Pulse of the Planet Podcast with Jim Metzner | Science | Nature | Environment | Technology

For years, Lyme has often gone undiagnosed.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Imagine a holiday like Halloween, with a bit of Mardi Gras thrown in, and you'll have a pretty good idea of what Plough Monday was like - in 18th century rural England.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Once a year, riotous behavior gave farm workers an escape from social constraints in 18th century England.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

One of the strongest triggers of memory is odor.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

If it smells bad, it probably is bad for you. That was the prevailing wisdom once and for many years, it influenced the ways we tried to prevent the spread of disease.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's Christmas caroling - Puerto Rican Style! In the days leading up to the Feast of Epiphany, the sounds of Parrandas are heard throughout the island.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

One of our listeners returns to his homeland of Puerto Rico each year for the celebration of the Epiphany.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We've developed lots of ways to cover our ears, but not so many ways to cover our noses.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The nomadic Sami herdsmen of Scandinavia have preserved their oral history in a unique form of story-song called a "yoik."  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

An indigenous style of singing created by nomadic reindeer herdsman is kept alive in contemporary Scandinavia.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In an ecosystem polluted by toxins like mercury, do mother turtles pass these substances on to their young?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Human beings are apparently hardwired to remember things that surprise us. how does this translate to cultures where people typically aren't encouraged to deviate from the normal way of doing things?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Is there a better way to improve service without monitoring calls and filling out surveys?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Some of our most enduring Christmas traditions may date back to the days before that holiday even existed.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Working together to build 20 foot pyres of wood and wire, a family near New Orleans celebrates Christmas eve.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.