On Being Animals

Marshall
On Being Animals Podcast

This podcast is dedicated to discussing the natural history of an animal and an exploration of what it means to be human. Our brain is a wet meat computer coupled with some crude sensor systems that allows us to experience the space around us. Tweak any of the components and your reality is shifted. Learning how an animal exists can lead to a deeper understanding of our own existence.

  1. 16/09/2018

    Speedy Lobster Claw Diva

    We heard from Sara last episode, so now it’s time to hear from her hubby, my brother in arms, he who flees from the sun, Andrew. We set up the On Being Animals studio at his place, cracked open some groomsmen whisky, and learned about the Speedy Lobster Claw Diva. In addition to whiskey, we get into the Bat Man, dick pics, and growing trees on Mars. Most Egregious Error: Andrew set up a perfect conversation about Jordan Peterson’s lobster and I was too slow to notice. I totally left him hanging and missed out. Jordan Peterson is bit of a divisive figure. From what I can tell, he has produced solid peer reviewed research, and he has also produced some stuff that ain’t peer reviewed, and uh, that stuff is different. In his 12 Steps book, he says that lobsters are biologically hierarchical so humans must also be biologically hierarchical. Lobsters. We should take notes on how to behave from lobsters. There are over 5,000 species of mammals in the world, and he picked the lobster. You know who has spines? Seven thousand species of amphibian, 10,000 birds, and 10,000 reptiles. You know who doesn’t? Lobsters. This is the point Andrew was trying to make and I missed it. Lobsters are interesting and great in their own ways, but don’t be a human jerk to other humans just because lobsters exist. Science level: very high, we don’t get into differential equations, but we do get into probably the most important and challenging aspect of science, communication of results. How do we get dummy politicians to understand? Clearly we don’t solve it, we just get into it.

    1h 32m
  2. 17/07/2018

    Diurnal Dichotomies

    Angus Watt was at death’s door and yet he braved the elements to come to the On Being Animals studio in James Bay to record this episode on the Diurnal Dichotomies. The animal featured in this episode is definitely  diurnal and definitely a dichotomy. In this episode, we don’t discuss dry spells or the importance of foreplay, but we do discuss Kangaroo nipples, DJ Khaled, and we figure out who really caused the Exxon Valdez oil spill.   Most Egregious Error: I had trouble saying skeletuture. Skeleture. It may not even be a word. I meant skeleton stuff. The whole skeleton together.  I also came up a bit short on my river knowledge in this ep.   Science Level: Right in the middle. Right in that sweet spot where I we don’t talk about differential equations, but we do talk about Bonobo sex.   Thanks for listening. I’m currently driving back to Montreal from Victoria and I’ll be bumming around in the Kootneys for a bit, so I’m going to try to honour my 1st and 15th release dates, but as you may have noticed, I’m already blowing it. You know what else is blowing it right now? My air conditioning unit in my car. It’s blowing exclusively hot air as we driving in 37 degrees celsius Okanagan weather. Not great. But you know what is great? Angus Watt. Great guest. He’s also a musician. You can check out the bands “Pastel Blank” and “Wept” to hear his lovely singing voice. For now, listen to his sniffly podcast voice as we discuss the Diurnal Dichotomies.

    1h 35m

About

This podcast is dedicated to discussing the natural history of an animal and an exploration of what it means to be human. Our brain is a wet meat computer coupled with some crude sensor systems that allows us to experience the space around us. Tweak any of the components and your reality is shifted. Learning how an animal exists can lead to a deeper understanding of our own existence.

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