Overheard at National Geographic

Come dive into one of the curiously delightful conversations overheard at National Geographic’s headquarters, as we follow explorers, photographers, and scientists to the edges of our big, weird, beautiful world. Hosted by Peter Gwin and Amy Briggs.

Latest Episodes:

Can You Hear the Reggae in My Photographs? Oct 27, 2020

Show notes

Photographer and National Geographic Storytelling Fellow Ruddy Roye grew up in Jamaica, a cradle of reggae and social justice movements. He describes how that background prepared him to cover the historic protests and civil unrest in 2020, what he’s tackling in his new National Geographic project "When Living Is a Protest," and what he tells his sons about growing up in America.

For more information on this episode, visit nationalgeographic.com/overheard

Want more?

See some of Ruddy Roye’s National Geographic assignments, including his coverage of the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, as well as his most recent photographs, depicting the impact of COVID on people of color and the Black Lives Matter protests.

And for paid subscribers:

See the renaissance happening at historically Black colleges—a surge in enrollment and a new brand of African-American activism.

If you like what you hear and want to support more content like this, please consider a National Geographic subscription. Go to natgeo.com/exploremore to subscribe today.

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Overheard Season 4 Oct 13, 2020

Show notes

Documenting democracy. Untwisting the world’s largest tornado. Searching for wrecks of lost slave ships. Dinosaur hunting in Morocco. Accidentally inventing a new color. Come dive into one of the curiously delightful conversations overheard at National Geographic’s headquarters, as we follow explorers, photographers, and scientists to the edges of our big, weird, beautiful world. Hosted by Peter Gwin and Amy Briggs.

If you like what you hear and want to support more content like this, please consider a National Geographic subscription. Go to natgeo.com/exploremore to subscribe today.

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How I Learned to Love Zombie Parasites Aug 04, 2020

Show notes

Photographer Anand Varma details his very first natural history adventures—not in Amazonian rainforests or on Polynesian coral reefsbut in suburban Atlanta—and how a childhood fascination with catching frogs and turtles in his backyard led to a career documenting the fantastical worlds of “zombie” parasites, fire ant colonies, vampire bats, hummingbirds, and jellyfish.

Want More?

Read about the zombie parasites that control their hosts,and watch a video of these mindsuckers here.

Also check out Mexico’s carnivorous bats, and go behind the lens with Anand as he attempts to capture the iconic shot of a honeybee emerging from a brood cell for the first time.

Also explore:

The science of hummingbirds and what makes these birds the perfect flying machines.

If you like what you hear and want to support more content like this, please consider a National Geographic subscription. Go to natgeo.com/exploremore to subscribe today.

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The Failing of War Photography Jul 28, 2020

Show notes

Anastasia Taylor-Lind talks about how she grew up living the life of a modern gypsy, traveling across southern England in the back of a horse-drawn wagon, and how her experiences covering conflicts in Iraq and Ukraine forever changed the way she views storytelling and war photography.

Want More?

You can see the photo of the female Peshmerga soldier that launched Anastasia’s career on her website along with many of her other projects.

Read Anastasia’s essay “The Most Frightening Thing About War” here.

Check out the story Peter Gwin and Anastasia collaborated on about riding Arabian horses in Oman.

You can watch Anastasia’s TED talk “Fighters and Mourners of the Ukrainian Revolution.”

Also explore:

See our story on soldiers using art to reveal the trauma of war and learn about today’s battlefields, where more women than ever are on the front lines of armed conflict and as peacekeepers in the world’s hot spots.

If you like what you hear and want to support more content like this, please consider a National Geographic subscription. Go to natgeo.com/exploremore to subscribe today.

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The Canary of the Sea Jul 21, 2020

Show notes

Chirp. Whistle. Creak. Beluga whales, the canaries of the sea, have a lot to say. But noise from ships can drown out their calls, putting calves in danger. What happens when humans press pause during the coronavirus pandemic—and finally give ocean life some peace and quiet?

For more on this episode, visit nationalgeographic.com/podcasts/overheard.

Want more?

Ever wonder why ocean animals eat plastic? The answer is surprisingly complicated.

Whales around the world are still being hunted for their meat. But in Iceland that might be ending.

Also explore:

Take in the breathtaking sight of hundreds of beluga whales gathering in the Arctic.

Check out the very first episode of Overheard for another story on how whales communicate.

And for paid subscribers:

The graphics team at Nat Geo has mapped out the effects of shipping on Arctic sea ice.

Read Craig Welch’s reporting on the changing Arctic, including how the thawing of permafrost affects us all.

See photos of whales taken by a Nat Geo explorer who’s spent 10,000 hours underwater.

If you like what you hear and want to support more content like this, please consider a National Geographic subscription. Go to natgeo.com/exploremore to subscribe today.

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A Spore of Hope Jul 14, 2020

Show notes

Humans face an existential problem: feeding billions of people in a warming world. But there’s a ray of hope. And it all starts with microbes.

For more information on this episode, visit nationalgeographic.com/overheard

Want more?

Microbes are everywhere! Learn about the bacteria living in the depths of the Mariana Trench, in the Pacific Ocean, and what they might tell us about life in outer space on one of Jupiter’s moons.

Microbes have been around a long time! Check out the world’s oldest fossilized fungus.

Also explore:

Read more about the “communication” between fungi and plants happening under our feet.

Listen to Nat Geo contributor Joel Bourne Jr. discuss his book, The End of Plenty.

And for paid subscribers:

How the tiny country of the Netherlands is pioneering the future of sustainable agriculture.

And learn all about the trillions of microbes that live inside us!

If you like what you hear and want to support more content like this, please consider a National Geographic subscription. Go to natgeo.com/exploremore to subscribe today.

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The Tree at the End of the World Jul 07, 2020

Show notes

A harrowing journey is all in a day's work for a Nat Geo explorer trying to find the world’s southernmost tree. But what happens when a self-proclaimed "normal human being" tags along? For more information on this episode, visit nationalgeographic.com/podcasts/overheard.

Want more?

Read Craig’s story, and see pictures of the journey and the world’s southernmost tree.

A nature reserve in the Cape Horn archipelago has the “world's cleanest rain and cleanest streams.” Learn how scientists are protecting it.

Nat Geo Explorer Brian Buma is no stranger to scientific adventures. Read about the time he went into the field with old photos, a metal detector, and bear mace.

Also explore:

Take a virtual trip with these photos of 19 iconic trees from around the world.

And for paid subscribers:

Follow as Craig witnesses “the big meltdown” in Antarctica.

If you like what you hear and want to support more content like this, please consider a National Geographic subscription. Go to natgeo.com/exploremore to subscribe today.

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The United States v. One Tyrannosaurus Bataar Jun 30, 2020

Show notes

When a Mongolian paleontologist sees a dinosaur skeleton illegally up for auction in the United States, she goes to great lengths to stop the sale. For more information on this episode, visit nationalgeographic.com/overheard

Want more?

Read about the latest discoveries in paleontology, such as the T.Rex's survival strategy for when food was scarce.

Find out about the entrepreneur from Florida who went to jail for smuggling Mongolian fossils.

Learn about the two leading theories for why dinosaurs went extinct in the first place.

Also explore:

Watch the final return of the fossil that was auctioned off in New York to Bolor Minjin and other representatives of the Mongolian government.

Bolor once took a Winnebago filled with dinosaur exhibits off-road, across the Gobi. Read more about how she's helping to educate Mongolians about paleontology at The Institute for the Study of Mongolian Dinosaurs.

And for paid subscribers:

Take a look behind the scenes at the private collectors who are buying dinosaur bones.

Bones are the most common type of dinosaur fossil, but in the right conditions, scales and even skin can be preserved. See pictures of a petrified nodosaur on our website.

If you like what you hear and want to support more content like this, please consider a National Geographic subscription. Go to natgeo.com/exploremore to subscribe today.

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The Unstoppable Wily Coyote Jun 23, 2020

Show notes

They're smart, they're sneaky, and they aren't moving out any time soon. Meet your new neighbor, the coyote, and find out why these cunning canids are on the rise in North America-and beyond. For more information on this episode, visit nationalgeographic.com/podcasts/overheard.

Want more?

Read more of Christine Dell'Amore's reporting about coyotes' remarkable spread.

See Chicago through a coyote's eyes with video from a Nat Geo Crittercam.

It's not just coyotes: other animals are finding homes in cities. Dive into Nat Geo stories about urban wildlife.

Learn about the U.S. government program that killed millions of coyotes in "the most epic campaign of persecution against any animal in North American history."

Also explore:

Meet the National Geographic Explorer trying to save jaguars, a key coyote predator in Central America.

Be prepared: here are tips to avoid coyote conflict and a guide to Hazing 101.

Check out Roland Kays' podcast, Wild Animals, for more fun animal stories.

If you like what you hear and want to support more content like this, please consider a National Geographic subscription. Go to natgeo.com/exploremore to subscribe today.

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The Towers of Ladakh Jun 16, 2020

Show notes

A mechanical engineer teams up with an unlikely band of students who use middle school math and science to create artificial glaciers that irrigate Ladakh, a region in India hit hard by climate change. For more information on this episode, visit nationalgeographic.com/podcasts/overheard.

Want More?

Read Arati's story about Sonam Wangchuk and his artificial glaciers in this month's issue of the magazine.

It's not just Ladakh that's facing a water crisis. Learn more about India's struggles with water infrastructure, with more reporting by Arati Kumar-Rao.

You can read about the complicated history of Kashmir, an area that's witnessed two wars and a longstanding insurgency.

Also explore:

Check out photos of Sonam's solar-powered school built from mud.

You can also make your own pledge to live simply by visiting the I Live Simply movement's website.

If you like what you hear and want to support more content like this, please consider a National Geographic subscription. Go to natgeo.com/exploremore to subscribe today.

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