8-year-old Leo Shidla was frustrated by the lack of coverage NPR's All Things Considered was giving to an important topic.
Dinosaurs.
So he wrote them:
"My name is Leo and I am 8 years old. I listen to All Things Considered in the car with mom."
"I listen a lot."
"I never hear much about nature or dinosaurs or things like that. Maybe you should call your show Newsy things Considered, since I don't get to hear about all the things."
"Or please talk more about dinosaurs and cool things."
"Sincerely, Leo"
NPR had a response.
But NPR decided to go above and beyond, and soon after had San Diego Natural History Museum research associate Ashley Poust on the show, and brought Leo in to ask her questions.
When Leo asked about her favorite part of the job, she said:
"The thing that's the coolest for me is discovery. There's nothing better than being out in the field, figuring out where to go and then looking down and finally finding a bit of a dinosaur sticking out of a hill."
Leo also wondered if she had ever discovered a dinosaur herself.
"I have. I would say that I hope to find many more in the future, but I've been able to name a few really cool fossil animals. Some of those were discovered by other people in the process of doing fieldwork or even construction."
"I recently named a dinosaur Wulong, from China. And that was discovered by farmers."
"I myself have gotten to do some really cool fieldwork in places like Montana and back in China, and I found things ranging from Tyrannosaurus teeth to dinosaur eggs."
Many agreed NPR needed to majorly up its dino-content.
Many were amused.
And some agreed with the idea All Things Considered should change its name.
Here's to hoping NPR majorly ups its Dino-content.
@SecretaryBurgum/X
@Doug Ellin/X
@evanrachelwood/Instagram