Podcasts about field museum

Chimpanzees lay down mad beats to communicateApart from their rich vocal palette, chimpanzees drum on trees to communicate over long distances. A new interdisciplinary study, led in part by PhD student Vesta Eleuteri and primatologist Cat Hobaiter from the University of St. Andrews, has explored the details of the rhythms they used, and found that different populations drum with rhythms which are similar to the beats in human music. The research was published in the journal Current Biology.An exciting new fossil of an early ancestor of modern birds gives insight into evolutionArchaeopteryx, a 150 million year-old bird-like dinosaur, is known from about a dozen fossils found in Germany. A new one that has been studied at Chicago's Field Museum may be the best preserved yet, and is giving researchers like paleontologist Jingmai O'Connor new insights into how the ancient animal moved around the Jurassic landscape. The research was published in the journal Nature.A house with good bones — in more ways than oneInspired by the structure of bone, researchers have created limestone-like biomineralized construction materials using a fungal-scaffold that they seeded with bacteria. Montana State University's Chelsea Heveran said they demonstrated they could mold it into specific shapes that had internal properties similar to bone, and that it remained alive for a month. It's early days yet, but she envisions a day when they can grow living structural material on site that may even be able heal themselves. The study is in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science. A different kind of emotional band-aidScientists have created a clever combination of physical sensors and computer technology to produce a flexible band-aid like device that can accurately read emotions when it is stuck to the face. It's not quite mind reading, but could give physicians better insight into the emotional state of their patients. Huanyu Cheng of Penn State led the work, which was published in the journal Nano Letters.A scientist explores what it takes to live a longer, better lifeDo you want to live forever? As he noticed himself showing signs of age, immunologist John Tregoning decided to find out what he could do to make that possible. So he explored the investigations that scientists are doing into why we age and die — and tried a few experiments on himself. Bob speaks with him about his new book Live Forever? A Curious Scientists' Guide to Wellness, Ageing and Death. Tregoning dutifully documents everything he discovers as he undergoes testing for his heart, gets his genes sequenced, has a bronchoscopy, and follows an extreme diet, among other experiments. But he comes to the conclusion that “when it comes to improving life outcomes, exercise considerably trumps nearly everything I am planning to do whilst writing this book.”

A recent survey asked 3,000 Americans what they think the coolest job is in each state. Pennsylvania's coolest job was chocolate scientist at Hershey, while California's was animator at Pixar. And Illinois? The survey found that respondents thought the coolest work you can do in Illinois is be a paleontologist for the Field Museum. But what does a day in the life of a paleontologist look like? And how do they really feel about the Jurassic Park movies? Reset talks with Field Museum paleontologists to find out more. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

In this nature-packed episode, we dive into the fascinating world of Wood Ducks—one of the most beautiful and iconic duck species in North America. Learn about their striking plumage, unique nesting habits, and the incredible moment when day-old ducklings leap from tree cavities to join their mother on the ground.We also share a recent encounter with a Barred Owl family, and answer a listener's mailbag question about owl chicks spotted at Walt Disney World.Hosted by married ornithologists John Bates and Shannon Hackett from the Field Museum, along with RJ and his fiancée Amanda, this episode blends expert knowledge, personal wildlife experiences, and listener Q&A in a fun, informative format.Please send us your questions for us to answer as well! You can send them to podcast.birdsofafeather@gmail.comMake sure to follow us on Instagram, Blue Sky Social, YouTube and tik tok as well!!

This week we are talking about one of the coolest birds in North America: The American Dipper. This is a smaller nondescript bird that has learned and adapted how find food in some of the roughest river water imaginable. It can fly through waterfalls, withstand rushing currents, and to the eye just looks like a little gray songbird. John and Shannon both have a ton of experience with them, so it's a lot of fun to hear about these amazing birds. As always, its our hosts and married couple John Bates and Shannon Hackett who are curators of birds at the Field Museum, along with amateur birders RJ Pole and Amanda Marquart. Please send us your questions for us to answer as well! You can send them to podcast.birdsofafeather@gmail.comMake sure to follow us on Instagram, Blue Sky Social, YouTube and tik tok as well!!

In this episode of „Weird Species“, our guest is Dr. Janet Voight, renowned marine biologist and curator emerita of the Field Museum in Chicago. Earlier this year, she visited Frankfurt to assist with our new project „Secret Service“, which aims to highlight the often-forgotten contributions of women in science throughout Senckenberg's history. But then of course we also talk species - in Janet's case, the newly discovered so-called „dorado octopus“, a truly fascinating creature.

The biggest eggs! The smallest eggs! The rarest eggs! Oologist Dr. John Bates gave Alie a tour of the egg vault at the Field Museum of Chicago and it was a barrage of beautiful sights and shocking facts about bird butts. Get ready for speckly eggs, pointy eggs, egg art, reptile eggs, mammal eggs, Easter bunny confusion, and whether or not you should snack on a bucket of cookie dough.Field Museum of ChicagoThe Book of EggsFull-length (*not* G-rated) Oology episode + tons of science linksBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!Follow Ologies on Instagram and BlueskyFollow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTokSound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Steven Ray MorrisMade possible by work from Noel Dilworth, Susan Hale, Jacob Chaffee, Kelly R. Dwyer, Aveline Malek and Erin TalbertSmologies theme song by Harold Malcolm

Make no bones about it – fossils are super cool! But what do you do if you find a fossil? We asked Jingmai O'Connor, the Associate Curator of Fossil Reptiles at the Field Museum in Chicago, to help us find  the answer.Got a question that's buried in your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we'll help dig up the answer!

If you listened to our series on the Feather Thief, or read the book, you are familiar with the Red-ruffed fruitcrow. It was also called the Indian crow in the book. We wanted to follow up the series to talk more in depth about one of the birds that was mentioned so much, and it was pretty fascinating to learn more about this bird that actually has not been researched much. As always, its our hosts and married couple John Bates and Shannon Hackett who are curators of birds at the Field Museum, along with amateur birders RJ Pole and Amanda Marquart. Please send us your questions for us to answer as well! You can send them to podcast.birdsofafeather@gmail.comMake sure to follow us on Instagram, Blue Sky Social, YouTube and tik tok as well!!

Kimberly Hansen, Collections Manager of Flowering Plants, The Field Museum, joins John Williams to talk about her work at the Field Museum, the now famous poison pong-pong tree plant that was featured in ‘The White Lotus,’ the number of poisonous plant species in the U.S., what we should know about the plant used in ‘The […]

Kimberly Hansen, Collections Manager of Flowering Plants, The Field Museum, joins John Williams to talk about her work at the Field Museum, the now famous poison pong-pong tree plant that was featured in ‘The White Lotus,’ the number of poisonous plant species in the U.S., what we should know about the plant used in ‘The […]

Kimberly Hansen, Collections Manager of Flowering Plants, The Field Museum, joins John Williams to talk about her work at the Field Museum, the now famous poison pong-pong tree plant that was featured in ‘The White Lotus,’ the number of poisonous plant species in the U.S., what we should know about the plant used in ‘The […]

There's nothing like a field trip to lift the spirits. And thankfully, our friend Charlie James has invited us to Chicago's natural history museum—after dark. Flesh-eating beetles, a flirty T-Rex, and pyramid schemes await! Charlie on TikTok and Instagram @malecowgirl, and at charliejamescomedy.com. You can pre-order his book "I'm Just a Little Guy: How to Escape the Horrors and Get Back to Dillydallying" now! One of Us is hosted and produced by Chris Renfro and Fin Argus. It's executive produced by Myrriah Gossett and Erica Getto for Good Get. Myrriah Gossett is our sound designer, and our theme music is produced by Fin Argus and Brendan Chamberlain-Simon. Our show art was drawn by Fin Argus, and photographed by Mike and Matt McCarty. You can follow One Of Us on Instagram and TikTok at @oneofus.pod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Asutosh Padhi is McKinsey & Company's Global Leader of Firm Strategy, responsible for shaping the strategic vision, accelerating the firm's pace of innovation, and evolving the partnership model as McKinsey turns 100 in 2026. He's currently an active board member of the Aspen Institute, the Brookings Institution, and the Field Museum. We had the pleasure of speaking with him as part of our series, “Back to the Future of Work: Revisiting the Past and Shaping the Future,” curated by the Aspen Institute's Future of Work Initiative.In this conversation with Economic Opportunities Program Executive Director Maureen Conway, Padhi explores the massive potential of scaling technology and generative artificial intelligence (AI) and where many companies have fallen short of realizing these benefits. “I think the promise of technology, particularly AI, is going to be that it can actually help us boost labor productivity…” he notes, “the productivity improvement, that then drives GDP, that drives economic wealth creation in a way that's inclusive.” However, Padhi emphasizes the importance of thoughtful adoption of technology, scaling, and the social trust necessary to make it happen. Trust, especially concerning misinformation and the ethical use of AI, is a major challenge. Looking to the future, Padhi underscores the importance of aligning technology with core human values — the need for leaders to reaffirm values as a guiding principle when making decisions about the future of work. While AI holds great promise for improving productivity and economic growth, it will require careful management, trust-building, and a focus on the human aspects of work to ensure a positive and inclusive future.For more from this discussion, including a video and transcript, visit: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/blog-posts/the-potential-for-scaling-technology-increased-labor-productivity-if-we-get-it-right/Check out our full series at: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/programs/future-of-work/back-to-the-future-of-work-revisiting-the-past-and-shaping-the-future/

"Don't forget what was sacrificed. And keep fighting in the ways you can. You are still occupied. You are still here. You are born of real survivors. So go live.” These are the powerful words from my guest, comic book artist Jim Terry (Ho-Chunk), in his book “Paper Cut”. I really enjoyed this casual conversation with Jim, who lives not far from me in Chicago. He opened my eyes to the history and presence of the Ho-Chunk people — “people of the big voice.” You might also know them by the name once given to them: Winnebago. And by the way — did you know “Chicago” (or chicagoua) most likely comes from the Algonquin word for onions… or maybe even garlic? Jim and I also talked about his life as a freelance artist, the funny (and sometimes awkward) conversations between Native and non-Native people, and the deeper, more personal themes behind his book “Come Home, Indio”. In it, he opens up about feelings of not belonging and a lifelong journey toward making peace (or something like it) with the treatment of our Native American ancestors. We also touched on the story of Edward E. Ayer — a lumber baron who, in 1911, donated 17,000 Native American manuscripts, photos, and artifacts to the Newberry Library. Today, that collection has grown to over 130,000 volumes. (Some of those items also found a home at Chicago's Field Museum.) Jim was honored to be commissioned by the Newberry Library for their Indigenous Chicago program, creating artwork inspired by those thousands of historical documents. Purchase your copy of the “Paper Cuts” comic book here: https://bookshop.newberry.org/paper-cuts And check out Jim's website here: https://www.woundedbutdangerous.com/ Native ChocTalk Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast All Podcast Episodes: https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/

"Don't forget what was sacrificed. And keep fighting in the ways you can. You are still occupied. You are still here. You are born of real survivors. So go live.” These are the powerful words from my guest, comic book artist Jim Terry (Ho-Chunk), in his book “Paper Cut”. I really enjoyed this casual conversation with Jim, who lives not far from me in Chicago. He opened my eyes to the history and presence of the Ho-Chunk people — “people of the big voice.” You might also know them by the name once given to them: Winnebago. And by the way — did you know “Chicago” (or chicagoua) most likely comes from the Algonquin word for onions… or maybe even garlic? Jim and I also talked about his life as a freelance artist, the funny (and sometimes awkward) conversations between Native and non-Native people, and the deeper, more personal themes behind his book “Come Home, Indio”. In it, he opens up about feelings of not belonging and a lifelong journey toward making peace (or something like it) with the treatment of our Native American ancestors. We also touched on the story of Edward E. Ayer — a lumber baron who, in 1911, donated 17,000 Native American manuscripts, photos, and artifacts to the Newberry Library. Today, that collection has grown to over 130,000 volumes. (Some of those items also found a home at Chicago's Field Museum.) Jim was honored to be commissioned by the Newberry Library for their Indigenous Chicago program, creating artwork inspired by those thousands of historical documents. P.S. Jim — it was also a treat meeting your surprise guest (your cat)! He did like a mountain lion, enit, my friend. Purchase your copy of the “Paper Cuts” comic book here: https://bookshop.newberry.org/paper-cuts And check out Jim's website here: https://www.woundedbutdangerous.com/ Native ChocTalk Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast All Podcast Episodes: https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/

PART 2 "Don't forget what was sacrificed. And keep fighting in the ways you can. You are still occupied. You are still here. You are born of real survivors. So go live.” These are the powerful words from my guest, comic book artist Jim Terry (Ho-Chunk), in his book “Paper Cut”. I really enjoyed this casual conversation with Jim, who lives not far from me in Chicago. He opened my eyes to the history and presence of the Ho-Chunk people — “people of the big voice.” You might also know them by the name once given to them: Winnebago. And by the way — did you know “Chicago” (or chicagoua) most likely comes from the Algonquin word for onions… or maybe even garlic? Jim and I also talked about his life as a freelance artist, the funny (and sometimes awkward) conversations between Native and non-Native people, and the deeper, more personal themes behind his book “Come Home, Indio”. In it, he opens up about feelings of not belonging and a lifelong journey toward making peace (or something like it) with the treatment of our Native American ancestors. We also touched on the story of Edward E. Ayer — a lumber baron who, in 1911, donated 17,000 Native American manuscripts, photos, and artifacts to the Newberry Library. Today, that collection has grown to over 130,000 volumes. (Some of those items also found a home at Chicago's Field Museum.) Jim was honored to be commissioned by the Newberry Library for their Indigenous Chicago program, creating artwork inspired by those thousands of historical documents. Purchase your copy of the “Paper Cuts” comic book here: https://bookshop.newberry.org/paper-cuts And check out Jim's website here: https://www.woundedbutdangerous.com/ Native ChocTalk Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast All Podcast Episodes: https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall Good morning, everyone! The current date is March 20, 2020. Residents, I have some exciting news for you! The Lads have just moved onto our wonderful island! Let's all give them a big island welcome! In other news, the museum is under construction and you'll never go outside again. Be sure to visit Blathers tomorrow once construction is complete. Clean your groceries with bleach and head on down to the shore because we have a visitor to the island! It's always so interesting learning about different people and the shops are closed and the streets are closed and there's nothing but deathdeathdeath but don't you worry because tomorrow Flick is due to come and somebody's gotta catch those bugs. That's all for now, I hope you have the loveliest of lovely days! Media Referenced in This Episode: Animal Crossing: New Horizons Animal Crossing (GCN) Animal Crossing: New Horizons: The Official Complete Guide by The Team at FuturePress. Future Press. 2023. i WiLl MaKe YoU rEmEmBeR Boss Fight Books #33: Animal Crossing by Kelsey Lewin.Boss Fight Books. 2024. CDC Museum of COVID-19 Timeline Interactive Map of the George Floyd Protests Monterey Bay Aquarium Tours the Animal Crossing Museum with Emily Graslie of the Field Museum! ”Pulse (2001): How J-Horror predicted 2020” by Brian Alford “Quest 64: Days of Grief and Werehares” by A.J. Ditty Spaceship You by CGP Grey Shredded Cheese Fajita Sad Wife / My Wife, Date Night After 3+ Months TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: “A New Horizon” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Featuring A.J. Ditty as “Orville” and Madeleine Bundy as “Katherine”

For this episode of BioScience Talks, we're joined by John Bates, Curator of Birds at the Field Museum, Sushma Reddy, Breckenridge Chair of Ornithology at the University of Minnesota and the Bell Museum, and Rachael Herman, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Stonybrook University.  Our guests were here to chat about a recent research trip to the Falkland Islands, and more specifically, about the gentoo penguins they were studying on those islands.  Pictures from the trip can be viewed on YouTube. Be sure to check out the fantastic Birds of a Feather Talk Together podcast, cohosted by guest John Bates. Learn more about island vegetation restoration at Roots in the Ground, which describes the work of Giselle Hazell, discussed in the episode.

In this episode, I am joined by evolutionary biologist and curatorial scientist Dr. Lance Grande. Lance shares insights from his extensive career examining the dynamics and changes in evolution, culminating in his exhaustive 600-page book, The Evolution of Religion: A History of Related Traditions. The discussion delves into the application of modern evolutionary theory to the study of organized religion, the impact of religion on human culture, and the challenges and future of religion in an interconnected world. Given the unique and expansive thesis of the book, I was thrilled when Lance agreed to walk us through it with slides at the beginning of our recording session. Don't miss the video version on YouTube to see all of Lance's slides. Lance Grande is the Negaunee Distinguished Service Curator Emeritus of the Field Museum of Natural and Cultural History in Chicago. He specializes in evolutionary systematics, paleontology, and biology and is deeply interested in the interdisciplinary applications of the scientific method and philosophy. His many books include Curators: Behind the Scenes of Natural History Museums (2017) and The Lost World of Fossil Lake: Snapshots from Deep Time (2013). Theology Beer Camp | St. Paul, MN | October 16-18, 2025 3 Days of Craft Nerdiness with 50+ Theologians & God-Pods and 600 new friends. A Five-Week Online Lenten Class w/ John Dominic Crossan Join us for a transformative 5-week Lenten journey on "Paul the Pharisee: Faith and Politics in a Divided World."This course examines the Apostle Paul as a Pharisee deeply engaged with the turbulent political and religious landscape of his time. Through the lens of his letters and historical context, we will explore Paul's understanding of Jesus' Life-Vision, his interpretation of the Execution-and-Resurrection, and their implications for nonviolence and faithful resistance against empire. Each week, we will delve into a specific aspect of Paul's theology and legacy, reflecting on its relevance for our own age of autocracy and political turmoil. . For details and to sign-up for any donation, including 0, head over here. _____________________ Hang with 40+ Scholars & Podcasts and 600 people at Theology Beer Camp 2025 (Oct. 16-18) in St. Paul, MN. This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our Substack - Process This! Get instant access to over 45 classes at www.TheologyClass.com Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Harlequin Ducks are a captivating species of small, compact waterfowl known for their distinctive appearance. These beautiful ducks feature a large, rounded head, a small bill, and a steep forehead. Their striking plumage showcases a stunning slate blue color, accented with white stripes and chestnut sides. The head is especially eye-catching with a white crescent marking in front of the eye and chestnut highlights on the brow.In this week's episode of the Birds of a Feather Talk Together podcast, we dive into the unique characteristics of the Harlequin Duck, exploring their fascinating behaviors, habitats, and the conservation efforts aimed at protecting these incredible birds. Tune in to learn more about the Harlequin Duck and its role in the world of waterfowl!As always, you have John Bates, Shannon Hackett, Amanda Marquart, and RJ Pole here for Birds of a Feather Talk Together. Please send us your questions for us to answer as well! You can send them to podcast.birdsofafeather@gmail.comMake sure to follow us on Instagram, Blue Sky Social, YouTube and tik tok as well!!

In Episode 1 of the “Unpacking Darwinian Evolution” podcast series, former evolutionist turned Christian Michael Lane lays out foundational arguments he formerly believed related to the evolution theory. Along the way, Michael examines quotes from three leading figures who also considered the validity of transitional fossils, from late evolutionary biologist Dr. Stephen J. Gould, former director of The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago Dr. David Raup, and famous paleontologist and evolutionist of the London Museum of Natural History Dr. Colin Patterson. Join Michael in the E4F studio and unpack the theory of evolution to build up your defense of the living Creator.Reference this lesson and find out more here: https://evidence4faith.org/portfolio/unpacking-darwinian-evolution/CREDITS: Developed & Hosted by Michael Lane. Produced & Edited by Julia Shoppach. Graphics & Publication by Julia Shoppach. Stock Music provided by mv_production, & lynnepublishing / Pond5.------------------------------------Evidence 4 Faith (E4F) is a nonprofit Christian ministry based in Wisconsin, United States, led by biologist, author, and Bible teacher Michael Lane. E4F is on mission to move people from shallow convictions and unbelief to deep faith in God through the study of history, science, the Bible, and logic.

We're stepping away from our usual routine to dive into something a bit different—The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson. This is a story of a museum heist, someone who stole rare bird skins from a museum in order to sell them on the dark web to fly-fisherman. Two of our hosts, John Bates and Shannon Hackett, are curators at the Field Museum in Chicago, making them perfect guides to unravel this strange and captivating story.We'd love for you to join us by picking up a copy of the book and reading along. We'll be offering behind-the-scenes insights into the world of museum work and its bird collections—you won't want to miss a word.For those who haven't had the chance to read it yet, we thought we'd share the prologue, which sets the stage for the book's, dark, and twisted tale. The reading of the prologue is the only part of the book that we'll be reading aloud in this mini-series. Our regular lineup—John, Shannon, Amanda, and RJ —will be back for the rest of the episodes. And we'll be joined by ornithologist and fly-tier Jason Weckstein for a few chats along the way. Then we'll cap it all off with an interview with the author himself, Kirk Wallace Johnson. So, sit back, relax, grab your binoculars, and enjoy the prologue!

When you picture a dinosaur, what does it look like? For Jingmai O'Connor, paleobiologist and associate curator of reptiles at the Field Museum of Chicago, the dinosaurs she studies look a lot more like birds."If you looked at an artist's reconstruction of something like Velociraptor or Microraptor ... you would see that it pretty much looks the same as a bird," Jingmai says. "In terms of the plumage, the soft tissues covering the body, it would have looked very, very birdlike."In this episode, Short Wave delves into the dinosaur-avian connection. Which dinosaurs had feathers? Were they using them to fly? And once and for all – what are those ancient dinosaurs' relationship to birds today? Have other dinosaur questions you want us to unravel? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you!Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   In this episode, Justin interviews RIMS CEO Gary LaBranche about what you can expect from RIMS in 2025. This value-packed discussion offers Gary's comments on 2025 RIMS President Kristen Peed, RIMS' 75th Anniversary events, possible insurance impacts of proposed trade tariffs, nuclear verdicts, and third-party litigation. Gary encourages you to join RIMS Advocacy and the RIMS Legislative Summit on March 19th and 20th, 2025 to lobby on Capitol Hill. He shares insights on public safety, security, and of course, news of RISKWORLD 2025 and more.   Listen for how you can participate in 2025 RIMS events. Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS. [:16] About this episode, coming to you from RIMS headquarters in New York, kicking off 2025 with RIMS CEO Gary LaBranche! Gary, welcome back to RIMScast! [:59] Interview! Gary had a quiet, fun New Year's Eve at home, dining on Asian sea bass with champagne and watching television. [1:39] This is a big year for RIMS. RIMS has a new president, Kristen Peed. Justin has known her since he started with RIMS. Kristen is a long-time volunteer, very positive, and great at representing RIMS. She continues in a long line of volunteer leaders who have built RIMS. [2:29] Gary reports that RIMS 2024 president David Arick had a wonderful term. On David's last day, the Wall Street Journal published an interview with him; a wonderful capstone to his year. [2:49] RIMS board presidents serve as unpaid volunteers. They travel for board meetings and events, taking time away from their families and jobs. Gary says everyone should appreciate what the board president and officers, chapter leaders, and other volunteers do to help RIMS. [3:35] Reading the history of RIMS, Gary is struck with and inspired by the long line of volunteers who put their shoulders to the wheel, creating this organization. [3:59] RIMS is delighted to have Kristen. Kristen is with Sequoia. You'll get to meet her at RISKWORLD, the RIMS Canada Conference, and other activities in 2025. Kristen embodies the spirit of the RIMS community. [4:29] This year is the 75th anniversary of RIMS. It's a good opportunity to reflect and appreciate all that came before us. RIMS New York traces its roots to the 1930s. Later, four groups came together to create the National Association of Insurance Buyers, today known as RIMS, in 1950. [5:44] The NAIB provided networking and learning opportunities for commercial buyers of corporate insurance. They saw that it would be helpful to have a national view and ultimately, an international view of the issues and trends in the commercial side of insurance. [6:26] Reading the history gives you a better sense of how RIMS has played a key role in creating today's insurance world. Justin points out that they organized RIMS without email or interstate highways! They worked hard to make the organization happen. [8:31] RIMS will celebrate its 75th anniversary throughout the year. Chapter leaders will soon attend the Annual Leadership Forum to kick things off. At the RIMS Canada Conference 2024, RIMS unveiled the 75th Anniversary logo and themes. RISKWORLD 2025 will be the tent pole event. [9:21] This will be the biggest RISKWORLD in history! The biggest RIMS annual conference was held in Chicago 20 years ago. RISKWORLD 2025 will be in Chicago from May 4th to May 7th and RIMS is expecting to see well over 11,000 attend. Other events will also feature the anniversary. [9:53] RIMS is launching the Texas Regional Conference, with the four Texas chapters, in August, in San Antonio. It's a wonderful opportunity for folks in that region to gain access to the power and value represented in the RIMS community. [11:04] About trade tariffs: Gary recently spent an hour at a U.S. Chamber of Commerce meeting, talking with top trade policy experts. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has mentioned tariffs. How would new tariffs impact consumers? What might they do to the cost of insurance? [13:05] If any goods go up in cost, that could potentially have an effect on the cost of insurance, just as inflation causes prices to go up. If you're insuring a fleet of trucks, where do you get the parts to fix those vehicles? Will the cost of those parts go up? [14:05] Right now, we don't know. There are differences of opinion. Some 60% of replacement truck and auto parts are made outside of the United States. If tariffs are imposed on those, and if those costs are passed on to consumers, that will raise the cost of insurance. [14:56] Justin sees tariffs impacting insurance rates, the supply chain, and decisions risk professionals make about materials to use. Tariffs may not have their intended effect of having you “buy American” if you're in America. It may not work that way. [15:28] Gary notes that tariffs, historically, have had the long-term effect of spurring domestic production. The question is, how fast will that happen? How long will it take to create the infrastructure to create more cement or truck parts? Where will the workers come from? [16:16] If there are price increases for supplies and materials or if there are disruptions in the supply chain, that will have a dragging effect in terms of the cost of insurance. RIMS publications will tackle this topic and report on it as they have done for 75 years. [17:08] Dave Arick was interviewed in the Wall Street Journal, He discussed how “nuclear verdicts” of $10 million or more are influencing what happens in the insurance markets. Nuclear verdicts create higher costs. [17:47] If insurance companies are paying out more and more for those claims, they're going to try to recoup that cost through higher premiums in the future. RIMS is concerned about the runaway growth of nuclear verdicts. [18:11] Ultimately,  the claims bar pumping up the demands for recompense is having an impact on cost. When someone is hurt, there should be recompense for that. The issue is the significant growth in multi-million dollar verdicts that are outside of what is reasonable and fair. [18:53] If that happens, it simply drives up the cost for businesses to do business. If people are getting 10 times the reasonable recompense for their injuries, it starts to add up significantly. [19:35] Plug Time! RIMS Webinars! Resolver will be joining us on February 6th with a topic to be announced. [19:42] HUB International continues its Ready for Tomorrow Series with RIMS. On February 20th, they will host “Ready for the Unexpected? Strategies for Property Valuation, Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity in 2025”. [19:58] More webinars will be announced soon and added to the RIMS.org/webinars page. Go there to register. Registration is complimentary for RIMS members. [20:10] Nominations are also open for the Donald M. Stuart Award which recognizes excellence in risk management in Canada. Links are in this episode's show notes. [20:21] Congratulations to my RIMS colleagues! RISKWORLD 2024 was honored with the 2024 TSNN Trade Show News Network Award for Outstanding Commitment to Advancing DE&I in the Risk Management Community Through Intentional Programming and Representation! [20:44] The programming included real-time translation technology and partnerships with DE&I organizations NAAIA, AAIN, and APIW, fostering a globally inclusive environment, and keynote speaker Academy Award-winning actress, Marlee Matlin, on inclusion and accessibility. [21:10] The TSNN Award is a huge honor and RIMS is so pleased that our continued DE&I efforts are being recognized by various industries, specifically in events and exhibitions. [21:23] Of course, a big shout-out to the RIMS DE&I Advisory Council for their unwavering commitment to helping advance DE&I initiatives at our conferences and RIMS events throughout the risk management community. [21:36] There are still DE&I sponsorship opportunities available for RISKWORLD 2025 in Chicago. You can visit the link in this episode's show notes for more details. [21:51] Back to My Interview with RIMS CEO Gary LaBranche! [22:03] Justin and Gary consider third-party litigation, which impacts the courts, laws, and legislation. Gary will attend the RIMS Legislative Summit, to be held on March 19th and 20th. [22:39] Gary says the plaintiffs' bar has discovered the power of investment. They have learned they can gather investors who will back a potential lawsuit and fund lawsuits that come along, in return for a share of the proceeds of that suit. That has always been concerning. [23:13] Something that has become an additional concern is the lack of transparency as to where those investment funds are coming from. They could be coming from anywhere, inside or outside the U.S. They could be from sources that could be illegal. It's unknown. [23:45] As a matter of national security and public policy, RIMS thinks it's time we have better insight into the sources of funds for third-party litigation. Gary will be on Capitol Hill, lobbying with members of Congress for transparency in funding third-party litigation. [24:09] A link to the RIMS.org/advocacy page is in the show notes. If you're a RIMS member and want to go to Capitol Hill for a couple of days with the very knowledgeable RIMS staff and have a chance to meet with your Representatives in Congress, that's the way to do it. [24:26] Gary will be there, RIMS General Counsel, Mark Prysock, will be there, and a few other very knowledgeable folks will help you prepare for these fun “pitches.” Gary says it's a blast. You're telling your story and why this is something of concern to you. [25:12] Typically you'll be meeting with staff members who are directly involved in the public policy process. They want to hear your story, especially if you're from their district. It's a lot of walking, listening, and talking along with your peers. You'll appreciate what you've done. [25:56] Going from office to office on the Hill, you're seeing other people doing the same thing; ranchers, flight attendants, and more. It's an interesting cross-section of America. You're seeing the Constitutional freedom of speech. It gives you a perspective on the public policy process. [26:51] Gary has led other organizations for 25 years, so he has been to Capitol Hill a few dozen times. He worked in Washington D.C. for years. He loves gathering a group of members, having a reception and a briefing, and walking around Capitol Hill. By lunchtime, people are excited. [27:53] At the end of the day, there's a sense of relief and satisfaction; most of the members want to know when they can do it again! Justin did it in 2018 and it made an impression on him. He also loves speaking with the people who are involved in it. [28:25] The Spencer Educational Foundation's goal to help build a talent pipeline of risk management and insurance professionals is achieved in part by its collaboration with risk management and insurance educators across the U.S. and Canada. [28:43] Since 2010, Spencer has awarded over $3.3 million in general grants to support over 130 student-centered experiential learning initiatives at universities and RMI non-profits. Spencer's 2026 application process will open on May 1st, 2025, and close on July 30th, 2025. [29:07] General grant awardees are typically notified at the end of October. Learn more about Spencer's general grants through the Programs tab at SpencerEd.org. [29:18] Let's Return to the Conclusion of My Interview with RIMS CEO Gary LaBranche! [29:31] Justin describes the horrific terrorist act in New Orleans on New Year's. Someone circumvented the meager barriers, drove onto the Bourbon Street sidewalk, ran over several people, and exchanged fire with the police. The police neutralized him. [30:11] He had killed 14 people and disrupted everything going on there. This also affected the local economy. RISKWORLD 2023 was affected by an issue in the host city. RIMS has had other issues with public safety. Gary mentions the car bomb in Las Vegas and RIMS' security plans. [32:26] For conferences like RISKWORLD, 30 to 50 hotels are used. You have to look at the security measures already in place for each hotel. That sort of thing keeps Gary up at night. [32:54] Before lunch on his first day back, Gary was on the phone with staff to restart their thinking about RISKWORLD security, in light of the attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas. RIMS is well advanced on plans for RISKWORLD 2025. Security will be even more on their minds. [33:37] RISKWORLD has no big outdoor events for this year. Chicago in May is not necessarily warm and sunny, so they will be inside. RIMS has a responsibility as event organizers to think about the risks. Every event organizer must do the same. [34:33] RISKWORLD 2025 keynotes and speakers have been announced. Find them at RIMS.org/RISKWORLD. Chicago is a Mecca for the risk management and insurance community. Gary can't think of a better place to have the 75th Anniversary RISKWORLD convention. [35:43] RISKWORLD 2025 will be held at the McCormick Convention Center, in one of the most beautiful cities in the country. It has a great, diverse culture with 77 unique neighborhoods. [36:01] The RISKWORLD 2025 program is very exciting, being built by great risk professionals who are contributing their time and talent to sharing their knowledge and insight. It's a lot of fun and it's a “heck of an event!” Gary is thrilled about the whole thing! [36:26] A huge team works so hard on creating RISKWORLD. It is so much work and there is so much work on-site. At the end of it, the team is exhausted, and so sad that it's over! It's a wonderful, fun, safe, educational experience, and then it's gone. RIMS works on it year-round. [37:15] Three of the keynotes will be delivering TED talks on the main stage on Tuesday, May 6th. Rachel DeAlto, Ryan Harris, and Holly Ransom. It's called “Triple Vision, Leadership Insights.” RISKWORLD has never done anything like that before. [37:34] These will be short, punchy, to-the-point talks showing a diversity of perspectives, and touching on more topics, and it's more in keeping with how people obtain and consume information today. Gary is very excited about them. He's watching to see how it works. [38:18] The RISKWORLD 2025 opening reception will be on Sunday, May 4th, at the Field Museum of Natural History. Gary calls it one of the greatest museums in North America and it's a great place to have an event. Gary has done black-tie events there. It has a wonderful view. [39:47] Public registration is open. Go to RIMS.org/RISKWORLD and register today! [40:01] This episode with RIMS CEO Gary LaBranche has given us a great glimpse into 2025. Gary will be back on RIMScast sometime after RISKWORLD 2025. [40:53] Gary says RIMS has an extraordinary IT team and they are always drilling on avoiding phishing and cyber-attacks. Risk management is important. When he looks a the RIMS logo, he is reminded that the wind is in our sails. Risk management could not be hotter, now! [41:39] Gary ranks hot, sexy jobs now: astronaut, firefighter, and risk manager! He hopes people take pride in their risk manager jobs. There's a lot of demand. Salaries have been going up, according to the RIMS salary survey. There are more people attracted to the profession. [42:01] At RISKWORLD, we get 250 or more students. It's fun to watch them compete in the Spencer Risk Management Challenge. It's fun to see the support that Spencer and the community give them. It's fun to see them engage with our professionals and want to learn. [42:39] RIMS CEO Gary LaBranche, thank you so much. It's always a pleasure! [42:46] Special thanks, as always, to RIMS CEO Gary LaBranche for stopping by and keeping us informed. Be sure to check out all the links in this episode's show notes to learn more about RISKWORLD 2025, RIMS advocacy, and other RIMS initiatives and events. [43:06] More RIMS Plugs! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in our show notes. [43:32] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! Contact pd@rims.org for more information. [43:51] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [44:09] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more.  [44:25] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. [44:39] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. You can email Justin at Content@RIMS.org. [44:47] Thank you all for your continued support and engagement on social media channels! We appreciate all your kind words. Listen every week! Stay safe!   Mentioned in this Episode: RIMS Risk Management magazine RISKWORLD 2025 — May 4‒7 | Register today! RIMS Legislative Summit — March 19‒20, 2025 Nominations for the Donald M. Stuart Award Spencer Educational Foundation — General Grants 2026 — Application Dates RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) Kristen Peed named 2025 President of RIMS ‘Nuclear Verdicts' Driving Up Costs of Doing Business, Says Risk Management Society's Head — The Wall Street Journal, Dec. 30, 2024 — an interview with former RIMS President David Arick RIMS DEI Council | Learn more about DEI Inclusivity Partnership opportunities at RISKWORLD RIMS Webinars: RIMS.org/Webinars “Ready for the Unexpected? Strategies for Property Valuation, Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity in 2025” | Sponsored by Hub International | Feb. 20, 2025 Upcoming Virtual Workshops: “Claims Management” | February 11‒12, 2025 | Instructor: Chris Hansen “Fundamentals of Insurance” | Feb. 19‒20, 2025 “Applying and Integrating ERM” | Feb. 26‒27 “Managing Data for ERM” | March 12, 2025 See the full calendar of RIMS Virtual Workshops RIMS-CRMP Prep Workshops   Upcoming RIMS-CRMP Prep Virtual Workshops: “Stay Competitive with the RIMS-CRMP” | Presented by the RIMS Greater Bluegrass Chapter February 19‒20, 2025 | Instructor: Chris Mandel Full RIMS-CRMP Prep Course Schedule   Related RIMScast Episodes: “Year In Risk 2024 with Morgan O'Rourke and Hilary Tuttle” “300th Episode Spectacular with RIMS CEO Gary LaBranche” “RIMS Advocacy Updates 2024 with Mark Prysock” “Change Management and Strategy with Jay Kiew, RIMS Canada Conference 2024 Keynote” “On Risk Appetite and Tolerance” “Global Perspectives with RIMS 2023 Chapter Presidents” (ft. Greater Bluegrass Chapter)   Sponsored RIMScast Episodes: “Simplifying the Challenges of OSHA Recordkeeping” | Sponsored by Medcor (New!) “Risk Management in a Changing World: A Deep Dive into AXA's 2024 Future Risks Report” | Sponsored by AXA XL “How Insurance Builds Resilience Against An Active Assailant Attack” | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog “Third-Party and Cyber Risk Management Tips” | Sponsored by Alliant “RMIS Innovation with Archer” | Sponsored by Archer “Navigating Commercial Property Risks with Captives” | Sponsored by Zurich “Breaking Down Silos: AXA XL's New Approach to Casualty Insurance” | Sponsored by AXA XL ”Weathering Today's Property Claims Management Challenges” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Storm Prep 2024: The Growing Impact of Convective Storms and Hail” | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company “Partnering Against Cyberrisk” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Harnessing the Power of Data and Analytics for Effective Risk Management” | Sponsored by Marsh “Accident Prevention — The Winning Formula For Construction and Insurance” | Sponsored by Otoos “Platinum Protection: Underwriting and Risk Engineering's Role in Protecting Commercial Properties” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Elevating RMIS — The Archer Way” | Sponsored by Archer “Alliant's P&C Outlook For 2024” | Sponsored by Alliant “Why Subrogation is the New Arbitration” | Sponsored by Fleet Response “Cyclone Season: Proactive Preparation for Loss Minimization” | Sponsored by Prudent Insurance Brokers Ltd. “Subrogation and the Competitive Advantage” | Sponsored by Fleet Response   RIMS Publications, Content, and Links: RIMS Membership — Whether you are a new member or need to transition, be a part of the global risk management community! RIMS Virtual Workshops On-Demand Webinars RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RIMS Strategic & Enterprise Risk Center RIMS-CRMP Stories — Featuring RIMS Vice President Manny Padilla!    RIMS Events, Education, and Services: RIMS Risk Maturity Model®   Sponsor RIMScast: Contact sales@rims.org or pd@rims.org for more information.   Want to Learn More? Keep up with the podcast on RIMS.org, and listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.   Have a question or suggestion? Email: Content@rims.org.   Join the Conversation! Follow @RIMSorg on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.   About our guest: Gary LaBranche, FASAE, CAE, CEO of RIMS   Production and engineering provided by Podfly.  

Abigail Derby Lewis, Senior Conservation Ecologist at the Field Museum of Natural History, discusses the crucial role insects and pollinators play in our ecosystem, why bees and butterflies are in decline, and how the community can help support pollinators to thrive.

Abigail Derby Lewis, Senior Conservation Ecologist at the Field Museum of Natural History, explains why pollinators are important for the ecosystem.

We are kicking it off the new year by revisiting an older episode that we did on the Willard's Sooty Boubou. This was a bird that John and the team at the Field Museum were responsible for describing as a new species. We are doing a mini-series on the book The Feather Thief in a few weeks, so we wanted to share an episode that highlighted what John and Shannon do at the Field Museum before we kick that off. Bird specimen at The Field Museum led to describing the new species, and John tells us about his trips to Africa to study this new species. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart for Birds of a Feather Talk Together. Please send us your questions for us to answer as well! You can send them to podcast.birdsofafeather@gmail.comMake sure to follow us on Instagram, Blue Sky Social and tik tok as well!!

We're still down for the holidays but are sharing a segment that we did on the Archaeopteryx at The Field Museum. Birds are the only group of dinosaurs that survived when an asteroid hit the Earth 66 million years ago. A fossil called Archaeopteryx, with feathers, hollow bones, clawed wings, tiny teeth, and a long tail, is the earliest known dinosaur that also qualifies as a bird, and is on display at the Field Museum where two of our hosts John and Shannon work. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart for Birds of a Feather Talk Together. Please send us your questions for us to answer as well! You can send them to podcast.birdsofafeather@gmail.comMake sure to follow us on Instagram, Blue Sky Social and tik tok as well!!

Humans have loved on our feline friends for thousands of years. The connection and history of the relationship between humans and cats is being featured in an exhibit at the Field Museum. The exhibit features cats from all over the world through photos, film, archaeological items, and more. Reset gets into the history of the human/cat fascination with Monisa Ahmed, exhibition developer at the Field Museum. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

We revisit an old episode on the Wild Turkey this week. These birds are a major conservation success story. We also talk about John seeing a turkey in the Democratic Republic of Congo, how turkeys got their name, and learn all about their magnificent feathers. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart for Birds of a Feather Talk Together. This week we are also joined by Jacob Drucker. Jacob Drucker is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Chicago and the Field Museum studying how birds interact with tropical climates over ecological and evolutionary time. We also did a couple episodes on Hawaiian Honeycreepers with Jacob, please go back and check those out if you haven't heard them yet. Email us your questions at podcast.birdsofafeather@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram for pictures of the birds we discuss, specimen, and more info! @birds_of_a_feather_podcastWe are also on Tiktok and Blue Sky Social!

Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart as we discuss the White-throated sparrow. We talk about sparrows in general, and how to differentiate them based on behavior and not just their appearance. We also talk about how they have been shrinking in size over the last 50 years, and how the specimen collection at the Field Museum have helped determine that. We also talk about their different head-types, and mating preferences between the two head types. We also answer a mailbag question from a listener in the U.K. on vultures.Please send us your questions for us to answer as well! You can send them to podcast.birdsofafeather@gmail.comMake sure to follow us on instagram, Blue Sky Social and tik tok as well!!

McAnally's Pubcast - A Dresden Files PodcastHere we discuss Chapter 34 & 35 in which Cowl brags all villain like, and Harry realizes his luck with women is truly spectacularly awful.Dead Beat Chapter 36 Summary:Harry and Butters make a pit stop at a Radio Shack for a GPS. They use the mystery numbers in the GPS to make their way to the Field Museum and find the Word of Kemmler. Harry is ambushed by Grevane and Liver Spots who take the Word from Harry. It is revealed that Liver Spots is Quintus Cassius, the former Knight of the Denarians who is bent on revenge upon Harry. Find Us Elsewhere:Do you want to follow up with us for even more Dresden? We're all over the internet - you can email us at pubcast@freeflowrambling.com, or you can track us down at Facebook, Instagram, Discord, X (formerly known as Twitter), Reddit, our Dresden Files website, or our parent website. If you want hypnotic visuals with your podcast, you can find us at YouTube. Not enough? Why not show your support by clicking here and donating or joining us on our Patreon. Also, if you're in the market for some merch, you can click here. If you still aren't satisfied, click here and tell us all about it!

In this episode of Faith in Elections, host Adam Phillips speaks with two Muslim leaders about their civic engagement efforts. First, Dr. Dilara Sayeed of the Muslim Civic Coalition shares her work on combating voter apathy, including passing the Wadee Resolution to address rising hate crimes. She emphasizes the need for resilient, engaged communities.Next, Shariq Ghani from the Minaret Foundation discusses his work in Harris County, Texas, fostering multi-faith collaborations to improve voter access. He highlights the power of interfaith connections in bridging divides and strengthening democracy. Both guests show how solidarity can uphold shared values and counteract divisiveness.  Guest Bio: Dr. Dilara Sayeed serves as the President of the Muslim Civic Coalition. Dilara's story goes from Headstart to Harvard, and through public school systems. She is an award-winning teacher, social impact entrepreneur, and civic justice advocate. In 2021, Dilara was appointed by Governor Pritzker to the IL Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes (CDHC). Dilara has served on the Transition team for Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, as well as Advisory Councils for Mayor Lightfoot and Illinois Comptroller Mendoza. She is a board trustee for the Field Museum and Indo-American Democratic Organization.Guest Bio: Shariq Ghani is the Director of Minaret Foundation, an organization focused on developing multi-faith relations to change the world through advocacy in the areas of food insecurity, child welfare, and religious freedom. For the past 11 years, Shariq has regularly spoken at faith centers, conferences, and educational institutions on topics ranging from American Muslim identity to faith-based advocacy and spirituality. In addition to teaching Islam through sermons and lectures, he works with clergy, policymakers, and law enforcement to provide insight into the American-Muslim community. Shariq has a bachelor's in history from the University of Houston and completed his graduate studies in homeland security from the Bush School at Texas A&M. He is currently pursuing his master's in negotiation and conflict resolution with a focus on peacebuilding from Columbia University. Shariq's passion is finding intersections between communities for collaboration and mutual growth and loves to connect with like-minded people over chai or burgers.Visit Interfaith America to learn more about the organization and our podcast. Learn more about how you can support your community this election season with Interfaith America's Faith in Elections Playbook. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram to stay up to date with new episodes, interfaith stories, and our programs.

******Support the channel****** Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thedissenter PayPal: paypal.me/thedissenter PayPal Subscription 1 Dollar: https://tinyurl.com/yb3acuuy PayPal Subscription 3 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/ybn6bg9l PayPal Subscription 5 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/ycmr9gpz PayPal Subscription 10 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/y9r3fc9m PayPal Subscription 20 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/y95uvkao   ******Follow me on****** Website: https://www.thedissenter.net/ The Dissenter Goodreads list: https://shorturl.at/7BMoB Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedissenteryt/ Twitter: https://x.com/TheDissenterYT   This show is sponsored by Enlites, Learning & Development done differently. Check the website here: http://enlites.com/   Dr. Lance Grande is a Distinguished Service Curator Emeritus at the Field Museum. Dr. Grande's research covers many aspects of fossil and living fishes, including the early development of North American freshwater fish fauna. Over the last 30 years, he has led numerous field trips to collect fossils from Fossil Lake, a 52-million-year-old lake bed in Wyoming. He is the author of The Evolution of Religions: A History of Related Traditions.   In this episode, we focus on The Evolution of Religions. We start by talking about what we can learn about religion through an evolutionary perspective, what (organized) religion is, and whether humans are predisposed to religiosity. We explore how societies moved from supernaturalism to organized religion, and from polytheism to monotheism. We talk about the major branches of Indigenous Eastern and Indigenous Western organized religion, and we go through the major religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism; and then we look at the West, and talk about Greco-Roman polytheism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Finally, we discuss current trends in religiosity and the future of humanity. -- A HUGE THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS/SUPPORTERS: PER HELGE LARSEN, JERRY MULLER, BERNARDO SEIXAS, ADAM KESSEL, MATTHEW WHITINGBIRD, ARNAUD WOLFF, TIM HOLLOSY, HENRIK AHLENIUS, FILIP FORS CONNOLLY, ROBERT WINDHAGER, RUI INACIO, ZOOP, MARCO NEVES, COLIN HOLBROOK, PHIL KAVANAGH, SAMUEL ANDREEFF, FRANCIS FORDE, TIAGO NUNES, FERGAL CUSSEN, HAL HERZOG, NUNO MACHADO, JONATHAN LEIBRANT, JOÃO LINHARES, STANTON T, SAMUEL CORREA, ERIK HAINES, MARK SMITH, JOÃO EIRA, TOM HUMMEL, SARDUS FRANCE, DAVID SLOAN WILSON, YACILA DEZA-ARAUJO, ROMAIN ROCH, DIEGO LONDOÑO CORREA, YANICK PUNTER, CHARLOTTE BLEASE, NICOLE BARBARO, ADAM HUNT, PAWEL OSTASZEWSKI, NELLEKE BAK, GUY MADISON, GARY G HELLMANN, SAIMA AFZAL, ADRIAN JAEGGI, PAULO TOLENTINO, JOÃO BARBOSA, JULIAN PRICE, EDWARD HALL, HEDIN BRØNNER, DOUGLAS FRY, FRANCA BORTOLOTTI, GABRIEL PONS CORTÈS, URSULA LITZCKE, SCOTT, ZACHARY FISH, TIM DUFFY, SUNNY SMITH, JON WISMAN, WILLIAM BUCKNER, PAUL-GEORGE ARNAUD, LUKE GLOWACKI, GEORGIOS THEOPHANOUS, CHRIS WILLIAMSON, PETER WOLOSZYN, DAVID WILLIAMS, DIOGO COSTA, ALEX CHAU, AMAURI MARTÍNEZ, CORALIE CHEVALLIER, BANGALORE ATHEISTS, LARRY D. LEE JR., OLD HERRINGBONE, MICHAEL BAILEY, DAN SPERBER, ROBERT GRESSIS, IGOR N, JEFF MCMAHAN, JAKE ZUEHL, BARNABAS RADICS, MARK CAMPBELL, TOMAS DAUBNER, LUKE NISSEN, KIMBERLY JOHNSON, JESSICA NOWICKI, LINDA BRANDIN, GEORGE CHORIATIS, VALENTIN STEINMANN, PER KRAULIS, ALEXANDER HUBBARD, BR, MASOUD ALIMOHAMMADI, JONAS HERTNER, URSULA GOODENOUGH, DAVID PINSOF, SEAN NELSON, MIKE LAVIGNE, JOS KNECHT, ERIK ENGMAN, LUCY, MANVIR SINGH, PETRA WEIMANN, CAROLA FEEST, STARRY, MAURO JÚNIOR, 航 豊川, TONY BARRETT, BENJAMIN GELBART, NIKOLAI VISHNEVSKY, STEVEN GANGESTAD, AND TED FARRIS! A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY PRODUCERS, YZAR WEHBE, JIM FRANK, ŁUKASZ STAFINIAK, TOM VANEGDOM, BERNARD HUGUENEY, CURTIS DIXON, BENEDIKT MUELLER, THOMAS TRUMBLE, KATHRINE AND PATRICK TOBIN, JONCARLO MONTENEGRO, AL NICK ORTIZ, NICK GOLDEN, AND CHRISTINE GLASS! AND TO MY EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS, MATTHEW LAVENDER, SERGIU CODREANU, BOGDAN KANIVETS, ROSEY, AND GREGORY HASTINGS!

Heads roll (12 to be exact!) in this must-see monster movie about a rampaging mutant lizard in Chicago's Field Museum. It's a throwback creature feature with some premo Tommy Wiseau-level acting, dubious '90s CGI, medulla oblongatas, and more. Along the way we discuss A Nightmare on Elm Street 2, killer machine movies, Megalopolis, and get a call on the Kaiju Hotline. Then, Peter Lorre reviews Metropolis with Pierre and a bucket of fish heads. Thanks for listening, friends! We had a ball recording this one and hope you enjoy it. If you do, please leave a rating and review! Or leave a comment at ⁠⁠⁠campkaiju@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠campkaijupodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠Instagram (@camp_kaiju)⁠; or call the Kaiju Hotline at ⁠⁠⁠(612) 470-2612⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/campkaiju⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠campkaiju.threadless.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for perks and merchandise. We'll see you next time for The Wolf Man (1941)! CHAPTERS: (39:20) Minya's Mailbox - Fiend Without a Face (1958) (42:10) Silent But Deadly - Metropolis (1927) (48:51) Kaiju Hotline - Shadow Monsters with Sean TRAILERS: The Relic (1997); Blade (1998); A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985); The Earth Dies Screaming (1964); Alligator (1980) SHOUT OUTS & SPONSORS • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Film Criticism by Matthew Cole Levine⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Plays by Vincent S. Hannam⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Novels by Matthew Cole Levine⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • ⁠⁠Film Friends Movie Trivia with Naomi Osborn • ⁠Monster Candy Podcast: Earth vs. The Flying Saucers • Roger Ebert's 1997 Review of The Relic ⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Zack Linder & the Zack Pack ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Camp Kaiju: Monster Movie Podcast. The Relic (1997) movie review. Hosted by Vincent Hannam, Matthew Cole Levine. Camp Kaiju: Monster Movie Podcast, produced by Vincent S. Hannam; © 2024 Vincent S. Hannam, All Rights Reserved --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/camp-kaiju/support

We meet leading artist Jeffrey Gibson to discuss his Venice Biennale solo and explore his inspiring and illustrious career thus far.The first Indigenous artist to represent the USA at this year's Venice Biennale, Gibson is a painter and sculptor whose work is held in many major American collections. Incorporating murals, paintings, textiles and historical objects, Gibson's work also weaves together text drawn lyrics, poetry and his own writing, complete with references to abstraction, fashion and popular culture. Of Mississippi Choctaw and Cherokee heritage, Gibson uses materials such as Native American beadwork and trading posts in his art that explores identity and labels. Drawing influence from popular music, fashion, literature, cultural and critical theory, and his own individual heritage, Jeffrey Gibson (b.1972, Colorado; based in Hudson, NY) recontextualizes the familiar to offer a succinct commentary on cultural hybridity and the assimilation of modernist artistic strategies within contemporary art. Gibson's Cherokee and Choctaw lineage has imparted a recognizable aesthetic to his beaded works exploring narrative deconstructions of both image and language as transmitted through figuration.Known for his re-appropriation of both found and commercial commodities –ranging from song lyrics to the literal objecthood of punching bags – repurposed through Minimalist and post-Minimalist aesthetics, speaks to the revisionist history of Modernist forms and techniques. His sculptures and paintings seamlessly coalesce traditional Native American craft with contemporary cultural production and references, forming works that speak to the experience of an individual subjectivity within the larger narrative defining contemporary globalization.Jeffrey Gibson grew up in major urban centers in the United States, Germany, and Korea, where he absorbed the transgressive soundtrack of the 1980s through limited access to MTV. Gibson graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1995 and received a Master of Arts in painting at the Royal College of Art, London, in 1998. While in Chicago he also worked as a research assistant on the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) for the Field Museum, a formative experience that fostered an ongoing interest in questions of ownership and notions of cultural translation.Though trained as a painter, Gibson began incorporating materials and techniques that deliberately reference his heritage—such as raw hides and bead work—around 2010. A major turning point in his career, in 2012 he presented ‘one becomes the other,' his first solo exhibition of sculpture and video, at Participant Inc. Sculpture, moving image, and sound have since become an integral aspect of his practice. He is known for his immersive, multi-sensory installations that invoke and interweave such disparate contexts as faith-based spaces of communion and night clubs. Jeffrey Gibson is represented in the permanent collections of more than twenty museums. Jeffrey Gibson is a 2019 MacArthur Fellow. He holds a MA at the Royal College of Art, London, a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA. Gibson is currently a Visiting Artist at Bard College, NY.Follow @JeffRuneLearn more: https://www.hauserwirth.com/artists/jeffrey-gibson/@HauserWirth and @SikkemaJenkins Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neil Shubin is a Professor of Biology and Anatomy at the University of Chicago and the Provost of the Field Museum of Natural History. He is the author of a new book entitled Some Assembly Required: Decoding Four Billion Years of Life from Ancient Fossils to DNA. Get full access to What Happens Next in 6 Minutes with Larry Bernstein at www.whathappensnextin6minutes.com/subscribe

Every bird you've ever seen— every pigeon at a bus stop, every penguin at the zoo— is a living, breathing dinosaur. Birds are the only group of dinosaurs that survived the mass extinction. A fossil called Archaeopteryx is the earliest known dinosaur that also qualifies as a bird -- and you can see it at the Field Museum. Read More HereEpisode Sponsored By The Field Museum Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HEREWho we areBlock Club Chicago is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization dedicated to delivering reliable, relevant and nonpartisan coverage of Chicago's diverse neighborhoods. We believe all neighborhoods deserve to be covered in a meaningful way.We amplify positive stories, cover development and local school council meetings and serve as watchdogs in neighborhoods often ostracized by traditional news media.Ground-level coverageOur neighborhood-based reporters don't parachute in once to cover a story. They are in the neighborhoods they cover every day building relationships over time with neighbors. We believe this ground-level approach not only builds community but leads to a more accurate portrayal of a neighborhood.Stories that matter to you — every daySince our launch five years ago, we've published more than 25,000 stories from the neighborhoods, covered hundreds of community meetings and send daily and neighborhood newsletters to more than 130,000 Chicagoans. We've built this loyalty by proving to folks we are not only covering their neighborhoods, we are a part of them. Some of us have internalized the national media's narrative of a broken Chicago. We aim to change that by celebrating our neighborhoods and chronicling the resilience of the people who fight every day to make Chicago a better place for all.

Dr. Sterling Nesbitt is an Assistant Professor of Geosciences at Virginia Tech, as well as a  research associate/affiliate of the American Museum of Natural History, the Vertebrate Paleontology Lab at The University of Texas at Austin, the Virginia Museum of Natural History, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, and the National Museum of Natural History. Sterling is a vertebrate paleontologist who leverages his training in biology to understand how animals are related, how they evolved certain features, and how they have diversified over time. He is working to improve our knowledge of how life on earth has evolved over the past hundreds of millions of years. Outside of science, Sterling is passionate about travel. He loves visiting new places to experience other cultures, learn about their traditions, and discover fantastic places off the beaten path. He received his BA in Integrative Biology from the University of California, Berkeley and went on to complete his MA, MPhil, and PhD in Geosciences at Columbia University. Afterwards, Sterling conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Washington, and the Field Museum before joining the faculty at Virginia Tech where he is today. Sterling is the recipient of the 2016 Virginia Tech College Award for Outreach Excellence from the College of Science. Sterling is here with us today to speak to us about his life and science.

On October 5, 2023, thousands of migrating songbirds died after crashing into the McCormick Place Convention Center in downtown Chicago and surrounding buildings. Co-host Deja Perkins will speak with Douglas Stotz, a conservation ecologist at the Chicago-based Field Museum about that deadly night. She'll also talk with Chicago Bird Alliance's Judy Pollock about what has transpired in the months since. And co-host Purbita Saha takes us to New York's Jacob Javits Convention Center, once known for frequent window strikes but now is a safe haven for all birds – migrating and local.To learn more about our guests and their work or to view this episode's transcript and other resources, visit BirdNote.org.Want more Bring Birds Back? Subscribe to our show and follow us on Instagram! For more about BirdNote, sign up for our weekly newsletter. And for ad-free listening and other perks, sign up for BirdNote+ here.BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.Bring Birds Back Season 6 is sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the American Bird Conservancy.

This episode first aired back in December of 2013, and at the start of that new year, the team was cracking open fossils, peering back into ancient seas, and looking up at lunar skies only to find that a year is not quite as fixed as we thought it was.With the help of paleontologist Neil Shubin, reporter Emily Graslie and the Field Museum's Paul Mayer we discover that our world is full of ancient coral calendars. Each one of these sea skeletons reveals that once upon a very-long-time-ago, years were shorter by over forty days. And astrophysicist Chis Impey helps us comprehend how the change is all to be blamed on a celestial slow dance with the moon. Plus, Robert indulges his curiosity about stopping time and counteracting the spinning of the spheres by taking astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson on a (theoretical) trip to Venus with a rooster and sprinter Usain Bolt.We have some exciting news! In the “Zoozve” episode, Radiolab named its first-ever quasi-moon, and now it's your turn! Radiolab has teamed up with The International Astronomical Union to launch a global naming contest for one of Earth's quasi-moons. This is your chance to make your mark on the heavens. Submit your name ideas now through September, or vote on your favorites starting in November: https://radiolab.org/moonSignup for our newsletter!! It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. Sign up (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)!Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of The Lab (https://members.radiolab.org/) today.Follow our show on Instagram,X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing radiolab@wnyc.org.Leadership support for Radiolab's science programming is provided by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Science Sandbox, a Simons Foundation Initiative, and the John Templeton Foundation. Foundational support for Radiolab was provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

This week, some animalistic thoughts. Photo credit: Fighting African Elephants in Stanley Field Hall. Taxidermy by Carl Akeley . 41411 is on the left with two tusks and its trunk is raised. 41410 is on the right, with one tusk. (c) Field Museum of Natural History - CC BY-NC 4.0 --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

Abigail Derby Lewis is the Senior Conservation Ecologist at the Field Museum of Natural History. She discusses how she goes beyond the museum walls to provide outreach and education to communities about climate change and adaptation. Then Abigail answers questions about museums in the Green Sense Quiz.

Abigail Derby Lewis, Senior Conservation Ecologist at the Field Museum of Natural History, explains why she pivoted from academia to applied conservation work.

It's Die Hard in a museum…with a monster!Hyams Hive rise up! This week, Phil and Liam take a field trip to visit THE RELIC, Peter Hyams' expertly directed 1997 horror flick. They are accompanied on their scientific expedition by special guest Brandon Streussnig, one of the most influential and entertaining film writers around!After experimenting with psychotropic drugs while on a trip to South America, anthropologist John Whitney makes an alarming discovery, and attempts to prevent the return of several crates of research material to the US. Weeks later, the crates arrive and are sent to their intended destination at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago - an area that is suddenly beset with a series of grisly murders. As detective Vincent D'Agosta (Tom Sizemore) investigates, he and evolutionary biologist Dr. Margot Green (Penelope Ann Miller) come to the horrifying realization that a literal monster is now on the loose…and that they, and dozens of other citizens, are now trapped inside the museum along with the marauding beast!The guys start by discussing the career and filmography of director/shooter Peter Hyams, before moving into a detailed conversation about the origins and evolution of the action-horror subgenre. They delve deep into the film's myriad connections to the original 1988 classic in the ‘Die Hard DNA' section – but there's a big surprise in store for Phil later in the episode! The lads then get more specific about the film's two stars and the quality of the Stan Winston-designed monster, before wrapping things up with the Die Hard Oscars and the Double Jeopardy Trivia Quiz!THE RELIC trailer:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vps9rpCHJFM At the time of release, THE RELIC is streaming on PlutoTV in the US and is available to rent or buy on Prime Video, YouTube, Apple/iTunes, Fandango, and all the usual platforms! Brandon's article on Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning can be found here. Happy reading!https://filmcombatsyndicate.com/universal-soldier-a-revisit-of-the-luc-devereaux-saga-and-learning-to-move-forward/Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode, we discuss two separate visits to Chicago I experienced, both of which involved me attending psychological conferences. We talk about the Sky Deck, the River Cruise, the Field Museum of Natural History, Portillos, Ed Debevics, Sexual Harassment, Tacit Consent, and much more! Psychology, philosophy, and HR management are focus points.

Pop! Squish! Six! Uh-Oh! Cicero! Lipschitz! On this episode of “Out of Office: A Travel Podcast,” the boys talk about one of their favorite cities in the US: Chicago! Perched on Lake Michigan, the city offers stellar food, world-class art and natural history, and a number of easy-to-find hidden wonders. Things we talk about in this week's episode: Chicago Architecture Tour https://www.architecture.org/tours/detail/chicago-architecture-center-river-cruise-aboard-chicago-s-first-lady/  Tiffany Dome at Chicago Cultural Center https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_culturalcenter-tiffanydome.html  Millennium Park https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/millennium_park.html  The Bean https://millenniumparkfoundation.org/art-architecture/cloud-gate/  Buckingham Fountain https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/clarence-f-buckingham-memorial-fountain  Crown Fountain https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_s_publicartcrownfountaininmillenniumpark.html  Wrigley Field https://www.mlb.com/cubs/ballpark  Field Museum https://www.fieldmuseum.org/  Art Institute of Chicago https://www.artic.edu/  Thorne Miniatures https://www.artic.edu/highlights/12/thorne-miniature-rooms  Robie House https://flwright.org/tour/robie-house  Hogsalt https://www.hogsalt.com/  Chicago-Style Hot Dogs https://www.bonappetit.com/story/best-hot-dogs-chicago  Chicago Pizza https://chicago.eater.com/maps/best-chicago-pizza-restaurants  Roadside America https://www.roadsideamerica.com/    “Footnotes from the Most Fascinating Museums” by Bob Eckstein https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/18/travel/museum-guide-bob-eckstein-illustrator.html   

The Field Museum has unveiled a new specimen of Archaeopteryx, a species that may hold the key to how ancient dinosaurs became modern birds. Also, a “green glacier” of trees and shrubs is sliding across the Great Plains, burying some of the most threatened habitat on the planet.Remarkably Well-Preserved Archeopteryx Specimen UnveiledThe Field Museum in Chicago just unveiled a new specimen of one of the most important fossils ever: Archaeopteryx. It lived around 150 million years ago, and this species is famous for marking the transition from dinosaurs to birds in the tree of life.The Field Museum now has the 13th known fossil—and it may be the best-preserved one yet. So what makes this specimen so special? And what else is there to learn about Archaeopteryx?To answer these questions, guest host Sophie Bushwick talks with Dr. Jingmai O'Connor, associate curator of fossil reptiles at the Field Museum, about what makes Archaeopteryx such an icon in the world of paleontology and why they're so excited about it.Trees And Shrubs Are Burying Prairies Of The Great PlainsIn the Flint Hills region of Kansas, the Mushrush family is beating back a juggernaut unleashed by humans — a Green Glacier of trees and shrubs grinding slowly across the Great Plains and burying some of the most threatened habitat on the planet.This blanket of shrublands and dense juniper woods gobbling up grassland leads to wildfires with towering flames that dwarf those generated in prairie fires.It also eats into ranchers' livelihoods. It smothers habitat for grassland birds, prairie fish and other critters that evolved for a world that's disappearing. It dries up streams and creeks. New research even finds that, across much of the Great Plains, the advent of trees actually makes climate change worse.Now a federal initiative equips landowners like Daniel Mushrush with the latest science and strategies for saving rangeland, and money to help with the work.Read more at sciencefriday.com.Transcripts for each segment will be available after the show airs on sciencefriday.com. Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.

Thousands of religions have adherents today, and countless more have existed throughout history. What accounts for this astonishing diversity? This extraordinarily ambitious and comprehensive book demonstrates how evolutionary systematics and philosophy can yield new insight into the development of organized religion. Lance Grande―a leading evolutionary systematist―examines the growth and diversification of hundreds of religions over time, highlighting their historical interrelationships. Combining evolutionary theory with a wealth of cultural records, he explores the formation, extinction, and diversification of different world religions, including the many branches of Asian cyclicism, polytheism, and monotheism. Lance Grande is the Negaunee Distinguished Service Curator, Emeritus, of the Field Museum of Natural and Cultural History in Chicago. He is a specialist in evolutionary systematics, paleontology, and biology who has a deep interest in the interdisciplinary applications of scientific method and philosophy. His many books include Curators: Behind the Scenes of Natural History Museums (2017) and The Lost World of Fossil Lake: Snapshots from Deep Time (2013). His new book is The Evolution of Religions: A History of Related Traditions.

How Do You Know If A Feathered Dinosaur Could Fly?Not all birds can fly. Penguins, ostriches, and kiwis are some famous examples.It's pretty easy to figure out if a living bird can fly. But it's a bit tricker when it comes to extinct birds or bird ancestors, like dinosaurs. Remember, all birds are dinosaurs, but not all dinosaurs evolved into birds.Scientists at Chicago's Field Museum wanted to figure out if there was a way to tell if a dinosaur could fly or not. They found that the number and symmetry of flight feathers are reliable indicators of whether a bird or dinosaur could lift off the ground.Ira talks with two of the study's co-authors about their research and how it might help us understand how dinosaur flight evolved. Dr. Yosef Kiat is a postdoctoral researcher and Dr. Jingmai O'Connor is the associate curator of fossil reptiles at The Field Museum in Chicago.Sacre Bleu! Some French Cheeses At Risk Of ExtinctionThere's bad news for the Camembert and brie lovers out there: According to the French National Center for Scientific Research, some beloved soft cheeses are at risk of extinction. The culprit? A lack of microbial diversity in the mold strains used to make Camemberts and bries.As with many foods, consumers expect the cheese they buy to be consistent over time. We want the brie we buy today to look and taste like the brie we bought three months ago. But there's a downside to this uniformity—the strain of Penicillium microbes used to make these cheeses can't reproduce sexually, meaning it must be cloned. That means these microbes are not resilient, and susceptible to errors in the genome. Over the years, P. camemberti has picked up mutations that make it much harder to clone, meaning it's getting harder to create the bries we know and love.Joining Ira to talk about this is Benji Jones, senior environmental reporter at Vox based in New York City.Transcripts for each segment will be available the week after the show airs on sciencefriday.com Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.