The Natural Curiosity Project

To say that Jacob traveled to Create Voices of a Flyway is kind of like saying that David Attenborough is a newscaster. One of the largest bird migration routes in North America is the Mississippi Flyway, which the Audubon Society describes as a “river of birds.” Every year, more than a billion birds make the round-trip journey from their breeding grounds in Canada and the northern US to their win...

Mark Brennan is a great example of someone whose non-linear career has been catalyzed by passion and curiosity and a love of the natural world. Mark’s a Nova Scotia-based artist, a painter, but he’s also an equally gifted wildlife sound recordist, a photographer, and a videographer, and, as you’ll soon hear, sometimes he’s all of them at the same time. You can find his work in all its beautiful fo...

I was sitting with my three-year-old grandson the other day, coloring with Crayons. It was great fun, and brought back a flood of childhood memories. As I sat there, the names of the colors I loved came back: Cornflower. Red-orange. Burnt orange. Burnt sienna. My mind started to wander, and soon I was deep into curiosity-driven research about colors, how they’re formulated, and how we see them. I...

What do reading, cattle, telephones, railroads, and barbed wire have in common? They were the basis for one of the most important elements of modern telephone systems in the United States in the late 19th century. This is really interesting—enjoy!

Have you ever given any thought as to the origins of the famous Mother Goose rhymes that we all heard as kids, or even read to our own kids or grandkids? Well, you should. Brace yourself--they're not what you think. Have a listen.

My friend Ken Dravis is a musician, music producer, and commercial pilot who recently chose to temporarily clip his own wings and go for a walk in the woods with his wife, Allie: they hiked all 2,200 miles of the Appalachian Trail. But there’s a lot more to Ken’s story than a long hike. Have a listen.

When I was a SCUBA instructor back in the 70s and 80s, I had a good friend, Jack Garrett (still a good friend, I should add), who was one of my assistant instructors, among many other things. But somewhere along the way, Jack gave up neoprene and a weight belt and instead, put on chain mail and now carries a broadsword. He’s ferociously curious, and his interest in history and culture led him to b...

This one is a mind-bender and guaranteed to win you bets in a bar. Guaranteed, I promise.

We've all been led to believe that lobbyists are--well, not our favorite people. But my interview with Mike Hutfles, who lobbies for, among other things, healthcare organizations and small, independent telephone companies, might change your mind. Do you really know what a lobbyist does? You're about to find out.

It’s no secret that I’m curious about people who have had what I like to call ‘non-linear careers’—meaning people who are driven by curiosity and passion to find their path in life. Phil Asmundson is one of those people. Try this on for size: degrees in geology and physics; degree in accounting; career with Deloitte, rising to deputy chair of the firm; and vineyard operator and winemaker with his...

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine and I were kidding around, and he asked me if I had any evidence of the existence of a higher power in the universe. “Absolutely,” I told him. “Nutmeg.” He looked at me like I was crazy. I said, “Have you ever smelled freshly ground nutmeg? Because if you had, you wouldn’t look at me like that.” In this episode we look into the amazing world of spices. Wars have b...

A quick thank you for all my listeners around the world--nothing more!

Dr. Russ Willis is a technologist, ethicist, pastor, teacher, administrator, and poet. Any questions? In this episode Russ and I have a conversation about the meaning of ethics, and about what we perceive to be an ongoing migration in human society from village to tribal behavior—and the implications of that migration. Russ brings some wonderful insights in this episode; please enjoy.

I love science, but there are times when I wish we knew less than we actually do about how the world works. Why? Because while science is the most extraordinary gift that has ever been visited upon human beings, it does have one drawback: it kills wonder. The more we know, the less we are inclined to be awed by what we see; magic and mysticism get pushed to the back. But that isn’t always bad. Hav...

It’s being called The Great Resignation, but I call it The Great Reckoning. Why? Because in a fascinating turn of events, and in keeping with the idea that art imitates life, we are watching technology serve as a weapon that is leveling the playing field between companies, employees and customers. Have a listen—I think this is important.

When Michelle and David Poretti decided to adopt a dog, they ended up with Reuben, a 70-pound mass of wrinkles--A Shar Pei. But this isn't about Reuben--it's about the journey he had to take from Tijuana in northern Mexico to their home in Edmonton. What a story--enjoy!

Have you ever been curious about the measures we use to track size and length? Have you wondered what a chain, furlong, hectare, or for that matter, actually are? It turns out that they have fascinating histories--going back to colonial America. Have a listen and enjoy. And thank you!

Amazing what you learn by just wandering around reading books, magazines and articles about nature. this hodge-lodge of facts about the natural world will make you smile, and make you elbow the person next to you to tell them what you just learned. Enjoy!

Today, we are constantly bombarded by media that compete for our attention: Email, texting, instant messaging, phone calls, Zoom calls, news alerts, other humans, social media, television, radio, books, magazines, Podcasts, and plenty of other distractions. This constant tugging at our attention makes it difficult for us to focus and be effective. In this episode we sure a few stories about being...

Jerry Power is the founder of the i3 Consortium, an organization dedicated to making the most of new technologies, especially Internet of Things and the analytical capabilities it brings, with a focus on the needs of cities. In this interview he talks about what i3 is doing and the promise he sees for the world of analytical technologies.

Jim Metzner has been producing the radio show, Pulse of the Planet, since 1988. But he’s so much more than that: he’s a musician, an author, a traveler, and a dedicated and insightful supporter of the natural world. In this episode we catch up with Jim via Zoom at his home in Kingston, New York. Jim’s a master storyteller—don’t miss this one.

My latest book, "The Nation We Knew," has enjoyed amazing success--not just because it's a good story, but because it's making people think about things just a little bit differently. That's always been my goal; I never want to change someone's mind about something, I just want to broaden it a bit. The responses to the book have been wonderful--and, in some cases, a bit negative, because it pokes...

Jim Mulvihill spent his entire career in the US Navy, and if there’s one thing I’ve discovered to be true, it’s that sailors have the best stories—and they’re true. Sit back and enjoy a series of amazing stories, told by a master storyteller. And along the way, learn a few things you didn’t know.

Jared Blake is as passionate about the natural world as they come. One of the ways he works to protect it is by capturing the sounds of nature and sharing them with the world. He is equal parts technician, advocate, videographer, recordist, and teacher. Enjoy the post--his captures are magical.

You know, of course, about the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, or perhaps about a show that’s specific to your particular industry. But I’ll bet you don’t know about some of THESE shows. Have a listen.