The latest from Valley 101 at azcentral, a podcast that answers your questions about the Phoenix area

We all watch the same awe-inspiring sunsets. But we all have different questions about this Valley we call home.

Why do saguaros only grow in the Sonoran desert? How did the canal system develop? What is monsoon season, actually? Why is the rivalry between ASU and UA so intense?

Lightning strikes over Tonto National Forest near Mesa on Aug. 22, 2020.
Lightning strikes over Tonto National Forest near Mesa on Aug. 22, 2020.

If you are a longtime Arizona resident or a newcomer, chances are there is something you have always wondered about the Valley.

We love hearing what has always confused you about the community we call home. And we're here to help answer those questions in Valley 101, a weekly podcast where The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com journalists find answers to your questions about metro Phoenix and — occasionally — the rest of the state as well.

Submit questions in the form below or DM us on Twitter @azcpodcasts.

New episodes post on Mondays. You can subscribe to Valley 101 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Follow us @azcpodcasts on Twitter and Instagram @azcpodcast to keep up with latest stories.

You also can follow Amanda Luberto and Kaely Monahan, our producers and hosts, on Twitter:

Listen to our latest episodes

The best way to listen is to subscribe to Valley 101 on your favorite podcast app, but you also can stream the full episode by clicking the arrow button below.

Some Valley 101 favorites

Here are some older favorites, for those of you just getting acquainted with the podcast.

About people:

About places:

Hohokam created hundreds of miles of canals that supplied irrigation for their crops in the desert of Arizona. About half of the canal system we use today has ancient heritage says SRP archaeologist Daniel Garcia.  The South canal flows in Mesa on Feb. 24, 2021.
Hohokam created hundreds of miles of canals that supplied irrigation for their crops in the desert of Arizona. About half of the canal system we use today has ancient heritage says SRP archaeologist Daniel Garcia. The South canal flows in Mesa on Feb. 24, 2021.

About traditions and cultures:

More podcasts from our team

Interested in a weekly politics podcast? Listen to The Gaggle, where Republic reporters keep you fully informed on the state's political news.

Interested in a bioscience podcast? Listen to The Lab at azcentral, where our reporters will take you across Arizona to answer bioscience questions large and small.

Interested in diving deep into Arizona history? Connect with our award-winning Rediscovering podcasts, on slain Arizona Republic reporter Don Bolles and controversial "show your papers" law, the hard-line anti-immigration bill known as Senate Bill 1070.

Subscribe to azcentral today. Download the free azcentral app for all the latest headlines.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Valley 101 podcast at azcentral answers your questions about Phoenix