Best Wildthing Podcasts (2026)

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Life on Venus?—S2 Bonus Interview 37:00

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27m ago37:00

37:00

Wild Thing is re-releasing its bonus interviews! In September 2020, just days before this podcast launched, scientists announced that they might have found evidence for life on Venus... or at least in Venus's atmosphere. We talk to Clara Sousa-Silva—one of the scientists involved—about their findings, what life on Venus might be like, and what the …

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Letters From Listeners—S1 Bonus 8:57

2M ago8:57

8:57

Wild Thing is rereleasing its bonus episodes! In Ep. 2 of Wild Thing, I mentioned that people went crazy about the gorilla. They even wrote songs about it. But I couldn’t find the music, so I couldn’t play the tune… until now. In a special bonus letters segment, a musical performance from a Wild Thing fan, as well as some of your stories and letter…

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The Saucy Side of Sasquatch—S1 Bonus Interview 18:39

3M ago18:39

18:39

**THIS EPISODE CONTAINS EXPLICIT MATERIAL** Wild Thing is re-releasing its bonus interviews! We talk to Virginia Wade, author of a series of Bigfoot erotica books, about the saucier side of Sasquatch.

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Revisiting Harry & the Hendersons—S1 Bonus Interview 15:48

3M ago15:48

15:48

Wild Thing is re-releasing its bonus interviews! We hear from William Dear—director of "Harry & the Hendersons"—about how he tried to capture the magic of Bigfoot on the big screen. *Become a premium subscriber to Wild Thing! Premium subscribers get ad all three seasons ad-free, not to mention the warm fuzzy feeling that comes from supporting the s…

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SAVING TEMPERATE RAINFORESTS AND THE THOUSAND YEAR TRUST; MERLIN HANBURY-TENISON 17:29

3M ago17:29

17:29

Merlin Hanbury-Tenison, founder of the rainforest charity, the Thousand Year Trust, talks to MWT's Graham Makepeace-Warne and H ahead of his talk on the Island about the healing power of nature, how we can help restore Britain’s lost rainforests and what the Island can learn about its own Celtic rainforest preservation.…

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WILDTHING 29 SEPTEMBER 2025 Marine Life 26:51

3M ago26:51

26:51

In the last in the current series H meets up with MWT's Marine Officer and Calf Manager Dr Lara Howe to hear a little about the Island's wonderful marine life from Basking sharks to puffins and work to protect them and their environment

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WILDMANN 22 SEPTEMBER 2025 Fungi 33:56

4M ago33:56

33:56

H explores the curious beauty and crucial role played by the mysterious world of fungi on a foray with the Manx Fungi Group

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Remembering Jeff Meldrum—S1 Bonus Interview 13:44

4M ago13:44

13:44

On September 10, 2025, Jeff Meldrum passed away after a battle with brain cancer. I interviewed him multiple times for the first season of Wild Thing and he was incredibly generous with his time and extremely patient in answering my questions about Bigfoot. In memory of him, I’ve excerpted a section from one of our interviews, at a 2017 conference …

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WILDTHING 15 SEPTEMBER 2025 VEG PLOTS 26:51

4M ago26:51

26:51

H joins Steve Wright on his allotment to look at how growing veg can be good for both you and wildlife

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WILDTHING 08 SEPTEMBER 2025 - Dubs 26:52

4M ago26:52

26:52

Graham Makepeace-Warne joins H to explore the wildlife importance of dubs and ponds - to say nothing of their beauty and benefits for wellness

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Talking with Bob Gimlin—S1 Bonus Interview 15:13

4M ago15:13

15:13

Wild Thing is re-releasing its bonus interviews! Hear an extended conversation with Bob Gimlin, half of the famous duo that shot the Patterson-Gimlin film back in 1967. *Become a premium subscriber to Wild Thing! Premium subscribers get ad all three seasons ad-free, not to mention the warm fuzzy feeling that comes from supporting the show. Go to ⁠h…

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New Head of Engagement at MWT Dr Carmel Croukamp in conversation with H 15:24

5M ago15:24

15:24

New Head of Engagement at MWT, Dr Carmel Croukamp talks to H about her background, taking on the role and championing the underdogs in the natural world!By Manx Radio

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Search for new Trustees and importance of their role within the organisation 17:20

12M ago17:20

17:20

Chair of the Manx Wildlife Trust, Simon Cain and Chief Executive Officer, Leigh Morris, talk to Howard Caine about the search for new Trustees and discuss their role and importance within the organisation.By Manx Radio

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WILDTHING - MANX WILDLIFE WEEK 2024 23:51

1+ y ago23:51

23:51

It's Wildlife Week 2024! Curator of Natural History at MNH, Laura McCoy, Team Wilder Co-ordinator at MWT, Lucy Chapman and Project Officer for UNESCO Biosphere IOM, Jo Overty talk to H about this years event.By Manx Radio

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WILDTHING - MANX BIRDLIFE POINT OF AYRE NATIONAL RESERVE 30:53

1+ y ago30:53

30:53

https://youtu.be/jv3W24SufUU?si=Sh4qTNaAmX6aDEs0By Manx Radio

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WILDTHING - FIRST CARBON CREDIT SCHEME 6:43

2y ago6:43

6:43

Graham Makepeace-Warne from the Manx Wildlife Trust (MWT) talks about planting up the Island’s first Carbon Credit Project at The Crossags Fields, part of the MWT Hairpin Woodland Park.By Manx Radio

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WILDTHING - WILDLIFE REMEMBERED FILM 15:53

2y ago15:53

15:53

Head of Engagement at Manx Wildlife Trust, Graham Makepeace-Warne, talks about his short film "Wildlife Remembered" being premiered in April and the concept of shifting baseline syndromeBy Manx Radio

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In Memory of Peter Byrne—S1 Bonus Interview 24:39

2y ago24:39

24:39

In memory of Peter Byrne, the longest-surviving member of the Four Horsemen of Sasquatchery. After looking for Bigfoot for decades, the 97-year-old tracker passed away in August 2023. Host Laura Krantz had the opportunity to interview him in 2017, and learned that his search for Sasquatch was only one adventure in a life that was jam-packed with th…

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WILDTHING - MANX FUNGI CHECKLIST 8:47

2y ago8:47

8:47

Liz Charter from the Manx Fungus Group talks to H about the first published checklist detailing the various fungi which have been recorded (thus far!) on the Isle of ManBy Manx Radio

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WILDTHING - WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR EXHIBITION at HOUSE OF MANANNAN 14:46

2+ y ago14:46

14:46

Curator of the exhibition - and Curator of Natural History at MNH, Laura McCoy, joins H to talk about the importance of the exhibition at the House of Manannan in Peel (Ends O8 Oct 2023)By Manx Radio

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WILDTHING - TEMPERATE RAIN FOREST PROJECT. COULD YOU BE A WARDEN? 6:50

2+ y ago6:50

6:50

As a new scheme is launched to create an area of Temperate or Celtic Rain Forest on the Island, Andree Dubbeldam from the MWT tells H what's happening - and how you can get involved . .By Manx Radio

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WILDTHING - MWT is 50! 26:31

2+ y ago26:31

26:31

Manx Wildlife Trust CEO Leigh Morris and Community Ranger Hannah Phillips talk to H about the first 50 years of MWT, where it is now - and the futureBy Manx Radio

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WILDTHING - KNOW YOUR SEAWEED! 36:46

2+ y ago36:46

36:46

Dr Lara Howe from the Manx Wildlife Trust introduces H to the joys of just a few of the seaweeds found around the Isle of Man.By Manx Radio

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WILD THING - LOVE YOUR BEACH WEEK! 9:01

3y ago9:01

9:01

Community Ranger Hannah Phillips tells H about how MWT is celebrating Valentine's this year - it's Love Your Beach Week!By Manx Radio

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WILD THING - BIG SCHOOLS' BIRDWATCH 10:50

3y ago10:50

10:50

Anna Graham chats to Howard about this year's Big Schools' Birdwatch and taking over the education role at Manx Birdlife.By Manx Radio

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WILD THING - THE MANX NATURE SHOW 7:44

3y ago7:44

7:44

Jen Adams from Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch talks to H about the Manx Nature Show.By Manx Radio

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WILD THING - WILD ABOUT THE NORTH! 20:27

3y ago20:27

20:27

As a new initiative gets underway to encourage people to get involved in wildlife projects in the north of the Island, we hear from MWT Community Ranger Hannah Phillips about community work and MWT Northern Supporter Group members Viv Davies and Kim Etherton.By Manx Radio

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WILD THING - Birds of a feather! 18:12

3y ago18:12

18:12

Tweet of the week supremo, the early birder Tim Earl, talks to H about a very rare sighting of a buff-breasted sandpiper, fieldfares in numbers and a harbour home for a kingfisher . . .By Manx Radio

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WILD THING - Isle of Man Fungus Group 10th anniversary weekend 6:40

3+ y ago6:40

6:40

Consultant mycologist Nev Kilkenny talks about the development of the IOM Fungus Group, the importance of fungi and their vital relationship with treesBy Manx Radio

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WILD THING - Community consultations get underway 10:22

3+ y ago10:22

10:22

MWT Community Ranger Hannah talks to Howard about her aim to create an Eastern Community GroupBy Manx Radio

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S3 E9: An Atomic Future 33:21

3+ y ago33:21

33:21

What were the long-term effects of the SL-1 explosion? Nuclear power is a shrinking part of America’s energy picture; accidents and fear have tarnished it, and the old reactor fleet is reaching its end. Yet nuclear energy could provide a bulwark against the looming threat of climate change. Is it something we can make work for us, in spite of ourse…

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S3 E8: Risky Business 28:14

3+ y ago28:14

28:14

Incidents like Chernobyl and Fukushima are often what comes to mind when we think about nuclear energy. Thankfully, events like these actually very rare. So does that mean the risks we associate with atomic power are as bad as we think? How good are we at actually assessing those risks? And can we make things even less risky by removing humans from…

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S3 E7: Half-Life 26:50

3+ y ago26:50

26:50

The aftermath of SL-1 highlighted a problem that we still haven’t solved, despite decades of searching for a solution: what to do with the waste. Our plans to store nuclear waste inside Yucca Mountain in Nevada fell through. So now what? Can we safely contain these materials? Should the waste be in one location, or many? How do we warn future gener…

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S3 E6: You Look Radiant 32:18

3+ y ago32:18

32:18

As firefighters and medical personnel staged operations at SL-1, a plume of radioactive gas silently made its way over the Idaho desert, creeping towards the nearby towns. How much of a risk did the explosion at SL-1 actually pose? And what does radiation actually do to the human body? We are constantly bathing in what’s called background radiation…

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S3 E5: Trust Issues 24:57

3+ y ago24:57

24:57

The only three people who really knew what had transpired at SL-1 were dead, and it would take months to determine what likely happened—plenty of time for rumors and gossip to take hold. Was there a love triangle? A fight gone wrong? A murder suicide? A government cover-up? Or was all of this rumor and innuendo simply a distraction from the real pr…

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S3 E4: Chain Reaction 21:18

3+ y ago21:18

21:18

Two of the men working the reactor that night had personal problems. They hated each other. They fought with their bosses. And those problems could easily distract a man from his work—but what does that mean when you’re working with nuclear materials? At a reactor that, although managed by the military, seemed to be falling apart due to infrastruct…

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S3 E3: A New(clear) Hope 25:17

3+ y ago25:17

25:17

The horrifying devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki proved the destructive capabilities of nuclear power. But, in the aftermath of World War II, we started to experiment with how we could use atomic energy for good. It was the dawn of a new era in science, and, in that spirit, thousands of men arrived in Idaho, including the men whose deaths would…

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WILD THING - MWT's new Community Ranger 14:21

3+ y ago14:21

14:21

Hannah chats to Howard about what is a new role for MWT - and explains more about involving other groups in her first project, centred around the Onchan Wetlands reserve.By Manx Radio

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S3 E2: Out Of Little Things 28:15

3+ y ago28:15

28:15

How did we figure out that such a tiny particle—an atom—held all that power? For that matter, what is an atom? A primer on the basics of atomic energy—including its destructive capabilities—to help us better understand the events that unfolded roughly 20 years later at SL-1. We’ll get a (basic!) lesson in nuclear physics from scientists, and explor…

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WILD THING - Manx Basking Shark Watch 33:34

3+ y ago33:34

33:34

Jackie and Graham Hall from MBSW and Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch's Jen Adams and Bryony Manley talk to Howard as the MBSW scheme comes to and end - but sighting records continue via MWDW.By Manx Radio

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S3 E1: Close To Home 23:30

3+ y ago23:30

23:30

Two dead men. One man missing. A hole blown in the side of the reactor. A cloud of radioactive gas so hot, it was off the charts. What happened with the SL-1 reactor feeds into our deep fear about the dangers of nuclear energy. But we remain intrigued by the possibilities of an atomic future, especially at a time when we need clean energy more than…

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S3 Wild Thing: Going Nuclear Trailer 2:12

3+ y ago2:12

2:12

Back for its third season, Wild Thing uses science, history and culture to probe the realities of nuclear energy today, while analyzing our own fascination— and ambivalence—with all things atomic. What are the true risks? And what is the actual potential? Are we better at this than we were sixty years ago? And given our nature, are we humans even r…

1
HERRING GULLS 36:16

4y ago36:16

36:16

They're one of their Isle of Man's best known - and most widely despised - birds. Howard Caine tries to get to the bottom of why herring gulls are so unpopular - and what the future may hold for them.By Manx Radio

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S2 E10: The Truth Is Out There 27:34

5y ago27:34

27:34

'Oumuamua is long gone—out of sight and almost impossible to reach. The excitement over it generated endless fascination about what (and who) might be out there. Ultimately, that’s what this search for extraterrestrial life represents—a series of questions that don’t have good answers and may never have them, not now, not in another millennia. So w…

1
S2 E9: You Gotta Have Faith 28:30

5y ago28:30

28:30

Our views on aliens can often be uplifting, offering a glimpse of a better, technologically-bright future, or a glimmer of hope about our ability to survive. In some cases, our thoughts about them are almost spiritual, as though aliens are divine beings. To understand why, we make a trip to Colorado’s UFO Watchtower, which has become something of a…

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S2 E8: Popular Science (Fiction) 31:56

5y ago31:56

31:56

American culture is saturated with extraterrestrial and UFO references—and we still can’t get enough. Hollywood has raked in billions on alien-themed programming and it comes in every flavor you can imagine—from horror to camp to science fiction to documentary. What’s the cultural appeal? Why aliens as opposed to any other topic? How have these ima…

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S2 E7: E.T. Phone Home 36:42

5y ago36:42

36:42

We’ve been broadcasting our presence for about 85 years now, with radio, television, and radar, essentially spamming space with all kinds of messages. What would we do if someone answers back? What if our message reaches someone, or something, hostile? Others argue that we should be trying to communicate with whoever might be out there. But who sho…

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S2 E6: Hear No Aliens, See No Aliens 32:53

5y ago32:53

32:53

To really look for intelligent extraterrestrial life, say scientists, we have to look way far out into space. A new set of initiatives—the Breakthrough Initiatives—are experimenting with cutting-edge technology to do just that. These new ideas, funded by private industry instead of the government, are the future of the search for extraterrestrial i…

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S2 E5: Independence Day 32:56

5y ago32:56

32:56

In 2017, the nation’s prominent newspapers published outlandish-sounding stories about a secret UFO program run by the Pentagon. We talk to retired Navy pilot Ryan Graves who recalls seeing some weird objects and speak with Luis Elizondo, who supposedly ran this Pentagon program. What was the military looking for? What did they find? And what are t…

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S2 E4: Roswell 39:18

5+ y ago39:18

39:18

For all the people who think there’s life somewhere out there in space, there are also those who think the best place to look for it is closer to home. Thousands of people claim to have seen UFOs or have had alien encounters and one of those most famous of these happened in 1947 in the desert outside Roswell, New Mexico. *Become a premium subscribe…