Up From Dust

Some parts of the U.S. have far more ticks than they used to, including species that can make us really sick. Humans have changed our landscapes in ways that made life easier for ticks — and harder for the animals that can keep their populations in check. But some creatures, like possums, have special tick-fighting powers.

Resources:

• Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies article explaining biodiversity and the implications for ticks
• Mayo Clinic guide to different tick species and the diseases they carry
• Kansas State University research on mouse populations in prairies

This episode was cohosted by Celia Llopis-Jepsen and Mackenzie Martin. It was reported by Llopis-Jepsen. Seth Jahraus mixed the episode. Editing by Martin and Shahla Farzan.

You know that moment of panic when you find a tick on yourself? Well, we assembled a crack team of tick scientists to tell us exactly what to do when that happens — and better yet, how to avoid it in the first place. We’ll learn what repellents to use, why clothes dryers are tick kryptonite, and (gulp) how to properly remove the pesky creatures.

Resources:

• EPA tool to search for EPA-regulated tick repellents
• Get help from University of Rhode Island identifying a tick by submitting a photo
• Properly remove a tick! Video by University of Rhode Island
• Which tick species live where in the U.S.? Here's a Mayo Clinic guide
• A tick field guide that shows what each tick looks like
• Interactive CDC case map for Lyme and other tick-borne diseases
• Alpha-gal case map
• KBIA's news series on alpha-gal syndrome
• The Ohio State Buckeye tick lab

This episode was cohosted by Mackenzie Martin and Celia Llopis-Jepsen. It was reported by Llopis-Jepsen. Seth Jahraus mixed the episode and helped produce it. Editing by Martin and Shahla Farzan.

Justin was terrified of snakes – until he learned they’re scared of him, too. Tay’s fear was soothed after discovering the Internet’s affection for “nope ropes” and “danger noodles.” Can we ease our discomfort around critters by getting to know the animals? We spoke with psychologists, who offer their tips for overcoming phobias. This is part two of a two-part series on getting over the fears that spoil our outdoor fun.

Resources:
Video: Watch a cute jumping spider drinking from a cotton swab.

This episode was cohosted by Mackenzie Martin and Celia Llopis-Jepsen. It was reported by Llopis-Jepsen and Seth Jahraus. Jahraus mixed the episode. Editing support from Shahla Farzan.

How do you stop being so afraid? Tracy Twombly had such a strong phobia of spiders, it was messing with her life — stressing her out while she was working at her native plant nursery or hiking through the woods. So she embarked on a journey to make peace with her eight-legged neighbors (even the extra hairy ones). This is part one of a two-part series on getting over the fears that spoil our outdoor fun.

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Peacock spiders doing disco semaphore (sound on)
• Eight-legged Wonders by James O'Hanlon

This episode was reported, produced and mixed by Celia Llopis-Jepsen. Up From Dust's editor is Mackenzie Martin.

All summer long, we run mowers over our lawns to keep them the perfect height — and run sprinklers to keep them emerald green. Add fertilizer and weedkillers into the mix, and it’s a real resource drain. But there’s something else about lawns: They’re inhospitable to most wildlife. Celia joins Marielle Segarra on NPR’s Life Kit to explain how to push back against American lawn culture by killing a small patch of grass and turning it into a wildlife friendly garden.

The episode was reported by Celia Llopis-Jepsen and Shahla Farzan, and hosted by Marielle Segarra. It was produced by Sylvie Douglis and edited by Shahla Farzan and Neela Banerjee.

Box turtles are cute and an absolute delight to spot while walking in the Midwest or Great Plains. But scientist Benjamin Reed wants us to know that these creatures are complex and widely misunderstood. Reed is a box turtle superspy, spending the last 13 years following the animals with radio equipment as they face daunting challenges like roads, lawnmowers, poachers and more. Reed has a laundry list of ways we can all help prairie turtles survive in a difficult world.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Washburn University turtle research program
• Watch an ornate box turtle spar with a prairie crayfish
• Our episode on making your first native plant garden

This episode was written, reported, produced and mixed by Celia Llopis-Jepsen. Up From Dust's editor is Mackenzie Martin.

Climate change is altering the land, and Indigenous communities are on the frontline. This episode takes you to Alaska, where rapid permafrost thaw is threatening the Native village of Nunapitchuk. Then, we head to Louisiana, where the Pointe-Au-Chien Indian Tribe is losing its land to rising sea levels. These tribes are forced to make a difficult decision between staying and adapting or leaving their ancestral homes. (This episode comes to us from the environmental podcast Sea Change.)

This episode was reported by Eva Tesfaye and Sage Smiley. It was edited by Eve Abrams with additional help from Carlyle Calhoun, Katie Basile, Garrett Hazelwood and Ryan Vasquez. Emily Jankowski did sound design.

A Texas pecan farmer spent years rethinking whether he needed so many chemicals to grow food. He cut back on things like weedkillers, but when it came to ditching insecticides, crop pests posed a challenge. That’s what brought him together with a famous bat scientist — who helped him build an insect-eating army of bats.

This episode was reported by Michael Marks and produced and mixed by Celia Llopis-Jepsen. Up From Dust's editor is Mackenzie Martin.

Resources:

• Michael Marks' reporting on the bats at Swift River Pecans
• Merlin Tuttle's Bat Conservation website

Astronomers need your help! And you don’t have to be an expert, because it’s as easy as stepping outside your home and taking a good look at a constellation like Orion. For 20 years, the citizen science project Globe At Night has helped advance our understanding of light pollution — as scientists figure out how fast stars are disappearing from our sky.

This episode was written, reported, produced and mixed by Celia Llopis-Jepsen. Up From Dust's editors are Mackenzie Martin and Stephen Koranda.

Resources:

• Globe At Night website
• Related Up From Dust episode: Say No To Skyglow
• Related reading: How to pick the right fixtures and bulbs for wildlife-friendly outdoor lighting at home
• Photo: "Earthrise," taken aboard Apollo 8 in 1968

As we embark on our third year of Up From Dust, we discuss why we started an environmental podcast in the Midwest — and what we’ve learned along the way. In 2026, stay tuned for stories about farmers, astronomers, turtles, bats and more. We’ll overcome fears and rethink how we grow food and build our cities. And we’ll meet the people in the Heartland who tackle the challenge of climate change with determination and resolve. Thanks for coming along with us.

Intern Lauren Textor produced this conversation between KCUR's Steve Kraske (of the talk show Up To Date) and Up From Dust host Celia Llopis-Jepsen. Up From Dust's editors are Mackenzie Martin and Stephen Koranda.