A deal over school vouchers at the Legislature – or high political theatre? As Gov. Greg Abbott declares victory, others have their doubts. Sergio Martínez-Beltrán of The Texas Newsroom shares the latest.

You’ve heard of solar farms, but how well do animals share that land? Why agrivoltaic farms are popping up all over Texas.

And our spooky season isn’t over. The Texas Standard’s Kristen Cabrera explores the story of the arguable king of the Texas cryptids: the Chupacabra.

The post Exploring the tale of the Chupacabra appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

After almost seven weeks, striking autoworkers reach deals with the Big 3 automakers. Why Texas played a critical role.

Scientists recently got to see a collision of two stars in space – and its aftermath.

The president has released an executive order on artificial intelligence. How far does it go, and will it go far enough?

The tale of Goatman’s Bridge has a history that haunts Texas to its core. The Standard’s Sean Saldana takes us to Denton for the story.

And: What would Texas cryptids look like in real life? We visited an elementary school art class to get some ideas.

The post The real history behind Goatman’s Bridge is scarier than any ghost story appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

A special session is at an impasse over one of the governor’s top agenda items: Gov. Greg Abbott says if the Texas Legislature doesn’t pass his proposal to use tax dollars to cover private school tuition, he’ll keep calling lawmakers back to the Capitol until they do.

Remembering Roky Erickson, a Texas pioneer in psychedelic music.

A marine science professor at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is leading a project to build an artificial reef to capture carbon and reduce global warming.

Why seasonal pop-up stores like Spirit Halloween haunt efforts at smart urban planning.

And we’ll talk to Paul Bowman, an archaeologist by profession – and also a Bigfoot expert who’s tracked the elusive sasquatch all over East Texas and Oklahoma.

The post How artificial ocean reefs can help fight climate change appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Where do we stand with education in the special legislative session? With Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas House at a deadlock over school vouchers.

The Federal Aviation Administration estimates that by 2035, one person could be injured or killed by falling SpaceX Starlink debris every two years.

As the World Series gets underway tonight in Arlington; North Texans share what their hometown Texas Rangers mean to them — and why they’ve never lost faith.

Also: the week in politics with the Texas Tribune.

The post SpaceX satellite debris could fall from the sky and kill people, FAA report says appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

With the Texas House and Senate in special session, border security is taking center stage – including one measure that sparked a verbal brawl in the state Capitol on Wednesday night.

Tech expert Omar Gallaga tells us why social media companies are de-emphasizing news, and what that means.

Also, a new poll from the Texas Public Policy Project shares clues on where Texans stand on the eve of the 2024 election cycle.

The post What new polling says about Texans’ presidential preferences appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

A plan to boost payments to retired teachers will be up to Texas voters next month. We’ll have the backstory and details on Proposition 9.

Five thousand union workers walked off the job at the Arlington General Motors plant, which builds some of GM’s most profitable vehicles.
College football pay to play? Not OK, says the NCAA. Yet an investigation of recruitment shows how officials look the other way – and it’s happening a lot in Texas.

And just in time for Halloween, something wicked is coming to Garland: A celebration of Texas’ role in the horror film genre.

The post Auto workers’ strike hits Arlington plant appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Early voting is now underway in Texas – but what’s on the ballot? We’ll get caught up on the 14 constitutional amendments Texans are being asked to weigh in on, ranging from property taxes to education, infrastructure and more.

First it’s Exxon mobil scooping up Pioneer, now Chevron acquiring Hess. Is it a new era of mergers and acquisitions in the oil field – and if so, why?

Final resting places are also surprisingly active sites for a certain group of hobbyists. The Standard’s Raul Alonzo has more with “Cemetery Birding” author Jennifer Bristol.

And the Texas Rangers are off to the World Series after defeating the Houston Astros in Game 7 of the ALCS.

The post Why bird watchers are flocking to Texas cemeteries appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

With the U.S. House of Representatives still without a leader, two Texans drop out of the race for the speakership. What happens next?

The White House is launching a new program for Ecuadorians who are trying to migrate to the U.S. We’ll have details on the change is and why it’s happening.

Miles and miles of Texas are usually traversed by car – but one writer says the train is the ultimate way to go.

Also, with Halloween on the horizon, we have the backstory on some of the spookiest places to visit in Texas.

The post What are the most haunted places in Texas? appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Last Friday, Texas Standard featured an interview with Ken Burns of PBS documentary fame. His latest two-parter is all about bison — “The American Buffalo.” This is an extended version of that interview that includes more context and more back and forth about the bison’s future.

The full transcript of this episode of Texas Standard is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.

The post Texas Extra: Ken Burns on The American Buffalo (Extended) appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

With first ballots soon to be cast in the race to replace the term-limited mayor of Houston, the candidates debate with the top two contenders neck and neck in the polls. Houston Public Media’s Andrew Schneider shares more more.

Texas leads in the nation in Bitcoin mining, but new concerns are growing in other states that some Chinese-owned operations may compromise national security.

On some East Texas construction sites, concrete and steel are being replaced in favor of a new kind of wood product, mass timber, which is strong and flexible enough to be used in the construction of commercial buildings.

Plus, we’ll check in on the week in politics with the Texas Tribune.

The post The national security concerns over Chinese crypto mining in Texas appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.