Hosted by Jill Riddell, The Shape of the World is a podcast about cities, nature and people. The Shape of the World shines a light on how we and other living things thrive and co-exist. We speak with scientists, artists, planners and philosophers about th
The Shape of the World podcast is a hidden gem among environment-based podcasts. As someone who typically doesn't seek out these types of podcasts, I was pleasantly surprised by how thoroughly enjoyable it was. This podcast covers a range of interesting topics and manages to avoid the drone that can sometimes be found in educational podcasts. It also provided me with a newfound knowledge, as I discovered that I had been incorrectly referring to multiple octopus as "octopi."
One of the best aspects of The Shape of the World is its ability to bring hope and honest conversations about our world. The podcast features diverse and interesting voices, providing a refreshing perspective on environmental issues. The host, Jill, asks all the right questions during interviews, making each episode both informative and engaging. The educational aspect of this podcast is top-notch, leaving listeners feeling inspired and motivated to make positive changes in their own lives.
Another standout aspect of this podcast is its appeal to a wide range of interests. Whether you're into science, nature, the environment, or even art, The Shape of the World has something for everyone. The content is not only interesting but also inspiring and informational. Each episode invites listeners to explore different facets of our world and learn something new along the way.
While it may be difficult to find any faults with this podcast, one potential downside could be its narrow focus on environmental topics. If you're looking for a more diverse range of subject matter in your podcasts, this may not be the best fit for you. However, if you have an interest in cities or nature specifically, this is definitely a must-listen.
In conclusion, The Shape of the World podcast is an incredibly well-done production that offers insightful conversations about the nature that surrounds our cities. Jill Riddell's talent for interviewing shines through as she engages with each brilliant mind featured on the show. With its mix of education and inspiration, this podcast leaves a lasting impact on its listeners. Both seasons are binge-worthy, and I highly recommend giving this podcast a listen if you want to expand your knowledge and appreciation of the world around us.
Ferris Jabr, author of Becoming Earth, claims that it is: that Earth is a vast interconnected living system and we humans (and all other living things) don't just live...
Ferris Jabr, author of Becoming Earth, claims that it is: that Earth is a vast interconnected living system and we humans (and all other living things) don't just live...
Dr. Adrienne Brown reads cities the way professors read novels: carefully, and with lots of attention to what's written between the lines.
Dr. Adrienne Brown reads cities the way professors read novels: carefully, and with lots of attention to what's written between the lines...
Daniel Holz studies black holes, gravitational waves, and cosmology, all while also running the Existential Risk Laboratory...
Daniel Holz studies black holes, gravitational waves, and cosmology, all while also running the Existential Risk Laboratory at the University of Chicago.
Biologist Sara Lewis doesn't just study fireflies—for her, fireflies are a living reminder that the world is pure magic. In this episode, the author of Silent Sparks: The Wondrous World of Fireflies unpacks the science of fireflies.
Biologist Sara Lewis doesn't just study fireflies—for her, fireflies are a living reminder that the world is pure magic. In this episode...
Biologist Dr. Seth Magle wants to rethink what a city is – and who it's for. As part of an alliance with 50 cities around the globe, Seth and other wildlife researchers have discovered an overlooked truth: that our large cities teem with interesting native wildlife.
Artist Laurie Palmer believes they can. In her book, The Lichen Museum, Laurie explores what we can gain from learning to see life the way a lichen does.
Season SIX Will Launch This Friday, May 9th New episodes, new guests, and new insights about nature and our built environments coming soon with season 6 of Shape of the World. And more on how we can live together–with nature, with cities, and with one another. Listen on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite platform.
Biologist David George Haskell says this collective inattention is a huge loss for each of us. It's like leaving money on the table because paying attention to the living world is a source of beauty, joy and renewal—one we can access at anytime from anywhere.
Margaret Renkl's new book "Graceland at Last: Notes on Hope and Heartache From the American South is mix of graceful observations and practical solutions.
The organization Nick Wesley co-founded, Urban Rivers, is creating The Wild Mile, the first-ever floating eco-park of its scale in the world.
Guest Jenn Smith says that human concepts of intergenerational wealth and inequality occur also in the behaviors of animals.
Guest Jenn Smith says that human concepts of intergenerational wealth and inequality occur also in the behaviors of animals.
When Jane Watson encountered a ruined meadow of seagrass in the ocean, instead of getting furious, she grew curious.
Season Five Will Launch July 2022 New episodes, new guests, new insights about nature and our built environments are coming soon. And more on how we can live together--with nature, with cities and with one another. Subscribe in your favorite podcast app or check back here.
Season Five Will Launch July 2022 New episodes, new guests, new insights about nature and our built environments are coming soon. And more on how we can live together--with nature, with cities and with one another. Subscribe in your favorite podcast app or check back here.
Sarah Cowles encourages radically rethinking the synthetic landscapes found in cities. When welcoming nature to our human cities, do we aim for an...
Dr. Caitlin Rankin's research shows that a long-held theory about why an ancient civilization passed out of existence was wrong. Cahokia Mounds in...
Dr. Scarlett Howard's research on cognition of honeybees got a lot of media attention when in 2018, she published a paper that showed bees can...
Tony Hiss's new book, “Rescuing the Planet: Protecting Half the Land to Heal the Earth,” lays out both the urgency for and possibility of protecting...
Tony Hiss's new book, “Rescuing the Planet: Protecting Half the Land to Heal the Earth,” lays out both the urgency for and possibility of protecting...
Jeanne Gang has an explicit intention to make the human built environment as kind as possible for birds, nature, wildlife and the Earth's atmosphere...
Architect Jeanne Gang has an explicit intention to make the human built environment as kind as possible for birds, nature, wildlife and the Earth's atmosphere...
Climate change is scary. The magnitude of the problem makes it hard for people to commit to direct action to solve it, hoping instead (reasonably but perhaps impractically!) that government will do the work...
Climate change is scary. The magnitude of the problem makes it hard for people to commit to direct action to solve it, hoping instead (reasonably but perhaps impractically!) that government will do the work...
Akiko Busch is well-known for her writing on design, culture and the natural world. Her essays continue to touch on those subjects although increasingly, it incorporates—or directly addresses—the natural world...
Akiko Busch is well-known for her writing on design, culture and the natural world. Her essays continue to touch on those subjects although increasingly, it incorporates—or directly addresses—the natural world...
Andrew Robichaud explores the peculiar coexistence of people and farm animals in America's cities. In the 1800s, it wasn't unusual for men wearing top hats and formal attire to stride down tony Manhattan avenues right next to goats and cows...
Andrew Robichaud explores the peculiar coexistence of people and farm animals in America's cities. In the 1800s, it wasn't unusual for men wearing top hats and formal attire to stride down tony Manhattan avenues right next to goats and cows...
Dr. Katy Greenwald has a longstanding interest in puzzling out the success and persistence of North America's "gene thieves," the unisexual (all female) Ambystoma salamanders...
Dr. Katy Greenwald has a longstanding interest in puzzling out the success and persistence of North America's "gene thieves," the unisexual (all female) Ambystoma salamanders...
David Sibley started drawing birds at age five and never stopped. Having an ornithologist father and being around his father's friends, all of whom were also interested in birds, made birdwatching seem an ordinary thing all grown men did...
David Sibley started drawing birds at age five and never stopped. Having an ornithologist father and being around his father's friends, all of whom were also interested in birds, made birdwatching seem an ordinary thing all grown men did...
Structural geologist Marcia Bjornerud was raised by free-thinking parents who instilled in her a love of books and nature. She's published many professional papers (read mainly by experts in the field) and two popular books that, in the opinion of this podcast, ought to be read by every inhabitant of our planet...
Structural geologist Marcia Bjornerud was raised by free-thinking parents who instilled in her a love of books and nature. She's published many professional papers (read mainly by experts in the field) and two popular books that, in the opinion of this podcast, ought to be read by every inhabitant of our planet...
Even though the coronavirus pandemic is keeping 226 million Americans sheltering in place, stepping out for fresh air is still allowed. But what's safe?
Even though the coronavirus pandemic is keeping 226 million Americans sheltering in place, stepping out for fresh air is still allowed. But what's safe?
In Openlands, Jerry Adelmann joined an organization whose interests aligned perfectly with his own: nature, culture, historic preservation, social equity. Since then, Jerry has been a ninja nature practitioner who's…
In Openlands, Jerry Adelmann joined an organization whose interests aligned perfectly with his own: nature, culture, historic preservation, social equity. Since then, Jerry has been a ninja nature practitioner who's…
Janet Voight grew up in Iowa, far from the ocean. Yet as a young adult, she found her way to the study of marine organisms, especially the cephalopods: that strange and wonderful system that includes snails, clams, squids, nautilus, and octopuses...
Janet Voight grew up in Iowa, far from the ocean. Yet as a young adult, she found her way to the study of marine organisms, especially the cephalopods: that strange and wonderful system that includes snails, clams, squids, nautilus, and octopuses...
When Dr. Jalene LaMontagne was growing up, her family moved every three to five years. “I was a military brat,” she says. For a while they lived…
When Dr. Jalene LaMontagne was growing up, her family moved every three to five years. “I was a military brat,” she says. For a while they lived…
Most scientists study animals while they're stationary. It's a lot easier that way. But Melina Hale studies fish in motion. She wants to find out what's happening inside their brains—and what signals are traveling through their system from brain to fin and fin to brain—that allow movement to occur...
Most scientists study animals while they're stationary. It's a lot easier that way. But Melina Hale studies fish in motion. She wants to find out what's happening inside their brains—and what signals are traveling through their system from brain to fin and fin to brain—that allow movement to occur...
Sylvie Anglin's epiphany of how nature can integrate into both the curriculum and character of a classroom occurred the year she co-taught with Carol Brindley, a veteran teacher of first and second graders...
Sylvie Anglin's epiphany of how nature can integrate into both the curriculum and character of a classroom occurred the year she co-taught with Carol Brindley, a veteran teacher of first and second graders...
As a child, Peggy Mason was a biology prodigy. Today, as a neurobiologist, Peggy is still working with mammals, but instead of preserving their skins, she's studying whether they experience empathy and act to help one another...
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
