Episode 238 – Lanternfish: The Sea Wall
“…today we’re talking about this little fish of mine. But more on that later.” When twilight comes, it’s time to light your lantern. But sometimes human technology isn’t enough to get past nature’s barriers. That was the case when early sonar came up against the lanternfish, which congregates in the millions. This tiny mesopelagic creature […]
Episode 237 – Japanese Macaque: Pink Parka People
“…and today we’re talking about petite pink primates in plush parkas. But more on that later.” In the highlands of Japan, one tufty monkey likes to season its food, play in the snow, and waylay unsuspecting people in its free time. It uses all of its simian smarts to quickly learn new behaviors and then […]
Episode 236 – Hammerhead Flatworm: I Will Survive
“…and today we’re talking about a flat slimy menace that will not go gently into the night. But more on that later.” Have you ever felt that you just don’t fit in. Struggling to make connections with a social group can be difficult, but what if you’re clashing with an entire ecosystem. Such is the […]
Episode 235 – Blue Manakin: Featherloose
“…and today we’re talking about a Casanova with a posse. But more on that later.” If John Travolta has taught us anything, it’s that the ladies can’t resist a man who can dance. Well, at least that’s true for one species of colorful bird known as the blue manakin. But there are tons of birds […]
Episode 234 – Barking Deer: Barking Up the Wrong Tree
“…and today we’re talking about a deer whose bark is worse than its bite. But more on that later.” The forests of India are beautiful places to forage for nutritious greenery. Though the fantastic foliage looks tasty, it may be concealing a predator that’s equally appetized by you. If you’re a deer that’s detected a […]
Episode 233 – Draco Lizard: Falling with Style
“…and today we’re talking about a little lizard that does more than leap! But more on that later.” Man’s imagination has run wild with the idea of magical flying lizards for almost a thousand years. Dragons are a part of the mythos of cultures all over the world, but they never thought that true flying […]
Episode 232 – Chimney Swift: Flue Flyers
“…And today we’re talking about a bird that wears t-shirts and stays on the bleachers. But more on that later.” Bird life is about taking to the skies, but it’s also about finding a place to rest, nest, and make more birds. But where do you nest when a tree branch is just too uncomfortable […]
Episode 231 – Bloodworm: Jaws of Strife
“…and today we’re talking about another beautiful sea creature that everyone will love to look at pictures of. But more on that later.” The ocean is full of just chock-full of friendly and not-at-all scary things. One of those very fun things is the foot-long bloodworm with an extremely strong and painful, venomous bite. But […]
Episode 230 – Sea Robin: Walking Ray of Sunshine
“…and today we’re talking about the marine of the marina that can swim, fly, and crawl. But more on that later.” The ocean is a breeding ground for aberrant creations. Pressure and struggle has formed some of the most peculiar Pisces on the planet. But one fish wanted so badly to skitter along the ocean […]
Episode 229 – Striped Skunk: The Stinkiest Gun in the West
“…and today we’re talking about a little guy that is as stinky as he is striped. But more on that later.” Perhaps one of the world’s most famous (or infamous) animals is the humble skunk. But it’s not only famous in the human world, it’s also well-known in the animal kingdom. For animals that live […]
