Best Natural Selection Podcasts (2024)

1
COURTING DISASTER 32:39

41m ago32:39

32:39

The stakes are high for Scott McAda as he faces off against William “Wild Bill” Holbert in a Panamanian courtroom. The wealthy retiree is confident that his meticulous preparation will bring him justice and reveal he is telling the truth, not the avowed murderer in shackles sitting across the table. But, once again, Scott underestimates his nemesis…

1
CERTIFIED PSYCHOPATH 48:31

1h ago48:31

48:31

As the body of another victim lays in a shallow grave in Bocas del Toro, serial killers William “Wild Bill” Holbert and Laura Michelle Reese flee Panama. A manhunt crisscrosses Central America, lasting weeks while the expat community in Bocas reels from the news that their friendly neighborhood barkeep was actually a cold-blooded murderer. Despite …

1
FRIENDLY FIRE 48:59

10d ago48:59

48:59

Not long after American fugitive William “Wild Bill” Holbert lands in Central America, he sets up shop as a “psychiatrist” catering to fellow expats, a ruse which helps him progress from con man to serial killer. As a fake therapist he hones two useful skills – building trust and feigning empathy – that he uses to his advantage while targeting peop…

1
RIDE OR DIE 36:49

7d ago36:49

36:49

One Spring evening in 2010, Scott McAda is waiting on the docks of Bocas del Toro, Panama for a friend to whisk him across the lagoon when along comes a boat with one occupant - William “Wild Bill” Holbert. Wild Bill insists on taking Scott to his destination, leaving the two men alone in the remote, open waters. Scott has no clue that months earli…

1
THE JOLLY ROGER SOCIAL CLUB 45:07

14d ago45:07

45:07

William “Wild Bill” Holbert and his companion Laura Michelle Reese fled Costa Rica for Panama and are now running a dockside bar close to their new home called The Jolly Roger Social Club. The hangout is popular with expats, like wealthy American retiree Scott McAda, who grow accustomed to Wild Bill slinging drinks in a Viking helmet and telling ou…

1
THE CONCRETE PLAN 50:25

1M ago50:25

50:25

American fugitives and prolific con artists William “Wild Bill” Holbert and Laura Michelle Reese murder a man in Costa Rica, steal his suitcase full of money and dispose of his body in the yard of their rental home. Then the killers escape over the border into Panama to find their next mark. When they come upon a family selling their property in th…

1
THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING 50:09

1M ago50:09

50:09

Over a year has passed since that night aboard the Natural Selection. By now, William “Wild Bill” Holbert has graduated from grifter to murderer. He is arrested (along with his faithful companion, Laura Michelle Reese) and charged with murdering six fellow ex-pats in Central America. As he awaits trial in a Panamanian prison, Wild Bill makes a shoc…

1
I AM A GOD 45:25

1M ago45:25

45:25

Bocas del Toro, Panama – 2009. Scott McAda, his wife Belinda, and their son Wes are enjoying a peaceful sunset on their yacht, the Natural Selection, when a motorboat approaches. An American couple introduce themselves as Bill and Jane Cortez. Always a friend to fellow expats, Scott invites them on board for a cocktail, but after several rounds of …

1
Treefort Media & VREG present: "Natural Selection: Scott v Wild Bill" 2:31

6M ago2:31

2:31

From Treefort Media and Village Roadshow Entertainment Group.... Narrated by Candice DeLong (creator and host of the hit podcast KILLER PSYCHE WITH CANDICE DELONG)... A sunny place for shady people... Scott has no idea that his tropical heaven is about to become his personal hell. === For more details on the show, our host, etc: http://naturalselec…

1
12th January 2024 1:27:47

8M ago1:27:47

1:27:47

12th January 2024 by Douglas FirsBy Douglas Firs

1
Natural Selections: "Couch potato" bass evolving in response to human predation 5:12

3y ago5:12

5:12

(Oct 21, 2021) The pressure to keep billions of humans fed can have a transformative impact on amimal populations. Overharvesting that targets the largest animals can result in reduction of the average size of species, as seen in Caribbean conch snails. And sport-fishing pressure on large mouth bass can winnow out the most agressive in the gene poo…

1
Natural Selections: Get to know your closet nemesis, the clothes moth 5:34

3y ago5:34

5:34

(Oct 14, 2021) Keratin, the substance wool, hair, and feathers are made from, makes a pretty thin diet, but the clothes moth has been dogging humanity's closets and drawers for hundreds of years, unravelling the work of generations of knitters and weavers to feed its larvae.By Natural Selections

1
Natural Selections: For cats, the comfort zone is shaped like a box 4:46

3y ago4:46

4:46

(Oct 7, 2021) Of all the places a cat can hang out, why do do many of them want to hang out in boxes? According to researchers, cats that spend time in close confines are measurably less stressed than those remaining in the open. As Curt Stager tells Martha Foley, it's not just house cats who feel this way.…

1
Natural Selections: How nature journals put the history in natural history 5:49

3y ago5:49

5:49

(Sep 30, 2021) Martha Foley has never succeeded in keeping a nature journal long-term, but Curt Stager finds them invaluable in his work. He records his observations on paper, but also finds great data through researching the journals of past observers, from Samuel de Champlain to Thomas Jefferson, to ordinary little-known North Country folk.His hi…

1
Natural Selections: Bats can sing, too! 5:13

3y ago5:13

5:13

(Sep 23, 2021) Humans, birds, and whales are not the only creatures who can sing. Martha Foley and Dr. Curt Stager discuss recent research that uncovered bats also use learned songs to communicate.By Natural Selections

1
Natural Selections: Just how individual are animals? 5:04

3y ago5:04

5:04

(Sep 16, 2021) We tend to think that dogs do this, and that cats do that. We think animal species have a recognizable set of behaviors that define the nature of their kind. But what about individual animals? Does each have something we could understand as a unique personality?By Natural Selections

1
Episode 74 - Goodbyes 55:30

3y ago55:30

55:30

This week the Natural selection say goodbye.. at least for now. In this our final episode, we touched on some of our favourite topics or subjects that we haven’t discussed in previous episodes. We learned about some extinct species and some species that have reappeared after being thought extinct. We got meta and investigated the world of memes bot…

1
More fish: good for the flowers, bad for the snakes 5:11

3y ago5:11

5:11

(Sep 9, 2021) The complex web of species interaction is full of odd associations. Stocking a lake with fish cuts down on dragonflies, which helps pollinators, which helps the flowers bloom. Or it can cut down on amphibians such as newts, which is bad for garter snakes. Invasive flowering purple loosestrife is good for insects and birds that feed on…

1
Episode 73 - Extinctions 38:56

3y ago38:56

38:56

The Natural Selection is back! This week we talk all about why The Ordovician blew a little hot and cold, why the great dying was great news for us, and which pigeon once blocked out the sun. In this episode we talk about: Common Sydney octopuses (Octopus tetricus) jacobin hummingbirds (Florisuga mellivora) Titanoboa (Titanoboa cerrejonensis) Passe…

1
Episode 39 (2) : Sinking into Seaspiracy with Dr. Bryce Stewart 26:26

3y ago26:26

26:26

In the second half of this double episode, Emily and Jimmy speak all things Seaspiracy with Dr. Bryce Stewart, a marine ecologist and fisheries biologist, and surface for some much needed ocean optimism and hope for our future.By University of Exeter

1
Episode 39: Navigating UK fisheries in post-Brexit seas 26:19

3y ago26:19

26:19

In the first half of this double episode, Emily and Jimmy talk with Dr. Bryce Stewart, a marine ecologist and fisheries biologist, about the impact of Brexit on our UK fishing industry.By University of Exeter

1
Really, really big bugs (and some tiny ones, too) 5:24

3y ago5:24

5:24

(Sep 2, 2021) Martha Foley? - not a fan of bugs. And Curt Stager took a course on them to steady his own reactions. The Natural Selections team looks at the outliers on the spectrum, the largest and smallest of critters with too many legs.New Zealand's weta makes a real handful. The fairy fly is nearly invisible. Some prehistoric dragonflies were b…

1
Episode 71 - Beaks 39:22

3y ago39:22

39:22

The Natural Selection is back, and this week we are talking all about beaks! Listen now and learn why you shouldn't squeeze pliers with jelly in your hands, how to calm down a goose, and which bird is better than a speeding train. In This episode we talk about: Flesh Flies - Sarcophaga similis Avocets - Pied Avocets Recurvirostra avosetta Oviraptor…

1
Natural Selections: The evolution of breathing 6:10

3y ago6:10

6:10

(Aug 26, 2021) All creatures breathe in some fashion, but how the job gets done has changed from fish to amphibian to reptile to mammal.Curt Stager and Martha Foley chart the evolution of animal respiration.By Natural Selections

1
Bonus Clip! 4:25

3y ago4:25

4:25

So, we had a technical malfunction this week with the recording, but our episode all about beaks will be back next week! Until then, please enjoy this special out-take from a previous episode.

1
Natural Selections: Why pigeons feel at home in the city 5:19

3y ago5:19

5:19

(Aug 19, 2021) The ubiquitous bird of cities and towns was designed for a different environment. The pigeon's distinctive style of flight is adapted for maneuverability in tight places - near vertical takeoffs and quick changes of direction. This adaptation to cliff and mountainside environments serves them well among our urban cliff dwellings. Cur…

1
Episode 71 - Butterflies 46:15

3y ago46:15

46:15

Join us as this week The Natural Selection Presents... Butterflies! (and moths). In this episode, we learned all about some beautiful butterflies and marvelous moths. We explored coevolution with flowers, dazzling displays, and some butterflies brought back from the brink of extinction. Listen now to find out more. Thanks for listening and please l…

1
Natural Selections: Pigeons are doves, high-rises are cliffs 5:06

3y ago5:06

5:06

(Aug 12, 2021) Pigeons and doves, both domestic and feral, are the same species. Today's urban environment mimics their original favored habitat, seaside cliffs in Europe and Asia. Martha Foley and Curt Stager discuss this commonest bird companion in densely settled areas.By Natural Selections

1
Episode 70 - Grasslands 46:26

3y ago46:26

46:26

The Natural Selection returns to talk about Grasslands! Listen now and learn how to name a Gorilla, How high a bison can jump, and where to find a cheetah. In This Episode We talk about: News: Giraffes Dung Beetles Microgastrinae Wasps Theme: Poaceae/Grasses - Wheat, Rice and Bamboo Insects of the steppe and prairie - Beetles, ants, mites, springta…

1
Northern Flicker, the anteater of the woodpecker family 5:27

3y ago5:27

5:27

(Aug 5, 2021) The Northern Flicker is one of the most recognizable birds. This distinctly-marked member of the woodpecker family, instead of browsing wood for their food like their relatives, digs for food in the ground. Martha Foley and Curt Stager explore its habits.By Natural Selections

1
Episode 69 - Red 45:07

3y ago45:07

45:07

This week the Natural Selection were seeing red and exploring another colour we see all over the natural world. We discussed the IUCN red list and how it helps policy changes. We explored some brightly pigmented animals and some animals that have just gotten too much sun. Listen now to find out more. Please like and share if you enjoyed this episod…

1
Natural Selections: Why manatees are related to elephants, and whales are related to deer 5:25

3y ago5:25

5:25

(Jul 29, 2021) Animals that resemble each other may not be closely related. Sometimes the setting shapes their bodies more than their ancestry. Manatees may look like whales or walruses, but that is only because they adapted to the marine environment in a similar way. Martha Foley and Curt stager talk about convergent evolution.…

1
The manatee: like the mermaid, its kin live on land 5:59

3y ago5:59

5:59

(Jul 22, 2021) The big marine herbivore, the manatee, is thought by some to be the origin of mermaid legends, but it's not closely related to humankind or even to whales and other marine mammals.By Natural Selections

1
Episode 68 - Green 43:46

3y ago43:46

43:46

This week the Natural Selection found out it's not easy being green.. well not if you’re a mammal anyway. This week we talked all about the colour green and how and why some animals and most plants are green. Why aren’t there any green mammals? How does chlorophyll work? What is that green bird in Hyde park? Listen now to find out more! Next week w…

1
July 2021 59:58

3y ago59:58

59:58

July 2021 by Douglas FirsBy Douglas Firs

1
Natural Selections: Can ADK lake trout survive climate change? 5:13

3y ago5:13

5:13

(Jul 15, 2021) Lake trout require a lot of cold, oxygenated water to survive. Lakes in the Adirondacks of upstate New York are at the southern edge of their natural range. Although about 100 Adirondack lakes and ponds are still home to lake trout, even a small increase in temperature could sharply cut that number.…

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Natural Selection Podcasts

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