When Nat Geo Explorer Gibbs Kuguru was in college, he found himself trying to choose between two terrifying futures: going free diving with sharks off the coast of South Africa or, even scarier, studying for the MCAT. Since then, he’s become devoted to sharks. His genetic research has shown they can do remarkable things, like change color to become more effe ... Show More
Jul 2023
Trapped in the icy waters of the Northwest Passage
For centuries, the Northwest Passage, the long-sought sea route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through northern Canada, was a holy grail of Arctic exploration. Even now, sailing through it isn’t guaranteed. Mark Synnott, a National Geographic Explorer, writer, and adv ... Show More
34m 16s
Jul 2023
Playback: Modern Lives, Ancient Caves
There’s a lost continent waiting to be explored, and it’s right below our feet. We’ll dig into the deep human relationship to the underground—and why we understand it from an instinctive point of view, but not so much from a physical one. (Hint: We’re afraid of the dark.) In an e ... Show More
28m 39s
Jun 2023
Playback: This Indigenous Practice Fights Fire with Fire
For decades, the U.S. government evangelized fire suppression, most famously through Smokey Bear’s wildfire prevention campaign. But as climate change continues to exacerbate wildfire seasons and a growing body of scientific research supports using fire to fight fire, Indigenous ... Show More
29m 8s
Nov 2022
Advocating for Sharks and Other "Scary" Creatures
From a young age, Rachel Graham was interested in all kinds of marginalized animals, from snakes to bats. But when she went on a dive trip and experienced a real-life sharknado, it became clear that her future would be inextricably tied to sharks. This marked the beginning of her ... Show More
52m 50s
Jul 2024
PTG Classic: How Did Sharks Get Such a Bad Rap?
As summer reaches its height, everyone gets nervous about shark attacks. But how afraid should we be of these Jabberjaws? (Spoiler: not very.) From the hilarious way goblin sharks catch their prey, to the strange effect AC/DC has on sharks, to why Will and Mango wish they could t ... Show More
35m 38s
Jun 2025
Taylor Cunningham: Shamu Dreams, Underwater Photography, and Swimming with the Sharks
Send us Fan MailTaylor Cunningham is a trained marine biologist and shark diver. Growing up ten minutes from Sea World shaped what she wanted to do in life– and that was to train Shamu. In this episode, we dive into the controversy around aquariums and animals in captivity, the i ... Show More
1h 28m