Episode 233 - Holy Moly Roly Poly!

Episode 233 - Holy Moly Roly Poly!

Author: Dr. Steven Shepard February 3, 2024 Duration: 5:24
In response to a query from a young student, I decided to talk about roly polies. Hey, it’s Friday—celebrate with something fun!

Dr. Steven Shepard has spent a lifetime with his senses tuned to the environment, and The Natural Curiosity Project is the audio result of that deep attention. Each episode is built from his photographs, field recordings, and written observations, woven together into a narrative that feels less like a lecture and more like a shared exploration. You’ll hear the specific rustle of leaves in a particular forest, the call of a bird he’s been tracking for weeks, and the quiet reflections that arise from simply paying close attention. The core idea driving this podcast is a powerful one: that genuine curiosity is not just a personal trait but a transformative force. By immersing listeners in the details of the natural world-the often overlooked patterns, sounds, and stories-Shepard aims to spark that fundamental sense of wonder. He operates on the conviction that from curiosity comes discovery, and from that discovery, a more meaningful knowledge and, ultimately, a deeper understanding of our place within the world. This isn’t about grand pronouncements, but about the incremental insights gained through patient observation. Tuning into this podcast means joining a guided, sensory experience designed to reawaken your own questions about the landscape outside your window and the intricate systems that sustain it. The hope is that by the end of an episode, the world sounds a little different, looks a bit more intricate, and feels worthy of a second, more curious glance.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Natural Curiosity Project
Podcast Episodes
Episode 312-What Matters [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:07
Do the actions of a single individual matter? If you subscribe to the fundamental tenets of negativism, pessimism, resignation, and snark, the answer to that question is decidedly ‘no.’ But let’s reconsider that.
Episode 311-Interspecies Communication—Fantasy or Reality? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:25
One of the themes in my new novel, “The Sound of Life,” is interspecies communication—not in a Doctor Doolittle kind of way—that’s silly—but in a more fundamental way, using protocols that involve far more listening on o…
Episode 310-Centennial Gleissberg Cycles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:23
Lately, we’ve had more displays of the Aurora than usual up here in northern Vermont. I wondered why, and ended up going down one of my occasional rabbit holes in search of the reason. Along the way, I discovered somethi…
Episode 309-2025 Reviewed [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:26
Thank you for a great year! I this final episode of 2025, I review some of the highlights of past episodes. Thank you for joining me!
Episode 308-Book Magic [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:04
Episode 308-Book Magic by Dr. Steven Shepard
Episode 307-The Sounds Below [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:21
The ocean has always been a center-point in my life, a place where I feel the most comfortable. I began SCUBA-diving professionally in 1977, and soon became a dedicated underwater photographer. But it wasn't long before…
Episode 306-Nature is Calling-Are You Listening-Part 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:38
This is an audio essay, presented in three parts, about the need to balance the forces of industry and the forces of conservation. We need both, so what I'm about to say, I think, is important. Let me begin by telling yo…
Episode 306-Nature is Calling-Are You Listening-Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:03
This is an audio essay, presented in three parts, about the need to balance the forces of industry and the forces of conservation. We need both, so what I'm about to say, I think, is important. Let me begin by telling yo…
Episode 306-Nature is Calling-Are You Listening-Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:33
This is an audio essay, presented in three parts, about the need to balance the forces of industry and the forces of conservation. We need both, so what I'm about to say, I think, is important. Let me begin by telling yo…