Species

Species

By mackenmurphy.orgScienceSocial SciencesNature
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Species episodes

  • Fierce Snake

    This animal, the inland taipan (a.k.a. the "fierce snake") is the most venomous snake on earth. How much of their venom could kill you? How much could kill a football team? How much of it could kill all of New York? Find out about this, black t-shirts, and Theodore Roosevelt all on this episode of Species.

    Bibliography

    Macken & Ben Shapiro

    18 min
  • MacGregor's Bowerbird
    Is this bird an artist? They sing, they dance, they do imitations, and they build insane structures... But is it art? Come learn about the incredible abilities of MacGregor's bowerbird, find out about the science of sexual selection, and ponder the nature and origin of art, all on this episode of Species. Bibliography Donate
    25 min
  • Goldfish

    Come hear the legendary history of the goldfish, and get the answers to your most important goldfish-related questions: Do goldfish have a 3-second memory? How big is the biggest goldfish ever? How old is the oldest goldfish? Is my goldfish depressed? Learn all of this and more on this episode of Species.

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    24 min
  • Japanese Macaque

    Humans don't have a monopoly on culture, innovation, accents, great ideas, or even using other animals as forms of transport; the Japanese macaque has all these things and more! Come learn about the history of macaque innovation on this episode of Species.

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    29 min
  • Human: Dr. David A. Steen, Reptile Expert & Science Communicator
    Listen and learn from reptile expert Dr. David Steen! He comes on the show to bust some myths about snakes and turtles, share science communication strategies, and tell us what to do if we find venomous snakes, reveal the secrets of the Atlanta biology Illuminati. David is the founder and executive director of The Alongside Wildlife Foundation (a 501(c)(3) charitable organization). Until recently he worked as the research ecologist of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, and now he is a herpetology research leader in the FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. He is renowned for his science communication, he is a popular blogger with a large following on both Facebook and Instagram. He is perhaps most famous for his unique brand of Twitter outreach (Slate Magazine calls him "The Best Biologist on Twitter") and if you have any questions you can send him a tweet during or after the show. David just came out with his first book, Secrets of Snakes, which playfully debunks many of the most pervasive myths about snakes. It is filled with fun facts from cover to cover, and David's engaging writing is accompanied by gorgeous photographs and original drawings. It is available wherever books are sold, including on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
    47 min
  • Tapeworm

    There might be a 25-meter long worm living inside your body. On today's episode, you can get to know them a little better.

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    Read Macken's work on Tenderly

    23 min
  • Loon
    Loons are more than just a pretty voice, and they have an entire American town completely obsessed with them. This bird can do two out of the following three things: Fly 70 mph, dive 200 feet underwater, and walk. Find out which of these things is impossible for loons on this episode of Species. Bibliography Donate
    24 min
  • Flying Frog

    Today we are talking about Wallace's flying frog. You'll learn about how and why they fly, how and why Franz Reichelt didn't, and discover the bizarre way this animal reproduces, all on this episode of Species.

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    19 min
  • Okapi

    This episode is about a bizarre animal we used to call the "African unicorn." They've got an assortment of bizarre traits, each one more surprising than the last, and all of them are going to be described on this show. Join us to learn about the utility of abstaining from defecation, discover the practical uses of black and white stripes, and hear the silent sounds of the ghost of the forest. This animal is practically a mythical creature... Today we are going to try (and fail) to demystify them.

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    23 min
  • Humboldt Squid

    This episode starts with a squid attack, and goes downhill from there... This cannibalistic animal is big, vicious, and capable of biting through kevlar. Now, human folly is causing their populations to explode. Listen to find out if we are doomed.

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    21 min

About Species

From the publisher's feed

"The host, Macken Murphy, is able to condense vast chunks of information into engaging and digestible episodes. Fact-filled and fun."

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