Constant Wonder

A foundling newborn owl on the brink of death was rescued by a passionate conservationist. After a couple years, she was released to the wild, where's she's lived a healthy life—she's even raised two broods of chicks. But she still calls to and pays regular visits to her rescuer, right in his own backyard, a miracle of hope and connection. Also in this episode of Constant Wonder, a bonus conversation about tracking the world's largest owl in Siberia. Guests: Carl Safina, author of "Alfie and Me: What Owls Know, What Humans Believe," Endowed Professor for Nature and Humanity at Stony Brook University, and founding president of the Safina Center Jonathan C. Slaght, Regional Director, Temperate Asia, Wildlife Conservation Society; author of “Owls of the Eastern Ice: A Quest to Find and Save the World’s Largest Owl” Want to learn more? Find Jonathan online at https://jonathanslaght.com/ Explore more of Carl's writing at https://www.carlsafina.org/ Owl calls: © Sergey Surmach 2012; Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Deed https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/; BYU Broadcasting does not claim ownership in the sounds provided by Mr. Surmach which BYU obtained from https://xeno-canto.org/species/Bubo-blakistoni

When his daughter is diagnosed with Down Syndrome, an anthropology professor must test his commitment to the lesson that his field had long taught: that someone is different doesn't mean something is wrong with them. He discovers, though, that even leading social scientists like Margaret Mead and Erik Erikson struggled to accept Down Syndrome as part of a normal life. In this episode of Constant Wonder, he and his family embrace an expanded concept of what a "normal" childhood looks like. Guest: Thomas W. Pearson, professor of Anthropology at University of Wisconsin-Stout and author of "An Ordinary Future: Margaret Mead, the Problem of Disability, and Child Born Different" Find Thomas online at https://www.thomaswpearson.org/

Constant Wonder shares excerpts of three of our favorite episodes from 2023. We meet a family who discovered that their Nazi grandfather had actually aided the French resistance in WWII; we follow two intrepid female botanists along a death-defying boat trip through the Grand Canyon; we meet a "range rider" who keeps the peace between ranchers and wolves. These are only a sampling of the fascinating, inspiring conversations from the last year. Guests: Burkhard Bilger, author of "Fatherland: A Memoir of War, Conscience, and Family Secrets" and staff writer at "The New Yorker" Melissa Sevigny, author of "Brave the Wild River: The Untold Story of Two Women Who Mapped the Botany of the Grand Canyon." Thanks to Lew Steiger for allowing us to use his recordings of Lois Jotter's recollections. Daniel Curry, range rider and wolf advocate in Eastern Washington

When invasive plants and animals crowd out native species—and you just can't beat 'em—you might as well eat 'em! That's Joe Roman's argument. It's not a perfect solution, but from lionfish in the Caribbean to the snails and weeds in your backyard, chefs and foodies are serving up invasive species in the name of conservation. Enjoy this short bonus episode from Constant Wonder! Guest: Joe Roman, conservation biologist and research affiliate at the University of Vermont; author, "Eat, Poop, Die: How Animals Make Our World"

Sixty years ago, the island of Surtsey was born of a volcanic eruption. It would've remained a bleak, barren place were it not for bird droppings which created a tiny ecosystem in which plants, insects, and birds now thrive. It's a compelling example of the way that animals distribute nutrients around the globe through their poop. In other instances, carcasses nourish many forms of life around them, especially during and after a migration. In this episode, we'll find wonder around the world in quite unlikely places. Guest: Joe Roman, author of "Eat, Poop, Die: How Animals Make Our World" Find Joe online: https://joeroman.com/ X/Twitter: https://x.com/roamnjoe

As a biology professor and a published writer, Steven Peck spent his entire life closely observing everything around him. But then his world was overturned by a brain infection that caused severe hallucinations, and he was plunged into a terrifying realm of assassin-children, evil doctors, and river-rafting MRI machines. Emerging from that chaos, Peck grappled with the power of the human brain to construct and alter the reality we experience. In this episode of Constant Wonder, he talks about how such a horrific and mind-altering experience led to an increased capacity for compassion. Steven Peck, professor of biology at BYU and author of over forty short stories and novels. Visit Steven online to find out more about his writing: https://stevepeckniche.com/

Poet and essayist Ross Gay talks about finding moments of wonder in everyday life. Wandering, finger painting, laundromats, bike riding, gardening, listening to beautiful music, recognizing the care that is offered to us. In this episode of Constant Wonder, we discover Ross Gay's philosophy of delight. Guest: Ross Gay, author of "The Book of Delights," "Inciting Joy," and "The Book of (More) Delights" Find Ross Gay online to explore his other work: https://www.rossgay.net/about

Steven Melendez was introduced to ballet as a child living in a homeless shelter. After an international ballet career—during which he tried to downplay his past—he now works to welcome more kids with backgrounds like his into the ballet studio and onto the world's finest stages. The documentary "Lift" chronicles his journey. Guests: Steven Melendez, Artistic Director of New York Theatre Ballet David Petersen, Director and Producer of "Lift" Find Steven online: https://stevenmelendez.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thestevenmelendez/?hl=en Find David online: https://www.beaufort9films.com/lift

Andrew Leland figured out he was going blind when he began stumbling in the dark as a teenager. Using the then-nascent internet, he diagnosed himself with retinitis pigmentosa, a condition which has caused his sight to gradually degrade from the outside in. Far from being the tragedy he expected, his blindness has simply become part of everyday life—bringing with it surprising humor and unexpected beauty. Guest: Andrew Leland, freelance writer for The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, McSweeney’s Quarterly, and The San Francisco Chronicle, among others Find Andrew online: https://www.andrewleland.org/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quailty/?hl=en

When the two teenage children of a close-knit family are killed by a drunk driver, the grief-stricken parents turn to their Jewish community for support. They learn that constructive grief requires community and conversation, and they set out to rebuild a joyful life that honors their lost children while embracing others in need. Guests: Colin Campbell, author of "Finding the Words: Working Through Profound Loss with Hope and Purpose," and Gail Lerner Find Colin online: https://colincampbellauthor.com/colin/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colincampbellwriter/ Find Gail online: https://gaillerner.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gail.lerner/?hl=en

When Ava Chin went looking for the father who had abandoned her family, she discovered the rich and complicated legacy of her Chinese immigrant relatives. Her great-great-grandfather helped build the railroad that united America, but his adopted country soon turned against him, legislating the Chinese Exclusion Act. This episode of the Constant Wonder podcast explores how Ava Chin's family continued to thrive in America, despite intense discrimination. As her family history unfolds, we witness Ava Chin lay claim to a past she never knew she had. Guest: Ava Chin, author of "Mott Street: A Chinese American Family's Story of Exclusion and Homecoming" Learn more about Ava Chin: http://avachin.com/ https://www.instagram.com/ava_chin/?hl=en https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/563929/mott-street-by-ava-chin/ Excerpts from "Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto" used by permission from the BYU Chamber Orchestra

In 1938, the raging rapids of the Colorado were still untamed and undammed when a pair of botanists from the University of Michigan captured the country's imagination. They would become the first known women to run the river through the Grand Canyon. They did it in pursuit of plants and science, but their story is a little-known tale of resilience and beauty at the edge of the impossible. Guest: Melissa Sevigny, author of "Brave the Wild River: The Untold Story of Two Women Who Mapped the Botany of the Grand Canyon." Explore Melissa's other writing here: https://melissasevigny.com/ Thanks to Lew Steiger for allowing us to use his recordings of Lois Jotter's recollections. Kyle Remand, Ryan Clark, Brian Tanner, Eric Glissmeyer, Audrey Hughes, Kristi Lindstrom, Becca Hurley, and Barry Squires voiced the various roles.

Join us for conversations that invite you to discover, explore, and engage with the wonders of the world around you. New episodes available Wednesdays, starting September 20, 2023, on your favorite podcast platforms and the BYUradio app.

Utah Lake has long had a poor reputation for being murky and prone to algal blooms, but efforts to save the once-endangered June sucker fish are bringing new life to the massive lake. In this episode of Constant Wonder, see how a coalition of scientists, government officials, and regular folk are looking out for an ecosystem unlike any other. Guests: Josh LeMonte, Professor of Geology at BYU Michael Mills, Executive Director at the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission Melissa Stamp, Projects Manager the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission Ben Abbott, Professor of Plant and Wildlife Sciences at BYU Henry Jones, Anna Monson, and Feyan Hoffman, volunteers at Utah Lake Learn more about the Utah Lake Conservation Project and the local June Suckers here: https://www.junesuckerrecovery.org/meet-the-june-sucker Web photo credit: Keith Lane

Exploring deeper in the ocean than anyone before him—into the dark depths of the sea where no ray of sunlight reached—William Beebe saw shocking lights, colors, and critters that made him question life on land. In this episode of Constant Wonder, meet a scientist as interesting as the watery worlds he discovered. Guest: Brad Fox, author of The Bathysphere Book: Effects of the Luminous Ocean Depths William Beebe narrated by Brian Croxall, Professor of Digital Humanities at BYU Visit Brad Fox online: Author page: https://bradfox.org/about Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradmfox/?hl=en

Karl Gönner was a Nazi, and his family didn't ask a lot of questions about that time in his life. But after his death, they came to find out, in a most unexpected way, that he'd protected villagers in occupied France against abuse by the Nazi regime. In this episode of Constant Wonder, a family discovers that their history is more inspiring than they'd ever suspected. Guest: Burkhard Bilger, author of "Fatherland: A Memoir of War, Conscience, and Family Secrets" and staff writer at "The New Yorker"

Barely 20 years ago, there was little scientific consensus on the purpose of sleep. Now, there is broad agreement that sleep and dreams are where the unconscious mind processes events, solves problems, and organizes memories. Robert Stickgold helped break the field open, in part by getting amnesiacs to play tetris. Sidarta Ribeiro was drawn to the field largely through his own striking dream and sleep experiences, starting when he was just five years old. Explore the world of dreams in this episode of Constant Wonder. Guests: Sidarta Ribeiro, Professor of Neuroscience at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil Robert Stickgold, Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School

Stella Levi, age 100, grew up on the island of Rhodes in a community of Sephardic Jews who had lived there for over 500 years. She survived the Italian and German occupations and the deportation of her entire community to Auschwitz. Decades later, Levi met Michael Frank, a writer living in New York City. This chance encounter led to weekly meetings for over six years. In this episode of Constant Wonder, Michael Frank tells us the story of their friendship, Stella Levi's incredible life, and the lost Jewish community of Rhodes. Guest: Michael Frank, author of "One Hundred Saturdays: Stella Levi and the Search for a Lost World" Find Michael online: https://michaelfrank.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelfrankauthor/ Music courtesy of Daphna Mor and Nina Stern and their ensemble, "East of the River," from their upcoming album “Ija Mia" (7/31/23) The clips of Stella speaking Ladino are from the Endangered Language Alliance Audio of Stella's speech is from NYU's Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò

Ever since "Dracula," bats have been seen as terrifying threats that carry disease. They're actually essential to our agriculture and industry. In this episode of Constant Wonder, you'll meet an expert who can set the record straight. No wonder he's known as "The Batman of Mexico"; he's been obsessed with the flying mammals since he was young! Guest: Rodrigo Medellin, Professor of Ecology at the National Autonomous University of Mexico Learn more about Rodrigo Medellín's research: Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rodrigo-Medellin-3 Find him online! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batmanmedellin/?hl=en

Christopher Clark always had a sharp sense of humor. But when he was diagnosed with ALS and gradually became paralyzed, he also refined and shared a sense of awe at the miracle of living, even though—and maybe because—his own body was dying. His widow, Lisa Valentine Clark, tells his story to Constant Wonder, in an episode you won't want to miss. Guests: Lisa Valentine Clark, host of "The Lisa Show" on BYUradio Ken Craig, Chris Clark's best friend and Donor Liaison at Philanthropies Dept. for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Visit "The Lisa Show" to hear more stories from Lisa: https://www.byuradio.org/the-lisa-show Web photo credit: Justin Hackworth

A young field biologist, whose peripatetic childhood left her feeling rootless, searches for a sense of home in some of the world's wildest places. She works in extreme conditions in Antarctica, studying prey and predators, birds, and seals. In the process, she discovers fragility and terror, and, ultimately, the magic of life. Guest: Naira de Gracia, field biologist and author of "The Last Cold Place: A Field Season Studying Penguins in Antarctica" Find Naira online: https://www.nairadegracia.com/

Lyanda Lynn Haupt's mission is to connect people with nature in their everyday lives. In her own life, that's led to sitting in the dark alongside a moose, walking barefoot in a prehistoric Celtic tomb, and adopting a starling. Sometimes, as can happen when backpacking alone in the wilderness, encounters with nature can be scary as well as inspiring. But awe includes both fear and wonder, and our guest will examine both in this episode of Constant Wonder. Guest: Lyanda Lynn Haupt, naturalist, speaker, and author of "Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature, and Spirit" Learn more about Lyanda's work on her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lyandahaupt/?hl=en

People living on the edge of African nature preserves can pass their diseases to gorillas living there. In this episode of Constant Wonder, a wildlife vet practices "One Health" by investing in the health and economic security of humans to ensure primates stay healthy, too. The result is robust gorilla tourism that benefits the entire country. Guest: Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, founder and CEO of Conservation Through Public Health and author of "Walking with Gorillas: The Journey of an African Wildlife Vet" Find Gladys on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gladyskalemazikusoka/?hl=en Photo credit: Jo-Anne McArthur / #unboundproject / We Animals Media

Daniel Curry had had recurring dreams about wolves, long before he chose to devote his career to helping them. After working with captive wolves for several years, he became a "range rider," a human intermediary between predators and the cattle they might want to eat. In this episode of Constant Wonder, we'll discover Curry's extraordinary empathy for both domestic and wild creatures, and we'll hear how he works to keep them all safe. Photo credit: Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review Guest: Daniel Curry, range rider and wolf advocate in Eastern Washington Find Daniel Curry online: https://thewolfranger.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedanimalmanimal/?hl=en

Daniel Curry had had recurring dreams about wolves, long before he chose to devote his career to helping them. After working with captive wolves for several years, he became a "range rider," a human intermediary between predators and the cattle they might want to eat. In this episode of Constant Wonder, we'll discover Curry's extraordinary empathy for both domestic and wild creatures, and we'll hear how he works to keep them all safe. Photo credit: Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review Guest: Daniel Curry, range rider and wolf advocate in Eastern Washington Find Daniel Curry online: https://thewolfranger.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedanimalmanimal/?hl=en Originally aired on May 17, 2023

In this episode, meet Dr. Jim O'Connell, a tireless physician who has spent nearly four decades caring for the unhoused population of Boston. We'll also learn about some of his enterprising and generous patients, who've formed a community that watches out for one another on the streets. Finding redemption and hope amid tragedy, on Constant Wonder. Guests: Jim O'Connell, MD, President of Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School Tracy Kidder, author of "Rough Sleepers: Dr. Jim O’Connell’s Urgent Mission to Bring Healing to Homeless People" and winner of the Pulitzer Prize Learn more about the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program: https://www.bhchp.org/about/our-mission-work/ Find a copy of Jim O'Connell and Tracy Kidder's book: https://www.tracykidder.com/books.html Photo credit: Bill Brett

Meet a tireless physician who has spent nearly four decades caring for the unhoused population of Boston. We'll also learn about some of his enterprising and generous patients, who've formed a community that watches out for one another on the streets, as they find redemption and hope amid tragedy. Guests: Jim O'Connell, MD, President of Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School Tracy Kidder, author of "Rough Sleepers: Dr. Jim O’Connell’s Urgent Mission to Bring Healing to Homeless People" and winner of the Pulitzer Prize Learn more about the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program: https://www.bhchp.org/about/our-mission-work/ Find a copy of Jim O'Connell and Tracy Kidder's book: https://www.tracykidder.com/books.html Photo credit: Bill Brett Originally aired May 10, 2023

As a young White girl in Ohio, Rachel Jamison had imagined what life was like for her pioneer ancestors, and she peppered her grandparents with questions about her past. Decades later, she and her family discovered a connection to a prominent early American Black intellectual and met their living Black relatives. The full story of her past had been hiding in plain sight. Guest: Rachel Jamison Webster, author of "Benjamin Banneker and Us: Eleven Generations of an American Family" Visit Rachel at her website to learn more about her newest projects: https://www.racheljamisonwebster.com/

Prem Jauhar was a world-class agricultural scientist—an inspiration to his son Sandeep, our guest, who became a cardiologist. When the elderly father Prem started behaving oddly, Sandeep and his two siblings grew frustrated and confused. It’s a classic family story of grown children struggling together to help a parent beset with Alzheimer’s. A beautiful father-son bond, established early on when young Sandeep would help Prem tend his beloved garden, manifests itself at the end of Prem’s life in tender exchanges between a now childlike father and a grieving son. Everyone will have something profound to gain from this episode of Constant Wonder. Guest: Sandeep Jauhar, MD, PhD, Director of the Heart Failure Program at Long Island Jewish Hospital; author of "My Father's Brain: Life in the Shadow of Alzheimer's"; contributing opinion writer for The New York Times Find Sandeep online to explore more of his work: https://sandeepjauhar.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandeepjauhar/ X/Twitter: https://x.com/sjauhar

Get to know BBC personality and naturalist Mike Dilger, from his passion for birds and wildlife, to his adventures in the cloud forests of Ecuador. In this podcast episode, we explore Mike's early experiences with birdwatching, his quest to find 1,000 different plant species in a single year, and his heartwarming proposal story, involving a ladder, a ring, and some chickens. Mike Dilger celebrates the natural world with contagious enthusiasm. Guest: Mike Dilger, BBC presenter and author of "One Thousand Shades of Green" Find him online: https://mikedilger.co.uk/

As a young woman from the East Coast, Sasha Reed had never been camping before when she was introduced to the Arizona desert by her future husband. She fell in love with both, and crouching on the dry ground she noticed and became obsessed with fragile communities of organisms known as "biocrust." This led her into a scientific field, biogeochemistry, that would shape her professional life. With infectious enthusiasm, she's become an evangelist for biocrust communities, finding joy and amusement in their spunky methods of not only surviving, but thriving. Guest: Sasha Reed, biogeochemist with the U.S. Geological Survey, researching biocrust Curious about Sasha's work? Visit USGS's website to learn about her latest publications: https://www.usgs.gov/staff-profiles/sasha-c-reed Photo credit: Canyonlands National Park, Utah. © William Bowman

In 1863 on the South Dakota frontier, a Lakota Indian elder and a US army colonel had a tense and deadly encounter. They could not have known that their children would marry each other, and thus create a welded and complex legacy that generations of their descendants would work to reconcile. Guest: Philip J. Deloria, Professor of History at Harvard University

Dying patients often profess to see deceased loved ones around them in the days and weeks before they pass. So often that hospice care doctor Chris Kerr decided to make a scientific study of the phenomenon. He found that while the medical community typically views death as defeat, there is actually a great deal of spiritual growth right there at the end of life. This podcast episode invites you to reconsider these unique dreams before dying. Guest: Christopher Kerr, MD, PhD, CEO & Chief Medical Officer at Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo, and author of "Death Is But a Dream: Finding Hope and Meaning at Life's End" Find a copy of "Death is But a Dream" here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/604704/death-is-but-a-dream-by-christopher-kerr-md-phd-with-carine-mardorossian-phd/

The apex of marine archaeologist Mensun Bound's stellar career happened a year ago this week, when the expedition he spearheaded found Ernest Shackleton's "Endurance" at the bottom of an Antarctic sea. This was just the latest find in a career marked by big discoveries, including a 2,500-year-old Etruscan ship and a Roman wreck weighed down by massive stone columns looted from Athens. Bound has a special term for that electric moment when he uncovers a piece of history and feels like he's connecting with the mind of its creator. He calls it "mind touch." Now, the expedition to find Shackleton's ship required a crew of experts, an icebreaker, two helicopters, and cutting edge submersible robots. But the real magic in this story is Bound's palpable connection through time to people whose stories have enriched our world. Guest: Mensun Bound, Director of Exploration on the 2019 and 2022 expeditions to locate Shackleton’s Endurance; previously Triton Fellow in Maritime Archaeology at Oxford University; author of "The Ship Beneath the Ice: The Discovery of Shackleton's Endurance" Learn more about Mensun's adventures on his website: https://www.mensunbound.com/ Photo Credit: National Geographic/The Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust

Being in and around water heals us emotionally. Water "evangelist" J Nichols shares his insight and his personal "water stories," when water has inspired him and also when it's healed him from trauma. As part of this episode, we're asking listeners, "What's your water story?" Tune in to Constant Wonder and find out how to share yours! Wallace J Nichols, author of "Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do" and co-author of "Dear Wild Child: You Carry Your Home Inside You" Learn more about J's lifework and mission at his website: https://www.wallacejnichols.org/122/the-blue-mind-movement.html

Dacher Keltner has been a leading researcher on the subject of awe for nearly 20 years. It’s hard to improve upon his description of the phenomenon: Awe is an emotion we feel upon encountering something so vast that it upends our sense of what is real. But when cancer took his brother’s life, Keltner personally and repeatedly experienced awe in ways that expanded the boundaries of what, even for him, is real. In this podcast episode, he visits with us about his new openness to experiences of awe that science cannot adequately account for. Guest: Dacher Keltner, Professor of Psychology at UC Berkeley and author of "Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life" Visit Dacher's website to explore more of his writing: https://www.dacherkeltner.com/

After cancer takes his brother's life, Dacher Keltner repeatedly experiences awe in ways that expand the boundaries of what, even for him, is real. Guest: Dacher Keltner, founding director, Greater Good Science Center, UC Berkeley; author, "Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life" Visit Dacher's website to explore more of his writing: https://www.dacherkeltner.com/ Originally aired 2/15/23

Meet Clint Edwards, a man whose hilarious honesty has brought hope and laughter to his readers in the New York Times, Washington Post, and on his popular blog: No Idea What I’m Doing. Follow his story of growing up at odds with his parents and eventually learning to raise a family of his own, all while managing mental health struggles. On this episode of Constant Wonder, learn about finding wonder in the mundane, the difficult, the hilarious, and the in-between. Guest: Clint Edwards, blogger and author of "Anxiously Ever After: An Honest Memoir on Mental Illness, Strained Relationships, and Embracing the Struggle" Visit Clint Edwards online to see more of his work: Substack blog: https://clintedwards.substack.com/about Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noideadaddyblog/?hl=en X/Twitter: https://x.com/byclintedwards?lang=en

Constant Wonder presents the second of a two-part episode on "infrasound," or sound that lies below the threshold of human hearing. Infrasound can explain seemingly inexplicable animal behavior. In part 2, we meet Hawaiian insects and African elephants that use the same technique to hear sounds not audible to the human ear. They both can hear with their feet! And while we don't hear with our feet, research on these animals may help improve hearing aids in the future—because we do actually hear with our bones. Guest: Caitlin O'Connell-Rodwell, instructor at Harvard Medical School, elephant expert, and co-founder and CEO of Utopia Scientific Learn more about Caitlin at her website: https://www.caitlineoconnell.com/

This is the first of a two-part episode on "infrasound," or sound that lies below the threshold of human hearing. Infrasound can warn of impending danger. In part 1, we go to Hawaii and Chile with an volcanologist who records the voices of volcanos, looking for subtle shifts in their infrasound that could signal a pending eruption. Then we go up the coast to Guatemala, to detect mudslides triggered by a volcano—before they happen, giving people time to get out of the way. Guest: Jeffrey Johnson, Associate Professor of Geoscience at Boise State University Learn more about Jeffrey's volcanologist activities at his website: https://sites.google.com/view/jeffreybjohnson/home

If snorkeling seems like something you can only do on a tropical vacation, think again. In this podcast episode, we meet a river snorkeling guide who encourages us to stick our heads in the water, right in our local streams and rivers. Keith Williams thinks you'll be amazed at the aquatic life you'll see there. Tune in to Constant Wonder and get hooked with some amazing fish tales. Guest: Keith Williams, author of "Snorkeling Rivers and Streams: An Aquatic Guide to Underwater Discovery and Adventure" and guide at Freshwater Journeys Read more snorkeling stories by Keith at https://blog.nature.org/author/keith-williams/ Originally aired on January 25, 2023

If snorkeling seems like something you can only do on a tropical vacation, think again. In this podcast episode, we meet a river snorkeling guide who encourages us to stick our heads in the water, right in our local streams and rivers. Keith Williams thinks you'll be amazed at the aquatic life you'll see there. Tune in to Constant Wonder and get hooked with some amazing fish tales. Guest: Keith Williams, author of "Snorkeling Rivers and Streams: An Aquatic Guide to Underwater Discovery and Adventure" and guide at Freshwater Journeys Read more snorkeling stories by Keith at https://blog.nature.org/author/keith-williams/

Storyteller Kevin Kling has overcome trauma and learned to live with disability, without ever losing sight of the hilarious–even in the horrible. We follow him from his mischievous childhood to his empathetic and inspiring performances around the world. He still laughs often, and so will you, during this episode of the "Constant Wonder" podcast. Guest: Kevin Kling, author, playwright, and storyteller Visit Kevin's website to learn more about his work, speaking events, and performances: https://www.kevinkling.com/

If you've never stopped by the side of the trail to listen to a beetle larvae chewing on a pine tree, or to the sound of the woodpecker looking for that beetle, we'll give you a chance in this podcast episode. If you've never been puzzled by the high-pitched voice of a male elk bugle, we encourage you to take the time to wonder about nature's oddities. Focusing on underappreciated sounds and sensations opens up an enormous world of insight and beauty. Guest: David George Haskell, author of "Sounds Wild and Broken: Sonic Marvels, Evolution's Creativity, and the Crisis of Sensory Extinction" and Professor of Biology at Sewanee: The University of the South Learn more about David online: Author page: https://dghaskell.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidgeorgehaskell/?hl=en

What good is a library or a museum if you can't get to it? In this episode of the podcast, Constant Wonder introduces innovators who bring inspiration to people in the most unexpected ways. We learn about the inventor of the bookmobile, a feisty librarian who allowed neither bureaucrats nor train wrecks to interfere with her mobile library. Then we meet the curator of ATM-sized museums that are popping up in unusual places and opening the world to people who may not otherwise get to visit museums. And, finally, an artist who heads up a street mosaic project staffed by volunteers with mental illness. Their work appears in neglected alleyways and neighborhood parks. Guests: Sharlee Glenn, author of "Library on Wheels: Mary Lemist Titcomb and America's First Bookmobile" Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/sharleeglennwordweaver/ Charles Philipp, cofounder of MICRO, a distributed fleet of micro-museums Website: https://charlesphilipp.com/ Tessa Hunkin, mosaicist Website: https://www.tessahunkin.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tessahunkin/?hl=en

Meet an Icelandic woman who speaks to (and for) elves. Her efforts led to a famous compromise over a highway construction project in Iceland that would've taken out an elf "church." But more importantly, American researcher Nancy Marie Brown claims, a belief in elves–or in the possibility of elves–could change the way we see, and care for, our environment. Skeptical? That's okay. On this Constant Wonder podcast, we aim to suspend our disbelief to explore ancient ways of thinking, at least for an episode. Guests: Nancy Marie Brown, author of "Looking for the Hidden Folk: How Iceland's Elves Can Save the Earth" Website: https://www.nasw.org/users/nmb/ Ragnhildur Jónsdóttir, elf seer and educator Mara Menzies, Kenyan/Scottish performance storyteller Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raggajonsdottir/?hl=en

In three decades at National Geographic, Ann Williams has been an eyewitness to some of the greatest archaeological treasures of the last century. She was just outside on the dark and stormy night when they loaded King Tut's mummy into a CAT scanner. She examined the fibers of an ancient woven blanket shrouding an Incan teenager, who'd been sacrificed to the gods. She documented the bowls and baskets left behind as an entire Alaskan Yupik village fled an attack. Guest: Ann Williams, General Editor of "Treasures of Egypt: A Legacy in Photographs from the Pyramids to Cleopatra" and "Lost Cities, Ancient Tombs: 100 Discoveries That Changed the World" Listen to Constant Wonder wherever you get your podcasts.

From a young age, Rachel Graham was interested in all kinds of marginalized animals, from snakes to bats. But when she went on a dive trip and experienced a real-life sharknado, it became clear that her future would be inextricably tied to sharks. This marked the beginning of her quest to change people’s mindsets about these fascinating and threatened creatures. Guest: Rachel Graham, Ph.D., Founder and Executive Director of MarAlliance Learn more about MarAlliance's work: https://maralliance.org/ Listen to Constant Wonder wherever you get your podcasts.

Astronaut Terry Virts experienced a juxtaposition of the sublime and the mundane, sensing God while floating weightless, fixing cables outside his spacecraft. While in orbit, Virts took more than 300,000 photos, which became part of the National Geographic IMAX film "A Beautiful Planet." Podcast Guest: Colonel Terry Virts, fighter pilot, test pilot, NASA astronaut, and author of "How to Astronaut: An Insider's Guide to Leaving Planet Earth." He also directed "One More Orbit,” documenting the fastest circumnavigation of the earth via both poles.

When Korean adoptee Sara Jones went looking for her birth family, she wondered if a strange tattoo given to her in childhood could unlock any secrets. Jones was adopted into an American family at age three. She found much success here in America, becoming an attorney and CEO. It wasn't until her own kids started asking questions that she decided to search for her birth family. And she started her search with that mysterious tattoo. Hear the story on this week's podcast. Guest: Sara Jones, CEO of InclusionPro, Board Member of The (Utah) State Workforce Development Board, Board of Trustees for Intermountain Salt Lake Valley Hospitals, Co-Founder of Women Tech Council Visit Sara Jones on Instagram to learn more: https://www.instagram.com/saradansiejones/?hl=en