Wildly Curious

Send us Fan Mail *Be Advised* This episode contains adult content such as drug use, overdosing, animal death and sex. 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 bizarre and controversial scientific experiments from history. From brainwashing attempts to elephants on LSD, they explore the curious world...

Send us Fan Mail In this exciting episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature), co-hosts Laura Fawks Lapole and Kim Baker pit two specialists against each other in a lively debate: Steve Allain, a herpetologist specializing in reptiles and amphibians, and Josh Byrne, an entomologist and insect enthusiast. Listen as they battle it out to determine which field reigns supreme in nature...

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 world of plant defenses. From the explosive crystals of Diffinbachia that can paralyze predators, to the sneaky neurotoxins of the Australian stinging tree, they explore some of the most extreme ways plants defend themselves. They also discuss more subtle s...

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 strange and endearing world of nature's ugliest babies. From the featherless and squeaky blue jay fledglings to the unsettling appearance of the barn owlet and the naked mole rat, they rank and discuss the most unfortunate-looking animal babies. They...

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 plight of endangered species across North America. While most people think of animals far away when they hear about extinction, Katy and Laura spotlight creatures right in our backyards that are on the brink of disappearing, including the elusive pygmy rac...

Send us Fan Mail In this fascinating episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive into the mind-blowing migrations of animals across the globe. From the bar-headed goose that soars over the Himalayas to the African straw-colored fruit bat that forms one of the largest mammal migrations on Earth, they uncover some of nature’s most incr...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), Laura Fawks Lapole and Sara Clark from the Duke Lemur Center dive into the incredible world of lemurs in celebration of World Lemur Day. Discover fascinating facts about the Duke Lemur Center’s conservation efforts, the unique behaviors of lemurs, and the critical role they play in Madagascar’s ecosystems. From...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole delve into the eerie and mystical world of animals tied to the occult. From the ominous magpie, known for its connection to witchcraft, to the shapeshifting foxes of Japanese folklore, and the fearsome hyenas in African and Middle Eastern legends, they explore how these...

Send us Fan Mail In this fun and fact-filled episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole tackle the wild question: Could you fight that animal? From squaring off against a kangaroo to debating whether you could handle a goose, they discuss hypothetical animal showdowns, mixing humor with fascinating trivia about animal strength, behavior...

Send us Fan Mail In this thoughtful episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole explore the profound impact humans have had on rivers and waterways throughout history. From the devastating effects of logging and farming on river ecosystems to the catastrophic flooding caused by removing natural barriers, they discuss how we’ve disrupted...

Send us Fan Mail In this deeply personal episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole open up about the power of our brains, both as our best asset and our greatest challenge. They take listeners on a journey through the science of the brain and delve into their own mental health experiences, discussing neurodiversity, OCD, ADHD, and the...

Send us Fan Mail In this wildly entertaining episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive deep into the world of animal mating rituals, exploring some of the most bizarre, elaborate, and fascinating courtship dances in the animal kingdom. From the intricate nest-building of bowerbirds to the hypnotic moonwalking of the red-capped man...

Send us Fan Mail In this mid-season mini-episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole explore the incredible world of mimicry in animals. From the orchid mantis that fools pollinators by looking like a flower, to the death’s head hawk moth that sneaks into beehives by mimicking a bee’s scent, they uncover some of the most mind-blowing mim...

Send us Fan Mail In this special episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole celebrate International Orangutan Day with special guest Catherine Tidwell, a Great Ape Keeper at the Little Rock Zoo. Together, they dive into the fascinating world of orangutans, discussing their intelligence, social behaviors, and the conservation efforts nee...

Send us Fan Mail In this laugh-out-loud episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive into the hilarious and head-scratching world of bizarre animal names. From the "electric eel" that isn't really an eel to the "mountain chicken" that’s actually a frog, they unravel the strange and often confusing reasons beh...

Send us Fan Mail In this hilarious and educational episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive into the wild world of outdated scientific theories about nature. From the belief in tiny humans (homunculi) inside sperm to bizarre ideas about how diseases spread, this episode takes a fun look at how scientists once thought the natural...

Send us Fan Mail In this fun-filled and imaginative episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole ask, “Could you BE that?” After exploring Could You Ride That? , this new adventure has them debating which animals they could or would want to be. From wolverines and beluga whales to taiga-loving critters and desert dwellers, the duo weighs...

Send us Fan Mail In this informative and insightful episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole explore the world of natural remedies and the plants humans have relied on for centuries to heal both body and mind. From sage’s anti-inflammatory powers to the mind-enhancing effects of ginkgo, learn how these medicinal plants have stood the...

Send us Fan Mail In this whimsical episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole explore the rich folklore and superstitions that surround everyday plants. From ancient beliefs about the protective powers of the rowan tree to the curious tradition of knocking on wood, this episode uncovers the fascinating ways humans have connected plants...

Send us Fan Mail In this playful and educational episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dig deep into the world of fossils—unearthing amazing facts about how fossils form and what they can tell us about the Earth’s past. From ancient marine fossils to the incredible preservation of prehistoric plants and animals, this episode offers...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole chat with special guest Kate Taylor, an endangered species biologist, about the urgent need to protect monarch butterflies and their rapidly shrinking habitat. They dive deep into the monarchs' incredible migration journey, the importance of milkweed, and what we c...

Send us Fan Mail In this special Wildly Curious episode (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole celebrate National Pollinator Week by exploring the unsung heroes of pollination—those that aren't bees or butterflies! From nectar-hungry bats to sugar-obsessed possums, they dive into the world of lesser-known animal pollinators. Discover how bats help bring...

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 are joined by their hilarious manager Kim for an all-out battle of the “Nature Hotties.” From the rugged Tarzan to the suave Dr. Alan Grant of Jurassic Park , the trio debates which fictional nature lovers deserve the crown of hottest wilderness heroes. But it...

Send us Fan Mail In this engaging episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive into the fascinating world of animal communication. They explore the science behind how different species—from primates to parrots—communicate with humans and each other. Along the way, you'll learn about famous animals like Koko the gorilla and Alex...

Send us Fan Mail In this mind-bending episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature ), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole explore the fascinating intersection of space and biology, otherwise known as astrobiology. They dive into the Goldilocks Zone, icy moons, and the possibilities of alien life, all while making you laugh with their down-to-earth take on out-of-this-world sci...