Articles

  • 2 weeks ago | nhpr.org | Felix Poon

    Every other Friday, the Outside/In team answers one listener question about the natural world. This week's question comes from Maria calling from Seattle. "When I was a kid, occasionally my dad would whisper in my ear, and I would get the most intense ASMR tingles down my spine. I was always really curious why that was. Is it certain frequencies? Is it a certain volume? Anyway, I'd love to know what you think."Producer Felix Poon looked into it. Felix Poon: Maybe you’ve seen the videos.

  • 4 weeks ago | nhpr.org | Felix Poon

    Mike Strizki drives the only hydrogen-powered car on the East Coast. That’s because he’s the only person with access to the fuel — which he makes, by himself, in his backyard in New Jersey. And it’s not just his car. Mike’s house, his lawnmower, even his bicycle are all powered by hydrogen. He’s convinced that this element could be the single most important solution to the climate crisis, if only people and governments would just get on board.

  • 1 month ago | nhpr.org | Felix Poon

    Allergies have been documented in historical records dating as far back as 2,400 years ago, when Hippocrates wrote about “hostile humors” in some people who suffered badly after eating cheese. But why do we experience them to begin with? What even is an allergy? Are allergies on the rise? And why are some mere nuisances, while others are deadly? This episode is a roundup of allergy stories — from the mundane to the frightful — and a round up of allergy questions.

  • Feb 1, 2025 | nhpr.org | Felix Poon

    Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America. It may also be the most hated. Tennis and basketball players are complaining about losing court space because of an “invasion” of pickleballers. Residents are losing sleep because of the incessant noise. Fights over pickleball have led to a slew of petitions, calls to the police, and even lawsuits. So why do pickleball players love this sport so much? Just how annoying is it to everyone else? And what will it take for everyone to just get along?

  • Dec 19, 2024 | nhpr.org | Felix Poon

    Every other Friday, the Outside/In team at NHPR answers listener questions about the natural world. This week's question came from Devon in Wyoming:“When I was out of high school I worked on a summer ski camp on Mount Hood in Oregon. And, in the summer time, to keep the surface of the snow cold enough so we could ski on, we would throw bags of salt onto the snow. And I was thinking that like, multiple years in a row, it had to add up.