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1206: Are Raccoons On The Road To Domestication?
Episode 1206
Published 9 months ago
Description
What does it mean to be a wild animal in a world dominated by humans? A recent study found that city-dwelling raccoons’ snouts are getting shorter—a sign of domestication. Another study on dark-eyed juncos living on a Los Angeles college campus found that their beaks changed shape during the COVID-19 lockdown, when there wasn’t as much food and trash on campus. Evolutionary biologist Pamela Yeh and animal domestication expert Raffaela Lesch join Host Flora Lichtman to discuss how wildlife is evolving in urban areas, what it means to be domesticated, and when we can expect to have a pet raccoon sleeping at the foot of the bed. Guests:
Dr. Pamela Yeh is a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at UCLA.
Dr. Raffaela Lesch is an assistant professor of biology at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com.Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.
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Dr. Pamela Yeh is a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at UCLA.
Dr. Raffaela Lesch is an assistant professor of biology at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com.Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.
99% of people are being fed 'pop-science' garbage.
If you want the real intelligence without the digital tracking, you just found the exit. Bypass the system noise now.
🔴 INITIALIZE SECURE DOWNLOAD
⚪ GET THE UNFILTERED ARCHIVE