Nature Signals Podcast

11:51

The State of Nature Update #30

Nature Signals Podcast ·

2026/09/26

This episode explores the latest biodiversity news, from bird migration and animal behavior to the growing threat of climate change to coral reefs.We begin with the annual fall migration, examining why artificial light can be dangerous for birds and how dimming lights at night may help prevent deadly collisions with buildings. The New York Times reporter Ishani Desai cites Adriaan Dokter of Cornell University’s BirdCast, who says that at least one billion birds die each year after striking

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7:49

Butterflies are on the move as climate change and...

Nature Signals Podcast ·

2026/09/12

Butterflies are on the move — and climate change and habitat loss are largely to blame.A new global study offers one of the most comprehensive looks yet at how butterfly species are responding to a changing planet. Researchers found evidence that 1,758 species — nearly 10% of known butterfly species — have changed where they live.Many are expanding into new areas, often moving toward cooler regions as temperatures rise. Others are disappearing from parts of their historic ranges. Climate change and

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6:07

Billions of American chestnuts once grew in our...

Nature Signals Podcast ·

2026/09/05

The American chestnut was once one of the most important trees in eastern U.S. forests. It provided abundant nuts for wildlife and people and supplied strong, rot-resistant wood for homes, fences and furniture.Then, more than a century ago, an invasive fungus called chestnut blight began killing the trees. Within decades, billions of American chestnuts had disappeared from the forests, changing the landscape and leaving the species nearly lost in the wild.Now, scientists are working on a new way to

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10:45

The State of Nature Update #29

Nature Signals Podcast ·

2026/08/28

In this edition of Nature Signals, we explore some of the latest stories shaping our understanding of biodiversity, wildlife and conservation around the world.The episode begins with the wandering glider dragonfly, also known as the globe skimmer, which can cross oceans and travel up to 18,000 kilometers (11,000 miles) across multiple generations—making it the longest-known insect migration. We then examine how climate change is fueling bigger and hotter wildfires across the western United States,

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11:04

Can you trust the FSC label? What research says about...

Nature Signals Podcast ·

2026/08/21

Is FSC-certified wood really better for forests and wildlife? The Forest Stewardship Council is widely regarded as one of the strongest forest-certification systems, but what does the science actually show?In this episode, we examine a recent study of mammals in FSC-certified eucalyptus plantations in Portugal. Researchers found that wildlife generally favored healthier vegetation and avoided harvested areas and vegetation edges. But most species did not prefer designated conservation zones.We also

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10:00

Biodiversity is declining. Conservation works. So...

Nature Signals Podcast ·

2026/08/14

We hear a lot about climate change, but far less about another global environmental crisis: biodiversity loss. Species are disappearing, ecosystems are changing and nature is under growing pressure—yet the biodiversity crisis receives much less media attention.Why aren’t we talking about it more? And could better storytelling, including more coverage of conservation successes, help turn concern about nature into action?In this episode of Nature Signals, we explore why the biodiversity crisis is

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8:20

Insect declines began decades earlier than scientists...

Nature Signals Podcast ·

2026/08/07

For decades, scientists have warned of dramatic insect declines, but new research suggests the crisis began much earlier than researchers realized. Drawing on nearly a century of records, researchers found that butterfly and deadwood beetle diversity in Switzerland has been declining since the 1930s—raising concerns that studies tracking changes over a couple of decades may underestimate the true scale of global biodiversity loss.In this episode, we examine how intensive agriculture, logging,

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12:19

The State of Nature Update #28

Nature Signals Podcast ·

2026/07/30

In this episode, we cover five stories from around the world of wildlife and conservation. India's tiger population is booming—but can conservation keep pace with development? We discuss the growing need to protect tiger reserves and connecting habitat corridors that tigers rely on to survive, including through wildlife crossings that guide animals over or under major highways. We also uncover new discoveries about one of the planet's most elusive big cats, the Sunda clouded leopard, that roams the

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6:46

Sea Otters Once Escaped Extinction. Can They Survive...

Nature Signals Podcast ·

2026/07/23

Sea otters are one of the Pacific Ocean's most beloved animals, but new research suggests they face a growing threat from PFAS, also called ‘forever chemicals.’ In this episode, we explore a study that found every sea otter examined by biologists along the coast of British Columbia contained PFAS contamination, with the highest concentrations detected in animals found near urban areas and busy shipping lanes.We explain why sea otters are much more than charismatic marine mammals. As a keystone

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6:26

The hidden costs of beautiful gardens: How invasive...

Nature Signals Podcast ·

2026/07/17

In this episode, we explore fascinating new research showing that invasive ornamental plants don't just outcompete native vegetation—they can also change the appearance of butterflies, making them less attractive to potential mates. The discovery reveals a previously unknown way that invasive plants can affect wildlife, raising fresh concerns for butterfly conservation and the long-term health of ecosystems.Researchers in Japan found that the caterpillars of the rare Fischer's blue butterfly

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12:10

The State of Nature Update #27

Nature Signals Podcast ·

2026/07/09

This week, we cover six fascinating stories from the world of wildlife and conservation.Discover how scientists are working to save Ukraine's European bison despite the ongoing war, and how environmental DNA (eDNA) is revolutionizing biodiversity research by revealing entire ecosystems from a single water sample.We also explore surprising evidence that ancient ground squirrels scavenged mammoths, bison, and other Ice Age giants, examine the controversial roundup of wild horses in California, and

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7:36

How Scientists Are Giving Rare Turtle Babies a Head...

Nature Signals Podcast ·

2026/07/02

How can scientists help endangered turtles survive? In this episode, we explore how wildlife conservation professionals in Michigan are using a technique called "headstarting" to raise rare baby turtles in captivity before releasing them into the wild. You'll learn why young turtles face such steep odds from predators, habitat loss, road mortality, and the illegal pet trade, and how researchers are measuring whether this approach can rebuild wild populations. We also discuss the importance of

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8:05

Climate change is already causing local extinctions....

Nature Signals Podcast ·

2026/06/25

Scientists long assumed tropical species would be hit hardest by climate change. But a new global study found that animals and plants in temperate regions, including North America and Europe, are already disappearing from parts of their range at alarming rates. We explore how wildlife and plants are responding to warming temperatures, why local extinctions are rising around the world, why many species aren’t moving into cooler habitats, and what the findings mean for biodiversity and conservation

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6:35

Wolves could expand across the eastern U.S. - but...

Nature Signals Podcast ·

2026/06/13

Gray wolves have recovered in parts of the Great Lakes region after decades of federal protection, but research suggests they could thrive across much more of the eastern United States. Scientists identified several large areas with suitable wolf habitat, yet highways, cities, farmland and human-caused mortality make expansion difficult. The findings also fuel ongoing debate over whether wolves should remain protected under the Endangered Species Act, raising broader questions about conservation,

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13:52

The State of Nature Update #26 Podcast

Nature Signals Podcast ·

2026/06/10

This episode explores six biodiversity stories from around the world: how elephant dung supports diverse dung beetle communities that drive nutrient cycling and seed dispersal in African ecosystems; the death of the last known Sacramento Mountains checkerspot caterpillar, which could mean that the rare butterfly is now extinct; surprising new evidence that daddy longlegs in South America can hunt and kill frogs despite their seemingly harmless appearance; the tagging of a nesting female sea turtle

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7:36

Podcast: Hidden 'forever chemicals' found in Great...

Nature Signals Podcast ·

2026/06/03

A recent study found dozens of previously unidentified PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” in Lake Huron’s water, fish and mussels, suggesting contamination is more widespread than previously thought. Some PFAS are linked to serious health risks, but most of the thousands of PFAS compounds in use remain poorly studied. The episode features Clarkson University environmental chemist Bernard Crimmins, who explains the advanced testing method the researchers used to find new PFAS chemicals, a fishing charter

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11:13

Podcast: The State of Nature Update #25

Nature Signals Podcast ·

2026/05/20

Summary: This episode of Nature Signals examines recent biodiversity and environmental news, ranging from bird behavior to wolf-moose dynamics and plastic pollution. You’ll hear about how Hawaiian songbirds steal nesting materials from one another, why European city birds fear women more than men, how wolf reintroduction on Isle Royale has successfully reduced an overabundant moose population, and about the botched rescue attempt of “Timmy” the humpback whale. It concludes with research showing that

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