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Science

That's Just Wild

Fresh Air

Steve Backshall, Lizzie Daly and Sarah Roberts bring you a wildly entertaining nature show filled with adventure, behind-the-scenes stories, and fascinating facts. Think: unexpected encounters, jaw-dropping science, and nature like you’ve never heard it before.

 

Every Tuesday join adventurer, explorer and broadcaster Steve Backshall, wildlife biologist Lizzie Daly, and journalist Sarah Roberts as they dive deep into the wonders of the natural world. From braving Arctic extremes to swimming with sharks, each episode begins with a bold superlative—Flamboyant, Freezing, Venomous—and unfolds into their remarkable tales of the wild.

 

Then, every Friday, it’s your turn. Our Q&A episodes tackle your most need-to-know nature questions—from how not to become bear food to how long is an elephant’s trunk?  


Because the world is wild, its wonders are endless—and we’re here to tell the stories that prove it.


For ad-free listening and special episodes, support the podcast at thatsjustwild.com.


Produced in the wild by Fresh Air.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  • 98 episodes
  • Updated May 7

Episodes98

Newest first
  • Jul 25, 2025 · 25 min

    Q&A: Marine Turtles, Singing Birds and Farting Fish

    Do sharks fart? 🦈💨 Join Steve Backshall, Lizzie Daly, and Sarah Roberts to find out in this week's Q&A, as the team answer your questions... 🤔 What's a Narluga? 🎶 Why do birds sing at dawn? 🐢 Why do tortoises stay on land, but turtles go in the sea? If you have a question you’d like our expert trio to answer, e-mail the team at 📧 questions@thatsjustwild.com or reach out on Instagram or YouTube @thatsjustwildpod. 🔔 Make sure you follow That’s Just Wild wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an answer. 🚫📢 For ad-free listening and special episodes, support the podcast at thatsjustwild.com. Go to thatsjustwild.com to get ad-free listening, special deep-dive episodes and exclusive That's Just Wild goodies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jul 22, 2025 · 39 min

    Shapeshifters: Clown Fish, Poison Dart Frogs, and Wonderful Wunderpus

    Which animal has the best disguise? 🥸 Join Steve Backshall, Lizzie Daly, and Sarah Roberts as they explore the best shapeshifters in the animal kingdom. Why do clown fish change sex? Is that a jellyfish or a plastic bag? And what happens when Steve's pet chameleon makes a surprise appearance? 🔔 Make sure you follow That’s Just Wild wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an answer. 🚫📢 For ad-free listening and special episodes, support the podcast at thatsjustwild.com. Go to thatsjustwild.com to get ad-free listening, special deep-dive episodes and exclusive That's Just Wild goodies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jul 15, 2025 · 37 min

    Team Players: Termite Snow, Starling Skies and Flying Ant Day

    How do birds know how to fly in formation? Why do flying ants all seem to appear at once? And what on earth is termite snow?! This week wildlife legends Steve Backshall, Lizzie Daly, and Sarah Roberts dig into the critters that operate as one. We meet the team players: from cicadas synchronising their song to ants that perform surgery on each other - and survive! Follow wherever you get your podcasts so that you never miss an episode - and don’t forget to listen out for our Q&A eps every Friday. If you have a question you want answering e-mail the team at questions@thatsjustwild.com. Go to thatsjustwild.com to get ad-free listening, special deep-dive episodes and exclusive That's Just Wild goodies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jul 4, 2025 · 25 min

    Q&A: Dolphins, Sharks, and Toxic Relationships

    Do shark nets work? Which animal has the most toxic relationship? And why dolphins have the best PR of the animal world... It's time for another Q&A where Steve Backshall, Lizzie Daly and Sarah Roberts answer your wild questions. Plus, here are the books mentioned in this episode for any keen readers: The Malay Archipelago - Alfred Russel Wallace Climbing Mountain Probable - Richard Dawkins Somebody Swallowed Stanley - Sarah Roberts The Secret - Rhonda Byrne Coming of Age with Elephants - Joyce Poole The Explorer - Katherine Rundell Follow wherever you get your podcasts so that you never miss an episode - and don’t forget to send your questions to questions@thatsjustwild.com. Go to thatsjustwild.com to get ad-free listening, special deep-dive episodes and exclusive That's Just Wild goodies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jul 1, 2025 · 34 min

    Punks: Honey Badgers, Bearded Vultures, and Mohawked Turtles

    Who are the punks of the animal kingdom? Why do honey badgers scare lions? Why are Cassowary birds so badass? Wildlife legends Steve Backshall, Lizzie Daly and Sarah Roberts bring serious attitude to this episode of That's Just Wild. This week we meet the rebels, including: devil fire fish (taking over the Caribbean), turtles with Mohawks (that can breathe from their bum), and headbutting tenrecs (note, NOT a hedgehog) ...And that time Steve Backshall had a ponytail. Watch Lizzie's documentary VULTURE: The Story of the Bearded Vulture. Follow wherever you get your podcasts so that you never miss an episode - and don’t forget to listen out for our Q&A eps every Friday. If you have a question you want answering e-mail the team at questions@thatsjustwild.com. Go to thatsjustwild.com to get ad-free listening, special deep-dive episodes and exclusive That's Just Wild goodies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jun 29, 2025 · 34 min

    LIVE: Osprey, Sharks, and the Loch Ness Monster

    Can sharks smell period blood? Is wildlife conservation effective? What happened to the Loch Ness Monster? Steve Backshall, Lizzie Daly and Sarah Roberts are LIVE from Cheltenham Science Festival... With some familiar voices (Robin Ince and Dallas Campbell) AND an actual audience! Plus: The worst creatures to work with (don't have nightmares), frogs with extra limbs (save the amphibians) and what's lurking in the deep sea (lots and lots of mysteries). Go to thatsjustwild.com to get ad-free listening, special deep-dive episodes and exclusive That's Just Wild goodies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jun 27, 2025 · 19 min

    Q&A: Hippos, Bees, and Underrated Rats

    Did you know hippos and whales share a common ancestor? Steve Backshall, Lizzie Daly, and Sarah Roberts take on your questions: Why do rats get a bad rep (meet the real Pinky and the Brain)? Do animals learn from each other (don't eat cane toads)? Are there any animals that could outsmart humans (it's all about that hivemind)? If you have a question you’d like our expert trio to answer, e-mail the team at questions@thatsjustwild.com or reach out on Instagram or YouTube @thatsjustwildpod. Make sure you follow That’s Just Wild wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an answer. For ad-free listening and special episodes, support the podcast at thatsjustwild.com. Go to thatsjustwild.com to get ad-free listening, special deep-dive episodes and exclusive That's Just Wild goodies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jun 24, 2025 · 34 min

    Slimy: Hagfish, Banana Slugs, and Vampire Squids from Hell

    Vampire squids create shimmering decoys, scientists defrost a 45,000 year old worm, and banana slug mucus can numb toothache. Steve Backshall, Lizzie Daly and Sarah Roberts slide into this week's slippery episode and cover everything from whale anal syrup (be careful what you google!), exploding ants (that smell like curry) and the secret to your latest moisturiser (snail to the face, anyone?) Follow wherever you get your podcasts so that you never miss an episode - and don’t forget to listen out for our Q&A eps every Friday. If you have a question you want answering e-mail the team at questions@thatsjustwild.com. For ad-free listening and special episodes, support the podcast at thatsjustwild.com. Go to thatsjustwild.com to get ad-free listening, special deep-dive episodes and exclusive That's Just Wild goodies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jun 20, 2025 · 19 min

    Q&A: Black Widows, Blue Whales, and Orcas wearing Salmon hats

    “When the jaws open wide, and there’s more jaws inside, that’s a Moray” wins the prize for the most creatively asked question in this week's Q&A ep. Why do Moray Eels have two sets of jaws? is not the only question Steve Backshall, Lizzie Daly and Sarah Roberts get their teeth into … but it’s the only one that gets an enthusiastically delivered duet. This week we also cover spider love stories (mate munching), dinosaur leg bones (massive) and trend-setting whales (salmon hats and a song that crossed an ocean). If you have a question you’d like our expert trio to answer, e-mail the team at questions@thatsjustwild.com or reach out on Instagram or YouTube @thatsjustwildpod. Make sure you follow That’s Just Wild wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an answer. For ad-free listening and special episodes, support the podcast at thatsjustwild.com. Go to thatsjustwild.com to get ad-free listening, special deep-dive episodes and exclusive That's Just Wild goodies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jun 17, 2025 · 40 min

    Colourful: Birds of Paradise, Binturong and Dancing Dinosaurs

    Why is blue the hardest colour to produce? Why are bright colours rarely a mistake? And do albino snakes get sunburn? This very colourful episode is recorded on location at Longleat Safari Park, where Steve Backshall, Lizzie Daly and Sarah Roberts are joined by some very special guests: A Burmese python with blue eyes called Monty (Python, Monty Python) A binturong, or bearcat, called Biscuit (who’s neither a bear, nor a cat) And a pair of red footed falcons called Kieron and Ben (super noisy) Plus: Mimicry in colour (the cheeky, sneaky ways that animals use colour to pretend they are what they aren’t), the real Jurassic Park (think jazz-handed dancing dinosaurs with brightly coloured feathers) and albinism in animals. Follow wherever you get your podcasts so that you never miss an episode - and don’t forget to listen out for our Q&A eps every Friday. If you have a question you want answering e-mail the team at questions@thatsjustwild.com. For ad-free listening and special episodes, support the podcast at thatsjustwild.com. Go to thatsjustwild.com to get ad-free listening, special deep-dive episodes and exclusive That's Just Wild goodies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jun 13, 2025 · 27 min

    Q&A: Parasites, Giraffe Necks, and Shark Attacks

    Hypodermic syringe spines spurting venom a foot in the air, a thirty metre long parasite, and optimal giraffe neck length are just some of the topics covered in this Q&A episode. But that’s not all. Steve Backshall, Lizzie Daly and Sarah Roberts are back using their incredible wealth of expertise, insight and anecdotes to answer your wild and wonderful questions. This week they include Steve’s comedy career (brief), giraffe necking competitions (brutal), a question of mistaken identity (shark attacks) and an identity deliberately disguised (that fish that looks like a rock that you then stand on and get stung by). If you have a question you’d like our expert trio to answer, e-mail the team at questions@thatsjustwild.com or reach out on Instagram or YouTube @thatsjustwildpod. Make sure you follow That’s Just Wild wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an answer. For ad-free listening and special episodes, support the podcast at thatsjustwild.com. Go to thatsjustwild.com to get ad-free listening, special deep-dive episodes and exclusive That's Just Wild goodies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jun 10, 2025 · 38 min

    Venomous: Bullet Ant Rituals, Box Jellyfish, and Wandering Spiders

    What is venom? How does it work? And how do different species use it? Wildlife legends Steve Backshall, Lizzie Daly and Sarah Roberts are back with a bite this week, in a truly venomous episode of That's Just Wild. As well as some awe inspiring stories of poisonous creatures we get geeky with the science, and dive into the development of a universal *anti-venom. *Trigger Warning - this episode contains content that some listeners may find distressing. Animal testing is referred to as part of a discussion of the process of anti-venom development. Plus: Steve relives getting stung thousands of times by bullet ants... on purpose. (There's a theme developing here.) Lizzie shares her own narrow escape. (There could have been a serious sting in this tale). And Sarah questions what you should really do if a jellyfish stings you. (Spoiler alert: don't pee on your friends!) Follow wherever you get your podcasts so that you never miss an episode - and don’t forget to listen out for our Q&A eps every Friday. If you have a question you want answering e-mail the team at questions@thatsjustwild.com. For ad-free listening and special episodes, support the podcast at thatsjustwild.com. Go to thatsjustwild.com to get ad-free listening, special deep-dive episodes and exclusive That's Just Wild goodies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jun 6, 2025 · 22 min

    Q&A: Milking Ants, Silver Foxes and Pigeon Top Trumps

    What do milking ants, silver foxes and pigeon Top Trumps have in common? They form the answers to some of the questions in our very first That's Just Wild: Q&A episode. Between them Steve Backshall, Lizzie Daly and Sarah Roberts have a wildly impressive wealth of experience of our natural world. Every week we raid it to answer your burning wildlife questions - sometimes serious, sometimes silly - always with some interesting detours along the way. This week they include one of Steve’s near-death filming experiences, some suprising Vampire Bat behaviour, and a look back in time at our ocean's earliest deadliest creatures. If you have a question you’d like our expert trio to answer, e-mail the team at questions@thatsjustwild.com or reach out on Instagram or YouTube @thatsjustwildpod. Make sure you follow That’s Just Wild wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an answer. Go to thatsjustwild.com to get ad-free listening, special deep-dive episodes and exclusive That's Just Wild goodies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.