Every Little Thing

Caller Kelli has an issue: whenever she daydreams about her crush, she sneezes. Kelli wants to know why her steamy thoughts trigger projectile snots, and whether other people fanta-sneeze. We dig around for answers with ear, nose and throat surgeon Mahmood Bhutta and neuroscientist and daydreaming expert Chantel Prat.

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We asked you for stories about your most extreme animal run-ins, and we got a flock of them. From a tangled antlers conundrum, to a toothy underwater panic, and a life-altering encounter with jellyfish, your animal stories made us laugh, sweat and want to stay on the boat. Thanks to Cory, Sara, Geoff and everyone who called in with a wild animal tale.

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This week, we’re revisiting caller Sadera’s burning question: When there’s a wildfire, how do we figure out what caused it? Fire investigator Paul Steensland tells ELT what he searches for in the burnt landscape, and the clues that can lead him to the cause.

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This week, a tangled tale from the archives. Kate, a “hair is life” kind of person, asks about the invention that keeps her hair out of her face. Hair stylist and archaeologist Janet Stephens takes us into the history of hair care, and scrunchie queen Rommy Revson tells the story of an invention that changed up-do’s forever.

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This week, we’re resurfacing a favorite episode. Caller Jessica wants to know what lives under our city streets. Urban evolutionary biologist and rat expert Jason Munshi-South takes us into the subways and sewer systems of NYC to meet the creatures who live there. Plus, animal behavioral scientist Jennifer Verdolin delivers the 411 on another underground underdog: prairie dogs.

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This week, we’re revisiting a favorite episode. Caller Elle wants to know: how did we decide that pink is for girls and blue is for boys? Textiles and clothing historian Jo Paoletti and cultural historian of medicine, gender and the body Hanne Blank tell us how pink and blue got gender-coded.

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Caller Lindsay wants to know: Why the flock do pigeons seem to prefer grimy city streets over picture-perfect pastures and wide open spaces? Urban wildlife researcher and pigeon stalker Elizabeth Carlen helps us get to the bottom of this perplexing paradox. Turns out, we’re partly to blame.

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Caller Sarah had a question about the ghosts of birth control past. Lawyer-turned-historian Elizabeth Koester tells us a haunting tale about the Canadian woman who was arrested for talking about contraception and the man who wanted to see her put on trial.

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We asked you to share your most cherished voicemails, and you flooded the ELT hotline with hilarious and heartfelt messages. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories. And if you have a voicemail you can’t delete, it’s not too late to call and tell us about it. Call 833-RING-ELT.

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The Westminster Kennel Club dog show is approaching and we dug up one of our favorite episodes to celebrate. Terriers have won Best in Show at Westminster 48 times. Dachshunds? Never. Listener Yona wants to know why terriers triumph and dachshunds never get their due. Dog show judge Laurie Williams and dachshund-diehard Kim McCalmont take us behind the scenes of the dog show world.

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