Frog Sex, Tree Soap, and Other Signs of Spring

It’s that time again, when scientists everywhere hold their breath as we open our listener mailbag. It’s spring in the northern hemisphere, so the theme of the questions in this episode is “growth” — with the exception of the last question, which is… kind of the opposite. Question 1: Um, what are those frogs doing? (go to our website to see the picture) Question 2: What’s that white foam that forms on trees when it rains? Question 3: Does moss get damaged when you walk on it? Question 4: What’s the best filling for raised beds in the garden? Question 5: How long does it take for a dead squirrel to decompose? [insert image] Thanks for the excellent questions, Louise, Mihaela, Tricia, Kevin, and Nicolas! Do you have a question about the natural world? Submit it to the Outside/Inbox! Send a voice memo to [email protected] or call our hotline: 1-844-GO-OTTER (844-466-8837). Don’t forget to leave a number so we can call you back. Featuring: Nat Cleavitt, Rebecca Roy, Yolanda Burrell, and Sibyl Bucheli   SUPPORT Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In.  Subscribe to our FREE newsletter. Follow Outside/In on Instagram or Twitter, or join our private discussion group on Facebook   LINKS Check out one of many salacious articles about frog sex, or read the somewhat less sensational study about underwater breeding chambers.  And here’s one more study about frog sex; specifically simultaneous polyandry.    CREDITS Host: Nate Hegyi Reported and produced by: Taylor Quimby, Justine Paradis, Felix Poon, and Jessica Hunt Mixed by Taylor Quimby, Justine Paradis, and Felix Poon  Editing by Taylor Quimby, with help from Rebecca Lavoie and Justine Paradis  Rebecca Lavoie is our Executive Producer Music for this episode by Blue Dot Sessions Our theme music is by Breakmaster Cylinder. Outside/In is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices