Shows
Big BiologyFollow the data: the search for COVID’s origin (Ep 105)On this episode, we talk with Alina Chan, postdoc at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and co-author with Matt Ridley of Viral: The Search for the Origin of COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 could have plausibly jumped into humans in Wuhan via one of two paths. The first is zoonotic transfer from wild bats to humans, possibly via an intermediate animal host. The second is some kind of lab accident: researchers working on a SARS-CoV-2-like virus accidentally became infected with it and then transmitted it to others in Wuhan. Although early discussions among virologists reached the consensus that the...2024-02-021h 25
Big BiologyBig Bio Bonus Episode: We’re Hiring!Season 6 of Big Biology will kick off at the beginning of September - woohoo! Before then, we have a quick message to share:We’re looking for a new producer to join the Big Biology team! If you are a passionate team player with experience in podcast production, then please consider applying! The producer position is a part-time, remote position. Please send us an email at info@bigbiology.org to learn more. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus ep...2023-08-1515 min
Big BiologyContaining Cancer with Squirrel Ecology (Ep 12 Re-release)Will cancer ever become just another chronic but manageable disease? What can a squirrel biologist teach us about treating cancer?In this episode, Marty and Art talk with Joel Brown about how to contain cancer using basic ideas from ecology and evolution. To Joel, cells in tumors are like organisms in ecosystems, and fighting cancer means using what we know about species in nature to tilt the playing field against the worst kinds of cancer cells. He and his team at the Moffit Cancer Research Center in Tampa, Florida, are starting to have some remarkable success...2022-08-0453 min
Big BiologyShrimp Fight Clubs and Basic Science (Ep 6 Re-release)How do mantis shrimp punch as fast as a bullet… underwater? How do they break open one of the toughest materials on earth?Tune into this podcast to hear Art and Marty talk to Sheila Patek about how mantis shrimp pack such a powerful punch and why we should care. For example, mantis shrimp hammers can be used hundreds of thousands of times to break open the tough shells of snails and clams, and this research may help inspire lightweight, heavy duty military armor.Sheila studies the mechanics of ultrafast movements at Duke Un...2022-07-211h 03
Big BiologyBioelectric Computation (Ep 39 Re-release)How do animals construct tissues, organs, and limbs in the right places during development? How do some animals manage to regenerate missing body parts?On this episode of Big Biology, we talk with Michael Levin, a biologist at Tufts University who studies how electric fields inside animals guide cells during development and regeneration. His work shows that electric fields play fundamental roles in structuring body plans and, in some species, can even be inherited across generations. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get a...2022-07-071h 07
Big BiologyWhat the flux? The evolution of oxygen cascades (Ep 86)How do we properly study complex traits? How does organismal function relate to how organisms evolve?All animals use oxygen to convert sugars and other substrates into energy using a multi-step pathway called the oxygen cascade. This cascade involves many, many parts of the respiratory, circulatory, and metabolic systems, making it a complex trait. Complex traits pose at least two major challenges to biologists: how do such multifaceted systems operate effectively and how do they evolve in the first place. Where does selection act in such systems: on the whole thing, on individual parts, or on...2022-06-231h 14
Big BiologyLittle Biology: Zombie ParasitesWhat’s behind the infamous zombie ant story? How does a fungus take control of an insect? Are zombies common in nature? How do biologists study the phenomenon of adaptive manipulation?Interns RB Smith and Natasha Dhamrait hijack the Big Biology channel to explore their favorite biology horror story, zombie ants! In this Little Biology episode, they dive into the unfortunate fate of these fungus-controlled ants and discuss some of the complicated evolutionary questions surrounding adaptive manipulation.Written and presented by: Natasha Dhamrait and RB SmithCover art: Keating Shahmehri...2022-06-1609 min
Big BiologyThe rise of the mammals and fall of the dinosaurs (Ep 85)What makes a mammal a mammal? How did mammals survive the KT event when dinosaurs mostly went extinct? And why did mammals become so dominant?When we think of the Cretaceous, or the Jurassic, we immediately think of dinosaurs. But mammals were there too! Although they weren’t the mammals you would recognize today. So what is it that makes a mammal a mammal?On this episode of Big Biology, we talk with Steve Brusatte, professor of Paleontology and Evolution at the University of Edinburgh. Steve is the author of a new book: Th...2022-06-0954 min
Big BiologyImmune System: Make Love not War (Ep 8 Re-release)Is there a constant battle between our immune system and pathogens? Does the fighting ever end? Does the immune system do more than just provide defense against pathogens? On this episode, Art and Marty talk to Fred Tauber, a professor emeritus of medicine and philosophy at Boston University, about how the immune system does more than just protect our bodies from pathogens. Fred has published a number of books on immunity and philosophy. In his most recent book, "Immunity: The Evolution of an Idea", he explores the ideas discussed in this episode in greater detail. 2022-05-2659 min
Big BiologyFractals in the Foliage (Ep 84)What do plants, animals and even river systems have in common?Branching networks are a universal element of life on Earth. Networks of veins, roots, xylem, phloem, and nerves – they all have large components that branch, usually repeatedly, into smaller and smaller components. The networks transport energy, materials, and information throughout the bodies in which they occur.Our guest today, Van Savage, is a professor in the department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and the department of Biomathematics at UCLA. We chat with Van about universal features of branched networks. We discuss how th...2022-05-1259 min
Big BiologyThe Amazon in us (Ep 83)How does one of the most diverse groups on the planet, the ants, interact with the extremely diverse group of microbes that live on and inside them?On this episode, we talk to Corrie Moreau, a professor of entomology at Cornell University, about the diversity and influence of microbes in ants. For Corrie, these microbes are a sort of internal rainforest, whose presence directly impacts the lives of the ants who carry them. Many ant-microbe relationships have evolved over millions of years, resulting in specialized interactions – from fungus-farming in leaf cutter ants, to insect mind control by...2022-04-281h 01
Big BiologySurvival of the systems: The power of persistence (Ep 63 Re-release)Can selection act on ecosystems, societies, or planets such that some persist and others disappear? Must such systems reproduce to evolve?On this episode of Big Biology, we talk to Tim Lenton, Director of the Global Systems Institute (@GSI_Exeter) and a Professor of Climate Change and Earth System Science at the University of Exeter. In his 2021 Trends in Ecology & Evolution paper “Survival of the Systems,” Tim outlined his idea that large, complex systems--such as grasslands, coral reefs, and even human economies--are subject to a kind of natural selection based on their ability to persist. Tim argu...2022-04-221h 08
Big BiologyOrganisms are not machines (Ep 82)Why shouldn’t we think of living things as machines? What is and what isn’t an organism?In this episode, we talk to Dan Nicholson, a philosopher and biologist from George Mason University about his new edited volume, "Everything Flows: Toward a Processual Philosophy of Biology". In it, he and colleagues argue that biological systems more resemble flames and tornadoes and other dynamically stable systems than clocks or other human-designed things. Dan thinks that life is better understood as flows of energy and matter, which means that trying to reduce biological things into smaller parts, a po...2022-04-141h 32
Big BiologyHow staying cool blunts evolution (Ep 81)Why are tropical mountain passes ‘higher’ than temperate ones? Why do some organisms regulate their temperature better than others, and what effect does this have on evolution?On this episode, we talk with Martha Muñoz, a professor in Yale’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. We frame the chat in terms of two big ideas in thermal physiology – Janzen’s hypothesis and the Bogert Effect. Dan Janzen famously predicted that tropical ectotherms, with their relatively narrow thermal performance curves, would have a harder time moving up and over cold mountain passes. For organisms that rely on the...2022-03-311h 06
Big BiologyHuman-wildlife conflict in a changing world (Ep 80)What is the link between climate change, declining wildlife populations and conflict between animals and humans? And how should scientists, governments and individuals manage declining populations of wildlife, especially when humans rely on them?On this episode, we explore the interface of biology and resource management with Briana Abrahms, from the Department of Biology and the Center for Ecosystem Sentinels at the University of Washington. Climate change is increasingly forcing humans and animals into conflict, often with disastrous outcomes for all parties involved. Briana studies the causes of these conflicts and their links to serious human p...2022-03-1750 min
Big BiologyHow the genetic lottery affects complex human traits (Ep 79)Does our DNA matter for our life outcomes? Can and should we use it for better social policy? And why have these questions caused such a stir?On this episode of Big Biology, we talk with Kathryn Paige Harden, a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin where she leads the Developmental Behavior Genetics lab. Paige is the author of a new book, The Genetic Lottery: Why DNA Matters for Social Equality. In the book, Paige advocates for using genetic information to better understand variation in our life outcomes such...2022-03-031h 05
Big BiologyThe amphibian omnivore’s dilemma: Plasticity-led evolution in spadefoot tadpoles (Ep 78)What roles does plasticity play in evolution? Where does novelty come from, and how does it become widespread in populations?On this episode, we talk all things plasticity with David Pfennig, a professor at the University of North Carolina, and Nick Levis, a postdoc at Indiana University. Their research focuses on something they call plasticity-led evolution. Building on older ideas, David and Nick argue that novel environments release hidden, or cryptic, genetic variation in some individuals in a population, which in turn allow selection to act on trait variation that is only revealed as plasticity is i...2022-02-171h 03
Big BiologyA (Very) Short Interview with Henry Gee: 4 Billion Years in 30 Minutes (Ep 77)How did life on Earth get from its humble beginnings to the dazzling array of forms we see now and in the fossil record?On this episode, we talk with paleontologist Henry Gee about his latest book, A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth. The book offers a kaleidoscopic tour through the roughly 4 billion year history of life on Earth in just 288 pages. Gee is a longtime editor at Nature, and a master writer and storyteller. He shares his approach to good writing and discusses why professional science writing is often so dull. We also...2022-02-0334 min
Big BiologyBeasty beats: The origins of musicality (Ep 76)Do animals dance to the beat? When is birdsong music for a bird? Humans hear music in everything, but what about other species?On this episode we talk with Henkjan Honing, professor of music cognition at the University of Amsterdam, about the biology of musicality. Among diverse species, he and his collaborators now study how and why some animals perceive elements of music but others do not.We also discuss the earliest known examples of human musical instruments and the possible adaptive value of music. All of these topics and more are covered...2022-01-201h 01
Big BiologyHidden network: The evolutionary relationship between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and plants (Ep 75)What rules dictate trade in symbiosis? How did the complex relationship between plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi evolve? What’s really going on in the world beneath our feet?On this episode, we talk to Toby Kiers, an evolutionary biologist at VU University Amsterdam, about the massive networks of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) that inhabit the soil beneath our feet. Toby studies the symbiotic relationship between AMF and 80-90% of plant species, through which the tube-shaped fungi cells trade nutrients with plant roots in exchange for carbon. We draw connections between these networks and human networks, an...2022-01-061h 05
Big BiologyBig Biology Year End Wrap-UpHappy Holidays from Big Biology! In our year end wrap-up episode, meet the team behind the podcast and hear our picks for favorite episodes and moments from the last year of the show. We also look forward to what’s in store for 2022. Thanks for your support, and we will see you in the new year!Music on the episode is from Podington Bear. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bigbiology.substack.com2021-12-3022 min
Big BiologyFood for thought: Plant domestication and the promise of green super rice (Ep 74)How and when did early humans domesticate the plants that we use today? Did these ancient farmers purposefully select traits, or did they domesticate unconsciously? In the future, can breeders and farmers grow more nutritious and robust food using genomics?In this episode, we talk to Michael Purugganan, an evolutionary biologist at NYU, about some of our favorite foods, where they came from, and what to do to ensure we will still have them in the future.We also talk about rice, an essential staple crop for the world. Michael describes his genomic...2021-12-161h 10
Big BiologyA gene’s-eye view: Useful tool or narrow lens? (Ep 73)Are genes the primary units of selection and main drivers of adaptation? How does a gene’s-eye view of evolution fit into modern biology?On this episode, we talk with Arvid Ågren, an evolutionary biologist and Wenner-Gren Fellow at Uppsala University, about his new book, “The Gene’s-Eye View of Evolution”. The book chronicles the history of gene-centric views of evolution, which burst onto the scene in 1976 with the publication of Richard Dawkins’s book, "The Selfish Gene". In the gene-centric worldview, genes and alleles take center stage as both key units of selection and drivers of the evol...2021-12-021h 26
Big BiologyStability and change: Lessons from the Serengeti (Ep 72)Why is the Serengeti such a special ecosystem? Why does it support so many different species, and what ecological processes regulate the enormous population sizes of its dominant large-bodied herbivores?On this episode, we talk with Tony Sinclair, professor emeritus of zoology at the University of British Columbia, about his new book “A Place Like No Other: Discovering the Secrets of Serengeti”. Since the 1960s, Tony has studied the bottom-up and top-down processes that regulate wildlife populations in the Serengeti. We talk about how he discovered the major rules of regulation, the unique geography and climate of t...2021-11-111h 18
Big BiologyPlease don't kill the bats! (Ep 5 Re-release)How do diseases spread from animals to humans? Is it possible to forecast where disease outbreaks will occur and when they will blow up into major health crises? In one of the earliest episodes of Big Biology, Marty and Art talk to Barbara Han, a disease ecologist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, about her research on zoonotic disease, how we track the spread of infectious diseases and whether we'll ever be able to predict outbreaks. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to...2021-10-2851 min
Big BiologyA tattoo on the brain: The neurobiology of Alzheimer's disease (Ep 71)What causes Alzheimer’s disease? Why are some people more at risk than others? What are the prospects for a cure and the best options for slowing the onset of symptoms?On this episode of Big Biology, we talk with Daniel Gibbs, a retired neurologist, about his new book: “A Tattoo on My Brain: A Neurologist’s Personal Battle Against Alzheimer’s Disease”. A few years back, Dan discovered his genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which motivated him to chronicle his journey from treating patients with dementia to his own experience with AD. Over 50 million peop...2021-10-141h 05
Big BiologyThe virus and the vegan: How the brain gains inference (Ep 70)What is the free energy principle? How do our brains use active inference to manage uncertainty and stress?On this episode, we talk with Karl Friston, world-renowned neuroscientist at University College London, about his free energy principle. In order for the human brain or any other self-evidencing system (be it Earthly or alien) to exist, they must be able to make inferences about their environments, and adjust their internal models of the world to resist entropy. In the show, we discuss how Karl’s previous work as a psychiatrist led him to this theory, then take a...2021-09-301h 58
Big BiologyButterfl-eyes: The evolution and function of insect vision (Ep 69)What does the world look like through insect eyes? What biological mechanisms make their vision different from our own? And how might those differences influence their evolution?On this episode, we talk with UC Irvine evolutionary biologist Adriana Briscoe (@AdrianaBriscoe) about color vision in insects, particularly Heliconius butterflies. We discuss how their perception of the world has led to such massive diversification and how variation in the structure of the light-sensitive opsin proteins that detect light enable species to perceive the world differently. We also discuss how visual perception differences within species might shape behaviors such as pol...2021-09-161h 06
Big BiologyPerformance anxiety: How coastal invertebrates cope with changing climate extremes (Ep 68)What do we mean by ‘extreme ecological events’? What’s more important to a population, more frequent extremes or changes to average conditions? How should we link the performance of individuals to the success or failure of entire populations?On this episode, we talk with Mark Denny, Stanford University professor of marine science and former director of the Hopkins Marine Station. In his 2019 paper, “Performance in a variable world,” Mark reviewed how organisms perform in highly variable environments -- a problem that has taken on new urgency as climates change. We also talk about extreme ecological events...2021-09-021h 11
Big BiologySeason 4 Preview (and more)Season 4 of Big Biology will kick off at the end of August. Before then, Art and Marty have a few updates to share:We're looking for new interns to join our team and help produce the show! Also, we're hiring an executive producer to help with management and episode production. The application is available on the USF career page for a limited time - please consider applying!Please send us an email at info@bigbiology.org with any questions. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss...2021-07-2705 min
Big BiologyFoiling the flashy: How artificial light dims insect behavior (Ep 67)Is artificial light at night partly responsible for insect declines? How does it affect nocturnal insects, especially fireflies and other species that need darkness to thrive?On this episode of Big Biology, we talk with Avalon Owens (@avalonceleste), a PhD candidate at Tufts University whose research aims to better understand the effects of artificial light at night (or ALAN) on insects. We discuss what light at night is doing to insect populations, why some insects are attracted to light, and how lights might be compromising the pollination services and disease risks mediated by some insects. We...2021-07-0155 min
Big BiologyOld vaccines for new pandemics (Ep 66)What has COVID-19 taught us about preparing for future epidemics? Can we trigger innate immune responses – our first lines of defense - to mitigate novel infections? Can we use live-attenuated vaccines (LAV) meant for other infections to protect us while we develop specific vaccines for new pathogens?On this episode, we talk to virologists Konstantin Chumakov and Robert Gallo about their recent paper entitled “Old vaccines for new infections”. They and their colleagues argue that we can fight novel pathogens, like SARS-COV2, by stimulating our innate immune systems with live-attenuated vaccines developed for other pathogens (e.g., me...2021-06-1736 min
Big BiologyMouse on a hill: The structure and function of agency (Ep 65)What is agency? How does it evolve? Do non-living things have agency?On this episode of Big Biology, we talk with Tufts University professor Michael Levin about his recent article in Aeon magazine called ‘Cognition all the way down’. In it, Mike and Dan Dennett discuss the phenomenon of agency and what it means for biology, basic to medical. We discuss with Mike what it means to be an agent - whether you’re a metabolite, a cell, or a human - and how agency affects and is affected by evolution. We discuss how agents at differ...2021-06-031h 08
Big BiologyThe stall protocol: Diapause in the annual killifish (Ep 64)How do organisms cope with long periods of tough conditions where regular life is impossible? How do some animals turn down their metabolism to levels so low that they can appear dead? How do animals emerge from such deep, low activity states?In this episode of Big Biology, we talk with Jason Podrabsky, a professor of biology at Portland State University, about diapause – a remarkable physiological state in which organisms turn down their metabolic rates to a bare minimum. Diapause is a way of living through harsh conditions while spending as little energy as possible. We talk...2021-05-201h 09
Big BiologySurvival of the systems: The power of persistence (Ep 63)Can selection act on ecosystems, societies, or planets such that some persist and others disappear? Must such systems reproduce to evolve?On this episode of Big Biology, we talk to Tim Lenton, Director of the Global Systems Institute (@GSI_Exeter) and a Professor of Climate Change and Earth System Science at the University of Exeter. In his 2021 Trends in Ecology & Evolution paper “Survival of the Systems,” Tim outlined his idea that large, complex systems--such as grasslands, coral reefs, and even human economies--are subject to a kind of natural selection based on their ability to persist. Tim argue...2021-05-061h 08
Big BiologySituated Darwinism: Organism-centered evolution (Ep 62)Are genes the prime movers in evolution, or is causality distributed across multiple levels of organization? What role do organisms play in evolution? Could organismal agency, the propensity to respond actively to selective forces, affect standard evolutionary theory?On this episode, we talk with Denis Walsh, a professor and philosopher of biology at the University of Toronto, about his book Organisms, Agency, and Evolution. The Modern Synthesis, which combines Darwin’s theory of natural selection and Mendel’s theory of genetic inheritance, was a giant leap forward in our understanding of the evolution of populations. Denis argues...2021-04-221h 15
Big BiologyDecoding CRISPR: Jennifer Doudna and the future of gene editing (Ep 61)What is CRISPR? Who are the key players behind its discovery? And what does it mean for science both now and in the future?On this episode of Big Biology, we talk to renowned author Walter Isaacson (@WalterIsaacson) about his new book, Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race. We break down the rich history of the gene editing CRISPR-Cas9 system--from its initial discovery in bacteria to the current ethical considerations for using it in humans. We also talk about the life of Nobel Prize winning scientist Jennifer Doudna, who...2021-04-0857 min
Big BiologyHuman-assisted evolution: Conserving coral diversity (Ep 60)Why are some corals more resilient to bleaching than others? How should we leverage genetic and epigenetic information to conserve coral diversity?On this episode of Big Biology, we talk with Hollie Putnam (@HolliePutnam), a professor at the University of Rhode Island, about threats to coral reefs and the steps she and her colleagues are taking to preserve coral diversity. Warming oceans disrupt the relationships between corals and their symbiotic algae, which can lead to coral bleaching. Warming also alters the composition and function of the entire coral holobiont, the diverse community of other organisms that live...2021-03-251h 03
Big BiologyFeel the burn: The limits of human energy expenditure and endurance (Ep 59)What can modern hunter-gatherer societies teach us about human energy budgets? What misconceptions do we have about weight loss and weight management? Are there limits to human endurance?On this episode, we talk with Herman Pontzer (@HermanPontzer) of Duke University. We discuss his new book Burn, in which he examines -- and in some cases overturns -- received wisdom about human energy budgets and human metabolism. Much of the book is framed around Herman’s amazing long-term studies with the Hadza, a group of modern-day hunter-gatherers in Tanzania. That work reveals insights into human energy expenditure, he...2021-03-111h 03
Big BiologyFinding our voice: The neurobiology of vocal learning (Ep 58)How did vocal learning evolve? What is special about human language? What brain structures are associated with speech and the many components of spoken language?On this episode, we talk with Erich Jarvis (@erichjarvis), a professor at Rockefeller University, about the neurobiology of vocal communication. Erich’s ideas draw on the amazing breadth of auditory and vocal capacities among mammals and birds - from learning simple sounds to imitating sounds to producing complex, flexible vocalizations. We also discuss the unique “circuit within a circuit” neural networks of parrots that allow them to create such a rich r...2021-02-251h 00
Big BiologyGeorgia O'Keeffe and the Red Queen: Ecosystem services via coevolution (Ep 57)What is coevolution? How has coevolution between insects and plants shaped human history and culture?In this episode of Big Biology, we talk with Rob Raguso, a professor at Cornell University, who studies insect-plant interactions. Rob discusses his work on diffuse coevolution between night blooming flowers and their long-tongued hawk moth pollinators, and how his and others’ ideas leading to geographic mosaic theory has helped us understand the evolution of novel traits. Rob says that plant-pollinator coevolution has had a huge and varied impact on human life and culture, well beyond its obvious effects on...2021-02-111h 09
Big BiologyBee kind: The buzz on global insect declines (Ep 56)Why are bee populations declining? How can we reliably monitor insect populations when many are so cryptic? And what steps can we take to ensure that populations remain viable?In this episode, we talk with Dave Goulson (@DaveGoulson), a professor of biology at the University of Sussex. Dave studies the ecology and conservation of insects, particularly bumblebees, and he is the founder of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. Bumblebees and wild bees provide pollination services for over 50% of the food we consume—so ensuring their long-term viability is critical to our food security. Dave says that bees an...2021-01-2858 min
Big BiologyNew content on Patreon, social media and our website.We are jumping into the podcast feed with a few quick updates. We’re revamping our Patreon tier system to give you more Big Biology content. We also created a Facebook group where you can discuss Big Biology episodes with other fans and we're starting to upload transcripts for select episodes on BigBiology.org.Become a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/bigbioJoin the Facebook GroupRead the transcripts This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other su...2021-01-2002 min
Big BiologyHot wings: How birds stay cool under the Australian sun (Ep 55)On this episode of Big Biology we talk to Christine Cooper (@CECooperEcophys), a vertebrate ecophysiologist and professor at Curtin University, Australia. Christine’s research focuses on the thermal, metabolic, and water physiology of Australian mammals and birds. Her recent research, published in the Journal of Experimental Biology (a sponsor of this episode), details how one small and common bird, the zebra finch, responds to prolonged and intense Australian heat waves. We also discussed the evolution of vertebrate endothermy and how various other animals have evolved to cope with changes in temperature.This episode is sponsored by Jo...2021-01-1446 min
Big BiologyAnd the Oskar goes to: Germ-soma differentiation in insects (Ep 54)What is a germ cell and why do animals separate germ and soma (body) cells at all? What molecules determine whether cells become germ or soma, and are some such mechanisms products of horizontal gene transfer?On this episode of Big Biology, we talk with Cassandra Extavour, an evolutionary developmental biologist at Harvard who studies the how's and why's of germ cell differentiation in insects. Recently, Cassandra's lab has been working on oskar, a novel and highly conserved gene that is indispensable for giving insect cells the ability to become sperm or eggs. She and others ha...2020-12-181h 02
Big BiologyTurn down the lights: The ecological effects of bright nights (Ep 53)How has the amount of artificial light changed over the last 150 years? In what ways does artificial light affect human health and wildlife? And how can new lighting technologies ameliorate the effects of light pollution?On this episode of Big Biology we talk to Kevin Gaston (@KevinJGaston), a professor of Biodiversity & Conservation at the University of Exeter. Kevin is an expert on the ecological impacts of artificial light and in particular “sky glow”--the combined glow of all lights coming from cities and towns. In our chat, we discussed how light production has grown over the past...2020-12-0456 min
Big BiologyCoronavirus III: Town Hall (Ep 52)How can local and state governments repair the damage done by COVID-19? Is there a vaccine on its way to a pharmacy near you? And what should you expect about lockdowns, facemasks, and new COVID-19 therapies in the coming months?On this episode of Big Biology, a panel of experts discusses the virus’s trajectory and impact, and our options going forward. This conversation was recorded live at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida, in partnership with the University of South Florida College of Public Health and Morsani College of Medicine and the City of Tampa.2020-11-201h 11
Big BiologyA Series of Fortunate Events: Chance and Contingency (Ep 51)What is the role of chance in explaining variation in biology? How has it shaped the history of life on Earth? And how do scientists incorporate chance into their performing experiments?In this episode of BigBiology, we talk to Sean Caroll, an award-winning scientist, author, educator and, film-producer about his latest book, A Series of Fortunate Events, in which he writes about how chance has shaped life on Earth. In Sean’s view, chance is the creative process and contingency is the aftermath of chance. Consider the asteroid impact that killed off the dinosaurs and paved th...2020-11-0557 min
Big BiologyBig Blue: How whales evolved to become ocean titans (Ep 50)Are whales the biggest animals to have ever lived? Why have they evolved to become so gigantic? What key adaptations support their immense size?On this episode of Big Biology, we talk to Jeremy Goldbogen (@GoldbogenLab), a scientist at the Hopkins Marine Station at Stanford University. For the past few years he has been tracking blue whales, aiming to understand how their physiology sustains their massive size, and how food and environment play a role in whale gigantism. We talk about the evolution of extreme size, whether modern whales are bigger than the largest dinosaurs, how...2020-10-2252 min
Big BiologyThe Vital Question: The Chemistry of Early Life (Ep 49)How did life originate on Earth? Why is it that eukaryotes but not bacteria or archaea evolved large size and complicated body forms? How likely is that life has arisen independently elsewhere in the universe?On this episode, we talk with Nick Lane, a biochemist and professor at University College London, about his 2015 book The Vital Question. Nick argues that protolife arose in alkaline hydrothermal vents deep in the early Earth’s oceans. The key early event was the evolution of metabolism powered by proton gradients. In other words, metabolism came first, and all of the re...2020-10-091h 02
Big BiologyAn 8-legged Bite: The Evolution of Venom in Spiders and Beyond (Ep 48)How did the Brown Recluse get its powerful bite? How widespread is venom across the tree of life? How do spiders use their venoms? On this episode of Big Biology, we talk with spider venom expert Greta Binford (@gretabinford), a Biology Professor and Biology Department Chair at Lewis & Clark University. Her lab explores the vast chemical richness of spider venom and how those venoms have evolved. We talked with Greta about the function of venom, how it’s evolved throughout the tree of life, and the surprising role horizontal gene transfer--the idea that genes can jump sid...2020-09-2446 min
Big BiologyThe Origin of Us: Human evolution (Ep 47)Where, when, and how did Homo sapiens appear? What do we know about the complex set of ancestral hominins that preceded us? How recently did other hominin lineages live and what happened to them?In this episode we talk with Kate Wong, a senior editor at Scientific American, about her latest article, The Origin of Us. Our understanding of hominin evolution over the past several million years has been transformed by exciting new fossil finds and new DNA sequence data. We talk with Kate about the biggest news, the luxuriant evolutionary bush from which...2020-09-1158 min
Big BiologySmarthropods: Cognition in Insects (Ep 46)Which animals are conscious, and how can we tell? Does it matter? Although many people think of insects as simple organisms that react in preprogrammed ways to their environments, scientists know increasingly that insect have subtle and complex forms of behavior and learning. But are they conscious?On this episode, we talk with Lars Chittka, a biologist at Queen Mary University of London who studies the evolution of sensory systems and cognition in insects. Lars studies how bumblebees and other insects solve complex problems, and his results show unequivocally that they are incredibly flexible and creative...2020-08-2837 min
Big BiologyCROSSOVER: On Coronavirus, Crisis, and Creative Opportunity with David Krakauer (Complexity podcast from the Santa Fe Institute)This podcast was originally broadcast by Complexity, a podcast from the Santa Fe Institute on April, 20 2020.Big Biology has featured several scientists connected to the Santa Fe Institute, and now SFI has its own podcast called Complexity.You can listen to all of their episodes here: https://complexity.simplecast.com/This episode, as well as show notes, are available here: https://complexity.simplecast.com/episodes/29Complexity features wide-ranging conversations with the Santa Fe Institute’s scientists, mathematicians, philosophers and artists who are trying to understand the deepest my...2020-08-2644 min
Big BiologySeason 3 PreviewThe first episode of season three is coming out later this week. Here's a taste of what's coming up.Right now, we're looking for a few interns to join our team. If you love Big Biology and you're interested in science communication send us an application at www.bigbiology.org/jobs This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bigbiology.substack.com2020-08-2402 min
Big BiologyRE-RUN: Tangling the Tree of LifeToday we’re replaying of our discussion with science writer David Quammen.We talked with him in 2018 about his most recent book, the Tangled Tree, which explores the influence of horizontal gene transfer on the evolution of life on Earth.But right now, it’s one of his previous books that is essential reading. In 2012, he published a book called Spillover that described the risk of new diseases jumping from wildlife to humans. Now, we’re seeing that scenario play out in a big way with the coronavirus pandemic.In May, h...2020-08-061h 16
Big BiologyRE-RUN: Information, Aliens and the Origin of LifeThis episode was originally published in 2018. It's one of our most popular episodes of all time, so we decided to run it again while we're in between seasons. Look for new Big Bio episodes in August. What is life? How did life arise from non-life? What did life look like at its origin?Tune into this podcast to hear Art and Marty talk with Sara Walker, an expert in astrobiology and theoretical physics at Arizona State University. They discuss how life might have arisen on Earth and why biologists and physicists should w...2020-07-241h 04
Big BiologyEp 45: Student SpotlightHow are early stage scientists pushing biology forward? What’s it like to be a graduate student during a global pandemic?Over the last several months, we’ve been collecting short audio clips from biology students describing their research. Associate Producer Michael Levin spearheaded the project, which we called the Student Spotlight.On this episode of Big Biology, we talk with four students who submitted the best audio clips for that project. We talked about their science, and also asked them about the most important areas for future research, advice for future biology studen...2020-06-251h 07
Big BiologyEp 44: The Science of SlimeWhat’s the slimiest fish on Earth? Why are they so slimy? And can we leverage our understanding of slime to make better bioengineered materials?In this episode we talk with Doug Fudge, an Associate Professor at Chapman University, about his research on hagfish slime. Over the past 20 years, Doug and his lab and collaborators have figured out how and why hagfish produce slime, how the slime’s remarkable properties emerge from its underlying chemistry, and whether the protein threads in slime can be used to make bio-inspired fabrics that are greener, better, and longer lasting.2020-06-1259 min
Big BiologyEp 43: Project ICARUSWhat can we learn from animals by constantly tracking their movements with transmitters? How can we use information from collectives of animals to study and predict disease spread, earthquakes, and outbreaks of pests? How do you transform a massive, international scientific idea into a reality?On this episode of Big Biology, we talk with Martin Wikelski, the Director of the Max Planck Institute for Animal Behavior. Martin leads Project ICARUS, an international collaboration aiming to track thousands of tagged animals at once from space. We talked with him about the long road to getting the project...2020-05-281h 08
Big BiologyEp 42: Fatal FungusWhy are amphibians across the world dying from a fungal infection? Where did the fungus come from? How does it kill and are populations adapting?On this episode of Big Biology, we talk with Craig Franklin, a biologist at the University of Queensland and the director of research for the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve, about the history and distribution of the fungus, how it’s killing so many species, and what we can do to save them.Cover photo by Brian Gratwicke. This is a public episode. If you would li...2020-05-1642 min
Big BiologyEp 41: Coronavirus IIWhere did the new coronavirus come from? How can we be on the lookout for new diseases emerging from animals? Now that the coronavirus has infected humans, what’s the best path forward? In this episode of Big Biology, we talk with Andy Dobson, a disease ecologist at Princeton University who studies epidemics like the current COVID-19 outbreak. We talked with him about the possible animal origins of the virus, the best way to control its spread and strategies to avoid the next pandemic. Andy emphasizes that we shouldn’t blame wildlife for the coronavirus outbreak. It’s human behavi...2020-05-0145 min
Big BiologyWe need your help to make season three!We’re getting ready for season three next fall. We already have a bunch of great guests lined up to talk about the evolution of venom, insect intelligence and human evolution.But we need your financial support to make that happen. Our goal is to raise at least $1,500 from listeners. If we aren’t able to accomplish that, we’ll need to drastically scale back production for season three.We know this is a tough time to ask for your help, but if you’re able, we would really appreciate your financial support.2020-04-2201 min
Big BiologyEp 40: Songbird ScentsHow do hormones like testosterone coordinate important activities in an animal’s life, and how might those activities tradeoff with one another? How do the microbial communities living on birds affect the scents they give off, and how do those scents influence the birds’ choices of mates?In this episode, we talk with Ellen Ketterson, an evolutionary biologist at Indiana University, Bloomington, about her work on juncos in North America. We discuss Ellen’s early research on how testosterone modulates life history characteristics of male juncos. We also discuss her more recent work on bird microb...2020-04-161h 11
Big BiologyEp 39: Bioelectric ComputationHow do animals construct tissues, organs, and limbs in the right places during development? How do some animals manage to regenerate missing body parts? On this episode of Big Biology, we talk with Michael Levin, a biologist at Tufts University who studies how electric fields inside animals guide cells during development and regeneration. His work shows that electric fields play fundamental roles in structuring body plans and, in some species, can even be inherited across generations. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus e...2020-04-021h 09
Big BiologyEp 38: CoronavirusHow is COVID-19 transmitted and how broad will the pandemic become? What can mathematical models of infectious disease tell us? What are steps we can take now to slow the spread?On this episode of Big Biology, we speak with John Drake, the Director of the Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases at the University of Georgia, who has been working with the CDC to understand the dynamics of the COVID-19 outbreak and to identify strategies for slowing its spread. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers o...2020-03-1733 min
Big BiologyEp 37: Loading the DiceWhat forms of consciousness exist in the natural world? What roles did associative learning and episodic like memory play in its origins? Does consciousness have a function, and is it an adaptation? On this episode of Big Biology, we speak with Eva Jablonka from the Cohn Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Ideas, Tel Aviv, and Moncy Ginsburg, a neurobiologist formerly from the Open University of Israel, about their book called "The Evolution of the Sensitive Soul." We discuss how Universal Associative Learning led to the evolution of consciousness. Cover art by Anna Zeligowski. 2020-03-131h 08
Big BiologyEp 36: Intentional EvolutionIs there a role for agency in evolution? Do organismal efforts to maintain homeostasis represent a form of biological intentionality? On this episode of Big Biology, we talk with Scott Turner, a physiologist and emeritus professor of Biology from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Scott’s book, Purpose and Desire, discusses how holes in standard evolutionary theory might be productively filled by the concept of homeostasis. Scott argues that by attempting to maintain metabolism and exporting entropy to the environment, organisms manifest a form of agency that can affect the evolution of their lineages. His book and i...2020-02-271h 38
Big BiologyEp 35: PruittDataWhat led to a recent series of research paper retractions in behavioral ecology? How do scientists trust the data their collaborators share? Earlier this year, several journals retracted papers using data collected by the biologist, Jonathan Pruitt, data that upon inspection were found to have several problems. On this episode, we talk with Dan Bolnick, Editor-in-Chief of The American Naturalist, one of the journals involved in the retractions. We talked with Dan about how he and others discovered the problems, the current status of the investigation, and the consequences of the flawed data for other authors on the retracted...2020-02-1735 min
Big BiologyEp 34: Matrix MattersWhat is sensory drive, and how has it affected the evolution of communication? How do surf perch and other animals sense and signal in noisy environments? On this episode of Big Biology, in front of a live audience at the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting, we talk with Molly Cummings, a professor of integrative biology at the University of Texas at Austin. We discuss the balance animals must strike between standing out and blending in to the places they live. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with...2020-02-1353 min
Big BiologyEp 33: Magic Puzzle BoxWhat is Maxwell's demon, and what is its role in biology? How do molecular demons underpin life? Does life really defy entropy? On this episode of Big Biology, we talk with Paul Davies, a cosmologist at Arizona State University and the Director of the Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science. His recent book, "The Demon in the Machine," tackles Schrodinger's big question "What is life?," arguing that information is the key that distinguishes living from non-living things. You can learn more about Paul’s book as well as his other work on the role of information in biology via ou...2020-01-301h 02
Big BiologyEp 32: Diluting DiseaseHow is declining biodiversity affecting the occurrence and spread of Lyme disease? Is there a way to reduce the transmission of tick-borne diseases using ecological approaches? On this episode of Big Biology we talk with Felicia Keesing and Rick Ostfeld, two disease ecologists working at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, New York. Felicia is a professor at Bard College, and Rick is a staff scientist at the Cary Institute. They study the ecology of tick-borne illnesses including a remarkable phenomenon called the dilution effect. In front of a live audience, we discussed the dilution effect, a term...2020-01-1650 min
Big BiologyEp 31: MethusaliciousIf natural selection is constantly ridding lineages of detrimental traits, why do all organisms wear down with age? Why does restricting the diet slow down the aging process?On this episode of Big Biology we talk with Jenny Regan and Dan Nussey, scientists at the University of Edinburgh who study why some organisms age at different rates and what phenotypic plasticity might have to do with this with variation.We discuss how aging happens, why species vary, and some of the major theories scientists use to explain it. We also discuss a paper that Jenny and...2019-12-301h 07
Big BiologyHappy Holidays!Make a donation to Big Biology through Patreon at Patreon.com/bigbio or at bigbiology.org This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bigbiology.substack.com2019-12-1406 min
Big BiologyEp 30: Know Your 'OmeWhat can direct-to-consumer genetic companies tell us about our health and ancestry? How do scientists figure out which genes affect particular traits? Is Art related to a Nigerian prince? Is Marty a Neanderthal? On this episode of Big Biology we talk with Samantha Esselmann and Ruth Tennen, product scientists at 23andMe, about how the company uses its massive trove of data to help people learn about the genetics of their ancestry and health. We talk about the accuracy of results and what the numbers in their reports say about us. Samantha and Ruth work closely with 23andMe’s population geneticists an...2019-12-0650 min
Big BiologyEp 29: Lick Your KidsHow important are pathways other than DNA for transmitting traits from one generation to the next? On this episode of Big Biology, we talk to neuroscientist Frances Champagne from the University of Texas at Austin. Using rodents, Frances studies how early-life experiences affect epigenetic marks and how those marks are passed from one generation to the next. We asked her how those marks influence rat behaviors, why this mechanism alters modern evolutionary theory, and whether the growing interest in epigenetics is vindicating Lamarck’s old ideas about the inheritance of acquired characteristics. This is a public episode. If yo...2019-11-2254 min
Big BiologyEp 28: Evolution NowHow do new species form? How long does it take for evolution to happen? What can hybrids tell us about the process of speciation?On this episode we talk with Peter and Rosemary Grant, two Princeton biologists who spent decades studying finches on the Galapagos Islands. Their work on bird beaks provides some of the strongest evidence for how fast natural selection can occur and more recently the genes involved. Their newest work on hybridization could fundamentally change how we think about speciation in animals. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss...2019-11-0851 min
Big BiologyEp 27: Flight of the Ur-SectWhy did conventional thinking in aerodynamics fail to explain how insects fly? What can robots teach us about how insects do it? How do insect brains direct their incredible aerial feats and get around in the world? Michael Dickinson is a biologist at Caltech who uses robots to study how insects fly. More recently, he has focused on insect neurobiology and behavior. On this episode, Art and Marty talk with Michael about the mysteries of tiny insect flight, and how the presumably simple brains of such animals enable them to navigate sometimes vast distances. This is a public...2019-10-241h 05
Big BiologyEp 26: The Long Road to MexicoHow does a tiny insect migrate thousands of miles from Canada to Mexico each year? What does the decline of monarch butterflies tell us about the ecological health of our continent? How are scientists using gene editing to understand how insects have evolved to tolerate poisonous plants? Anurag Agrawal is a biologist at Cornell University who studies plant-insect interactions, including monarch butterflies. He is the author of a new book called "Monarchs and Milkweed: A Migrating Butterfly, a Poisonous Plant, and Their Remarkable Story of Coevolution.” On this episode, Art and Marty talk with Anurag about the incredible migration of th...2019-10-101h 09
Big BiologyEp 25: Dopamine Unto OthersWhat does neuroscience have to say about morality, politics, and cross-cultural communication? How are neurobiology and philosophy connected? Pat Churchland is a neurobiologist and philosopher at UC San Diego, where she has spent years studying connections between mind and brain. Tune into this episode to hear Marty and Art discuss these questions as well as Pat's new book "Conscience: The Origins of Moral Intuition." This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bigbiology.substack.com2019-09-261h 11
Big BiologyEp 24: Mental Smoke DetectorsWhy hasn’t natural selection eliminated human diseases? Are bad feelings like anxiety and depression adaptive? Can we use evolutionary biology to improve medicine? Randy Nesse is a doctor and a scientist at Arizona State University who uses evolutionary biology to inform the practice of medicine. In his latest book, “Good Reasons for Bad Feelings,” he discusses how natural and sexual selection may have shaped our psychological and emotional lives. On this episode Art and Marty talk to Randy about evolutionary psychiatry. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get ac...2019-09-131h 12
Big BiologyEp 23: Beauty of the BeastsWhy are animals loud and conspicuous when that increases their risk from predators? How does noise pollution affect mating behaviors? How can robots help biologists study complex topics such as sexual selection and mate choice? Gail Patricelli is a behavioral ecologist at UC Davis, where she studies how individual variation in animal signaling and communication affects mate choice and reproductive success. Gail uses robots to investigate the process of sexual selection in sage-grouse and other species with elaborate mating displays. Tune into this episode to hear Marty and Art talk to Gail about these topics and...2019-08-291h 02
Big BiologySeason 2 PreviewSeason two of Big Biology starts on August 29. On this preview, Art and Marty talk about some of the guests they’ll be interviewing and some of the topics they’re most excited to discuss. This season we’ll be featuring scientists who study talking plants, consciousness and epigenetics, and much more! Hold on to your pipettes folks, Big Biology is back! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bigbiology.substack.com2019-08-1513 min
Big BiologyEp 22: Whale AwareIs intelligence similar in humans and dolphins? Do dolphins and whales have their own culture and language? How do they perceive the world around them? Janet Mann is a biologist at Georgetown University, where she studies how dolphins form social groups, use tools, and communicate with one another. Tune into this episode to hear Marty and Art talk to Janet about these topics and Janet’s book, Deep Thinkers: Inside the minds of whales, dolphins, and porpoises. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, vi...2019-05-301h 04
Big BiologyEp 21: Replaying the MP3 of LifeWhy do some rove beetles look like ants? Why do living things evolve similar solutions to common problems? Is there predictability within the evolutionary process? On this episode, Art and Marty talk with Joe Parker, an entomologist at Caltech. Joe has been collecting beetles since the age of 16, when he first became amazed by their incredible diversity. He now focuses on rove beetles and studies their evolutionary relationship with ants to understand how different species converge upon similar traits. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to...2019-05-0955 min
Big BiologyEp 20: Ask Us AnythingIn this episode, we've taken a break from our regular format to answer some of your questions such as what's the chance of human-like intelligence on another planet and if we had the technology, what organism would we want to bring back, Jurassic Park style? Tune in to this episode to hear Marty and Art answer questions like these and what goes into making our podcast! Have a question you want answered? Reach out to us on Facebook or Twitter! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access...2019-04-191h 00
Big BiologyEp 19: Microbial Garden of EdenHow does our indoor, modern lifestyle affect our microbiome? How does this novel microbiome affect our health? On this episode, Marty and Art talk with Rob Dunn, an applied ecologist at North Carolina State University. Rob studies the organisms that we come into contact with every day, from the microbes in our bodies to the insects in our homes. Tune into this episode to hear Marty and Art talk to Rob about the crazy diversity of microbes on our skin and its importance in our health and our food. Many of the ideas we discuss are from Rob’s most re...2019-04-0544 min
Big BiologyEp 18: Bug in the systemHow can cicadas eat nothing but tree sap for 17 years? How do endosymbiotic relationships evolve? What do bacteria-insect symbioses teach us about the evolution of mitochondria and chloroplasts? On this episode, Art and Marty talk with John McCutcheon, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Montana. John studies symbioses between bacteria and cicadas—exploring what each partner provides for the other, how cicadas transmit bacteria to their offspring, and what the consequences are for the evolution of bacterial genomes (hint: they are extreme!). This research raises basic questions about what an individual even is. This is a public ep...2019-03-2147 min
Big BiologyEp 17: 1000 ways to make a babyHow did sex evolve? Why are there sexes at all? what are the evolutionary costs and benefits of sex? On this episode, Art and Marty talk with Hanna Kokko, an evolutionary ecologist at the University of Zurich. Hanna studies the evolution of sex and the vast panoply of strategies that organisms use to reproduce. Check out this nice graphical illustration of her work on her website! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bigbiology.substack.com2019-03-071h 00
Big BiologyEp 16: Rules of LifeWhat role does one part of the federal government, the National Science Foundation, play in biological research in the US? How will their new funding initiative help us discover Rules of Life? On this episode, Art and Marty talk with two NSF directors, Joanne Tornow. the head of the Biological Sciences directorate, and Arthur “Skip” Lupia, the head of the Social, Behavioral and Economic Science directorate. They talked with them about one of NSF’s Big Ideas. One Idea, called Rules of Life, challenges scientists to study some of the same ‘big’ questions that we’ve addressed on this podcast, including ho...2019-02-2136 min
Big BiologyEp 15: Climate change: should they stay or should they go?How is climate change affecting the distribution of animals? How will these changes in species distribution affect us? Tune in to hear Marty and Art talk with physiological ecologist Jenn Sunday about how climate change is affecting the distribution of life on Earth. Jenn is a professor at McGill University who attempts to answer these questions at a global scale. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bigbiology.substack.com2019-02-011h 11
Big BiologyEp 14: Plasticity? Sounds fishy.Does plasticity always help organisms adapt? What happens if it doesn't? Could it speed up evolution Tune in to hear Art and Marty talk with evolutionary ecologist Cameron Ghalambor about the role of non-adaptive plasticity in evolution. Cam is a professor at Colorado State University who tackles these questions by studying guppies. We interviewed Cam at a bar in Tampa, FL during a conference for the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bigbiology.substack.com2019-01-171h 17
Big BiologyEp 13: Unraveling Genetic KnotsDo single genes cause variation in traits or are gene effects more complex than that? How do genes interact with one another, and how do those interactions alter the pace and direction of evolution? Do those interactions constrain or facilitate evolution? Tune in to hear Art and Marty talk with Mihaela Pavlicev about these questions and more! Mihaela is a geneticist at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, where she studies big new ideas about links between genes and traits. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get ac...2018-12-2137 min
Big BiologyEp 12: Containing Cancer with Squirrel EcologyWill cancer ever become just another chronic but manageable disease? What can a squirrel biologist teach us about treating cancer? In this episode, Marty and Art talk with Joel Brown about how to contain cancer using basic ideas from ecology and evolution. To Joel, cells in tumors are like organisms in ecosystems, and fighting cancer means using what we know about species in nature to tilt the playing field against the worst kinds of cancer cells. He and his team at the Moffit Cancer Research Center in Tampa, Florida, are starting to have some remarkable success treating different kinds of...2018-12-0655 min
Big BiologyEp 11: The Vagina Research Institute (Full Conversation)Why do some animals have weird genitalia? Why is there conflict between males and females when it comes to producing offspring? Tune into this podcast to hear Art and Marty talk with Patty Brennan about how sex in the animal kingdom is not always about love and cooperation; often it's also about conflict. And, this conflict can lead to some pretty crazy genitalia. Patty is an evolutionary biologist at Mount Holyoke College. Her research shows that the birds and the bees aren't so simple for the birds (or, as it turns out, for most other animals). Follow Patty on Twitter...2018-11-151h 17
Big BiologyEp 11: The Vagina Research InstituteWhy do some animals have weird genitalia? Why is there conflict between males and females when it comes to producing offspring? Tune into this podcast to hear Art and Marty talk with Patty Brennan about how sex in the animal kingdom is not always about love and cooperation; often it's also about conflict. And, this conflict can lead to some pretty crazy genitalia. Patty is an evolutionary biologist at Mount Holyoke College. Her research shows that the birds and the bees aren't so simple for the birds (or, as it turns out, for most other animals). Follow Patty on Twitter...2018-11-1520 min
Big BiologyEp 10: Tangling the Tree of LifeHow has the Tree of Life changed since Darwin? How do genes jump from one species to another? Why do we have viral genes in our DNA? Tune into this podcast to hear Art and Marty talk with David Quammen about his new book “The Tangled Tree: A Radical New History of Life.” In this podcast, they discuss how recent advances in genetics has changed our way of thinking about evolution and the relatedness of plants, animals, and microbes. They also discuss David's methods to his madness as he chooses the topics for each of his books. David is an awar...2018-10-191h 15
Big BiologyEp 9: Information, Aliens, and the Origin of Life (Full Conversation)What is life? How did life arise from non-life? What did life look like at its origin? Tune into this podcast to hear Art and Marty talk with Sara Walker, an expert in astrobiology and theoretical physics at Arizona State University. They discuss how life might have arisen on Earth and why biologists and physicists should work together to find a theory of life. Her ideas could help decide what to do about artificial intelligence (SPOILER: The robots will take over, but it’s going to be OK). They might also help us find life on other planets. Th...2018-09-221h 03
Big BiologyEp 9: Information, Aliens, and the Origin of LifeWhat is life? How did life arise from non-life? What did life look like at its origin? Tune into this podcast to hear Art and Marty talk with Sara Walker, an expert in astrobiology and theoretical physics at Arizona State University. They discuss how life might have arisen on Earth and why biologists and physicists should work together to find a theory of life. Her ideas could help decide what to do about artificial intelligence (SPOILER: The robots will take over, but it’s going to be OK). They might also help us find life on other planets. Th...2018-09-2216 min
Big BiologyEp 8: Immune System: Make Love not War (Full Conversation)Is there a constant battle between our immune system and pathogens? Does the fighting ever end? Does the immune system do more than just provide defense against pathogens?Tune into this podcast to hear Art and Marty talk to Fred Tauber, a professor emeritus of medicine and philosophy at Boston University, about how the immune system does more than just protect our bodies from pathogens. Fred has published a number of books on immunity and philosophy. Including his most recent book, "Immunity: the Evolution of an Idea," where he explores the ideas he discusses here in...2018-08-1959 min