Short Wave

Parasites Have Haunted Us For Millions Of Years


Listen Later

Parasites have roamed the Earth for a long time. They were here before the dinosaurs: The oldest fossils are more than 500 million years old. Today on the show, Regina G. Barber speaks with paleontologists Karma Nanglu and Danielle de Carle about a mysterious fossil called the “Riddler,” and the oldest-ever leech fossil. They share stories of the enduring power of parasitism through the ages and why the clues to prehistoric mysteries may be tucked in a basement.


Interested in more science behind rare fossils? Email us your question at [email protected].


Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Short WaveBy NPR

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

6,137 ratings


More shows like Short Wave

View all
TED Radio Hour by NPR

TED Radio Hour

22,014 Listeners

Radiolab by WNYC Studios

Radiolab

44,032 Listeners

Freakonomics Radio by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Freakonomics Radio

32,090 Listeners

Planet Money by NPR

Planet Money

30,660 Listeners

Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

Hidden Brain

43,567 Listeners

Science Vs by Spotify Studios

Science Vs

12,194 Listeners

Science Friday by Science Friday and WNYC Studios

Science Friday

6,356 Listeners

Up First from NPR by NPR

Up First from NPR

56,388 Listeners

The Indicator from Planet Money by NPR

The Indicator from Planet Money

9,519 Listeners

Today, Explained by Vox

Today, Explained

10,237 Listeners

Throughline by NPR

Throughline

16,233 Listeners

Life Kit by NPR

Life Kit

4,373 Listeners

Consider This from NPR by NPR

Consider This from NPR

6,389 Listeners

Unexplainable by Vox

Unexplainable

2,285 Listeners

The Economics of Everyday Things by Freakonomics Network & Zachary Crockett

The Economics of Everyday Things

1,659 Listeners