Bonnie and Kenny are back to talk about the beautiful but dangerous snow phenomena of avalanches and blizzards. (Content warning: this episode contains several mentions of death, please listen at your own discretion.)
Highlights include:
2:00 - Should you try to see an avalanche? Debatable
4:28 - Large avalanche in North America can equal football fields of snow
6:30 - Avalanche debris
8:15 - What to do if you're caught in an avalanche
11:28 - What criteria are needed to classify a storm as a blizzard
13:40 - The Long Winter
14:42 - The phone had been invented
16:13 - Deadliest blizzard in recorded history
19:17 - 5 Facts
Avalanche Links
National Snow & Ice Data Center Avalanche Page
The Deadly Hazard of Avalanches
Blizzard Links
Atmospheric Research Blizzards
National Archives on the Dakota Territories
Bonnie and Kenny are back with a truly bonkers episode full of lots of laughing and weird tangents all around carnivorous plants, perfect for some Halloween listening.
Highlights include:
2:27 - Different trap types
5:14 - Honey I Shrunk the Kids tangent
7:32 - Where they grow
11:27 - What pitcher plants eat (including the biggest thing)
13:00 - Carnivorous plants also like poop
15:06 - 5 Carnivorous plant facts w/many tangents
24:24 - Snacks, stevia, sparkling water chat
Dope Carnivorous Plant Links:
7 Wonders of the Carnivorous Plant World
20 Things You Didn't Know About Carnivorous Plants
How to Help:
International Carnivorous Plant Society
Thanks again to Cal and Debbie for the topic suggestion!
Gorillas, what's not to love? In this episode, Bonnie and Kenny chat all about these magnificent primates (and of course go on several tangents including Kenny's childhood gorilla stuffed animals and weird sock plan).
Highlights include:
2:42 - Kenny's gorilla friends
3:11 - Gorilla species and subspecies
6:21 - Gorilla troops
7:30 - Gorillas = lounge goals
7:50 - Random tangent on socks aka "year of comfort"
10:46 - 5 Gorilla Facts
14:45 - Tangent about the perception of gorillas
Dope Gorilla Links:
Controversial Study on Gorilla Social Structure
How to Help:
The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International
How good is your animal sound knowledge? Play along as Bonnie and Kenny have some fun by trying to guess a variety of different animal noises, along with sharing the usual facts and pondering if everything does make a sound.
Highlights include:
2:08 - Let the animal sound guessing begin!
16:01 - Dump zone
16:15 - 5 Animal noise facts
20:30 - Does everything make a sound?
Dope Animal Sound Links:
(see Anchor page for easiest to read formatting)
This is the sound Giraffes make
The world's loudest animal might surprise you
5 Animals that make the craziest sound
Admit it, you had no idea these 15 common animals made these noises
15 Things you might not know about Rhinos (including pooping in a particular spot)
Teddy Bear the Porcupine eating
Animal Sounds Played:
Koalas
Walrus
Elk
Marmots
Mice
Lyrebird
Porcupine
Desert Rain Frog
Rhino
Puffin
Alligator
Great Bustard
Brushtail Possum
August 25 is the birthday of our National Parks...and Kenny, what are the odds?! In this episode, Bonnie and Kenny talk about the history of the parks (including the not great parts), delve into interesting park facts, and have a special guest chat! Our family loves the national parks, Kenny is trying to make it to all of them before he's 35, our mom taught about them and connected kids with park rangers as an elementary school teacher, and our famed Aunt Shannon, who we have mentioned in previous podcasts even worked in two of them. We have Shannon join us to talk about the parks and all things dope about nature.
Highlights include:
2:07 - National Parks History
8:17 - Mentioning it all - including the racial disparities in parks/white supremacists in conservationist history
14:23 - 10 most visited parks in 2019
16:15 - 10 least visited parks
23:55 - 5 fun park facts
26:27 - Special guest Shannon
31:46 - How Shannon made a career in nature/parks
39:46 - Exploring in your own backyard
41:42 - Relationship test = boats
42:43 - National parks/monuments/spaces means education
44:15 - St. Louis Gateway Arch stories
46:40 - Future podcast topics (including Phenology = the study of periodic plant and animal life cycle events and how these are influenced by seasonal and interannual variations in climate, as well as habitat factors)
52:18 - How to get into nature
53:53 - *Important thing to keep in mind living on the Earth*
55:10 - Favorite Bonnie & Kenny stories
Dope Park Links:
(see Anchor page for easiest to read formatting)
General Info:
National Geographic Park Facts
Obama's Every Kid in a Park Program
Racist roots, lack of diversity haunt national parks
Historic Park Figures:
Places Shannon Mentioned:
Battle Creek Outdoor Education Center
How to help the parks:
6 Ways to Give to National Parks that Actually Make a Difference
Wild horses, buckle up for some controversy! In this episode, Bonnie and Kenny are chatting all about the hotly contested history and management of these majestic creatures. As usual, hot takes and potentially depressing facts abound! *apologies for the background cat noises, she also had horse opinions*
Highlights include:
1:50 - Kenny witnessed a wild horse fight
3:28 - Theory that horses were introduced by Columbus is false??
5:40 - Theories challenged again saying Native Americans have always had relationships with horses
8:16 - A federal law was passed to protect "living symbols of the American west"
10:07 - Livestock grazing vs wild horses
16:00 - Recent historic horse amendment
18:35 - 5 fun horse facts
Dope Horse Links:
(see Anchor page for easiest to read formatting)
General:
Facts About America's Wild Horses
Myths and Facts about Wild Horses and Burros
Wild Horses, Wilder Controversy
History:
Wild Horses as Native North American Wildlife
Yes world, there were horses in Native culture before the settlers came
Legislation:
House Passes Historic Wild Horse Protection Amendment
Film:
Moss, boring right? No way! In this episode, Bonnie and Kenny are chatting all about the splendors of moss. Join us to go on, well, quite a journey!
CW: There are mentions of dead bodies and possible murders, so skip this one or avoid 5:40-6:50
Highlights include:
1:07 - Moss - not just on the North sides of trees
3:00 - Moss is antibacterial and was used for bandages in WWI
5:40 - Peat moss bogs preserve bodies
7:35 - Interesting moss names
10:25 - Haircap moss will NOT dissolve your gall bladder
12:18 - 5 mossy facts
16:02 - bonus conversation about pigeons, bird clothes, and animals with people names
Dope Moss Links:
(see Anchor page for easiest to read formatting)
General:
7 Interesting Things About Moss
Moss Myth: It Doesn't Only Grow On North Side of Trees
How Humble Moss Healed the Wounds of Thousands in World War I
Effects on Climate:
First Land Plants Plunged Earth Into Ice Age
Scattering Moss Can Restore Key Carbon Sink
This Desert Moss has Developed the Ultimate Water Collection Toolkit
Extras:
Graphic Images Warning! List of Bog Bodies
Pigeon in Overalls
The topic that inspired it all! In this episode, Bonnie and Kenny are chatting about geological wonders, Hoodoo and Tokangawhā (Split Apple Rock). Join us to learn just what the heck a hoodoo is!
Highlights include:
1:41 - The many meanings of hoodoo
4:20 - How tall is a story?
7:35 - Probably incorrect pronunciation of Tokangawhā
8:50 - Kenny thinks it looks more like Pac man than an apple
10:45 - 5 fast rock formation facts
Dope Rock Formation Links:
General:
The World Weirdest Geological Formations
Hoodoo:
Tokangawhā / Split Apple Rock:
Atlas Obscura Tokangawhā / Split Apple Rock
How to Help:
There's something fishy going on! In this episode, Bonnie and Kenny are discussing the migrations of different fish, highlighting Salmon and Eel. Join us for the fourth and final episode in a series on migration where we chat about a few fun points about these epic fish journeys.
Highlights include:
2:43 - Salmon learn the scent of their home streams?!
5:25 - The tragic tale of eel migration
5:39 - Kenny's bad eel vibes start
6:49 - He's still creeped out by eels
9:34 - Yep, still not about eels
10:50 - 5 fast fish migration facts
Dope Fish Migration Links:
General:
10 Fun Facts About Migratory Fish
21 Migratory Fish Facts That'll Make You Say, "I Never Knew That!"
Salmon:
The How And Why Of Salmon Migration
Eel:
Bringing Back American Eels In The Susquehanna River
Epic Eel Migration Mapped for the First Time
Eel Migration Study Tells 'Romantic' Tale
Study Shows European Eel Migration Not As Uniform And Simple As Thought
How to Help:
Potomac Conservancy - Why Eels Are Important
Films Mentioned:
IRL Animal Crossing! In this episode, Bonnie and Kenny are discussing the migrations of different mammals, highlighting Caribou and Wildebeest. Join us for the third in a series on migration where we chat about a few fun points about these epic mammal journeys.
Highlights include:
00:34 - we hope you're *fighting* racism, climate, change, xenophobia - kinda sounds like voting on the track 😅
2:52 - Did you know both male and female Caribou have antlers?
3:35 - Caribou/Reindeer have to be the longest migratory mammal because they take Santa around
5:00 - Wildebeest and Zebra eat different parts of the same grass - love an animal friendship!
8:05 - Wildebeest have some pretty dope swarm intelligence
9:57 - 5 Fast Mammal Migration Facts
13:11 - Outtakes
Dope Mammal Migration Links:
General:
Caribou:
Caribou Migrate Farther Than Any Other Known Land Animal
12 Fascinating Facts About These Amazing Creatures
Wildebeest:
Serengeti Wildebeest Migration
How Does The Great Wildebeest Migration Work?
Heart Of The Swarm – The Amazing Science Of Shoals, Flocks, Hives And Brains
10 Fascinating Facts About The Great Wildebeest Migration
How to Help:
African Wildlife Foundation - Wildebeest
Defenders of Wildlife - Caribou
Defenders of Wildlife - Gray Wolf
Random:
The bird migration episode! This might just be our favorite type of creature in the series. In this episode, Bonnie and Kenny are discussing the migrations of different birds, from little to big covering Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and Sandhill Cranes. Join us for the second in a series on migration where we chat about a few points about these epic bird journeys. In light of recent events, we couldn't talk about bird-watching without taking time to talk about the Black Lives Matter movement, specifically #BlackBirdersWeek in response to Black birder Christian Cooper being threatened in Central Park.
Highlights include:
00:27 - Loving nature = climate justice = racial justice
1:30 - #BlackBirdersWeek
3:47 - How Kenny became a birder
7:48 - Ruby-throated Hummingbirds fly 18-20 hours across the Gulf of Mexico!
9:48 - Hummingbird swings are a thing
11:05 - 80% of Cranes on the PLANET migrate through Nebraska
14:12 - 5 fast bird migration facts
Dope Bird Migration Links:
#BlackBirdersWeek:
Birds of North America YouTube Channel
#BlackBirdersWeek Aims to Raise Awareness
Black Nature Lovers Busting Stereotypes
BlackAFInSTEM/Black Nature Experts to follow
General:
9 Awesome Bird Facts About Migration
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology BirdCast
Watch 118 Bird Species Migrate Across A Map Of The Western Hemisphere
Hummingbirds:
Cranes:
500,000 Cranes Head to Nebraska
Migrating With The Sandhill Cranes Film
Help Birds:
Toolkit To Help Prevent Tower Collisions
Bird-Friendly Window Solutions
ACTION - Ask your rep to support and cosponsor the Migratory Bird Protection Act
Episode cover: Bonnie and Kenny at the bird-watching cabin at Battle Creek Outdoor Education Center.
Little wings on little things! An almost invisible migration of insects takes place all around without us even noticing. In this episode, Bonnie and Kenny are discussing the migrations of these little cuties, namely Monarch butterflies and ladybugs, as well as being confused about scientific classifications. Join us for our first in a series on migration where we chat about a few fun points about these epic insect journeys.
Highlights include:
0:03 - TMI from Kenny
2:09 - Four generations of Monarch live and die on the migration, leading to some contemplation on life
3:03 - How do Monarch butterflies know where they're going? Definitely not Google Maps or Waze
5:44 - Ladybugs are beetles and we have no idea what we're talking about
8:43 - Uncomfortable with Ladybug clumps
10:01 - Back on insects vs. bugs
11:20 - Kenny's brain melts
11:48 - Five fascinating insect migration facts
Dope Insect Migration Links:
White Monarch Butterfly
Incredible Monarch Swarm Video
NYT Science Insect Migration
NWF Insect Migration
Wind and Warmth Boost Insect Migration
Using Radar and Blimps to Track Migration
Ladybugs on Radar
Lost Ladybug Project
National Geography Ladybugs
Why do Ladybugs Gather Massive Swarms
*Note: as you may guess from the name of our podcast, there are a few swears in this episode
It's the very first episode of Nature: Dope AF! Have you ever thought about the fact that we currently share a planet with the largest animal that has EVER lived?! In this episode Bonnie and Kenny are discussing whales (or talking over each other, bear with us while we work on our sibling tendencies to get into the podcasting groove). Join us as we touch down on a few fun points about these giant wondrous creatures.
Highlights include:
0:54 - Bonnie reminisces about a childhood sponsored whale named Crystal and forgets that whale tales are called flukes
2:10 - Blue Whales are the biggest animal EVER - scary or cool? *We realized Kenny says the wrong weight in the metric system #american
5:28 - Baby and group names - why are there more than one baby animals called calves? Can we call a herd of cows a pod?
9:50 - There should be a whale census and Cardi B should do a save the whales commercial
10:50 - Whales help combat climate change with their poop!
12:17 - Flocculent fecal plumes, it's a thing
14:13 - Five fascinating whale facts
Dope Whale Links:
https://us.whales.org/whales-dolphins/species-guide/
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/whales-keep-carbon-out-of-the-atmosphere/
https://www.oceana.ca/en/blog/seven-weird-facts-about-whales
https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/giants-of-the-ocean-whale-facts
https://us.whales.org/whales-dolphins/facts-about-whales
https://www.wired.com/2012/08/blue-whale-poop/
*Note to parents and our mom: as you may guess from the name of our podcast, there are a few swears in this episode