Why? with Emma Kennedy

How could we talk to space aliens?


Listen Later

We’re back and we’ve got questions. We always imagine first contact with aliens as a conversation. But what if talking is the problem? How could we ever prepare for the awkward opening lines of interstellar diplomacy? Well, here on Earth, we might already have a clue: the octopus. They learn, play, and can even recognise human faces. So could our eight-tentacled friends help us understand intelligence beyond our own planet?

Emma Kennedy talks to mollusc expert Dr. Tim Pearce, curator and the head of the Section of Mollusks at Carnegie Museum of Natural History, to find out how we might one day communicate with life from the stars.

WHY? is presented by Emma Kennedy. Produced by Liam Tait and Kathleen Johnston. Edited by Dominic Delargy. Theme music by Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. Artwork by James Parrett. Additional music is from Artlist.io. WHY? is a Podmasters Production.


Instagram | X | Threads | Bluesky

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Why? with Emma KennedyBy Podmasters

  • 4
  • 4
  • 4
  • 4
  • 4

4

4 ratings


More shows like Why? with Emma Kennedy

View all
Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 by BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

2,141 Listeners

More or Less: Behind the Stats by BBC Radio 4

More or Less: Behind the Stats

898 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,925 Listeners

Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast by Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast

Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast

292 Listeners

Curious Cases by BBC Radio 4

Curious Cases

823 Listeners

Oh God, What Now? by Podmasters

Oh God, What Now?

202 Listeners

Full Disclosure with James O'Brien by Global

Full Disclosure with James O'Brien

289 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

2,964 Listeners

The Bunker – News without the nonsense by Podmasters

The Bunker – News without the nonsense

120 Listeners

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler by Podmasters

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler

161 Listeners

Origin Story by Podmasters

Origin Story

110 Listeners

Jam Tomorrow by Podmasters

Jam Tomorrow

8 Listeners

Paper Cuts by Podmasters

Paper Cuts

18 Listeners

Uncharted with Hannah Fry by BBC Radio 4

Uncharted with Hannah Fry

118 Listeners

The Rest Is Entertainment by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Entertainment

809 Listeners

American Friction by Podmasters

American Friction

48 Listeners

In The News This Week (the Have I Got News For You podcast) by In The News This Week (the Have I Got News For You podcast)

In The News This Week (the Have I Got News For You podcast)

17 Listeners

History's Greatest Conspiracy Theories by History Extra

History's Greatest Conspiracy Theories

16 Listeners

Strong Message Here by BBC Radio 4

Strong Message Here

34 Listeners