Episode 242 - Interview With Musician And Field Recordist Madeline Reilly by Dr. Steven Shepard

As you know, the tag line of this program is that this is the place for stories that matter. Well, this story matters more than most. Not only is it about experiencing the wonders of the African bush, it's about a young woman, sightless from birth, who taught others how to see.

What's the largest thing on earth--the blue whale? Nope, not even close. Here's a hint: it weights 233 times what a blue whale weighs.

A message from an 8th grader asked me to look into antlions. So, I did, and with lots of memories of these little critters from my own childhood, here you go!

This is an important audio essay (at least, I think it is). It’s a bit longer than my usual diet, but it will be worth your time to listen and, as Winnie-the-Pooh would say, think a little think about it. Thanks, in advance.

Described as the most resilient creatures on earth, tardigrades are funny little critters that can withstand just about any threat we toss at them--and shake it off as if nothing happened. They can be frozen, boiled, left in the vacuum of space, exposed to radiation--and nothing seems to affect them. In this episode we talk about these little critters. Enjoy!

Dudley Edmondson is a gifted nature photographer with a passion for telling nature's story through his books and images. He's also a Black Man in America, and wrestles with all that that means as someone who often feels more comfortable in the wild than he does standing in his own front yard. Listen to his story--and think about what it means.

Another track that’s mostly for the kids, this one thanks to a student request about the lowly dung beetle—a much smarter little critter than we give it credit for. Enjoy!

Imagine walking into the library because you’re interested in finding a book that will help you better understand a particular topic. You walk up to the circulation desk, tell the librarian what you’re interested in learning more about, and they say, “I’ve got just the book for you. Wait here.”

So, the librarian walks into the back and returns with the book. Only in this library, the books—are people. Because this is the human library.

You’re not going to hear from me a lot in this episode, because I want to leave the story to the people who are best equipped to tell it: the founder of the organization in Copenhagen, the manager of the New York City Human Library, and Brian Belovitch, one of their books.

In response to a query from a young student, I decided to talk about roly polies. Hey, it’s Friday—celebrate with something fun!