Out There

We've all had moments when we feel lost. Sometimes it's literal; sometimes it's emotional. Either way, it's unnerving. And lonely.

This episode takes us from the deserts of California to the jungles of the Philippines, and explores how one young woman got back on track, when she lost her way, both literally and figuratively.

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When someone is diagnosed with a terminal illness, there's often a flood of difficult emotions. Grief. Depression. Learning to live without hope.

But more and more, people are experiencing that kind of anguish even when they're perfectly healthy.

In this episode, we bring you the story of a young man named Jacob Erickson, who almost died from climate anxiety — before a pivotal moment in nature rekindled his will to live.

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This season, we're exploring the theme SECRETS OF THE EARTH.

Each episode, we'll share a story about an outdoor experience that uncovered new truths. Through introspective personal narratives, we'll harness the power of nature to make sense out of our lives and give us a fresh look at humanity.

Here's a little taste.

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Clock time is a human invention. So it shouldn't be a box that confines us; it should be a tool that helps us accomplish the things we care about.

But consider the system of standard time, first imposed by the railroad companies in the 1880s. It constrains people who live 1,000 miles apart—on opposite edges of their time zones—to get up and go to work or go to school at the same time, even though their local sunrise and sunset times may vary by an hour or more.

And it also consigns people who live on the eastern edges of their time zones to ludicrously early winter sunsets.

For over a century, we've been fiddling with standard time, adding complications such as Daylight Saving Time that are meant to give us a little more evening sunlight for at least part of the year.

But what if these are just palliatives for a broken system? What if it's time to reset the clock and try something completely different?

This is a guest story from the podcast Soonish, first published in 2021.

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NEW KIDS' PODCAST: Once Upon a Meadow

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Most parents would never consider leaving their kids in the dark woods at night, and letting them find their way back. But the Dutch do just that. They call it Dropping.

This is a guest episode from Nocturne, a podcast that explores the night and how thoughts, feelings and behaviors transform in the dark.

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NEW KIDS' PODCAST: Once Upon a Meadow is set to launch in February 2023

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Out There is a proud member of Hub & Spoke.

"Fallen Sky," a work of installation art at New York's Storm King Art Center, is like a moon map etched into a hillside.

On this episode, Tamar Avishai explores how Sarah Sze's striking sculpture helps visitors pay attention to the world around us — and the world inside our heads. This is a guest episode from The Lonely Palette, a podcast that returns art history to the masses, one object at a time.

NEW KIDS' PODCAST: Once Upon a Meadow is set to launch in February 2023

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Out There is a proud member of Hub & Spoke.

Fear is a powerful indicator that something could hurt us. But sometimes, the fear itself is the most dangerous part.

This is the story of marathon swimmer Pat Gallant-Charette. Because of something that happened to her when she was a teenager, Pat has to overcome a fear of deep water every time she competes. But she doesn't let that stop her.

This is a special guest episode from The Briny, a podcast about how we're changing the sea, and how the sea changes us.

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Every year, in the mountains of Vermont, a group of ultra runners gather for a 550-mile race called Infinitus. It's one of the toughest trail running races in existence.

Jordan Wirfs-Brock was no stranger to ultra marathons, but Infinitus broke her: she failed to finish. Surprisingly, though, the failure turned out to be one of the best things that's ever happened to her.

This story first aired in 2016, and it won a gold medal for best independent podcast from Public Radio News Directors, Inc., or PRNDI.

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Dewey Gallegos and Jessica Flock bonded over their passion for the outdoors. But the thing they had in common was also one of their biggest differences. Their story explores how hard it can be to share the thing you love most, with the person you love most.

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When Sam Anderson's father invited him to go hunting for the first time, Sam was worried. What if he couldn't bring himself to pull the trigger? And conversely, what if he could? What would that say about him?

On this episode, Sam takes us into the woods of New Jersey and explores the emotional complexity of taking the life of an animal.

This story first aired in 2017, and it won a gold medal for Best Independent Podcast from Public Radio News Directors, Inc.

SUPPORT OUT THERE: Become a patron

Out There is a proud member of Hub & Spoke.