Today, we have a conversation with an anatomist behind a new PBS series that puts the lens on mammals who reproduce under extreme circumstances, like dolphins. And if you think it’s tough for mammals to find a mate, try finding one in the vast ocean when you’re a nearly microscopic crustacean. We’ll look into the mating rituals of copepods. And then, a different sort of nature when Chuck Klosterman tells us more about the traits of villainy.
Listen to the full show and Read more for individual segments.
Sex in the Wild
There’s an essential part of the natural world that doesn’t fit into the favorite topics of cute and cuddly or violent and predatory…reproduction. In the new PBS show Sex in the Wild, host and comparative biologist Dr. Joy Reidenberg explores the sexuality of four very different mammals – elephants, orangutans, dolphins, and kangaroos. She joined us to tell us more about them.
There Are Plenty Of Other Copepods In The Sea
The way we talk about finding a romantic partner is very much rooted in how humans experience the physical world. Take, “love is in the air” or “love at first sight.” But it turns out that love isn’t just restricted to our physical reality. This story was brought to us from the radio series Small Matters and producers Ari Daniel and Meisa Salaita.
Chuck Klosterman on the Nature of Villainy
Chuck Klosterman writes about sports and popular culture and is “The Ethicist” for The New York Times. He explores the nature of badness in a collection of essays called I Wear The Black Hat: Grappling With Villains (Real and Imagined).
The First Fireworks
Summer is fireworks season in America, but the thrilling proximity to exploding rockets and sizzling pageantry has been with us for centuries. Author and illustrator Ron Miller wrote about the history of the spectacularly dangerous fireworks displays that enthrall people worldwide for io9.
Archie's Indian Impact
The Archie comic books may seem to be as American as it gets, but his death has reverberated around the globe, all the way to Kolkata, India. Sandip Roy remembers Archie, and why the comic book high-schooler connected with fans in India.