The Big Why

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Answers to your questions — big or small — about anything under the Big Sky. Let's see what we can discover together!

Montana Public Radio


    • May 22, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 8m AVG DURATION
    • 67 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Big Why

    The Pig Why: How Montana pork producers bring home the bacon

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2025 8:47


    This week's topic comes from a listener who asks, ‘Why is there no hog industry in Montana?' While Montana famously has more cows than people, as we dug into this question, we found out that pigs are a big deal in Montana.

    The Big Why: Where do the buffalo roam?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2025 8:01


    In 2023 the Blackfeet Nation released bison into the Chief Mountain area along the border of Glacier National Park. The release was part of a plan to build a free roaming herd in a place bison had been absent from for more than 100 years. One listener wants to know where those bison are now.

    The Big Why: Spinning tales of mystery and murder on the Madison

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2025 8:53


    In the '90s, whirling disease hit trout populations hard in Montana, at one point leading to a 95% decline in rainbow trout in the Madison River. It sparked concern among biologists, anger in tourist towns and even played a role in a murder mystery novel. It also inspired this week's question: What's happening with whirling disease and other threats to trout?

    The state lottery was meant to help fund schools. Does it?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2025 8:07


    When voters authorized the Montana Lottery in 1986, the promise was that lottery revenues would be used for education funding. Now, with schools facing budget woes and lawmakers debating funding bills, one listener wants to know if this gamble is paying off.

    What is 'conifer expansion' and how does it affect the water supply?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2025 8:37


    More than half a million acres in southwest Montana have been impacted by conifer expansion. It used to be that fires would come through these landscapes and burn back the trees, but that natural cycle isn't happening anymore. Now, more trees are encroaching into traditional sagebrush habitat, and that has impacts on our water supply.

    Why does the state have a Spanish name? Why so many Rock Creeks? 'And-aconda?' Racetrack?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2025 8:51


    Why does the state have a Spanish name? Why so many Rock Creeks? What's the deal with 'And-aconda'? Racetrack? This week, a sequel to an episode we ran all about Montana's place names and their numerous and sometimes humorous origins.

    Join us for our 60th anniversary party on Feb. 7th!

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2025 0:20


    Come celebrate MTPR's 60th anniversary with a birthday bash on Feb. 7th at the Union Club in Missoula! It's a night of music, cake, and mingling with MTPR staff and fellow public radio fans.

    Agriculture is a 'graying' industry. Are Montana youths prepared to take over?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2025 8:52


    Farming and ranching combined generate billions of dollars in revenue and employ tens of thousands of Montanans. They're also on the cusp of a generational sea change. One listener wants to know how young people are being encouraged and prepared for life as a farmer or rancher.

    What would a federal abortion ban mean for Montana's new constitutional protections?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2025 8:23


    Montana voters approved a constitutional amendment in November to protect access to abortion. What would federal anti-abortion laws mean for Montana's new amendment?

    Snow is melting earlier. What does that mean for our groundwater supply?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2024 8:13


    You probably know snowpack affects the amount of water in our rivers. But snowmelt also recharges underground water systems and flows back into the rivers and streams, keeping them running even after the snow melts. What happens to groundwater supplies when the snowmelt comes earlier in the year?

    What do we know about Montana's earliest residents?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2024 8:54


    An archeological find in the Shields Valley in 1968 revealed some surprising new information about the earliest inhabitants the state, and provides a window into the shifting ethics of modern archeology. Our story starts in the Ice Age, when people took to the mountains of Montana to hunt camels, cheetahs and mammoths.

    What happens when rail lines are abandoned?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2024 8:37


    Railroads helped build the state we know today. Now, rail travel has all but disappeared in Montana, and many unused lines are going dormant or being abandoned. What happens to them next?

    What happens to abandoned oil & gas wells in Montana?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2024 7:49


    An oil company comes in, drills a hole and a well is born. But what if the well stops producing or the company in charge goes bankrupt, leaving behind holes that can be thousands of feet deep, spout toxic gasses and muck things up on the surface? These so-called 'orphan wells' are all over Montana.

    How's life as an urban deer?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2024 8:34


    "How's life? Are you liking life okay? Are you aware that you're living a really unusual life for a deer? I just got really curious because you can't ask a deer how it's feeling. So I thought I'd ask you guys and see if you had some insights."

    What makes Montana's Ringing Rocks ring?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2024 8:50


    The Ringing Rocks is a roadside attraction people have been visiting for a long time. It's a big heap of boulders that give off a resonant bell-like ringing sound when struck with metal; at least theoretically. A listener wants to know what makes these rocks ring.

    How we vote is on the ballot: Here's what the proposed changes would mean

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2024 8:39


    Two proposals Montanans will vote on this year would change how the state runs its future elections. Supporters say they'll combat political polarization and extremism. Opponents say they may muck up our elections.

    How hard is it to charge an electric vehicle in Montana?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2024 7:32


    Billions of dollars in federal funds have been set aside for electric vehicle charging stations across the country. What does that look like in Montana?

    Why political ads don't have to be truthful

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2024 8:08


    This week we're looking at the most annoying aspect of any election year: political ads. A listener wants to know if there's any kind of fact checking done before these ads air.

    How does winter snowpack affect summer wildfires?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2024 8:38


    As summer heats up in Montana, so does wildfire season. This raises the question, does winter snowpack really correlate to the severity of the wildfire season? And what does a 'normal' fire season mean?

    What's the story with teacher pay in Montana?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 4, 2024 8:39


    This time around, we're unpacking an answer to a tricky education question: "Why is Montana ranked one of the last in the nation for teacher salary, and how might this be changing in the next legislative session?"

    What are individual Montanans doing to combat climate change?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2024 8:29


    In the third and final episode of our Big Why climate series, we travel across the state to meet Montanans banding together to combat climate change.

    Why are Montana's primary elections held so late in the year?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2024 8:32


    Montana's primary elections — which take place later than those in all but a handful of states — are now officially in the rear-view mirror. That raises a good question: Why are Montana's primaries so late in the year? It's a question that stumped many historians. Here's what we found out.

    At election time, how should we judge judges?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2024 8:37


    Montana has seen record levels of fundraising for Supreme Court candidates in recent years, parties seem to have their favorite candidates and outside special interest groups spend a lot of money to influence these races. On top of that, not everyone is familiar with the workings of the court. So, how can voters evaluate candidates for state Supreme Court?

    Why does it seem like the homeless population is growing?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2024 7:58


    A listener wants to know why it seems like the homeless population is growing. We'll look at this issue both statewide and in Missoula to put it into context.

    Why are there so many 'casinos' in Montana?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2024 8:24


    Everywhere you look in Montana, there are places to gamble. Odds are good you've seen machines in bars, liquor stores and of course, gas stations. How did Montana end up with so many "casinos," and what does it have to do with bingo? The only sure bet is that The Big Why team has the answers.

    Donate today during MTPR's spring pledge week

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2024 0:15


    Listener support is what makes this podcast possible. Donate now to support the service you rely on for statewide news.

    Why is Livingston so windy? Who's the woman on top of the Capitol dome?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2024 7:50


    In this special episode of The Big Why, A New Angle host, Justin Angle, joins Austin Amestoy to answer two questions.

    How are cities and tribes responding to climate change?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 29, 2024 8:36


    This is the second in our series about how Montana is responding to climate change. The state doesn't have a climate action plan, but that doesn't mean nothing is happening on the ground. Here's what cities and tribes in Montana are doing to adapt to and mitigate climate change.

    What's the best form of local government? You get to decide

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2024 8:38


    A local government review is designed to evaluate how a city or county government operates right now, and also explore ways that the government can improve. This spring, voters have an opportunity change the structure of their local government for the next 10 years.

    What's so hard about plowing the roads?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2024 9:11


    When it comes to winter driving, everyone wants their route clear and dry, and they want it done quickly. Why don't the plows come sooner or more often? Why don't they drop more salt or deicer? Why not get more drivers on the road? Tag along as a Montana snowplow driver prepares for a big winter storm and find out more about the logistical, environmental and technical challenges that come with keeping the roads clear of snow.

    How did the Ninepipe wetlands form — and how will climate change affect them?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2024 7:48


    The Ninepipe wetlands cover thousands of acres across the Mission Valley. Nearly 15,000 acres are protected by federal, state and tribal agencies, and many more are on private lands. It's a sprawling complex of wetlands and grasslands tucked at the base of the Mission Mountains. A listener wants to know how the wetlands there formed and if climate change poses a threat.

    Little kids, big questions — and dinosaurs!

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2023 11:36


    After a year of taking questions from our adult listeners across Montana, The Big Why team thought it would be fun to see what kids are curious about. They wanted to know 'why was the first dinosaur found in Montana?'

    How does a small town rebuild after a devastating wildfire?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2023 8:38


    A wildfire burned through the small town of Denton, MT in December of 2021. It burned more than 10,000 acres and destroyed 25 homes. So how is the town of Denton rebuilding, and what does wildfire resilient construction look like?

    How much land have reservations in Montana lost to white settlement?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2023 7:44


    One listener wants to know why non-Natives make up a majority of the population on the Flathead Reservation. Another listener asks how much land Montana's reservations lost to White settlement. The answer goes back to an 1887 law that ramped-up the federal government's efforts to assimilate Native people and erase their cultures.

    What is Montana doing to address climate change: Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2023 8:34


    Following a lot of news about climate change, protests, presidential directives and court cases, a listener wants to know what Montana is doing to address climate change. It's a big question, so the answer will come in three parts. Here's part 1.

    What's happening with the glaciers in the Mission Mountains?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2023 8:39


    A listener is curious about how glaciers are faring in the south end of the Mission Mountains, those big peaks you can see from Highway 93 on the Flathead Reservation. Learn more about them now, on The Big Why.

    Why is there no sales tax in Montana?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2023 8:38


    Montanans hate it. Politicians fear it. Supporters discuss it in hushed tones after the blinds are closed and the kids are tucked safely into bed. Yet, It doesn't exist in Montana. What is it? Today we're talking about the sales tax. Wait, don't go! The tax debate is actually pretty hot right now, and a listener wants to know why Montana remains one of the few states without a sales tax.

    What's the story behind Montana's old state orphanage?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2023 8:41


    A Helena listener had a long-simmering curiosity about a relic of Montana history that still sits just across the Beaverhead River from Twin Bridges: The old Montana State Orphanage built in 1894. We took a look around with one of the previous residents. Join us for the tour, on this episode of The Big Why.

    Did you know Montana has a state lullaby?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2023 9:12


    You may know Montana has an official state animal, a state bird, a state gemstone and a state fruit. But did you know we have a state lullaby? Neither did we. Here's what we learned.

    What makes Montana's Ringing Rocks ring?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2023 8:34


    The Ringing Rocks is a roadside attraction people have been visiting for a long time. It's a big heap of boulders that give off a resonant bell-like ringing sound when struck with metal; at least theoretically. A listener wants to know what makes these rocks ring.

    Last winter was rough in Montana. How did wildlife fare?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2023 8:35


    The Yellowstone area got more snowfall this winter than any time in the past 23 years. Listeners want to know, how did the extreme winter affect animals like deer, elk and bison?

    'I can't drive 55.' Why Montana's speed limits keep increasing

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 6, 2023 8:08


    Montana's speed limit has bounced between nonexistent (twice), 55 mph, 75 mph and now 80 mph. Why? Meanwhile, Montana has some of the highest traffic fatality rates in the country, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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