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Outside/In
30 episodes
If climate change were a choose-your-own-adventure story
Aug 12, 2026 · 33 min
Dean Russell had just wrapped several reporting projects on climate change, mental health, and COVID. “My world was just so serious,” he said. That’s when his boss approached Dean with an idea. What if they made a fiction podcast about climate change? At first Dean wasn’t sold, but a few years later he’s become a full believer, and is the co-creator of WBUR’s The Midnight Rebellion, a choose-your-own-adventure podcast set in a futuristic climate-ravaged Boston. This week we’re sharin…
The Willy Wonka factory of product testing
Aug 5, 2026 · 32 min
Producer Felix Poon goes on a field trip to the headquarters of Consumer Reports, where they test snow blowers on wet sawdust, drop bicycle helmets on anvils, and cover space heaters in towels to see how long it takes them to catch fire. How do they come up with this stuff? And, in a world of rampant consumerism, can Consumer Reports really be a force for good? Featuring Barrie Rosen, Paul Hope, Chris Regan, Scott Collum, Matt Schimmenti, Indu Sunkara, Paolo Fu, Sana Mujahid, Joan Muratore…
Fiasco al fresco
Jul 29, 2026 · 31 min
At the height of summer, when so many of us are grabbing picnic blankets, hitting the beach, and embracing an al fresco lifestyle, a tale of two outdoor events gone spectacularly wrong. Featuring Anika Krause, Samuel Edward-Cook, Eloise Barker, Simon Vargas, and Stephen Deng. Produced by Marina Henke. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org SUPPORT Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to join our Patreon and get ad-free episodes of the…
Night Owls
Jul 22, 2026 · 32 min
For over ten years, biologist Mark Higley has been stalking the forests of the Hoopa Valley Reservation with a shotgun. His mission? To save the endangered northern spotted owl. How? By shooting the more aggressive barred owl, which has spread from eastern forests into the Pacific Northwest. In 2024, the federal government made a plan to scale these efforts by killing hundreds of thousands of barred owls across multiple states. Today, despite lawsuits and opposition, that plan is just beginning…
The sunscreen episode
Jul 15, 2026 · 33 min
As consumers, we’re looking for a lot in our sunscreen. Not only do we want it to protect us from sunburns and skin cancer, we also want it to be invisible, lightweight, waterproof, nontoxic, shelf-stable, and cheap. Can we have it all in one product? Sometimes, the answer might be no. It’s high time for the Outside/In team to take a closer look at this surprisingly high-tech lotion that we apply every day (in theory). We review the definition of SPF, the choice between mineral and c…
How far would you go for a crow?
Jul 8, 2026 · 35 min
To the American birder, spotting the Tamaulipas Crow is potentially a once-in-a-lifetime event. The crow's range is mostly in Mexico and extends ever so slightly into Texas, specifically in and around a dump called the Brownsville Landfill. Spotting the Tamaulipas — north of the border — means being able to check it off your American Bird Association Checklist. So just how far will die-hard birders go to see this bird? In this episode producer (and first-time birder) Michaela Elias sets out to t…
The problem with pickleball
Jul 1, 2026 · 32 min
Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America. It may also be the most hated. Tennis and basketball players are complaining about losing court space because of an “invasion” of pickleballers. Residents are losing sleep because of the incessant noise. Fights over pickleball have led to a slew of petitions, calls to the police, and even lawsuits. So why do pickleball players love this sport so much? Just how annoying is it to everyone else? And what will it take for everyone to just get along…
You’ve got scorpion
Jun 24, 2026 · 31 min
A listener recently asked, “Has the entire surface of earth at some point or another been covered in poop?” Turns out, there are some questions that even we can’t answer. In this installment of our regular mailbag segment, the Outside/Inbox, we do our best to take on your zany inquiries, or find experts who can. Here are this week’s questions: Why was there a sudden spike in “dangerous carbon monoxide levels” during a snowstorm in New Hampshire? Is there any official recognition for hiking the A…
Big porpoise energy
Jun 17, 2026 · 31 min
Whales have Free Willy. Dolphins have Flipper. But what about the humble porpoise? The porpoise doesn’t star in any Hollywood blockbusters. These shy, elusive “deer of the sea” are often overshadowed by their more charismatic cousins – but don’t let their social anxiety fool you. In fact, porpoises are speed-fiends with an insane metabolism and an outrageous sex drive. Host Nate Hegyi and producer Marina Henke explore the Olympic sprinters of the sea and wonder if the fate of the endangered vaqu…
A tinned fish renaissance
Jun 10, 2026 · 39 min
We launched a Patreon! Become an Outside/Insider for just $5 per month, and you can get AD-FREE episodes of the podcast, plus access to behind-the-scenes blog posts and more. Sardines are in vogue. Literally. They are in Vogue magazine. They’re delicious (subjectively), good for you, and sustainable… right? Recently, a listener called into the show asking about just that. “I've always had this sense that they're a more environmentally friendly fish, perhaps because of being low on the food chain…
Never add sodium to your pasta water
Jun 3, 2026 · 32 min
Put salt (aka sodium chloride) in your pasta water and you’ll end up with delicious spaghetti. Put pure sodium in it instead… and it will explode. It’s the latest edition of “The Element of Surprise,” our occasional series about the hidden stories behind the periodic table’s most unassuming atoms, isotopes, and molecules. This time we’re talking all about sodium. It’s the periodic table’s saltiest element. It powers your body like a battery and you need it to survive. So why is too much of it ba…
A cow named Speckles
May 27, 2026 · 33 min
When 10-year-old Doug Crandell joined the 4-H program, he was supposed to learn about raising, feeding, and selling a cow. What he wound up learning was something else entirely. “I wanted to be a hog man, like my father,” he said. “But I knew pretty early on that you couldn’t have these animals forever.” From producer Shaina Shealy, this is the story of a boy and his cow, Speckles. Featuring Doug Crandell. Produced by Shaina Shealy. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org. SUPP…
In defense of darkness
May 20, 2026 · 36 min
Megan Eaves-Egenes grew up under the very starry skies of rural New Mexico. During those years, she developed a deep appreciation for astronomy. The fascination is, of course, not hers alone. But, a starry sky requires one pretty important ingredient: darkness. One study recently reported that since 2011, the night sky has gotten brighter at about 10% per year. All that light pollution has brought dire consequences to life on planet earth. Crickets can’t tell whether it’s day or night, bird migr…
Life and death and psilocybin
May 13, 2026 · 33 min
President Trump recently signed an executive order to make certain psychedelic drugs more available to treat mental health conditions like depression and PTSD. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Joe Rogan were in the oval office, and President Trump even joked during the signing ceremony, “can I have some, please?” Maybe this executive order wasn’t on your 2026 political bingo card… but interest in these substances for mental health isn’t new. In this episode, we’re revisiting the story of Kathy Kral. In…
Silicon Planet
May 6, 2026 · 33 min
Like a typecast actor who can’t escape the blockbuster franchise they’re known for, the element of silicon is inescapably associated with Silicon Valley. But that association undersells just how important, how foundational silicon is for human civilization. It’s another edition of “The Element of Surprise,” our occasional series about the hidden stories behind the periodic table’s most unassuming atoms, isotopes, and molecules. And this time, it’s all about silicon. From humankind’s early tools,…
A Dry Hot American Summer
Apr 29, 2026 · 31 min
In the spring of 1936, the producer of King Kong hauled a film crew to the desert of Arizona to shoot a sweeping romantic epic. But the heat was so punishing that it melted film stock, caused the lead actress to pass out, and killed the production’s mascot – a baby camel. It was the beginning of a heat wave that parked itself over America for months, quickly becoming one of the deadliest natural disasters in our country’s history. It blew up sidewalks, cooked onions in the ground, claimed at lea…
Like a Dirty Rotten Whale
Apr 22, 2026 · 39 min
We’re cleaning out the proverbial fridge, but instead of old food, it’s fantastic and forgotten questions from the Outside/Inbox. Conversation topics include Taylor’s humiliatingly old headlamp, the olfactory experience of a dead whale and, of course, the answers to the following queries… Why do dogs like to roll in dead stuff? Do humans have a mating season? Why do so many deer collisions happen in November? When did headlamps start to have red light? I live next to a highway. What can I do abo…
The Dead Bird Rabbit Hole
Apr 15, 2026 · 34 min
Every December, tens of thousands of volunteers look to the skies for an international census of wild birds. But during migration season, a much smaller squad of New York City volunteers take on a more sobering experience: counting dead birds that have collided with glass buildings and fallen back to Earth. In this episode, we find out what kind of people volunteer for this grisly job, visit the New York City rehab center that takes in injured pigeons, and find out how to stop glass from killing…
The Microplastics Cleanse
Apr 8, 2026 · 31 min
With the ubiquity of plastic products, it’s maybe no surprise that a growing body of research shows tiny pieces of plastic are getting inside of us. But what is all this plastic doing to our bodies? And once it’s there… is there any way to get it out? Producer Haleema Shah looks at what the research says (and doesn’t say) about plastic and health, and explores a new trend in wellness: the microplastics cleanse. Featuring Charmaine Dahlenburg, Marcus Garcia, Yael Cohen, and Sarah Morath. Produced…
A climate activist and a gas executive walk into a bar
Apr 1, 2026 · 33 min
Zeyneb Magavi is a bona fide climate nerd; she drives an electric car, has solar panels on her roof, and worries about natural gas leaks because they’re a major source of planet-warming emissions. Bill Akley is a lifelong natural gas guy; he grew up smelling heating oil in his kitchen, spent decades in the energy industry, and eventually became head of New England’s largest gas utility. So what brought this improbable duo together? The answer is under your feet. In this episode, how a geothermal…
The Raw Milk Question
Mar 25, 2026 · 36 min
In 2009, the state of Maine ordered farmer Dan Brown to stop selling his raw milk. It kicked off a five-year legal battle that stoked the flames of Maine’s dairy wars. But, after Farmer Brown lost his case and hung up his milking hat, things quieted down. Twenty years later, raw milk has surged back into the zeitgeist. Influencers are saying it tastes like ice cream, RFK Jr. is taking shots of it at the White House, and Gwyneth Paltrow is putting it in her coffee. All of which makes for a pretty…
Hunting Party
Mar 18, 2026 · 39 min
In 2023, dozens of strangers gathered together in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York for three straight days. Their mission? Teach people of color how to kill, gut, and butcher a deer for the first time. Producer Felix Poon was there as a first-time hunter. He wanted to know: what does it feel like to take an animal's life to sustain your own? Given the opportunity… would he pull the trigger? In this episode we follow Felix out of his depth and into the woods, to find out if one weekend…
Catching the Codfather
Mar 11, 2026 · 60 min
A fishing tycoon is arrested in an elaborate sting operation, but claims he’s the real hero fighting back against an overbearing state. So who is Carlos “The Codfather” Rafael really – a folk hero, a crook, a righteous rebel, or a selfish conman? This week we’re sharing the first episode from “Catching The Codfather,” the third season of GBH’s hit podcast The Big Dig. It’s a series about fishing regulations disguised as a true crime caper unlike any you’ve heard before. Produced by Ian Coss and…
Red is the warmest color
Mar 4, 2026 · 32 min
There’s few certainties in life. But the sun will always rise, the seasons will change, and the Outside/Inbox will forever remain answered. From lighthouse paint hues to polar bear lovers, this week the team takes up your questions on all things red. What makes cardinals red? Why do albino animals have red eyes? Why are so many lighthouses painted red? Do our dogs love us? Do some animals have same-sex relationships? How do environmental changes affect pair-bonding? Featuring Alex Funk…
Reefer madness and the future of hemp
Feb 25, 2026 · 30 min
Hemp used to be a staple of life in America. King James I demanded that colonists produce it. Hemp rope and fabric were ubiquitous throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. The USDA even produced a WWII newsreel called “Hemp for Victory.” But other materials came to replace hemp – wood pulp for paper, and cotton and synthetics for fabric. Why? For that matter, what is hemp? Is it different from weed? And does it actually have 25,000 uses as its proponents claim? Featuring Hector “Freedom” Gerardo,…
Goats, Ghosts, and Roadkill [Live stories from Portsmouth]
Feb 18, 2026 · 55 min
A few weeks ago, Nate gathered a group of storytellers in front of a live audience in Portsmouth, N.H. to celebrate 10 years of Outside/In. From goats to ghosts and ill-fated coloring book pages, this motley crew of storytellers explored the theme of metamorphosis in a changing world. If you’ve got a special moment or episode from Outside/In’s long history, we’d love to hear about it. Send us a note at outsidein@nhpr.org. Featuring Gretchen Legler, Kianny Antigua, Sara Lamagna, Jake Lewis, Aubre…
That's so raven
Feb 11, 2026 · 33 min
Ravens get a bad rap in western culture. They’re an ominous symbol of death, considered “unclean” by the bible, and star in Edgar Allen Poe’s haunting gothic poem, “The Raven.” A group of ravens is called an “unkindness.” What a burn. But host Nate Hegyi is on a mission to show that we should give the raven a bit more credit. It’s one of the most intelligent creatures on earth — an animal that can use tools like a chimpanzee, speak like a parrot, do tricks like a dog, and investigate murders lik…
The Emerald Forest
Feb 4, 2026 · 32 min
After the Irish fought for and won their independence from the British in 1921, they had a problem. Centuries of exploitation had left the island one of the least forested nations in Europe, with less than 2% tree cover. So, they started planting a non-native American tree: fast-growing Sitka spruce capable of rebuilding their timber resources in record time. And it worked. Today, about 17% of the island is forested. But in the rural areas where iconic rolling hills have been replaced by rows an…
Safe to Drink, Episode 1: You don’t know about this?
Jan 29, 2026 · 33 min
A New Hampshire town finds out its water has been contaminated by a chemical. The most basic question — whether the water is safe to drink — doesn’t have a clear answer. Nobody seems to know much about this so-called forever chemical, which is weird… because all of this has all happened before. From the Document team at New Hampshire Public Radio, Safe to Drink is a four-part series about a water contamination story that keeps repeating in town after town — and about the people who fought for an…
Remembering Christa
Jan 28, 2026 · 31 min
Last week, we talked about the ethics and regulations around sending private citizens to space, but one thing we didn’t linger on much was the lasting impact of Christa McAuliffe; the teacher slated to become the first private citizen to space before she was killed in the Challenger disaster. So today, we’ve got a series of stories and interviews that are all part of NHPR’s series “Remembering Christa: 40 Years After the Challenger.” We’ll hear from a local journalist that covered her story, the…
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