In New England, the Waterman name is like mountain royalty. But beyond a tight circle of outdoors-people, they're not a household name.
In February 2020, Sam Evans-Brown visited Laura Waterman, one of the most influential voices in American wilderness philosophy, for a conversation about writing, living off-grid, protecting Franconia Ridge, and how she's changed following the death of her husband.
Plus, another round of Ask Sam, in which the team discusses plant hair, shellfish, and birds-as-dinosaurs.
For more about Laura Waterman, visit her website.
Ask Sam: Trichomes, Bug Hair, Bug Tumors, and Mollusk Shells
Ask Sam: that special segment in which scientists worldwide cringe as Sam and the team speculate wildly on a diverse range of topics before picking up the phone to call in the real experts.
This time, we've got another hirsute mystery: are insect and plant hairs also made from the magical (seeming) protein called keratin? Also, do bugs get cancer? And which came first: the chachalaca (not a typo) or the turkey? And finally, why do ocean mollusks have tougher shells than their freshwater comrades?
Send us your nature questions! The Ask Sam Hotline (1-844-GO-OTTER) is always open, so do your best to stump the team and send us down another (figurative or literal) rabbit-hole.
