Better Than Human

The monarch is a common butterfly, found in the Americas that is considered a poster species of pollinating insects. The monarch butterfly is easily recognizable because of its bright black, orange, and white patterns. Monarch butterflies are a parasite to their caterpillars' only food source, milkweed. This plant itself is toxic to thwart insects from consuming its plant body, this includes an attempt to be toxic to monarchs. This has resulted in an evolutionary arms race between the two species. You've probably released monarch butterflies at some point in your life, if you're from the Americas, but what do you really know about this flagship species? How does this tiny insect migrate such great distances, something normally only seen in larger animals like birds? How did monarchs evolve to eat a toxic plant, and why do they still exclusively eat it? What, if any, are the benefits of releasing captive raised Monarchs into the wild? What needs to be done to ensure the survival of this species?You probably think you know all about this common butterfly, but do you really? Listen now to learn about the most recognizable and well studied butterflies on the planet.

In this episode, Jennifer and Amber explore the history of the potatoes. Or as a hobbit would say, "Po-tay-toes! Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew." However you like them, potatoes have changed the world. Jennifer insists potatoes are not roots or stems, but they're tubers. Amber insists they are technically a specialized stem called a stolon. These tubers evolved to store food for potato plants when resources were scarce. The Native Americans living in what is now Peru quickly realized this benefit and began cultivating them. In the Western World, Potatoes were slow to catch on, due to the myth that they cause leprosy or that they were poisonous, and because they were thought of as “poor people” food. However, regardless of its rather interesting history, the potato has become the third most important food crop in the world.The potato had a large effect on society; it yielded about three times the calories per acre of grain while also being  nutritious enough to almost support all your nutritional needs. It also grows in a wider variety of soils and climates, making it easy to grow almost anywhere.Historically, potatoes were cheaper than bread, just as nutritious, and did not require a gristmill for grinding (which was important if money was tight). Because of this, potatoes sustained workers through the industrial revolution, and are still sustaining us in modern times. Potatoes have gotten a bad rap recently, but they are simple, nutritious, and taste good with a bit of butter. Listen now to learn about potato, the tuber native to the Americas. Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!

Most widely known as the 'feel good chemical,' dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the pleasure area of the brain's reward system that plays a role in many important body functions, including movement, memory, and pleasurable reward and motivation. But do you really know what Dopamine really is, and what it actually does in your brain? Or how it works in other parts of your body, or even how other life forms use it?Dopamine is made up of a benzene ring, which is one of the most important chemical structures that carbon based life forms need to exist. Dopamine is one of the oldest neurotransmitters (around 500 million years). Dopamine is found in a wide variety of both plants and animals, and it has a profound effect on the behaviors of all. Having the right amount of dopamine is important both for your body and your brain. High or low dopamine levels are associated with diseases including Parkinson's disease, restless legs syndrome and ADHD. Treating dopamine-related diseases can also cause issues. For example, treatments for Parkinson's can cause schizophrenia-like symptoms, all because one tiny chemical in your brain is out of balance. The way your body makes and uses dopamine can actually be predicted based on your DNA, which makes some of us the losers when it comes to the dopamine gene lottery. However, more research is needed to determine how and why each individual use of dopamine is different.Listen now to learn everything you've ever wanted to know about dopamine, your motivation to do anything. Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!The Enthusiasm ProjectDeep dives exploring the world of what it means to be an independent creator.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Dragonflies are some of the fastest flying insects in the world. With 360-degree vision, they can eat hundreds of insects per day, including those pesky mosquitoes and other biting insects. Their adaptations for flying are unique among insects and so precise that humans can only dream of being able to someday make machines that fly as well as dragonflies.Dragonflies are similar in structure to an ancient group of insects informally called Griffinflies, which contains some of the largest flying insects to ever live. These dragonfly-like insects had a wing span of 2.5 feet, or 30 inches. That's bigger than a house cat. How did these bugs get so big, and why are they no longer around? That's a question we're still trying to answer. Dragonflies have some unique adaptations to ensure they mate with the correct species, including remarkable variations in the male sex organ, and even a secondary sex organ.  Males can be aggressive while mating, which has led to some females living in a totally different habitat than males. In some cases, females mimic males or pretend to be dead to avoid males. Listen now as we talk about dragonfliesFollow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!The Enthusiasm ProjectDeep dives exploring the world of what it means to be an independent creator.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Goblin Sharks are a species of rare sharks found in the deepest oceans throughout the world. The goblin shark gets its name from its terrifying unhinged mouth that is full of razor sharp teeth. These sharks use a stealth attack to float through the ocean until close enough to swallow their prey. (Its low-density and large liver make it buoyant, allowing it to drift towards its prey with minimal motions to avoid detection). Which mean, what the goblin shark wants to eat, will not see it coming. The goblin shark has a distinctively long and flat snout and in the original drawing of the species, its mouth maximally extended, which inspired the name “goblin.” Goblin sharks are most likely preyed upon by blue sharks. These blue sharks also inhabit the deep waters in the world's temperate and tropical oceans. Little is known about goblin shark reproduction because we've never seen a pregnant female in the wild. The same is true for Goblin Sharks' close relative the Frilled Shark which is a long, eel-like shark known as one of the most primitive fishes in the ocean. The Frilled Shark has a truly torment inducing mouth that we'd never like to see again. Humans sucks, so join us as we talk Goblin Sharks, living fossils to haunt your nightmares.Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!

Penguins are flightless aquatic birds that are almost exclusively found in the Southern Hemisphere. Penguins are evolved to catch fast-swimming prey and to live in cold temperatures. Their bodies have densely packed feathers, heavy muscles and huge fat supplies. Because of these adaptations penguins have lost their ability to fly, and while they might not look graceful on land, they are incredibly agile in the water. There was a penguin-like bird living in the Northern Hemisphere, the Great Auk, which went extinct due to human activities in the 1850s. Penguins for the most part breed in large colonies, but it's not all happy feet. Penguin chicks often form crèche (groups of chicks), to protect themselves from predators and unrelated adult penguins. These crèche also provide warmth and provide a nursery for the babies. Penguins are often studied by scientists, and the Adelie penguins managed to disturb scientists so much so that a research paper on them was denied publishing in the early 1900's. Listen now to learn about this flightless bird, the cute but sometimes terrifying penguin. Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!

Regardless of what people may think or believe, the coral reefs are going extinct, and humans are to blame. Why should you care, besides the fact that coral reefs are living animals that deserve their chance to thrive? Because coral reefs are among the most diverse, complex and densely populated ecosystems and are often thought of as the rainforest of the ocean. Though they only take up 1% of the oceans, at least 25% of all ocean wildlife rely on the reefs at some point in their lives. Coral reefs provide food or income that approximately one billion people rely on Damage to the reefs causes us trillions of dollars in damages. So what can be done to save the coral reefs? The simplest solution is fighting global climate change. (Doesn't matter if you believe in global climate change or not, your failure to listen or understand science will not stop it from occurring). Besides that obvious solution, scientists have come up with some unique ways to try and save this important ecosystem, like reef insurance or artificial cooling systems. Listen now to learn about the coral reefs, some of the most unique ecosystems on the planet. Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!

It has been estimated that over humanities history more than 50 billion people have been killed by mosquitoes. That is approximately half of all humans that have lived on this tiny blue dot killed by mosquitoes. For this reason, mosquitoes have been called man's greatest nemesis.Mosquitoes are so dangerous to humans that some scientists have proposed eradicating them from this planet. Is that a good idea? Well, that's up for debate. But what we do know is when we control the mosquito population less people are killed by their bites. What is a mosquito? Mosquitoes are a common, flying insect that lives in most parts of the world, except Iceland for reasons no one knows. Over 3,500 types of mosquitoes can be found worldwide. Mosquitoes have been vectors of a lot of nasty viruses, such as malaria and yellow fever, for thousands of years. But up to a little over a hundred years ago, we didn't even know that mosquitoes caused these diseases. So, are mosquitos better than human? For this tiny animal, the answer is no, they are not better than human.  Well, maybe they are ...Listen now to learn how this wee bug has changed the course of humankind. Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!

Peregrine Falcons are the clear winner to the question what is the fastest animal on the planet. Their top speed is double that of the world's fastest land animal, the cheetah. Peregrine falcons, also called duck hawks, are one of the most common falcons and birds of prey on this planet. They can be found on almost every continent, and they'll happily live in a city or the countryside. You can thank them for helping keep the pigeon population in check in many cities. “Peregrine” means “Wanderer” in Latin and peregrine falcons have been used in falconry for thousands of years. Peregrine falcons have evolved to be speed machines. They have specialized eyes that provide them excellent vision that is 8x better than a human's vision. They also have specialized bones and muscles that allow them to fly faster than any other animal.They almost went extinct after WWII due to stupid humans, but removing certain pesticides and targeted breeding has allowed them to rebound and they're currently doing better than ever. Listen now to learn about how peregrine falcons showcase evolution at its finest.Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!

The Chinese zodiac stated that rats are creative, intelligent, honest, ambitious and generous hundreds of years before scientific studies proved all of these traits to actually be true. Except for, perhaps, honesty. Rats are among the most used research subjects and were the third animal, after humans and mice, to have their entire genome sequenced. Their genome proved that rats have accelerated evolutionary adaptation, meaning they evolve faster than most mammals.  The fact that two brown rats can produce 15,000 rats in only 1 year provides plenty of opportunities for rapid evolution.Past research has also proven that rats are intelligent and quick learners, but recent studies have also show that rats empathize with other rats suggest that morality and empathy were hardwired into animal brains long before humans evolved. Rats also laugh and dream and can form bonds with humans.  These are just a few reasons why rats are better than human. Listen now to learn more about this tiny mammal that has conquered the world.Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!

This week's episode is a re-run that is all about rats, the long-tailed rodents that tend to be looked down upon within our society. Rats, however, are intelligent, clean, social, and resourceful animals that can survive almost anywhere.Listen as we delve into the history of rats. What makes a rat, a rat? How are rats used in scientific research? (Spoiler alert, rats are used for a lot of research that impacts your daily life without you probably even realizing it.) How are rats perceived in culture? Listen to our latest episode to find out more.Note: The movie Jennifer referenced is Sinister 2. The website of the zodiac origin that Amber mentioned can be found at the following link:https://depts.washington.edu/triolive/quest/2007/TTQ07030/mythology.htmlFollow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcastEmail us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.com or check out our website betterthanhumanpodcast.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdness

Algae. It's one of the greatest things on the planet and it's responsible for all life on Earth, including your life. But how much do you really know about this incredible species? Is it a plant? Why is it green? Can you eat it? Can we make it into fuel? What's up with algae blooms? Learn more in our newest episode where we talk about the benefits of algae and how it is better than human. Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcastOr email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness. 

This episode on the Villisca Axe Murder House, was recorded live inside the Villisca House, back in September of 2021. And guess what? Host Amber knew nothing about the history of the Villisca house before we started recording. Listen as Jennifer tells Amber the history of the house, from inside the house's living room. And, not only did Amber and Jennifer record an episode in the house, we spent the night there, recording the next morning and documented if anything occurred during the night. The Villisca axe murders occurred between June 9, 1912, and June 10, 1912, in the town of Villisca, Iowa. All six members of the Moore family and the two Stillinger sisters were found murdered in the house. All eight victims, (including six children), were bludgeoned with an axe. The reason for the murders and the murder(s) were never found.We start the episode discussing if visiting places where people were murdered is in bad taste. You can make an argument for both sides.Tune in as we discuss suspects in this unsolved case, if the house itself is haunted, and if so, who is haunting the house.Want to learn about the Villisca house and our creepy night? Listen now!For more information on us, visit our website at betterthanhumanpodcast.comFollow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

Caffeine is the most consumed stimulant on the planet. In fact, 90% of humans consume caffeine on a daily basis. Most people do not even think about this tiny molecule as they drink their morning coffee, or sip on their afternoon tea, or as their children chug soda at a birthday party. We've gone so far as to claim that it's the sugar affecting the children, not the psychoactive drug they just consumed. And, humans aren't the only animal addicted to caffeine. Bees prefer nectar with caffeine over nectar without to a detriment to their own health.So how did we get to the point where most humans need caffeine to make it through their day? Well, the history of caffeine cannot be told without the history of Coffee and Tea, and this is because until 1819, we had not isolated the molecule known as 1, 3, 7-trimethylxanthine. Tea was discovered before coffee, and shaped nations through its trade. The British East India Company is an example of this, and for Americans, the Boston Tea Party. Coffee probably influenced the West first, though, and helped the world switch from beer and wine as the staple drink to coffee. Remember water wasn't very safe in the past, so beer and wine were often consumed instead of water. When we switched to coffee/tea, we started drinking something that wakes you up instead of slowing you down, which increased human production, both physically and mentally. Was the spread of Coffee and Tea, hence caffeine, a good thing for humanity? Well, like all things, it is complicated. What we do know is that caffeine is a drug that you can become addicted to and that does affect your behavior. This molecule changed the known world as humans spread it across the globe. Listen now to learn about how caffeine shaped the past, and affects your present.Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!

Humanity might be the worst thing in the known universe, so why not take a break from that and learn about the non-mythical Unicorn of the Ocean, aka Narwhals. The first thing that comes up when you Google search Narwhals is “Do Narwhals still exist?” proving Amber isn't the only one that thought they were a made up animal, and that there is a lot of confusion when it comes to this whale.Narwhals are not technically endangered. However, narwhals are especially threatened by climate change. Like most arctic predators they need sea ice to survive, and as we all know, sea ice is quickly disappearing. Narwhals do not survive in captivity, and any attempt to introduce them into aquariums has ended disastrously.Narwhals' are best known for their tusks, which are actually an elongated tooth. Humans used to trade these teeth as magical unicorn horns, which was believed to neutralize poison. (For more info on this, listen to our Unicorn episode). Why do male narwhals and a few female narwhals grow these tusks?  That's still up for debate. Not a lot is known about Narwhal behavior, because they're surprisingly good at staying hidden and the location they live in is dark most of the year, cold, and covered in ice.Listen now to learn about the only Unicorn that will probably ever exist on this planet.In the NewsPod of beluga whales adopts a lone narwhal male, and scientists are interested to see if a Narluga (beluga-narwhal hybrid) will be born within this pod. This something we've never seen in the wild, but we know can happen.Husband sues CA hospital for their culture of racism, which lead to the death of his wife during labor. Black women are 5 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related cardiomyopathy, blood pressure disorders than white women.Flying space jellyfish seen over Georgia skies, which actually turns out to be physics and perfect timing. If you were lucky you might have seen this exhaust leaving the Falcon 9's rocket engine nozzle creating an amazing pattern in the sky. 

The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is a cat-sized mammal native to the Himalayas and China. Despite being protected in all countries it has ranges in, the red pandas' populations continue to decline. Red pandas are the original pandas; they were 'discovered' by Europeans first and their discovery gave rise to the name panda, and giant pandas were later named after them. However, we now know that red pandas and giant pandas are not related. So which species is the "true" panda? Depends on who you ask. But, since the word Panda actually means bamboo eater, are they not both true pandas? There are two subspecies of Red Pandas: the Chinese red panda and the Himalayan red panda.  There are fewer than 10,000 Red Pandas left in the wild, and with its populations scattered in small pockets it could easily be wiped out. Red pandas are mostly-vegetarian carnivores, which seems counterintuitive. However, the carnivore classification doesn't necessarily coincide with an animal's dietary preference. So while a majority of their red panda diet is bamboo, which they luckily digest slightly better than the Giant Panda, they are still classified as carnivores because of their evolutionary history.  The red panda diet isn't the only trait they share with giant pandas. Both animals also independently evolved a pseudo-thumb, which they both use to help them eat bamboo. Red Pandas evolved these false thumbs before they started eating bamboo, though, and this false thumb might be why Red Pandas started eating bamboo in the first place. Listen now to find out more about the red panda and why it was once described as 'the most beautiful animal.' In The Good The Bad The NewsPixar's newest movie 'Turning Red' is considered a controversial movie by some, all for stupid reason. Yes, there was 13 year old girl cringe, but that's not what the controversy is about. Cat One-eyed Joe (Dexter) has returned home after a 5 year journey that included a luxury stay at a prison and being spoiled on an oil rig. Also, dog breed has little effect on dog behavior. 

The Great American Interchange, also called Great American Biotic  Interchange (GABI), is the epic geological event that occurred when the South American continent, which had been isolated for 50 million years,  connected with the North American continent. The Great American Interchange is one of the most important events in the history of land mammals in the Americas.The landmass that is South American used to be home to many unique animals, like Australia is today. However, when the volcanic Isthmus of Panama came up from the ocean floor resulting in the formation of a connected Americas, animals could now migrate back and forth. This immigration of animals should have been uniform, but (spoiler alert) North American animals ultimately won out over their South American counterparts. Scientists are still trying to figure out why, though fossil evidence has shed light on the event. So check our newest episode where we dive into the animals of South America before the interchange and why these native animals were at a disadvantage when the continents connected.In the Good the Bad the NewsLitter of red wolf pups born for the first time in four years, which is good news for this critically endangered animal.Also, Pokemon Go might help young people with depression. Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!

Axolotl. You've probably seen a picture of this cute, meme-worthy animal, but what do you really know about this captivating animal? Do you know the one place on earth where they're natively found? Do you know how few are left in the wild and what hinders conservation efforts?  Why some consider them the fruit flies of amphibians? Or, perhaps the most important question, why are they so darn cute?The axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum, is  a close relative to the tiger salamander. Native to one small region of Mexico, Axolotls are weird even among amphibians due to the fact that instead of living on the land in their adult form, they  remain aquatic and retain their juvenile characteristics, such as their gills, throughout their life. This natural phenomenon is called neoteny. What was once an evolutionary advantage before human interference, axolotl neoteny  allows them to regenerate not only limbs, but their organs and even parts of their brain; an ability that is not possible for most vertebrates. It also makes them rather photogenic and a popular pet.Axolotl are an important animal in both the wild and in scientist's laboratories for medical research.  Though they are common in captivity, it is imperative we save wild axolotl from extinction. Listen now to learn more about this fascinating creature. In the News:#WrongAsian If you're going to post a photo of someone, make sure it is the right person. And, sadly, there are only approximately 10 vaquita porpoises left in the wild. Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!

The platypus is one of (or is) the weirdest animals on this planet. With its beaver-like tail, otter-like fur, and duck-like bill, the platypus looks like someone took leftover animal parts and sewed them together to make a hoax. When the first platypus arrived in England European scientists thought they were looking at a hoax, and we don't blame them. If someone handed us a platypus with no context, we'd probably assume it was the jackalope of Australia. This Monotreme (a special group of mammals that were made just for the platypus and echidnas), is an egg-laying, venomous, lizard-walking,  stomach-less, nipple-less and toothless animal with biofluorescent fur. It also spends twelve hours a day hunting in murky water using electroreception.  We told you it was weird. This bizarre animal's DNA reflects the animal; primitive and unchanged, a strange mix of bird, reptile, and mammalian genes. The platypus is an odd in-between mammal, and its genome is a bridge to our own evolutionary past. Listen now to learn more. In the Good The Bad The NewsItchy eye in a gardener turns out to be maggot larvae infestation. Because, apparently, that's a gross thing that can happen. Zoos are bringing their birds indoors due to the avian flu that is going around.And, no, America is not the happiest place on earth, we didn't even make it to the top 10. Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!

Fruit Flies, Drosophila melanogaster, are easily the best understood multicellular organism on the planet. Why do we know so much about Drosophila? Who decided to start studying this fly? And why do we keep investing time and money to fruit fly studies?Drosophila and humans share over 60% of our DNA, and about 75% of known human disease genes have a match in the DNA of fruit flies. Meaning, most human diseases can be studied using fruit flies. Drosophila is currently being used as a genetic model for Parkinson's, Alzheimer's disease, aging, oxidative stress, immunity, diabetes, and cancer, as well as drug abuse. Yes, we study all that (and a lot more) in this tiny (under 3 millimeter long) fruit fly. To look at why biologists started studying Drosophila we have to go back over 100 years ago to the Fly Room at Columbia University, and the experiments of Thomas Hunt Morgan. To see how we study Fruit Flies, you just need to look at all the Nobel Prizes awarded to scientists who made it their life's work to study with this fly. You probably studied fruit flies in biology at some point in your life, but most likely are not sure why biologists make such a big deal out of this tiny little insect. Listen now to find out why we know so much about Drosophila and why we keep studying the fruit fly. Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

Wolverines are solitary animals that have a reputation for being ferocious and containing a strength out of proportion to their size. For example, though wolverines are the size of a medium dog, they have no problem taking on much larger animals, like a moose. Yes, Logan, from the X-Men is named after this animal, and if you know anything about this character, this is a good super hero name for him.  (Well, Jennifer, that's because he was specifically designed with a wolverine animal in mind.) Known as a trickster God in various Native American tribes, the wolverine is a long animal with short limbs and teeth strong enough to bite through frozen bones. The wolverine population has steadily declined since the 19th century due to range reduction, habitat fragmentation and human hunting.Wolverines are primarily scavengers and have often been called gluttons because of how quickly and how much they eat. The range of a wolverine is large and radio tracking suggests an animal can travel hundreds of miles in a few months. Traveling wolverines are even known to use human roads to travel!In The Good The Bad The NewsThe BadAsian-American actress Karen Fukuhara attacked by a coward who attacked her, threw racial slurs at her, and then walked away like the scum that he is. #stopasianhate The GoodA cute adorable, endangered Baby Rhino was born in a Czech Zoo.Brazil scientists at São Paulo State University have designed a completely biodegradable plastic for use as food packaging, partly made from a gelatin-based biofilm.Listen now to learn about Wolverines, the large Mustelids of the North.Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

In celebration of #InverteButtWeek on Twitter, this week's episode is all about those butts. And guess what? There are a lot of weirdass butts in the animal kingdom. How and why did we evolve butts?  Scientists still are not exactly sure how anuses evolved. What we do know, though, is that for those animals lucky enough to have an anus, they have been rewarded with the ability to digest food more efficiently. Here are some examples of weird invertebrate butts in this episode. Comb Jellies are one of the largest animals to swim using cilia. Comb Jellies probably have one of the weirdest butts, considering they have transient anus that comes and goes as they please. These animals might help explain how anuses evolved to begin with. Scorpions, specifically Ananteris scorpions, can literally lose their butts and survive. These scorpions detach their tails to escape predators. However, when they sacrifice their tails they lose not only their stingers but also their ability to poop. Yes, scorpions poop from their tail, and yes, they can live for months after losing their butt.Sea cucumbers have been described as the earth worms of the ocean. But why are their butts interesting? Did you know they breathe through their butts? Or that they can use their butts as a defense mechanism? Or that they can spit their organs out of their butt? Diving Beetles are aquatic insects found in lakes, ponds and streams. These beetles breathe air, cannot “hold” their breath like sea mammals, and they don't have gills. So how do they spend most of their lives under water? With their butts, kind of. Beaded Lacewing are winged soft body insects. These basic bugs will lay their eggs next to a termite mound because termites are their only source of food. Guess how they kill these termites? With deadly farts. Bombardier beetles are a group of ground beetles that eat mostly insects. What makes these beetle's butts interesting is they eject a boiling hot quinonoid spray from their butts to protect themselves. This toxic spray can kill bugs and burn humans. Reminds us of our Dragon episode ...Listen now to learn more about weird invertebrate butts, and help celebrate butt week. Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

Marine Iguanas are the only lizards currently on Earth that go into the ocean. Known as sea iguana or saltwater iguana, they are a species found only on the Galápagos Islands. These unique lizards forage for algae, which make up almost all of its diet, when not sunbathing on the shore. How and why did Marine Iguanas evolve only on these tiny islands in the middle of the ocean? Well, it's complicated and exclusive to these islands loved by Charles Darwin. In The Good The Bad The NewsA box of human heads was stolen in Denver. The heads were being transported for medical research, and no leads on who took them, or why. EPA enforcement of environmental laws has seriously declined, because that's what happens when we cut their budget, and this is bad news for the environment. Break through discovery allows for plastic to be recycled at room temperature indefinitely. International plastic treaty in the works. This treaty would tackle production and packaging design .Marine Iguanas were described as ugly when first ‘discovered' by Europeans. This was mostly due to their dark colors that they evolved to more efficiently warm up after leaving the cool ocean water. Their special organ that allows them to expel sea salt leaving a crust of salt on their heads probably didn't help their case either. Marine Iguanas have evolved to fill a very specific niche that is found nowhere else on this planet. Any changes to this environment, specifically those caused by humans, could cause this remarkable species to disappear.Listen now to learning about Marine Iguanas, the only lizards of the sea. Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

Have you ever wished upon a dandelion?  Those little puffballs that grow in your front yard, and if you blow away all the seeds you get a wish? By blowing away the seeds, you've actually granted the dandelion's wish of seed dispersal and helped one of the earth's most abundant flowering species. Dandelions, also known as blowballs,  are tap-rooted, perennial, herbaceous plants native to temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere. These plants, which many humans often call weeds, are actually an important part of the ecosystem and are incredibly useful to many creatures, including humans. Our ancestors grew dandelions for food and medicine since the beginning of farming.In The Good, The Bad, The NewsJust because it's called “natural” doesn't mean it's good. “Black salves”, used to treat moles and cancer, are dangerous and can be life-threatening. So don't use them.Mosquitoes learn to avoid pesticides after just one exposure, which means the pesticides we currently use may not be effective forever. Mosquitoes may be one thing that is not Better Than Human. Old wind turbine blades are being used for bridge construction after they're retired, which is good news because the blades are not biodegradable. Humpback whales have been removed from the Australian Threatened Species List following an incredible recovery in numbers.Because Dandelions are one of the first flowers in early spring, their nectar is important for a wide hosts of pollinators, including bees and butterflies. Raw dandelion greens are a healthy food for humans, and contain phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are chemicals produced by plants, generally to help them resist infection. The term is used to  used to describe plant compounds that are under research. While many supplement companies make outlandish claims about phytochemicals, like they can cure cancer, phytochemicals may or may not actually be useful to humans when consumed.  Either way, dandelions don't cure cancer. But they may be good in your salad and are great for the environment. So let's all go blow on some blowballs. Listen now to learn more about dandelions Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

Starfish, more accurately called Sea Stars, are star-shaped echinoderms (animals) that can be found in all the world's oceans. There are over 2000 species of Starfish found on every shoreline to the depths of the deepest oceans. Instead of blood, starfish use the water around them in a primitive version of a vascular system  used for locomotion, adhesion, food manipulation and gas exchange. Some starfish's stomachs can be everted from their body to engulf and digest food.In The Good, The Bad, The NewsSofía Jirau has become the First Victoria's Secret Model With Down Syndrome. It took long enough, but congrats Sofía.Did you know that your vacation photos can help save endangered animals? Scientists use AI to analyze images of wildlife for crucial data.Kim Potter, the cop convicted in Daunte Wright's death, is sentenced to 2 years, to the justified disappointment and anger of Wright's parents.Kanye West's behavior isn't eccentric nor is it entertaining, it is abusive.Most starfish have the ability to regenerate lost limbs. In some species, a single arm can regenerate into a whole new individual.  If that isn't cool, the hosts don't know what is.  If there's enough food around, Starfish might even bud and reproduce asexually. All this means is that under the right conditions, starfish can reproduce rapidly, which may have saved them from a zombie virus off the coast of Western America. However, that is just the tip of the iceberg of how cool starfish really are.  Listen now to learn more about Sea Stars, the Starfish you'll find in all the oceans. Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

Dung beetles are a large group of Scarabaeinae that almost exclusively feed on dung. Dung Beetles are widely used as an indicator of an ecosystem's health. In some countries, they have even been introduced for the benefit of animal husbandry. The dung beetle, (otherwise known as a scarab), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians. Trust us, you want to learn more about this amazing beetle. The Good, The Bad, The NewsClimate change is affecting animals in weird ways like increasing divorce rates among albatrosses and polar bear inbreeding. Australia's koala is now officially endangered, a decision both long expected and completely preventableSame-sex penguins hatch their first chick at New York zoo, and parents and baby are doing great.Gray wolves back on endangered species as federal judge restores protections for gray wolves in much of U.S., reversing Trump's (bad)  policy.Dung beetles live in many habitats and are found on all continents except Antarctica. Dung beetles do not have to eat or drink anything else, because the dung provides all the necessary nutrients. By burying and consuming dung, dung beetles improve nutrient recycling and soil structure and reduce the number of pests. So you want these bugs around. The Egyptians saw the  scarab (dung beetle) as a symbol of renewal and rebirth. The image, conveying ideas of transformation and resurrection, is ubiquitous in ancient Egypt. Dung beetles can navigate using the Milky Way making them the only insects known to orient themselves by the Milky Way. Listen now to discover the mysteries of the dung beetle. Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

Groundhogs, also known as woodchucks, are rodents belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. Who knew groundhogs and woodchucks were the same species? Not the hosts before this episode! Despite their continued use in predicting the weather every mid-winter, groundhogs and their behaviors have not been well-studied by researchers. In The Good, The Bad, The NewsFake snow for the Olympics, how bad is it really? Once gone from Florida, American Flamingo is being sighted again in Florida's rich wetlands. Biologist Tim Wong Dingle-Handedly Repopulates Rare Butterfly Species In His Own Backyard.What do we actually know about groundhogs? They are excellent burrowers, using their burrows for sleeping, rearing young, and hibernating. If you see one, its burrow is almost certainly nearby. We know human development near second-growth forests caused a boom in groundhog populations by creating ideal habitats. On the other hand, though, intensive agricultural areas and dairy farms decimated their populations in other areas. But chances are if you live in the Northeast United States or Canada, you've definitely seen one, probably on the side of the road.  We also know no one can agree on whether or not they're a pest. Listen now to find out more about this fascinating creature that somehow became a cultural icon of an old winter tradition. Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

A lemming is a small rodent found in the Arctic tundra. Lemmings are a keystone species that maintain the arctic diversity as prey to large animals and plant grazers. And, NO, they do not periodically leap to their deaths, regardless of what common culture may tell us. However, lemmings do have periodic population booms causing them to disperse in all directions, seeking food and shelter, in patterns not normally seen in rodents. These crazy migrations have led to some weird theories about lemmings, like they rain from the sky or that they commit suicide… The Good The Bad The NewsYou are never on the right side of history if you are banning books. “Books on race, gender pulled from schools amid conservative push against 'radical' literature”. Couple arrested after allegedly attending Bills playoff game with fake COVID vaccine cards. How dumb do you have to be to pay for a fake vaccine card when you can get one for free and then post on Facebook that you used a fake vaccine card?Frogs regrow amputated legs in breakthrough experiments. Frogs like humans do not normally regrow limbs. Lemmings are round, fluffy rodents with thick fur. They have a very short tail, short legs, and small ears to help maintain warmth in the freezing climate. Lemmings do not hibernate through the harsh winter, and instead burrow tunnels through the snow. Lemmings can reproduce within less than a month of being born and females can have over 50 babies in their short, two year, life span. Why do lemming populations fluctuate with such great variance roughly every couple years, before their numbers drop to near extinction? Well, we don't know exactly. But what we do know is that they do not behave how the producers of the 1958 Disney “documentary” White Wilderness portrayed them.Listen now to learn about Lemmings, the Tribbles of the Arctic TundraFollow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

You're probably familiar with Hedwig, who according to ranker, is the world's second most famous owl and perhaps the most famous snowy owl. But, what else do you actually know about this Arctic bird? Did you know this owl can survive at -135.4 Fahrenheit, and has several unique adaptations that are quite distinct from other owls. Such as their feet act like little snow shoes, and their thick, pigment-less feathers make them one of the heaviest owls in the world.  Unfortunately, they won't deliver your mail. So please don't acquire one because it doesn't want to be a pet. The snowy owl is one of the largest owl species and the only one to migrate. Not all of them chose to migrate, though, nor do they seem to care too much about where they migrate. If you tried to follow their movements, it'd be like Zuko mapping Aang's movement's after the Avatar first became unfrozen. All this, and more, makes the Snowy Owl, one of the most unique birds you can find on the planet today. In the Good, The Bad, The NewsDid an owl attack Kathleen Peterson outside her home on Cedar Street in Durham and start a chain of events that lead to her death? Czech singer dies after catching Covid intentionally. This is dumb. Don't be dumb. Get vaccinated. NASA's Curiosity Rover discovered intriguing Carbon Signature on Mars – Possible Indication of Biological ActivityNew AI optical technology cuts wind turbine birds of prey deaths by 82%, which is quite the improvement Listen now to learn about the Snowy Owl, the coolest bird of the arctic.Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

Gila Monsters are the only venomous lizards native to the United States. They are found in Southwestern US and Northwestern Mexico. These lizards have a bad reputation that is mostly unfounded. There are no recent incidents of a Gila Monster bite resulting in human fatality. In order to even get bit, one would have to be trying really hard to or making less than intelligent decisions because these creatures are quite slow.  Gila Monsters have a roundish body with black and pink blotches and beadlike scales. They are the largest lizard species native to the US.The Good the Bad the NewsA Michigan judge fines a 72-year-old man with cancer for not being able to mow his lawn and told him “If I could give you jail time on this I would.”House Bill 0135 allows pharmacists to provide 12 months of hormonal contraceptives like birth control pills, rings and patches without a doctor's prescription starting Jan. 1, 2022.G95 company has new plant-based biodegradable masks.Disney's giant gingerbread houses don't get sent to the landfill after the holidays, they're used to feed the bees. No, the Gila monster's breath is not toxic enough to kill humans, and no they do not spit poison. Though that would be cool, they're not dragons, unfortunately. However, they will bite you and inject a painful venom if you get too close. Gila monsters cannot be relocated and will, at their own detriment, attempt to return to wherever they have been removed from. So just leave these not so little monsters alone. Gila monsters are not pets, and are most likely solitary animals. They inhabit scrubland, and spend 90% of their time underground. Gila monsters depend on water resources, so if you're lucky you might get to see some swimming after a summer rain. Listen now to learn about the Gila Monster. Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

The Gilbert's Potoroo is Australia's most endangered marsupial, and one of the world's most critically endangered mammals. The Gilbert's Potoroo is a small, nocturnal marsupial that was recently rediscovered off the southern coast of Western Australia in Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve. There are less than 100 Gilbert's Potoroos left in the world. In the Good the Bad the NewsReality star who said she made $200,000 by selling her farts in Mason jars, hospitalized, and now selling her 'farts' as NFTs. Yep, you heard that right. That is now a thing in this world. Mozambique recently created a new National Park by merging two existing parks, a marine reserve and a land reserve. The Park protects one of the world's 36 biodiversity hotspots, which are regarded as the most biodiverse places on the earth. Webb Space Telescope Deploys Primary Mirror Without any issues and Dolphin females have working clitoris. Who knew? Oh yeah, biologists.We don't know a lot about Gilbert's Potoroos because they are so rare and only recently rediscovered. Described as a small rat kangaroo, Gilbert's potoroo was originally last sighted in 1869. In fact we thought they were extinct until 1994 when Elizabeth Sinclair and Adrian Wayne, two students from the University of Western Australia, found one while doing research on wallabies in Two Peoples Bay. Luckily, Prince Philip lobbied for Two Peoples Bay's protection in 1962, and stopped this area from being developed saving a number of endangered species. Gilbert's potoroo have expensive taste, with a diet that consists mostly of truffle-like fungi. We believe they require a habitat that has not been burnt for over 50 years, with dense scrub coverage of shrubs that are also rare to find in Australia. All of these are likely factors in why Gilbert's potoroo is so rare and contributed  to the marsupial remaining hidden for over 100 years. Listen now to learn about Australia's most endangered marsupial, Gilbert's Potoroo.Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

Beluga Whales are white cetaceans adapted to life in the Arctic. Belugas are highly sociable and communicate in high-pitched squeaks, squeals, clicks, and whistles. This is why they're also known as the  "sea canary" of the ocean. Their forehead contains an organ (called a melon) that they use for echolocation, finding breathing holes in the ice, and to hunt in dark or turbid waters. Young male belugas may mimic human speech, but they grow out of it. In The Good, The Bad, The NewsPhysics Professor mailed an anonymous cardboard box filled with cash. This gift would provide fully-funded scholarships for those in need. Beavers saved from euthanasia (who euthanizes beavers???) are now replenishing rivers in the Utah DesertBetty White  passed away

Krampus is a horned, anthropomorphic figure in Alpine folklore. On Christmas, he terrifies children who have misbehaved. Krampus has recently been introduced into North American culture, but has a rich history in Eastern European cultures, including pre-Christian pagan traditions where he has long been a companion of Saint Nicholas. Jennifer's good and bad news: Quantum entanglement is complicated, but we try to explain it in the most basic terms. Why? Because researchers from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have quantum entangled a Tardigrade. This is the first multicellular organism to be quantum entangled. Amber's bad news: The Guinea worm was almost eradicated, but is now making a comeback. (The worm Jennifer talks about is the guinea worm…) The good: Eastern mosquitofish are being scared into not mating by robot fish. Yes, we said robot fish. Krampus is a half-goat, half-demon monster. He has a long, pointed tongue that lolls around (like a snake), and fangs. He carries chains that sometimes have festive bells! Like a super creepy version of Santa's sleigh bells. Unlike North American versions of Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas concerns himself only with the good children, while Krampus is responsible for the bad children. Saint Nicholas gives gifts, while Krampus punishes bad children. Sometimes Krampus appears with a sack or a basket strapped to his back and he carts off evil children for transport to Hell. So you better watch out. You better not pout. Or Krampus will kidnap you! So grab your masks and let's go to a Krampus run, get shitfaced, and scare children. Happy Holidays Everyone!

The maned wolf is a large canine of South America. However, it is not a wolf, they aren't even related. The maned wolf has many fox-like characteristics, but they are not related to foxes either. Maned wolves are a unique animal. They are the tallest wild canine species, but not largest, and they have an erectile mane. The Good, The Bad, The NewsFox News is over reacting about a Christmas tree. Conservatives only care if something bad is happening directly to them.Global Climate change is going to kill us all, but did it cause the most recent extreme weather? Good NewsA Komodo Dragon has successfully bred at San Antonio Zoo bringing hope for the Endangered Species.Australian University scientist, Dr. Alexandra Carthey, has developed Cardboard Habitat Pods to help animals displaced by wildfires.The maned wolf is the only species in the genus Chrysocyon (meaning "golden dog"). The maned wolf's long legs make it adaptable to the grasslands where it lives. Maned Wolves are a solitary species, so they do not want to be your pet. The maned wolf is omnivorous. They eat small and medium-sized animals, mostly rodents and rabbits, birds, and even fish, but at least 50% of their diet is vegetable matter, including sugarcane, tubers, and fruit. They are also big fans of wolf apples. Maned Wolf pee smells like cannabis, which has led to wild goose chases at zoos. Listen now to learn about the maned wolf, the fox lookalike that is not a wolf. Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

The American crow is a large passerine bird (song bird) of the family Corvidae. American crows are highly cunning and inquisitive, which makes them tricksters spirits. Crows both use and make tools, which is one of the reasons why crows are considered to be among the world's most intelligent animals. They're probably smarter than a five-year-old child. Caw CawThe BadThe Norwegian wolf is extinct, and it's 100% humans' fault. Marjorie Taylor Greene is an idiot, and anyone who supports her is a moron. The GoodPeople who are fully vaccinated against covid-19 are far less likely to infect other people with Covid. Awesome, get fully vaccinated if you haven't already. Landfills, and otherwise useless land, can be turned into useful solar farms, which can help local, low income families have affordable power.Crows steal food from other species, often in creative ways. Crows understand water displacement, something human children don't necessarily understand. They are social birds that recognize human faces. Seriously, don't tick them off. Crows hold grudges, and they'll teach their friends and children to recognize you and hate you, too. Crows can learn to mimic human words like parrots, and will mimic birds of preys' calls in the wild. We don't know as much as we should about crows outside of the lab, because they're almost too smart to study.Crows will eat almost anything, and are adapted to human society. Which is why Amber calls them garbage pits of the bird world. They're basically very smart flying racoons. Listen now to learn about American Crows, the bird proving the term bird brain wrong since forever.Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

In biology, plant mimicry occurs when a plant has evolved to resemble another organism, increasing the mimic's Darwinian fitness. Mimicry may provide the mimic certain benefits including protection against being eaten, trick pollinators into provide them a service without offering a reward (food) in return, or may even do something we haven't figured out yet.In The Good The Bad The NewsAmber hates snow, Jennifer thinks it is beautiful, but you know what Jennifer hates? Nurdles. Those tiny plastic pellets that are spilled into the ocean, just like oil, and cause just as much damage. Over 230,000 tonnes of nurdles end up in oceans every year. Not good.Most Americans would be fine without turkey at Thanksgiving dinner, and Jennifer and Amber agree that this would be fine. The UK government has declared that lobsters, crabs, octopuses and related species will be included under the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill, which is Good news for animal rights.In plant mimicry there are always three things, the mimicker, the model, and then the third thing, which is the thing being duped by the mimic. Sometimes the fool is actually humans. Mimics walk a fine balance between being an evolutionary advantage and being an evolutionary dead end.There are many different examples of plant mimicry in the wild, each more interesting than the last. Vines that might borrow host DNA, hooker lips, bee flowers, and trickster rye plants just to name a few.Listen now to learn about plants that pretend to be something they aren't.Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

Cranberries are a fruit native to North America, and are a staple at most American Thanksgiving Dinners. Due to their very sharp and sour taste, cranberries are rarely eaten outside of the holidays. Nowadays, most Cranberries are consumed as a juice which can contain more sugar than soda pop, and has iffy health benefits. In The Good The Bad The NewsThe Bad: The Kyle Rittenhouse trial once again proves that white men can get away with murder. You don't bring a gun somewhere unless you plan on shooting someone, and destruction of property is not the same as hurting living beings.The Good: A record number of Humpback whale has been recorded off the coast of Seattle with a record number of calves birthed. In fact the entire population of Humpback whales has almost rebounded to the pre-whaling numbers. This shows that conservation does work.Cranberries can be found in acidic bogs throughout the cooler regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The Algonquian nation used cranberries for food and for dye, and introduced this fruit to Europeans. Cranberries are grown and harvested in a unique fashion, and the sale and marketing of them has led to things like the Great Cranberry Scare, the introduction of different juices, and the manipulation of the market. Their most known benefit might be their ability to prevent urinary tract infections. Do cranberries actually help with UTIs? The science says yes! But the science also says no. So ... maybe?Listen now to wade through the history, growth and marketing of Cranberries, the tart fruit you probably only eat once a year.Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

Hamsters are rodents commonly kept as pets. Do you know what Hamster means? Hoard. Do you know what a group of Hamsters is called? Horde. You know what that means? Bring out the horde of hoarders! If you've ever had a pet hamster, then you probably know, they're solitary animals that dislike changes in temperature, and may resort to cannibalism if stressed. Amber isn't a fan of hamsters as pets, but we can agree that they are an interesting species in the wild, as a pet, and in laboratories. In The Good, The Bad, The NewsApparently, men with pet hamsters are more likely to cheat, according to this one random study on this website that we've never heard of before ...A 15 Million-Acre ocean superhighway was just created to preserve marine life, which is great news. And, a hamster's home is sacrosanct, even in a graveyard. Austrian developers fail to challenge protection over species.There are over 20 species of hamsters, all of which are related to mice. Five hamster species are common as pets, and wild hamsters are found throughout much of Europe and Asia. Female hamsters are very sensitive to disturbances while giving birth and after giving birth, which may lead to them eating their own babies, to the horror of many grade school children. But, if you keep them alone, in a large enough cage, with enough fresh bedding, in a non-drafty area, they can make great pets.Listen now to learn about the farmland pest who has become a common household pet.Follow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

Ladybugs (Ladybirds or Coccinellidae) are a widespread family of small beetles. Regardless of their name, they are not bugs nor birds. We're not sure where their name comes from but it might come from "Beetle of Our Lady" in reference to the Virgin Mary. Many cultures consider them good luck, this is probably because they sometimes eat unwanted pests which helps preserve crops.In The Good The Bad the NewsThis week it's complicated. Jennifer talks about the cocaine hippos from Colombia and how they have become the first animals recognized as “legal persons” in the U.S. (If you want to learn more about them listen to our episode all about Hippopotamus found at the link below). Then she talks Penis worms that lived in the depths of ancient seas more than 500 million years ago. Amber didn't look into bad news because bad news is sad, but for her good news refugees in Cameroon have turned a desert camp into a thriving forest.Ladybugs are often brightly colored with small black spots on their wing covers, with black legs, heads and antennae.  However, they are not all red and some are not colorful at all. There are 6,000 ladybug species worldwide and almost 500 species in North America.Unfortunately, due to invasive species of ladybugs, such as the Harlequin ladybird (Asian lady beetle, Asian Ladybug) and the Seven-spotted ladybug, native North American ladybug species, such as the nine-spotted ladybug, are becoming displace and even extinct in some areas. Listen now to learn about the good luck bug, one of nature's natural pests, and  also, one of nature's natural pest controls.Link to the episode about Hippos: https://betterthanhuman.buzzsprout.com/603916/4990118-i-want-a-hippopotamus-wait-never-mind-hippopotamus-are-terrifyingly-deadlyFollow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

This week is all about the Allosaurus, a large carnosaurian theropod dinosaur that lived 155 to 145 million years ago during the Jurassic period. Think what the Velociraptors in Jurassic Park look like, but bigger, and spoiler: probably no pack hunting. In the Good The Bad the NewsIn the Bad, Syphilis in on the rise in the U.S., a sign that our public health services are failing. (A few years ago we almost eliminated syphilis in America…)In the Good, Amber talks about the ‘penis plant' that just bloomed in the Netherlands that smells like rotting flesh. Yum. And Jen talks about loggerhead sea turtle nests in the West African nation of Cape Verde making a rebound. Allosaurus means "different lizard" referring  to its unique (at the time of its discovery) hollow vertebrae. Allosaurus had sharp saw-like teeth, which it used to slash the flesh of its prey, tearing at it without splintering bones. We know a lot about Allosaurus because of the many fossils we found of the species, from eggs to fully grown. Allosaurus was one of the earliest dinosaur discoveries, and they are the most commonly found dinosaur in the United States. The Bone Wars of the late 1800's, however, botched their discovery, and it was years before the dinosaur was even officially even called Allosaurus. Listen now to learn about Allosaurus, a commonly found dinosaur throughout the U.S.'s Midwest.For more information on us, visit our website at betterthanhumanpodcast.comFollow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

The Addams Family are almost the perfect family. How so, you ask? There are lots of reasons, like Morticia being a feminist icon, or Wednesday being every goth girl's life goals, or Morticia and Gomez being the perfect couple. #relationshipgoalsBut first, where did the fictional characters of the Addams Family come from? You might be surprised to find out they started as a cartoon in The New Yorker and were created by American cartoonist Charles Addams in 1938. He created the  Addamses, a wealthy aristocratic clan who delight in the macabre, as a satirical version of the ideal 20th-century American family. Since the Addams Family creation, there have been multiple TV shows, cartoons and movies about the family. Starting with the classic The Addams Family television show from 1964, to the superb movies,  Addams Family (1991) and Addams Family Values (1993). (Who doesn't love these movies???)Now The Addams Family are considered one of the most iconic families in American history. The Addamses have gotten their popularity for good reason. They are the opposite of the boring, dysfunctional sitcom family, which pits family members against each other for laughs. Listen now to why Better Than Human thinks the Addams Family are the almost perfect family.For more information on us, visit our website at betterthanhumanpodcast.comFollow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

A Mermaid is a mythical aquatic creature with the upper body of a female human and the tail of a fish.  Legends of these creatures have been reported since the beginning of humanity. There is no evidence that mermaids live anywhere on earth. However, there are a lot of scientific reasons why they physically cannot exist. Seriously, fish and human's last common ancestor was over 170 million years ago. If you're going to say mermaids are mammals, they'd have to breathe air, which means going to the surface often. (So lots of chances for humans to spot them).  AND even then, a human/water mammal would not have had time to evolve. Whales returned to the ocean 50 million years ago, and humans evolved 300,000 years ago…. So there is just not enough time for evolution to take place.But, there is a lot of interesting folklore surrounding these creatures. (A lot more interesting than the bigfoot ‘folklore') Tails of merfolks go back to ancient times: from the 2500BC Mesopotamia to the first know tale of an Assyrian queen who turned into a mermaid in 1000BC to current culture.  So, to say mermaids have been in the human psyche forever, would not be in error. Listen now to learn why mermaids cannot happen in real life, but are interesting anyways. For more information on us, visit our website at betterthanhumanpodcast.comFollow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

Bigfoot, also commonly referred to as Sasquatch, (another word we've stolen from Native Americans), is a large bipedal ape-like creature, covered in hair. Bigfoot has become an icon of cryptozoology. You know what cryptozoology is? Fake science. There is no evidence that Bigfoot exists. Even animals that have gone extinct millions of years ago leave evidence of their existence.Giants (Larger than human beings) appear in the folklore of cultures worldwide and evoke terror and remind humans of our weakness and mortality. This may be the reason why there are so may 'bigfoot' tales in Native American lore. Thousands of people have claimed to have seen a Bigfoot, but even with all of these claims there is still no concrete evidence of any ape-like creatures living in North America. However, we do have a lot of proof of Bigfoot Hoaxes, like a man saying he had discovered the body of a dead Bigfoot in a forest in northern Georgia, and getting paid 50,000 dollars to produce it…So what are people claiming to have seen Bigfoot actually seeing? There are a lot of possible logical answers that are not mythical.Listen now to learn why Jennifer and Amber do not believe in Bigfoot. Note: when Jennifer says no Native Americans had a writing system, she means Native Americans of North America. The Maya, Aztecs, Mixtecs, and Zapotecs of Mesoamerica had writing systems.For more information on us, visit our website at betterthanhumanpodcast.comFollow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

It's finally October, the best month of the year, and time for Better Than Human's spooky Halloween Episodes. We start the month off with a BOO and an episode on the Villisca Axe Murder House, recorded live in the Villisca House itself. Poor, poor Amber knew nothing about what happened in the house before recording. Not only did Amber and Jennifer record an episode in the house on the murders that happened there, we spent the night in the house. The Villisca axe murders occurred between June 9, 1912, and June 10, 1912, in the town of Villisca, Iowa. All six members of the Moore family and the two Stillinger sisters were found murdered in the house. All eight victims, (including six children), were bludgeoned with an axe. The reason for the murders and the murder(s) were never found.We start the episode discussing if visiting places where people were murdered is in bad taste. You can make an argument for both sides.Then Jennifer tells Amber the history of the house, and the murders that took place in the house that we are recording in.  We discuss suspects in this unsolved case, if the house itself is haunted, and if so, who is haunting the house.Want to learn about the Villisca house and our creepy night? Listen now!For more information on us, visit our website at betterthanhumanpodcast.comFollow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

Neanderthals went extinct around 40,000 years ago so there are a lot of maybes when it comes to what we know about them. Did they know how to start fires? Did they use medicine? Did they have a language similar to humans? Did they know how to preserve food? Did they create art and music? Did they make clothing? Did they sail? The answers to all those questions are big fat maybes, which archaeologist are still trying to figure out. But FirstGuess what everyone? It's almost spooky month, October, the best month of the year, so get excited! This October we have a spectacular line-up. First, the Villisca Axe Murder House, recorded IN the Murder House. Second, Bigfoot, not recorded with an actual Sasquatch. Third, we have Mermaids (Merpeople) recorded in costume, but not underwater. Last we have the Addams Family, I personally have reached out to Christina Ricci, and she will not be guest starring. This is Halloween Month, the best Month!The Good The Bad The NewsThe BadChina is no longer teaching English in schools, why?Firefighters race to save the world's largest tree as wildfires rage because humans are causing fires hotter than nature can handle.The GoodFans rescue a falling cat at stadium. Pfizer says that COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective for children ages of 5 and 11.Neanderthals lived in small isolated groups, with individuals rarely living past 40 years. This resulted in a stagnation of technology growth, as well as a good amount of inbreeding. Add in their dangerous hunting technique, and it's surprising that Neanderthals did as well as they did and that they did well enough to survive and mate with modern humans before going extinct.Listen now to learn about Neanderthals out brothers from another species.For more information on us, visit our website at betterthanhumanpodcast.comFollow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

Neanderthals are an extinct species of archaic humans who lived to about 40,000 years ago. Neanderthals left Africa, while modern humans stayed behind. They interbred with an unidentified human species and then were ‘replaced' by modern humans. Neanderthals most likely went extinct due to interbreeding with homo sapiens, climatic change, disease, or a combination of all these factors.It's almost spooky month, get excited everyone! This October we have a banger line up. We have the Villisca Axe Murder House, recorded in the actual Murder House. We have Bigfoot, not recorded with an actual Bigfoot. We have Mermaids (Merpeople) recorded in costume. We have the Addams Family, I personally have reached out to Christina Ricci, and she will not be guest starring. And if you're lucky, another bonus Halloween Episode. This is Halloween Month, the best Month!The Good The Bad The News, Carbon factory built to suck carbon from the sky (the good), and racism is alive and well in Ohio (the bad).Upon the discovery of Neanderthals, they were depicted as slouching, ape-like, and not closely related to modern humans. This was due to the Piltdown Man and racism. Neanderthals true evolutionary history was not understood until as late as the 1960s. Yes, Neanderthals were physically built differently than modern humans, and yes, we interbreed. The gene for red hair might have even come from Neanderthals gene. Listen now to Neanderthals, Part 1, our relatives of a different species. For more information on us, visit our website at betterthanhumanpodcast.comFollow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

What most people know about black holes, they've learned from sci-fi. In this genre, black holes (spacetime where gravity is so strong that nothing can escape) can often do some nifty things, like time travel. In real life, however, black holes are a whole lot more interesting. A compact mass of deformed spacetime with zero volume and infinite density? Sign us up to learn more.In the Good the Bad the NewsThe BadThe next solar storm could knock out the internet for months. Which will be a problem for most of us. Fuck Texas, the new abortion ban is not about protecting fetuses. Abortion bans are a way to control women, specifically lower income women. Because, rich so-called “pro-life” individuals will always have access to safe abortions. The GoodA Beekeeper in France has invented a trap that can stop Murder Hornets. Want to learn more about Murder Hornets? Listen to our 2020 episode on them https://www.buzzsprout.com/603916/3727583Amber's good news is that when our sun turns into a supernova in 5.5 billion years, it will not turn into a blackhole, cause it's too small. Yay?Although Black Holes have an enormous effect on any  object crossing it's path, it has no locally detectable features. In theory, you could be standing right next to one and not realize it. If you did observe it, you'd notice that clocks near it would seem to move slower, because time is literally going slower in a Black Hole. This might be a good way to travel forward in time, however, once you enter it, you can never leave it. No one will hear you scream either, because information cannot escape a black hole….Listen now to learn about Black Holes, more interesting than a science fiction movie.For more information on us, visit our website at betterthanhumanpodcast.comFollow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

Hummingbirds are the world's smallest bird species, with a heart rate of 500 beats-per-minute on average and a breathing rate of 250/minute. Hummingbirds are nearly always on the edge of starvation, so they need to eat their body weight in nectar each day. Which might explain why some female white-necked Jacobin hummingbirds have evolved to look like male hummingbirds. Because, guess what? Male hummingbirds can be jerks. In The Good The Bad The NewThe Bad:The EU has removed US travelers from Covid safe list. This is because of all the idiots out there that will take horse medication but not the actual vaccine.The Good:Thank you to the San Francisco Airport (SFO) for protecting the San Francisco garter snakes and red-legged frogs. We at Better Than Human are friends of Snakes and Frogs.Hummingbirds are tiny acrobats with the fastest wingbeat of all birds, (70 strokes per second or more than 4,000 per minute). Unlike other birds, they can hover, fly backwards, and even fly upside down! Hummingbirds have the highest metabolism of all animals. They had an amazing amount of energy and live a relatively long time for their size. Hummingbirds are native only to the Americas and thrive from Alaska to the tip of South America and are specialized to the flowers they eat from.Listen now to learn about these tiny marvels of the bird world. For more information on us, visit our website at betterthanhumanpodcast.comFollow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes

The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is  a snake-like, migratory fish. Eels spend most of their adult lives as freshwater fish, but are born and die in the ocean. How they're born and how they die scientists are still trying to figure out. And we better figure it out quickly because European eel are a critically endangered species. So no jellied eels for you. But first:Jennifer tells the story of her boomer encounter in the doctor's office. And by boomer, we mean, OK boomers, the group of boomers who don't care how their behaviors affect other people.In the Good, the Bad, the NewsThe bad, Cuomo is a dick and he abandoned his dog. And Amber reads some comedic crime blotters.The good, 4oceans Solar-Powered Beach Robot filters plastic 30x faster than humans. Then, Patagonia (the outdoor clothing company) dumps a ski resort which held a far-right fundraiser. Fuck Marjorie Greene. So little is known about European eels that up to 1777, we didn't realize eels were fish and thought that they spontaneously generated in the "guts of wet soil".  Sigmund Freud couldn't find the eel's male sex organs and gave up on biology entirely in frustration. European eels may use magnetic fields to navigate thousands of miles through the Atlantic Ocean, but who knows why they travel thousands of miles to spawn. Lots of people like to eat European eels, so poaching and smuggling is a big threat to the species. We also have not figured out how to raise them in captivity. Listen now to learn about the European eel, an animal we like to eat, but know very little about.For more information on us, visit our website at betterthanhumanpodcast.comFollow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnesYou've got two empty halves of coconut and you're bangin' 'em together.

Do coconuts migrate? Yes, they do, but not by sparrows. It was actually humans who spread coconuts across the globe. Besides making great horse sounds when banged together, coconuts are extremely useful to humans. Coconuts are not just a new health fad, humans have been using coconuts since 3000 BCE, and not just for food and water.In The Good, The Bad, The NewsThe Bad: There is an organization in PA that wants you to think rising CO2 is good for you and the planet. Nope. July 2021 was the hottest month ever in recorded history. Global climate change is caused by humans, and we need to stop it. The Good: We can reverse global climate change, but we need to do it NOW. Then Jen talks about a preserved female cave lion cub named Sparta.Before we get into coconuts, have you ever heard of the Order of the Sun, the sun worshiping coconut cult from the early 1900s? Well, a nudist German named August Engelhardt was convinced you could live off just coconut. Guess what, you can't. Coconut trees can grow up to 100 ft  ( 30 m) tall, and produce on average of 30 coconuts a year. They are naturally restricted to coastal areas in sandy, saline soils, and need direct sunlight and a lot of water to grow. The coconut plant was distributed by early Austronesian voyagers, who carried them as a source of food and water, and  traded them throughout different cultures globally.Listen now to learn about the lovely coconut tree, the tree of life. For more information on us, visit our website at betterthanhumanpodcast.comFollow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnesYou've got two empty halves of coconut and you're bangin' 'em together.

This week in Better Than Human the Podcast we tackle the controversial topic of asshole animals. Guess what people? There are some animals that are straight up jerks! So much so that we had to add the following Trigger warning: This episode talks about forced copulation of animals by other animals, it isn't recommended for all listeners.In The Good The Bad The NewsIn the Bad, there are actual idiots out there paying for fake covid vaccine cards when they can just go and get the vaccine for free. What is wrong with people? And men's right groups are mad because South Korean Olympic Archer An San has short hair. Really ... that's how fragile their egos are that short hair offends them. In the Good, a plant that's been right in front of us for years is found to be carnivorous and Olympic medalists share the gold. So what animals do Amber and Jennifer think are assholes? Jennifer 100 percent believes that Otters are not cute and adorable and are straight up necrophilic rapists. Amber hates wasps,  but seriously, who doesn't hate parasites that eat their way out of caterpillars or have way too painful venom. Don't be fooled by bottlenose dolphins or orcas either. Flipper was a fantasy. Want to learn more (cause you really should), listen now wherever podcasts are found. Listener Note: Even at their worst, animals are just animals being themselves, and unlike humans, they do not have the ability to be “evil”. ALL animals deserve respect, and the right to exist in this world. For more information on how you can help wildlife visit https://www.worldwildlife.org/initiatives/wildlife-conservationExcept for mosquitoes, fuck mosquitoesFor more information on us, visit our website at betterthanhumanpodcast.comFollow us on Twitter @betterthanhuma1on Facebook @betterthanhumanpodcaston Instagram @betterthanhumanpodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@betterthanhumanpodcastor Email us at betterthanhumanpodcast@gmail.comWe look forward to hearing from you, and we look forward to you joining our cult of weirdness!#betterthanhuman #cultofweirdnes