The Shape of the World

Latest Episodes
Is the Earth Alive?
Ferris Jabr, author of Becoming Earth, claims that it is: that Earth is a vast interconnected living system and we humans (and all other living things) dont just live...
Zoned Out: Race, Property, and Ownership in America
Dr. Adrienne Brown reads cities the way professors read novels: carefully, and with lots of attention to whats written between the lines...
Existential Risk: A User’s Guide
Daniel Holz studies black holes, gravitational waves, and cosmology, all while also running the Existential Risk Laboratory...
The Secret Lives of Fireflies
Biologist Sara Lewis doesnt just study firefliesfor her, fireflies are a living reminder that the world is pure magic. In this episode...
Cities and Wildlife: Frenemies or Friends?
Biologist Dr. Seth Magle wants to rethink what a city is and who its for. As part of an alliance with 50 cities around the globe, Seth and other wildlife researchers have discovered...
Can a Tiny Organism Transform Human Relations?
Artist Laurie Palmer believes they can. In her book, The Lichen Museum, Laurie explores what we can gain...
Season Six Coming Soon
Season SIX Will Launch This Friday, May 9th New episodes, new guests, and new insights about nature and our built environments...
Episode 33: Can Listening Be a Political and Moral Act?
Biologist David George Haskell says this collective inattention is a huge loss for each of us. It's like leaving money on the table because paying attention to the living world is a source of beauty,
Episode 32: What Should We Fix First?
Margaret Renkl's new book "Graceland at Last: Notes on Hope and Heartache From the American South is mix of graceful observations and practical solutions.
Episode 31: Who Trashed My River?
The organization Nick Wesley co-founded, Urban Rivers, is creating The Wild Mile, the first-ever floating eco-park of its scale in the world...