Wildly Curious

Send us Fan Mail In this off-season miniseries of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature), Kim Baker takes over to explore nature right outside your door. In this episode, Kim dives into the world of backyard birds, sharing her newfound passion for birdwatching during the pandemic. From goldfinches to pine warblers, discover how slowing down and paying attention to these small creatures c...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature )! In this hilarious episode, co-host Katy Reiss takes a walk down memory lane to highlight the top 15 funniest moments from the first five seasons. Whether it’s a raccoon attack gone wrong or the misadventures of koalas in explosive trees, these stories will have you laughing out loud. Katy and Laura Fawks Lapole have sha...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive into the dangerous world of poisons and venoms in nature. From the deadly water hemlock that killed Socrates to the venomous platypus and the lethal box jellyfish, they explore how these natural substances work to protect plants and animals, ensuring survival. Katy...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), hosts Kim and Laura interview Leah Beck, a recreational use manager with The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas. Leah shares her experiences designing and managing trails, balancing public recreation with conservation efforts, and the challenges of maintaining natural spaces. Learn about the diverse ways people use...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), join hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole as they embark on an exciting field trip to Laurel Caverns in southwestern Pennsylvania. With special guest Lucas, they explore the fascinating underground world of this privately-owned cave system, giving listeners a unique audio tour filled with fun facts, commentar...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive into the fascinating world of tidal pools. Though small, these vibrant ecosystems are teeming with life, from tiny crabs and mollusks to hardy seaweeds and starfish. Katy and Laura explore the four zones of the intertidal area, explaining how animals and plants have...

Send us Fan Mail In this hilarious episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole take you on a global culinary adventure, exploring the most bizarre and stomach-turning foods from across the world. From Cambodia's fried tarantula to the infamous Sardinian maggot cheese, Casu Marzu, they discuss the cultural significance and nutritiona...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive into some of the most extreme environments on Earth, where life somehow thrives against all odds. From the blistering heat of Yellowstone’s geysers to the frigid, salty landscapes of Antarctica’s McMurdo Dry Valleys, these habitats push organisms like archaea and e...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy and Laura dive into the importance of making sustainable lifestyle choices. They discuss practical ways to reduce your environmental impact, from using compostable products like diapers to supporting local CSAs. The episode covers the effects of plastic waste, sustainable farming, and how small cha...

Send us Fan Mail In this exciting episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-host Laura Fawks Lapole is joined by special guest Paul Csomo, creator of the Varmintz podcast, to explore the fascinating connection between pirates and nature. They dive deep into how pirates relied on their understanding of animals, plants, weather, and ocean currents to survive on the high seas....

Send us Fan Mail In this hilarious episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive into the animal kingdom's most annoying members. From pigeons to wasps, llamas to pandas, they break down why certain creatures just get on their nerves. Prepare for a light-hearted rant as they discuss not only the natural history but also some pers...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole take a quick but fascinating dive into the world of protists. These organisms, often overlooked, play a vital role in ecosystems and life on Earth. From protozoans to algae, slime molds to amoebas, this episode explores how these unique single-celled creatures contribut...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Laura Fawks Lapole, Katy Reiss, and special guest Kim dive into the fascinating world of animal tool use. From the crafty crow that can use a stick to grab food, to the ingenious octopus that uses coconut shells for protection, the hosts explore the clever ways animals solve problems with tools. The epi...

Send us Fan Mail In this thrilling season finale of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole delve into the mysterious world of cryptozoology. From the legendary El Chupacabra to the elusive Bigfoot, they discuss some of the most famous cryptids and their origins. Along the way, they share fascinating insights into possible explanations, histori...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive into the fascinating world of bacteria. From the trillions of bacteria that live within us to the ones found in the harshest environments on Earth, they explore the vital role bacteria play in ecosystems and human health. With humor and a sprinkle of existential cr...

Send us Fan Mail In this heartwarming episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature), hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole, joined by guest Melissa from Bewilder, dive into the importance of nature in childhood. They share personal stories and reflect on how spending time outdoors shaped their lives and how they are now using nature to positively impact their own children. From exp...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive into their hilarious "Antibucket List" — a collection of nature-related activities they'd rather avoid at all costs. From the horrifying candiru fish of the Amazon to the terrors of quicksand, they humorously recount their top "no thanks" m...

Send us Fan Mail In this exciting episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive into the fascinating world of birding. Joined by special guest and professional birder, Allison Black, they discuss what makes birding one of the fastest-growing hobbies and how anyone can get started. From choosing the right binoculars to identifying bird...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole take listeners on a deep dive into the fascinating world of geology. From the origins of Earth's rocks during the chaotic Hadeon era to the formation of towering mountains like the Appalachians, they break down complex geological concepts with humor and clarity. Learn how p...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole explore the fascinating world of symbiotic relationships. From the mutualistic bonds that benefit both species, to the parasitic ties that favor one at the expense of another, they dive deep into the intricacies of nature’s partnerships. With examples ranging from mistl...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole explore the fascinating world of animals that work alongside humans. From drug-sniffing dogs making major busts, to HeroRATS saving lives by detecting landmines, and even timber elephants hauling logs in the forests of Myanmar, this episode covers how animals take on ex...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive into the fascinating history of animal domestication. From the world-changing domestication of horses to the quirky arrival of gerbils in homes, they explore why and how humans have cultivated relationships with animals for millennia. Learn about the roles of camel...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive into the fascinating and often overlooked role animals have played in military operations. From war pigeons that saved lives to ferrets helping wire airplanes, the hosts uncover stories of remarkable animal contributions in warfare. Discover how beetles became remot...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss, Laura Fawks Lapole, and Kim celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science by exploring the lives and achievements of some of the most badass women in scientific history. From Hedy Lamarr, the Hollywood actress who helped invent technology that paved the way for Wi-Fi, to Bren...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive into one of the most provocative topics in the animal kingdom: the sexual behavior of bonobos. Known for their “make love, not war” mentality, these fascinating primates use sex to solve problems, build bonds, and even trade for food. Katy and Laura hilariously break down t...