Ghosts in the machine

Perhaps you’re familiar with our Outside/Inbox hotline, 1-844-GO-OTTER. Anyone can leave us a voicemail sharing questions about the natural world, and we periodically answer them on the show. A few weeks ago, it came to our attention that we hadn't gotten a new voicemail in some time. Turns out our hotline has been bugging out for at least six months, and we have a lot of catching up to do. So, we present: Outside/Inbox, the lost voicemails edition. Featuring Stephanie Spera, with contributions from Ariel, Joe, Carolyn, Maverick, Jarrett, Eben, a rooster, and a closet (?) full of snakes. SUPPORT Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member. Subscribe to our newsletter for occasional emails about new show swag, call-outs for listener submissions, and other announcements. Follow Outside/In on Instagram or Twitter, or join our private discussion group on Facebook. LINKS This is the study Marina mentioned with a comparative life cycle assessment of hand dryers vs. paper towel dispensers. If you want to learn more about chronic wasting disease, Nate recommends listening to Bent Out of Shape, a three-part series from KUNC. For a quick read, here’s a fact sheet from the CDC. Listen to Outside/In’s behind-the-scenes journey into a human decomposition facility, aka “body farm,” reported by Felix Poon. If you’ve been to Acadia National Park in Maine and taken photos of the fall foliage anytime since 1950, you can participate in research about how climate change is shifting the timing of peak foliage. Contribute your pictures of the autumn leaves to the Acadia National Park Fall Foliage Project here. Many are predicting that fall 2024 will be a banner season for spectacular foliage, including our colleagues at NHPR’s Something Wild. Plus, here’s more on the dynamics of fall foliage, precipitation, and anthocyanin. CREDITS Outside/In host: Nate Hegyi Reported by Justine Paradis, Nate Hegyi, and Marina Henke. Produced and mixed by Justine Paradis. Edited by Taylor Quimby NHPR’s Director of Podcasts is Rebecca Lavoie Our staff also includes Kate Dario. Music by Blue Dot Sessions, Brigham Orchestra, Guustavv, Katori Walker, John B. Lund, and Bonkers Beat Club. Outside/In is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio. Editor's note: A previous version of this episode incorrectly stated that Forest Park is the biggest public park in the United States. It is the biggest in St. Louis, Missouri and arguably bigger than Central Park. The audio and transcript have been updated. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices