Cosmic Queries – Animal Outlaws & Rats' A**es with Neil deGrasse Tyson and Mary Roach

What happens when nature commits a crime? On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Paul Mecurio discuss law-breaking animals with Mary Roach and her new book Fuzz: When Nature Breaks The Law. Can we hack nature? What animals in nature would break laws if they were a part of our society? We discuss the ways animals exist in human society, deer crossings, and when animals jaywalk. Can animals keep up with changing technology? Learn about FID, flight-initiation distance, and what Neil has against pigeons. Why are there no white pigeons? What strange alliances exist in the natural world? Are bears worried about farmed salmon? Is there a reason that humans hunt apex predators? Discover the story behind pigeons in New York City, how the 1918 pandemic impacted leopards, and what “rewilding” means. Can a parcel of undisturbed land become a beautiful forest or must it be managed? Discover the history of flightless birds and stoats in New Zealand. Can we ever stabilize an environment? Can we coexist with the natural world? In what ways have human contributions helped other animals? Find out about danger trees and how explosives can be good for wildlife. We beg the question: Do bald eagles have any dignity? How do wildfires impact wildlife? Are animals able to escape the blaze? You’ll learn about how cities are making animals larger and what repercussions that has on nature. How come rats aren’t bigger than they are? Are humans speciesist? Is it possible for advanced civilization to be more balanced? All that, plus, what’s the deal with a rat’s ass? Thanks to our Patrons Hunter Cutone, Roman Cain, Yoshi Wiklund, Tec MySelf, Jonathan Harries, Net Identification, and William Davis for supporting us this week. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/startalkradio FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to StarTalk: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/startalkradio?sub_confirmation=1 Twitter: http://twitter.com/startalkradio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarTalk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startalk About StarTalk: Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up! #StarTalk #NeildeGrasseTyson


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