Wildly Curious
Wildly Curious is a comedy podcast where science, nature, and curiosity collide. Hosted by Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole, two wildlife experts with a combined 25+ years of conservation education experience, the show dives into wild animal behaviors, unexpected scientific discoveries, and bizarre natural phenomena. With a knack for breaking down complex topics into fun and digestible insights, Katy and Laura make science accessible for all—while still offering fresh perspectives for seasoned science enthusiasts. Each episode blends humor with real-world science, taking listeners on an engaging journey filled with quirky facts and surprising revelations. Whether you're a curious beginner or a lifelong science lover, this podcast offers a perfect mix of laughs, learning, and the unexpected wonders of the natural world.
Episodes
156 episodes
The Wildlife in Your Walls: Hidden Ecosystems Inside Your Home
Subscribe and let your inner science goblin move into its own weird little ecosystem. 🦠In the Season 12 kickoff of Wildly Curious, Katy and Laura reveal the bizarre—but very real—ecosystems thriving inside your house.<...
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Season 12
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Episode 1
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38:09
The Volcano That Won’t Quite Sleep: Vesuvius’ Eruption History
Subscribe and let your brain go on a weekly field trip. No permission slip required.In this Volcano Minisode, Laura and Katy dive into the dramatic, deadly, and never-quite-dormant history of Mount Vesuvius, one of...
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16:31
This Snail Built Its Own Metal Armor (Thanks, Volcanoes)
In this Volcano Minisode, Katy introduces one of the most extreme animals on Earth: the scaly-foot gastropod, a deep-sea snail that literally builds metal armor from volcanic hydrothermal vents. Found over a mile below th...
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10:47
Obsidian: The Sharpest Rock on Earth (and in Surgery)
Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. We see you. We respect it.In this third Volcano Minisode, Katy digs into one of the coolest things a volcano has ever made: obsidian—a rock so sharp it's been shapin...
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10:22
The Hidden Caves Beneath Antarctica’s Volcanoes
In this second Volcano Minisode, Laura dives deep (literally) into one of Antarctica’s strangest secrets: how volcanic heat has carved out entire networks of hidden ice caves—warm, alien worlds tucked under the frozen surface. 🧊🔥
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10:09
A Volcano Buried the World’s Largest Pyramid?!
In the first Volcano Minisode of our season break, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole uncover one of the wildest stories you've probably never heard: how an active volcano in Mexico accidentally buried—and preserved—the world’s larg...
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16:20
Volcanoes: Agents of Chaos or Planet Builders?
Subscribe and unleash your inner science goblin. We see you. We respect it.In this Season 11 finale of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole blow the lid off volcanoes—literally and figuratively. From earth-sh...
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Season 11
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Episode 12
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41:36
Cosmic Critters: The Chimp Who Survived Space—and Changed Everything
In this out-of-this-world episode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole tell the incredible—and deeply emotional—story of Ham the Chimp, the first hominid to survive spaceflight.🧠 How was Ham trained to per...
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Season 11
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Episode 11
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20:01
Cosmic Critters: The Spiders Who Spun Webs in Space
In this out-of-this-world episode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole unravel the story of two unexpected astronauts: Anita and Arabella, the garden spiders launched aboard Skylab 3 in 1973.🕸️ Can ...
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Season 11
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Episode 10
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10:05
Why We Sleep, Dream, and Lose Our Minds Without It
Why do we sleep? What’s going on in our brains while we dream about flying bagels and dolphin taxis? In this episode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole stay up late to explore the science of sleep, REM cycles, lucid d...
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Season 11
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Episode 9
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54:41
Cosmic Critters: The Monkey-nauts Who Paved the Way for Space Travel
Before astronauts, there were monkeynauts. In this episode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive into the bizarre and often tragic history of the first primates sent to space—Albert I, II, III, and IV.<...
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Season 11
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Episode 8
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16:24
Weather Gone Wild: Lightning, Haboobs, and Animal Rain—Oh My!
From sky-high lightning bolts that span hundreds of miles to walls of sand swallowing cities whole, extreme weather is wild—and sometimes, just plain weird. 🌩️💨 In this episode of Wildly Curious, Katy and Laura break down some...
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Season 11
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Episode 7
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1:01:47
Cosmic Critters: The Frogs That Went to Space
Frogs. In. Space. Yep, you read that right! In this episode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole take you on a hilarious and mind-blowing journey into the weirdest space experiment you’ve probably never heard of—the Orb...
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Season 11
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Episode 6
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16:32
Could You Train a Dinosaur? Science Says… Maybe!
Could dinosaurs be the next great delivery workers, pest control experts, or even search-and-rescue heroes? In this episode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole take a deep dive into the wild world of dinosaur training—...
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Season 11
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Episode 5
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1:18:36
Cosmic Critters: The Spacefaring Cat Who Defied Gravity
Blast off into the strange world of space-bound critters with Wildly Curious! In this episode, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole uncover the bizarre true story of Félicette—the first (and only) cat launched into space. From rigorous as...
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Season 11
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Episode 4
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11:59
Dinosaurs Uncovered: Myths, Misconceptions, and Mind-Blowing Discoveries
In this episode of Wildly Curious, Katy and Laura dive deep into the prehistoric past to separate dinosaur fact from fiction. From Hollywood myths to groundbreaking discoveries, they explore how our understanding of dinosaurs has evolv...
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Season 11
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Episode 3
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1:09:34
Cosmic Critters: Laika—The Stray Who Became a Space Pioneer
Blast off with Wildly Curious as Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole launch into the incredible story of Laika, the first living creature to orbit Earth. This fearless stray dog from the streets of Moscow became a space pioneer aboard
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Season 11
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Episode 2
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12:39
Freaky Freshwater Giants: Vampire Fish, Giant Salamanders, and More
Dive into the mysterious world of freshwater ecosystems with Wildly Curious! In this episode, Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole uncover some of the strangest and most fascinating creatures lurking in rivers and lakes worldwide. From th...
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Season 11
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Episode 1
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1:08:17
The Gundestrup Cauldron: Mysteries of an Ancient Silver Treasure
In this final episode of the Bog Banter mini-series, hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole uncover the story of the Gundestrup Cauldron—a massive silver artifact found buried in a Danish bog. Dating back to 150 BC, this intricately c...
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13:00
Pickled Dinosaur Brains: A Fossilized Glimpse into Prehistoric Intelligence
In this episode of Wildly Curious, hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive into a truly mind-boggling discovery—literally! Learn about the astonishing find of a fossilized dinosaur brain, uncovered in a tide pool in southern Engla...
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8:34
The Tale of Tollund Man: Unraveling Rituals and Mysteries of Iron Age Bogs
In this eerie mini-sode of Wildly Curious, hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole dive into the hauntingly well-preserved story of the Tollund Man. Found in a Danish peat bog in 1950, this Iron Age figure still has intact skin, facial...
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12:43
Food Science for the Holidays: Staying Safe and Healthy
In this festive episode of Wildly Curious, Laura sits down with food scientist Sarah Oster to explore the science behind staying safe in the kitchen during the holidays. From understanding the microbial risks of your favorite dishes to...
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48:45
Bog Mysteries: Mummified Bodies and Frankenstein-Like Discoveries
In this fascinating episode of Wildly Curious, hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole unravel the eerie tale of ancient bog bodies found in South Uist, Scotland. These Bronze Age remains aren’t your typical archaeological find—they’re...
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13:56
Bog Chronicles: Butter, Bodies, and Bizarre Finds Beneath the Peat
In this episode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss teams up with a special guest (her son, Lukas!) to kick off a mini-series exploring the bizarre and fascinating things found in bogs. Discover the strange world of bog butter—a 3,500-...
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16:20
Exploring the World's Largest Cave: Son Doong’s Hidden Wonders
In this episode of Wildly Curious, hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole wrap up their cave mini-series with an awe-inspiring journey into Son Doong, the world’s largest cave located in Vietnam. Discovered in 1990 and mapped just ove...
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Season 10
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Episode 13
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21:11