It’s that time of year again when we start to notice spiders coming into our homes. But what is the cause of this so-called ‘spider season’ and can any UK spiders actually cause us harm? Entomologist Prof Adam Hart from the University of Gloucester gives us the lowdown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Jul 26
Why the search for life on Mars is far from over
Way back in 1976, NASA’s Viking landers touched down on Mars to search for potential signs of microbial life that could currently exist on the planet’s surface. Despite the mission making a number of promising discoveries, so far, no further landers have returned to the surface o ... Show More
34m 20s
Jul 19
Why human urine may be our most untapped natural resource
While largely viewed as a toxic waste product with no practical use, our urine is actually rich in all manner of valuable nutrients that, with a little effort, can be extracted, recycled and converted into fertiliser for use on food crops, used to make building materials or even ... Show More
26m 33s
Nov 2021
Spooky spiders: silk, sex and squirting venom
We're wandering into the weird world of spiders! We'll be looking at spiders that can fly using little silk parachutes and the grisly and gruesome mating habits of black widow spiders. Plus in the news, as UK cases surge, should Covid precautions move to Plan B; how does raw sewa ... Show More
56m 8s
Oct 2024
A Different Kind of Web Developer—Spiders!
In this episode, hosts Rick and Marco are learning all about our eight-legged friends, spiders! To find out more, they are speaking with Taylor Cook, the wildlife care supervisor for the entomology department at the San Diego Zoo. Some people might find arachnids a little scary, ... Show More
37m 2s
Jun 2022
The Life Scientific: Adam Hart
Ant-loving professor, Adam Hart, shares his passion for leaf cutting ants with Jim Al Khalili. Why do they put leaves in piles for other ants to pick up?Talking at the Hay Festival, Adam describes the experiments he designed to test the intelligence of the hive mind. When does a ... Show More
27m 42s
Jun 2024
Why should you be happy to see spiders in your home?
What's your relationship with spiders like? Some people are pretty terrified of them, and for many their first reaction is to grab something to squash them with.
Most likely, encountering spiders at home is a regular occurrence, and they're actually more beneficial than you migh ... Show More
4m 50s