Nature's Archive

• #111: Earthquakes: Myths, Surprises, and Hidden Dangers with Dr. Wendy Bohon

  Today’s guest is the brilliant Dr. Wendy Bohon, an earthquake geologist who has a passion for making the complexities of our planet accessible and engaging. Dr. Bohon is known for her dynamic science communication - in fact, you may have seen her viral videos through her Dr Wendy Rocks channels on YouTube and other social media.Today, Dr. Bohon delves into the fascinating world of geology and earthquakes, exploring their impact on our environment and society.In this episode, you'll discover how earthquakes occur, how earthquake geologists figure out how often faults rupture through fascinating paleoseismology, and what terms like magnitude and epicenter really mean, and how they can mislead us, too!And did you know that the Richter Scale is actually no longer used? In fact, it began phasing out of use in the 1980s! What’s replaced it? Check in around 49 minutes to hear the story. In fact, it turns out that earthquake magnitude is a pretty poor way of understanding earthquake impacts. Dr. Bohon has some excellent metaphors to help us visualize what really happens to a fault during an earthquake rupture.Dr. Bohon also tackles common myths about earthquakes, from breaking down the misconception of earthquake weather to clarifying the real risks of seismic events. For example, did you know that in some respects, people in the eastern United States face greater potential impacts from earthquakes? We discuss how you can prepare.And can people cause earthquakes? The answer is a resounding yes. But can we use that power to release pressures in fault systems and avoid “the big one?” - well, you’ll have to listen to find out. Today's episode was one of the most fun ones that I've done in a long time.You can find Dr. Wendy Bohon at wendybohon.com, and DrWendyRocks on YouTube, Instagram, and BlueSky, and DrWendyRocksIt on TikTok. I promise you - her content is great, so check her out.FULL SHOW NOTESLINKSEarthquakes in All The States - Dr. Bohon's YouTube seriesLESSONS FROM COVID-19 LOCKDOWNS WITH RASPBERRY SHAKESLisa WaldMy Shake App - free earthquake warning appPutting Down Roots in Earthquake Country - a great FREE resource for anyone with earthquake hazards (i.e. nearly everyone)Raspberry Shake - make your own at-home seismometerSupport Us On Patreon!Buy our Merch!Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz MusicLicense (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseArtist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

  --------  

  1:18:29
• #110: Why We Need Apex Predators - Coexistence with Dr. Jonny Hanson

  Dr. Jonny Hanson is an environmental social scientist, conservationist, and former community farmer. He's also the author of Living with Lynx, Sharing Landscapes with Big Cats, Wolves, and Bears.He spent months traveling Europe and the United States learning about the real-life challenges of reintroducing apex predators to landscapes, and how to make coexistence successful for everyone involved.Today, we discuss Jonny’s travels, stories, and lessons learned. And of course, we begin with “why reintroduce apex predators in the first place”. As an environmental social scientist, Jonny spends much of his time learning how to bridge the gaps in how different communities consider living with predators, and by the time we were done, I felt more confident than ever that we can and should allow these magnificent animals back into our landscapes. This episode is full of amazing insights, and Jonny seems to be a quote machine. There were so many well stated tidbits throughout that I know I’m going to use in the future.Not only that, but you’ll get to hear how Jonny actually bred mosquitos for money, and how that influenced him. And if you stick around to the end, you’ll also get to hear about his experience with concentrated bobcat urine. If you can’t tell, this is a nutrient dense episode, but with plenty of fun stories, too.Be sure to check out Jonny at jonnyhanson.com, and on facebook, instagram, youtube, and tiktok.FULL SHOW NOTESLinks:Dr. Hanson's New Book - Living With LynxCoexisting with Carnivores - Dr. Hanson's TEDx TalkJoanna LambertTrailer for Dr. Hanson's Snow Leopard documentaryWildlife Friendly Enterprise NetworkSupport Us On Patreon!Buy our Merch!Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz MusicLicense (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseArtist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

  --------  

  1:13:28
• #109: Cultural Fire with Margo Robbins

  Today’s episode is very timely. Our guest is Margo Robbins, cofounder and Executive Director of the Cultural Fire Management Council. Margo advocates for the return of cultural burning practices as a way to strengthen community, support biodiversity, and mitigate out of control fires that plague so many areas.But before I get further into the details of today's episode, I want to note that it was recorded just a few days prior to the tragic and devastating wildfires that affected the Los Angeles area in January. We’ve had numerous interviews on Nature’s Archive with wildfire and prescribed burning experts, so if you’ve heard any of those, you know that fire frequency, intensity, and management practices vary dramatically depending on what habitats and climates we’re talking about. Los Angeles is predominantly shrubland and chaparral, which has been invaded by numerous invasive grass species, further enhancing fire risk.Today’s episode focuses largely on the forested lands of Northern California, specifically, Yurok tribal lands. So while the topics discussed here may apply to other habitats, the specifics will vary.Despite all of the past episodes relating to wildfire, we’ve had a notable gap - that is, no one has been able to speak to traditional indigenous use of fire. That is, until today.So today you’ll hear why cultural fire is so important across so many dimensions of life. You’ll hear how cultural fire can be safely practiced, and how it has strengthened the Yurok community. If the idea of purposeful fire being beneficial to the land is new to you, I invite you to check out episode #89 with Lenya Quinn-Davidson - it’s one of our most popular and provides good baseline information for today’s episode. In fact, we have several other episodes that discuss wildfire, prescribed burning, and more - all are listed below.I was incredibly grateful for Margo spending the time with us today. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did.FULL SHOW NOTESLinksCultural Fire Management CouncilIndigenous Peoples Burning Network (IPBN)Tending the Wild by M. Kat AndersonRelated Nature's Archive Episodes#89: Burning Questions: Understanding Fire Management with Lenya Quinn-Davidson#82: Amanda Monthei – Life with Fire#24: Justin Angle – On The Fireline -Wildfires in the Western USAENCORE: Rick Halsey – Wildfire Ecology in the Chaparral and the American WestSupport Us On Patreon!Buy our Merch!Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz MusicLicense (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseArtist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

  --------  

  52:45
• #108: 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 they are context dependent. But when it comes to birds, woodpeckers often come to mind first. They’re often colorful, charismatic, and have such an amazing set of adaptations that let them drill into trees, excavate insects from bark, and some even fly catch on the wing. One of the most interesting woodpecker species is the Acorn Woodpecker, found in much of the west and southwest. They live in large groups, are loud, have a clown face, and can store thousands of acorns in specially drilled holes that are just acorn sizes.Today’s guest is Dr. Walt Koenig, who has spent several decades studying these birds, in affiliation with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and UC Berkeley. Today we’ll learn about their behaviors, why you don’t find acorn woodpeckers in the east, despite a nice variety of oak trees, and get this - acorns aren’t even their preferred food! Dr. Koenig has studied their breeding behaviors and group compositions, which is perhaps the most fascinating part of the interview, and I can’t do it justice in a short intro - so you’ll just have to listen.And if one studies acorn woodpeckers, it follows that one studies acorns, too. So we also discuss the phenomenon of masting - that is, when oak trees produce bumper crops of acorns, in synchrony across wide geographic ranges! In fact, this past year was a mast year for some oak species in California. So if you are interested in what causes masting, you might want to jump to the last 23 minutes or so of the interview.FULL SHOW NOTESLINKSAcorn Woodpeckers at All About BirdsDr. Koenig's WebsiteSupport Us On Patreon!Buy our Merch!Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz MusicLicense (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseArtist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

  --------  

  1:16:29
• Alison Pollack - Finding and Photographing Slime Molds

  Slime molds (Myxomycetes) are beautiful, weird, and amazing organisms. Often mistaken for fungi, they are actually single celled, yet they grow and efficiently move in search of food, can start and stop their life cycle based on environmental conditions, and even change colors several times during their brief life cycle. They can be beautifully colored, frequently iridescent, and can be ornately shaped. And better still, they can be found in much of the world - maybe even in your yard.My guest today, Alison Pollack, is a renowned slime mold photographer and unabashed enthusiast of slime molds and their habitats. If you follow nature photographers on Instagram, perhaps you count yourself as one of her nearly 60,000 followers.Today, Alison tells us what exactly a slime mold is - and no, it is not a mold or fungi. She tells us about their fascinating lifecycle, where they grow, and how to find them. Alison then tells us about her astonishing macro photography of slime molds - both in the field and in her home studio. She walks through her process, technique, and equipment she uses to create her acclaimed photos. If you do nothing else, follow her on Instagram @marin_mushrooms, or check the photos below to get a hint of the beauty of the slime molds, and Alison's artistic skill in capturing them.You can also find Alison on Facebook at AlisonKPollack, and on iNaturalist at alison_pollack.FULL SHOW NOTESLinks To Topics DiscussedFrom Macro to Micro: The Art of Fungi Photography with Alison PollackDamon Tighe - was on Episode 36 talking FungiNikon Small World Master of MicroscopySlime Mold Identification and Appreciation - Facebook GroupAll the Rain Promises and More by David AroraLaowa ultra macro lens - there are models for each major camera manufacturer.Les MyxomycètesMyxomycetes - A Handbook of Slime Molds by Steven StephensonNOVA Slime Mold episodeOlympus Tough TG-6 - this seems to be the most recommended pocket camera by naturalists of many typesRaynox DCR-250Where the Slime Mould Creeps by Sarah LloydSupport Us On Patreon!Buy our Merch!Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz MusicLicense (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseArtist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

  --------  

  1:05:54

More podcasts

Trending podcasts

About Nature's Archive