Check out "Out of Our Elements" on PBS Terra! https://youtu.be/tp-FsXHVFoU“In Our Nature” is a NEW special limited series on It’s Okay To Be Smart!We’re on PATREON! Join the community ►► https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓Uploaded 18-08-21Seemingly distant ecosystems, even half a world apart, are connected in surprising ways. In this special limited series, Emily Graslie and Trace Dominguez join me as we explore the universal rules of life that tie together

This is a Grave Talks CLASSIC EPISODE!Albany is one of America’s oldest cities, but its history doesn’t just live in books—it lingers beneath the surface.With centuries of stories layered into its streets, forgotten cemeteries and long-buried events have left behind more than just records. For Maeve McEneny-Johnson, that history has always felt close. Growing up alongside a local historian, she saw early on how much of the city’s past still echoes into the present.From the unsettling legacy of

This is a Grave Talks CLASSIC EPISODE!The American Revolution shaped a nation—but it was also defined by violence, fear, sacrifice, and loss on an immense human scale. Thousands lived through unspeakable moments of terror, desperation, and moral conflict. But what happened to that energy when the fighting stopped?In this episode of The Grave Talks, we explore whether the emotional weight of the American Revolution truly faded into history—or whether it still lingers in the places where lives were

This is a Grave Talks CLASSIC EPISODE! PART TWOFor some, ghost stories are entertainment. For others, they become something more.For Jerry Paulley, the paranormal wasn’t just about the unexplained—it became a way through some of life’s hardest moments. As the voice behind Hillbilly Horror Stories, he’s spent years sharing encounters that blur the line between fear and fascination. But behind those stories is a much more personal journey.In his book From Hell to High Water, Jerry opens up about

In which the mental faculties of man are carefully weighed against those of the lower animals, revealing a gradual continuum rather than a sharp divide, with a shared capacity for emotions, memory, imitation, and reason. We observe, with a gentle sense of wonder, the presence of curiosity, love, and even a sense of humour among creatures both great and small, inviting reflection on the common threads that unite all sentient beings.

Alycia Chubaty, a current Masters Student at the University of Manitoba, joins Brendan to talk about Greenland Sharks in Cumberland Sound!  Tune in to learn about how scientists are working to learn more about these ancient and understudied creatures, how they're ending up impacting fisheries in the Arctic, and how Alycia's project is helping us learn more about these creatures using Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUVs). Be sure to check out the social media post to see more pictures of BRUVs,

A romantic Valentine’s weekend at a quiet mountain hotel seemed perfect—until she began hearing children laughing near the stairs to the bell tower.Hours later, around three in the morning, the sounds returned. This time she heard running footsteps, laughter, and what sounded like a ball bouncing against the hallway walls.Each time she opened the door, the hallway was completely empty.By morning, she was exhausted and ready to leave. At checkout, she mentioned the children who had kept her awake

As Budget 2027 approaches, what should Malaysia be investing in to address pollution, climate impacts and the protection of our natural resources? Meenakshi Raman, President of Sahabat Alam Malaysia, discusses environmental funding and enforcement, the rapid growth of data centres and their demand for water and energy, and the need to make polluters more responsible for the damage they cause. We also look at the transboundary haze, corporate responsibility across borders, the protection of

This is a Grave Talks CLASSIC EPISODE!Tucked into what appears to be a quiet corner of Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, the Anderson Hotel carries a reputation that locals still speak about in hushed tones.Though the building has closed, reopened, and closed again over the years, stories surrounding the Anderson Hotel refuse to fade. What began as a seemingly ordinary hotel has become one of Kentucky’s most unsettling paranormal locations, known for reports of violent encounters, unexplained disturbances,

Brevard County residents, the Indian River Lagoon needs YOU! This November, you'll spot a renewal of the Save Our Indian River Lagoon (SOIRL) half-cent sales tax on your ballot. For nearly 10 years now, this tax has supported the steady progress we've seen bringing our lagoon back to health through science-based projects that reduce pollution, improve water quality, restore natural ecosystems, and more. Want to learn more about SOIRL? Check out the latest episode of our podcast, ...

After losing control on an icy country road, he remembers almost nothing about the crash itself. What he does remember begins somewhere else entirely—looking down at his wrecked truck and somehow seeing himself still inside.There was no tunnel, no brilliant light, and no dramatic vision of heaven. Instead, there was an overwhelming sense that he could simply leave.Then he heard a voice he knew immediately.His mother had been gone for four years, but no one else said his name the way she did. And

Deep inside the tunnels of Gibraltar, a military historian shared the story of a woman who had traveled there to leave flowers where her father may have died in a World War II tunnel collapse.Sometime later, the historian was walking through the tunnels alone when he heard something behind him. Then he felt a tug on his sleeve.Twice. Shaken, he left the tunnels and headed for the nearby military club.That was when a woman he had never met approached him with an unusual message. She said a man

A physics professor ran the energy budget on the Nimitz tic-tac. The maneuver needs about a thousand gigawatts, more than ten times every nuclear plant in the United States combined.Nothing we build survives its own waste heat at that scale. So what was flying? Kevin Knuth is a professor of physics at the University at Albany and a former NASA scientist who now applies Bayesian statistics to UAP sensor data. We cover: why a 5,400 g maneuver would turn a pilot into soup, where the energy went

Tonight, Al Santariga joins me from New York State to share his encounters from the summer of 1974. At 12 years old, Al was visiting his older sister in Sunshine Acres, Florida, when he witnessed a towering, red-eyed creature near her home. He describes watching it through a darkened window as it screamed, ate a wild watermelon and moved towards a nearby lake. Al also recalls reports of livestock attacks and a terrifying incident involving a creature and a deputy sheriff’s patrol car. Years later,

Kangaroos – and their wallaroo and wallaby cousins – are some of the most recognizable, charismatic, and impressively strange mammals on the planet. This episode, we explore the surprising diversity of this group, we discuss how they manage to be world’s pre-eminent hoppers, and we delve into some of their unexpected fossil relatives. In the news: warm tyrannosaurs, sea star ancestors, traveling dinosaurs, and new cats. Time Markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:06:35 Main

This is a Grave Talks CLASSIC EPISODE! PART TWOSome paranormal investigators go looking for answers. Others find themselves noticed by something on the other side.In this episode of The Grave Talks, we journey into the experiences of author and paranormal investigator Alex Matsuo, whose encounters with the unknown go far beyond typical investigations. From moments that brought her face-to-face with her own mortality to unexpected communications from beyond, Alex shares what it’s like to live at the

When she was seven, she and her mother moved into an unusual old house filled with secret passageways and a history they wouldn’t fully understand until later.Almost immediately, strange things became part of everyday life. She saw unexplained lights inside passageways with no electricity. Objects moved. Their pets reacted to things they couldn’t see. Even a mysterious gray cat seemed to appear and disappear inside the house.But perhaps the strangest discovery came from the property itself.There

The Camellia of 10,000 Flowers: Dave Creech and 40 Years of SFA Gardens (Part 2) Episode Description Dave Creech says SFA Gardens spent 30 or 40 years waiting for minus four degrees. When the 2021 freeze finally brought it, only two of the garden’s 31 gardenias really survived. The champion was Whispering Pines, a big double that Jim Berry had offered Dave because it didn’t fit his nursery’s product mix. In Part 2 of Ping’s conversation with Dave, the long wait pays off in plant picks: Japanese

Thank you to Blinkist for supporting PBS. For more information and trial go to http://www.blinkist.com/OkayToBeSmart. “In Our Nature” is a NEW special limited series on It’s Okay To Be Smart! We’re on PATREON! Join the community ►► https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Seemingly distant ecosystems, even half a world apart, are connected in surprising ways. In this special limited series, Emily Graslie and Trace Dominguez join me as we explore the universal

This is a Grave Talks CLASSIC EPISODE!For some, ghost stories are entertainment. For others, they become something more.For Jerry Paulley, the paranormal wasn’t just about the unexplained—it became a way through some of life’s hardest moments. As the voice behind Hillbilly Horror Stories, he’s spent years sharing encounters that blur the line between fear and fascination. But behind those stories is a much more personal journey.In his book From Hell to High Water, Jerry opens up about trauma, loss,