61. Pigeons

<p>The market for gustatory pain is surprisingly competitive. Zachary Crockett feels the burn.</p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>SOURCES:</strong><ul><li><a href="https://puckerbuttpeppercompany.com/pages/our-roots">Ed Currie</a>, founder and president of the PuckerButt Pepper Company.< ... Show More

<p>How much does it cost to design and build a mini-golf course? And what’s it like to run one? Zachary Crockett putts things in perspective.</p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>SOURCES:</strong><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaitlyn-conaboy-350136b1/">Katie Conaboy</a>, CEO ... Show More

<p>How do flavorists capture the essence of a fruit and put it in a can of sparkling water, or a tub of yogurt? Zachary Crockett takes a bite.</p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>SOURCES:</strong><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrymiesle/">Terry Miesle</a>, master flavorist ... Show More

<p>Even with a new rat czar, an arsenal of poisons, and a fleet of new garbage trucks, it won’t be easy — because, at root, the enemy is us. (Part two of <a href="https://freakonomics.com/podcast-tag/sympathy-for-the-rat/">a three-part series</a>, “Sympathy for the Rat.”)</p><p>  ... Show More

In the quiet town of Snerple, everything seemed normal—except for one very strange problem: a pigeon. Not just any pigeon, but a pigeon so terrifying, it scared hunters, ruined taverns, and caused complete chaos. What could one little bird possibly do? 

<p>Annie McEwen went to a mountain in Pennsylvania to help catch some migratory owls. Then Scott Weidensaul peeled back the owl’s feathery face disc, so that she could look at the back of its eyeball. No owls were harmed in the process, but this brief glimpse into the inner worki ... Show More

Onehunga's town centre in Auckland is facing a pigeon poo problem. The spread of faecal matter is getting to extreme levels and causing hygiene problems, the business association says. It has prompted a campaign warning people not to feed the bothersome birds. And the pigeon poli ... Show More

<p>Horace Fletcher is best known for starting a food fad in that came to be known as Fletcherism. This early 20th century fad involved, in part, chewing your food A LOT.</p> <p><strong>Research:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Bauerlein, Mark. "The Correspondence of William James. Vol. 3: ... Show More

US talkshow host John Oliver, led an aggressive campaign to carry the Puteketeke to a landslide win in last year's Bird of the Century competition. The bird also known as the Australasian Crested Grebe captured nearly 300,000 votes from 190 countries - although some local feather ... Show More

Let the feathers fly! This week, a special avian hour. Stories from a Ravenmaster, a scientist, and a reluctant chicken farmer about the birds that made them as happy as a lark or as crazy as a loon. This episode is hosted by The Moth's former Artistic Director, Catherine Burns, ... Show More

Bird flu outbreaks in poultry and cattle have caused concern for public health officials. There have been few reported cases of human transmission, but the growing risks of H5N1 avian influenza have virologists on alert. Researchers at the St. Jude Center of Excellence for Influe ... Show More

<p>New York City’s mayor calls them “public enemy number one.” History books say they caused the Black Death — although recent scientific evidence disputes that claim. So is the rat a scapegoat? And what does our rat hatred say about us? (Part one of a <a href="https://freakonomi ... Show More