Last Born In The Wilderness

I speak with Dr. Daniel Swain, climate scientist and science communicator. We begin with the recent news of the Trump administration's deep cuts to current and future research on the climate crisis, and what impact this will have on our ability to track weather and climate trends in the years to come. I asked him to elaborate on his role as a weather and climate science communicator, especially in disaster scenarios, like during the devastating wildfires that swept through Southern California in January, which is "expected to become the costliest global wildfire disaster on record.” And on track with that subject, I asked Swain to explain the dynamic of hydroclimate volatility, also called hydroclimate whiplash, and how this dynamic can help us understand how the wildfires in California become so destructive so quickly, and the role anthropogenic global heating has in making disasters like this more volatile and far more likely. // Episode notes: https://www.lastborninthewilderness.com/episodes/daniel-swain // Sustain + support: https://www.patreon.com/lastborninthewilderness // Donate: https://www.paypal.me/lastbornpodcast

I speak with Dr. Daniel Swain, climate scientist and communicator, who focuses on the dynamics and impacts of extreme events—including droughts, floods, storms, and wildfires—on a warming planet. I asked Dr. Swain to elaborate on his role as a weather and climate science communicator, especially in disaster scenarios, like during the devastating wildfires that swept through Southern California in January, which is "expected to become the costliest global wildfire disaster on record.” // Support the work + listen to the full interview: https://www.patreon.com/lastborninthewilderness

Dr. Jonathan Howard returns to the podcast to discuss the collapse of public health in the United States. After coming on the podcast in 2023 to discuss his book, We Want Them Infected, Dr. Howard provides an update on some of the contrarian doctors and anti-vaccine influencers he has been following before and since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. // Episode notes: https://www.lastborninthewilderness.com/episodes/jonathan-howard-2 // Sustain + support: https://www.patreon.com/lastborninthewilderness // Donate: https://www.paypal.me/lastbornpodcast

Dr. Jonathan Howard returns to the podcast to discuss the collapse of public health in the United States. After coming on the podcast in 2023 to discuss his book, We Want Them Infected, Dr. Howard provides an update on some of the contrarian doctors and anti-vaccine influencers he has been following before and since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. // Support the work + listen to the full interview: https://www.patreon.com/lastborninthewilderness

Geographer, illustrator, author, and popular educator Dr. Linda Quiquivix joins me in this interview. Broadly speaking, we discuss the below: “a world where many worlds fit.” Much of this conversation is based on Dr. Quiquivix’s 2024 book, Palestine 1492: A Report Back, published by Wild Ox Books. // Episode notes: https://www.lastborninthewilderness.com/episodes/linda-quiquivix // Sustain + support: https://www.patreon.com/lastborninthewilderness // Donate: https://www.paypal.me/lastbornpodcast

Geographer, illustrator, author, and popular educator Dr. Linda Quiquivix joins me in this interview. Broadly speaking, we discuss the below: “a world where many worlds fit.” Much of this conversation is based on Dr. Quiquivix’s 2024 book, Palestine 1492: A Report Back, published by Wild Ox Books. // Support the work + listen to the full interview: https://www.patreon.com/lastborninthewilderness

Science journalist and author Brandon Keim joins me to discuss the origins and evolution of H5N1—popularly known as bird flu—explored in his excellent article for Nautilus, The Unnatural History of Bird Flu. Brandon Keim deftly covers the recent evolutionary history and trajectory of avian influenza, with a focus on H5N1 and its subvariants as it has become more virulent and has evolved into an emergent public health threat for the human species. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenzas (HPAI) emerge under specific environmental pressures and contexts, and the highly consequential influenza strain, H5N1, is no different, with the main culprit for its troubling evolution being intensive animal production. / Episode notes: https://www.lastborninthewilderness.com/episodes/brandon-keim // Sustain + support: https://www.patreon.com/lastborninthewilderness // Donate: https://www.paypal.me/lastbornpodcast

Science journalist and author Brandon Keim joins me to discuss the origins and evolution of H5N1—also known as bird flu—explored in his excellent article for Nautilus, The Unnatural History of Bird Flu. // Support the work + listen to the full interview: https://www.patreon.com/lastborninthewilderness

Indrajit Samarajiva, an insightful essayist and social-political commentator behind the blog indi.ca, dives into intriguing themes like the decline of White Empire and contemporary geopolitical shifts. He scrutinizes NATO's current role and questions its effectiveness in today's conflicts. Samarajiva also reflects on cycles of societal and ecological collapse, linking ancient stories with modern crises. His analysis of colonial narratives and their impact on identity and resistance adds profound layers to this captivating discussion.

Essayist and commentator Indrajit Samarajiva joins me to discuss several concepts he works with for his blog, indica.ca, including White Empire and its decline, the Axis of Resistance and the shifting terrain of warfare in the 21st century, and the limits to growth and collapse. // Support the work + listen to the full interview: https://www.patreon.com/lastborninthewilderness