I’ve spent the past few months on an octopus kick. In that, I don’t seem to be alone. Octopuses (it’s incorrect to say “octopi,” to my despair) are having a moment: There are award-winning books, documentaries and even science fiction about them. I suspect it’s the same hunger that leaves many of us yearning to know aliens: How do radically different minds w ... Show More
Oct 27
Nate Silver Predicts a ‘Momentous’ Midterm
“If the election goes roughly as the polls say it will go, then in some ways it would mark the end of the Trump era,” Nate Silver told me.The midterms are a week away, and it looks entirely possible that Democrats will win not just the House, but also the Senate. Democrats are po ... Show More
55m 5s
May 2018
101: The Soul of an Octopus—Exploring Consciousness and Animal Communication with Sy Montgomery
When exploring a branch of highly evolved animal consciousness that evolved in parallel (and completely separate) from our own, Sy Montgomery is sure of one thing: “If I have a soul, an octopus does too.” If you want even the tiniest dose of confirmation, try to keep your eyes dr ... Show More
57m 6s
Dec 2019
My best friend was an octopus
We've reached the end of Series 3! It's been a series of new discoveries, awe-inspiring moments, tear-jerkers and revelations.In the final episode of the series, we are telling stories about the senses. We begin by meeting Sy Montgomery, who built a bond with an eight limbed frie ... Show More
30m 5s
Jul 2024
Inside the mind of an octopus, with Jennifer Mather, PhD
Octopuses haven’t shared a common ancestor with humans in at least 600 million years. But somehow, separately, these invertebrates evolved remarkable problem-solving abilities, curiosity and intelligence. Octopus researcher Jennifer Mather, PhD, talks about what we know about oct ... Show More
36m 8s