Up First from NPR

Hot Dam: Why beavers are Britain’s new climate heroes

August 16, 2026·26 min·4-min readnarrativescience
Podzilla Summary (4 min)
TLDR
Beavers, once hunted to extinction in Britain, are being reintroduced as natural engineers to combat climate-driven flooding and restore ecosystems. Their return is transforming landscapes and reigniting tensions between conservationists and farmers.


PREMISE

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Guest

L

Lauren Frayer

narrative on Up First from NPR

Mentions

Books, people, and resources mentioned in this episode.

People

Lauren FrayerMillieBjornarElliot NewtonSean McCormickKate MaitlandTom Bowser

Books

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobeby C.S. Lewis

Companies

National Farmers Union

Topics

Climate ChangeEcologyLong Form JournalismScientific Method

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