Outside/In

Outside/In Outside/In is a show where curiosity and the natural world collide. Hosted by Nate Hegyi. Produced by NHPR. A show about the natural world and how we use it.

We explore science, energy, environmentalism, and reflections on how we think about and depict nature, and always leave time for plenty of goofing off. Our theme song is by Breakmaster Cylinder. Outside/In is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio. Learn more at outsideinradio.org

05/20/2026

In a world where switching on a lamp during evening hours is, as travel writer Megan Eaves-Egenes writes, “almost as basic as breathing," cities may seem like an unlikely spot to stargaze with success.

But with a few tips, you could be well on your way to some nighttime awe.

This week on the show, producer Marina Henke talks with Megan about how our cities became so bright in the first place, and why light pollution isn't necessarily an impossible problem to solve.

Photo credits 📸
Streetlight at night (Unsplash)
A summer Milky Way seen in Italy (Public Domain).

Check out the full episode wherever you get your podcasts. 🌠

In a world where switching on a lamp during evening hours is, as travel writer writes, “almost as basic as breathing," ...
05/20/2026

In a world where switching on a lamp during evening hours is, as travel writer writes, “almost as basic as breathing," cities may seem like an unlikely spot to stargaze with success.

But with a few tips, you could be well on your way to some nighttime awe.

This week on the show, producer Marina Henke talks with Megan about how our cities became so bright in the first place, and why light pollution isn't necessarily an impossible problem to solve.

Image credits 📷
1) Streetlight at night (Unsplash)
2) A summer Milky Way seen in Italy (Public Domain).

Check out the full episode at the link in our bio or wherever you get your podcasts.

President Trump recently signed an executive order to make certain psychedelic drugs more available to treat mental heal...
05/15/2026

President Trump recently signed an executive order to make certain psychedelic drugs more available to treat mental health conditions like depression and PTSD. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Joe Rogan were in the oval office, and President Trump even joked during the signing ceremony, “can I have some, please?” Maybe this executive order wasn’t on your 2026 political bingo card… but interest in these substances for mental health isn’t new. In this week’s episode, we’re revisiting the story of Kathy Kral. In the midst of her battle with cancer, Kathy found herself facing a diagnosis of major depression.

So, she signed up for a clinical study to see if psilocybin — the psychedelic compound found in “magic mushrooms” — could help her confront her fears about cancer and death, as well as her deepest inner demons.

04/29/2026

Alewives and blueback herring are born in freshwater but spend most of their lives at sea. Every spring across the Atlantic seaboard they swim upstream to their spawning grounds, more than 100 miles inland in some locations, then head back to sea. Months later their offspring make the same journey to the ocean, where they are a key part of the marine food web, supporting species like tuna and mackerel. Their push inland every spring is also a massive infusion of protein for eagles, herons, striped bass and other animals coming out of winter.

Producer looks at what the research says (and doesn’t say) about microplastics and health, and talks to Yael Cohen, CEO...
04/09/2026

Producer looks at what the research says (and doesn’t say) about microplastics and health, and talks to Yael Cohen, CEO of Clarify Clinics, about a new trend in wellness: the microplastics cleanse.



📸 credits: Marc Newberry, Violette Hosack

04/07/2026

Heat pumps! They’re less sexy than EVs and solar panels but just as important for the planet, according to climate advocates, because they’re an efficient home heating and cooling option, and can run on renewable energy.

The most efficient kind of heat pumps are ground source heat pumps that tap into geothermal energy under our feet. But while geothermal energy is cheap, installation costs a lot of money.

So what if we got some help… from gas utilities? That story on the Outside/In episode: “A climate activist, and a gas executive walk into a bar.”

03/27/2026

Raw milk. Only about 1% of Americans consume it on a weekly basis, but that number is growing. What's the appeal? Is it the superfood they claim? Or something to avoid at all costs?

🎧 For the full story, listen to this week's episode of Outside/In at the link in our bio, or wherever you get your podcasts. 🥛

It may be tempting to think of lighthouses as stand-alone tourist attractions. But 100 years ago, the federal U.S. Light...
03/09/2026

It may be tempting to think of lighthouses as stand-alone tourist attractions. But 100 years ago, the federal U.S. Lighthouse Service maintained nearly 1,000 functioning lighthouses across the country. Many of them include the color red.

The reason for this popular hue is two-fold. First is that the color red helps lighthouses stay visible, especially during the day when flashing lights aren’t of much help.

But beyond being visible, lighthouses need to be unique. Sailors often found that with so many lighthouses up and down the coast, it was hard to tell them apart! So, they often got painted with their own unique “daymarks.” This explains the variety of lighthouse paint jobs you see today.

That, and other mysteries of the color red on this week’s episode of the show! Check it out at the link in our bio.

📸 Photos

1. Brier Island Lighthouse, Nova Scotia (Dennis G. Jarvis, Flickr)
2. Sankaty Head Lighthouse, Massachusetts (Atlant, Wikimedia)
3. Quoddy Head Lighthouse, Maine (Ryan Scott, Flickr)
4. White Shoal Light, Michigan (Flickr)
5. Nauset Lighthouse, Massachusetts (Dennis Weeks, Flickr)

A goat prepares for birth, an unsuspecting suburban family gets served roadkill, and other tales of metamorphosis. 🐐🦎🦌Fo...
02/18/2026

A goat prepares for birth, an unsuspecting suburban family gets served roadkill, and other tales of metamorphosis. 🐐🦎🦌

For those of you who came down to Portsmouth a few weeks ago, we had SO much fun. And for those who couldn’t make it, we’re sharing our live show in our feed this week!

🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

📸 Photos: Dan Tuohy (NHPR) and courtesy of our storytellers Kianny Antigua and Gretchen Legler.

02/17/2026

Ravens get a bad rap in western culture. They’re an ominous symbol of death, considered “unclean” by the bible, and star in Edgar Allen Poe’s haunting gothic poem. A group of ravens is called an “unkindness.” What a burn.

But host Nate Hegyi is on a mission to show that we should give the raven a bit more credit. It’s one of the most intelligent creatures on earth – an animal that can use tools like a chimpanzee, speak like a parrot, do tricks like a dog, and investigate murders like Sherlock Holmes.

01/29/2026

Check out Safe to Drink, the newest series from NHPR's Document team (the same folks that helped us make Operation Night Cat). The first episode is in the Outside/In feed, but once you listen you're going to want to subscribe and binge the rest IMMEDIATELY.

It's important accountability work, but also a great listen. You'll be freaked out, enraged, inspired... and you'll never look at a glass of water the same way again.

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