For 400 years, people reported eerie blue lights dancing over marshes, which science often dismissed as folklore. Now, a stunning new paper from Stanford scientists proves the lights were real. The cause is stranger than any ghost story and connects directly to a topic in this season of stories. We explain in five minutes the phenomenon behind these "cool flames" and explore why the last major sighting was nearly a century ago. See the show notes.

In the series finale, we go on set for the chaotic, death-defying filming of Deliverance and find out what really happened during Burt Reynolds's infamous waterfall stunt. Then, we follow Governor Jimmy Carter on his own daring canoe run down Bull Sluice. Finally, we explore how this perfect storm of Hollywood fame and political will converged to save the Chattooga River forever. Link to the Show Notes and Pictures. Join us on Instagram. 

In the 1960s, the Chattooga River was set to disappear. A series of massive dams were planned to turn 50 miles of wild rapids into a staircase of lakes.  Meanwhile, a political battle raged in Washington over the future of America's wildest places, and a South Carolina poet named James Dickey was writing a terrifying novel about a canoe trip that would change everything. Visit the show notes here.

Welcome to the premiere of our new series, Chattooga: The Fight to Keep It Wild. In this first episode, we journey back to a time when the Chattooga's fate seemed sealed. Like most major rivers in the American Southeast, it was destined to be tamed. This episode uncovers the extraordinary and unlikely convergence of events that set the stage for its survival. We trace the story from a campfire conversation where James Dickey conceived of his haunting novel, Deliverance, to a frustrated WWII aircraft engineer whose innovation revolutionized river travel. This is the origin story of the fight to come. It's a story of geological chance, artistic vision, and the raw power of progress. Click on the show notes here.

When Hurricane Helene hit Asheville in September 2024, Water Resources Director David Melton watched his reservoir fill eight feet overnight and knew they were in trouble. Within hours, all three main transmission lines were gone, leaving 200,000 people without water for what would become a 53-day crisis. In this raw, unfiltered account, David shares the impossible decisions that kept a city alive – including the moment he told his staff, “The zombie apocalypse is here.” Visit the show notes here.    Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram @theoutfallpodcast for behind-the-scenes content and episode updates. Join our community discussions on Facebook at The Outfall Podcast where we connect with listeners.

What if the future of water came down to bubbles you’ll never see? Nanobubbles—thousands of times smaller than a grain of salt—are invisible, powerful, and already changing how we treat water, grow food, and even package beverages. In this episode, we trace the surprising journey of nanobubbles from lab accident to global adoption. See the Show Notes.

For over a century, dumping oil overboard was how sailors survived deadly storms. This five-minute episode reveals the science behind this now-banned life-saving technique. See Show Notes.

What if bubbles were secretly running the world? In this episode, we uncover how these tiny spheres are doing everything from helping shrimp fire plasma blasts to scrubbing ocean plastic, with help from a bubble-obsessed scientist and an artist whose photos reveal the hidden math of the universe. See Brad's images here. 

When OpenAI's Sam Altman claimed each ChatGPT query uses just 1/15th of a teaspoon of water, it sparked a heated debate about AI's environmental impact. We brought ChatGPT, Claude, and Google's Gemini into the studio to duke it out, but can a number that small really mask a much bigger problem? Which AI will call out the entire industry, and are you part of the problem too? Show Notes

The dramatic finale of our Table Rock Fire series reveals how South Carolina made history with its first-ever DC-10 aircraft drop and over a million gallons of water falling from the sky during the most intense mountain firefighting operation the state has ever seen. See the Show Notes and Pictures Here.

What started as a 10-acre fire on Table Rock Mountain quickly escalated into one of the largest wildfire responses in South Carolina history. In this episode, we go inside the firefighting operation as it exploded from a manageable incident to a 13,000-acre "complex fire" burning in two locations simultaneously. You'll hear from pilots coordinating massive aerial operations, firefighters watching their containment lines fail, and the moment everyone realized this fire had become something entirely different—complete with the sound Mac Stone describes as "like a jet engine." Special thanks to our guests: Darryl Jones (South Carolina Forestry Commission Forest Protection Chief), Lee Berry (SC Forestry Commission Pilot), Austin Williams and Mackenzie Boyd (Greenville Water), and Mac Stone (Natural Land Trust Executive Director and National Geographic photographer). For incredible photos, Visit the Show Notes.

In March 2025, careless teenage hikers ignited what would become the largest mountain wildfire in South Carolina's recorded history. What started as a 10-acre fire on Table Rock Mountain exploded into nearly 16,000 acres, becoming the number one priority fire in the entire United States. In this first episode, we explore how South Carolina actually fights wildfires.... spoiler alert: it's not what you think. Visit Show Notes for Pictures

This is your official teaser for Season 7 of The Outfall.

In this episode, Dr. Christy Spackman explores the fascinating connection between water's taste and its source environment. Drawing from her book "The Taste of Water," Spackman shares insights in a lecture at Clemson University. Join us as we dive into the journey of water from source to sip, uncovering how flavor and place are inextricably linked. Show Notes and Pictures.

From a heart-stopping near-miss in foggy Seattle waters came Captain John Trimmer’s “How to Avoid Huge Ships” – a 1982 maritime safety guide that transformed from deadly serious advice into an internet sensation. While thousands of Amazon reviews made it a cult classic (particularly popular among nervous Kansas residents), its seemingly obvious title belies both crucial seafaring wisdom and a deeper truth: when life’s huge ships loom on your horizon, subtle adjustments rarely work – it’s the bold moves that keep us afloat.   Show Notes. 

Join us on a behind-the-scenes tour of Spartanburg Water, where Director Ken Tuck shares the 20-year journey of transforming water treatment in a changing world. From taste and odor challenges to innovative solutions, Ken's team is dedicated to improving water quality in the face of evolving environmental demands. This episode offers a fascinating look into the hard work, adaptation, and persistence it takes to deliver daily clean, safe, and great-tasting water. Show Notes with Pictures.

Meet the unsung heroes of Georgia's rivers - freshwater mussels! Join aquatic biologist Dr. Steve Golladay as he reveals how these remarkable creatures help keep our waterways clean and healthy. Discover the fascinating world of these underwater engineers and learn why protecting them is crucial for the future of the Flint River. Click here for the show notes.  

Once common in folktales, sightings of the eerie will o’ wisp lights have faded away. Could science finally explain why the wisps have disappeared…or are some mysteries better left unsolved? Get ready for a haunting tale of vanished folklore and marshy landscapes. Visit Show Notes Here.

Hurricane Helene's unprecedented impact on the Carolinas is examined through the expert lens of Hope Mizzell, South Carolina's State Climatologist. This episode provides a deep dive into the storm's development, record-breaking rainfall, and the crucial role of volunteer weather observers in tracking such extreme weather events.

Discover the eerie parallels between the Great Flood of 1916 and Hurricane Helene in 2024, two catastrophic events that reshaped Asheville and Western North Carolina over a century apart. Through firsthand accounts and historical records, we uncover how these twin disasters expose the enduring challenges of flood management. See show notes here.