Podcasts about Ian Tattersall

fWotD Episode 2915: Lemurs of Madagascar (book) Welcome to Featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Monday, 28 April 2025, is Lemurs of Madagascar (book).Lemurs of Madagascar is a 2010 reference work and field guide for the lemurs of Madagascar, giving descriptions and biogeographic data for the known species. The primary contributor is Russell Mittermeier, president of Conservation International, and the cover art and illustrations are drawn by Stephen D. Nash. Currently in its third edition, the book provides details about all known lemur species, general information about lemurs and their history, and tips for identifying species. Four related pocket field guides have also been released, containing color illustrations of each species, miniature range maps, and species checklists.The first edition was reviewed favorably in the International Journal of Primatology, Conservation Biology, and Lemur News. Reviewers, including Alison Jolly, praised the book for its depth of coverage, illustrations, and discussion of topics including conservation, evolution, and the recently extinct subfossil lemurs. Each agreed that the book was an excellent resource for a wide audience, including ecotourists and lemur researchers. A lengthy review of the second edition was published in the American Journal of Primatology, where it received similar favorable comments. The third edition was reviewed favorably in Lemur News; the reviewer praised the expanded content of the book but was concerned that the edition was not as portable as its predecessors.The first edition identified 50 lemur species and subspecies, compared to 71 in the second edition and 101 in the third. The taxonomy promoted by these books has been questioned by researchers, such as Ian Tattersall, who view these growing numbers of lemur species as insufficiently justified inflation of species numbers.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:37 UTC on Monday, 28 April 2025.For the full current version of the article, see Lemurs of Madagascar (book) on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Geraint.

Imagine the path you are walking through life. You make decisions and proceed. Imagine that clustering around you are many of other possibilities from which to choose. Telmo's curiosity drives him to select the less probable alternatives because his curiosity disturbs networks of connections that we know little about. He wants to investigate the novel, unexpected, strange and unplanned. In this episode you will gain the courage to disrupt your life to discover new ways of proceeding. You will experience more meaningful coincidences by being curious and by deviating from the expected. Science has sailed on, buoyed by the winds of serendipity. Increase those happy accidents by taking risks, getting lost, talking with strangers, trying new things. Most of all, let your curiosity flag fly! Telmo Pievani (1970) is Full Professor at the Department of Biology, University of Padua. Past President (2017-2019) of the Italian Society of Evolutionary Biology, he is Fellow of several academic Institutions and scientific societies. He is member of the editorial boards of Evolution: Education and Outreach, Evolutionary Biology, Istituto Treccani, and the Italian edition of Scientific American. He is author of 347 publications, included several books, the most recent: “Imperfection. A natural history” (MIT Press, 2022); “The Earth after us” (Contrasto, 2019; with F. Lanting's photos), “Finitude” (Cortina, 2020); “Serendipity” (MIT Press, 2024); “Nature is bigger than us” (Solferino, 2022); "All Possible Worlds" (Cortina, 2024). He is Director of “Pikaia”, the Italian website dedicated to evolution. He is Director of the University of Padua web magazine, Il Bo LIVE. With Niles Eldredge, Ian Tattersall and Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza, he curated International science exhibitions. Author of books for children and theatre scientific shows, he collaborates with RAI radio and TV projects, he is a columnist for Il Corriere della Sera, and the magazines Le Scienze and Micromega. In February 2024, the International Astronomical Union dedicated an asteroid to him: 120098 EJ50 2003. https://www.telmopievani.com https://www.pikaia.eu https://ilbolive.unipd.it https://internationalmusic.it/artisti/telmo-pievani-e-gianni-maroccolo-in-nomadic https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/tools/sbdb_lookup.html#/?sstr=120098%20Telmopievani

The discovery of Lucy, a fossil from the 1970s, changed paleoanthropology. Before Lucy, scientists saw human ancestors as rough guides, not distinct species. This mindset dominated the interpretation of fossils. Lucy's discovery, representing a new species called Australopithecus afarensis, showed the need to define species clearly. The clash of old and new views was seen in a 1981 debate between Richard Leakey and Donald Johanson. Leakey's refusal to offer an alternative emphasized flaws in traditional practices. This marked a shift towards a better understanding of human origins and diversity, despite some scientists holding onto old ways. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 39816]

The discovery of Lucy, a fossil from the 1970s, changed paleoanthropology. Before Lucy, scientists saw human ancestors as rough guides, not distinct species. This mindset dominated the interpretation of fossils. Lucy's discovery, representing a new species called Australopithecus afarensis, showed the need to define species clearly. The clash of old and new views was seen in a 1981 debate between Richard Leakey and Donald Johanson. Leakey's refusal to offer an alternative emphasized flaws in traditional practices. This marked a shift towards a better understanding of human origins and diversity, despite some scientists holding onto old ways. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 39816]

The discovery of Lucy, a fossil from the 1970s, changed paleoanthropology. Before Lucy, scientists saw human ancestors as rough guides, not distinct species. This mindset dominated the interpretation of fossils. Lucy's discovery, representing a new species called Australopithecus afarensis, showed the need to define species clearly. The clash of old and new views was seen in a 1981 debate between Richard Leakey and Donald Johanson. Leakey's refusal to offer an alternative emphasized flaws in traditional practices. This marked a shift towards a better understanding of human origins and diversity, despite some scientists holding onto old ways. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 39816]

The discovery of Lucy, a fossil from the 1970s, changed paleoanthropology. Before Lucy, scientists saw human ancestors as rough guides, not distinct species. This mindset dominated the interpretation of fossils. Lucy's discovery, representing a new species called Australopithecus afarensis, showed the need to define species clearly. The clash of old and new views was seen in a 1981 debate between Richard Leakey and Donald Johanson. Leakey's refusal to offer an alternative emphasized flaws in traditional practices. This marked a shift towards a better understanding of human origins and diversity, despite some scientists holding onto old ways. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 39816]

The discovery of Lucy, a fossil from the 1970s, changed paleoanthropology. Before Lucy, scientists saw human ancestors as rough guides, not distinct species. This mindset dominated the interpretation of fossils. Lucy's discovery, representing a new species called Australopithecus afarensis, showed the need to define species clearly. The clash of old and new views was seen in a 1981 debate between Richard Leakey and Donald Johanson. Leakey's refusal to offer an alternative emphasized flaws in traditional practices. This marked a shift towards a better understanding of human origins and diversity, despite some scientists holding onto old ways. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 39816]

Why are we furless? Why do we cook our food and use spoken language? And how does climate change, sashimi, or the banks of Central America relate to human origins?  Human evolution is a deeply puzzling topic. But behind this dense mist lies many keys to our self-understanding. To guide us through the foggy territory, I am joined by Dr Ian Tattersall, a curator emeritus at the American Museum of Natural History (New York). In this episode, Dr Tattersall and I discuss: (04.00) An ancient climate change (07:20) First humans (11:20) Fire (17:50) Fish (21:40) Rocks (24:00) Evolution vs Innovation (25:30) Brain growth (36:10) Children (39:50) Language (48:20) Why? As always, we finish with Dr Tattersall's reflections on humanity. LINKS Want to support the show? Checkout ⁠Patreon.com/OnHumans⁠ Want to read and not just listen? Get the newsletter on ⁠OnHumans.Substack.com⁠ MENTIONS Names: Richard Wrangham (see ep. 21), Susan Schaller, Ildefonso, Jane Goodall, Sarah Blaffer Hrdy, Yuval Noah Harari  Books: Masters of the Planet (Tattersall), Man Without Words (Schaller), Sapiens (Harari) Technical terms: Oldowan tool culture (first stone tools, c. 2.5 million years ago), Acheulean hand axe (first major update in stone tools, c. 1.6 million years ago) Fossils: Lucy (3.2 million years old); Turkana Boy (aka. Nariokotome Boy, 1.6 million years old) Hominin species: Australopithecines, Homo ergaster, Homo erectus, Homo heidelbergensis, Homo neanderthalensis, Homo sapiens A note on hominin taxonomy: Homo habilis was traditionally considered the first human and the first maker of stone tools. Dr Tattersall is among the many critics of this old idea. According to him and many others, there is no separate tool-making species called Homo habilis. Rather, Australopithecines started making stone tools without any change in the biology of the species. Also, it is worth noting that Dr Tattersall rejects the traditional view which gives a big role for Homo erectus in the human story. In this traditional view, Turkana Boy's species, Homo ergaster, is called an African Homo erectus. Dr Tattersall and many others argue that this is a historic hangover with little basis in the biological evidence.

Jean-Jacques HublinPaléantropologieCollège de FranceAnnée 2022-2023Colloque - Les héritiers de Lucy / Lucy's Heirs : RetrospectIntervenant(s)Ian Tattersall, American Museum of Natural History, New York, USAColloque en hommage à Yves Coppens.Organisé par le Collège de France et la Fondation Hugot du Collège de France.Avec le soutien du Musée de l'Homme et de la Société des Amis du Musée de l'Homme.PrésentationLa disparition d'Yves Coppens le 22 juin 2022 a provoqué une vive émotion au sein de la communauté des paléoanthropologues et bien au-delà. Cette personnalité hors norme a profondément marqué sa discipline à la fois par une contribution scientifique exceptionnelle, mais aussi par un impact inégalé auprès d'un très large public. En son hommage, la chaire de Paléoanthropologie du Collège de France organise, avec le soutien de plusieurs partenaires, un colloque exceptionnel intitulé « Les héritiers de Lucy ». Il se tiendra dans l'amphithéâtre Marguerite de Navarre du Collège de France les 15 et 16 juin prochains.Depuis la découverte de la fameuse « Lucy », les découvertes se sont succédé sur le continent africain à un rythme toujours accéléré, avec notamment la mise en évidence de plusieurs espèces d'Hominines fossiles jusqu'alors inconnues. Les innovations méthodologiques ont été, elles aussi, nombreuses et ont conduit à des réinterprétations parfois radicales des données existantes. Ces progrès spectaculaires offrent aujourd'hui à nos yeux un paysage complètement renouvelé. Nous sommes passés d'une vision linéaire de l'évolution humaine à un buissonnement et une diversité longtemps insoupçonnée de formes d'Hominines aujourd'hui éteintes.Le colloque « Les héritiers de Lucy » rassemblera les meilleurs spécialistes internationaux des Hominines anciens. Il permettra de faire le point sur les nombreuses avancées réalisées depuis les premiers travaux d'Yves Coppens au Tchad et en Éthiopie. Plusieurs générations de chercheurs pourront y confronter leurs résultats et leurs points de vue sur une période cruciale de notre évolution qui a vu l'émergence du genre Homo et porte donc en germe l'Homme véritable.

Today's episode is diving into anthropology, paleontology, archeology, and all of these related disciplines with Ian Tattersall.He is the curator emeritus with the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and also the author of a wide range of books, both by himself and with his co-author Rob DeSalle. The most recent book is “The Accidental Homo Sapiens: Genetics, Behavior, and Free Will,”, which builds on a lot of their previous work, including “Masters of the Planet: The Search for Our Human Origins.”Nicaraguan deaf school children, the origins of vocal language, molecular anthropology, and “bean bag genetics.”Episode QuotesWhy is “bean bag genetics” so popular?:Our minds are reductionist, we want to understand the world and we want to understand it in terms that we can readily relate to. And the idea that a gene is responsible for something in a one-to-one correspondence gives us an easy way to explain it to ourselves. It doesn't have anything to do with reality. On human nature:Unintentionally, I don't think we are going out to make any species extinct, but we are just having that effect. And the only iron clad rule of human nature really is, it's a rule of unintended consequences. And that's just the effect that we have. On the emergence & evolution of language:And that's what makes language peculiar. And language maps so closely on to thought for us, that I'm sure that it was the invention of language, vocal language in this case because there were no vocal languages, that is what stimulated the sort of feedback system in the brain that gave rise to symbolic thought.And that's something I just can't see happening over a long, long, long period of time, which is the way that most people look at it.Functional evolution:Basically, the thing that we really have to understand is that you can't do something new unless you already have the capacity to do it. So the structure has to be there before you can start behaving in a different way. Show Links:Guest Profile:Ian Tattersall's WebsiteProfessional Profile at American Museum of Natural HistoryHis work:The Accidental Homo Sapiens: Genetics, Behavior, and Free WillA Natural History of WineMasters of the Planet: The Search for Our Human OriginsHoax: A History of Deception: 5,000 Years of Fakes, Forgeries, and Fallacies

Andrea Vico, Telmo Pievani"Piante in viaggio"Editoriale Scienzahttps://www.editorialescienza.it/"Piante in viaggio" di Telmo Pievani e Andrea Vico vince il Premio Nazionale Un Libro per 'Ambiente come migliore testo di divulgazione scientifica in formato cartaceoInnovazioni digitali anche nel tradizionale Premio Nazionale Un Libro per l'Ambiente, che nell'anno della pandemia, ha affiancato allo storico concorso una edizione speciale digitale.Da 22 anni Il Premio Un libro per l'Ambiente, il concorso di editoria ambientale promosso da Legambiente e La Nuova Ecologia che coinvolge i giovani di età 8-14 anni nella lettura e valutazione di testi a loro dedicati sui temi ambientali, ha portato sui banchi di scuola migliaia di volumi e centinaia di titoli. Il Premio Nazionale continua a crescere e innovarsi, e per stare al passo con le nuove tecnologie e nuove abitudini, alla storica versione, basata sulla lettura di libri cartacei, si è affiancata una versione digitale, in cui i ragazzi hanno letto e votato tramite dispositivi elettronici.I finalisti selezionati dalla giuria di esperti per la divulgazione scientifica sono stati:Piante in viaggio di T. Pievani e A. Vico ed. Editoriale Scienza;Che cos'è un fiume di M. Vaicenaviciené ed. Topipittori;Parola di astronauta di E. Perozzi, S. Di Pippo ed. Lapis.Si attesta come migliore testo di divulgazione scientifica nella versione cartacea Piante in viaggio di T. Pievani e A. Vico, illustrato da Niccolò Mingolini, ed. Editoriale Scienza, un viaggio con le piante per conoscere noi stessi, la nostra storia e la nostra cultura.Per il digitale, invece, vince un testo sulla vita e la storia dell'esplorazione dello spazio, Parola di astronauta di E. Perozzi, S. Di Pippo ed. Lapis.Piante in viaggio (Editoriale Scienza, settembre 2019) è un viaggio alla scoperta delle piante che usiamo in tavola tutti i giorni. Un giro al mercato, per la protagonista Giulia e il nonno Bruno, si trasforma in un coloratissimo viaggio alla scoperta delle mille piante che l'uomo ha addomesticato e che hanno addomesticato noi. Questa è la straordinaria storia dell'agricoltura, che ha cambiato per sempre la vita di noi esseri umani, il paesaggio che ci circonda e le piante stesse. Il libroLa fine dell'anno scolastico si sta avvicinando per Giulia, c'è da organizzare la festa con la classe. Le famiglie di tanti compagni provengono da Paesi diversi (Iran, Algeria, Togo, Cina…), perché non proporre allora una cena “planetaria” dove ognuno porta un piatto tipico? Un giro al mercato a caccia di spunti culinari si trasforma in un viaggio tra le mille piante che abbiamo addomesticato con l'agricoltura: dai cereali ai legumi, dagli agrumi alle spezie, dalle patate ai pomodori, le piante ci regalano un'infinità di ingredienti che rendono ricca e varia la nostra dieta e contribuiscono alla nostra salute. Con il vulcanico nonno Bruno, ogni bancarella diventa un incontro affascinante e dietro ogni ortaggio si nasconde una sorpresa. Lo sapevi che un tempo le banane avevano i semi e le mandorle erano velenose? E che il pomodoro è originario dell'America e il caffè dell'Africa? Scopri con Giulia la sorprendente storia dell'agricoltura, che ha cambiato per sempre la vita di noi esseri umani, il paesaggio che ci circonda e le piante stesse! E se infine vuoi metterti all'opera, in chiusura trovi una serie di ricette dal mondo (Marocco, Thailandia, Perù, Corno d'Africa…).Gli autoriTelmo Pievani, filosofo e storico della biologia, nonché esperto di teoria dell'evoluzione, è professore di Filosofia delle scienze biologiche presso l'Università degli studi di Padova. È direttore di Pikaia, il portale italiano dell'evoluzione, e autore di oltre 240 pubblicazioni scientifiche e divulgative. Insieme a Niles Eldredge e Ian Tattersall ha curato l'edizione italiana della mostra internazionale "Darwin. 1809-2009", mentre con Luigi Luca Cavalli Sforza il progetto espositivo internazionale "Homo sapiens: la grande storia della diversità umana". Collabora con Il Corriere della Sera, Le Scienze e Micromega. Con la Banda Osiris e Federico Taddia è autore di progetti teatrali e musicali, come "Finalmente il Finimondo!" (2012) e "Il maschio inutile" (2015). Dal 2019, con il collettivo musicale “Deproducers” porta nelle sale lo spettacolo "DNA".Andrea Vico, torinese, 4 figli e una bicicletta, è giornalista dal 1988 e da quasi 30 anni si dedica esclusivamente alla scienza. Ha scritto di ambiente, energia, frontiere della ricerca, nuove tecnologie su TuttoScienze-La Stampa, Il Sole 24 Ore e Le Scienze. Ha lavorato in Rai (Hit Science, Rai Tre) e in radio. Accanto alla attività giornalistica scrive libri e progetta mostre interattive (Experimenta a Torino). Ogni anno partecipa al Festival della scienza di Genova, ai principali festival letterali e ad altre manifestazioni per il grande pubblico come autore e organizzatore di eventi ludo-didattici. È fondatore e presidente dell'associazione culturale ToScienceCamp. Dal 2005 al 2014 è stato impegnato in Brasile per un progetto internazionale di divulgazione della scienza destinato ai bambini delle favelas di Salvador (Bahia). Insegna Science Communication all'Università di Torino e formatore sulle tematiche ambientali e sui goal dell'Agenda 2030 per insegnanti e bibliotecari. Con la band Eugenio in Via Di Gioia organizza progetti a sostegno della tutela della natura e “concerti-chiacchierati” per diffondere anche attraverso la musica le riflessioni sull'ambiente e la sostenibilità.IL POSTO DELLE PAROLEascoltare fa pensarehttps://ilpostodelleparole.it/

Ian Tattersall (paleoanthropologist and curator emeritus of the American Museum of Natural History) joins Lawrence for a nuanced discussion of a wide range of topics including the rise of altruism in humans, the evolutionary reasons for religion, breeding compatibility between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens, the origins of brewing beer, and more. See the commercial-free, full HD videos of all episodes at www.patreon.com/originspodcast immediately upon their release.  And please consider supporting the podcast by donating to the Origins Project Foundation www.originsprojectfoundation.org Twitter: @TheOriginsPod Instagram: @TheOriginsPod Facebook: @TheOriginsPod Website: https://theoriginspodcast.com

【主播】Andy本期书单：《How to Love Wine: A memoir and manifesto》, Eric Asimov 2012《Dirty Guide to Wine》, Alice Feiring and Pascaline Lepeltier 2017《Adventures on the Wine Route: A wine buyer's tour of France》 2012《The World Atlas of Wine》, Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson 2013《Champagne》, Peter Liem 2017《Jura Wine》, Wink Lorch 2014《Parker's Wine Buyers' Guide》, Robert Parker 2008《The Noble Grapes and the Great Wine of France》, Andre Simon 1957《Wines of the World》, Andre Simon 1967《The Fireside Book of Wine》, Alexis Bespaloff 1977《A Natural History of Wine》, Ian Tattersall and Rob Desalle 2015【后期制作】littleanimalgoods【收听方式】可通过 苹果播客、喜马拉雅FM、网易云音乐 收听节目。【互动方式】微博：0_P_C_ instagram: 0percentcarbonic

------------------Support the channel------------ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thedissenter SubscribeStar: https://www.subscribestar.com/the-dissenter 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--------------------- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedissenteryt/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheDissenterYT Anchor (podcast): https://anchor.fm/thedissenter Dr. Ian Tattersall is currently curator emeritus in the Division of Anthropology of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. He has carried out both primatological and paleontological fieldwork in countries as diverse as Madagascar, Vietnam, Surinam, Yemen, and Mauritius. Trained in archaeology and anthropology at the University of Cambridge, and in geology and vertebrate paleontology at Yale University, Dr. Tattersall has concentrated his research since the 1960s in three main areas: the analysis of the human fossil record and its integration with evolutionary theory, the origin of human cognition, and the study of the ecology and systematics of the lemurs of Madagascar. He is also a prominent interpreter of human paleontology to the public, with numerous trade books to his credit, as well as several articles in Scientific American and the co-editorship of the definitive Encyclopedia of Human Evolution and Prehistory. In this episode, we talk about the study of the human fossil record, and several aspects of human evolution, with a focus on the genus Homo. We discuss how the Pleistocene conditions might have affected human evolution; the role of culture; and the cognitive revolution. We also refer to what is a modern human, and the evolution of language and symbolism. -- A HUGE THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS/SUPPORTERS: KARIN LIETZCKE, ANN BLANCHETTE, PER HELGE LARSEN, LAU GUERREIRO, JERRY MULLER, HANS FREDRIK SUNDE, BERNARDO SEIXAS, HERBERT GINTIS, RUTGER VOS, RICARDO VLADIMIRO, BO WINEGARD, CRAIG HEALY, OLAF ALEX, PHILIP KURIAN, JONATHAN VISSER, DAVID DIAS, ANJAN KATTA, JAKOB KLINKBY, ADAM KESSEL, MATTHEW WHITINGBIRD, ARNAUD WOLFF, TIM HOLLOSY, HENRIK AHLENIUS, JOHN CONNORS, PAULINA BARREN, FILIP FORS CONNOLLY, DAN DEMETRIOU, ROBERT WINDHAGER, RUI INACIO, ARTHUR KOH, ZOOP, MARCO NEVES, MAX BEILBY, COLIN HOLBROOK, SUSAN PINKER, THOMAS TRUMBLE, PABLO SANTURBANO, SIMON COLUMBUS, PHIL KAVANAGH, JORGE ESPINHA, CORY CLARK, MARK BLYTH, ROBERTO INGUANZO, MIKKEL STORMYR, ERIC NEURMANN, SAMUEL ANDREEFF, FRANCIS FORDE, TIAGO NUNES, BERNARD HUGUENEY, ALEXANDER DANNBAUER, OMARI HICKSON, PHYLICIA STEVENS, FERGAL CUSSEN, YEVHEN BODRENKO, HAL HERZOG, NUNO MACHADO, DON ROSS, JOÃO ALVES DA SILVA, JONATHAN LEIBRANT, JOÃO LINHARES, OZLEM BULUT, NATHAN NGUYEN, STANTON T, SAMUEL CORREA, ERIK HAINES, MARK SMITH, J.W., JOÃO EIRA, TOM HUMMEL, SARDUS FRANCE, DAVID SLOAN WILSON, YACILA DEZA-ARAUJO, AND IDAN SOLON! A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY PRODUCERS, YZAR WEHBE, JIM FRANK, ŁUKASZ STAFINIAK, IAN GILLIGAN, SERGIU CODREANU, LUIS CAYETANO, MATTHEW LAVENDER, TOM VANEGDOM, CURTIS DIXON, BENEDIKT MUELLER, AND VEGA GIDEY! AND TO MY EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS, MICHAL RUSIECKI, ROSEY, AND JAMES PRATT!

Greetings, my witty word nerds! It’s that time again, the time for An Assemblage of Grandiose and Bombastic Grandiloquents! Today we are taking a trip off the Eastern coast of Africa; that’s right, we’re going to Madagascar to talk about the ‘aye-aye’!No, I am not saluting you, captain, nor am I celebrating in Spanish! Instead I am referring the aye-aye, a long-fingered lemur native to Madagascar with rodent-like teeth that perpetually grow, and a special thin middle finger. I know what you’re thinking, savvy listener: ‘Good gracious! Please tell me more about this charmer of an animal!’ And that I will! The aye-aye, or ‘Daubetonia madagascariensis’ is a solitary quadruped, and the world’s largest nocturnal primate. It is characterized by its unusual method of finding food: it taps on trees to find grubs, then gnaws holes in the wood using its forward-slanting incisors to create a small hole in which it inserts its narrow middle finger to pull the grubs out. I told you - charming!They spend most of their life high up in the trees, coming down to the ground on rare occasions. Though not a social primate, the males are known to share habitats until they hear the call of the female. The aye-aye were very difficult to class, first being thought as rodents due to their continually growing teeth, and as a squirrel at that. However, the aye-aye is also similar to felines. Their classification as primates was also uncertain, until molecular research concluded that aye-ayes are the most basal of lemurs.The French naturalist Pierre Sonnerat was the first to use the name aye-aye in 1782 when he described and illustrated the lemur, though it was also called the ‘long-fingered lemur’ by English zoologist George Shaw in 1800—a name that did not stick. According to Sonnerat, the name ‘aye-aye’ was a ‘cry of exclamation and astonishment’. However, American paleoanthropologist Ian Tattersall noted in 1982 that the name resembles the Malagasy name ‘hai hai’ or ‘hay hay’, which refers to the animal and is used around the island. Another proposed hypothesis is that it derives from ‘heh heh’, which is Malagasy for "I don't know". If correct, then the name might have originated from Malagasy people saying ‘heh heh’ to avoid saying the name of a feared, magical animal.Isn’t language wonderful?Written by Taylor Davidson, Read by Zane C WeberSubscribe to us on ITUNES, STITCHER, SPOTIFY, or your podcatcher of choice.Find us on FACEBOOK or TWITTERBecome a Patron of That’s Not Canon Productions at Patreon!Email us at Grandiloquentspodcast@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Le razze umane non esistono, ma allora perché abbiamo difficoltà ad abbandonare quest'idea scientificamente infondata?

Just what is Bigfoot? Descendant of ancient apes? Close human ancestor? Evolution might hold the answer to this question. Homo sapiens may rule the planet now but once upon a time, we weren’t the only hominid creatures walking around. Who’s to say that Bigfoot wasn’t—and still isn’t—among us? We talk to evolution experts and anthropologists, including Ian Tattersall, curator at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just what is Bigfoot? Descendant of ancient apes? Close human ancestor? Evolution might hold the answer to this question. Homo sapiens may rule the planet now but once upon a time, we weren’t the only hominid creatures walking around. Who’s to say that Bigfoot wasn’t—and still isn’t—among us? We talk to evolution experts and anthropologists, including Ian Tattersall, curator at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week at In The Past Lane, the history podcast, we explore the rise of hoaxes, humbug, plagiarists, phonies, post-facts, and fake news, beginning in the early 19th century. All societies are susceptible to hoaxes and scams, but there seems to be something about America’s culture of striving and reinvention that makes its people particularly vulnerable to the wily ways of tricksters, from P.T. Barnum to Bernie Madoff. To make sense of this fascinating thread that runs through US history, I speak with Kevin Young, author of, Bunk: The Rise of Hoaxes, Humbug, Plagiarists, Phonies, Post-Facts, and Fake News. We discuss famous hoaxes, including the Moon Hoax of 1835, P.T. Barnum’s fakeries like Joice Heth, whom he claimed was the 168-year old former slave nursemaid of George Washington. We also talk about famous imposters, including Grey Owl, a famous Native American from the early 20th century and the more recent case of Rachel Dolezal, an African American activist, both of whom, surprise turned out to be white. As this last point indicates, race has been at the heart of American hoaxes. And Kevin Young also gives us a lot to think about when it comes to understanding how modern day hoaxes are both similar to those in the past, and yet also different in some disturbing ways. Among the many things discussed in this episode:  What is bunk, or humbug? How did P. T. Barnum popularize the hoax?  Why are Americans seemingly particularly susceptible to hoaxes and frauds? How were hoaxes and fakeries in the 19th century early versions of reality TV? What was the Moon Hoax of 1835? What was the Cardiff Giant Hoax of 1869? Why race and racism have long been the inspiration of hoaxes and fakeries. How contemporary hoaxes and fake news stories are different from those in the 19th century. Recommended reading:  Kevin Young, Bunk: The Rise of Hoaxes, Humbug, Plagiarists, Phonies, Post-Facts, and Fake News (2017) Philip B. Kunhardt Jr., P. T. Barnum: America's Greatest Showman (1995) Ian Tattersall and Peter Névraumont, Hoax: A History of Deception: 5,000 Years of Fakes, Forgeries, and Fallacies (2018) Scott Tribble, A Colossal Hoax: The Giant from Cardiff that Fooled America (2008) Podcasts mentioned in this episode Past Present website Ben Franklin’s World website  Flatbush + Main website A Great Woman and Her Time website

Natural history museums are art galleries.  Scientifically focussed art galleries, but art galleries nonetheless.  Ian Tattersall, of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, is a paleontologist who sometimes oversees the construction of models for the museum.  Of personal interest to Here Be Monsters producer Jeff Emtman are reconstructions of very lifelike early humans, one with an arm draped over the other.  Ian calls these the “Laetoli Figures”—named for the place in modern-day Tanzania where some remarkable footprints of two hominids were found preserved in volcanic ash.  As far as early humans go, Australopithecus Afarensis are well understood.  There are 300+ individuals in the fossil record, including the famous ~40% complete fossil of “Lucy”.Given the evidence, there’s a lot scientists can be pretty certain in declaring: they lived in the trees, but they could walk upright.  They had small brains and big jaws, but their canine teeth looked a lot like a modern human’s.  There are other questions that are answerable through inference, through studies of modern animals and other fossils.  These techniques can yield a strong degree of certainty.But if the artist were to stop constructing at the edge of certainty, the models would never be completed. There are certain things that are essentially unknowable about these early hominids, like: “What did their skin look like?” “What color was their hair?” “Did they have the dark sclera of an ape, or the whites-of-the-eye of a modern human?”These uncertainties are ultimately up to the artist to answer.  “When you’re making a museum exhibit,” Ian (not an artist) points out, “you’re trying to create an illusion.  And to work at all, the illusion has to be complete.  And so you have to have all the details in there.”But these details are a form of artistry used as evidence by biblical creationists to lambast hominid reconstructions.  They see it as part of an effort to deceive the public, to lead them to believe that these ancient hominids were more human-like than they actually were.  Of particular interest to them is that question of the light sclera vs. dark sclera.  One author writes:Notice that a fossilized eyeball was not found.  So how would anyone know that the sclera was white, which would cause it to look more human. [sic] The reconstruction is pure speculation about how Lucy’s eye looked.Natural history museums are faced with a decision: create full-flesh reconstructions that by necessity contain elements of artistic license, or, present the public with mere bones.  Most seem to opt for the former, and understandably so.  The museum serves the public, and, like HBM producer Jeff Emtman, they want to see something relatable and remarkable, a piece of scientifically-oriented art.  And this question the artist must face, the question of the dark sclera (more ape-like eyes) and the light sclera (more human-like eyes) reveals something interesting about the artist and the process used to create the art.  The choices an artist makes can speak to their worldview, their biases, and their knowledge per their location in the world and the current moment in time.  Ian recognizes this, saying,You could not do a reliable reconstruction of an ancient human being or a dinosaur, or an extinct mammal without the science; and you certainly couldn’t do it without the art.  And this is where the two really intersect in a meaningful way.And the AMNH itself houses exhibits related to the ways in which modern assumptions about the past have affected the way the past is present, such as:  Griffins in the Gobi Desert (protoceratops), Cyclops of the Mediterranean (dwarf elephants), and the infamous unicorn horns of Western Europe (narwhal).Ian says that, in the quarter century since the construction of the Laetoli Figures, dominant scientific perception has changed to suggest that Australopithecus afarensis might have actually had dark sclera. As he puts it, “science is a work in progress.”Jeff Emtman produced this episode.  Voicemails from HBM listeners including Daniel Greene, Rachel Schapiro and Tony Baker.   Music: The Black Spot, The Other Stars

Natural history museums are art galleries. Scientifically focussed art galleries, but art galleries nonetheless. Ian Tattersall, of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, is a paleontologist who sometimes oversees the construction of models for the museum. Of personal interest to Here Be Monsters producer Jeff Emtman are reconstructions of very lifelike early humans, one with an arm draped over the other. Ian calls these the “Laetoli Figures”—named for the place in modern-day Tanzania where some remarkable footprints of two hominids were found preserved in volcanic ash. As far as early humans go, Australopithecus Afarensis are well understood. There are 300+ individuals in the fossil record, including the famous ~40% complete fossil of “Lucy”.Given the evidence, there's a lot scientists can be pretty certain in declaring: they lived in the trees, but they could walk upright. They had small brains and big jaws, but their canine teeth looked a lot like a modern human's. There are other questions that are answerable through inference, through studies of modern animals and other fossils. These techniques can yield a strong degree of certainty.But if the artist were to stop constructing at the edge of certainty, the models would never be completed. There are certain things that are essentially unknowable about these early hominids, like: “What did their skin look like?” “What color was their hair?” “Did they have the dark sclera of an ape, or the whites-of-the-eye of a modern human?”These uncertainties are ultimately up to the artist to answer. “When you're making a museum exhibit,” Ian (not an artist) points out, “you're trying to create an illusion. And to work at all, the illusion has to be complete. And so you have to have all the details in there.”But these details are a form of artistry used as evidence by biblical creationists to lambast hominid reconstructions. They see it as part of an effort to deceive the public, to lead them to believe that these ancient hominids were more human-like than they actually were. Of particular interest to them is that question of the light sclera vs. dark sclera. One author writes:Notice that a fossilized eyeball was not found. So how would anyone know that the sclera was white, which would cause it to look more human. [sic] The reconstruction is pure speculation about how Lucy's eye looked.Natural history museums are faced with a decision: create full-flesh reconstructions that by necessity contain elements of artistic license, or, present the public with mere bones. Most seem to opt for the former, and understandably so. The museum serves the public, and, like HBM producer Jeff Emtman, they want to see something relatable and remarkable, a piece of scientifically-oriented art. And this question the artist must face, the question of the dark sclera (more ape-like eyes) and the light sclera (more human-like eyes) reveals something interesting about the artist and the process used to create the art. The choices an artist makes can speak to their worldview, their biases, and their knowledge per their location in the world and the current moment in time. Ian recognizes this, saying,You could not do a reliable reconstruction of an ancient human being or a dinosaur, or an extinct mammal without the science; and you certainly couldn't do it without the art. And this is where the two really intersect in a meaningful way.And the AMNH itself houses exhibits related to the ways in which modern assumptions about the past have affected the way the past is present, such as: Griffins in the Gobi Desert (protoceratops), Cyclops of the Mediterranean (dwarf elephants), and the infamous unicorn horns of Western Europe (narwhal).Ian says that, in the quarter century since the construction of the Laetoli Figures, dominant scientific perception has changed to suggest that Australopithecus afarensis might have actually had dark sclera. As he puts it, “science is a work in progress.”Jeff Emtman produced this episode. Voicemails from HBM listeners including Daniel Greene, Rachel Schapiro and Tony Baker. Music: The Black Spot, The Other Stars

The StarTalk All-Stars investigate climate change, featuring hosts Bill Nye, David Grinspoon, Seth Shostak, and Natalia Reagan; co-hosts Chuck Nice, Eugene Mirman, and Tim Alexander; and guests Radley Horton, Andrew Revkin, Todd Disotell, Ian Tattersall, and Ken Caldeira.NOTE: StarTalk All-Access subscribers can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://www.startalkradio.net/all-access/climate-change-mashup/Don't miss an episode of StarTalk All-Stars. Subscribe on:TuneIn: tunein.com/startalkallstarsSoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/startalk_all-starsApple Podcasts: https://itun.es/us/P9kphb.cStitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/startalk-allstarsGoogle Play Music: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/I2nz5bguurd5se7zu4fhnd25lk4

The StarTalk All-Stars investigate climate change, featuring hosts Bill Nye, David Grinspoon, Seth Shostak, and Natalia Reagan; co-hosts Chuck Nice, Eugene Mirman, and Tim Alexander; and guests Radley Horton, Andrew Revkin, Todd Disotell, Ian Tattersall, and Ken Caldeira. NOTE: StarTalk All-Access subscribers can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://www.startalkradio.net/all-access/climate-change-mashup/ Don’t miss an episode of StarTalk All-Stars. Subscribe on: TuneIn: tunein.com/startalkallstars SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/startalk_all-stars Apple Podcasts: https://itun.es/us/P9kphb.c Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/startalk-allstars Google Play Music: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/I2nz5bguurd5se7zu4fhnd25lk4

Climate Change is the hot-button issue of today. Primatologist Natalia Reagan is back to host with comic co-host Tim Alexander, biological anthropologist Todd Disotell, and paleoanthropologist Ian Tattersall to talk about its impact on all species.Don't miss an episode of StarTalk All-Stars. Subscribe on:TuneIn: tunein.com/startalkallstarsSoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/startalk_all-starsApple Music: https://itun.es/us/P9kphb.cStitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/startalk-allstarsGoogle Play Music: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/I2nz5bguurd5se7zu4fhnd25lk4NOTE: StarTalk All-Access subscribers can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free: https://www.startalkradio.net/all-access/death-by-climate-change-with-natalia-reagan/

Climate Change is the hot-button issue of today. Primatologist Natalia Reagan is back to host with comic co-host Tim Alexander, biological anthropologist Todd Disotell, and paleoanthropologist Ian Tattersall to talk about its impact on all species. Don’t miss an episode of StarTalk All-Stars. Subscribe on: TuneIn: tunein.com/startalkallstars SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/startalk_all-stars Apple Music: https://itun.es/us/P9kphb.c Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/startalk-allstars Google Play Music: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/I2nz5bguurd5se7zu4fhnd25lk4 NOTE: StarTalk All-Access subscribers can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free: https://www.startalkradio.net/all-access/death-by-climate-change-with-natalia-reagan/

Pluto Flyby  (start time 1:00): Joel Parker discusses the New Horizons mission from the command center live! Case of the Rickety Cossack (start time 25:00): Beth Bennett talks to Ian Tattersall about his new book,  a fascinating précis of the study of human evolution and some startling new findings showing that our species is one of many hominids in which natural selection mixed and matched various characteristics and abilities. Host: Beth Bennett Show Producer: Beth Bennett Board Engineer: Maeve Conran Executive Producer: Susan Moran Additional Contributions: Susan Moran Listen to the show here:

In this podcast, Curator emeritus Ian Tattersall argues that a long tradition of "human exceptionalism" in paleoanthropology has distorted the picture of human evolution, and leads us through a world of discoveries in the field from past to present. This lecture took place at the Museum on June 9, 2015. To listen to our archive of podcasts, visit amnh.org/podcasts.

Paleoanthropologist Dr. Ian Tattersall is back to help Neil deGrasse Tyson and Eugene Mirman answer fan questions about where primates came from, and where we’re going. Read more and listen to the full show at: http://www.startalkradio.net/show/cosmic-queries-primate-evolution

We’re going ape this week when host Neil deGrasse Tyson talks to Andy Serkis from Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and primate expert and paleoanthropologist Dr. Ian Tattersall. Read more and listen to the full show at: http://www.startalkradio.net/show/planet-of-the-apes

Ian Tattersall of the American Museum of Natural History

Our need to develop fairness and justice runs deep. How deep? About 40,000 human developmental years deep. In this week's podcast, Ian Tattersall, curator in the Department of Anthropology at New York's American Museum of Natural History, and an expert in interpreting human paleontology to the public, discusses how Cro-Magnon creativity and culture produced the beginnings of modern dispute resolution.