Welcome to the Natural Selection—we're a group of taxonomists who want to bring their passion for nature into the wild. Join us as we discuss the latest discoveries in the natural world and bring an irreverent eye to what we've learned about Earth's diverse life that week.
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The Natural Selection Podcast brings you cutting edge research from University of Exeter's Centre for Ecology and Conservation in Cornwall. We bring you interviews with researchers themselves on freshly published papers covering topics from conservation to evolution. We also discuss the podcast teams' experiences at the University of Exeter. You can access the episode archive from December 2014 onwards, including episodes no longer on Soundcloud, in our google drive: https://drive.google.com ...
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This week the Natural selection say goodbye.. at least for now. In this our final episode, we touched on some of our favourite topics or subjects that we haven’t discussed in previous episodes. We learned about some extinct species and some species that have reappeared after being thought extinct. We got meta and investigated the world of memes bot…
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The Natural Selection is back! This week we talk all about why The Ordovician blew a little hot and cold, why the great dying was great news for us, and which pigeon once blocked out the sun. In this episode we talk about: Common Sydney octopuses (Octopus tetricus) jacobin hummingbirds (Florisuga mellivora) Titanoboa (Titanoboa cerrejonensis) Passe…
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Episode 39 (2) : Sinking into Seaspiracy with Dr. Bryce Stewart
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In the second half of this double episode, Emily and Jimmy speak all things Seaspiracy with Dr. Bryce Stewart, a marine ecologist and fisheries biologist, and surface for some much needed ocean optimism and hope for our future.By University of Exeter
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Episode 39: Navigating UK fisheries in post-Brexit seas
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In the first half of this double episode, Emily and Jimmy talk with Dr. Bryce Stewart, a marine ecologist and fisheries biologist, about the impact of Brexit on our UK fishing industry.By University of Exeter
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The Natural Selection is back, and this week we are talking all about beaks! Listen now and learn why you shouldn't squeeze pliers with jelly in your hands, how to calm down a goose, and which bird is better than a speeding train. In This episode we talk about: Flesh Flies - Sarcophaga similis Avocets - Pied Avocets Recurvirostra avosetta Oviraptor…
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So, we had a technical malfunction this week with the recording, but our episode all about beaks will be back next week! Until then, please enjoy this special out-take from a previous episode.
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Join us as this week The Natural Selection Presents... Butterflies! (and moths). In this episode, we learned all about some beautiful butterflies and marvelous moths. We explored coevolution with flowers, dazzling displays, and some butterflies brought back from the brink of extinction. Listen now to find out more. Thanks for listening and please l…
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The Natural Selection returns to talk about Grasslands! Listen now and learn how to name a Gorilla, How high a bison can jump, and where to find a cheetah. In This Episode We talk about: News: Giraffes Dung Beetles Microgastrinae Wasps Theme: Poaceae/Grasses - Wheat, Rice and Bamboo Insects of the steppe and prairie - Beetles, ants, mites, springta…
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This week the Natural Selection were seeing red and exploring another colour we see all over the natural world. We discussed the IUCN red list and how it helps policy changes. We explored some brightly pigmented animals and some animals that have just gotten too much sun. Listen now to find out more. Please like and share if you enjoyed this episod…
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This week the Natural Selection found out it's not easy being green.. well not if you’re a mammal anyway. This week we talked all about the colour green and how and why some animals and most plants are green. Why aren’t there any green mammals? How does chlorophyll work? What is that green bird in Hyde park? Listen now to find out more! Next week w…
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The Natural Selection is back - And this week we are a bit blue. But don't worry, rather than being rude, or sad, we have found our favourite blue things from nature. Listen now and learn why you might put make up on a bird's foot, why the sky is not like the sea, and why a unique singing voice can make you famous.…
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This week The Natural Selection got tangled up in the complex world of food webs. From the global ocean food web to the complex biota in a termite's gut, understanding food webs is vital to allow us to recognise the impact we can have on them. In this week's episode, we explored why an ecologist was throwing starfish in the 60s and how wolves broug…
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The Natural Selection is back - and this week we are talking all about Dinosaurs! Listen now and learn why T-Rex would make terrible podcasters, why Naomi hates Hollywood, and which 15 million years gets palaeontologists most excited.
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Join us for this episode of the Natural Selection Presents… Bones! We got weird and wacky this week learning about manatee molars, the tiniest bone of them all, and what birds give up in order to fly.
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This week's episode got deep as the Natural Selection explored the depths of the oceans. We discussed the challenges faced by the unique and bizarre animals found near the bottom of the ocean. From the aptly named "terrible-claw lobster" to giant squids we learnt about adaptations deep sea creatures have evolved. Marine snow, zombie worms, mysterio…
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The Natural Selection is back! Listen now and learn how to become a queen, why it might be useful to be 80% as big as a clown fish, and what finds their parents' skin… delicious.
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This week the Natural Selection came out of their shells. We explored the wonderful variety of protective coatings and armour animals have, from snails to turtles (with the gentle giant glyptodon in between). Why did some cephalopods lose their shells? Why are bird eggs and reptile eggs different? Listen now to find out the answer to these big ques…
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This week, the Natural Selection presents… marsupials! Listen now and learn which marsupial you might find in Antarctica, why opossums don't give birth through their noses, and which kangaroo didn't hop.
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This week the Natural Selection talked about snakes. We explored how they move and interact with a variety of habitats from burrows to the air. We investigated how snakes differ from other limbless lizards and how they can reproduce in unique ways. Listen now to discover more about these fascinating and often stigmatised creatures. Please like and …
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Episode 38: Planting trees to reach carbon neutrality with 9trees
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9Trees is a conservation project which fights climate change and improves biodiversity by planting 9 trees for each subscriber each year to balance their carbon footprint.This week on the Natural Selection Podcast, Ellie and Daihan sit down with Ash Kent and Michael Cunningham, the founder of 9Trees, to talk about how planting trees can help to rea…
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The Natural Selection is back! Listen now and hear why aye-aye die, to better understand a panda hand, and whether you can (or should!) persue a kangaroo.
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This week, the Natural Selection talked about the uncommon and the unexpected. Our theme was anomalies and we explored some unusual and rare plants and animals. From the strange and puzzling fossils of the Cambrian to snakes with legs, we discovered many things that are out of the ordinary. How do plants survive without chlorophyll? What weird body…
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Hello Listeners, The Natural Selection is back, and this week we are talking all about seeds. Listen now and learn why you might want to be eaten by an elephant, where the most biodiverse place in the world is, and what might explode if you touch it.
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What's in a name? What we call a bug… might actually be a shrimp! This week the crew at the Natural Selection discussed misnomers. We explored how some animals' names don't reflect their true natures. From comb-jellies to fish, with bugs in between, listen now to find out more. If you enjoyed this episode, please like and share!…
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This week's episode is mind-bending. Well, at least our topic is! In this episode, we discussed "altered states". Relax back as you learn about the brain activity caused meditation, take a trip to the past and explore some historical experiments that weren't so groovy, and grab your favourite caffeinated beverage as you listen to discover just why …
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Episode 37: The human dimension to shark management with Claire Collins
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Caroline and Amelia talk to PhD student Claire Collins about the importance of taking a multidisciplinary approach to shark management. In this episode, we discuss Claires recently published paper, which explores human perceptions and compliance towards the 2012 Thresher shark blanket ban in Sir Lanka. She highlights the importance of working with …
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In this week's episode we went back to the beginning… From the origin of the binomial naming system, we learned why Swedish spiders are truly exceptional. We shed some light on the causes behind (and evolutionary history of) those pesky hiccups. We also explored the origins of some tasty food and drink. Listen now to find out more. Please like, sha…
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Episode 36: Using lights to mitigate fisheries bycatch with SafetyNet Technologies
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SafetyNet Technologies are a team of engineers and business planners collaborating with scientists to turn their theories into usable devices, such as LED systems, with the aim of making fishermen's lives easier and commercial fishing more sustainable. This week on the Natural Selection Podcast, Francesca and Rob sit down with Dan Watson, the Co-Fo…
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The Natural Selection is back! This week, we present... cycles! No, we've not gone all city planning on you, but listen now and find out why dogs don't have menstrual cycles, what will be coming out the ground in 17 years, and why you're only breathing through one nostril right now!
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Inspired by spring weather this week, the Natural Selection discussed growth. We really blossomed and found the light as we learned about plant phototropism and we reached new heights as we explored just how bamboo grows so fast. Listen now to find out why giants would have serious leg problems, and if you enjoyed this episode, you can help us grow…
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Episode 35: Reintroducing beavers to Britain with Sophie Pavelle
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Rob talks to Sophie Pavelle about the reintroduction of the Eurasian beaver to the UK. We discuss the story of beavers in Britain so far, how important collaboration is to reintroductions and why it’s important to recognise both the positive and negative changes that come along with beaver reintroductions. Tune in, enjoy and join the beaver believe…
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The Natural Selection is back (remember us?), and this week we present... memory! Listen and find out why a slime mould might have a better job than you, which one of us was attacked by corvids, and what we don't know about starfish.
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On this episode, the Natural Selection got to the heart of the topic… and the brain… and the melon… because this week was all about organs! We discovered how animals use some specialised organs to get information from the world around them and asked some important questions: What's so electrifying about how sharks hunt? Why is your cat doing that t…
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This week, the Natural Selection was not playing it safe: we explored the thrilling topic of danger. We shook with fear as we learned about rattlesnakes, saltwater crocodiles, and the most infamous man-eating tiger that ever lived. Listen now to learn how animals signal and startle their way out of dangerous situations—but don't worry, we won't bit…
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The Natural Selection is back, and this week we talk about nature's most amazing parents. Learn why eating a queen's poo makes some animals better mothers, find out when it's appropriate to eat your babies, and why seahorse fathers are not as unusual as you might assume…
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Episode 34: Putting peatlands front and centre with Josh Styles
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Emily talk with Josh Styles, a highly distinguished Botanist, science communicator, and champion for some the UK’s most threatened plants and habitats. Josh talks about our severely threatened peatlands, their importance, and how they are being restored. Listen now to find out how “we can make peatbogs sexy”!We challenge you not to fall in love wit…
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This week, inspired by Valentine's Day, the Natural selection talked about sexual reproduction. We discussed some strategies different animals use to impress their mates. Listen now to learn how male spiders avoid being eaten (or in some cases, don't…), why female anglerfish are so lumpy, and how snails use love darts to get their way. If you enjoy…
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The Natural Selection is back! This week, the only way is up as we talk all about climbing! Listen and find out which snake is the absolute cutest, why climbing waterfalls turns one fish's frown upside down, and why you should probably leave that baby sloth alone. Please like, rate, share, subscribe, whatever you feel like, as it helps us reach new…
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This week's episode had a real sting to it, as the Natural Selection talks all about toxins! Learn why you shouldn't smoke (even if you're stung by a snail), why Komodo Dragons don't have dirty mouths, and how some witches might just be moldy bread!
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Hello Listeners! This week, the Natural Selection does convergent evolution—how living things independently evolve similar traits. Listen now and hear about the world’s most terrifying newt, which bird is a little bit like Elvis, and the answer to the question everyone has been dying to know: can pandas taste umami?…
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This week the Natural Selection explored the frozen depths of the ice ages. Inspired by the frosty January weather, we looked at time periods when ice and snow extended far beyond the poles. We uncovered mammoth facts about megafauna and extinctions. Join us as we discuss snowball earth, our winter wardrobes, and (sort of) sabre-tooth cats. It woul…
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Hello Listeners! As Christmas comes to an end and the new year approaches, the Natural Selection gather to share all the facts they couldn't squeeze into any other episode. Holiday grab bag! We don't know what each of us are going to choose to talk about, so join us for some Christmassy mystery!
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Join us listeners for a special, slightly shorter, Christmas edition of the Natural Selection! Listen as Nick, Nic and Naomi talk about their favourite Christmas Flora and Fauna. We Ho Ho Hope you like it!
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This week the Natural Selection dig deep to explore the hidden depths of caves. In this weeks episode, the trio discuss some wonderful caves from around the world, adaptations to life in caves and how early humans left their mark in caves. Take a journey with us through caves and etymological origins and uncover some fantastic and perhaps horrifyin…
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The Natural Selection doesn't like to get negative but this week our theme went subzero. Inspired by the cooling weather we fished out some icy facts about how animals cope with low temperatures. Chill out and listen to us chat about maple syrup, frozen frogs, and why ice is so nice. If you enjoy this episode please like and share. Check out our we…
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This week on the Natural Selection, the power of flight is the wind beneath our wings! Join Nick, Naomi, and Nic as we talk pterosaurs, tiny microbes in the air, and the dangers of airports—for geese, that is.
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We are back! This week we have come out of our shell to talk about eggs! Listen now and find out which bird gives birth to the biggest eggs, which babies are born with teeth, and where to find the most aerodynamic eggs.
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This week The Natural Selection is unzipping the complex topic of genes and DNA. We explored the complex world of genetics and talked about the structure of DNA, HOX genes and glowing sharks. We also talked about nobel prizes, calico cats, epigentics and marbled lungfish. Listen now to find out how long the DNA from a single human cell laid out end…
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This episode on the Natural Selection we're all about bees, ants, wasps (and sawflies, sort of). The insect order Hymenoptera is our topic this week, so stop by and hear about the smallest wasp (it's really, really tiny), learn more about crazy ants and their crazy lives, and find out how to build a home for the bees!…
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The Natural Selection is back, this week we are talking all about death. Learn which snakes are terrible actors, why you shouldn't attack a turkey vulture, and which ants explode for the benefit of others.
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