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Naturebang

Becky Ripley and Emily Knight make sense of what it means to be human by looking to the natural world... Science meets storytelling with a philosophical twist.

Radio 4,36 episodes

Episodes

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Welcome to Naturebang
Becky Ripley and Emily Knight look to nature to answer some of life's big questions.
16 Jun 2019,1 min
Starlings and Social Networks
What can the patterns in a starling murmuration tell us about the way our ideas spread?
17 Jun 2019,15 mins
Sea-Sponges and the Illusion of Self
Breaking down the illusion of self, with help from the humble sea sponge.
18 Jun 2019,14 mins
The Portuguese Man O'War and the Individual
Are we one or are we many? Examining individualism via a colonial jellyfish.
19 Jun 2019,14 mins
Parasites and Personality
Who controls your thoughts and actions? You, or the things that live inside you?
20 Jun 2019,14 mins
Vole-love and Fidelity
Lessons on love, and how to be faithful, from a rodent the size of a satsuma.
21 Jun 2019,14 mins
Dog Poo and the Challenge of Navigation
How do we navigate unfamiliar terrain? How do animals do it? And can dog poo help us out?
10 Nov 2020,14 mins
Ants and Social Distancing
Can ants teach us anything about how to avoid a pandemic? Or how to survive one?
17 Nov 2020,14 mins
Naked Mole Rats and Life Extension
Why do naked mole rats live so long? And should we strive to live longer too?
24 Nov 2020,14 mins
Slime Mould and Problem Solving
How can a brainless single-cell slime mould help to solve our most complex problems?
01 Dec 2020,14 mins
Dragon Lizards and the Gender Spectrum
Animals can be male, female... or LOADS of other things. What are they? And what about us?
08 Dec 2020,15 mins
Octopuses and the Mind-Body Problem
What can an octopus teach us about our relationship between the mind and the body?
17 Jan 2022,14 mins
Bull Elephants and the Importance of Dads
A herd of elephants, a murder mystery, and a lesson on the importance of fatherhood.
18 Jan 2022,15 mins
Cockatoos and the Power of the Beat
What is it about our brains - and the brains of some birds - that makes us want to groove?
19 Jan 2022,14 mins
Cuckoo Chicks and the Supernormal Stimulus
Lessons from a cuckoo on why we want what we want, and why our desires can't be trusted.
20 Jan 2022,15 mins
Mongooses and the Magic of Trust
How dwarf mongooses can help us figure out who to trust and how to make friends.
21 Jan 2022,14 mins
Screaming Marmots and the Sound of Fear
What are the evolutionary origins of the sounds that frighten us the most?
09 Jan 2023,14 mins
Rivers and the Rights of Nature
Does giving rights to rivers and forests change how we think about the world around us?
10 Jan 2023,14 mins
Lazy Ants and the Power of Doing Nothing
Should we be doing a whole lot more... nothing?
11 Jan 2023,14 mins
Great Tits and Group Think
What can we learn about culture and creativity from a forest full of great tits?
12 Jan 2023,15 mins
Frozen Frogs and Preserved People
Can we freeze ourselves and return to a future world, like a frozen wood frog over winter?
13 Jan 2023,14 mins
Chuckling Chimps and the Evolution of Laughter
What do the giggles and guffaws of the animal world tell us about our own use of laughter?
18 Sep 2023,14 mins
Killer Whales and the Mystery of the Menopause
Why do we - and a few species of whale - have a menopause?
19 Sep 2023,14 mins
Buff Geese and Gym Rats
How do animals maintain fitness? And do I really have to go to the gym?
20 Sep 2023,14 mins
Zebra Finches and Learning a Language
How to birds learn to sing? How do we learn to talk? And what happens when it goes wrong?
21 Sep 2023,14 mins
Drunk Moose and the Drive to Get Loose
What can a drunken moose, stuck in a tree, tell us about our drive to get intoxicated?
22 Sep 2023,14 mins
Rainbowfish and the Mysteries of Memory
Are fish memories as bad as we think they are? And are human memories as good as we think?
29 Jul 2024,14 mins
Dr Orangutan and the Evolution of Medicine
What makes us sick? What makes us well again? And do animals medicate like we do?
30 Jul 2024,14 mins
Burying Beetles and the Politics of Parenting
How should we raise our kids? Is there such a thing as too much love?
31 Jul 2024,14 mins
Crafty Cuttlefish and Theory of Mind
Can we know what others know? And how do we figure out if they're telling fibs?
01 Aug 2024,14 mins