Strange by Nature Podcast - podcast cover

Strange by Nature Podcast

Life is strange, naturally you want to hear about it. Strange by Nature is your guide to the strange, weird and unbelievable side of nature. Professional naturalists present weekly curated stories about just how strange nature can get.
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Episodes

Excuse me, you left your natural nuclear reactor running

This week, Victoria talks about the time nature created a naturally occurring nuclear reactor, Kirk takes on the very real magic "Bezoars" from Harry Potter and Rachel explains why a Banana is a berry but a Strawberry is not. Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com...

Aug 24, 202241 minEp. 81

Recursive Island Madness

This week, Rachel kicks things off with truly bizarre looking sharks, Victoria pushes out brains to the breaking point with recursive islands, and Kirk brings us the bizarre tale of hibernating birds. This episode was made possible by the generous support of our patrons. Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com...

Aug 17, 202232 minEp. 80

The Hoatzin has a Pretty Metal Hairdoo

This week, Kirk kicks things off with cows, farts, burps and global warming, Rachel then tells us about Bone-house wasps using dead ants for camouflage and finally Victoria presents her case for the Hoatzin being declared the weirdest bird on Earth. Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com...

Aug 10, 202233 minEp. 79

Please Don’t Eat the Tiny Baby Frogs

Victoria kicks things off this week with the tiny Pumpkin Toadlet, Kirk talks about the biggest lightning on Earth and Rachel shares her love/hate with Buckthorn. Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com

Aug 03, 202242 minEp. 78

Photosynthetic Shawn the Sheep

This week, Rachel rolls on in with strange tales of Tumbleweeds, Victoria thaws out a very recent (and silky) wooly mammoth and Kirk introduces us to a super cute animal with the power to photosynthesize. So much goodness here! Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com...

Jul 27, 202240 minEp. 77

The Biggest Bacteria Ever

Kirk kicks things off by talking about new islands, Rachel takes us to the Dead Sea and Victoria brings us the tale of the largest bacteria in the world. We got a little aquatic this week. Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com...

Jul 20, 202242 minEp. 76

Corpses, Corpses, Corpses

More corpses than you would expect in one episode. Victoria starts things off with an assassin bug that camouflages itself with the corpses of its prey. Kirk brings more corpses to the table, or mountain as it were with a discussion of sky burials and vultures. Rachel rounds things out by talking about silk production, which, admittedly, ends with millions of tiny corpses. So, yeah. This episode happened. Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast...

Jul 13, 202239 minEp. 75

Bees are Legally Fish

We're on a fun journey this week. Rachel talks about the bone crushing abilities of bearded vultures, Victoria regales us with tales of Trash Pandas and other N. American creatures invading foreign lands and Kirk explains why, at least legally, Bees are Fish. Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com...

Jul 06, 202236 minEp. 74

The Largest Living Thing on Earth

This week, Kirk starts things off by telling us about the newly discovered largest organism in the world, Rachel finishes up pride month with a rainbow colored tree and Victoria dives into the briny sea to fetch us a handful of poisonous cone snails. Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com...

Jun 29, 202237 minEp. 73

Rachel Doesn’t Have Crabs

More aquatic fun this week as Victoria kicks things off by talking about the famous Shackleton expedition. Kirk stays in the sea for a deep dive on bizarre boxer crabs that use anemone as pom-poms and finally Rachel brings us back to land with a primer on chameleons. Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com...

Jun 22, 202236 minEp. 72

Baby Shrunk My Brain

Rachel kicks things off by taking us to the ocean to meet the insanely colorful Mandarin Dragonet. Victoria talks about animals that can both shrink and grow their brains. Kirk cuts through the waves with the weirdness that is Storm Oil. We hope you enjoy eclectic topics! Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com...

Jun 15, 202237 minEp. 71

The Wandering Meatloaf

This week Kirk brings us the adorable pokemon of a mammal the Lowland Streaked Tenrec, Rachel tells us why the color Magenta doesn't really exist and Victoria talks about bizarre teeth of Chitons. You'll just have to listen to figure out where the episode title comes from! Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com...

Jun 08, 202235 minEp. 70

Washing Scat in a Washing Machine (for science)

Victoria kicks things off this week with an overview of Extremophiles, Kirk talks about blueberry eating wolves and Rachel kicks off Pride week by talking about the colorful rainbow colored Peacock Mantis Shrimp. Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com...

Jun 01, 202238 minEp. 69

Dead Man’s Fingers

This week, Rachel kicks things off with the chilling story of dead man's fingers, Victoria explores the inner workings of a termite mound and Kirk takes us to the Burning Mountain in Australia. Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com...

May 25, 202234 minEp. 68

Did life on Earth come from Space?

This week, Kirk takes on the mustard plant you don't realize you eat all the time, Rachel tells the tail of how to ferret out a problem in a particle accelerator and Victoria explores the origins of life on Earth. Once again this week's episode is made possible by the awesome members of the Society of Strange. Producing a podcast isn't free and these fine folks help us pay the bills. If you're enjoying the show head on over to patreon.com/strangebynature to find out about the perks of joining an...

May 18, 202236 minEp. 67

This Loaf of Bread will Make Your Limbs Fall Off

This week, Victoria brings us the horrific story of Ergotism that ranges all the way from limbs falling off bodies to LSD. Kirk tackles the question of the Biggest Earthquake in the World and Rachel unwraps the mystery of the disappearing Devils Kettle waterfall. Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com...

May 11, 202234 minSeason 2Ep. 66

The Genital Arms Race

We almost called this one, I'm Going to Eat My Siblings when Rachel started off talking about Frilled Sharks. Victoria then upped the ante by making reference to The Genital Arms Race in her story about duck sex. We pretty much had to go with that right? Kirk rounds off this week's show with a story on feathered prehistoric animals. Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com...

May 04, 202232 minEp. 65

Is That a Fish in your Urethra?

Kirk bring us the tale of the Candiru and horrifying stories of how they want to invade your body. Rachel talks about surprisingly sinking hippos and Victoria takes on Saturn's weirdest moon, Enceladus. Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com...

Apr 27, 202231 minEp. 64

Armpit licking venomous primates!

We're all over the place this week. Victoria swerves into outer space for a ride to the Rings of Saturn. Kirk takes us to the Racetrack Playa to unlock the 100-year-old mystery of the Sliding Stones and Rachel subverts our expectations by introducing us to armpit licking Venomous Primates. Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com...

Apr 20, 202236 minEp. 63

Ants on Stilts

Rachel details bizarre research that gave ants stilts, Victoria talks about planet-wide magnetic field reversal and Kirk does a deep dive on Sea Monkeys. This one's got it all! Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com

Apr 13, 202234 minSeason 2Ep. 62

Moss Piglets in Space

Kirk finally brings us stories of Tardigrades, Rachel blows our minds with the explosive and poisonous Dynamite Tree and Victoria talks about giant spiders falling from the sky. Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com

Apr 06, 202232 minSeason 2Ep. 61

Pleasure cruise at night though eel infested waters

This week, Victoria tracks down the mystery of where eels come from, Kirk bring us the tale of Australian Camels, and Rachel also heads down under for a story about Idiot fruit. Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com

Mar 30, 202239 minSeason 2Ep. 60

Crows know what you did last summer

This week Rachel tackles different pupil shapes in nature, Victoria brings us the shocking story of the spot on Earth with non-stop lightening, and Kirk talks about the amazing memories of crows. Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com...

Mar 23, 202236 minEp. 59

Aggressive Placenta is my Band’s Name

Kirk glowing sea jelly "brains", Rachel details the decades long quest to see if bees could tell time and Victoria talks about why humans menstruate. Yes, we say the words moist and sloughing repeatedly. Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com...

Mar 16, 202240 minSeason 2Ep. 58

Season Two Extravaganza feat. Brett Sieberer

Welcome to Season Two! This begins our second year of the show. Thanks for coming along for the ride. This week we have something special. We're joined by professional naturalist Brett Sieberer who also happens to be a huge fan of the show. He takes us on a hilarious journey though 5 questions to get to know the show hosts better. We had so much fun it is sure to be a yearly tradition! Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: st...

Mar 09, 202243 minSeason 2Ep. 57

Don’t put Fish in a Blender

Victoria weaves a tale of a strange ancient desert plant, Kirk talks about magnets in the heads of fish, and Rachel tells us why the sky is blue. Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com

Mar 02, 202240 minSeason 1Ep. 56

Bird Call Time Machine

Rachel takes on Orcas Vs. Blue whales, Victoria takes us to the ancient Atacama desert and Kirk asks the question, "Could we recognize bird calls if we traveled back in time?" Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com

Feb 23, 202238 minSeason 1Ep. 55

Echinoderms are heartless

Kirk gives us all deja vu with a story about an accidental discovery in Antarctica, Rachel talks hearts for Valentine's Day and Victoria talks about female sexual selection and interesting experiments to prove it exists. Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com...

Feb 16, 202244 minEp. 54

Glowing Humans, Immortal Humans and Ancient Hidden Life

This episode is really cool. (apologies for all the puns) Victoria illuminates the cool light of bioluminescence, Kirk takes us thousands of feet under the chilly Antarctic ice for a change scientific discovery and Rachel fills us in on immortal human cells. Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com...

Feb 09, 202239 minEp. 53

All Hail the Trash Panda

This week, Rachel tells us about the bizarrely miniature Java Mouse Deer, Victoria talks about Staghorn Ferns and how they may actually form amazing social colonies with division of labor and Kirk delves into the important question, just how smart are Trash Pandas? Support us on patreon: patreon.com/strangebynature Email us: contact@strangebynaturepodcast.com Visit us at: strangebynaturepodcast.com...

Feb 02, 202234 minEp. 52
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