logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2024
53m 44s

How Animals Really Communicate & Proven ...

Mike Carruthers | OmniCast Media
About this episode

Should you get a second opinion? A lot of people faced with a medical diagnosis often wonder about that. Will they offend the original doctor if they ask for a second opinion? Is it really necessary? Is it worth the trouble? Listen as I explain the value of a second opinion. https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/second-opinions

We know animals communicate – but what are they communicating? When a wolf howls or a dolphin clicks, or a cricket chirps – what is it saying? Is it a language that can be translated or is it just noise to say, “Here I am!” Or is it something else entirely? And here is something interesting – we can teach our language to chimps and parrots – and they are able to use it. But they don’t use it when they are with another chimp or parrot who can also speak our language. Why not? Here to explain the science of animal communication is Arik Kirschebaum. He is a zoologist, college lecturer and fellow at Girton College, University of Cambridge and he has done extensive fieldwork on animal communication. He is author of the book Why Animals Talk: The New Science of Animal Communication (https://amzn.to/3LN4fwe)

It's easy to think that loneliness and lack of social connections is a 21st century thing – but it’s not. Research going back decades shows that people have long felt they didn’t have enough friends and connections. Given that we are social creatures who crave connection, why is it so hard to make real friends? Maybe it isn’t. Maybe we just think it is. That’s what David Robson is here to discuss. He says that once we understand the barriers to connecting to other people, they are easy to overcome. David is an award-winning science writer and the author of the book The Laws of Connection: The Scientific Secrets of Building a Strong Social Network (https://amzn.to/3ynUTDZ).

Have you ever struggled with how to end an email? “Sincerely” sounds a bit formal. “Cheers” may be a little too informal. So, what’s best – and worst? Listen as I explain some popular email sign offs that you might want to avoid. https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-to-end-an-email/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Up next
Aug 23
The Psychology of Lying & The Race for Outer Space - SYSK Choice
UPGRADE TO SYSK PREMIUM! To unlock ad-free listening to over 1,000 episodes plus receive exclusive weekly bonus content, go to ⁠⁠⁠ https://SYSKPremium.com⁠ No one likes making a fool of themselves — but it turns out, it might be one of the best things you can do for your happines ... Show More
49m 41s
Aug 21
How Do You Create Happiness? & Why Dogs Behave the Way They Do
UPGRADE TO SYSK PREMIUM! To unlock ad-free listening to over 1,000 episodes plus receive exclusive weekly bonus content, go to ⁠⁠⁠ https://SYSKPremium.com⁠ “Happy Birthday to You” might seem like a simple song, but its history is anything but. It has generated millions of dollars ... Show More
50m 11s
Aug 18
How Great Innovators Think & Turning Anger Into Strength
UPGRADE TO SYSK PREMIUM! To unlock ad-free listening to over 1,000 episodes plus receive exclusive weekly bonus content, go to ⁠⁠⁠ https://SYSKPremium.com⁠ Try formulating an answer to a difficult question while looking someone in the eye. It is almost impossible. You must look a ... Show More
50m 5s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2024
Why can’t animals talk to us?
Why can’t animals talk to us? Are humans the only animals that can talk? Can different species of animals communicate with each other? We learn about animal communication with Arik Kershenbaum, author of Why Animals Talk: The New Science of Animal Communication. He studies wolves ... Show More
32m 33s
Nov 2024
Some birds talk, but do they understand you? With Irene Pepperberg, PhD
“Birdbrain” may be an insult, but birds are far smarter than they’re often given credit for. Irene Pepperberg, PhD, talks about her five decades of research with gray parrots, how she teaches parrots to communicate with English words, how birds’ mathematical and other abilities c ... Show More
39m 55s
Jan 2025
Ep88 "Might there exist very different kinds of minds?"
Why is it so difficult to define intelligence? What does this have to do with being a fish in water trying to describe water? Might we humans possess one kind of intelligence in a constellation of many other types? And what does this have to do with empathy, AI, and our search fo ... Show More
47m 17s
Jun 24
Special Episode: Professor Steven Mithen & The Language Puzzle
From the earliest grunts and gestures to the complex sentences we use today to convey a multitude of concepts, language has evolved to become one of humanity’s most powerful tools. It allows us to connect, create, conspire, control, console, catch up, and so much more. How did we ... Show More
49m 29s
Mar 2025
How Learning a New Language Rewires Your Brain—Lessons from the Pirahã Tribe | Daniel Everett : 1258
Is the Way You Speak Limiting How You Think?For years, scientists debated how language shapes the brain, but new research reveals it goes far beyond communication. Some languages lack numbers, grammar, or even complex sentences—yet their speakers navigate reality in ways that def ... Show More
1h 11m
Jul 7
Ep111 "Might we be surrounded with undetected minds?" (with Michael Levin)
What is intelligence? If we look hard, can we find it in unexpected places: not just in brains but in all kinds of structures? How should we recognize it? And what does any of this have to do with a bipedal dog born without front legs, or making small new organisms out of single ... Show More
51m 33s
May 2024
Med School is SIMPLE?! (Recess Rehash)
“I honestly have had the most relaxing time I’ve had in forever, and for anybody who’s like, that’s ridiculous, just wait.” [Dave’s co-hosts were all doing medical student things on our usual recording day, so enjoy this previously released episode!] The most charitable definitio ... Show More
1 h
Oct 2024
163. Is Your Audience Ignoring You? How Authenticity Creates Connection
How acceptance and authenticity can transform all of our interactions.What’s the key to experiencing deeper connection in our communication? According to Alan Alda, it starts with acceptance — of others and ourselves."Connecting, communicating, and clarity," Alda explains, "they' ... Show More
19m 56s
Feb 2024
Med School is SIMPLE?!
“I honestly have had the most relaxing time I’ve had in forever, and for anybody who’s like, that’s ridiculous, just wait.” The most charitable definition of a hot take is a position taken in order to generate conversation. The more usual definition is a position taken to create ... Show More
1 h
Jun 2019
Emotional Intelligence with Daniel Goleman
Today we’re exploring one of the most important topics when it comes to our personal happiness, achievement, and general social functioning: Emotional Intelligence. And we have the absolute pleasure of speaking with one of the most influential people in that very important field. ... Show More
36m 18s