logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2021
12m 44s

Cockroaches are cool!

NPR
About this episode
Cockroaches - do they get a bad rap? Producer Thomas Lu teams up with self-proclaimed lesbian cockroach defender Perry Beasley-Hall to convince producer/guest host Rebecca Ramirez that indeed they are under-rated. These critters could number up to 10,000 species, but only about 30 are pesky to humans and some are beautiful! And complicated! And maybe even clean.

What insect do you think gets a bad rap? Write us at ShortWave@NPR.org. You can follow Thomas on Twitter @ThomasUyLu and Rebecca @RebeccalRamirez.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy
Up next
Today
How To Disagree Better
Many people are gearing up for holiday conversation with loved ones who may disagree with them -- on everything from politics to religion and lifestyle choices. These conversations can get personal and come to a halt quickly. But today on the show, we get into neuroscience and ps ... Show More
15m 28s
Yesterday
Nature Quest: The Earthquake Prediction Problem
Their whole life, producer <a href="https://www.npr.org/people/1255819925/hannah-chinn"target="_blank" >Hannah Chinn</a> has known about the Big One: a massive earthquake forecasted to hit the West Coast. Scientists say it’ll destroy buildings, collapse bridges, flood coastal t ... Show More
14m 35s
Nov 24
SNAP Delays: The Science Of Hunger And Food Insecurity
<p dir="ltr">One in every eight households in the U.S. isn’t always sure where the next meal will come from. Limited food access can spell hunger – and that can affect the body and mind. So can cheaper, less nutritious foods. Hunger has a huge impact on individuals – and whole so ... Show More
12m 6s
Recommended Episodes
May 2024
What's cool about cockroaches?
<p>That’s a question a lot of people have, honestly. But a kid named Rosie was bold enough to ask us to investigate why. So, in the latest episode, we dig in on why cockroaches get such a bad rap and why you might want to reconsider if you’re not a fan.</p><p>Only two percent of ... Show More
29m 36s
Apr 2023
Should you kill insects?
There are about 10 quintillion insects in the world. Yes, that's a real number. And it's a lot! They're very small and very different from us humans. We might not stop to think about it before we poison a cockroach, squish an ant with our shoe, or kill a mosquito, but is it ethic ... Show More
22m 30s
May 2022
Who Runs The World? INSECTS! | Sal Vulcano & Chris Distefano Present: Hey Babe! | EP 75
Hey Babe! is a podcast where comedians Chris Distefano and Sal Vulcano share stories and have fun. Let your hair down & come hang out with the BABES! The BABES are back from Coachella and ready to gossip. They talk insects! Whats your fav bug? Chris' baby does something CRAZY! An ... Show More
58m 11s
Jul 2025
I comme Insectes
10 minutes pour devenir incollable sur les insectes !Quel insecte bourdonne ? Que fabriquent les abeilles ? Quel insecte ressemble à une petite branche d’arbre ?Des questions ludiques | des chiffres surprenants | des vrais-faux rigolos.Embarquez avec nous sur les réseaux sociaux ... Show More
11m 6s
Apr 2023
What if Terrorists Could Weaponize Covid?
Cautionary Conversation: In 1990, a small extremist group launched a nerve gas attack on passengers riding the Tokyo subway. Thousands of people were hurt, more than a dozen died. At the time, such use of a chemical weapon seemed new and uniquely terrifying. But advances in biolo ... Show More
38m 41s
Nov 2022
Why do mosquitos bite people?
<p><strong>#051 Rebroadcast</strong></p> <p>This week, Melissa and Jam begin a multi-faceted topic: mosquitos. Now of course mosquitos are insects, so studying them would mostly fall into biology. But there's a lot of chemistry here too. The first question, why do mosquitos bite ... Show More
27m 46s
Aug 2022
Poop of Youth, Robot Roaches, Chatty Fungus
Learn about how we might be flushing the secret to anti-aging down the toilet, how cyborg cockroaches could save your life one day and how mushrooms may be talking to each other!The connection between poop and aging.“Fecal Transplants Reverse Hallmarks of Aging in the Gut, Eyes, ... Show More
14m 13s
Feb 2023
Australia’s Scary Spiders
Brian Cox and Robin Ince end their Australian science adventure with an episode all about spiders. They are joined by ecologists Dieter Hochuli and Mariella Herberstein and comedian Claire Hooper. They learn about the strange physiology of spiders, including skin shedding, weavin ... Show More
42m 27s
Jan 2021
In Praise of Flies
In Praise of FliesBrian Cox and Robin Ince kick off a new series of Infinite Monkey Cage with a look at probably the least revered or liked group of insects, the flies. They are joined by fly sceptic David Baddiel , fly enthusiast and champion Dr Erica McAlister and maggot expert ... Show More
38m 51s
Listen to millions of songs and podcasts on Anghami