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Outside/In

Songbird accents, eating rats, and why we need the moon

Outside/In

NHPR

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

4.71.5K Ratings

🗓️ 28 March 2024

⏱️ 32 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

It’s that special time again! Scientists everywhere hold their breath as the team opens the Outside/Inbox and answers listener questions about the natural world. In this episode, we consider Flaco the Eurasian eagle owl, an impulsive goat purchase, and a big night for salamanders. Plus, we’re graced with Nate’s rendition of a Tom Waits song.  Questions: What would NYC look like in 50 years if humans disappeared? What if the earth had no moon? Could humans survive a worst-case climate scenario? Do birds have regional accents? How do we keep wildlife safe when crossing the road? Featuring Stephon Alexander, Luke Kemp, Chris Sturdy, and Sandi Houghton.   SUPPORT Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member.  Subscribe to our (free) newsletter. Follow Outside/In on Instagram or Twitter, or join our private discussion group on Facebook.   LINKS Check out these gorgeous visualizations created by the Mannahatta Project, which has since been renamed the Welikia Project. Flaco the Eurasian eagle owl died after crashing into a building earlier this month. His autopsy revealed his body to be riddled with rodenticide and pigeon herpes, cementing his status as “a real New Yorker” for some observers. Still, building collisions, rat poison, and disease are all major risks for birds of prey in urban environments.   CREDITS Outside/In host: Nate Hegyi Reported and produced by Felix Poon, Taylor Quimby, and Justine Paradis  Mixed by Justine Paradis Edited by Taylor Quimby and Rebecca Lavoie NHPR’s Director of Podcasts is Rebecca Lavoie Music by blacksona, Katori Walker, Bisou, Young Community, Diamond Ortiz, Brightarm Orchestra, Kevin MacLeod, Tellsonic, Walt Adams, and ProleteR.  Outside/In is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Justine, are you recording?

0:03.6

Yes.

0:04.6

Would you ever live in New York City?

0:06.6

Ooh, an eternal question.

0:10.8

I would like to say yes. I feel like there's this idea that you should move to the country

0:18.1

when you're retired. But I wonder if you should move to New York City when you're retired

0:21.9

because it's easier to get public transit.

0:24.8

You can, it's more walkable than a lot of parts of America.

0:27.8

A lot of stuff going on, a lot of interaction.

0:30.1

You can go sit at the bar pretty quickly.

0:32.3

I once heard an anecdote. The average New Yorker

0:35.4

walked somewhere between like two and a half to four and a half miles a day, which I think is so cool.

0:41.8

Because it is such a walkable city. I love New York. Yeah, it's a magical place.

0:47.0

And this actually brings me to a question we recently got from a listener on the outside in Instagram.

0:52.0

Ethan reached out to ask... from a listener on the outside and Instagram.

0:52.8

Ethan reached out to ask,

0:54.9

What would New York City look like in 50 years

0:57.8

if everyone left today and stayed out?

1:00.3

Oh. I can imagine lots of pigeons and then lots of pteragrin falcons that live way high up in the buildings and just this really cool ecosystem.

1:16.4

The ecology of the skies, yes.

1:18.9

Yeah.

1:19.9

We are not the first people to think about this question.

...

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