Constant Wonder
Stay in tune with our phenomenal world. Join us for explorations of science, art, history, and more. We're on a quest to find awe and wonder in all nature—human or wild, vast or small. Encounters that move us beyond words. Hosted by Marcus Smith, Constant Wonder is a production of BYUradio.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 50 minutes
- Episodes
- 190
- Years Active
- 2021 - 2025
A Civil Rights Leader Establishes Secret Schools
Educator and activist Septima Clark used her passion for teaching to increase literacy rates in the Deep South, preparing Black citizens to pass the voter registration tests that were designed to dis…
00:56:57 |
Wed 30 Apr 2025
She Walked 500 Miles for a Bird Under Threat
The best way to see the world is on foot, it might be argued. Mary Colwell has had amazing encounters with wildlife on her walking treks around the globe. She's even used her walks to raise awareness…
00:53:18 |
Wed 23 Apr 2025
A New Era of Peace in the Wolf Wars
Daniel Curry had had recurring dreams about wolves, long before he chose to devote his career to helping them. After working with captive wolves for several years, he became a "range rider," a human …
00:53:53 |
Wed 16 Apr 2025
Is There Such Thing As a "Bad" Naturalist?
When Paula Whyman started trying to rehabilitate 200 acres she'd just bought, she knew very little about conservation. Among many other challenges, she faced off with mile-a-minute vine and rattlesna…
00:52:39 |
Wed 09 Apr 2025
Getting Away Makes You a Better Neighbor
Use the power of retreat and meditation to ease the stress of our frenetic lifestyle. From decades of friendship with the Dalai Lama, Pico Iyer has learned the value of sacred silence.
Guest: Pico …
00:47:26 |
Wed 02 Apr 2025
How to Snorkel Right in Your Own Backyard (Practically)
If snorkeling seems like something you can only do on a tropical vacation, think again. In this podcast episode, we meet a river snorkeling guide who encourages us to stick our heads in the water, ri…
00:52:50 |
Wed 26 Mar 2025
How a Writer Rewired Her Brain After Amnesia
After waking from a coma with devastating brain damage, Samina Ali relearns to walk and speak alongside her newborn son.
Guest: Samina Ali, author of "Pieces You'll Never Get Back: A Memoir of Unlik…
00:55:20 |
Wed 19 Mar 2025
Hare in the House: An Enchanting and Wild Companion
When Chloe Dalton starts caring for a newborn hare, the line between "indoors" and "outdoors" blurs—inviting her to explore the natural world that she previously took for granted.
Guest: Chloe Dalto…
00:54:39 |
Wed 12 Mar 2025
The Simple, Wonder-full Life of the Snowflake Man
From rural oddity to New York Times writer, Wilson Bentley's singular devotion to snow and desire to share it with others changed snow science forever.
Guests: Wayne Howe, former president of the J…
00:54:28 |
Wed 05 Mar 2025
Humor: A Powerful Tool in the Face of Anxiety
Clint Edwards' hilarious honesty gives encouragement to those struggling with mental health challenges. Facing off his anxiety
with humor and hope, he learns to raise his a family of his own after g…
00:52:49 |
Wed 26 Feb 2025
How Adoptee Found Birth Family Thanks to Mysterious Tattoo
When Korean adoptee Sara Jones went looking for her birth family, she wondered if a strange tattoo given to her in childhood could unlock any secrets. Adopted into an American family at age three, Jo…
00:52:50 |
Wed 19 Feb 2025
Pittsburgh's Revolutionary Black Paramedics Made a Breakthrough in Medicine, Part II
A norm-shattering young White female doctor joins Black paramedics in 1970s Pittsburgh. And, meet the graceful but determined Black paramedic who provided unheralded leadership in spite of racism fro…
00:39:36 |
Fri 14 Feb 2025
Pittsburgh's Revolutionary Black Paramedics Made a Breakthrough in Medicine, Part I
Before 1966, if you needed transport to the hospital, authorities might send a police car, or even a hearse. That year, Pittsburgh's non-profit Freedom House set out to change that for the city's pre…
00:43:41 |
Wed 12 Feb 2025
Unlock Unexpected Wisdom from a Dynamic Planet
The Earth's crust reveals a dynamic, lively epic unfolding. Dramatic changes in the Earth's geology offer inspiration for its human residents.
Guest: Marcia Bjornerud, author of "Turning to Stone: D…
00:50:04 |
Wed 05 Feb 2025
Discovering Extraordinary Awe in Tragedy
After cancer takes his brother's life, Dacher Keltner repeatedly experiences awe in ways that expand the boundaries of what, even for him, is real.
Guest: Dacher Keltner, founding director, Greater …
00:47:51 |
Wed 29 Jan 2025
Finding a New Life in the Woods
Jarod Anderson found unique purpose in the woods of his childhood during a life-threatening battle with depression. As the host of the popular podcast "The Cryptonaturalist," he shares real love for …
00:55:51 |
Wed 22 Jan 2025
Learning Ultimate Empathy . . . from Chickens
What can animals written off as "mindless" or "scary" teach us about developing compassion for the natural world and for other people?
Guest: Sy Montgomery, author of "What the Chicken Knows: A New …
00:46:34 |
Wed 15 Jan 2025
Not So Scary: The Dazzling Secrets of the Dark
Darkness makes even the most familiar places unfamiliar. But Leigh Ann Henion finds this exciting, not scary—night reveals a magical, wondrous world.
Guest: Leigh Ann Henion, author of "Night Magic:…
00:46:59 |
Wed 08 Jan 2025
So Much to Love About Constant Wonder!
A new season of fresh content is on its way! In the meantime, nature writer Gayle Boss takes a minute to enumerate the many joys that Constant Wonder brings her as a listener. Find out why an "abando…
00:06:03 |
Wed 01 Jan 2025
The Awe-Inspiring Magic Hidden in Everyday Delights
Poet and essayist Ross Gay talks about finding moments of wonder in everyday life. Wandering, finger painting, laundromats, bike riding, gardening, listening to beautiful music, recognizing the care …
00:54:19 |
Wed 27 Nov 2024
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