In mid-September, artists from around the country convened in Laurel, Maryland, for one of the splashiest events in the wildlife art world: the Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest. At the annual event, artists compete to have their excruciatingly detailed waterfowl painting appear on the Federal Duck Stamp, which is a waterfowl hunting license. This year, Digital Producer Emma Gometz was there to watch the duck drama unfold. They join Host Flora Lichtman to explain why artists take this competition so seriously, how duck stamps support conservation, and who took the crown this year.

Read our article about the 2025 competition.

Plus, Interlochen Public Radio reporter Claire Keenan-Kurgan shares the story of a volunteer group determined to bring one of the world’s rarest flowers back to a small river island in Illinois.

Guests: Emma Gometz is Science Friday’s Digital Producer of Engagement. They write SciFri’s “Science Goes To The Movies” series and are a journalist and illustrator based in Queens, NY.
Claire Keenan-Kurgen is a reporter for Interlochen Public Radio in northern Michigan.

Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com.

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