Linnean Learning

In his new book, Jack Ashby FLS journeys through both the evolutionary history of animals, and the ways people interpret them in museums. Animals in museums are not only representatives of their entire species, but they also tell us something about the time in which they were collected. They provide windows into the past as well as data for the present. Museums are one of the key windows we have into the natural world, but they are human inventions. In this podcast join Jack Ashby as he selects three specimens from our collections that explain mimicry, cheats and warning colours. Author and zoologist Jack Ashby FLS is the Manager of the Grant Museum of Zoology at University College London. Speaker: Jack Ashby FLS Producer: Ross Ziegelmeier

Lady Pleasance Smith had a sharp intellect and a wide-ranging network of family, friends and acquaintances throughout her long life. She was known for her generosity and philanthropic work. Pleasance outlived her husband James Edward Smith, founder of the Linnean Society of London, by nearly five decades, and from the time of his death in 1828 until her death in 1877 at age 103, Pleasance wrote and received a high volume of letters, many of which reveal her avid interest in the arts, humanities, sciences and the natural world. As she was not a fellow of the society nor a botanist, it would be natural to think that with the passing of her husband that her connection to the Linnean Society would have ended, but the high volume of letters that she received indicates the complete opposite. Up into the 1860s Pleasance remained friends with the chairmen of the society and donated books, specimens and even some of her husband’s letters to the society. Being the wife of James Edward Smith afforded Pleasance the oppo

Just over 100 years ago the Society admitted 15 ground-breaking Fellows—all women. Coinciding with our 230th anniversary, we thought it was a good time to celebrate these first female Fellows, and their contributions. In this podcast we learn a little bit about who these women were and explore some of the issues facing women today like imposter syndrome and the work/life balance of women in the field of science. The speakers include established scientists such as the society’s president elect Dr Sandy Knapp and Professor Athene Donald. Producer: Ross Ziegelmeier