Answers to your questions — big or small — about anything under the Big Sky.
The Big Why (get it?) is part of MTPR’s commitment to community-led journalism, telling the diverse stories of Montanans like you.
Join us in this collaborative! Ask your questions about anything under the Big Sky and we’ll help dig up the answers.
No question is too big or too small for the Big Why. Let's see what we can discover together!
Join us in this collaborative! Ask your questions about anything under the Big Sky and we’ll help dig up the answers.
No question is too big or too small for the Big Why. Let's see what we can discover together!
The word "wildfire" often conjures dramatic images of walls of flame, charred landscapes and one particularly famous photo of elk in a river, surrounded by flames. So, how do wildlife fare during these big fires? This week on The Big Why, a listener asks, why we don't get any statistics on wildlife that die in wildfires.
Listener favorites
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Austin AmestoyA Helena listener had a long-simmering curiosity about a relic of Montana history that still sits just across the Beaverhead River from Twin Bridges: The old Montana State Orphanage built in 1894. We took a look around with one of the previous residents. Join us for the tour. This episode was first released September 27, 2023. -
Staff Sgt. Alan R. Wycheck/National Park ServiceAcross Montana there are hundreds of nuclear missile silos and launch facilities hidden in plain sight. If you didn't know what you were looking for, you probably wouldn't know what they were. So, why are there so many nuclear missile sites in Montana? -
The Montana Constitution says "The state and each person shall maintain and improve a clean and healthful environment in Montana for present and future generations." How did that get included, and what does it mean for Montana? Learn more now on The Big Why -
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? -
Courtesy of the Montana Historical SocietyA flag's primary purpose is to be recognized from a distance. That means few colors, no lettering and a clear distinction from other flags. Ideally, it should be simple enough for a child to draw it from memory. So, how did Montana end up with such a complicated flag? Learn more in this episode of The Big Why. -
Edward O'BrienWhen it comes to winter driving, everyone wants their route clear and dry, and they want it done quickly. Why don't the plows come sooner or more often? Why don't they drop more salt or deicer? Why not get more drivers on the road? Tag along as a Montana snowplow driver prepares for a big winter storm and find out more about the logistical, environmental and technical challenges that come with keeping the roads clear of snow.
Your questions answered
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This week, we’re tackling more of a “big where” than a why. A listener wants to know, where does our recycling go in Montana? -
Today's question is about a huge pile of what turns out is not exactly dirt. It's actually a new specialty landfill at the center of a years long controversy over what we do with some of the stuff we throw away and who bears the environmental cost. Learn more now on The Big Why. -
Have you ever looked at a mountain and wondered why there were trees on one side but none on the other? Or noticed different species growing on opposite sides? Well, you barked up the right tree. Find out how trees choose sides in the mountain face off, right here on The Big Why. -
People have lived in Big Sky Country for a little more than 10,000 years. But living things creeped and crawled and swam around here for hundreds of millions of years before then. A Big Why listener wanted to know when life showed up in the place we now call Montana.
The Big Why team
