Nature's Archive
Science & Ideas
About
Nature’s Archive , hosted by Michael Hawk, delves into the beauty and complexity of the natural world through interviews with ecologists, naturalists, educators, authors, and researchers. Each episode inspires curiosity and reveals nature’s surprising nuances. Part of Jumpstart Nature, a movement empowering everyone to support the environment, this podcast invites you to connect with nature like never before.
Episodes
- #128: iNaturalist: How Your Photos Save Species: Scott Loarie on iNaturalist and Community Science
Long time listeners know that I’m a huge fan of iNaturalist . Their app literally changed my life by dramatically improving my relationship with, and knowledge of nature. And iNaturalist is much more than just a nature identification app.…
- #127: Salt Lakes - An Unnatural History with Caroline Tracey
What comes to your mind when you hear “Salt Lake”? If you’re like many people, perhaps you think of the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Or perhaps the Dead Sea or the Caspian Sea. But there are over 100 perennial salt lakes around the globe, and…
- #126: New Hope for Sunflower Sea Stars
Some of the most consistent feedback I get about the podcast is the message of hope that rings through. Today’s episode takes the message of hope up a level by revisiting the folks at the Sunflower Star Lab. Sunflower sea stars are amazing…
- #125: The Plankton of the Land: The Alien World of Aphids with Natalie Hernandez
Imagine a creature that is born already pregnant with its own grandchildren. No mating, no waiting—just a continuous, telescopic unfolding of life. It sounds like something out of a sci-fi novel, but it’s likely happening on the underside…
- #124: The Moving Target of Climate: The Future of Stewardship with Dr. Zac Cannizzo
Land stewards face a constant, high-stakes puzzle: Do you protect a single at-risk species, or do you optimize for total biodiversity? Do you fight to hold back the tide of natural succession, or do you step back and let nature take the le…
- #123: A Look at Biodiversity
2025 has been an exciting and diverse year for Jumpstart Nature and Nature's Archive , and to celebrate, we're bringing you a special compilation centered on the critical theme of biodiversity . Today, we look back at two of our most fasci…
- #122: Leave the Leaves: Hidden Layers of Benefit with David Mizejewski
If you’ve been following Nature’s Archive for a while, you might be familiar with the idea of “leave the leaves”. It represents one simple act of omission - not raking, blowing, or mulching leaf fall - that is resoundingly positive for the…
- Critical Mast: Acorn Woodpeckers and Oak Masting with Dr. Walt Koenig
As a nature lover, I’m often asked about my favorite plants, animals, and insects. And I always struggle to answer those questions, because I have so many favorites, and they are context dependent. But when it comes to birds, woodpeckers o…
- #121: Metamorphosis: The Actor Who Became a Butterfly Scientist - Liam O'Brien
Nearly every great story involves a transformation. In the butterfly world, we call it metamorphosis—the mysterious process where a caterpillar seemingly dissolves itself and is miraculously rebuilt into a creature that takes to the sky. O…
- #120: Just Listen: Amy Martin on the Unheard World Around Us
It was a surprisingly warm late February day. Needing to recharge, I drove to a park near Lincoln, Nebraska. When I arrived, I saw something new on the far side of the reservoir: what looked like massive white and gray boulders, lined up a…
- #119: Are Worms the Solution to Toxic Algal Blooms? Sam Baker from WriggleBrew.
Today's episode is one of the more encouraging and hopeful conversations I've had the pleasure of recording. My guest is Sam Baker, co-founder of WriggleBrew, a company on a mission to combat one of the most insidious environmental issues…
- #118: Does Science Communication Have Room for Emotion and Complexity? – Jocelyn Bosley's Approach
From the intricate dance of an ecosystem to the ripple effects of a warming planet, nature's stories are rarely simple. But in a world that craves quick, easy answers, how do we get people to lean in and listen to the full story? And how d…
- #117: Angry Activist, Rural Landowner: Finding Common Ground for Nature
Have you ever found it tough to talk about big issues, especially when people already have strong ideas? In the world of nature and climate, we often see communication that feels more like telling people what to do, or how to think. It's e…
- #116: Iconic Joshua Trees with Barret Baumgart
The Joshua Tree is perhaps only rivaled by the saguaro cactus as the icon of the desert southwest. Featured on U2’s classic album cover, and now the backdrop of countless instagram glamor shots, its unique, almost alien look is unmistakabl…
- #115: Pollinator Friendly Yards with Leslie Inman
We love native plants and habit-friendly yards at Nature's Archive, and I have a few exciting updates from my yard: spoiler: native plants are working! And stay tuned for a re-air of a classic episode with Leslie Inman from Pollinator Frie…
- #114: Mistletoes Are Keystone Species - Dr. David Watson
Today’s episode is about one of the coolest plants that I can think of - both figuratively and literally! Stick with me for a moment. When you think of a parasite, what comes to mind? Maybe mosquitoes, ticks, tapeworms. Probably nothing yo…
- #113: How Do Thunderstorms Form?
Have you ever wondered why some rainshowers turn into thunderstorms? Just what happens in the atmosphere to create these dynamic, exciting, and sometimes damaging storms? I find it fascinating, because so many interesting principles are at…
- #112: Incredible Deep Sea and Tropical Marine Habitats - Dr. Judith Gobin
When we think about habitats, it’s easy to picture the rich diversity on land—vast prairies, scorching deserts, lush forests, and intricate wetlands. But what if I told you the ocean is just as diverse, filled with ecosystems as unique and…
- #111: Earthquakes: Myths, Surprises, and Hidden Dangers with Dr. Wendy Bohon
Today’s guest is the brilliant Dr. Wendy Bohon , an earthquake geologist who has a passion for making the complexities of our planet accessible and engaging. Dr. Bohon is known for her dynamic science communication - in fact, you may have…
- #110: Why We Need Apex Predators - Coexistence with Dr. Jonny Hanson
Dr. Jonny Hanson is an environmental social scientist, conservationist, and former community farmer. He's also the author of Living with Lynx, Sharing Landscapes with Big Cats, Wolves, and Bears . He spent months traveling Europe and the U…
- #109: Cultural Fire with Margo Robbins
Today’s episode is very timely. Our guest is Margo Robbins, cofounder and Executive Director of the Cultural Fire Management Council . Margo advocates for the return of cultural burning practices as a way to strengthen community, support b…
- #108: Acorn Woodpeckers and Oak Masting with Dr. Walt Koenig
As a nature lover, I’m often asked about my favorite plants, animals, and insects. And I always struggle to answer those questions, because I have so many favorites, and they are context dependent. But when it comes to birds, woodpeckers o…
- Alison Pollack - Finding and Photographing Slime Molds
Slime molds (Myxomycetes) are beautiful, weird, and amazing organisms. Often mistaken for fungi, they are actually single celled, yet they grow and efficiently move in search of food, can start and stop their life cycle based on environmen…
- #107: The Best of Nature's Archive 2024
I spent several hours assembling the highlights of the 24 episodes we produced in 2024, all packaged in this nice short recap. It was a lot of work, so I hope you like it! If you want to hear any of these episodes in their entirety, simply…
- #106: Why Ants Might Be the Most Interesting Creatures on Earth with Chloe Jelley
I love discovering overlooked plants and animals that play outsized roles in the environment. I’m also fascinated by complex systems, especially when they’re easy to observe. And nothing ticks all three of those boxes better than ants. One…
- #105: From Fear to Fascination: Kevin Wiener on His Journey at All Bugs Go to Kevin
Do you love spiders and insects? Or perhaps you are more apprehensive of them - or even suffer from arachnophobia. In either case, today’s discussion is for you. Join me for an enlightening journey into the world of insects and arachnids w…
- #104: Wasting Away: The Battle to Save Sunflower Sea Stars and Kelp Forests with the Sunflower Star Lab
Today we’re discussing perhaps the most important 24 armed creature you quite possibly have never heard of before. Each arm has eyes, or more accurately, eyespots on the ends, and they have thousands of tube feet that they closely coordina…
- Saving a Valley: How Coyote Valley Inspires Conservation
Have you ever thought about how or why natural areas, like state or county parks, open space, or wildlife refuges were set aside and saved? Sometimes it seems amazingly unlikely that these places exist. And it’s too easy to assume that the…
- #103: Exploring Wildlife Forensics with Ashley Bray
I’ve been looking forward to today’s episode for a really long time - and for two great reasons. One, it’s about wildlife forensics, which is an immense field that requires knowledge of everything from wildlife behavior and morphology, to…
- BONUS: Top 10 Favorite Species with Griff Griffith, Michelle Fullner, and Michael Hawk
What do parasitic plants, 600 year old oak trees, salmon, and hoverflies have in common? Well, they are some of Griff's, Michelle Fullner’s and my favorite wild organisms! Today’s episode is a fun conversation with Michelle Fullner, Griff…
- #102: Sophie Osborn - From the Brink: Reintroducing Endangered Birds
Have you ever wondered what it takes to bring a species back from the brink of extinction? Today, we’re diving into the front lines of one of the most challenging and inspiring conservation efforts of our time, with Sophie Osborn as our gu…
- #101: Connecting Climate, Carbon, Tree Leaf Phenology and Genetics with Dr. Hanna Makowski
Have you ever wondered how biologists figure out how plants respond to drought, heat, cold, and other environmental factors? One way is to study phenology. That’s a fancy word that accounts for seasonal and cyclical growth patterns of plan…
- #100: The Biggest Nature Lesson I've Learned from 100 Nature's Archive Episodes
Nature's Archive has published 100 episodes now. Well, actually over 100, because I normally don't count solo episodes. This week, I wanted to share one of the most important lessons I've learned from these past four years and 100 episodes…
- #99: Into the Wild: Snow Leopards and Wildlife Photography with Jake Davis
Have you ever watched Planet Earth and wondered how they get that amazing footage of elusive and wild animals? Get ready to learn about that and much more. Wildlife photographer Jake Davis shares his incredible journey from a 10-year-old w…
- Joro Spiders: Should You Be Concerned? And more Astounding Spiders with Dr. Sarah Rose
Have you seen all of the scary headlines about massive venomous Joro spiders invading the eastern USA? Well, as you might imagine, these headlines are designed to drive clicks so that individuals and media can monetize their content. Dr. S…
- #98: Ocean’s Green Giants: The Vital Role of Kelp with Tristin Anoush McHugh
The ocean’s surface is a bit like the cover of a book. We have a title - the ocean - which gives us a hint about what it is. And we probably have some preconceived ideas about it based on the cover graphics or author. But we can’t see insi…
- #97: How to Love a Forest with Ethan Tapper
Forestry is incredibly interesting and important, and it really speaks to me personally, because it’s one of these fields that is inherently interdisciplinary. You have to understand how things relate and connect to create a healthy, susta…
- #96: From Rattles to Kings: Unraveling the Secrets of Snakes With Dr. Emily Taylor
Snakes are the perfect topic for Nature’s Archive. They are often over-generalized to fit a worst-case stereotype, but they are critically important to our food webs and ecosystems. And like so much of what we discuss, once you start learn…
- #95: The Rare 2024 Cicada Double Emergence with Dr. Chris Simon
2024 is going to be another year of the cicada, with the emergence of two periodical cicada groups, or broods (Brood XIII and Brood XIX), at the same time, roughly in late April to early May. Now, throughout much of the world, cicadas sere…
- #94: Secrets of the Octopus with Sy Montgomery and Warren Carlyle
When it comes to understanding nature, it often seems like the ocean surface - that undulating reflective layer of water - is more like an impenetrable curtain than just a layer of water. There is just so much we don’t know about, and are…
- #93: Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant - Carnivore Ecology, Wild Life, and Environmental Justice
My guest today is Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant. Dr. Wynn-Grant is the co-host of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom , is a wildlife ecologist and affiliated researcher at the UC Santa Barbara Bren School of Environmental and Science Management . She’s a…
- #92: Secrets of Beautifully Fuzzy Velvet Ants with Dr. Joseph Wilson (and a bit about native bees, too!)
Have you ever seen a fuzzy looking ant? Maybe it looked like a little pipe cleaner with fuzzy red or yellow hair? If so, you probably saw a velvet ant. And here’s the thing - it’s not even an ant at all. They’re wingless wasps, and they of…
- #91: Examining Tree Physiology with Dr. Lucy Kerhoulas: Insights into Drought Adaptation and the Carbon Smoking Gun
In nature, tree physiology is like the engine that keeps forests running smoothly, similar to how human physiology keeps our bodies going. Just as we study how our bodies' metabolism, respiratory systems, and other systems work to keep us…
- #90: From Invasive Species to Allergenic Pollen with Allasandra Valdez (The Happy Botanist Podcast) and Dr. Daniel Katz
You’re in for a treat today - it’s like two episodes in one. My guest today is Allasandra Valdez, a botanist working on her PhD in plant physiology in Cornell University’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology department. Allasandra also has a…
- #89: Burning Questions: Understanding Fire Management with Lenya Quinn-Davidson
Many of you might recall the dramatic 2020 fire season in the western USA. In California alone, close to 4 million acres burned. Cities were clouded with smoke and unhealthy air for many weeks. I had ash fall at my home in San Jose, CA on…
- #88: BLM Unveiled: A Journey with Josh Jackson into our Forgotten Lands
I bet you’ve heard of the National Park Service. Or the US Forest Service which manages all of our National Forests. But did you know that there is another land management agency that manages more public land than either the National Parks…
- #87: California Condors with Tiana Williams-Claussen (Golden State Naturalist Crossover!)
Today’s episode is all about California Condors with Tiana Williams-Claussen , the director of the Yurok Tribe’s wildlife department. This episode is actually from my friend Michelle Fullner of the Golden State Naturalist podcast . If you…
- #86: Double Feature! The Yard of the Future and We Live in a 10% World
Double the nature content in the same amount of time as a typical Nature's Archive? Well, I think we've come close today, and no, we're not playing an interview at double speed. Here's your chance to hear two episodes of the Jumpstart Natu…
- #85: Life After Dark (Nocturnalia!) with Charles Hood and Dr. José Martínez-Fonseca
Let’s dive into the enchanting world of hidden wonders that come to life after dark! Our guests today are Charles Hood and José Martínez-Fonseca, authors of the new book “ Nocturnalia: Nighttime Life of the Western USA " from Heyday Books…
- #84: Dr. Marshall Shepherd - Weather is Your Mood, Climate is Your Personality
Weather is like your mood, and climate is like your personality. Those are the words of today’s guest, Dr. Marshall Shepherd ( Twitter , Facebook and Instagram ). Despite the clear differences between these two concepts, there are many top…