Forensic Tales

#212 - A famous British journalist was mysteriously gunned down on her very own front doorstep in April 1999, leaving many people to wonder if this infamous murder will ever be solved.   Support My Work If you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is by leaving us a positive rating with a review. You can also tell your family and friends about Forensic Tales. Patreon - If you would l...

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, January 19 2024: [00:30] Updates from the Greenland ice sheet [5:00] Staggering losses to North American bird populations, plus: outlining their (human-made) threats [10:00] Gross! Our favorite foods have an awful lot of microplastics within [14:00] "Plastic-free" laundry sheets aren't actually plastic-free   This show is listener-supported....

Over 200 million Americans subscribe to Prime, and estimates suggest that Amazon delivers 3.4 million packages per day in the US alone. Quitters, unite! I'm quitting Amazon Prime, and perhaps it's time for you to consider quitting too.   Here's a preview:  [7:30] How on earth is Amazon able to selling items at such low prices? It ain't pretty ... [12:00] Amazon is only the cheapest...

Did you know? Ikea beds, Wayfair desks, and other fast furniture items are designed to last about five years. Fast furniture is mass-produced and relatively inexpensive; it's easy, then, to obtain and abandon. And fast decor? Low price points essentially render disposable those trendy but cheap pillows, artwork, and trinkets. There's a better way, and it always starts with slowing down. Sl...

#211 - In April 1985, Nancy and Derek Haysom were found brutally murdered inside their home in Bedford County. Both became victims of unspeakable violence, leaving many people to question who could have been responsible. When the forensic evidence led investigators to their suspects, no one could believe who it was.   Support My Work If you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is by...

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, January 12 2024: [00:45] Want to eat and drink less plastic? Don't drink bottled water ...  [5:00] Vroom vroom! Clean yellow school buses are a-comin' nationwide [10:00] Say it ain't so: Right now the US is producing more oil than any other country ... ever [14:00] Help halt the fossil fuel industry's Liquified Natural Gas export expansi...

You've likely been there. That moment when you look at your credit card statement and your heart sinks. Sometimes logic gives way to desire, and nothing's worse than realizing you overshopped on impulses. A lot. It’s time to take a look at what happens in the moments *before* we impulse buy. On today's show: honing in our 5 shopping triggers so we can insert that crucial pause before b...

In some ways, our preponderance toward tech disposability is systemic. We consumers in the US are denied the right to repair: fixing a broken smartphone, then, is costly. It's simply more convenient to replace our broken item for the newest model. When your device is broken you should have more options than a high-priced service or the landfill, and New York agrees. The Digital Fair Repair Act...

#210 - In August 1990, the Gainesville Ripper murdered five college students over the course of just four days. These murders would eventually inspire one of the most popular slasher movies, Scream. If it weren't for DNA testing, the true identity of the Gainesville Ripper might not have ever been uncovered.   Support My Work If you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is by leaving...

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, January 5 2024: [00:45] Is drinking toilet water in our future? (Answer: Yes.) [3:45] Some flowers are evolving to pollinate themselves, and this is not good news [7:15] Got climate trauma? Good luck finding professional support [15:00] A lack of EPA oversight in Cancer Alley This show is listener-supported.  Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) F...

Over the holidays my family and I staycationed for 9 glorious days. During this time of introspection I re-learned these 4 universally applicable lessons which we are discussing today: [2:45] Appearance is EVERYthing (when shopping, at least). [10:00] Explanations are unnecessary. [18:00] No ones need to eat like royalty *every* night. [27:00] Habit forming? Remember dosage. Repetition too!    Res...

Whether you boast a small windowsill herb garden, a thriving hydroponic system or something in between, growing your own food is great for your well-being. And when you grow what you eat? You also reduce the environmental harm that's incurred by industrial agricultural methods; you eliminate food miles, too. Kevin Espiritu built a modern homestead on a very modest urban lot; he also happens to...

#209 - It’s the murder that Time magazine dubbed “one of the most infamous unsolved crimes in the entire world.” The 1947 murder of 22-year-old Elizabeth Short has become a staple in the true crime community. From the brutality of the murder itself. To the fact it’s still unsolved decades later. The Black Dhalia murder has been one of the biggest mysteries in modern history. But even after all of...

The holidays are all about overabundance. We buy too much, consume too much and despite our best efforts spend far too much money. But there is a solution, and it’s happening on January 1: A No Spend Reset.  A practical first step toward adopting a lifestyle rooted in sustainable minimalism is to hop off the consumerist bandwagon, at least for a little while, and January is the perfect right time...

A New Year's resolution is a tool that helps us become the best possible versions of ourselves. And yet research finds most people abandon their resolutions by February.  Many New Year's resolutions fail because they're too broad, too lofty, and not at all time-sensitive. On today's show we set ourselves up for resolution success by applying the 5 components of SMART goals to our 2...

#208 - A young teenager showed up at a stranger's doorstep, claiming to have been attacked by her ex-boyfriend. But the more the police investigated her claims, the more inconsistencies they found, especially when it came to what the forensic evidence said happened. Is Ezra McCandless an innocent victim or a cold-blooded killer?   Support My Work If you love the show, the easiest way to show your...

The (only positive!) enviro-news you need to know for Friday, December 22 2023: [3:30] Can microorganisms help in our plastics fight? [6:00] Exactly how plants communicate with other plants (and why it's important in climate change conversations) [9:00] 'Sustainable' Aviation Fuels: Is climate-friendly flying an oxymoron?   This show is listener-supported.  Thank you for supporting! Jo...

We are taught from an early age that contentment is found in possessions. But lasting peace comes from within, and meditation is a powerful (and free!) way to find what so many of us seek.  Yet thanks to All. The. Distractions, modern life has engineered out opportunities to go inward. And at the same time? Meditation has never been more needed or necessary. On today's show, a conversation wit...

#207 - In October 2018, a 27-year-old production assistant mysteriously vanished while filming for a television show in Idaho. Before he disappeared, Terrence Woods Jr. had big dreams, but all those dreams were suddenly faulted when he inexplicably walked out scene. Since then, Terrence has never been seen or heard from again - Can forensic science help explain what really happened in those remote...

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, December 15 2023: [00:30] COP28: The good, the bad, and the ugly [9:15] Who gets the (limited) water in California? [13:30] Extreme weather and the cost of sugar   This show is listener-supported.  Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community  here . Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on  Facebook,   Instagram  +  Youtube  @su...

The human endocrine system is delicate and complex. While scientists first discovered endocrine disrupting chemicals in 1991, obesogens - a subset of endocrine disruptors in personal care products that cause weight gain - were discovered only within the last two decades. Our cosmetics can cause us to develop more and bigger fat cells; they may also make it harder to stay at a healthy weight. On to...

#206 - A young pregnant mother was brutally gunned down inside her car while her toddler sat in the backseat. Was this a random attack, a freak accident, or something far more sinister? And can forensic science help solve the mystery of Brittany's death?   Support My Work If you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is by leaving us a positive rating with a review. You can also tell...

The enviro-news you need to know for Friday, December 8 2023: [00:30] An update on how companies are doing on their environmental "pledges" [4:30] Lego-like bricks? A carbon capture breakthrough [7:30] Would you pay a monthly fee to not see ads on Facebook and Instagram?  [9:30] Quick check-ins from COP28 and Wednesday's Republican presidential debate   This show is listener-supported....

Research finds that by and large happiness is a learned and cultivated behavior. Even better? Decades of psychological research lay the foundation for a handy-dandy formula that helps us *increase* the amount of happiness we experience in our daily lives. On today's show: abandoning cultural expectations in favor of a happiness formula that's both practical and empirically-based.  Here&#39...

Sustainability has the reputation of being, well, expensive. When money's tight, how do modern families decide what to prioritize with their dollars?  Today I chat with  Whitney Leigh Morris  about the space where eco-consciousness and finances collide. Here's a preview: [3:30] Think you can't afford to be eco-friendly? Think again [6:00] $8 leggings from Target or a $35 pair from an e...