Nocturne

The U.S. Forest Service defines wilderness as having, "outstanding opportunities for solitude". When Adam Danielson summited Mount Shasta, he got more solitude than he would ever want. Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast The Nyctalops Credits Nocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe. Music Nocturne theme music by Kent Sparling Additional music: Kent Sparling // Jeffrey foster Episode art by Magdalena Metrycka Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast Nocturne is a proud member of Hub and Spoke audio collective.

Many sighted people envision being blind as inhabiting an endless night, but the realities of blindness are often much richer and more varied. Andrew Leland offers glimpses from the Country of the Blind. Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast The Nyctalops Credits Nocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe. Music Nocturne theme music by Kent Sparling Additional music: Kent Sparling // Jeffrey foster // Kid Otter Episode art by Magdalena Metrycka Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast Find Andrew Leland, as well as information about his new memoir, The Country of the Blind, here. Nocturne is a proud member of Hub and Spoke audio collective.

Whether it's to hear live music, to hang out, or to hook up, bars and clubs are a big part of nightlife for a lot of people. But going out to a bar is not without risk, particularly for women, LGBTQ+ and non-binary people. Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast Angel Shot Credits Nocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe. Music Nocturne theme music by Kent Sparling Additional music: Kent Sparling // Myles Boisen // Kid Otter Episode art by Magdalena Metrycka Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast Find info about Safe Bars and Lauren Taylor's other work. Nocturne is a proud member of Hub and Spoke audio collective.

Until fairly recently, there was no distinct focus on the archeology of the night. Lacking a specific nightitme lense through which to view relics from the past, archeologists had been missing an opportunity to capture a whole complete portrait of ancient people's lives. It was kind of like painting a picture and filling in only half the canvas.Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast Nightways CreditsNocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe.MusicNocturne theme music by Kent SparlingAdditional music:Kent Sparling // Jeffrey Foster // David Hughes // Kid OtterEpisode art by Magdalena MetryckaSupport Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast Find Nancy Gonlin's books here.Nocturne is a proud member of Hub and Spoke audio collective.This episode was brought to you with support from Betterhelp. Visit Betterhelp.com/Nocturne to get 10% off your first month.

Hey there - it's Vanessa. There will be a new episode of Nocturne in your feed next week, but in the meantime, I want to share a story from another podcast that I think you’ll really like. The show is called Out There, and it’s one of our fellow podcasts in the Hub & Spoke audio collective. On the surface, Out There is about the outdoors. But just like the other Hub & Spoke shows, it’s so much more than that. Their stories explore what it means to be human, and they use nature as a lens to help you make sense of the world. You can find Out There wherever you listen to podcasts and at outtherepodcast.comStory by Stepfanie Aguilar. Editing and sound design by Willow Belden. Music includes selections from Marc Merza and Blue Dot Sessions

An unexplained sound at night is like an actor on a stage, or a mystical beast drawing power from the moon. Without all the other noise competing for attention, sound at night stands out, it travels farther, it bends and shimmers in unexpected ways. It can tantalize, mesmerize, terrify or downright destroy you in irritation.  At the very least it can capture the imagination.Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast Bump in the Night CreditsNocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe.MusicNocturne theme music by Kent SparlingAdditional music:Kent Sparling // Jeffrey FosterEpisode art by Magdalena MetryckaSupport Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast Nocturne is a proud member of Hub and Spoke audio collective.This episode was brought to you with support from Storyworth. Visit Storyworth.com/Nocturne today to save $10 on your first purchase.

Christina Gil began her career as an architect in Columbia. As she worked and traveled, she started thinking about how lighting could be part of the solution to making cities safer and more inviting, specifically for women at night.  An idea began to take form for a project, an initiative really - called The Night-Time Traveller. The mission of the Night-Time Traveller project would be to explore urban night design from a women's perspective. Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast In Shadow Places Credits Nocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe. Find out more about The Night-Time Traveller and Christina Gil's work. Music Nocturne theme music by Kent Sparling Additional music: Kent Sparling // Jeffrey Foster Episode art by Magdalena Metrycka Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast Nocturne is a proud member of Hub and Spoke audio collective. This episode was brought to you with support from BetterHelp for supporting this episode. Visit BetterHelp.com/Nocturne today to get 10% off your first month. I have a request! If you have a story about a mysterious sound in the night, let me know! I may use it in an upcoming episode! You can leave a voicemail at (510) 982-6959‬, or send me a recording in an email at vanessa at nocturnepodcast.org.

In most major urban and suburban areas in the U.S., it's easy to take for granted that the streets are for cars - that's just the way it is almost all the time. That's what we expect to see and experience, day and night.So, when you come across a road taken over by joyful people on bicycles, with cars stuck on the sidelines, it's kind of a delightful spectacle.  In fact, around where I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, that's called a bike party.Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast Hot for Teacher CreditsNocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe.Find out more about East Bay Bike Party , and the attacks on riders during the February ride.MusicNocturne theme music by Kent SparlingAdditional music:Jeffrey FosterEpisode art by Magdalena MetryckaSupport Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast Nocturne is a proud member of Hub and Spoke audio collective.This episode was brought to you with support from BetterHelp for supporting this episode. Visit BetterHelp.com/Nocturne today to get 10% off your first month.This episode was also brought to you with support from Ocusleep. Visit Ocusleep.com and use the code NOCTURNE for $40 off and free shipping.I have a request! If you have a story about a mysterious sound in the night, let me know! I may use it in an upcoming episode! You can leave a voicemail at (510) 982-6959‬, or send me a recording in an email at vanessa at nocturnepodcast.org.

In a world where the nutritional needs of sex workers is not given much consideration, Nikeisah Newton feeds strippers the most scrumptious healthy things she can think of. And she delivers.Support Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast Meals 4 Heels CreditsNocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe.Find out more about Meals 4 Heels .MusicNocturne theme music by Kent SparlingAdditional music:Jeffrey Foster // Kid OtterEpisode art by Magdalena MetryckaSupport Nocturne by donating at www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast Nocturne is a proud member of Hub and Spoke audio collective.This episode was brought to you with support from BetterHelp for supporting this episode. Visit BetterHelp.com/Nocturne today to get 10% off your first month.

From tree surfing to sleeping in trees, Peter Jenkins has done it all. And he's spent more than half his life teaching others how to do it, too.

There are some experiences that, while wonderful at any time, are amplified in their wonderfulness when they happen at night. This is one of them.

Dreams are often thought of as windows into the unconscious mind. Charles Mcphee made a career of interpreting people's dreams on the radio as "The Dream Doctor".  When Rachel discovered the show as a kid, it became a different kind of window - offering strange and surprising insight into the minds of adults.

Monte Rio is a tiny peaceful Northern California town, nestled in a hilly forest of redwoods, beside a river. Who’s starting all the fires?

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about what it would feel like to take a long walk through a dark, dark night, without fear. So, I decided to take myself on a walk like that, with you. This night feels strange and different. The darkness and the glittering bits of light are not as they usually appear, how they usually feel.

You won't find the word "Tenebrisology" in the dictionary - yet. It means, "the study of natural darkness", and it was created by Jane Slade. Her work in the lighting industry woke her up to the darkness we're all missing, and her mission to bring it back.

I rarely talk about the fact that I pretty much always feel hyperaware, if not nervous, when I'm out alone at night. I'm embarrassed to admit that. But I'm not alone. Hannah Drake asked the question, "What would you do out at night if you weren't afraid?", and the answers were illuminating.

Amanda and her husband went out on a guided nighttime kayaking tour for their anniversary. What they'd hoped would be a relaxing, romantic excursion into nature turned into something else entirely.

Some things can only really be experienced in a dark theater full of people. The Rocky Horror Picture Show, with its midnight shows spanning more than 45 years, is the longest running theatrically released film in history, but it's more than just a movie.

en you're at the Oakland Zoo at night you can see the glow of the city in the sky overhead. But down on the ground, in amongst the animals, it's an entirely different world.

Pedram's dog, KitKat, is the most important thing in his life - their close emotional bond is a source of comfort and delight. But this bond also comes with constant fear, because they live in Iran where dogs are considered "untouchable", and the only truly safe place is in the dark shadows of the night.

Hey there - it's Vanessa. I'm hard at work on a brand new episode of Nocturne to be released in a couple of weeks. But in the mean time, I wanted to let you know about another show that I think you'll really like. So, I decided to feature an episode here in the Nocturne feed.This story comes from Twenty Thousand Hertz, a lovingly crafted podcast that reveals the stories behind the world's most recognizable and interesting sounds. The episode is called Sonic Bubbles, and it's about how humans have shaped our sonic environment.Twenty Thousand Hertz has also done episodes about the music in human speech, spy messages on the radio, and the sounds of other planets. Subscribe to Twenty Thousand Hertz, right here in your podcast player, and enjoy Sonic Bubbles now.A new episode of Nocturne is coming your way soon.

Astronomer James Lowenthal gave a TEDx talk in 2016 warning that with the availability of cheap LED lights, light pollution around the world was about to get much worse very quickly. Little did he know that there was a much bigger threat to the night sky right around the corner.

Dvora has interacted with elemental spirits since she was a child.  She's learned to set boundaries, so as not to be attacked or taken advantage of. Sometimes the elementals just want to talk, sometimes they need help,  and sometimes they're the ones offering help. Nocturne is having a 30 day special offer on https://www.Patreon.com/nocturnepodcast ! Sign up to become a supporter at the $5 level or above and get all the existing benefits (including Night Light bonus episodes), AND I will send you a treat bag with Nocturne stickers and some other cool stuff.

Danny's first skydiving experience set him on course to do something that most people would never dream of doing, something that for most people would actually be seriously terrifying, and for good reason. This story is about something that is dangerous, illegal, and I don't recommend it, AT ALL.

Clustering around the warmth and power of a campfire, it feels like the edges of people get softened - we speak and listen to each other differently - there's a deepening that doesn't happen in many other settings. What use to be the norm, is now a special treat -  gazing into the embers, listening to the mesmerizing crackle, and telling our own secrets and stories in the night.

There are only 6000 tule elk left in the world, all of them found in California. Some of them roam along the coastal hills of Point Reyes National Seashore, an area that is also occupied by cattle and dairy ranches. To protect grazing land for cows, some of the elk are confined by high fences. But as drought worsens, and the elk are cut off from food and water, large numbers of them are dying. A band of activists have been trekking through the fog, in darkness, to try to help them. Through the Fog CreditsNocturne is produced by Vanessa Lowe.MusicNocturne theme music by Kent SparlingAdditional music:Kent Sparling Find more information about Jack Gescheidt.Sounds of the nighttime water drop were recorded by Tony Sehgal, for his film, "Dying of Thirst at Point Reyes National Seashore".More information on the issues related to the tule elk and cattle operations at Point Reyes National Seashore:www.ForElk.orgwww.IDAusa.org www.pacificsun.com/death-by-design-how-the-national-park-service-experiments-on-tule-elk/www.sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2020/09/13/point-reyes-protest-calls-out-park-service-over-tule-elk-water-supply/www.ptreyeslight.com/article/elk-activists-stage-protest-ranch-landwww.ptreyeslight.com/article/true-boom-and-bust-fenced-herd-shrinks-droughtEpisode art by Magdalena Metrycka 

Kim felt an irresistible pull toward life on the road - the traveler's lifestyle, without schedules or responsibilities. Hopping freight trains and searching for places to sleep are now a thing of the past, but she still tries to hold on to the spirit of adventure and surprise she loved from that time.

Grace felt everything deeply from an early age. She was having panic attacks at 9 years old, and separation anxiety in middle school. The anxiety came to a head when she was 12, and nothing she tried helped in any meaningful way. Until one night she looked out her window.

Tonight, as you're lying in bed, take a moment to think about the fact that in the night sky right above you, a massive river of birds is on an epic, death-defying journey of survival.

Most parents would never consider leaving their kids in the dark woods at night, and letting them find their way back. The Dutch do just that, and they call it Dropping, and the kids mostly have fun.

When Lia Ditton set out from San Francisco to row alone across the Pacific Ocean she was  confident that she would make it to Hawaii. But when you leave land, all you really know is that you're going on an adventure.

I've been thinking about fear, and movement, and exploration, and safety. I've been thinking about barriers, and perimeters - those we create and those that are imposed. Pushing yourself into fear on purpose gives some comfort that maybe you'll be able to navigate life when you really have no control, when your thrown into a darkness bigger and deeper than you would ever choose.

The night represents a slowing, quiet contemplation, autonomy, dreams ... the dominion of rest. But Grind Culture tells us that our worth is in our productivity. The Nap Bishop is here to tell us, "No".  Rest is not a privilege, it's a human right. Sleep deprivation is a social and racial justice issue. And, "Resting is actually going to allow you to wake up."

Alec had spent countless summer days near Mammoth Pool Reservoir, in the Sierra National Forest. His memories were filled with fun and relaxation. As Alec and a friend arrived at the lake the first night of the Labor Day Weekend, there was little to indicate that this weekend would be any different than the trove of happy memories he had of this place.

The challenges of being unhoused are almost too many to count. They take on a distinct flavor at night.

The challenges of being unhoused are almost too many to count. They take on a distinct flavor at night.

A walk through a park, an urban rooftop, a forest trail - all of these are one experience in broad daylight, and entirely another after nightfall. The river, Aare, in Switzerland transforms into another creature in the darkness. Read more →The post The Drop appeared first on Nocturne.

A walk through a park, an urban rooftop, a forest trail - all of these are one experience in broad daylight, and entirely another after nightfall. The river, Aare, in Switzerland transforms into another creature in the darkness.

When Sally lost her brother to suicide, a friend advised her to be open to the possibility that he would try to visit her from beyond. Despite her initial skepticism, what she experienced in the ensuing months changed her mind completely. Read more →The post The Last Dream appeared first on Nocturne.

When Sally lost her brother to suicide, a friend advised her to be open to the possibility that he would try to visit her from beyond. Despite her initial skepticism, what she experienced in the ensuing months changed her mind completely.

What if, out of nowhere, you started hearing a low-frequency rumble, like a truck idling right outside your home, in the middle of the night, every night for weeks and months on end -- and no one else could hear it? Read more → The post Can You Hear That? appeared first on Nocturne.

What if, out of nowhere, you started hearing a low-frequency rumble, like a truck idling right outside your home, in the middle of the night, every night for weeks and months on end -- and no one else could hear it?

To connect with an owl, even in a small way, is a rare gift. There is no animal more emblematic of the night. Elusive, mysterious and powerful: owls inspire both fear and awe. Read more →The post Two Owls appeared first on Nocturne.

To connect with an owl, even in a small way, is a rare gift. Elusive, mysterious and powerful: owls inspire both fear and awe. 

While graffiti is seen by some as blight, and by others as art, the act of hiding in the shadows and stealthily scrawling your name on a wall is ultimately about being seen, rather than doing damage. This was definitely the case for a boy who went by the tag, "Zebra" in Philadelphia back in 1975. Read more →The post Zebra appeared first on Nocturne.

While graffiti is seen by some as blight, and by others as art, the act of hiding in the shadows and stealthily scrawling your name on a wall is ultimately about being seen, rather than doing damage. This was definitely the case for a boy who went by the tag, "Zebra" in Philadelphia back in 1975.

In this high tech world, you're never without a camera, and can take a picture anywhere you go. But do these images convey the feelings of awe, excitement, wonder and fear you had while you were in those places? Adam Katseff discovered a way to do this by taking landscape photographs in the dark of night, revealing more by showing less. Read more →The post Filling in the Blanks appeared first on Nocturne.

In this high tech world, you're never without a camera, and can take a picture anywhere you go. But do these images convey the feelings of awe, excitement, wonder and fear you had while you were in those places? Adam Katseff discovered a way to do this by taking landscape photographs in the dark of night, revealing more by showing less.

If you look closely enough at this seemingly idyllic stretch of road, nestled between a lake and a steep hillside in Northern California, you'll notice it's not so idyllic — at least not for the newts and salamanders determined to cross to the other side. Read more → The post Newt Brigade appeared first on Nocturne.

There's a half mile stretch of road nestled between a lake and a steep hillside in rural Northern California. This road is idyllic and lush, with cows, sheep, birds and abundant wildlife. But if you look closely on rainy winter nights, it's anything but idyllic for the newts and salamanders determined to cross to the other side. Sally Gale is a rancher in Chileno Valley. One night, she resolved to help these tiny creatures, and that's how we got the Newt Brigade. Night Newt. Photo credit: Sarah Digness.Chileno Valley Road at night. Photo credit: Vanessa Lowe. Sally Gale on the road. Photo credit: Vanessa Lowe. Chileno Valley Ranch. Photo credit: Vanessa Lowe. Night newt. Photo credit: Sarah Digness.