When giant panda Qian Qian needed help, conservation biologist Jake Owens was there—first as her teacher, then as her rescuer, and always as her friend. Discover how their special bond helped Qian Qian heal and thrive.

Guest: Jake Owens, Conservation Biologist and Director of Conservation at the Los Angeles Zoo

Link to Season 4 Printable: https://www.byuradio.org/c8fae09b-f976-4649-b45f-418575c09804

We use our sense of sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch to understand the world and animals do, too! Jackie Higgins explains how even though our bodies are different, humans and animals have more in common than you might think.

Guest: Jackie Higgins, author of "Sentient: How Animals Illuminate the Wonder of Our Human Senses"

Link to Season 4 Printable: https://www.byuradio.org/c8fae09b-f976-4649-b45f-418575c09804

You might think you know about life on earth, but scientist Karen Lloyd knows where to find tiny microbes that are anything but ordinary. Meet the microbes who live in the extremes!

Guest: Karen G. Lloyd, Wrigley Chair in Environmental Sciences, Professor of Marine and Environmental Sciences at the University of Southern California

Link to Season 4 Printable: https://www.byuradio.org/c8fae09b-f976-4649-b45f-418575c09804

Undetectable to human ears, infrasound can teach us more about how elephants communicate and when volcanoes erupt. Join scientists Jeffrey Johnson and Caitlin O’Connell-Rodwell to learn more about infrasound.

Guests:

Caitlin O’Connell-Rodwell, instructor at Harvard Medical School, elephant expert, and founder and CEO of Utopia Scientific

Jeffrey Johnson, associate professor of Geoscience at Boise State University

Curlews used to be a beloved part of the English landscape, but in the past century, these fascinating birds have been disappearing. Conservationist Mary Colwell decided to walk 500 miles to raise awareness for the birds she loves.

Guest: Mary Colwell, Director of Curlew Action, conservationist, author of “Curlew Moon”

This Egyptian cat statuette is here to set the record straight. Yes, she’s a little bit of a diva, but don’t all cats deserve to be worshiped? No, she’s not really the goddess Bastet, just an offering to her, thank you very much. And no, she’s certainly no phony! Hear about the role of cats in ancient Egypt and how this statuette proved her age, with a little help from some conservation scientists.

For a listening guide, a coloring sheet, images, and more, visit https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/if-objects-could-talk/ready-for-my-closeup-meow/

Over 100 years ago, explorer Ernest Shackleton’s ship The Endurance sank to the bottom of the sea. Join archaeologist Mensun Bound to hear about how he set sail to find the lost Endurance.

Guest: Mensun Bound, archaeologist and Director of Exploration on the 2019 and 2022 expeditions to locate Shackleton’s Endurance

Can plants fight off infections? Ethnobotanist Cassandra quave takes us into the rainforest to discover amazing plants and how they can help take care of human bodies.

Guest: Cassandra Quave, author of “The Plant Hunter: A Scientist’s Quest for Nature’s Next Medicines” and Associate Professor of Dermatology and Human Health at Emory School of Medicine

As a vet on faraway islands, Joe Hollins is used to an element of adventure when caring for animals. Whether he’s helping a herd of skittish reindeer or caring for a tortoise born in the 1800s, Joe knows that humans can make a difference when helping animals.

Guest: Jonathan Hollins, author of “Vet at the Edge of the Earth: Adventures with Animals in the South Atlantic”

Can animals play duets with humans? Listen as David Rothenberg makes beautiful music with birds and whales. You won't believe your ears!

Guest: David Rothenberg, composer, author, and professor of music and philosophy at the New Jersey Institute of Technology

Originally aired September 9, 2024