Back around 2007 or thereabouts, one of my customers asked me to be one of several keynote speakers at a big annual sales event they were holding. Thankfully, it worked with my schedule, because Dewitt Jones was also keynoting the event—and I got to hear him speak. I didn't know Dewitt, but it turned out that I knew his work. Boy, did I know his work. Dewitt photographed for National Geographic for 20 years. He shot some of my favorite stories, and as I listened to his presentation, I was captiv...
Jan 29, 2023•39 min
A couple of weeks ago, I was looking through some photographs, and I came across some pictures I took of the Goodyear Blimp, anchored in Carson, California, right next to the freeway. Those pictures got me thinking. What must it have been like to fly in the big dirigibles of the 1930s, those gigantic, hydrogen-filled airships that were sometimes called flying ocean liners? People took long trips on those things—and not a few people. By the time the Hindenburg met its fiery end in New Jersey, mor...
Jan 24, 2023•36 min
Invention vs. innovation--what's the difference? In this episode we discuss these two forces of social change, and share a handful of amazing stories from each camp. We also hear from John Geoghegan, the author of several books on what he calls "White Elephant Technology," or "WETech." You can learn more about John at https://www.johnjgeoghegan.com. I also welcome my old friend Paul Whalen to the episode; Paul will be joining me on a few more programs in the near future.
Jan 20, 2023•29 min
In 1989, author John McPhee published his seminal work, “The Control of Nature.” Written in three long but highly informative and entertaining chapters, McPhee tells tales of human hubris, demonstrating conclusively that when humans begin to see themselves as being greater, stronger than, or superior to nature, nature will put us in our place, every time. In this episode, Natural Curiosity Project host Steven Shepard talks about McPhee’s book in the context of what we’re experiencing today—and s...
Jan 20, 2023•16 min
John Geoghegan is an author, journalist, historian, storyteller, archivist, and exhaustive researcher. His books and articles cover broad territory, from Japanese underwater aircraft carriers (Operation Storm) to giant American dirigibles in WWII (When Giants Ruled the Sky) to innovations and inventions that, while often extraordinary, never made it to market. Another interesting fact about John is that he’s deaf. His book, Hear Today, Gone Tomorrow, tells the story of a man who, like many of us...
Jan 15, 2023•34 min
One of the best ways to track the long-term health of a species or group of species, and to understand how biologically diverse they actually are, is to map the organism’s genome—the roadmap of genetic diversity. About a year I introduced you to Jacob Job, a professor at Colorado State University who had recently completed his Voices of a Flyway Project. Over the course of several months, Jacob traveled from the Gulf of Mexico all the way up to the Boundary Waters region of northern Minnesota al...
Jan 13, 2023•15 min
Today is a day of celebration! This is the 200th episode of the Natural Curiosity Project, which I started back in 2018. Thank you SO MUCH for continuing to listen--I hope you know how much it means to me. But we're not stopping here--I already have 15 new episodes queued up for release, and there are some great interviews in there. So thank you again--see you on the programs!
Jan 10, 2023•13 min
Jay Weiser, whom you met in the last episode a bout deafness and the miracle of cochlear implants, joins me to talk about his Five Leadership Superpowers. If you work for a business where leadership matters (and what business doesn't have that characteristic), you're going to want to hear this episode. You can learn more about Jay, the Five Leadership Superpowers, and his work at www.JayWeiser.com
Jan 10, 2023•18 min
Jay Weiser is an Atlanta-based leadership consultant and the creator of the Five Leadership Superpowers, which we’ll talk about in the next episode. Jay is also profoundly deaf. In this episode, Jay and I have a conversation about hearing loss, cochlear implants, and how he manages to be an extremely effective leadership consultant, in spite of having lost his hearing. You can learn more about Jay and his work at www.JayWeiser.com.
Jan 10, 2023•33 min
When the Great Depression hit in 1929, jobs disappeared by the millions. Unemployment lines and bread lines became common; the economy was badly wounded, and without jobs, without the machinery that made money move through the economy, its chances of recovery were slim. So, as part of the Second New Deal, and driven by a presidential order from Franklin Roosevelt, the Works Progress Administration, or WPA, was signed into law on May 6, 1935. But there’s another part of the Works Progress Adminis...
Jan 03, 2023•12 min
Ever since she was little, Michelle Fullner has been a nature enthusiast. She was always the kid who wandered off into the woods, crawling around on the ground, looking under rocks and logs and rooting around in the mud. Today, in addition to teaching English, Michelle is the creator and host of the Golden State Naturalist Podcast. Not long ago, she decided to enroll in the California Naturalist Program, which reminded her how much she loves nature. To prove it, she started her Podcast. I strong...
Jan 03, 2023•20 min
Rob Bender wears many hats: film director and producer, conservationist, songwriter, musician, and world-class birder. Rob and I met on a film shoot many years ago, and I recently caught up with him in his LA-based studio to talk about his own non-linear career. You can find his music on all the major streaming providers, as well as on Bandcamp: https://robbendermusic.bandcamp.com.
Dec 07, 2022•31 min
Imagine what life would be like if every time you hear the sound of a robin, you instantly taste salt. Or you hear someone’s name, and the color blue pops into your head. Or, when you hear the sound of the ocean, the taste of apples overwhelms your taste buds. Or, you rub your hands over gravel, and taste pineapple. Or, imagine this: You’re out for dinner with with two other people, and one of them touches the other—and you feel the touch, as well. Welcome to the weird condition called Synesthes...
Dec 02, 2022•7 min
If you've ever watched a craft cocktail being made, and the mixologist reached for a small bottle on the back bar and sprayed a mist across the top of the drink, she was probably adding an essential bit of magic to her creation that was made by Alice and the Magician, a small company founded by brothers Aaron and Sam Wisniewski in Burlington, Vermont. They make fragrances--and the process by which they're made is part witchcraft, part organic chemistry, and all passion. This is a great story--en...
Dec 02, 2022•32 min
I routinely extol the virtues of curiosity—it is, after all, the point of this Podcast. But there is a downside to curiosity: Awareness. Join me, please, for an exploration of the relationship between curiosity and our senses.
Nov 18, 2022•12 min
This is a repeat of an earlier episode that got great reviews, and lately I've received several requests to re-post the program. Our daughter Cristina is a Yoga instructor, and she recorded a relaxation program and shred it here on the Podcast. It's wonderful--I listen to it several times a week for focus and peace. Enjoy it.
Nov 17, 2022•9 min
A Thanksgiving gift to you and yours, in celebration of the true meaning of the holiday. Enjoy!
Nov 17, 2022•9 min
I’ve spent the bulk of my career in the hallways of technology, and while I admire it, and it often generates wonder, I’ve also been around it long enough to have developed healthy skepticism about elements of it, when that skepticism is important. One such area is AI, or artificial intelligence. I believe that it’s a critically important technological advancement, but intelligence? Not so much. And while the position I’m about to take is controversial, my belief is that an AI can be taught, but...
Nov 17, 2022•10 min
Ever wonder why some of the States in the US have such weird shapes, like West Virginia, or Maryland? I mean, what were they thinking? Well. In this episode, Steve digs into the history of some of the weirdest of them and finds answers. It’s kind of interesting, and the answers may surprise you.
Nov 10, 2022•17 min
The Singing Planet is a film by my friend Liz McKenzie, with naturalist, sound recordist, and anthropologist Richard (Nels) Nelson, and Hank Lentfer, Nels’ close friend and a gifted wildlife sound recordist in his own right. The Singing Planet celebrates the voices of the natural world, focusing on the extraordinary richness of the wildlife in Alaska. You can rent or buy The Singing Planet on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/ondemand/thesingingplanet); Please do. Put on your headphones, sit back, and im...
Nov 04, 2022•19 min
I like people who draw from many different interests and skills to create the career that they ultimately pursue. Nathan Wolek is equal parts musician, programmer, researcher, wildlife sound recordist, and professor at Stetson University in north-central Florida. When he’s not creating music, or writing computer programs, or working with students, he’s in the field, recording everything from NASA rocket launches to shells swirling musically in a natural spring. Listen and enjoy—Nathan’s quite a ...
Oct 18, 2022•23 min
Time for a new EPA--the Digital Environment Protection Act. We already regulate banking, pharmaceuticals, air travel, smoking, motor vehicle safety, alcohol, aviation, and a host of other things—including environmental noise. Now, we need a law to regulate digital noise. Any arguments?
Oct 05, 2022•11 min
When Pacific Bell accepted the gift of two mated pairs of swans to live in the lakes around their new headquarters building in San Ramon, California, in the early 80s, little did they know that the birds would develop a taste for human flesh. Have a listen.
Sep 25, 2022•8 min
60 years ago, Rachel Carson's book, "Silent Spring," was released. It created a firestorm of controversy that ultimately led to the formation of the modern environmental movement, and helped push Richard Nixon--yes, THAT Richard Nixon--to create the Environmental Protection Agency, the Clean Water Act, and the Noise Abatement Act. It's time to revisit Ms. Carson's work. Happy 60th anniversary, Silent Spring.
Sep 25, 2022•9 min
Rob Prince teaches documentary filmmaking at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. But he’s also the host of the wildly popular Podcast, “Dark Winter Nights: True Stories from Alaska.” In this episode, Rob and host Steve Shepard talk about documentary filmmaking, the power of the free press, the role of curiosity, the importance of relying on diverse news sources, and of course, his amazing Podcast.
Sep 08, 2022•23 min
Luke Pearson is a composer, musician, naturalist, educator, and wildlife sound recordist. He works as a nature educator, where his combined skills and background, including recording and listening trips in South Africa, help him open kids’ eyes to the wonders of the natural world.
Sep 08, 2022•14 min
Why is an excellent customer experience so difficult to deliver? It isn't--if you know what to do. In this entertaining episode, Steve tells the story of a tiny hotel in Los Angeles that has cracked the code and delivers what is perhaps the best customer experience in the country. Have a listen--and take notes.
Aug 12, 2022•12 min
Just about a year ago, I released my 97th book and second novel, The Nation We Knew. It quickly became the number one best-selling title in political fiction on Amazon, worldwide. The theme? What could the world look like, if we were to set aside out political differences and focus on the future—on creating the kind of place we want to leave for our children and grandchildren. In this retrospective, Steve talks about the experience of publishing a book that has been both praised and condemned. E...
Aug 12, 2022•11 min
Will Gillespie first appeared in episode 129 with his family, talking about their efforts to balance their cattle ranch against the needs of the natural world. They not only raise cattle, but they also support and maintain the Prairie Ridge Wildlife Refuge next door—both of which are prospering and flourishing. But there’s more to Will than that. He’s also an engineer, a coal mine inspector, and the author of a terrific book called “Cows I have Known.” Join me for this short interview with Will ...
Aug 12, 2022•19 min
Brian Ashley is a licensed Clinical Psychologist who sat down with me recently to talk about his world. Have you ever wondered about the difference between psychiatry and psychology? Or how mental health professionals think about the world they inhabit? or about the extraordinary process of helping people deal with some of the most difficult things thy'll ever face in their lives? This is one of the most interesting and thoughtful episodes I have ever done--it deserves a careful listen. Brian ac...
May 16, 2022•28 min
