logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2024
35m 8s

The Potato Show

NHPR
About this episode
Consider the potato.  The typical potato is not all that pretty. They can be beige and lumpy, dusty and speckled, and on top of that, they even sprout alien-like tentacles. Further, no one really knows what to make of the potato. Is it a vegetable, or so starchy that we should really consider it a grain?  It’s time for answers. The Outside/In team ventures i ... Show More
Up next
Jan 14
Bill McKibben has changed (but not that much)
One of the very first books for the general public about climate change was written and published by Bill McKibben in 1989. In The End of Nature, Bill wrote that continuing to burn fossil fuels would “lead us, if not straight to hell, then straight to a place with a similar tempe ... Show More
30m 30s
Jan 7
nom nom nom
You might not think much about the sticky bottle of vanilla sitting in the back of your pantry. But that flavor – one of the most common in the world – has a fascinating history, involving a fickle orchid and a 12-year-old enslaved boy who made the discovery of a lifetime. That’s ... Show More
30m 12s
Dec 31
Return of the Kiwi Apocalypse: 10 years of Outside/In
** We’re celebrating our 10 year anniversary and want you to come! Join us in Portsmouth, New Hampshire for a night of storytelling, featuring former Outside/In guests and hosted by our very own Nate Hegyi. Get your tickets here! ** In celebration of Outside/In’s 10th anniversary ... Show More
35m 24s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2025
Potatoes with Poppy O'Toole
In this episode, social media chef and queen of potatoes, Poppy O'Toole, explores the world of her favourite ingredient, the Potato. Last year, Poppy appeared on Mastermind, choosing the history of the potato as her specialist subject. Let’s just say… it didn’t quite go to plan. ... Show More
42m 17s
Oct 2019
Episode 02: Potato- An Unlikely Royal Vegetable
Aloo ki Sabzi, Mashed Potatoes and – everyone’s favorite – Batata Wada. One vegetable, so many different avatars! This starchy spud is so versatile and ubiquitous that you may think it’s always found favour with people. But the story of the potato is a long and chequered one!From ... Show More
27m 28s
Jul 2024
Who Brought the Potato Salad Episode?
This starchy side dish can inspire some strong opinions -- and side-eye. Anney and Lauren peel back the history behind the many, many iterations of potato salad.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
42m 50s
Nov 2024
Do carrots help us see better?
<p><strong>#199</strong></p> <p>In this episode of 'Chemistry for Your Life,' hosts Melissa and Jam explore the chemistry behind the popular belief that eating carrots improves night vision. They take a deep dive into the scientific processes, including how beta carotene from car ... Show More
51m 54s
Aug 2024
Weekly: Could mpox be the next covid-19?; Science of beat drops; Clothes made from potatoes
🎧 Episode 265 ⚡️ The latest mpox variant has infected a record number of people in central Africa, has been found in travellers in Sweden and Thailand, and the World Health Organization has now declared it a public health emergency of international concern – just 15 months after ... Show More
29m 45s
Jul 2025
Move Over Fireworks—Drone Shows Are Taking to the Skies
Drone shows are replacing fireworks for summer celebrations. They’re safer and more environmentally friendly but complicated to program and run. A recent preprint paper proposes an algorithmic solution that can take some technical challenges out of drone operators’ hands and give ... Show More
16m 6s
Sep 2025
The Spark of Life
<p>In the 1920s, a Russian biologist studying onion roots made a surprising discovery: underground, down in the darkness, it seemed like the cells inside the onion roots were making their own … light. </p><p>The “onion root experiment” went on to become something of a cult classi ... Show More
36m 1s
Jul 2024
Why do apples turn brown when we cut them?
<p><strong>#035 Rebroadcast</strong></p> <p>Do you like apples? Ever wonder why they turn brown when you cut them? This week, Melissa and Jam explore this very question. What's going on in these apples? Where does the brown come from? Is it a good or bad thing? Does it taste diff ... Show More
26m 58s
Jun 2025
Are organic vegetables healthier for you?
<p>Melissa and Jam dive into the definition and implications of organic foods. They explore what organic means according to USDA standards, dissect common misconceptions about pesticide use, and discuss whether organic produce is actually healthier. This detailed analysis include ... Show More
57m 52s