Welcome to episode 2 of a new podcast from The Conversation, the world explained by experts. This week we’re talking to researchers about Myanmar – and what it's like looking for COVID-19 in wild animals.

Protests have rocked Myanmar in recent days as people took to the streets demanding the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, the country's de factor leader who was arrested during a military coup on February 1.

We speak to two academics who study Myanmar, Adam Simpson, Senior Lecturer in International Studies in Justice and Society at the University of South Australia, and DB Subedi, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of New England in Australia. They explain how the country has changed in the past decade, what events led up to the coup, and what the military's options are now.

In our second story, we talk to Kaitlin Sawatzki, a virologist at Tufts University who is part of a research project that is searching for the coronavirus in wild animals in the US. She explains how viruses can jump back from humans into wild animals, the times this has happened in the past and the risks – to both people and animals – when it does.

And Catesby Holmes, international editor at The Conversation in New York gives us some recommended reading on the impeachment trial.

The Conversation Weekly is hosted by Gemma Ware and Dan Merino. The show is co-produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Visit The Conversation for full credits.

Further reading:

• Myanmar's military has used surveillance, draconian laws and fear to stifle dissent before. Will it work again? by DB Subedi, Postdoctoral research fellow, University of New England and Johanna Garnett, Lecturer in Sociology and Peace Studies, University of New England
• Myanmar's military reverts to its old strong-arm behaviour — and the country takes a major step backwards by Adam Simpson, Senior Lecturer, University of South Australia and Nicholas Farrelly, Professor and Head of Social Sciences, University of Tasmania   
• Myanmar coup: how the military has held onto power for 60 years, by Michael W. Charney, Professor of Asian and Military History, SOAS, University of London
• Is COVID-19 infecting wild animals? We're testing species from bats to seals to find out, by Jonathan Runstadler, Professor of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University and Kaitlin Sawatzki, Postdoctoral Infectious Disease Researcher, Tufts University
• Impeachment trial: Research spanning decades shows language can incite violence, by Kurt Braddock, Assistant Professor of Communication, American University School of Communication
• Congress could use an arcane section of the 14th Amendment to hold Trump accountable for Capitol attack, by Gerard Magliocca, Professor of Law, IUPUI