Curious Nashville

Have you ever looked closely at your Tennessee driver’s license? There might be something surprising in the fine print. Curious Nashville listener Sam Barocas used his microscope to find it. And then he asked:Why is there a microscopic typo on the Tennessee driver’s license?In some instances — likely on millions of licenses — a thin ribbon of text reads “The VolunDeer State.” With a ‘d.’Among the theories: It’s a genuine mistake. It’s an intentional security feature. It’s an easter egg tucked in by a mischievous designer. WPLN’s Justin Barney helps Curious Nashville get to the bottom of this mystery. 

Kudzu is a woody, hairy vine with distinct three-pronged leaves. During the blooming season in late summer, the plant produces grape-smelling purple flowers. And, always, it has a way of crowding out other plants."Kudzu is like a glamorous villain ... ‘the vine that ate the South,' " says Ben Nanny, the conservation director at Ijams Nature Center.This ubiquitous vine prompted this question:How did that annoying "kudzu" first get introduced to the area?The answer ties back to the late 1800s, reports Jacqui Sieber with WUOT in Knoxville. You can learn more in our "signal species" series.

It all starts with a question:“I live in East Nashville, on Sharpe Avenue. We adopted a hound mix and she digs up bizarre trash. Did people bury their trash? Was there no trash pick up? Auto parts, beer bottles, air gun cartridges, porn videos. Others in East have described similar experiences.”We’ve learned this is not an isolated experience. You folks are obsessed with what you find in the dirt. So, why do we dig what we dig?We’re unearthing some answers with metal detectorist Whit Hill, landscaper Matt Pilcher, and Ben Nance with the Tennessee Division of Archaeology.This episode was reported and produced by Tasha A.F. Lemley.