In this buzz-worthy finale of our Caring Critters series, we're spotlighting one of the planet's most unexpected environmental heroes: honey bees trained to detect landmines.

Yes - real bees. Real landmines. Real hope.

After the Balkan Wars, Croatia was left with over 90,000 unexploded landmines, making vast landscapes too dangerous for farming, wildlife, or reforestation. But thanks to the sharp sense of smell in these fuzzy pollinators, scientists at the University of Zagreb are helping clear former war zones using nature itself.

This story is a mix of:

• Wildlife restoration
• Landmine detection using bees
• Eco-innovation
• Post-conflict land healing
• ...and good old-fashioned bee bravery

We’ll explore how trained bees use their noses (which can detect TNT at the parts-per-trillion level) to identify minefields, how their flight paths are monitored with thermal imaging, and how their work is reviving ecosystems once lost to war.

No digging. No drones. No drama. Just bees.

Tune in for a fascinating, hopeful story about climate resilience, land restoration, and the astonishing ways animals are helping us heal the planet - one wingbeat at a time.

If you enjoy feel-good environmental stories, climate optimism, and surprising science, this one’s for you.

This episode is narrated by Ally Murphy from Voiceover for the Planet

Resources:

Wired - Honey bees trained to sniff out landmines in Croatia

BBC – Mine-Sniffing Bees in Croatia

National Geographic – Honeybees Used to Sniff Out Landmines

Croatian Mine Action Centre – Environmental Solutions

Support the show

Good News from Planet Earth is brought to you by Voiceover for the Planet, proud members of 1% for the Planet.

Produced by Ally Murphy and Anne Cloud

Sound Designed and Mixed by Brandon Perry at Sound Nectar Studios

If you'd like a member of Voiceover for the Planet to narrate your project, email casting@voiceoverfortheplanet.com

This week on Good News from Planet Earth, we’re spotlighting some of the hungriest climate heroes around: firefighting goats.

Across California, Oregon, Colorado, and more, goats are being deployed to munch through dry brush, reduce wildfire risk, and create natural firebreaks - no bulldozers or fuel required! These four-legged landscapers climb steep hillsides, devour invasive plants (even poison oak!), and leave healthier soil behind.

This is climate adaptation at its finest: low-tech, low-carbon, and undeniably effective. From urban grazing programs to biodiversity boosts, goats are showing us that sometimes the best solutions come with horns and hooves.

Wildfire prevention with goats
Targeted grazing for climate resilience
Soil health and ecosystem restoration
Urban grazing in U.S. cities

If you love practical climate solutions, land management wins, or just adorable animals doing useful things, this episode’s for you.

This episode is narrated by Anne Cloud from Voiceover for the Planet

Resources:

The Washington Post – Goats Are Being Deployed to Prevent Wildfires

NPR – Why Goats Are Being Used to Fight Fires

Scientific American – Goats Could Help Mitigate Wildfires

CAL FIRE – Vegetation Management and Grazing

The Guardian – Goats Used to Clear Brush and Prevent Fires

Support the show

Good News from Planet Earth is brought to you by Voiceover for the Planet, proud members of 1% for the Planet.

Produced by Ally Murphy and Anne Cloud

Sound Designed and Mixed by Brandon Perry at Sound Nectar Studios

If you'd like a member of Voiceover for the Planet to narrate your project, email casting@voiceoverfortheplanet.com

Octopuses & Ocean Climate Wins: The Soft-Bodied Heroes of Blue Carbon

In this Caring Critters episode of Good News from Planet Earth, we dive deep into the surprising role octopuses play in the fight against climate change.

These eight-armed ocean dwellers aren't just camouflage pros and escape artists, they're keystone predators helping to protect fragile blue carbon ecosystems like seagrass meadows and kelp forests. By keeping crab populations in check, octopuses help seagrass thrive, and that means more coastal carbon capture.

But it doesn’t stop underwater. Octopuses are also inspiring breakthroughs in soft robotics, from gentle plastic-collecting machines to reef-safe sensors that monitor marine health and climate data.

Octopus climate impact
Blue carbon & seagrass ecosystems
Biomimicry and ocean-inspired robotics
Coastal conservation success stories

If you love marine science, unexpected climate heroes, or mind-blowing animal intelligence, this one’s for you!

Narrated by Ally Murphy from Voiceover for the Planet

Resources:

National Geographic – Octopuses Inspire Soft Robotics

Nature Communications – Blue Carbon Sequestration by Seagrasses

Science Advances (2020) – Octopus Role in Benthic Ecosystems

Smithsonian Ocean – What Is Blue Carbon?

Wired – Why Soft Robotics Is the Future (Thanks, Octopuses)

Support the show

Good News from Planet Earth is brought to you by Voiceover for the Planet, proud members of 1% for the Planet.

Produced by Ally Murphy and Anne Cloud

Sound Designed and Mixed by Brandon Perry at Sound Nectar Studios

If you'd like a member of Voiceover for the Planet to narrate your project, email casting@voiceoverfortheplanet.com