Nature's Archive

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 key driver to wildfires. In fact, it is one of the three key ingredients, along with fuel and oxygen. Global oxygen levels, at least within our lifetimes, aren’t going to change much. But heat and fuel can and will change. Obviously,...

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 of a childhood porch, audio has a unique "backdoor" into our deepest memories and emotions.  In this episode, we explore how to tap into that same principle to radically deepen our connection to nature. While we are bio...

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. And iNaturalist is much more than just a nature identification app. When you use iNaturalist, yes, you get a helping hand in identifying plants, animals and fungi. But you’re also contributing to perhaps the largest community sci...

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 Sea. But there are over 100 perennial salt lakes around the globe, and hundreds of seasonal ones. Each of these lakes have amazing histories and support unique ecosystems, making them a precious resource for biodiversity. My guest t...

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 the folks at the Sunflower Star Lab. Sunflower sea stars are amazing creatures - not your typical sea star. They can reach over three feet, live for decades, they are highly mobile, and function as keystone species in kelp forest...

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 something out of a sci-fi novel, but it’s likely happening on the underside of a leaf in your backyard. Today, we’re looking past the 'pest' label to discover the mind-bending biology of the aphid. Our guest today is aphidologi...

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 of natural succession, or do you step back and let nature take the lead? Stewardship has always been about trade-offs, but climate change has shifted the very ground we stand on. It’s no longer just about maintaining what we have;...

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 critical theme of biodiversity . Today, we look back at two of our most fascinating episodes from the year, featuring species and habitats that are essential—yet often overlooked—components of the global ecosystem. From the subt...

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, blowing, or mulching leaf fall - that is resoundingly positive for the environment. But even if you think you know why leaving the leaves is helpful, I invite you to listen to today’s guest, National Wildlife Federation naturalist...

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...

Nearly every great story involves a transformation. In the butterfly world, we call it metamorphosis—the mysterious process where a caterpillar seemingly dissolves itself and is miraculously rebuilt into a creature that takes to the sky. Our guest today is a living parallel to that transformation. Liam O'Brien started his career far from the wild, under the bright lights of the stage as a pro...

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 reservoir: what looked like massive white and gray boulders, lined up along the length of the dam. Then, in one astonishing moment, all of these boulders lifted out of the water, taking flight simultaneously by the thousands. My min...

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 company on a mission to combat one of the most insidious environmental issues we face today: toxic algal blooms. These blooms occur globally, devastating everything from our local inland lakes to the vast expanse of the Gulf of M...

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 answers, how do we get people to lean in and listen to the full story? And how do we do that without glossing over the complexity and nuance of the situation? Today, we're getting a masterclass in just that with Jocelyn Bosley, a s...

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 that feels more like telling people what to do, or how to think. It's easy for us all to dig in our heels, even if we're wrong, and shut down new ideas. Today, we're exploring a different path. -- Griff: I was very ra...

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 instagram glamor shots, its unique, almost alien look is unmistakable. But for decades the Joshua Tree was looked at with disdain - even loathing and hatred. Today, our guest is Barret Baumgart, author of the new book, “Yuck: The...

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 tuned for a re-air of a classic episode with Leslie Inman from Pollinator Friendly Yards. There are plenty of useful insights for both habitat-friendly yard practices, and community building. Afterall, we need everyone to not only ta...

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 comes to mind? Maybe mosquitoes, ticks, tapeworms. Probably nothing you want to invite into your house or property. But there are parasites that are super beneficial to ecosystems. The parasite I’m speaking of is also the cool pla...

Have you ever wondered why some rainshowers turn into thunderstorms? Just what happens in the atmosphere to create these dynamic, exciting, and sometimes damaging storms? I find it fascinating, because so many interesting principles are at play - things we often overlook. Like, did you know that the sun doesn’t actually directly warm the air? Yes, you heard that right. Today we take a look at how...

When we think about habitats, it’s easy to picture the rich diversity on land—vast prairies, scorching deserts, lush forests, and intricate wetlands. But what if I told you the ocean is just as diverse, filled with ecosystems as unique and vital as any on land? The only difference? We can’t see them as easily—but that doesn’t make them any less important. Today’s guest is Dr. Judith Gobin, joining...

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 ea...

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 invo...

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...

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...

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 s...