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 The bitches in her book titled "Bitch" overturn outdated binary expectations of bodies, brains, biology and behaviour.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