Our Animal Instincts

Charismatic leaders can inspire devotion and give people a powerful sense of meaning. They can also make us vulnerable. This week, we explore how figures across history have gained followers by offering clarity in moments of uncertainty — and why that clarity can come at a cost. ... Show More

What does it do to a person to feel overlooked? This week, psychologist Gordon Flett examines how the absence of “mattering” can fuel loneliness, depression, and even violence. He outlines how feeling valued serves as a psychological buffer, and how simple gestures can rebuild a ... Show More

From the time we're schoolchildren, we're ranked and sorted based on how smart we are. But what if our assumptions about intelligence limit our potential? This week, we revisit a favorite 2022 conversation with cognitive scientist Scott Barry Kaufman, who proposes a more expansiv ... Show More

<p>This episode may not be suitable for our youngest listeners or for particularly sensitive kids. We're discussing animal ethics with author Hal Herzog. In a follow up to our pets episodes, we look at how we treat animals very differently depending on whether we think of them as ... Show More

Have you ever wondered if your pets or animals have feelings?  Dr. Carl Safina, best-selling author, a TED speaker, and a leader in the field of conservation biology. He is on our show to give his expert insight into just what our animals might be thinking. Don't miss this fun an ... Show More

<p>What exactly it means to be conscious has long been a question of profound debate amongst philosophers, and more recently, scientists. There are no easy answers, and it gets even trickier when you start asking whether animals are conscious: how can you find out about their sub ... Show More

Können wir Tiere verstehen? Die Verhaltensbiologie sucht nach wissenschaftlichen Antworten, Tierfreunde ziehen ihre Erkenntnisse aus dem Zusammenleben mit dem Vierbeiner. Und Philosophen haben dazu ihre eigenen Meinungen. (BR 2019) Autorin: Christiane Seiler 

How do pets impact our bodies and brains? Are dogs really “man’s best friend”? And are we being mind-controlled by our cats? CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta hears from animal behaviorist Professor Monique Udell about the ways pets make us healthier and happier ... Show More

Delving into animals' minds - and our relationships with them - Claudia Hammond wonders whether our pets care if we get hurt. Would a dog - or even a cat - give a monkey's if their owner fell over? Researchers like Dr Karen Hiestand are keen to explore the differences between can ... Show More

<p>In this hour of Radiolab, stories of cross-species communication.</p> <p>When we gaze into the eyes of a wild animal, or even a beloved pet, can we ever really know what they might be thinking? Is it naive to assume they're experiencing something close to human emotions? Or is ... Show More

<p>Animals suffer at the hands of humans every day. Not just in factory farms, but also in our homes, where pets don’t receive enough attention or exercise, and in our oceans, where humans disrupt their habitats and ecosystems. To what extent should animals have rights? In this s ... Show More