Soil! Dirt! Earth. Dr. Lydia Jennings, aka Native Soil Nerd, breaks down the stuff under our feet and explains everything from mining to why soil can be different colors. Also: medicine from microbes, giving back to the land after extractive processes, collecting samples in urban rivers, elders’ ecological knowledge, planting hot Cheetos, potting soil mysteries, lung fungus, the smell of rain and why gardening makes you happy. Oh and running hundreds of miles for your science.

Listen via Stitcher, Apple, Podbay, Podcast Addict, Spotify, Overcast, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

transcript

You can follow Lydia's adventures on Twitter, Instagram or at her website

A donation was made to Rising Hearts and to Lydia’s film, Will Run for Soil

Links to things we discussed:

Evaluating the Biotic Potential of Degraded Soil Development on Reclaimed Mine Tailings in Southern Arizona

How Two Indigenous Runners Made a Film Connecting Running and Environmental Activism

“Run to Be Visible”

“Will Run for Soil”

Gardening for health: a regular dose of gardening

Gardening can cultivate better mental health

“Identification of an immune-responsive mesolimbocortical serotonergic system: Potential role in regulation of emotional behavior”