Constant Wonder

What does it mean to truly listen: not just hear, but attend to the world with exquisite care? In this episode of Constant Wonder, host Marcus Smith sits down with Hank Lentfer, a sound recordist and acoustic ecologist who has spent decades capturing the natural world's most breathtaking voices from his home base in Gustavus, Alaska, gateway to Glacier Bay National Park. Lentfer shares unforgettable recordings — a humpback whale trumpeting over a mirror-calm sea, barnacles whispering as a shadow passes over them, ancient air bubbles escaping from icebergs — and the stories behind each one. But this episode is about far more than wildlife audio, along the way, he reflects on hunting as a spiritual practice, the amnesia of supermarkets, the never-ending dawn chorus that circles the globe, and caring for a mother with dementia whose ears still light up at a Hank Williams song. Lentfer's memoir "Faith of Cranes" is the throughline, and finding the sounds and stories that remind us we are not separate from the world is his life's work and the beating heart of this conversation. Guest: Hank Lentfer, author of "Faith of Cranes: Finding Hope and Family in Alaska" Photo Credit: Taliesin Black-Brown Chapters: (0:00) Meet Hank Lentfer (9:56) Unexpected Sounds (16:37) A Childhood of Blessed Insignificance (26:51) Uramuro's Satisfaction (37:08) Hunting and Amnesia Factories (52:24) Several Awakenings

Bringing the wonders of the natural world to the curious kids in your life, Constant Wonder KIDS is the podcast that turns everyday moments into extraordinary adventures! This new show from Constant Wonder shares fascinating facts and true stories about amazing people doing incredible things in nature. Join us as we explore the playful side of octopuses who enjoy toys like Lego bricks. Dive into the ocean with whale sharks and meet one who has an unexpectedly friendly personality. Or cheer for tiny athletes at the International Hedgehog Olympic Games. Each episode of Constant Wonder KIDS is a bite-sized story taken from its parent podcast, Constant Wonder. Perfect for road trips, bedtime listening, or when your brain’s got an itch that needs to be scratched.

Constant Wonder shares excerpts of three of our favorite episodes from 2023. We meet a family who discovered that their Nazi grandfather had actually aided the French resistance in WWII; we follow two intrepid female botanists along a death-defying boat trip through the Grand Canyon; we meet a "range rider" who keeps the peace between ranchers and wolves. These are only a sampling of the fascinating, inspiring conversations from the last year. Guests: Burkhard Bilger, author of "Fatherland: A Memoir of War, Conscience, and Family Secrets" and staff writer at "The New Yorker" Melissa Sevigny, author of "Brave the Wild River: The Untold Story of Two Women Who Mapped the Botany of the Grand Canyon." Thanks to Lew Steiger for allowing us to use his recordings of Lois Jotter's recollections. Daniel Curry, range rider and wolf advocate in Eastern Washington

Join us for conversations that invite you to discover, explore, and engage with the wonders of the world around you. New episodes available Wednesdays, starting September 20, 2023, on your favorite podcast platforms and the BYUradio app.

The abyss of the deep sea is anything but lifeless!