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PODCAST

Random Nature

Christy Hyman, PhD

I"m Christy Hyman and I am a geographer who loves birds and the outdoors. I talk to thinkers & educators about how they view nature and how much or how little they embrace it into their lives. I also reflect on how nature and conservation has positively impacted my life as a grieving parent. Views are my own and not reflective of my university/scholarly affiliations.

science nature

All Episodes

6:47

Bonus: Night of the Capercaillie! (Spooky Season...

Random Nature ·

2026/10/04

Just in time for spooky season, a special bonus episode inspired by true events. When two American graduate students take a wrong turn on a remote Scottish forest road, they encounter something ancient and territorial in the fading light. This is a story about what happens when human carelessness meets wild instinct, set against the backdrop of endangered species and vanishing habitats. It is a tale of ecological horror that asks: who truly owns the forest? Contains themes of conservation, co...

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29:16

THE WATERFALL HUNTER

Random Nature ·

2026/09/30

I sit down with the one and only Waterfall Hunter. He tells me about alligators that watch his cousins play basketball on the court. I hear all about his hometown of Cross, South Carolina. Fair warning — I giggle through most of this one, because the stories he brings back from his memory are like nothing you’ve ever heard. This conversation goes way off script, so settle in and enjoy. Link to Waterfall Hunter's photos: https://www.instagram.com/waterfall.hunter/?hl=en

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10:33

Misdirected fury at the Lab of Ornithology: Cornell's...

Random Nature ·

2026/09/29

A fraternity on campus was involved in a major gender-based violence incident. The university administration? Total radio silence. Then, instead of going after the president’s office or student conduct—you know, the people who actually have power—online outrage got aimed at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Yeah, the bird lab. In the woods. Which has nothing to do with Greek life. The Lab of O’s funding—which comes from memberships and grants—is under threat, as misguided persons online t...

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7:57

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

Random Nature ·

2026/09/15

Step into the treetops and discover the extraordinary life of Louis Agassiz Fuertes (1874–1927), the brilliant American ornithologist and illustrator who revolutionized wildlife art and some amazing birders of Latinx heritage continuing in that important work! Urban Bird Project: https://urbanbirdproject.org/ Latino Outdoors: https://www.instagram.com/latinooutdoors/?hl=en Cornell Lab of O's Celebrate Urban Birds: https://celebrateurbanbirds.org/ Galeria EVA: https://www.instagram.com/g...

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4:39

Miracles never cease in the garden!

Random Nature ·

2026/08/31

In this episode, we hear how a litter box lid, some leftover charcoal, and a total refusal to do any research somehow produced a thriving romano bean plant from seeds obtained for free at a America250 thing in Brooktondale, NY. The host is just as surprised as you are.

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10:03

Tech Needs Limits: The Great Dismal Swamp Needs You!

Random Nature ·

2026/08/11

Bonus episode that discusses a massive, power hungry data center that will destroy critical wildlife habitat and public health combined in the Great Dismal Swamp. Please note my cat is loud toward the end, sorry. He hates data centers too. link:https://www.facebook.com/jeff.staples.33/posts/so-there-will-be-data-centers-in-chesapeake-the-ft-williams-farm-was-sold-in-its/10245555699053073/ Article on the health and environmental risks of data centers: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/clima...

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8:25

The New Year- August 2026- Season 5

Random Nature ·

2026/08/01

In this Bonus Episode Christy shares about yet another New Year that begins Season 5 on the podcast. She discusses the part August plays in her grief journey as well as her time in fellowship and community with the Great Dismal Swamp Enslaved Ancestors Ceremony where she provided remarks in Williamsburg, VA. Christy announces the latest recipient of her son's memorial arts scholarship as well. Lastly she mentions the next invited guest scheduled to appear. Great Dismal Swamp Enslaved Ancestor...

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37:29

Kathryn Benjamin Golden, Phd on The Great Dismal Swamp

Random Nature ·

2026/07/20

On this episode of Random Nature, Dr. Kathryn Benjamin Golden talks to us about growing up in the Bay Area of California, her new book, This Insurgent Ground: Black Women, Marronage, and Rebellion in the Great Dismal Swamp. She also shares a random nature moment that involves MEGAFAUNA! BY THE WAY-- In the middle there is a brief moment of quiet due to a tech hiccup but we pick right back up. Get Kathryn's book here: https://uncpress.org/9781469697970/this-insurgent-ground/

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11:38

BONUS: Next guest plus Canada Wildfires!

Random Nature ·

2026/07/17

Discusses: Air quality advisories in western New York and the Finger Lakes.Wildfire smoke originating in Canada.The particular risks for children, older adults, and people with asthma.The idea that environmental events in one region can affect people far awayLinks Dr. Golden: https://spatialhumanorg.wpcomstaging.com/2026/07/09/kathryn-benjamin-golden-phd-next-guest-on-random-nature-podcast/ Great Dismal Swamp PBS Featuring Eric Sheppard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-J5QNauVIc My trade b...

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8:18

Sunflower Showdown: HOA vs. Hummingbirds

Random Nature ·

2026/07/01

Today’s bonus episode dives into a surprising HOA vs. sunflowers showdown. We hear how one homeowner’s pollinator‐friendly blooms were slashed by the HOA president—despite no laws banning them— and how kids’ bikes in driveways even earned a stern warning. From hummingbirds drawn to those very sunflowers to the broader fight for pollinator gardens amid climate change, we unpack why neighborhood rules can so easily stifle nature (and family fun). Then, we contrast that with a community where ev...

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49:11

Maia Butler, PhD

Random Nature ·

2026/06/26

In this episode of Random Nature, host Christy Hyman welcomes writer and scholar Maia Butler to trace the landscapes that shaped her life and her work. Maia opens by locating her roots on Coast Salish land in Olympia, Washington, before moving through her childhood in south- central Alaska on Denaʼina Athabascan lands. She describes early memories of Homer on the Aleutian Chain; making mud pies, digging and cooking clams on the beach, and falling asleep under the midnight sun. As Maia grew, s...

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11:17

A Pedestrian Birder's Close Call- THE CAR TOOK FLIGHT

Random Nature ·

2026/06/08

In this bonus episode, Christy is on her usual 45-minute walk to her favorite village coffee house when a car goes airborne right in front of her and disappears into a ravine— the motorist, his dog and all. She reflects on the cascade of fears that hit her in those few seconds, the divine and ancestral protection she feels carried her through, and what the whole terrifying experience revealed about the very real safety gaps facing birders and pedestrians on roads like Valley Road. Plus: shout...

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39:00

GenX, Church, and Academia (and two pollinators) with...

Random Nature ·

2026/05/21

What does it mean to grow up saved—and then spend your career studying how race, religion, and power have always been tangled together in the west? Christy sits down with Ed J. Blum, historian of Ideas, to find out. From his evangelical upbringing in suburban New Jersey to his landmark scholarship on W.E.B. Du Bois, Ed traces the through-line between personal faith and intellectual obsession. He and Christy swap stories of religious intensity— her family's fervor (at least on Easter), his Mis...

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12:26

Gardening in the Fingerlakes Region

Random Nature ·

2026/05/07

In this episode, Christy checks in with a spring update from the Finger Lakes region of New York, where she'll be based full-time after permanently wrapping up a professional affiliation in North Carolina. She covers the famously unforgiving Tompkins County frost calendar—last freeze as late as May 30—and what that means for her raised garden bed at the Cottages, where she's planning a split experiment: half given over to creeping Charlie, half to two varieties of sunflower. She also introduc...

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8:35

My son's 20th Birthday in Heaven- Some raw truths on...

Random Nature ·

2026/03/12

March 11, 2026. My son's 20th Birthday. A turning that took place in Heaven.

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9:08

Common Grackle Operated a Soda Dispenser inside...

Random Nature ·

2026/02/03

Common Grackle Operated a Soda Dispenser in Howard University Cafeteria. You read that right. In this episode of Random Nature, Christy challenges conventional wisdom about avian behavior. What happens when birds don't follow the rulebook? From American Robins defying dietary expectations to the surprising intelligence of the much-maligned Common Grackle, I explore how birds adapt to changing environments and food sources. Christy also shares a BHM fact about the importance of Howard Universi...

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6:51

MLK and Climate Resilience

Random Nature ·

2026/01/19

On this special MLK Day episode, I explore how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s fight for justice connects directly to today’s climate crisis. From his support of sanitation workers to the roots of the environmental justice movement, I trace how King’s vision of equality and dignity for all inspires climate scientists, activists, and communities on the front lines. Join me as I examine the links between civil rights, environmental protection, and the urgent work of building a just, livable future...

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7:42

BONUS- My Trade Book is Out Today (sample reading)

Random Nature ·

2025/11/27

In this bonus episode of Random Nature, Christy shares heartfelt reflections on the significance of the day, not only as a time for gratitude but also as a momentous occasion marking the release of their trade book, set for November 27, 2025, by Bloomsbury. With a focus on the current economic challenges facing many listeners, Christy emphasizes that there’s no pressure to purchase the book; instead, she is simply excited to share this milestone.

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2:40

Quick Update in the midst of PURE CHAOS

Random Nature ·

2025/10/21

Hey everyone! It’s been a minute, and I just wanted to check in with you all. I’m still hanging in there, staying prayed up and meditated up amidst the tough times in my home country. A big shoutout to all the ADVOCATES holding the line—let’s keep that hope alive! I wanted to give you some updates. First off, I’m working on a new episode that should be out this summer. I know it’s been a while, but I appreciate your patience. The exciting news is that my book, "Cultural Heritage Resilience ...

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13:33

Midwest to East Coast- Random Nature Special Guest,...

Random Nature ·

2025/09/01

Welcome back to Random Nature, the podcast where Christy the birder/academic explores the enchanting and often surprising connections between humanity and the natural world. Today she engages in a lively discussions with a fascinating guests, This week she talks to Eric K., a journalist based in the D.C. area. We mention: Canada Geese Urban foxes campus food delivery robots.

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