The Wild Life

In this episode, I sit down with Eric Eaton, author of Insectpedia: a Brief Compendium of Insect Lore, Wasps: The Astonishing Diversity of a Misunderstood Insect, and more!

Wasps are far more diverse than the familiar yellowjackets and hornets that harass picnickers and build nests under the eaves of our homes. These amazing, mostly solitary creatures thrive in nearly every habitat on Earth, and their influence on our lives is overwhelmingly beneficial. Wasps are agents of pest control in agriculture and gardens. They are subjects of study in medicine, engineering, and other important fields. Wasps pollinate flowers, engage in symbiotic relationships with other organisms, and create architectural masterpieces in the form of their nests. From minute fairyflies to gargantuan tarantula hawks, wasps exploit almost every niche on the planet. So successful are they at survival that other organisms emulate their appearance and behavior. The sting is the least reason to respect wasps and, as you will see, no reason to loathe them, either.  

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This episode, which originally aired on March 24 2018, takes us all the way from Copenhagen to the rainforest of South America, from the belly of the beast to its excrement, as we explore nature’s Vampires.

Our guest is Dr Marie Lisandra Zepeda Mendoza, who had recently finished her postdoc in Copenhagen, Denmark and whose recently published research on vampire bats and how they survive on such a peculiar diet is at the center of this story.

If you'd like to support the creation of this show, the blog, and my science communication efforts on social media, you can do so for as little as $1 per month at www.patreon.com/thewildlife

Sharks are in the water. But is the ocean shark-infested, or shark-depleted? I sat down to talk with Dr Alexandra McInturf to find out.

Learn more about Alexandra and her work

Papers Referenced:

Half a Century of Global Decline in Sharks and Rays

Half a century of rising extinction risk of coral reef sharks and rays

Global catches, exploitation rates, and rebuilding options for sharks

Bycatch Solutions

NOAA Link

Another stroll down memory lane as I revisit the second-ever guest episode of The Wild Life, Myth-Understood: Busting Bat Myths and Mistruths with Liz Dengate from March 6th of 2018.

If you'd like to support the creation of this show, the blog, and my science communication efforts on social media, you can do so for as little as $1 per month at www.patreon.com/thewildlife

This week we focus on an animal that has been the victim of superstition and fear for thousands of years. Despite what many believe, these creatures are extremely important to our everyday lives.

This was the first ever episode of The Wild Life back in 2017, and it was never supposed to happen. That's right, The Wild Life, as a podcast, was an accident. The result of a series of unfortunate events. But that's life, isn't it? It happens in the most unexpected of ways. I never imagined that this is where I would be today, and I'm so incredibly grateful for the experience and all those who have been a part of it, as guests, as listeners, and as people who believed in the work I was doing and helped me to succeed.

The mystery of zebra stripes has long been a subject of debate, at least since the days of Charles Darwin and Alfred Russell Wallace. Now, thanks to Dr. Tim Caro, a professor of wildlife biology at the University of California-Davis, we finally have our answer.

Next week, we're exploring Shark Conservation with Alexandra McInturf!

If you'd like to support the creation of this show, the blog, and my science communication efforts on social media, you can do so for as little as $1 per month at www.patreon.com/thewildlife

Peace out, rainbow trouts!

It's been awhile. I think it's time for some reintroductions.

I've spent a lot of time over the past year, 6 years really, reflecting on the journey so far, the ups and downs, the struggles, the wins, the change (oh, so much change), and I think I've finally landed comfortably with where I am and what I want this to be. I look forward to sharing my work and the perspectives of scientists from around the world with you every Wednesday as we explore the natural world, the dizzying amount of connections we share to it and each other, and find the courage to protect this planet we call home.

If you managed to get through all 25-ish minutes, thank you so much for your time.

The release schedule for the remainder of the year is as follows:

1. REVISITED: The Mystery of Zebra Stripes
2. Shark Conservation with Alexandra McInturf
3. REVISITED: Bat Myths and Mistruths
4. Wasps with Eric Eaton
5. REVISITED: Nature's Vampires
6. Cephalopodcast with Meg Mindlin
7. REVISITED: Canary in the Coal Mine
8. Conversation with Lauren Queen of the Wild
9. REVISITED: The Air We Breathe
10. Carnivores with Aiden Branney
11. REVISITED: Metamorphosis Metaphor
12. Conversation with Dr Carly Anne York
13. REVISITED: Is Anybody Out There?
14. Animal Ethics with Mad About Animals Mags
15. REVISITED: Ant Farm

If you are able and would like to help sustain and support The Wild Life, you can do so at www.patreon.com/thewildlife for as little as $1 per month

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Ticks, for as small as they are, strike a disproportionate amount of fear and disgust into our hearts and minds (no matter what good they might do!). Perhaps it’s their arachnid nature. Maybe it’s the fact that they burrow their creepy mouthparts into your body and feast off of your blood. Oh yeah, and there’s Lyme Disease and the ever-increasing red meat allergies. Whatever the reason, one thing’s for certain— nothing quite warps our conceptions of reality like fear.

For example, there’s a common misconception that ticks fall from trees and drop onto unsuspecting victims. Let’s explore the truth behind this myth and shed light on how ticks actually go about finding their hosts.

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Transcript

While it's true you should keep your distance, is there any truth to the tale of a tenacious porcupine shooting their quills?

Have a question you want answered on the show? Send them over to [email protected]!

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Transcript

Unfortunately, we can’t ask the worms directly, but it turns out that plenty of scientists have been asking this very question for, well, a very long time. Today, we explore the leading hypotheses for what drives worms to the surface for these rainy-day adventures.

Have a question you want answered on the show? Send them over to [email protected]!

Have your voice featured on the show when you send a voice memo recorded directly on your phone!

Support the creation of The Wild Life for as little as $1 per month at www.patreon.com/thewildlife

Transcript

Star Wars is as much a product of human ingenuity as it is a space odyssey. Just look at how they solved the Puffin Problem.

Have a question you'd like answered on The Wild Life? Email me at [email protected].

You can even have your voice featured by sending a voice memo recorded directly on your phone!

You can support the creation of The Wild Life for as little as $1 per month at www.patreon.com/thewildlife AND get exclusive perks as a bonus :)

Transcript