Microplastics are fragments of any type of plastic that are less than 5 mm (0.20 in). Think a grain of rice or smaller. Microplastics come from a lot of different places, but sources include single use plastics (shopping bags and water bottles), cosmetics (those stupid plastic beads they put in toothpaste and face scrubbers), clothing (bet you didn’t realize your clothing was shedding plastic), and industrial processes.

Why do we care about Microplastics? Because they are EVERYWHERE. Yes, you’ve probably heard that they are in the ocean, because a lot of trash ends up there. Microplastics, however, are also in fresh water, wetlands, soil, icebergs, and even worse, they’re in the air you are breathing right now. You probably have microplastic in your stomach and lungs at this very moment. 

What can we do about microplastics, and plastic waste in general? Listen to learn about this microplastic contamination of our entire planet that is only going to get worse and worse.

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The spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus), also known as the Andean bear, is the only surviving species of bear native to South America AND the only surviving short-faced bear. One of its closest relatives is the extinct Giant Short-Faced Bears (which if still alive would be terrifyingly enormous). 

Spectacled bears are seriously threatened by habitat loss with as few as 2,500 mature individuals remaining. Spectacled Bears are omnivores who avoid humans, and prefer to hang out in trees. They get the name spectacled from the distinctive colored markings on their face and chest that are unique to each bear.

Did you know that Paddington Bear is a Spectacled Bear? Or that Stephen Fry did a documentary on a Spectacled Bear? Or have you hear of the Spectacled Bear named Miss Houdini at the San Diego Zoo?

Listen now to learn about the Spectacled Bear, which everyone probably thought was called the speckled bear or something similar, but should actually be called the spectacular bear. 

Spectacled Bear Conservation Society https://sbc-peru.org/ Buy a Felti and Protect Spectacled Bear Habitat!

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The cicadas are true insects, with over 3,000 species around the world. However, many species remain undescribed. Cicadas are found on all continents, except Antarctica, but are probably best known in North America because of the millions that emerge simultaneously from the ground every 13 or 17 years. 

This year, Brood X is surfacing after 17 years underground. Of the millions of cicadas that make it to the surface and manage to not get eaten, the cicadas will mate, lay eggs, and die, all in two short months.

Why do these eight species, Magicicada or periodical cicadas, live 99.5 percent of their lives underground, only to exit en masse to the surface? How do they know to emerge at the 13th or 17th year? We know they don’t have calendars, and we’re pretty sure they don’t have a number system to count the years. 

Listen now to learn more about Cicadas, a bug that can literally be so loud it can cause permeate hearing damage in humans. 

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Peccary, also known as Javelina, are pig-like creatures that are not actually pigs. Peccaries are found throughout Central and South America and in the southwestern area of North America. The collared peccary is well-adapted to live around humans, and could be considered the raccoons of Arizona. Like raccoons or any wild animal, they should not be fed by humans, and though generally harmless, can attack when threatened. So make sure that you, and your pets, leave them alone. 

Peccaries are ecosystem engineers and keystone species, meaning the loss of peccaries will have significant ramifications for ecosystems.  Peccaries are important because they disperse seeds, control tree growth, and create important watering holes. Unlike when humans engineer their ecosystems, peccary engineers are necessary for the ecosystem to thrive. 

Listen now to learn about Peccaries, the pig-like omnivores of the Americas. 

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Pterosaurs, literally meaning “wing lizard," were flying reptiles that went extinct with the dinosaurs and were basically the birds of their time. Well, if birds could get up to the weight of a polar bear, have the wingspan of a small airplane, and the neck the size of a giraffe. Doesn't sound terrifying at all, right, Amber? Pterosaurs were the first flying animals with vertebrates and filled every niche birds currently fill. Including creatures similar to the wide mouth potoos, the wandering albatrosses, or even the carcass loving condor. 

The first fossils of Pterosaurs were discovered in the late 1700’s and confused their finders into thinking they could have only used their unusual limbs for paddling in the water. Later scientist thought they might have flippers. Some thought they might be marsupials (think flying Opossum), and others thought they were cold-blooded reptiles that had to jump from high places to fly. When we did realize that they flew, we could not figure out how. In fact, we still do not know how they flew, but we know that they could. 

Listen now to learn all about Pterosaurs, the flying cousins of dinosaurs, aka the Birds of Mesozoic.

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This week’s topic is the Honeybee, or if you want to be fancy, “Honey Bee”. Honeybees have been domesticated by humans to help crop pollination and for yummy honey. Everyone knows about the Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera), and most people probably know of Eastern Honey Bee (Apis cerana), but did you know there are at least six other species of Honeybees and around 20,000 species of bees on this planet?

First, Happy Belated Earth Day! If you’re interested in donating or volunteering here are some of the sisters' favorite charities.

350.org which is dedicated to combating climate change by reducing the atmosphere's carbon dioxide concentration to the safe level of 350 parts per million. (We currently sit at 400 parts per million.)

4ocean.com Every purchase helps fund our global ocean cleanup operation and supports a growing movement to end the world’s reliance on single-use plastic.

www.ucsusa.org  Union of Concerned Scientists is a non-profit science advocacy organization dedicated to the lofty goal of making the planet a healthier and safer world.

Honeybees live in eusocial colonies, which you've probably heard about in biology class, but were just never told the scientific name for it.  Eusocial is a fancy way to say there's a strict caste system of the Queen, female workers bees, and of course the mostly useless male drones, and everyone sticks to their duties. But did you know that female worker bees have different jobs throughout their lives? Or that a few selfish worker bees can cause anarchy within a colony? Or that a Queen can mate up to 60 times? 

You’ve also probably heard that the bee population is declining, but do you know why? And, if the honey bee population collapsed, would the human population also collapse? 

Listen now to learn about the fascinating Honeybee 

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This week we talk about Meerkats, which Amber picked. Why? Because she read an article about how Meerkats may be the most murderous mammal towards their own species known to science. Meerkat (Suricata suricatta) is a small mongoose found in southern Africa, that will straight up go to war with each other. But regardless of the headlines, Better Than Human still thinks humans are more murderous.

Good news everyone! Amber isn’t having Satan’s baby or an Alien baby. (But is that really good news?) Also, don’t shame periods. 

Meerkats live in packs, with dominant 'breeders' producing most of the offspring, and the subordinate helpers caring for the pups. This division of labor, however, is not as uncompromising like you’d see in ants or bees. The meerkats have an interesting social structure, forming packs with up to 30 individuals. Members do different jobs, including keeping a lookout for predators. They really should be keeping a lookout on themselves cause about one in five meerkats are killed by members of their own species. 

Listen now to learn more about the homicidal meerkats. 

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Scaly-foot gastropods are also known as scaly-foot snails, sea pangolins, and Iron Snails! Or if you want to be scientific, Chrysomallon squamiferum is a species of deep-sea hydrothermal-vent snails. These vent-endemic gastropods were discovered in Apr 2001 and only live in deep  water (over a mile deep) by hydrothermal vents in three tiny locations in the Indian Ocean.

But first, some life advice. Don’t tell women to smile. We don’t like it, and it does not make us feel better. Actually, just stop telling people in general what to do. Nobody likes it. 

Scaly-foot snails have an unique shell with the outer layer consisting of iron sulfides. Its “foot” is also unusual because it is armored at the sides with iron-mineralized sclerites. They are the only known animal that incorporates iron into their skeleton. Why do they have iron in their skeletons? We’re not sure, but it probably has something to do with the bacteria that live inside, and on, it and provide all its nutrients. 

Interesting, right? Listen now to learn more. 

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Regardless of their name, Flying Squirrels cannot fly. If they could, they would probably be called bats. If you listened to our last episode, the theme of the last two weeks might be obvious. Think old school cartoons involving Moose and Squirrel. 

First we've got some advice and how to be a better human. Number one, don’t liter. There is nothing worse then watching the snow melt in Spring to reveal all the trash people have thrown out their car windows. Number two, don't drink alkaline water. “Real” water or alkaline water is a useless fad. Even if it could change the pH of your body, you really don't want it to. 

Flying squirrels are a group of 50 species in the family Sciuridae. Flying squirrels can be larger than a house cat, or smaller than a brown rat. Only two species are native to North America, the northern flying squirrels and southern flying squirrels, both of which are small. If you travel to Japan, you’ll find the Japanese giant flying squirrel, which is one of the largest, and the Japanese dwarf flying squirrel, which is one of the smallest. 

Fly squirrels can’t fly like birds or bats but are able to glide from one tree to another.  They’re similar to squirrels, but cooler. Flying squirrels steer and control their glide path with their limbs and tail. They are very adapt at “flying” aka gliding, but are actually clumsy when moving on their feet.  

Listen now to learn how Flying Squirrels are better than human. 

Happy April Fools Everyone!

Staying Awake by Planthropology 

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