Naturally Curious

## Episode Summary In this episode, we cover: - **Scientists challenge the dream of bringing extinct species back to life** (Phys.org Biology) - [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-scientists-extinct-species-life.html) - **What seal pups can reveal about the effects of mercury exposure** (Phys.org Plants & Animals) - [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-pups-reveal-effects-mercury-exposure.html) - **Overheating cattle: More and more dangerous heat is coming for northern Australia's herds** (Phys.org Biology) - [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-overheating-cattle-dangerous-northern-australia.html) - **Country diary 1926: Amorous impulse sends insects on a nuptial flight** (Guardian Animal Behaviour) - [Read more](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/aug/24/country-diary-1926-amorous-impulse-sends-insects-on-nuptial-flight) - **Communities around DRC’s Upemba National Park say conservation comes at a cost** (Mongabay) - [Read more](https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/communities-around-drcs-upemba-national-park-say-conservation-comes-at-a-cost/) --- *Sponsored by Ada, Ago Consulting, and Zen Semiconductor*

## Episode Summary In this episode, we cover: - **Study reveals overcompensation in desert plant-weevil interactions** (Phys.org Plants & Animals) - [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-reveals-overcompensation-weevil-interactions.html) - **US brand StarKist suspends tuna sourcing from vessels accused of exploiting Indonesian fishers** (Mongabay) - [Read more](https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/us-brand-starkist-suspends-tuna-sourcing-from-vessels-accused-of-exploiting-indonesian-fishers/) - **Study finds links between bacteria in wastewater and chronic disease** (Phys.org Biology) - [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-links-bacteria-wastewater-chronic-disease.html) - **Student finds proof of rare wild cat in northern New Mexico** (Phys.org Plants & Animals) - [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-student-proof-rare-wild-cat.html) - **‘It’s really, really unusual’: tender bond between male donkey and bull baffles scientists** (Guardian Animal Behaviour) - [Read more](https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/nov/02/tender-bond-male-donkey-bull-baffles-scientists) --- *Sponsored by Ada, Ago Consulting, and Zen Semiconductor*

## Episode Summary In this episode, we cover: - **Tens of thousands of orchids saved from road development in southern India** (Mongabay) - [Read more](https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/tens-of-thousands-of-orchids-saved-from-road-development-in-southern-india/) - **El Niño’s hidden toll on trees emerges years later in Papua New Guinea rainforest** (Mongabay) - [Read more](https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/el-ninos-hidden-toll-on-trees-emerges-years-later-in-papua-new-guinea-rainforest/) - **Using AI to ‘talk to animals’ might make us feel clever – but what, if anything, does it do for them?** (Guardian Animal Behaviour) - [Read more](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ng-interactive/2026/sep/22/animal-language-recordings-ai) - **Archaeologists Are Reconstructing the 'Invisible' Technologies of the Stone Age, From Rope to Thread and Twine** (Smithsonian Science & Nature) - [Read more](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/archaeologists-are-reconstructing-the-invisible-technologies-of-the-stone-age-from-rope-to-thread-and-twine-180989534/) - **Kenya launches $160 million conservation initiative to support communities and biodiversity** (Mongabay) - [Read more](https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/kenya-launches-160-million-conservation-initiative-to-support-communities-and-biodiversity/) --- *Sponsored by Ada, Ago Consulting, and Zen Semiconductor*

## Episode Summary In this episode, we cover: - **The pet I’ll never forget: Polly, the golden retriever who saved my husband’s life** (Guardian Animal Behaviour) - [Read more](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/sep/14/the-pet-ill-never-forget-polly-the-golden-retriever-who-saved-my-husbands-life) - **Extreme heat is creating a workplace health crisis in Bangladesh’s garment industry** (Mongabay) - [Read more](https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/extreme-heat-is-creating-a-workplace-health-crisis-in-bangladeshs-garment-industry/) - **Noise pollution changes biology or behavior in 80% of animal species studied** (Phys.org Biology) - [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-noise-pollution-biology-behavior-animal.html) - **Researchers establish G0 founder population carrying targeted mutations in marine mollusks** (Phys.org Biology) - [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-g0-founder-population-mutations-marine.html) - **Scientists discovered an unknown baby right whale off Canada. They say it's a cause for joy** (Phys.org Biology) - [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-scientists-unknown-baby-whale-canada.html) --- *Sponsored by Ada, Ago Consulting, and Zen Semiconductor*

## Episode Summary In this episode, we cover: - **Bats Thrive in a Messy, Noisy World. These Four Discoveries Reveal How They Can Listen and Chatter Through the Din** (Smithsonian Science & Nature) - [Read more](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/bats-thrive-in-a-messy-noisy-world-these-four-discoveries-reveal-how-they-can-listen-and-chatter-through-the-din-180989750/) - **Green Sea Turtles Are Making a Remarkable Comeback on the Remote Aldabra Atoll and Around the World. But Their Recovery Is Far From Complete** (Smithsonian Science & Nature) - [Read more](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/green-sea-turtles-are-making-a-remarkable-comeback-on-the-remote-aldabra-atoll-and-around-the-world-but-their-recovery-is-far-from-complete-180989710/) - **Five Ways the World of the Dinosaurs Looked Different From Ours, Beyond the Presence of the 'Terrible Lizards'** (Smithsonian Science & Nature) - [Read more](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/five-ways-the-world-of-the-dinosaurs-looked-different-from-ours-beyond-the-presence-of-the-terrible-lizards-180989521/) - **Mali’s ‘Moringa Queen’ wins UN recognition for restoring degraded land** (Mongabay) - [Read more](https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/malis-moringa-queen-wins-un-recognition-for-restoring-degraded-land/) - **Land plants' closest algal relatives evolved multicellular growth repeatedly, genetic analysis suggests** (Phys.org Plants & Animals) - [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-closest-algal-evolved-multicellular-growth.html) --- *Sponsored by Ada, Ago Consulting, and Zen Semiconductor*

## Episode Summary In this episode, we cover: - **This riverside border town is fueling an illegal gold rush** (Mongabay) - [Read more](https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/this-riverside-border-town-is-fueling-an-illegal-gold-rush/) - **Big extended families help adult female ground squirrels survive hibernation** (Phys.org Plants & Animals) - [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-big-families-adult-female-ground.html) - **Hear, Hear to Long Ears: These 15 Furry Photos of Adorable Rabbits and Hares Will Have You Leaping for Leporidae** (Smithsonian Science & Nature) - [Read more](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/hear-hear-to-long-ears-these-15-furry-photos-of-adorable-rabbits-and-hares-will-have-you-leaping-for-leporidae-180989824/) - **Tiny animal populations can recover, challenging assumptions about extinction risk** (Phys.org Plants & Animals) - [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-tiny-animal-populations-recover-assumptions.html) - **Archaeologists Are Reconstructing the 'Invisible' Technologies of the Stone Age, From Rope to Thread and Twine** (Smithsonian Science & Nature) - [Read more](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/archaeologists-are-reconstructing-the-invisible-technologies-of-the-stone-age-from-rope-to-thread-and-twine-180989534/) --- *Sponsored by Ada, Ago Consulting, and Zen Semiconductor*

## Episode Summary In this episode, we cover: - **Born to be queen: A look inside fire ant hierarchy** (Phys.org Biology) - [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-born-queen-ant-hierarchy.html) - **AI tiger-warning system rooted in local knowledge stalls for lack of support** (Mongabay) - [Read more](https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/ai-tiger-warning-system-rooted-in-local-knowledge-stalls-for-lack-of-support/) - **Successful restoration of fish migration requires more than fish passes** (Phys.org Biology) - [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-successful-fish-migration-requires.html) - **High expectations but no agreement on Antarctic marine protection, krill fishing** (Mongabay) - [Read more](https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/high-expectations-but-no-agreement-on-antarctic-marine-protection-krill-fishing/) - **Chemicals in sewage-based fertilizer may persist in farmland soil for years** (Phys.org Biology) - [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-chemicals-sewage-based-fertilizer-persist.html) --- *Sponsored by Ada, Ago Consulting, and Zen Semiconductor*

## Episode Summary In this episode, we cover: - **Call adjustments help bats keep their echolocation signals distinct, study finds** (Phys.org Plants & Animals) - [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-adjustments-echolocation-distinct.html) - **London Zoo gets spooky with Halloween pumpkins for animal residents – video** (Guardian Animal Behaviour) - [Read more](https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2026/oct/30/london-zoo-gets-spooky-with-halloween-pumpkins-for-animal-residents-video) - **Archaeologists Are Reconstructing the 'Invisible' Technologies of the Stone Age, From Rope to Thread and Twine** (Smithsonian Science & Nature) - [Read more](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/archaeologists-are-reconstructing-the-invisible-technologies-of-the-stone-age-from-rope-to-thread-and-twine-180989534/) - **Fastest spider in the world? This huge, hairy-legged Australian arachnid may be the quickest on the planet** (Guardian Animal Behaviour) - [Read more](https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jul/09/fastest-spider-on-the-planet-brown-huntsman) - **The RSPO closed the case on First Resources. Indonesian forests kept falling for palm oil (commentary)** (Mongabay) - [Read more](https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/the-rspo-closed-the-case-on-first-resources-indonesian-forests-kept-falling-for-palm-oil-commentary/) --- *Sponsored by Ada, Ago Consulting, and Zen Semiconductor*

## Episode Summary In this episode, we cover: - **Zanzibar’s seaweed farmers seek better future through science and partnership (commentary)** (Mongabay) - [Read more](https://news.mongabay.com/2026/11/zanzibars-seaweed-farmers-see-better-future-through-science-and-partnership-commentary/) - **Scientists develop new system to boost prime editing in dicot plants** (Phys.org Plants & Animals) - [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2026-10-scientists-boost-prime-dicot.html) - **Afghanistan’s Taliban officials will attend a UN climate summit for the second time as observers** (Mongabay) - [Read more](https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/11/afghanistans-taliban-officials-will-attend-a-un-climate-summit-for-the-second-time-as-observers/) - **How the nasal microbiome can help potentially harmful bacteria thrive** (Phys.org Biology) - [Read more](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-nasal-microbiome-potentially-bacteria.html) - **Five Ways the World of the Dinosaurs Looked Different From Ours, Beyond the Presence of the 'Terrible Lizards'** (Smithsonian Science & Nature) - [Read more](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/five-ways-the-world-of-the-dinosaurs-looked-different-from-ours-beyond-the-presence-of-the-terrible-lizards-180989521/) --- *Sponsored by Ada, Ago Consulting, and Zen Semiconductor*