Shows / Wildly Curious
Wildly Curious
Wildly Curious is a comedy podcast where science, nature, and curiosity collide. Hosted by Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole, two wildlife experts with a combined 25+ years of conservation education experience, the show dives into wild animal behaviors, unexpected scientific discoveries, and bizarre natural phenomena. With a knack for breaking down complex topics into fun and digestible insights, Katy and Laura make science accessible for all—while still offering fresh perspectives for seasoned…
Episodes
- Wildly Curious
Good News! We Found New Species!
Send us Fan Mail A new penguin species AND a tiny wildcat mistaken for a house kitten? Science is delivering some seriously good news and we need it! We're…
- Wildly Curious
The World's Okayest Dog Trainer
Send us Fan Mail What do dog trainers, invasive insects, and cheese sticks have in common? More than you'd think. Wildly Curious is BACK for Season 15! We're…
- Wildly Curious
Nature's Worst Nightmares: The Creepiest Animals on Earth
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. We see you. We respect it. Some animals are majestic. Others... ...should probably stay very…
- Wildly Curious
The Real-Life Dragon You've Never Heard Of
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. We see you. We respect it. What if dragons were real... and they could run across water? In…
- Wildly Curious
How Scientists Track Wild Animals (Without Ever Seeing Them)
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. We see you. We respect it. How do scientists study animals that spend their lives hiding…
- Wildly Curious
The Real-Life Dragon You've Probably Never Heard Of
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. We see you. We respect it. What if dragons were real? In this minisode of Wildly Curious…
- Wildly Curious
Mutations Explained: The Tiny DNA Changes That Can Change Everything
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. We see you. We respect it. What happens when your DNA makes a typo? In this episode of Wildly…
- Wildly Curious
The Poisonous Bird You've Probably Never Heard Of
Send us Fan Mail Most birds are harmless. This one is poisonous. In this minisode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive into one of the…
- Wildly Curious
Real Life Zombies: How Parasites and Fungi Control Animal Minds
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. We see you. We respect it. What if “zombies” weren’t just fiction? In this Season 14 kickoff…
- Wildly Curious
Why Are They Called Crows and Ravens?
Send us Fan Mail Why are crows called crows… and ravens called ravens? In this mini episode of the Bird Name Game series from Wildly Curious, Laura explores…
- Wildly Curious
Why Is It Called a Chickadee? The Surprising Story Behind Bird Names
Send us Fan Mail Why do birds have such unusual names? In this mini episode of the Bird Name Game series from Wildly Curious, Laura dives into the fascinating…
- Wildly Curious
Cassowary vs Emu: The Surprising Origins of Their Bird Names
Send us Fan Mail Why are birds named what they’re named? In this mini episode of the Bird Name Game series from Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss explores the…
- Wildly Curious
Why Is It Called an Albatross? The Surprising History of Bird Names
Send us Fan Mail Why do birds have the names they do? In this episode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss kicks off a new mini-series called “Bird Name Game”…
- Wildly Curious
Can Cats Talk? The Science Behind Meows, Purrs, and Human Manipulation
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and prepare to realize your cat has been training you this whole time. In this Niche Scientists minisode of Wildly Curious, Katy…
- Wildly Curious
Echinoderms Explained: Sea Stars, Sea Urchins, and the Ocean’s Weirdest Hydraulics
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. We see you. We respect it. In this deep-dive episode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura…
- Wildly Curious
Snail Racing Science: Why Studying Slime Is a Big Deal
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and prepare to root for the slowest athletes on Earth. In this Niche Scientists minisode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura…
- Wildly Curious
Natural Navigation: How Humans Find Direction Without GPS
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and rediscover a skill humans were never meant to lose. In this episode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole explore…
- Wildly Curious
The Scientists Who Studied Pee, Poop, and Won Prizes
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and prepare to learn something you will never un-know. In this Niche Scientists minisode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura…
- Wildly Curious
DNA Explained: How Genetics Shape Who You Are (and Why It Matters)
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. We see you. We respect it. DNA isn’t magic—but it is one of the most powerful instruction…
- Wildly Curious
Whale Earwax Holds a Hidden History of the Ocean
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and prepare to learn something you absolutely did not know existed. In this Niche Scientists minisode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss…
- Wildly Curious
The Science of Swearing: Can Cursing Actually Help You?
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and let your curiosity swear a little. We won’t tell. 😉 In this Wildly Curious minisode, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole kick off…
- Wildly Curious
The Science (and Chaos) Behind Turkeys, Pumpkins, and Thanksgiving
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and stuff your brain before you stuff your turkey. 🦃🥧 In this Wildly Curious Thanksgiving special, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole…
- Wildly Curious
Could You Fight That? Round 2 – Science, Strategy & Total Chaos
Send us Fan Mail Season 13 is here… and it’s fight night. (Hypothetically, of course.) 🥊 Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole are back with Could You Fight That?…
- Wildly Curious
The Taos Hum: The Sound Science Can’t Explain
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and listen closely… if you can. 👂 In this Nature Mysteries Minisode, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole tune into one of the…
- Wildly Curious
The Hessdalen Lights: Science’s Strangest Unexplained Glow
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and embrace the glow of curiosity. 🔦 In this Nature Mysteries Minisode, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole investigate one of the…
- Wildly Curious
The Truth About the Bermuda Triangle: Science vs. Mystery
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and let your curiosity get lost at sea (but like, safely). 🌊 In this Nature Mysteries Minisode, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole…
- Wildly Curious
How the Moon Was Formed: A Science Cosmic Mystery
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. We see you. We respect it. In this Nature Mysteries Minisode, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks…
- Wildly Curious
Crabs on the Move: The World’s Strangest Mass Migration
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. We see you. We respect it. In this final Swarms Minisode of the season, Katy Reiss and Laura…
- Wildly Curious
Nature’s Self-Destruct Button: When Death Means Survival
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. We see you. We respect it. In this explosive episode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura…
- Wildly Curious
Swarms: Why Army Ants Are the Forest’s Most Ruthless Hunters
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and prepare yourself—because this time, the swarm doesn’t just chase... it devours. In this Swarms Minisode, Katy Reiss and Laura…
- Wildly Curious
Seeds on the Move: How Plants Travel the World Without Legs
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. We see you. We respect it. In this seed-sational episode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and…
- Wildly Curious
Swarms: Why Killer Bees Are So Scary (and So Misunderstood)
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe if you love science, chaos, and being mildly afraid of your backyard. 🐝 In this Swarms Minisode, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole…
- Wildly Curious
How Animals Navigate Without GPS (Magnetic Fields, Instinct & More)
Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder how birds, eels, whales, or even bugs find their way without a GPS? In this episode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks…
- Wildly Curious
Swarms: The Science Behind Biblical Locust Plagues
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe if you love science, chaos, and bugs that are way too confident. In this Swarms Minisode, Katy dives into the desert locust, a…
- Wildly Curious
Swarms: Why Thousands of Sharks Suddenly Gather
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and brace yourself—because this week, the swarm has teeth. 🦈 In this second episode of our Swarms Minisode Series, Laura and Katy…
- Wildly Curious
Why You Smell What You Smell: The Science of Scents, Skunks & Memory
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and let your nose lead the way. This episode stinks—in the best way possible. In this surprisingly deep dive into all things scent…
- Wildly Curious
Swarms: Why Starlings Move Like Liquid
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. It’s time for Swarms. In the kickoff to our Swarms Minisodes, Katy and Laura dive into one of…
- Wildly Curious
The Wildlife in Your Walls: Hidden Ecosystems Inside Your Home
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and let your inner science goblin move into its own weird little ecosystem. 🦠 In the Season 12 kickoff of Wildly Curious, Katy and…
- Wildly Curious
The Volcano That Won’t Quite Sleep: Vesuvius’ Eruption History
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and let your brain go on a weekly field trip. No permission slip required. In this Volcano Minisode, Laura and Katy dive into the…
- Wildly Curious
This Snail Built Its Own Metal Armor (Thanks, Volcanoes)
Send us Fan Mail In this Volcano Minisode, Katy introduces one of the most extreme animals on Earth: the scaly-foot gastropod, a deep-sea snail that literally…
- Wildly Curious
Obsidian: The Sharpest Rock on Earth (and in Surgery)
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. We see you. We respect it. In this third Volcano Minisode, Katy digs into one of the coolest…
- Wildly Curious
The Hidden Caves Beneath Antarctica’s Volcanoes
Send us Fan Mail In this second Volcano Minisode, Laura dives deep (literally) into one of Antarctica’s strangest secrets: how volcanic heat has carved out…
- Wildly Curious
A Volcano Buried the World’s Largest Pyramid?!
Send us Fan Mail In the first Volcano Minisode of our season break, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole uncover one of the wildest stories you've probably never…
- Wildly Curious
Volcanoes: Agents of Chaos or Planet Builders?
Send us Fan Mail Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. We see you. We respect it. In this Season 11 finale of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura…
- Wildly Curious
Cosmic Critters: The Chimp Who Survived Space—and Changed Everything
Send us Fan Mail In this out-of-this-world episode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole tell the incredible—and deeply emotional—story of Ham…
- Wildly Curious
Cosmic Critters: The Spiders Who Spun Webs in Space
Send us Fan Mail In this out-of-this-world episode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole unravel the story of two unexpected astronauts: Anita…
- Wildly Curious
Why We Sleep, Dream, and Lose Our Minds Without It
Send us Fan Mail Why do we sleep? What’s going on in our brains while we dream about flying bagels and dolphin taxis? In this episode of Wildly Curious, Katy…
- Wildly Curious
Cosmic Critters: The Monkey-nauts Who Paved the Way for Space Travel
Send us Fan Mail Before astronauts, there were monkeynauts. In this episode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive into the bizarre and…
- Wildly Curious
Weather Gone Wild: Lightning, Haboobs, and Animal Rain—Oh My!
Send us Fan Mail From sky-high lightning bolts that span hundreds of miles to walls of sand swallowing cities whole, extreme weather is wild—and sometimes…
- Wildly Curious
Cosmic Critters: The Frogs That Went to Space
Send us Fan Mail Frogs. In. Space. Yep, you read that right! In this episode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole take you on a hilarious and…
- Wildly Curious
Could You Train a Dinosaur? Science Says… Maybe!
Send us Fan Mail Could dinosaurs be the next great delivery workers, pest control experts, or even search-and-rescue heroes? In this episode of Wildly Curious…
- Wildly Curious
Cosmic Critters: The Spacefaring Cat Who Defied Gravity
Send us Fan Mail Blast off into the strange world of space-bound critters with Wildly Curious! In this episode, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole uncover the…
- Wildly Curious
Dinosaurs Uncovered: Myths, Misconceptions, and Mind-Blowing Discoveries
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Wildly Curious, Katy and Laura dive deep into the prehistoric past to separate dinosaur fact from fiction. From Hollywood…
- Wildly Curious
Cosmic Critters: Laika—The Stray Who Became a Space Pioneer
Send us Fan Mail Blast off with Wildly Curious as Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole launch into the incredible story of Laika, the first living creature to…
- Wildly Curious
Freaky Freshwater Giants: Vampire Fish, Giant Salamanders, and More
Send us Fan Mail Dive into the mysterious world of freshwater ecosystems with Wildly Curious! In this episode, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole uncover some…
- Wildly Curious
The Gundestrup Cauldron: Mysteries of an Ancient Silver Treasure
Send us Fan Mail In this final episode of the Bog Banter mini-series, hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole uncover the story of the Gundestrup Cauldron—a…
- Wildly Curious
Pickled Dinosaur Brains: A Fossilized Glimpse into Prehistoric Intelligence
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Wildly Curious, hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive into a truly mind-boggling discovery—literally! Learn about…
- Wildly Curious
The Tale of Tollund Man: Unraveling Rituals and Mysteries of Iron Age Bogs
Send us Fan Mail In this eerie mini-sode of Wildly Curious, hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive into the hauntingly well-preserved story of the…
- Wildly Curious
Food Science for the Holidays: Staying Safe and Healthy
Send us Fan Mail In this festive episode of Wildly Curious, Laura sits down with food scientist Sarah Oster to explore the science behind staying safe in the…
- Wildly Curious
Bog Mysteries: Mummified Bodies and Frankenstein-Like Discoveries
Send us Fan Mail In this fascinating episode of Wildly Curious, hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole unravel the eerie tale of ancient bog bodies found in…