Dr. Sushma Reddy, Bell Museum's Breckenridge Chair of Ornithology, discusses what it is like managing the Bell Museum's 46,000+ bird specimens, new advances in science that has allowed the relationships between bird species to be better understood, and why the dinosaurs are not actually extinct.

Zack Mohlis from the Three Rivers History Team joins us to talk about the history of birding in Minnesota, why a state geologist led the research on birds in the 1800's, how dead birds in the mail helped science, and his favorite lines of poetry, we mean scientific writing, from the state birds report.

Kick off Season 4 as Brandon and Angela discuss what birding means to them, talk to Kim Nowicki of Eastman Nature Center and John Moriarty, Senior Manager of Wildlife, about Three Rivers Park District's Big Year of the Bird, and they discuss why birds are a good gateway to the outdoors. 

Nadia Abuisnaineh is a NASA Solar System Ambassador. She joins us to talk about what a Solar System Ambassador is, why the night sky is so important, and a Citizen Science Project you can do to help scientists determine the impacts of light pollution using constellations.

We often think of Greek constellations when we look at the sky, but every culture had their own constellations and stories. James Knutson-Kolodzne and Jessica Heim of Native Skywatchers join us to share Indigenous star and earth knowledge, explain what Native Skywatchers is, and give resources so you can learn more about Dakota and Ojibwe constellations and stories.

Jessica Heim has a Master's in the field of Cultural Astronomy. She joins us to discuss her Master's Thesis on light pollution, what causes it, and how we can work together to reduce it.

Join Angela and Brandon as they explore how the final frontier, space, impacts the animals in Three Rivers Parks. From moths orbiting the light outside your house, to dung beetles setting course with the Milky Way, open your hailing frequencies, set your course for the second star on the right, and engage the podcast as we explore the night sky.

Raul Velaquez joins us to share his immigration story. Originally from Colombia, he came to Minnesota to study engineering. He now works for the Minnesota Department of Transportation to design better roads. Hear how his connections to the land influenced his choices. A special thank you to Green Card Voices for connecting us with Dr. Raul Velaquez.

Professor Dalma Martinovic immigrated to Minnesota from Croatia in 1996. Join us as she shares why she moved to Minnesota, her experiences here, and how our parks differ from parks back in Croatia. A special thank you to Green Card Voices for connecting us with Professor Martinovic.

Join us as Jayne Becker, from our history interpretation team, starts our conversation on neighbors by telling us about immigrants from Switzerland who settled in the area that is now Elm Creek Park Reserve. Their immigration story started in the 1850s, after Native Americans were forced from the land and the U.S. Government made it available for purchase. Jayne shares details on who these Swiss immigrants were and what their relationship was with the land.