Nature: Dope AF

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 Digital Snow Museum Avalanche Links Avalanches Explained National Snow & Ice Data Center Avalanche Page The Deadly Hazard of Avalanches Blizzard Links Atmospheric Research Blizzards Deadliest Blizzard in History National Geographic Blizzards National Archives on the Dakota Territories The Hard Winter of 1880-1881

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: Carnivorous Plants Carnivorous Plant Facts 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: 9 Gorilla Facts 5 Facts about Koko Cross River Gorilla  Biggest Gorilla Ever Mountain Gorilla Facts  Western Gorilla Facts Gorilla Family Structure Controversial Study on Gorilla Social Structure How to Help: The Gorilla Organization The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International WWF Gorilla 

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 quietest animal - owls The world's loudest animal might surprise you Why do parrots talk? 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) Do Jellyfish make a sound? 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: Quick NPS History 59 Fun Facts  National Geographic Park Facts Park Visitation Numbers Obama's Every Kid in a Park Program Racist roots, lack of diversity haunt national parks Historic Park Figures: Tina Short  Women of the Park Service Spark Ranger Places Shannon Mentioned: Acadia National Park  Gateway Arch National Park  Battle Creek Outdoor Education Center How to help the parks: 6 Ways to Give to National Parks that Actually Make a Difference Get Involved with NPS 

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 Assateague's Wild Horses History: Wild Horses as Native North American Wildlife Horse Teeth Evolution People of the Horse Yes world, there were horses in Native culture before the settlers came Evolution of the Horse Legislation: American Wild Horse Campaign Public Lands Grazing Info House Passes Historic Wild Horse Protection Amendment HR 7806 Film: Unbranded

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: 8 Surprising Moss Facts 7 Interesting Things About Moss Moss Facts Common Haircap Moss Brittanica Moss Page 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: How To Make Moss Graffiti  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 Giant's Causeway Sailing Stones Mystery Solved Turkey's Fairy Chimneys Eye Of The Sahara  Ha Long Bay Hoodoo: Hoodoo Definition Bryce Canyon Hoodoos  Hoodoo Wiki  What And Where Is A Hoodoo Tokangawhā / Split Apple Rock: Atlas Obscura Tokangawhā / Split Apple Rock Geology Page  How to Help: National Park Foundation NZ National Parks and Conservation Foundation Preserve UNESCO World Heritage Sites

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!" Fish Migration 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: Wild Salmon Center  The Wildlife Trusts - Eel  Potomac Conservancy - Why Eels Are Important  Films Mentioned: DamNation Fishpeople

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: Mammal Migration  10 Amazing Mammal Migrations Caribou: Caribou Migrate Farther Than Any Other Known Land Animal Caribou Facts  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: Saiga Antelope Video