Bird Flu Warning, Life as an Incarcerated Firefighter, An Ancient Climate Solution and more.

So far avian flu hasn’t been seen spreading from human to human, but recent mutations indicate some variants are becoming better adapted to infecting humans. Also, around a thousand of the firefighters who battled blazes around southern California in January 2025 were incarcerated. A formerly incarcerated firefighter shares what it was like and how the experience helped him forge a new life after prison as a professional firefighter. And as the water supply in Athens, Greece dwindles and demand surges from residents and tourists alike, the city is looking to antiquity for solutions. One that’s attracting attention is an ancient aqueduct that runs beneath Athens. Plus: in his last days in office President Biden designated a new national monument in the southern California desert called Chuckwalla. A Native tale of how Coyote gave the “painted canyon” in Chuckwalla its name, this week on Living on Earth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices