Linnean Learning

In the last few decades a revolution has been brewing in zoology and evolutionary biology. Lucy Cooke introduces us to a riotous cast of animals, and the scientists studying them, that are redefining the female of the species. The bitches in her book titled "Bitch" overturn outdated binary expectations of bodies, brains, biology and behaviour. Lucy Cooke's brilliant new book will change how you think - about sex, sexual identity and sexuality in animals and also the very forces that shape evolution. Producer: Ross Ziegelmeier Interviewer: Ayesha Meredith-Lewis Speaker: Lucy Cooke

Soon nothing will be untouched by the exponential growth of AI technology. It is no surprise that museum collections and biological research has already incorporated these new advancements. So, what does it mean for our interpretation of large data and might we learn something new that was not possible before such technology existed? Interviewer and producer: Ross Ziegelmeier Speaker: Dr. Nicolas Gauthier

The increase in demand for electric vehicles has caused an increased demand for the metals needed to produced lithium-ion batteries used in these vehicles. The extraction of these metals has caused devastating damage to the natural world on a global scale. But what if we could extract metal from the ground without ruining the natural world and polluting our planet? In this podcast we explore this possibility. Interviewer and producer: Ross Ziegelmeier Speaker: Dr. Antony van der Ent

Do you wake up to early morning Twitter? Not the app that interrupts your sleep and haunts your dreams but the sweet dulcet tones of summer birds. Birdsong, the background score that heralds tropical jungles, urban parks and gardens, and wilderness. This episode will take you to the land of the vividly coloured and luminescent sunbirds in Wallacea. But do all birds sing? Not all. This may seem unbelievable but only some birds have the anatomy to enable them to do so. In this podcast Fionn Ó Marcaigh from Trinity College Dublin takes us on a journey through the melodies of songbirds. Interviewer and producer: Ross Ziegelmeier Speaker: Fionn Ó Marcaigh Want to know more? Read more about this Finding sunbird species in Wallacea

So much has been lost; so little remains. Few people realise that Britain harbours fragments of a globally rare habitat: temperate rainforest. This is the extraordinary tale of Guy Shrubsoles' quest to find Britain’s lost rainforests – and bring them back. Interviewer and producer: Ross Ziegelmeier Speaker: Guy Shrubsole Want to learn more about forests? Why not attend our lecture "(Hybrid) How Ancient Forests Can Save Us if We Let Them" Book tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hybrid-how-ancient-forests-can-save-us-if-we-let-them-tickets-536059527477?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=escb

The redistribution of "alien species" around the world accelerated with European colonialism. European powers were responsible for the deliberate and accidental transportation, introduction, and establishment of alien species throughout their occupied territories, and the metropolitan state. These activities left a lasting imprint on the global distribution of alien plants. The language we use today to identify, understand and communicate local ecology is often peppered with terms like 'invasives', 'aliens', 'natives'. But are there the right words, and connotations? Interviewer and producer: Ross Ziegelmeier Speaker: Dr. Mark Spencer Want to find out more? Why not attend our lecture "The Impact of European Colonialism on Global Plant Redistribution" Book tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-impact-of-european-colonialism-on-global-plant-redistribution-tickets-522649527807

In the last few decades a revolution has been brewing in zoology and evolutionary biology. Lucy Cooke introduces us to a riotous cast of animals, and the scientists studying them, that are redefining the female of the species. The bitches in her book titled "Bitch" overturn outdated binary expectations of bodies, brains, biology and behaviour. Lucy Cooke's brilliant new book will change how you think - about sex, sexual identity and sexuality in animals and also the very forces that shape evolution. Producer: Ross Ziegelmeier Interviewer: Ayesha Meredith-Lewis Speaker: Lucy Cooke

Predators that hunt dangerous prey require specialized predatory tactics to avoid counter-attack. Usually, these predatory tactics reduce the probability of detection. The assassin bugs Stenolemus bituberus and S. giraffa rely on stealth or mimicry to prey on dangerous web-building spiders. Paradoxically, however, these assassin bugs tap the spiders with their antennae prior to attacking, leaving the bugs vulnerable to detection and counter-attack. Interviewer and producer: Ross Ziegelmeier Speaker: Anne Wignall

Jared diamond's latest book upheaval discusses "How Nations Cope With Crisis And Change". These individual nations stories act as evidence of how crises can be overcome and stand as evidence for how we might seek to resolve global issues, such as climate change. Interviewer: Ross Ziegelmeier Speaker: Jared diamond

Look up - is there anything harder than trying to pin down a cloud? But a young chemist and future metereologist did the very exact thing - he categorised clouds for the world. His name was Luke Howard (1772-1864). Through out his life, Howard, a quaker and self-taught naturalist, gazed at clouds - his cloud taxonomy still holds strong today for the millions of cloud lovers around the world. Padma speaks with science historian and lecturer Dr Richard Hamblyn (Birkbeck University), who also wrote 'The Invention of Clouds: How an Amateur Meteorologist Forged the Language of the Skies', about Howard, the history of cloud taxonomy, and how clouds continue to hold centrestage in our imagination. This episode is a special release to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Howard's birth. There is a dedicated and enthusiastic group of cloud lovers in Tottenham (https://www.tottenhamclouds.org.uk/) that is celebrating by launching the Lordship Recreation Ground as the first official "Cloud Appreciation Park" in London.

We are currently living through an energy crises, but what actually is an energy crises? What does it mean for our future? and what is being done to help us get through it? We speak with researcher, activist and climate change communicator, Peter Harper, who has spent his entire life thinking about these questions. We also speak with Elree Winnett Seelig, who is a Managing Director and Head of Environmental, Social and Governance for Citi's Markets business, to understand what is currently being done and what still could be done to resolve this crises. To go deeper into this conversation watch our panel discussion here: https://youtu.be/58rnM-BuqCo Interviewer: Ross Ziegelmeier Producer: Ross Ziegelmeier Speakers: Elree Winnett and Peter Harper

Owls have evolved sensitive hearing facilitated by a facial disc, and flight that is quieted in part by a leading-edge comb on their wing. This comb is a series of modified barbs, or serrations, which project up from the outermost primary feathers on the leading edge of the wing. Here we explore the evolution of comb and facial disc morphology. Speaker: Christopher J. Clark Interviewer and Producer: Ross Ziegelmeier

The specimen, nicknamed “Dolly”, was discovered in southwest Montana, USA, and dates back to the Late Jurassic Period of the Mesozoic Era (approximately 150 million years ago). This specimen may provide the first evidence of a unique respiratory infection in a dinosaur. In this podcast we dive deep into the dirt to discover the details of this dinosaur's sore throat. Speakers: Cary Woodruff Interviewer: Ross Ziegelmeier Producer: Ross Ziegelmeier

Two temporarily sited artworks by leading contemporary artists Ivan Morison and Heather Peak were unveiled on 19 August in Bristol. Overstory, a pair of site-specific suspended structures featuring microscopic imagery of trees, will hang above Broadmead highlighting the importance of urban tree cover. Overstory gives a view into the microscopic world of trees and asks visitors to celebrate and consider how they are folded into our lives through their presence around us, their functions within our shared ecosystems, the stories they tell, and the role we can all play in creating and protecting natural spaces in our cities. The artwork has been produced and curated by PONY, and commissioned with The Natural History Consortium, being delivered as one of the activities under the City Centre and High Streets Recovery and Renewal programme, funded by Bristol City Council and the West of England Combined Authority’s Love our High Streets project. Ivan Morison and Heather Peak’s previous works in Bristol include Bl

Cosmo Sheldrake, a multi-instrumentalist musician, composer and producer brings us into a musical conversation with nature. In this podcast, we explore how sound and music is not only a vehicle for us to communicate stories about the natural world, but can in itself be a method of investigation. Cosmo also shares with us his journey with climate activism, how it has shaped him and his subject matter of music. This podcasts includes snippets of Cosmo’s music, that he has kindly shared with us. He hopes that it will inspire you to listen more closely to the natural world and forge a greater connection to it and its needs. The Linnean Future Podcast Series is an initiative by The Linnean Society of London in response to the ongoing planetary emergency. This podcast series will bring you stories from around the world that explores how the impacts of climate change are woven into every aspect of our lives. Through out the series we will be meeting some of the amazing people who are studying these changes, its

What do parasites see when they look at the world around them? And how is a changing climate modifying the environments they thrive in? As our climate shifts and changes, parasites too are on the move constantly looking for new hosts and new prospects. For parasites, it is the gold rush. We talk to Prof. Daniel Brooks about how climate change is expanding the reach of parasites and what options or tools we have to combat their impact us and ecosystems. As the COVID pandemic shows, there are many hidden ambushes waiting to happen. The Linnean Future Podcast Series is an initiative by The Linnean Society of London in response to the ongoing planetary emergency. This series brings you stories from around the world that explore the impacts of climate change on every aspect of our lives. Through the series we will be meeting researchers, practitioners, activists, lawyers, and others who are studying these climatic changes, tracking their causes and impacts, and working on solutions. The Linnean Society of Lon

Climate change is already affecting our food security and will continue to do so for many years to come. Some have suggested that urban farming could be an actual viable alternative option to provide entire cities with enough food. Simply put, as things stand, this is probably not the case, but perhaps there are other reasons to consider it as a valuable practice. We enter this podcast with an open mind to all possible options as we talk with Chris Smaje, author of A Small Farm Future, who offers an alternative to urban agriculture that could prove to be helpful for Britons future food security. We also talk with Pamela Warhurst who argues that apart from sustenance, there are many other important reasons for us all to be involved with the growing of at least some of our food. The Linnean Future Podcast Series is an initiative by The Linnean Society of London in response to the ongoing planetary emergency. This podcast series will bring you stories from around the world that explores how the impacts of cl

Capitalism has woven itself into every thread of our lives, including how we value nature. Today, money is how we transact, how we live, how we prosper, and to think that capitalism as an idea is really not that old. And yet, it is judging the value of our planet and everything within it. Its magnetic hold over the planet means that it is now a global belief system, which has its hand deep within climate and ecological crises. In this podcast Mustafa Zaidi, who has spent three decades in the field of finance with experience from multiple angles - as advisor, asset manager, and an entrepreneur building a multi-billion dollar business, tackles how capital is the currency with which we are trading the natural world. We are also joined by Amoni Kitooke, Director and Deputy Director of the Cross Culture Foundation of Uganda, who provides us with a refreshing human-centred perspective of how we could value nature in a far more meaningful way.  The Linnean Future Podcast Series is an initiative by The Linnean Soci

The impacts of climate change that are being felt around the world is a stark reminder that we are all connected. In this Linnean Future podcast, Prof. Tom Oliver, author of The Self Delusion: The surprising Science of How we are Connected and Why That Matters, explores how people, animals, plants and the planet we live on are all intimately linked, and that to resolve this confounding problem of severe climate change, we all need to be allies.  The Linnean Future Podcast Series is an initiative by The Linnean Society of London in response to the ongoing planetary emergency. This series brings you stories from around the world that explore the impacts of climate change on every aspect of our lives. Through the series we will be meeting researchers, practitioners, activists, lawyers, and others who are studying these climatic changes, tracking their causes and impacts, and working on solutions.The Linnean Society of London is committed to Net Zero (with offsets) by 2022 and reducing its carbon emissions by at

Many of us are familiar with the biblical story of Noah’s Ark, the wooden boat that preserved all life in Earth in ‘pairs’. Thanks to the floating rescue of all species in ‘reproductive twos’, Noah was able to repopulate Earth. But that was a fable. Or was it? Many scientist have come to realise that we can no longer conserve many species of plants and animals in their natural habitats at the current rate of endangerment to their survival. So scientists have begun to create their own “arks”. In this podcast we speak with Prof. Mike Bruford and Dr. Elinor Breman about their “rescue boats”; and with Prof. Gretta Pecl about the great migration of animals as they too seek an ark in which they can survive. The Linnean Future Podcast Series is an initiative by The Linnean Society of London in response to the ongoing planetary emergency. This series brings you stories from around the world that explore the impacts of climate change on every aspect of our lives. Through the series we will be meeting researchers,