Critical Mast

Outside/In

NHPR

Society & Culture, Documentary, Natural Sciences, Nature, Science

4.7 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 22 October 2025

⏱️ 35 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Every so often, oak trees go into overdrive. During these so-called mast years, the gentle patter of falling acorns grows into a mighty downpour and ripples across and over ecosystems like a flood. What happens when a small thing goes from scarce to plentiful? When a player usually hidden behind the scenes vaults onto the main stage? From swimming squirrels and bug-infested weddings, to an explosion in babies named Oaklee, we investigate the myriad ways a sudden surge in abundance can trigger unexpected consequences. This episode is part of a playful exercise in community podcasting, with 6 different shows each producing their own stories about or inspired by the mystery of masting, and releasing them at (approximately) the same time. For other masting stories, check out: Future Ecologies Golden State Naturalist Jumpstart Nature Learning from Nature: The Biomimicry Podcast Nature's Archive We’ll populate this Spotify Playlist with all our stories as they come out! Featuring Jim Salge, Dave Kelly, Lorén Spears, DeAnna Beasley, Claire Adas, David Wilson, Amelia Pruiett, and Cleveland Evans. This episode was produced by Felix Poon, Marina Henke, and Justine Paradis. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.Editor's Note: A previous version of this story incorrectly referred to "the Church of Latter-day Saints." Their correct title is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. SUPPORT Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In. Follow Outside/In on Instagram or join our private discussion group on Facebook. LINKS Check out the “Who remembers The Great Squirrel Apocalypse of 2018?” Reddit thread. You can watch the home video from David and Claire’s wedding. The US Forest Service keeps a helpful map of active cicada broods in North America, and their expected emergences. Nameberry’s 2024 list of the “Reddest and Bluest Baby Names” NPR’s coverage of the “Oakley, Oakley, Oakleigh” trend . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, this is Outside In a show where curiosity and the natural world collide.
0:09.0	I'm Nate Hedgy.
0:13.0	Step into a forest alone and it can feel like silence. Not that it's actually devoid of noises.
0:25.3	There's the wind in the trees, birds,
0:29.4	maybe the plunk of an acorn falling onto the trail.
0:35.2	But every so often, one of those quiet bits of atmosphere can grow louder
0:41.7	until you can't help but notice that something very strange is going on around you.
1:02.1	Okay. Today on the show, what happens when a small thing?
1:06.5	The humble acorn goes from scarce to plentiful.
1:13.7	This is an episode about and inspired by a mysterious ecological phenomenon called Masting.
1:16.0	From baffling squirrel behavior.
1:19.2	It was like the weather, except it was flattened squirrel carcasses.
1:22.3	To an explosion in babies named Oakley. The Mormons almost have this idea now that they are people who give their kids unusual names.
1:28.6	We have three stories, all about the different ways a sudden surge in abundance can trigger
1:34.2	unexpected consequences.
1:36.3	The thing that sticks out my memory is seeing them crawling up my dress.
1:40.4	You can't really brush them off because they're,'re, you know, they're like Velcro.
1:44.6	They cling.
1:46.1	Stay tuned. This is outside In a show where curiosity and the natural world collide.
2:07.6	I'm Nate Hedgy.
2:08.6	Today, we've got stories about and inspired by Masting.
2:12.8	Now, if you don't know what Masting is, don't worry.
	...

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