2024, the federal government made a plan to scale these efforts by killing hundreds of thousands of barred owls across multiple states. Today, despite lawsuits and opposition, that plan is just beginning to ramp up.
But can it really save the northern spotted owl? And is the barred owl really “invasive”… or just expanding its range? In this episode, Nate Hegyi dons a headlamp and heads into the forest with Mark Higley to catch a glimpse of these two rivals, and find out what it takes to kill these charismatic raptors, night after night, in the name of conservation.
This episode was first published in 2024.
Featuring Mark Higley, Tom Wheeler, and Wayne Pacelle.
SUPPORT
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to join our Patreon and get ad-free episodes of the podcast.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram, TikTok, or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
The federal government’s barred owl management plan is very long but they have a helpful list of frequently asked questions.
Check out some beautiful photos of Mark Higley’s work in this Audubon magazine story from a few years ago.
Curious about the timber wars? Oregon Public Broadcasting has an excellent podcast miniseries you should listen to.
Animal rights groups have sued to stop the plan from moving forward; in the meantime, People Magazine has reported that culling of barred owls is ramping up in the Yakama Indian Reservation.
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The sunscreen episode
15 juli 2026 · 33 min
As consumers, we’re looking for a lot in our sunscreen. Not only do we want it to protect us from sunburns and skin cancer, we also want it to be invisible, lightweight, waterproof, nontoxic, shelf-stable, and cheap. Lees meer
Can we have it all in one product? Sometimes, the answer might be no.
It’s high time for the Outside/In team to take a closer look at this surprisingly high-tech lotion that we apply every day (in theory). We review the definition of SPF, the choice between mineral and chemical filters, and if sunscreen is safe for our bodies and the environment.
Featuring Anna Wang, David Whiteman, Ade Adamson, and Alexa Friedman.
Produced by Justine Paradis. For full transcript and credits, visit outsideinradio.org.
SUPPORT
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to join our Patreon and get ad-free episodes of the podcast.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram, TikTok, or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
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How far would you go for a crow?
8 juli 2026 · 35 min
To the American birder, spotting the Tamaulipas Crow is potentially a once-in-a-lifetime event. The crow's range is mostly in Mexico and extends ever so slightly into Texas, specifically in and around a dump called the Brownsville Landfill. Spotting the Tamaulipas — north of the border — means being able to check it off your American Bird Association Checklist. Lees meer
So just how far will die-hard birders go to see this bird?
In this episode producer (and first-time birder) Michaela Elias sets out to the southern border with a group of experienced birder friends to find out. Together with her "wingmen" Michaela braves the Texas heat, crawls through brush and over slippery rocks, and risks getting attacked by dogs — to find out whether collecting bird sightings as if they're Pokémon is a meaningful way to engage with the natural world.
Featuring Jake Glassman, Joe Hack, and Joel Glassman.
Produced by Michaela Elias. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
SUPPORT
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to join our Patreon and get ad-free episodes of the podcast.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram, TikTok, or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
LINKS
Check out the eBird app, a crowdsourced database of bird observations that lets you log all the birds you’ve seen and where you’ve seen them.
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The problem with pickleball
1 juli 2026 · 32 min
Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America. It may also be the most hated. Tennis and basketball players are complaining about losing court space because of an “invasion” of pickleballers. Residents are losing sleep because of the incessant noise. Fights over pickleball have led to a slew of petitions, calls to the police, and even lawsuits. Lees meer
So why do pickleball players love this sport so much? Just how annoying is it to everyone else? And what will it take for everyone to just get along?
Producer Felix Poon visits one of the most popular courts in Boston to see how the drama is unfolding there.
This episode was originally reported in 2025.
Featuring Kemardo Henry, Martha Merson, Soren Whited, and Zariyah Cherise.
For a transcript and full list of credits, go to outsideinradio.org.
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You’ve got scorpion
24 juni 2026 · 31 min
A listener recently asked, “Has the entire surface of earth at some point or another been covered in poop?” Turns out, there are some questions that even we can’t answer. Lees meer
In this installment of our regular mailbag segment, the Outside/Inbox, we do our best to take on your zany inquiries, or find experts who can. Here are this week’s questions:
Why was there a sudden spike in “dangerous carbon monoxide levels” during a snowstorm in New Hampshire?
Is there any official recognition for hiking the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail?
Why are live scorpions allowed in the mail?
Why do kids (and adults) chant “Do it! Do it! Do it!” and other chants?
Do all predators have forward-facing eyes?
Featuring Kathleen Simmons, Carlos Santibanez-Lopez, and Barb Lake.
Produced by Felix Poon, Marina Henke, and Nate Hegyi. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
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Big porpoise energy
17 juni 2026 · 31 min
Whales have Free Willy. Dolphins have Flipper. But what about the humble porpoise? Lees meer
The porpoise doesn’t star in any Hollywood blockbusters. These shy, elusive “deer of the sea” are often overshadowed by their more charismatic cousins – but don’t let their social anxiety fool you. In fact, porpoises are speed-fiends with an insane metabolism and an outrageous sex drive.
Host Nate Hegyi and producer Marina Henke explore the Olympic sprinters of the sea and wonder if the fate of the endangered vaquita might hinge on being oh-so-very-cute.
Featuring Michelle Dutro, Barb Lake and Ruxandra Guidi.
Produced by Nate Hegyi. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
Ripped logo credit: Jeremy Keith / Flickr
SUPPORT
We launched a Patreon! Become an Outside/Insider for just $5 a month, and you can get AD-FREE episodes of the podcast, plus access to behind-the-scenes blog posts and more.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
LINKS
The second season of Rux Guidi’s podcast, The Catch, covered the plight of the vaquita.
In 1999, the Department of Defense studied the speed and hydrodynamics of dolphins, whales and porpoises to build better underwater drones.
Here’s a picture of a porpoise penis, but don’t say we didn’t warn you.
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A tinned fish renaissance
10 juni 2026 · 39 min
We launched a Patreon! Become an Outside/Insider for just $5 per month, and you can get AD-FREE episodes of the podcast, plus access to behind-the-scenes blog posts and more. Lees meer
Sardines are in vogue. Literally. They are in Vogue magazine. They’re delicious (subjectively), good for you, and sustainable… right?
Recently, a listener called into the show asking about just that.
“I've always had this sense that they're a more environmentally friendly fish, perhaps because of being low on the food chain. But I'm realizing I really have no sense of what it looks like to actually fish for sardines,” Jeannie told us.
The Outside/In team got together to look beyond the sunny illustrations on the fish tins. Is there bycatch? What about emissions? Are sardines overfished? If we care about the health of the ocean, can we keep eating sardines?
This episode was originally published in 2025.
Featuring Jeannie Bartlett, Malin Pinsky, and Zach Koehn.
Rip logo photo: Canned seafood by Jack Kennard (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).
Produced by Justine Paradis. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
SUPPORT
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to join our Patreon and get ad-free episodes of the podcast. Follow Outside/In on Instagram or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
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Never add sodium to your pasta water
3 juni 2026 · 32 min
Put salt (aka sodium chloride) in your pasta water and you’ll end up with delicious spaghetti. Put pure sodium in it instead… and it will explode. Lees meer
It’s the latest edition of “The Element of Surprise,” our occasional series about the hidden stories behind the periodic table’s most unassuming atoms, isotopes, and molecules. This time we’re talking all about sodium.
It’s the periodic table’s saltiest element. It powers your body like a battery and you need it to survive. So why is too much of it bad for you? Plus, how did salt help the North win the Civil War?
Featuring Raychelle Burks, Trisha Pasricha, Ashley Dumas.
Produced by Felix Poon. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
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LINKS
Watch a 1947 newsreel of the US Army disposing thousands of pounds of pure sodium into a lake in Washington State, causing massive explosions.
See images of the Slanic Salt Mine in Romania and the Wieliczka Salt Mine in Poland, now major tourist sites.
Check out Theodore Gray’s “Sodium Party” YouTube video series where he drops sodium chunks of various sizes into water to observe how they explode. Here’s the first video in the series.Want to learn more about the role of salt throughout human history? Read Mark Kurlansky’s Salt: A World History.
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A cow named Speckles
27 mei 2026 · 33 min
When 10-year-old Doug Crandell joined the 4-H program, he was supposed to learn about raising, feeding, and selling a cow. What he wound up learning was something else entirely. Lees meer
“I wanted to be a hog man, like my father,” he said. “But I knew pretty early on that you couldn’t have these animals forever.”
From producer Shaina Shealy, this is the story of a boy and his cow, Speckles.
Featuring Doug Crandell.
Produced by Shaina Shealy. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
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In defense of darkness
20 mei 2026 · 36 min
Megan Eaves-Egenes grew up under the very starry skies of rural New Mexico. During those years, she developed a deep appreciation for astronomy. Lees meer
The fascination is, of course, not hers alone. But, a starry sky requires one pretty important ingredient: darkness. One study recently reported that since 2011, the night sky has gotten brighter at about 10% per year.
All that light pollution has brought dire consequences to life on planet earth. Crickets can’t tell whether it’s day or night, bird migrations have gone haywire, and our own natural alarm clocks are constantly confused.
In a world where switching on a lamp during evening hours is, as Megan writes, “almost as basic as breathing” is there hope for our night skies? Or have we illuminated our way to a point of no return?
Featuring Megan Eaves-Egenes.
SUPPORT
To share your questions and feedback with Outside/In, call the show’s hotline and leave us a voicemail. The number is 1-844-GO-OTTER. No question is too serious or too silly.
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram and BlueSky, or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
LINKS
You can order a copy of Megan’s book Nightfaring: In Search of the Disappearing Darkness on her website.
Want to plan travel around dark sky locations? Dark Sky International offers a variety of guides and tips on how to visit darky sky locations responsibly.
There are many popular stargazing apps. Megan uses SkyView, but also recommends Stellarium or SkySafari.
Learn more about satellite’s role in light pollution from our 2024 episode, “The new space race.”
Made nearly 10 years ago, here is our episode about light pollution emitted from a New Hampshire greenhouse.
CREDITS
Produced by Marina Henke. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org
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Life and death and psilocybin
13 mei 2026 · 33 min
President Trump recently signed an executive order to make certain psychedelic drugs more available to treat mental health conditions like depression and PTSD. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Joe Rogan were in the oval office, and President Trump even joked during the signing ceremony, “can I have some, please?” Lees meer
Maybe this executive order wasn’t on your 2026 political bingo card… but interest in these substances for mental health isn’t new. In this episode, we’re revisiting the story of Kathy Kral. In the midst of her battle with cancer, Kathy found herself facing a diagnosis of major depression.
So, she signed up for a clinical study to see if psilocybin – the psychedelic compound found in “magic mushrooms” – could help her confront her fears about cancer and death, as well as her deepest inner demons.
This episode was first published in 2023. Featuring Kathleen Kral, Manish Agrawal, and Norma Stevens.
Produced by Felix Poon. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
SUPPORTOutside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In.
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LINKS
Trump’s order is a milestone for proponents of using psychedelics as medicine. (NPR)
Listen to the Sunstone Psilocybin Spotify Playlist that patients listen to during their psychedelic-assisted therapy sessions.
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Silicon Planet
6 mei 2026 · 33 min
Like a typecast actor who can’t escape the blockbuster franchise they’re known for, the element of silicon is inescapably associated with Silicon Valley. But that association undersells just how important, how foundational silicon is for human civilization. Lees meer
It’s another edition of “The Element of Surprise,” our occasional series about the hidden stories behind the periodic table’s most unassuming atoms, isotopes, and molecules. And this time, it’s all about silicon.
From humankind’s early tools, to the quartz crystal hidden in your digital watch, we’ll cover how this underrated element has a lot more to offer than one California valley might suggest.
Featuring Vince Beiser, Megan Brewster, and Rachel Maines.
Produced by Taylor Quimby. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
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LINKS
Still confused about the difference between silicon, silica, and silicone? We think this explanation is helpful.
See the inside of a silicon wafer fab. It’s wild.
Or watch this old video on how silicon wafers are made. Also wild.
If you are very into watches, you might enjoy this detailed history of how the “Quartz Crisis” upended the Swiss watch industry.
Want to learn more about the environmental impacts of sand mining? Check out this 2019 UNEP report.
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A Dry Hot American Summer
29 april 2026 · 31 min
In the spring of 1936, the producer of King Kong hauled a film crew to the desert of Arizona to shoot a sweeping romantic epic. But the heat was so punishing that it melted film stock, caused the lead actress to pass out, and killed the production’s mascot – a baby camel. Lees meer
It was the beginning of a heat wave that parked itself over America for months, quickly becoming one of the deadliest natural disasters in our country’s history. It blew up sidewalks, cooked onions in the ground, claimed at least 12,000 lives, and turned the United States into a literal frying pan.
Host Nate Hegyi talks with Geoff Williams, author of the forthcoming book The Summer of Death, about a ‘heat horror show’ that transformed American life 90 years ago, and what lessons it gives us on how to survive a hotter world today.
Featuring Geoff Williams
Produced by Nate Hegyi. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
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LINKS
You can check out Geoff’s book, The Summer of Death, here.
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt gave a speech about the impacts of the drought and heat wave in the fall of 1936.
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Like a Dirty Rotten Whale
22 april 2026 · 39 min
We’re cleaning out the proverbial fridge, but instead of old food, it’s fantastic and forgotten questions from the Outside/Inbox. Conversation topics include Taylor’s humiliatingly old headlamp, the olfactory experience of a dead whale and, of course, the answers to the following queries… Lees meer
Why do dogs like to roll in dead stuff?
Do humans have a mating season?
Why do so many deer collisions happen in November?
When did headlamps start to have red light?
I live next to a highway. What can I do about the noise pollution?
In the final Lord of the Rings movie, there’s a crust that forms on top of the lava that the ring is thrown onto. Is that legit?
Featuring Christopher Schell, Eric Nystrom, and Erica Walker.
Thanks to our listeners who called in: Dusty, Kyle, Claire, Amanda, Gretchen, Zach, and Sabrina.
We’re looking for new submissions to the Outside/Inbox! Send us those questions by recording yourself on a voice memo, and emailing that to us at outsidein@nhpr.org. Or you can call our hotline: 1-844-GO-OTTER.
SUPPORT
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In.
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LINKS
If you want to learn more about noise pollution listen to our episode “Shhhh! It’s the sound and silence episode.”
Check out for yourself what those clunky old mining headlamps used to look like.
CREDITS
Produced by Marina Henke, Felix Poon, and Nate Hegyi. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org
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The Dead Bird Rabbit Hole
15 april 2026 · 34 min
Every December, tens of thousands of volunteers look to the skies for an international census of wild birds. Lees meer
But during migration season, a much smaller squad of New York City volunteers take on a more sobering experience: counting dead birds that have collided with glass buildings and fallen back to Earth.
In this episode, we find out what kind of people volunteer for this grisly job, visit the New York City rehab center that takes in injured pigeons, and find out how to stop glass from killing an estimated one billion birds nationwide every year.
This episode was first produced and published in the spring of 2024.
Featuring Melissa Breyer, Linda LaBella, Gitanjali Bhattacharjee, Katherine Chen, and Tristan Higginbotham. Produced by Taylor Quimby. For a transcript and full list of credits, go to outsideinradio.org.
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Subscribe to our newsletter (it’s free!).
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LINKS
Want to see the migration forecast? Check out Birdcast.
Want to be a citizen scientist and report dead birds? Check out dBird.
Want to see volunteer Melissa Breyer’s photos of dead birds? Check out Sad Birding.More about Project Safe Flight.
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The Microplastics Cleanse
8 april 2026 · 31 min
With the ubiquity of plastic products, it’s maybe no surprise that a growing body of research shows tiny pieces of plastic are getting inside of us. Lees meer
But what is all this plastic doing to our bodies? And once it’s there… is there any way to get it out?
Producer Haleema Shah looks at what the research says (and doesn’t say) about plastic and health, and explores a new trend in wellness: the microplastics cleanse.
Featuring Charmaine Dahlenburg, Marcus Garcia, Yael Cohen, and Sarah Morath.
Produced by Haleema Shah. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
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A climate activist and a gas executive walk into a bar
1 april 2026 · 33 min
Zeyneb Magavi is a bona fide climate nerd; she drives an electric car, has solar panels on her roof, and worries about natural gas leaks because they’re a major source of planet-warming emissions. Lees meer
Bill Akley is a lifelong natural gas guy; he grew up smelling heating oil in his kitchen, spent decades in the energy industry, and eventually became head of New England’s largest gas utility.
So what brought this improbable duo together? The answer is under your feet. In this episode, how a geothermal pilot project in Massachusetts is bringing together unlikely alliances that might be key to our clean energy future.
Featuring Zeyneb Magavi, Bill Akley, and Kevin Kircher.
Produced by Felix Poon. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
SUPPORT
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LINKS
Learn more about the networked geothermal pilot in Framingham, MA, and how it works.Learn more about the “gas-to-geo transition” that HEET advocates for.
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The Raw Milk Question
25 maart 2026 · 36 min
In 2009, the state of Maine ordered farmer Dan Brown to stop selling his raw milk. It kicked off a five-year legal battle that stoked the flames of Maine’s dairy wars. But, after Farmer Brown lost his case and hung up his milking hat, things quieted down. Lees meer
Twenty years later, raw milk has surged back into the zeitgeist. Influencers are saying it tastes like ice cream, RFK Jr. is taking shots of it at the White House, and Gwyneth Paltrow is putting it in her coffee.
All of which makes for a pretty obvious question… What’s the appeal? Is raw milk some kind of superfood? Or something to avoid at all costs?
Featuring Dan Brown, Andy Bisson, Danny Bisson, Nicole Martin, Pamela Ruegg, and Mary McGonigle-Martin.
SUPPORT
To share your questions and feedback with Outside/In, call the show’s hotline and leave us a voicemail. The number is 1-844-GO-OTTER. No question is too serious or too silly.
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram and BlueSky, or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
LINKS
For a comprehensive history of dairy check out Milk! A 10,000 Year History by Mark Kurlansky.
During the height of Dan Brown’s case he gave a speech to a rousing crowd in Blue Hill. You can watch that here.
The debate over raw vs. pasteurized milk has been happening for a long time. The Milk Question by Milton Joseph Rosenau is a fascinating (we daresay, poetic) read.
The Pasteurized Milk Ordinance is a nearly 500-page document that outlines the intricacies of milk regulation in the U.S. Here’s its most current version.
The FDA fact-checks many different raw milk claims on this page, including pasteurization's affect on vitamin content and potential probiotic benefit.
CREDITS
Produced by Marina Henke. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org
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Hunting Party
18 maart 2026 · 39 min
In 2023, dozens of strangers gathered together in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York for three straight days. Their mission? Teach people of color how to kill, gut, and butcher a deer for the first time. Lees meer
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.
This episode was first published in early 2024, and was produced by Felix Poon.
For a transcript and full list of credits, go to outsideinradio.com. Featuring Dorothy Ren, Brandon Dale, and Brant MacDuff.
SUPPORT
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LINKS
Lydia Parker, executive director of Hunters of Color, discusses how to make the outdoors more equitable. (The Nature Conservancy)
Melissa Harris-Perry talks to Brandon Dale, the New York ambassador for the Hunters of Color organization, on WNYC’s The Takeaway.
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Catching the Codfather
11 maart 2026 · 1 uur
A fishing tycoon is arrested in an elaborate sting operation, but claims he’s the real hero fighting back against an overbearing state. So who is Carlos “The Codfather” Rafael really – a folk hero, a crook, a righteous rebel, or a selfish conman? Lees meer
This week we’re sharing the first episode from “Catching The Codfather,” the third season of GBH’s hit podcast The Big Dig. It’s a series about fishing regulations disguised as a true crime caper unlike any you’ve heard before.
Produced by Ian Coss and Isabel Hibbard. To hear the rest of the series, subscribe to The Big Dig wherever you get your podcasts.
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Red is the warmest color
4 maart 2026 · 32 min
There’s few certainties in life. But the sun will always rise, the seasons will change, and the Outside/Inbox will forever remain answered. Lees meer
From lighthouse paint hues to polar bear lovers, this week the team takes up your questions on all things red.
What makes cardinals red?
Why do albino animals have red eyes?
Why are so many lighthouses painted red?
Do our dogs love us?
Do some animals have same-sex relationships?
How do environmental changes affect pair-bonding?
Featuring Alex Funk, Jeremy D'Entremont, Karyn Anderson, and Francesco Ventura.
Thanks to Outside/In listeners Liz, Tyler, Monica and Lera for their questions.
We’re looking for new submissions to the Outside/Inbox! Give us your weirdest, nichest, most bizarre questions you can think of. Send us those questions by recording yourself on a voice memo, and emailing that to us at outsidein@nhpr.org. Or you can call our hotline: 1-844-GO-OTTER.
SUPPORT
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram and BlueSky, or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
LINKS
Here’s Karyn’s paper on how same-sex behavior in animals is far more common than previously thought.
Olney, Illinois is known as “the home of the white squirrels.” Learn more about how they’re trying to protect these rare albino animals in this small Midwest town.
Here’s the Northeast District’s 2025 US Light List, which lists an astounding 40,000 different lights, sound signals, and other visual aids to navigation.
Francesco Ventura’s paper analyzing divorce rates in albatrosses came out in 2021. You can find it here.
CREDITS
Produced by Marina Henke, Felix Poon and Nate Hegyi. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org
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Reefer madness and the future of hemp
25 februari 2026 · 30 min
Hemp used to be a staple of life in America. King James I demanded that colonists produce it. Hemp rope and fabric were ubiquitous throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. The USDA even produced a WWII newsreel called “Hemp for Victory.” Lees meer
But other materials came to replace hemp – wood pulp for paper, and cotton and synthetics for fabric. Why?
For that matter, what is hemp? Is it different from weed? And does it actually have 25,000 uses as its proponents claim?
Featuring Hector “Freedom” Gerardo, David Suchoff, John Fike, and Danny Desjarlais.
Note: This episode originally aired in April, 2024.
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Goats, Ghosts, and Roadkill [Live stories from Portsmouth]
18 februari 2026 · 55 min
A few weeks ago, Nate gathered a group of storytellers in front of a live audience in Portsmouth, N.H. to celebrate 10 years of Outside/In. From goats to ghosts and ill-fated coloring book pages, this motley crew of storytellers explored the theme of metamorphosis in a changing world. Lees meer
If you’ve got a special moment or episode from Outside/In’s long history, we’d love to hear about it. Send us a note at outsidein@nhpr.org.
Featuring Gretchen Legler, Kianny Antigua, Sara Lamagna, Jake Lewis, Aubrey Nelson, Dave Anderson
Produced by Taylor Quimby and Zoë Mitchell. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
SUPPORT
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LINKS
Check out Gretchen Legler’s blog, where she writes about all sorts of nature and farm-inspired subjects, here.
More on the work of Kianny Antigua can be found on her website.
Listen to Sarah Lamagna’s interview for a previous episode of Outside/In, where she and Taylor talk about tricking kids into loving hiking.
Interested in learning more about Aubrey Nelson's call for "more purposeful, real-world education?" You can contact her "Ecosystem of Educationeers" via this form.
Listen to more musings from naturalist Dave Anderson on NHPR’s Something Wild.
If you want to hear more of Nate’s music, check out “Snoweater on Bandcamp.
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That's so raven
11 februari 2026 · 33 min
Ravens get a bad rap in western culture. They’re an ominous symbol of death, considered “unclean” by the bible, and star in Edgar Allen Poe’s haunting gothic poem, “The Raven.” A group of ravens is called an “unkindness.” What a burn. Lees meer
But host Nate Hegyi is on a mission to show that we should give the raven a bit more credit. It’s one of the most intelligent creatures on earth — an animal that can use tools like a chimpanzee, speak like a parrot, do tricks like a dog, and investigate murders like Sherlock Holmes.
So today on the show, another edition of our ongoing series, Holy Scat: raven edition.
Featuring Sophie Nilles and Will Geiger.
Produced by Nate Hegyi. For a transcript and full list of credits, go to outsideinradio.org.
SUPPORT
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LINKS
Dr. Kaeli Swift is one of the foremost corvid researchers on the planet, and she’s done a deep dive into corvid funerals.
Here’s the study that shows ravens parallel great apes in terms of intelligence.
If you want a real creepy experience, you should watch Vincent Price recite Edgar Allen Poe’s ‘The Raven.’
Need more raven stories from southeast Alaska? The Sealaska Heritage Institute just published a collection.
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The Emerald Forest
4 februari 2026 · 32 min
After the Irish fought for and won their independence from the British in 1921, they had a problem. Centuries of exploitation had left the island one of the least forested nations in Europe, with less than 2% tree cover. Lees meer
So, they started planting a non-native American tree: fast-growing Sitka spruce capable of rebuilding their timber resources in record time. And it worked. Today, about 17% of the island is forested. But in the rural areas where iconic rolling hills have been replaced by rows and rows of conifers, farmers are not happy.
Outside/In host Nate Hegyi takes us to County Leitrim, an area of Ireland hit hard by the Troubles and the Great Famine, to meet the townspeople who are fighting what they say is a new wave of colonialism: Sitka spruce plantations.
Featuring Justin Warnock, Brian Smyth, Donal Magner, Liam Byrne and Jodie Asselin.
This episode originally aired in March 2025.
Produced by Nate Hegyi. For a transcript and full list of credits, go to outsideinradio.org.
SUPPORT
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LINKS
Donal Magner wrote a book covering the history of Ireland’s forests and timber industry.
Sitka spruce plantations are controversial in other parts of Ireland as well, including Cork.
There are also efforts to rewild parts of Ireland with entirely native trees and to protect and restore carbon-sequestering bogs.
It can be really tough to figure out exactly what was growing in Ireland thousands of years ago – but these scientists used ancient pollen counts to figure it out.
Researchers at University College Dublin produced a detailed socio-economic impact report on Sitka spruce plantations and County Leitrim in 2019.
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Safe to Drink, Episode 1: You don’t know about this?
29 januari 2026 · 33 min
A New Hampshire town finds out its water has been contaminated by a chemical. The most basic question — whether the water is safe to drink — doesn’t have a clear answer. Nobody seems to know much about this so-called forever chemical, which is weird… because all of this has all happened before. Lees meer
From the Document team at New Hampshire Public Radio, Safe to Drink is a four-part series about a water contamination story that keeps repeating in town after town — and about the people who fought for answers through a maze of chemistry, regulations, and illnesses.
You can binge the whole series now: subscribe to Safe to Drink on Apple Podcasts, or check out their page on NHPR’s website.
Reported by Mara Hoplamazian. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
SUPPORT
Celebrate our 10th anniversary with us! Join the Outside/In team for Stories from Outside on Friday, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m. at 3S Artspace in Portsmouth. Tickets are available here.
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In.
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Remembering Christa
28 januari 2026 · 31 min
Last week, we talked about the ethics and regulations around sending private citizens to space, but one thing we didn’t linger on much was the lasting impact of Christa McAuliffe; the teacher slated to become the first private citizen to space before she was killed in the Challenger disaster. Lees meer
So today, we’ve got a series of stories and interviews that are all part of NHPR’s series “Remembering Christa: 40 Years After the Challenger.”
We’ll hear from a local journalist that covered her story, the students she mentored, and the community charged with remembering her legacy.
Produced by Patrick McNameeKing. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
SUPPORT
Grab a ticket for our 10 year anniversary live show here!
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
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In Challenger's wake: The ethics of sending citizens to space
21 januari 2026 · 31 min
In 1985, high school teacher Christa McAuliffe was selected to become the first private citizen to travel to space. After the Challenger explosion that killed her and 6 other astronauts, NASA scrapped its Teacher in Space Project; it was still too risky to send private citizens to space. Lees meer
40 years later, things are looking very different.
Today, celebrities and billionaires are buying trips on commercial rockets. Private companies are designing new, private space stations. How is safety being regulated for these private space companies? And what happens if – or when – something goes wrong?
Featuring Kim Bleier, Ben Miller, Doug Ligor, Peggy Whitson, and Dana Tulodziecki.
Produced by Daniel Ackerman. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
SUPPORT
Grab a ticket for our 10 year anniversary live show here!
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
LINKS
Listen to NHPR’s multi-part series honoring Christa McAuliffe 40 years after the Challenger shuttle disaster.
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Bill McKibben has changed (but not that much)
14 januari 2026 · 30 min
One of the very first books for the general public about climate change was written and published by Bill McKibben in 1989. In The End of Nature, Bill wrote that continuing to burn fossil fuels would “lead us, if not straight to hell, then straight to a place with a similar temperature.” Lees meer
Bill was right. The planet is hotter. Climate disasters are everywhere. You’d think he’d be more upset now than ever. But in his latest book, Here Comes the Sun, Bill sounds optimistic. In it he writes “For the first time, I can see a path forward. A path lit by the sun.”
Host Nate Hegyi talks to journalist and activist Bill McKibben, about how he’s changed, how he’s stayed the same, and what his story tells us about the state of the climate crisis.
Featuring Bill McKibben
Produced by Felix Poon. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
SUPPORT
Grab a ticket for our 10 year anniversary live show here!
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
LINKS
Listen to Studs Terkel’s 1989 interview with Bill about his first book, The End of Nature.
Read Bill’s latest book, Here Comes the Sun.
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nom nom nom
7 januari 2026 · 30 min
You might not think much about the sticky bottle of vanilla sitting in the back of your pantry. But that flavor – one of the most common in the world – has a fascinating history, involving a fickle orchid and a 12-year-old enslaved boy who made the discovery of a lifetime. Lees meer
That’s the sort of tale that attracts poet Aimee Nezhukumatathil. From peacock feathers to the sounds of garden insects, her work is known for magnifying the wonders of the natural world. Her latest book of essays, “Bite by Bite: Nourishments and Jamborees,” explores the unexpected connections between food, memory, and community.
So take a seat and pour yourself an aperitif, as Aimee Nezhukumatathil shares a few of these miniature morsels with Outside/In host Nate Hegyi: a three-course meal of grape jelly, sweet nostalgia, and just a hint of vanilla bean.
Featuring Aimee Nezhukumatathil
This episode originally aired in 2024.
SUPPORT
Grab a ticket for our 10 year anniversary live show here!
To share your questions and feedback with Outside/In, call the show’s hotline and leave us a voicemail. The number is 1-844-GO-OTTER. No question is too serious or too silly.
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram and BlueSky, or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
LINKS
You can find Aimee’s book of essays, Bite by Bite, at your local bookstore or online.
CREDITS
Produced by Nate Hegyi. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org
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Return of the Kiwi Apocalypse: 10 years of Outside/In
31 december 2025 · 35 min
** We’re celebrating our 10 year anniversary and want you to come! Join us in Portsmouth, New Hampshire for a night of storytelling, featuring former Outside/In guests and hosted by our very own Nate Hegyi. Get your tickets here! **
In celebration of Outside/In’s 10th anniversary we’re looking back at our very first episode: “The Kiwi Apocalypse,” first published in December of 2015. Afterwards, we’ll get an update to the story and talk about how weird it is to have a podcast old enough to be in middle school.
Here’s our original description for The Kiwi Apocalypse:
Iago Hale has a vision: it’s one where the economy of the North Country is revitalized by local farmers selling delicious cold hardy kiwi berries to the masses.
Meanwhile, Tom Lautzenheiser has been battling a hardy kiwi infestation in Massachusetts for years, and is afraid that this fight will soon be coming to the rest of New England.
Should we worry about the cold hardy kiwi and what does the quest to bring it to market tell us about what an invasive species is?
Featuring Iago Hale, Tom Lautzenheiser and Bryan Connolly.
This episode was produced by our original host, Sam Evans-Brown. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
SUPPORT
Grab a ticket for our 10 year anniversary live show here!
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram or join our private discussion group on Facebook. Lees meerLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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How Broadway’s SFX designers make it rain (and snow) on stage
24 december 2025 · 31 min
Over the past few decades, CGI has allowed directors to put virtually anything they can imagine onto the big screen. But in the world of theater, practical effects still rule supreme.
So how do these special effects wizards make it snow, rain, and gust inside the confines of a theater, where real live audiences are sitting just feet away? And what are the challenges to dumping more than 100 gallons of water indoors, or coating the stage in slippery fake snow?
We tour a Brooklyn warehouse that houses the secrets behind Broadway’s wildest special effects, where one engineer is inventing new ways to wow audiences with the magic of the elements.
Featuring Jeremy Chernick.
Produced by Taylor Quimby. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
SUPPORT
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
LINKS
To see some of the effects we mention in action, check out Jeremy Chernick’s website gallery of shows he’s worked on.
ALSO! Did Operation Night Cat leave you wanting more? Make a year-end gift to NHPR, and we’ll invite you to a special Operation Night Cat Virtual Q&A on January 8th 6PM EST, featuring our very own Nate Hegyi! Lees meerLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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The FernGully Effect
17 december 2025 · 35 min
When Avatar came out in 2009, it shattered box-office records. And even though it was billed as a sci-fi epic featuring blue aliens on a far-away moon, the movie didn’t shy away from a pretty Earth-based message of environmental conservation.
So, with a third Avatar hitting theaters this weekend, we were inspired to bust out the popcorn, dim the lights, and play the part of pop culture critics.
How do movies – from blockbusters to documentaries to Disney films – shape our conception of the natural world?
Featuring Alyssa Vitale, David Whitley, Salma Monani, and Erin Trahan.
SUPPORT
To share your questions and feedback with Outside/In, call the show’s hotline and leave us a voicemail. The number is 1-844-GO-OTTER. No question is too serious or too silly.
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram and BlueSky, or join our private discussion group on Facebook.
LINKS
Similar to Avatar, the animation required to pull off Finding Nemo was a technological feat for its time. Here’s a documentary showing you behind the scenes.
Listen to all of “Little April Showers” (that catchy tune from Bambi) here.
You can find Alyssa Vitale’s movie reviews on her Youtube channel, Mainely Movies.
Salma Monani’s academic work within ecocinema extends far beyond that of FernGully. Her faculty page at Gettysburg College can be found here.
Find some of Erin Trahan’s recent work on her website, including a recent documentary following Michael Dukakis.
You can find David Whitley’s book on Disney animation here.
CREDITS
Produced by Marina Henke. For full credits, transcript, and a list of movies mentioned in this episode visit outsideinradio.org Lees meerLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Time heals all wounds
10 december 2025 · 30 min
Did you know that some species of worms can be cut into multiple pieces and each piece will make a new worm? Some can even make a whole new brain. Wild, right?
While not all forms of healing are quite as miraculous as this, the body’s ability to repair itself is pretty darned cool. So today, we’re answering your questions about healing. Like… Lees meerWhy do we pick at scabs?
Why do animals lick their wounds?
How does breath work affect the nervous system?
What's the best outdoor activity to help heal from heartbreak?
For our next Outside/Inbox roundup, we’re looking for questions all about love! From what happens in our bodies when we fall in and out of love, to whether animals fall in love. Send us your questions by recording yourself on a voice memo, and emailing that to us at outsidein@nhpr.org. Or you can call our hotline: 844-GO-OTTER.
Featuring Mansi Srivastava, Mona Gohara, Susan Taylor, Henk Brand, Jane Sykes, Aditi Garg, Carolina Estêvão, and Sandra Langeslag.
For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.SUPPORT
Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In.
Follow Outside/In on Instagram or join our private discussion group on FacebookLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices