logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2021
28m 27s

How should we treat insects?

ABC Radio
About this episode
Insect farming, we’re told by its proponents, is the next big thing in edible protein production, and it may just save the environment. But an insect “farm” is more like a manufacturing plant, where tiny organisms are frozen, boiled, baked, crushed or shredded alive in their billions. What is the moral status of thes ... Show More
Up next
Jul 2022
Philosophy in a nutshell: The aphorism
Philosophy is often thought of as proceeding via elaborate conceptual systems. But sometimes, a choice phrase is all you need to get you thinking. 
28m 27s
Jul 2022
The great and the good-enough
We live in a society dominated by the aspiration to greatness, where the ancient ethical ideal of "the good life" is often framed in terms of wealth, fame and power. The notion that we might settle for a "good-enough life" seems oddly countercultural - but this week we're explori ... Show More
28m 27s
Jun 2022
Pop, philosophy and politics
When philosophy turns its attention to music, it’s traditionally an exercise in high culture. Questions about the nature and function of music are often explored with reference to an established canon of “serious” music – while pop finds itself relegated to the margins. This week ... Show More
28m 27s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2021
The bug business
Insects are cheap, packed full of nutrients, and farming them for food could help save the planet. Convincing more people to eat them, though, remains a big challenge.Tamasin Ford speaks to three insect entrepreneurs trying to persuade the squeamish, especially in Europe and Nort ... Show More
28m 29s
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
Jul 2021
The pros and cons of eating bugs | Tell Me More
In many parts of the world, insects are a regular part of people’s diets. That’s not the case in the United States, but perhaps it should be. Vox senior correspondent Dylan Matthews explains why eating bugs may be a more environmentally friendly alternative to eating meat, as wel ... Show More
14m 50s
Jun 2018
Killing Insects for Conservation
Prof Adam Hart stirred a hornet’s nest of controversy by asking the public to kill wasps for science. He explores why scientists kill insects to save them from extinction.The work of the entomologist often involves the killing of insects in large numbers. This happens in the sear ... Show More
26m 54s
Sep 2021
Daily: BUZZ FEED – Why eating insects will save the world
Chances are you haven’t willingly eaten an insect. But two billion people are already bugging out on this sustainable source of protein. Could insects offer the perfect solution for our post-Brexit and pandemic supply chain problems?Entomologist Brian Fisher and Imperial College ... Show More
35m 35s
Mar 2025
Selects: Are crickets the future of food?
Crickets are part of a larger insect-based diet enjoyed in most parts of the world. Loaded with vitamins, minerals and protein, and green to boot, crickets could help solve some of the world's food problems if Europe and America get on board. Learn all about cricket farming in th ... Show More
43m 58s
Apr 2025
Burgrr Entries | CreepCast
Meat products have become corrupted. Disgusting sludge births bug-like creatures. But how does it tase? Over 2 Million Butts Love TUSHY. Get 10% off TUSHY with the code CREEPCAST at https://hellotushy.com/CREEPCAST Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 
1h 53m
Oct 2024
A circular solution for the future of feed
<p>Alternative protein business InsectBiotech’s co-founder Ignacio Gavilan talks with Innovation Forum’s Ian Welsh about the company's approach to turning agricultural waste into protein and fertiliser using black soldier fly larvae. They discuss the potential of insect protein t ... Show More
19m 45s