Nature's Archive

#132: Rails in the Reeds: Life in the Shadows, with Dr. Auriel Fournier

Today the podcast is going off the rails. That’s right, we’re discussing rails - you know, those absurdly sneaky, pancake-thin wetland birds you’re ten times more likely

#131: Storms from the Sun: Understanding Space Weather and Auroras with Dr. Ryan French

Nature is a very broad term, and as we often discuss on this show, everything is connected. Geology impacts soil, which dictates what plants can grow. But if we pull back

#130: Burning Questions: Understanding Fire Management with Lenya Quinn-Davidson

From the archive... It’s summertime, and around the globe record heat is dominating, from Europe to the midwest, and across the oceans as well. As you know, heat is a k

#129: Wide-Angle Listening: How Nature’s Soundtrack Completes Your Connection to the Wild 

Have you ever noticed how certain sounds, voices, or songs can instantaneously transport you to another world? Whether it’s a track from high school or the specific creak

#128: iNaturalist: How Your Photos Save Species: Scott Loarie on iNaturalist and Community Science

Long time listeners know that I’m a huge fan of iNaturalist. Their app literally changed my life by dramatically improving my relationship with, and knowledge of nature.

#127: Salt Lakes - An Unnatural History with Caroline Tracey

What comes to your mind when you hear “Salt Lake”? If you’re like many people, perhaps you think of the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Or perhaps the Dead Sea or the Caspian Se

#126: New Hope for Sunflower Sea Stars

Some of the most consistent feedback I get about the podcast is the message of hope that rings through. Today’s episode takes the message of hope up a level by revisiting

#125: The Plankton of the Land: The Alien World of Aphids with Natalie Hernandez

Imagine a creature that is born already pregnant with its own grandchildren. No mating, no waiting—just a continuous, telescopic unfolding of life. It sounds like somethi

#124: The Moving Target of Climate: The Future of Stewardship with Dr. Zac Cannizzo

Land stewards face a constant, high-stakes puzzle: Do you protect a single at-risk species, or do you optimize for total biodiversity? Do you fight to hold back the tide

#123: A Look at Biodiversity

2025 has been an exciting and diverse year for Jumpstart Nature and Nature's Archive, and to celebrate, we're bringing you a special compilation centered on the

#122: Leave the Leaves: Hidden Layers of Benefit with David Mizejewski

If you’ve been following Nature’s Archive for a while, you might be familiar with the idea of “leave the leaves”. It represents one simple act of omission - not raking, b

Critical Mast: Acorn Woodpeckers and Oak Masting with Dr. Walt Koenig

As a nature lover, I’m often asked about my favorite plants, animals, and insects. And I always struggle to answer those questions, because I have so many favorites, and

#121: Metamorphosis: The Actor Who Became a Butterfly Scientist - Liam O'Brien

Nearly every great story involves a transformation. In the butterfly world, we call it metamorphosis—the mysterious process where a caterpillar seemingly dissolves itself

#120: Just Listen: Amy Martin on the Unheard World Around Us

It was a surprisingly warm late February day. Needing to recharge, I drove to a park near Lincoln, Nebraska. When I arrived, I saw something new on the far side of the re

#119: Are Worms the Solution to Toxic Algal Blooms? Sam Baker from WriggleBrew.

Today's episode is one of the more encouraging and hopeful conversations I've had the pleasure of recording. My guest is Sam Baker, co-founder of WriggleBrew, a

#118: Does Science Communication Have Room for Emotion and Complexity? – Jocelyn Bosley's Approach

From the intricate dance of an ecosystem to the ripple effects of a warming planet, nature's stories are rarely simple. But in a world that craves quick, easy answer

#117: Angry Activist, Rural Landowner: Finding Common Ground for Nature

Have you ever found it tough to talk about big issues, especially when people already have strong ideas? In the world of nature and climate, we often see communication th

#116: Iconic Joshua Trees with Barret Baumgart

The Joshua Tree is perhaps only rivaled by the saguaro cactus as the icon of the desert southwest. Featured on U2’s classic album cover, and now the backdrop of countless

#115: Pollinator Friendly Yards with Leslie Inman

We love native plants and habit-friendly yards at Nature's Archive, and I have a few exciting updates from my yard: spoiler: native plants are working!  And stay tu

#114: Mistletoes Are Keystone Species - Dr. David Watson

Today’s episode is about one of the coolest plants that I can think of - both figuratively and literally!  Stick with me for a moment. When you think of a parasite, what