Hey everyone, it's Cassie. And I'm Danielle. You might know us from National Park After Dark,

but we're launching something completely new, and we're so excited to share it with you.

Welcome to Watch Her Cook, a podcast about women proving they belong in whatever role they want to be in.

From inventors and activists to outlaws and criminal masterminds, we're diving into the stories of women who defied

expectations, sometimes in groundbreaking ways, sometimes in chilling ones. Some of them fought for

justice. Some of them shocked the world. But all of them made sure that they wouldn't be forgotten.

Whether they're making history or making headlines,

join us every Wednesday to hear the stories of women

who have approved their power exceeds far beyond the kitchen.

Just a reminder, empowered women empower the world.

Now let's go cook.

Thank you. Imagine your whole life waking up to the sounds of songbirds.

White-throated sparrows, American goldfinches, black-capped chickadees, and northern cardinals

that have been nesting in the trees around your house

for generations. As dusk falls, the sound of crickets chirping fills the air. This natural soundtrack

is such a reliable part of the ebb and flow of the day like sunrise and sunset that you

almost take it for granted until one day you wake up to the sound of silence.

You look out the kitchen window and there are no birds on the tree branches, no wings in the sky,

and your lawn is vacant of robin searching for worms in the dirt. It is very quiet and still.

Like something isn't quite right. When you go outside to investigate, you discover lifeless bodies of birds strewn across your yard.

At night, no cricket song arrives and you are left with nothing but a haunting silence.

That apocalyptic scene was a reality for many people in the Northeast United States

...