For this episode of The Big Why, we’re talking about salmon. They can travel hundreds of miles from the Pacific Ocean up the Columbia River to spawning grounds in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, but did they ever make it to Montana? That’s what fly fisherman and Anaconda resident Rob Murray wants to know.

For this episode, we're trying to answer a question with potentially cosmic implications: Flying saucers. Lights in the sky. Montana is a hotspot for UFO sightings. Today, Montana Public Radio reporter Edward O'Brien is tackling the question: Why are reports of UFOs so common in Montana?

Montana is home to more than 260 developed and natural geothermal sites. Huge resorts that once entertained the state’s wealthiest residents and off-the-beaten-path hot spots favored by locals. So we were curious: Where did Montana’s hot springs come from, and where are they going?

Welcome to The Big Why, a series driven by your curiosity about Montana. We'll answer your questions, large or small, about anything under the Big Sky. This is our inaugural episode and we're answering a question that has to do with this show's name: Why is Montana known as the "Big Sky state"?